I Dropped my Valk Poll

[RainMaker]

There are a ton more reasons why but these are the ones that got me!

RainMaker

[Black Dog]

1)  Pulled in to a grass parking area at a local summer church festival, the kind that is usually filled with HD's...  Flipped on the LED's as I got off the street (not legal to run them on the road in WI), let my wife hop off, and forgot to put the kickstand down... 

It's amazing how quickly you can pick up an 800 lb bike, when everyone is watching 

2)  Just got off the freeway, on my way to work.  Stopped at the light at the end of the ramp.  Green light, left turn, and BAM, I'm on the ground...  Once I picked myself up, it looked as though there was a large splat of antifreeze, right where my front wheel slipped out...

Scuffed my left boot, and the left arm of my leathers, but other than my pride, the bike and I were OK 

Black Dog

[Baldwin]

Forget to put the kickstand down at the gas station.  Had to get my buddy to help me pick her up.

[Daniel Meyer]

All of those, and then some.

Ur...I mean...Nuhuh. Never dropped the thing. NaMe. Nope. 

[Disco]

Valkyrie?  No.  

You did say Valkyrie, right?  You published this poll only for people who dropped their Valkyrie, right?  I just want to make sure I the poll is as specific and narrowly focused as I interpreted it.  

Just to make sure, you didn't say dropped any, uh, old, thing, I mean old wing, I mean...  Oh, never mind.  

[godfire]

The poll won't allow multiple entries...... Showing off, kickstand, gravel, going too slow.... I think that covers it......

[Serk]

Made it 94,000+ miles and 8.5 years...

Turning off residential street into my alley, there's a fence making it a pretty blind turn. I slow down and take it wide as possible to give as much visibility as possible, but it still wasn't enough for the inattentive woman on her cell phone in her 8,000 pound SUV FLYING down the alley...

I take that corner SLOW for just that reason. Leaned over going REALLY slow, saw her, hit the brakes, came to a stop, and......... over she went...

At least she saw me and stopped before she hit me!

Literally... 100 feet from my garage... But oh well, happens to everyone eventually...

[RainMaker]

Valkyrie?  No.  

You did say Valkyrie, right?  You published this poll only for people who dropped their Valkyrie, right?  I just want to make sure I the poll is as specific and narrowly focused as I interpreted it.  

Just to make sure, you didn't say dropped any, uh, old, thing, I mean old wing, I mean...  Oh, never mind.  

Correct.  Only a Valkyrie poll. The Cruiser of the Decade.  The true F6 motor with the correct number of carburetors and minimal tupperware.  The bruiser cruiser with no reverse gear.  That one.  

But being launched 100 feet from a standing start on a gOld Wing wasn't one of the choices, anyway.

[RainMaker]

The poll won't allow multiple entries...... Showing off, kickstand, gravel, going too slow.... I think that covers it......

I set it up to allow 7 entries per person.  I entered in 3 different reasons myself.  I'll check it.

RM

[RainMaker]

Valkyrie?  No.  

You did say Valkyrie, right?  You published this poll only for people who dropped their Valkyrie, right?  I just want to make sure I the poll is as specific and narrowly focused as I interpreted it.  

Just to make sure, you didn't say dropped any, uh, old, thing, I mean old wing, I mean...  Oh, never mind.  

Just for you, added another choice on the poll.

[Joe Hummer]

I dropped my bike doing a u-turn on a up-hill...didn't see that selection or anything close on your list. 

The setup...I was out wasting away the day running some back roads south of St. Louis.  Came across a wild game ranch and wanted to get a picture of the animals. 

I should have pulled up the hill the rest of the way but decided...what the hell...i can do this...so I do the required dip...but didn't carry my speed...and over I went.  The only thing it hurt was my pride but luckily no one was around to see me but the wild animals. 

Have you ever tried to pick up a IS from a downhill lie??  OMG...these things are HEAVY!!!  Using the proper technique...I was able to right my beast and go back down and take my picture and finished my ride...was a beautiful day.

Joe

[john]

holloween  ...   tombstone arizona   
a little grassy spot in the corner of the hotel parking lot ...     
set there talk'in to vrcc rider from mesa while the wives went in to get rooms ...   
they came out with keys ...  we/i leaned the big yellow over and ....   
wait ... wait ... no ... nooooo  ... engine guard to  the grass ....     

