Well, I guess it was inevitable

ManaloEA · June 21, 2011, 11:47:37 AM

I feel like a real a$$ right now. Just got back from running a few errands on the 696, and everything was just great. Opened the garage door, and then went to turn the bike around and pull it in backwards. Well, there was a wet spot on the driveway (it's stamped concrete, and is not as grippy as blacktop). One slip of the foot, and down goes my less-than-a-month-old 696. AARRRGGGHHH

Well, it's back into the garage to pull off the brake lever and see if I can put it into a press...

I just hope the neighbors liked the show.

battlecry · June 21, 2011, 11:56:57 AM

Been there, done that. Don't feel so bad. Welcome to the club.

Goat_Herder · June 21, 2011, 01:21:16 PM

We've all been there. Now you got that out of the way, you don't have to worry about dropping your "brand new" bike.

A friend asked me if he can sit on the then new-to-me M620 for a photo op. Being height challenged and not fully aware of the weight of the bike, he managed to lay down the bike while sitting on it. Right in front of me as I looked thru the camera lens. All I can say was "don't worry about it".

scduc · June 21, 2011, 02:23:21 PM

You'd be hard pressed to find one here who has not done that. Not that it makes you feel any better. Now you can say it's broken in.

Mike_D · June 21, 2011, 02:36:15 PM

Don't feel bad (although I know you do). I had my bike about a month when I dropped it in a parking lot as the result of a less-than-fully extended kickstand

. Snapped the clutch lever and gouged the bar end weight pretty good. I saw it as the bike gods telling me I needed to get some Pazzo levers and more aesthetically pleasing bar ends.

lethe · June 21, 2011, 02:43:07 PM

I went to leave my house and realized as I was about to roll out the driveway that I might have left the front door unlocked.
Put the bike in neutral, put the kickstand down and ran up onto the porch. In what my memory paints of as in slow motion, looked over my shoulder to see the bike roll forward a hair, just enough to have the kickstand go up.
Oh well, the couple scrapes added character.

RBX QB · June 21, 2011, 02:47:02 PM

I still haven't. Not sure why, because I'm certain I'm on borrowed time when it comes to laying a bike down. And it's even more probable now that I have 2 bikes, I'm tempting fate. It's a matter of time, and I'll join you someday. I just hope it's in a garage or parking lot and not out on the street.

Tho, my Duc is old enough now that I wouldn't lose sleep over a drop.

dutchy73 · June 21, 2011, 04:34:22 PM

Quote from: Mike_D on June 21, 2011, 02:36:15 PM
Don't feel bad (although I know you do). I had my bike about a month when I dropped it in a parking lot as the result of a less-than-fully extended kickstand . Snapped the clutch lever and gouged the bar end weight pretty good. I saw it as the bike gods telling me I needed to get some Pazzo levers and more aesthetically pleasing bar ends.

Pretty much exact same scenario for me. Except that I stopped at the end of the driveway to hop off and open the garage door. Put the stand down, or so I thought, and the leaned the bike over thinking it was down...

I didn't fully drop it, but this happened to occur as three or my neighbors were outside at the same time, getting the full show. It's been three years since that happened, and I still feel like a douche every night I pull up into the driveway. But, what can you do. It happens to everyone.

booger · June 21, 2011, 06:49:10 PM

Mike D - your avatar is awesome

ManaloEA · June 21, 2011, 07:45:29 PM

Wow... after doing a little bit of wrenching and aluminum bending, and after reading everyone's encouraging stories, I don't feel so bad. I guess I had to lose my virginity sometime.

I guess the bike gods were looking out for me today...

thought · June 22, 2011, 06:32:05 AM

hey, at least you were the one that dropped it... my month old 796 got dropped by some random person in my garage. never found the guy too even though it was sitting right below the security camera :\

ab · June 22, 2011, 07:17:58 AM

Yeah it happens. Kickstand gave in once and bike went down while parked. Loud. Was able to ride it with bit of gas leak. Jb weld fixed the tank hinges. Bar end and frame slider worked. The other time was fully my fault. Bringing Down the bike from the rear stand. Thumb or more like lean against wall. No damage at all. Yeah, I didn't have kick stand down.
Join the club.

Kev M · June 22, 2011, 08:45:06 AM

HA HA - I can TOTALLY beat all of you with one of my dumbass moments.

I used to live on a pretty steep hill some years back.

My driveway mostly leveled off for about one bike's length before you entered the garage. But the garage had carriage doors and I had to get off the bike to open them by hand each time I returned home.

Since it was still a slight slope up into the garage, I usually hopped off the bike (put it on the sidestand) and left it idling while I opened the doors.

One day I arrive home on one of my Moto Guzzis, stay far enough back so that the door won't hit the front wheel, and hop off to get the doors.

That's when I hear a sickening sound behind me - which was the kickstand scraping on the driveway.

I quickly turn, in time to see the bike slide halfway down the driveway on the kickstand - but since the front wheel is turned the rear of the bike turns to the LEFT until it is perpindicular to the slope (with the kickstand now facing up the slope) then BAMN it flips over to the right down the driveway.

Yup, I managed to FLIP my bike while it was idling.

The funniest part is that aside from a little scratch on the front crash bar and maybe a scuff on one of the plastic Hepco & Becker Bags it was COMPELTELY free of any damage.

But BOY did I feel like an ass....

Anyway - there are 2 types of bikes - those that HAVE been down and those that WILL BE - don't lose any sleep over it.

fastwin · June 22, 2011, 11:45:23 AM

Non Duc parking lot crash story. On my then fairly new Hayden Rep RC51 I was at the local Suzook/Kawi shop picking up some oil filters. I was moving my bike back and forth to get around a truck and trailer that had blocked me in. The bike was idling and the lot was a little steep where I parked. I had been moving furniture for two days (moving to a new house at the time) and my right hamstring muscle completely cramped up when I had most of the the bike's weight on that leg. Down I went! Crashed in the lot like a wet rag in front of all my buddies that work at the shop. In some ways I was lucky it fell over on me. Not even a scratch on the bike. But my leg was so make the beast with two backsed up they made me stay there for an hour before they'd let me try to ride home. They offered to trailer it home for me but I was too embarassed to let them do it. I limped for two damn weeks after that.

It happens to everyone sooner or later.

ManaloEA · June 22, 2011, 04:47:19 PM

Quote from: Kev M on June 22, 2011, 08:45:06 AM
Anyway - there are 2 types of bikes - those that HAVE been down and those that WILL BE - don't lose any sleep over it.

News:

Well, I guess it was inevitable

RBX QB