So, I am full of beans and getting ready for my first bike trip, I slowed down, changed my riding position and spend more time studying surroundings. Today, after work, I went to Leeds and bought myself first piece of luggage- a beautiful Givi tank bag with tank cap clip-on system. Being full of joy on the way back I pulled in to my friends house, their kids were full of joy to see my new bike and couldn't stop asking questions about it. After showing them the bike and taking pride of my new accessories I set of to go home and promised to give them a ride next time I see them. When I set off I had to perform a U-turn on a their drive way....but misjudged the gradient of the slope, tilt the bike and dropped it on the floor followed by myself rolling down a hill “What a w***er” - were my thoughts, hearing bike touching the ground.... After jumping on my feet and accessing the bike I had to praise the crash mushroom which took the biggest impact and no plastic was damage, just few scratches on a mirror and front with rear brake leavers were bent. The biggest disappointment and embarrassment came from realising that my friends saw me dropping the bike and rolling down the hill, unfortunately there is no excuses with the weight of a bike and gradient of the driveway, only memories and laugh For the fee years ahed but the lesson was learned, fortunately not too expensive lesson
Thanks, most peeps would have kept this one too themselves!! But we have all done it at some point and found a way of keeping our self respect by finding something or someone else to blame. Underneath we are all W****kers, irrespective of gender, we all feck up sometime
We’ve all done it and anyone who says they’ve never done it, probably hasn’t been riding for very long.
Been there, done that with my then almost new Tiger - U-turn on a gradient at the entrance to a car park, which was closed. Fortunately the bike landed gently on the new bar end weight I had just fitted and the pannier, no damage apart from a broken indicator lens. The best bit? - no one saw me do it so it didn't happen!
I can honestly say that in the 34 years or so of riding, I have never done that... other mind-numbingly stupid stuff, yes! But not that! Yet....
Yes been there aswel. The old pride takes a beating. But as long as we all end up with a smile and no one gets hurt its just a lesson learnt. Ride Safe & Enjoy. Joe.
Thanks for sharing your stories, now I am a proud member of Drop the Bike on the Floor club Cant promise I won’t do it again but I ll try not to
I went to Plymouth to collect a busa. On the way back, I thought “take some pics!” So, I stopped off to admire and when looking through the viewfinder, I thought,”that’s moving forward!” Legged it to the bike just in time to grab the front left bar. I wasn’t going to be able to stop it as I had the dreaded “wobble leg” as I was really really struggling to just keep it still. However, a friendly trucker got out of his truck to help me rescue my pride and the bike. Lesson learned!
Put my Sprint away in garage a few weeks back and missed footing with centre-stand (top tip: don't try and do it wearing slippers). Bike fell sideways trapping me between it and a pile of cr*p in the garage. The way I was laying I had no chance of pushing it off. Had to wait until son heard my pathetic cries and came and pulled it off me.
Double member here. My H#*@a 125 cruiser in a petrol station, van driver had to lift the bike as I had gently lowered into my leg, when I realised I couldn't hold it up. Then did my SV650, one foot on tar, one foot on wet grass, not a great plan !!! We all do it, it's a lesson one must learn, cannot be taught.
The garage caught me out as well. I was putting my Zephyr 1100 in and for some stupid reason forgot to put the side stand down. Let it go and wham right up the side of my classic rocket three. I don't swear so I cried. Ever since if I put a bike away I leave the side stand down and check it before letting go. Artemij I believe you have another record breaking topic on the go here again. Good to get these thing of your chest. Makes me feel honest to my Brothers. Ride Free & Stay Upright. Joe.
I now leave my bike in gear too, as well as checking stand is down. Once walked back to my bike as it started to roll forwards down a 2 degree slope and off the stand! Managed to grab it by the front fairing just before it went too far.
Don’t want to teach grannies to suck eggs and all that, but a good tip for pushing a bike around I’ve found, is to leave the side stand down and then push the bike from the other side (if that’s possible) at least one side you’ll catch it and the other side it’ll fall on the stand.
I did once drop my 748 duke, I wasn’t even on it, I was sat on the floor on the RHS facing the bike with my legs apart whilst I had a ‘mutton’ cloth in my hands cleaning the exhaust by pulling the cloth in a to and fro action as the was cloth behind the pipe. I pulled that bit too hard and the bike lent up just enough for the ferking side stand to ‘auto retract’ and the bloody thing fell away from me pulling me up as I was still attached via the cloth. It was embarrassing without a doubt!
Joe, I believe this little misfortunes unites us here and we making a laugh out of sadness rather than drawing it in a glass of whiskey ( dont get me wrong, some times whiskey is the only cure). Some stories make me laugh, but all respect and appreciate your support in sharing f***ups I believe thats is why we are here... Right, it’s whiskey time now... cheers
A few years ago I was on my H@&?a Wetdream in my local city. Contrary to popular belief Norfolk is not flat and I stopped at a red light in the city centre on a hill. The down slope was on my left so I duly put my left foot down and found myself tipping over and ending up in the road trapped under the piece of s@@t. Needless to say after everyone stopped wetting themselves I was helped up!