Great ride with the wife on Saturday, until oops....(a bit long)

[Ice]

You know? There are those days when you’re out riding and it’s the perfect ride, you’re in the zone all is smooth and your looking forward to the rest of the ride. Weather is perfect, the bike is running smooth, and you’re just in a zone. And then, you have to turn left off a major road to get to Skyline Drive, so you slow down turn left and immediately after turning left (about 20 feet) you have to stop for the cross traffic. Now, usually not a problem, right? But today you make the turn, and you hit the brakes not realizing that your front wheel is still slightly turned to the left and you’re on an ever so slight of an incline in the same direction. What happens? Gravity takes hold convincing your bike that its time to lay down, but you try to defy the forces of gravity and the Earth’s magnetic pull, knowing full well that once gravity takes hold there is nothing you can do but try to put the bike down as gently as possible, but that goes against human nature, all that chrome and paint, no , no not a scratch shall I let her have, so you strain to keep the bike up in a fruitless effort, and the end result is you and the bike hit the ground.
It’s not a big deal by any sense of the imagination especially when you pick up the bike and there is a very minor scratch in the windshield and you’re not hurt asides from your back being a bit sore from the attempt to defy gravity.
Sadly though, this is what happened to my Wife on Saturday when we went for a ride me on the Valk and she on her V-Star, and it really deflated the high she was having shortly before. As many of you know she is still a novice rider and she is doing really well, but that minor fall from grace really hurt her riding skills.
I watched the whole thing happen and I was unable to do anything about it, I saw when she pulled up next to me that the front wheel was turned, I instantly knew what was going to happen and I wanted to say something but before I could, it had happened and she was on the ground.
I know this is the most common type of “lay” down that happens to riders in parking lots because one has to suddenly apply the brakes and the wheel is cocked in one direction or the other, but trying to convince my Wife of this is not so easy, she is, as said still new to riding and that minor incident took all her confidence. I told her it is just another learning experience that we all go through when riding, but it did not help any. She rode another 30 miles or so but I could tell her confidence was way down.
Sorry for the long read but just thought I would share for those of you that have not had the pleasure of the slow ride gravity pull…..

[Michvalk]

Maybe some time spent in a parking lot, working through the slow turns and stops would be in order. She needs to regain her confidence, and working through what happened. There is no better teacher than experience. I hope that the tumble will not prevent her from riding more, as riding more will help her learn the skills. I learned in the dirt, and fell plenty. Besides, scratched parts can be replaced!

[Rams]

Been there, had just pulled into a parking lot, one of those that have vehicles parking in rows similar to a Wally World lot.  Pulled up, shut the motor down and was just starting to put the kick stand down when a Ford pickup pulled into the opposing parking spot, the driver was on her cell phone and looking out the driver's side window and moving way faster than someone parking would have been driving, more like she was gonna pull through the parking spots.  I saw her coming, she obviously was not looking at me.  The motor was dead, all I could do was look at her with the deer in the headlight look on my face.  She slammed on her brakes and got stopped about six inches from me but, it was too late.  I was already leaning the Fat Lady over try'n to get away.  No, she didn't hit me but, the Fat Lady went down and blew out my knee in the process.  She got a minor rub on the crash bar, I got knee surgery.  Of course, the lady driving the Ford, claimed she never touched me and that is in fact the truth but, my Lady and I would have never had an issue if it weren't for her.    Did I over react, possibly but, the truth is, I thought she was gonna run my ass over.

Sorry about your wife's mishap, could happen to anyone.  Please ensure she knows, these things happen to most new riders and some experienced ones as well.  

[Quicksilver]

She learned a lot more from that one little dump than she could learn in a day of riding without incident. Very glad she is all right.

[hubcapsc]

and it really deflated the high she was having shortly before.

That high needs to be, if not deflated, at least tempered with the realization that what we're
doing has real risk.

I hope that her high gets pumped all the way back up and that she continues to
learn the ins and outs without getting hurt... and I hope she reads this thread so
she'll see we're all pulling for her... 

