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I learned how to drop/set down my bike

3K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  GixxStunna 
#1 ·
This week is my first week riding to work. I had an amazing ride today. 65+ mph in the HOV lane, smooth as silk, just awesome, I'm loving life. At work there's a waiting list for garage parking so I've been parking in a little gravel lot a couple blocks away because its very cheap. This morning I pull in there, way too over confident and cocky after my amazing ride in, I pull a big wide circle and come around into the parking spot of my choosing and as I'm gliding into the slot and straigtening the bike out I guess I tapped the rear brake a little and the back end slipped just a bit and the bike went over.

Since I was going so slow I was able to basically lay the bike down. After I picked it up and looked it over I only saw a little mud on the mirror and the right peg was flipped up, I mashed the peg back down (its hinged just for these occaisons) and it seemed fine, so I think no harm done. It was a good lesson about getting overconfident and assuming that just because I'm going 2mph in an empty parking lot that nothing bad can happen to me and my bike.
 
#2 ·
They tend to become a little heavier than normal during those moments don't they? :lol: :whistle:
 
#3 ·
Yeah, and I exactly planning to lay it down either it just sort of happened and I was half way down before I realized what was going on. I'll be taking that gravel lot more seriously from now on. :wink:

What really surprised me is how easy it was for me to get the bike up. I thought it would be really hard but it wasn't hard at all. Of course I'm pretty big guy so maybe that helps.
 
#4 ·
Lesson learned huh. With the right technique a small(er) person can pick up a very large and heavy bike without to much trouble.

Worst time I had was trying to right a bike on an icy road, no foot traction and the bike kept sliding away! :lol: Ended up shoving it to the shoulder where the feet and the bike wouldn't slip and slide. Sure glad there were no cameras around that day! :roll:
 
#6 ·
Gixxerdale said:
They tend to become a little heavier than normal during those moments don't they? :lol: :whistle:
funny how that works...bike gets past that 15 or 20 degrees of lean and suddenly you're holding up all 400 pounds of it. Glad to hear you learned the lesson at low speed in a safe location. So far, I've learned my lessons in that same fashion.
 
#9 ·
Technically you're only holding about half of 550 lbs, but still....

 
#10 ·
I'm pretty sore today. I think in the heat of the moment I didn't use good technique, bend at the knees and all that, picking the bike up.

I also took a look at the spot in the gravel today, I could see where the back tire slide sideways about a foot and the front tire made a neat arc to the left as I fell over to the right. Fun stuff. I'm riding in that gravel lot like its ice now :wink:
 
#11 ·
My boss did the exact same thing the first day he rode his motorcycle to work. Went to puul up to me in a sweeping curve, and next thing we both knew, he was on the ground! Boy, was he upset. But his bike (a Honda Pacific Coast) escaped with only a minor scratch on its underside - pretty much a miracle, considering all the plastic on that thing!

I've never forgotten that, because he is a very good rider. Gravel is deadly, and really gets you on those low speed maneuvers.
 
#13 ·
I Needed Help :( !!!!!!

hey all!!

i'm still fresh to the world of bike riding but i had a GREAT ride last night in the 40 degree weather. the only problem i had was that i came to a stop kinda hard and was trying to hold the bike up but ended up laying it down. but i couldn't pick my baby back up!! i'm all of 120 pounds and my sv650 is all of what, 400 pounds?! i had to get my boyfriend to pick it up. he tried to show me how to do it but my baby was not budging. now, what's going to happen if i'm riding by myself and don't have a strong man to lift it up for me? Any suggestions? or is it "practice makes perfect?"
 
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