[roboto65]

Uhh you forgot not unlocking your steering and driving off 

[bigdog99]

did a 270 around a corner on some motor oil, right in front of a harley!!!!!!!!!!!!! Him and his girl picked it up for me, leaning on side stand, told me what a great job i did keeping it up. Only took about 3 quarts of motor oil from someones car

[godfire]

Only took about 3 quarts of motor oil from someones car

Are you sure it didn't come from the Harley? 

[bigdog99]

no wonder they rushed over to help me right away.

[Doc809]

Sitting at an intersection turning right on a steep incline. Passenger on the rear.  Front wheel turned right. Beginning to get the picture?  Passenger turns/shifts weight to the right to speak to rider behind.  When the fat lady starts down with the wheel turned, u ain't stoppin her!  Major insult to my ego, bike was fine.

[RainMaker]

Doc, I have a similar "almost".  Many of you wonder why I never have my SO riding with me.  Well, I was riding back from Ennis after the big Czech celebration a few years ago with a couple of my buddies and my bride riding pillion.  We were in a big sweeper and she decides to shoot some pictures and shifts around for the 10th time that trip, despite my repeated warnings not to do so.  But this time, we're in the middle of the turn and her shift uprights the Valk and we start heading off to the right, across the opposite lane and all the way onto the shoulder before I can pull the bike to a stop while fighting to keep from being hit by cages that are dodging me.  So that's why I ride mostly solo now.  But I did not drop the Valk - I simply dropped her from my riding list.

[Wanderer]

My first Valk, in the garage, just moving her in w/o engine power. The stereo was blasting loud enough I did not hear it when my foot hit the side stand (only stand - redundant) and flipped it up. She leaned a little further than if she was on the kick stand, but basically the same thang with more affect. Beached whales come to mind. Herniated a disk in my neck. Should have just let her go on over w/o the struggle in hind sight. Just one of the evils of rock and roll. Sure not the phat gals fault. ~Jeff

[john]

that " Something slippery underfoot " is way to familiar ...
that was a close one ... transmission fluid all over the concrete at a truck stop ....     

[QOTFU]

Valk 3 x's in gravel

Harley a gozillion times

[f-Stop]

Came very close to dropping the Valk in my own driveway.   Luckily, the weight was on my "good" leg and I was able to "muscle" her back upright before she went over.

I did, however, go over hard on the CRF250X last Wednesday.  Was making the last run of the day at a ranch near Bastrop after marking trails for the AMSA Family Day coming up this weekend.  Came up on a left handed sandy berm and gassed it coming out of the turn.   The rear wheel shot out and I went down to the left with my helmet bouncing off the ground. ???  The bike was still running as I went to pick it up, but it would not budge.   It seems that I had managed to wedge a small tree between the front wheel and the handle bar.   A good amount of tugging and grunting ensued as the last light of the day was rapidly leaving.  Finally, I got the bike free - no damage - and headed for the barn...

[Hoser]

Twice, both times slippery under foot, once going through 2 inches of running water on a concrete dam spillway, slimey moss on the concrete, other time sand under foot when I stopped and put down a foot.  I got good and wet uprighting it on that slippery moss!    hoser

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Twice, once kickstand forgetten and once caught the kickstand putter down lever in the cuff of my rainsuit as I was getting off and pulled the kickstand back enough to allow bike  to roll forward and lay down.

[bigdog99]

looks like the smaller poll would have been who has NOT!

[YODA MASTER]

Not my Valkyrie, but I dropped my Gold Wing.  5 (9.3%) (Capitalization corrected)

Yup... have to admit. Just this past October on a ride to Meers Cafe'. The old lack of a set kickstand into a gas pump variety. Wish it'd been on the Valkyrie, would'a been a damn site cheaper to repair. All that tupperwear, fancy mirrors and internal supports & braces, whatnot. Ductape saved the ride but the ego is forever bruised.

[Mr Bojangles]

Their are two kinds of riders; those that have, and those that will .
                                                    MrBojangles (twice)

[Rocketman]

My "favorite" almost-drop involves something slippery underfoot.  Watch out for those toll booths.  I pulled up with Stephanie on the back, and fully loaded for our first overnight trip on the Valkyrie.  Found all the oil that folks had dripped there before me, and the toll attendant got treated to a free floor show as I danced around trying to find solid ground.
My actual involved a slope, a turn, and some gravel.  Too many strikes against me.  Should have known better.

However, I haven't dropped THIS Valkyrie yet.