-Mike

[Ice]

Mike, I will make sure that she reads the thread, and yes, she is usually very careful on her scoot, and I do not believe she did anything majorly wrong, asides not get that front end straight before grabbing the brakes, I think most of us have done it, maybe not dumped the bike but come cursed close, I know I have

[..]

Mike, I will make sure that she reads the thread, and yes, she is usually very careful on her scoot, and I do not believe she did anything majorly wrong, asides not get that front end straight before grabbing the brakes, I think most of us have done it, maybe not dumped the bike but come cursed close, I know I have

Low speed - back brake NO front brake.

Hihg speed - front brake and then some back brake.

[Oss]

I have never done that about 3 times

straighten the bars before you stop Oss is what I tell myself

pride will heal and confidence will return  Your wife rode the bike home so she is most of the way back already in confidence


another tip from the dont ask how I know department  if you have a brake lock or chain
make sure its OFF  the bike before starting to leave the parking spot, a string tied to the right handlebar  can help with that one

[MP]

Mike, I will make sure that she reads the thread, and yes, she is usually very careful on her scoot, and I do not believe she did anything majorly wrong, asides not get that front end straight before grabbing the brakes, I think most of us have done it, maybe not dumped the bike but come cursed close, I know I have

Low speed - back brake NO front brake.

Hihg speed - front brake and then some back brake.

+100!

Once you get down below 20 or so, You need to pretend to be a HD rider, and use only the rear brake!  LOL

MP

[chrise2469]

Let her know it can happen to the best of us.  As a beginner it's a steep learning curve, you learn and move on.  Here's an example she can laugh at.
http://contour.com/stories/dropped-valkyrie

[MacDragon]

I'm sure you did everything you could to let her know it was a common mistake that needs to be in the front of your mind at slow speed.  I'm a seasoned rider and did the same thing in a parking lot about a yr and half ago.  A rooky mistake, and I knew it even as I was on my way down... Nothing hurt but my pride and a little scratch on the underside of the crashbar. (Honda ACE cruiser)  Still was mad at myself for doing it.

Best wishes to the Mrs. 

[Willow]

I'm sure you did everything you could to let her know it was a common mistake  ...

Obviously not everything he could.  I see no reference to Ice dumping his at the next corner to make her feel better.   

Tell her to keep learning and don't get discouraged.  It's a great feeling sharing the road with one's life partner.      

[cookiedough]

glad she is o.k., just her pride and confidence hurt.  Everyone tips sooner or later.  You can tell her my story:  When 20 and strong, I did a dumb thing on my 1984 honda magna and stopped in my parent's driveway angled 30 degrees or so downhill and did not stop with my left foot uphill on the ground and slowly tipped the bike over on the right (downhill side) resting it down gently.  Common sense did not prevail on that one thinking I was like 7 feet tall vs. only 5'10".  So, another word of caution to stop on a level surface or foot planted on uphill side of the hill since no one can jump off real quickly and hold up an 800lb. valkyrie without letting it down gently since I couldn't do it with a 550lb. bike either.

[Grandpa Bigbuck]

Trust me I know what you're talking about. Here's how I solved that problem at my house.

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

She learned a lot more from that one little dump than she could learn in a day of riding without incident. Very glad she is all right.

Ditto to this for sure.

[MacDragon]

I'm sure you did everything you could to let her know it was a common mistake  ...

Obviously not everything he could.  I see no reference to Ice dumping his at the next corner to make her feel better.   

Tell her to keep learning and don't get discouraged.  It's a great feeling sharing the road with one's life partner.      

Oh, that was bad Willow... But you're right.  He could've showed her how easy it is to do...

[DIGGER]

Sometimes it just happens.   Been riding my whole life and still get caught off guard occasionally and let her tip over......ususally when on an incline.   The Fat Lady is heavy by nature and once it gets to going over there is no stopping her.

Tipped over in Big Bend Park a few years ago.....with my wife on the back....on a steep incline parking lot.    My leg was trapped under the bike, not hurt, but just trapped, and my riding buddy wouldn't help me till he got out his camera and took some pics......ha.....the jerk.  He still proudly displays those pics at parties. 

[Ice]

This is why I love this place so much, great family support and a bit of light humor to boot. 

@ Willow, your right I could have shown her the proper way to tip the bike over  but in all honesty I think she'd have been even more mad at me that the Valk was down    she has seen me do the old scrape the road thingy once or twice, so she knows how it can happen.

 I truly believe most of it was just simple pride, a brand new bike, and the dissapointment.

She is ready to ride again, still a bit shy but I think once she realizes that she has taken turns like that 100's of times without incident she will be fine again. She understands the mistake and as one said a learned experience that she wont forget and hopefully repeat all so fast again. She will pay more attention next time I am sure of that.

[olddog1946]

At 66 with a few miles under my butt, I just did something similar. Had just put a new clutch in the BWM K1200LTE and put her partially back together, but not all the tupperware or the crash bars. Just enough to be able to take it out for a short test ride.  REAL SHORT that is, went about 5 feet, stopped coming out of the driveway with the front wheel cocked to one side, and well, uh, yepper, over 800 lbs of bike on the ground. Worst part is that with no crash bars/bumpers on the bike, I now am the proud owner of one left mirror that is currently held together with sheet rock screws til I can find another...Beverly Hillbillies, here I come, lol.

[~ Timbrwolf]

...Tell her not to fret too much. Ive often said that if you really want to see someones "expertise" in handling ANY motorcycle.....watch them in a parking lot at "slow speed".  Ive seen more riders ..(myself included) ...make some kind of mistake....and go down. Its very easy to go through the gears and get a bike up to speed...and get in "the zone"...as you say...but the zone is a place that I wouldnt recommend a novice rider to dwell in too often.


...I recall being on an organized ride once, where the guy leading the ride pulled into a parking lot that was on a steep incline and had two entrances. He had lead this ride many times and had always entered the "first"  entrance and led a rather large group of bikes...up the hill...and park. Never had any problems...but this time for what ever reason, he chose to take the group in the second entrance...at the top of the hill. We were kind of in the middle of the pack and I watched as all these bikes entered the parking lot and began an immediate steep downward descent...3 bikes went down one after another and the rest were going in all directions trying to avoid the ones that had gone down...it was instant chaos....and these were "experienced riders". I myself navigated around the downed bikes and chose to ride all the way to the end of the lot and stop against the curb, as I didnt know what the people behind me were going to do. In retrospect...it was a good lesson learned for everyone there...especially the ones who were now straining to get their bikes righted.


..Another time, about 15 years ago before I had my Valk, I was riding my deceased fathers Gold Wing and decided to ride to a favorite bar for a burger. I pulled up to this huge picture window out front...I pulled up doing my best ...yeah Im a bike and Im cool routine...stopped and dismounted...problem was I had forgotten to put the kick stand down.  ..That huge Wing Immediately began to obey the laws of gravity...and go over, and I found myself getting a death grip on the grips as she did and as you say...tried to defy gravity. The bike was still running and as she went over I twisted the throttle, which made the engine scream as she went over. All the time there were some people sitting at a table at the window...watching as they munched their burgers. I looked at this huge behemoth laying on its side and took note that no one was getting up to come out and help me lift it. Luckily I remembered what some guy had told me once about how to lift a Wing back up by yourself. So I turned around and bent my knees and grabbed the passenger bar and handle bar and carefully righted her...making sure I didnt go too far and drop her the other way. I "carefully put the kick stand down"....brushed myself off and tried to regain my dignity as best I could...and strolled into the bar trying to act as if nothing had happened.. 

...so tell you wife that it happens to everyone...dont get down about it...learn from it...riding a motorcycle is an endless learning process for all of us....as it should be.