Dropped my bike :(

[aprilb]

Yesterday I had the unfortunate experience of dropping my bike , but I'm thankful for the minimal damage to it. I dropped it onto it's left side and broke the casing for the left front blinker (blinker light still functional), scrapped the clutch lever/end of handle bar (nothing a little black sharpie won't fill in), and might have messed up clutch lever. The clutch pulls inwards ok, but is loose and will now go towards front of bike. I'm hoping it is just tightening it up and it will be ok, but will understand if it is more than that and have to accept.

Definitely pissed off I dropped my bike as it was a mistake I made. Went riding with a friend of mine and he went down the wrong road so we went to turn around. He chose to back into a driveway and turn around this way, while I chose to make a u-turn in the road as it was a back country road with almost no traffic. The counter-balance rule from the motorcycle safety course should have kicked in, but it did not as I have not done it since taking the course 14 months ago. So I'm in middle of road going under 2mph, if that, and stupid me leaned/looked into the left turn. Immediately I felt the bike going to the left and tried to sit up quickly, but knew it was going to work. So then I put my left foot down hoping if I can keep it one two wheels my friend Jim would be able to come over to fully straighten me back up. But when I put the left foot down I placed it too far away from the bike and had no grip on the asphalt and nothing to hold up the weight of myself or the bike (which was basically still now). As I was going over, I tried to slow up the momentum before the bike hit the ground and think I was able to do so based upon the lack of major damage. A few teaspoons of gas came out, but bike was still running when it hit the ground and I hit the kill switch to kill the engine and turned the key to off position. Jim came over to help me right the back and I moved it to the side of the road to check out the damage, regain my composure (I was fine, just super pissed off), and get ready to head back to another friend's house who lives nearby to use his toolbox to fix the blinker. We would have been able to fix the blinker on site if I had previously checked the toolkit provided when I purchased the bike last summer as I would have realized the screwdriver heads were not the correct size! So I take off the blinker and hop on the bike to head to my other friend's and the bike doesn't start. Hmmmmm, I had to kill it when I dropped it so I didn't expect it not to start. Head back into the toolkit to pull side fairing off and take a look and yet again not the right tools. So I called the friend who's house we were headed to and he brought a small toolbox with him. While waiting, I called a good friend from TN who deals with bikes on a daily basis because we couldn't think of why the bike wouldn't start. Figured there was some safety we were missing and it was true. My friend from TN said my bike has some tip/drop type sensor that needs to be reset when the bike is dropper. So she saved me some frustration as we took off side fairing, unplugged the positive on the battery, and then plugged it back in! Bike started right back up!

So I'm thankful for 3 awesome friends for being there to help me out and not judging me for my stupid mistake. It will be one I don't make again and makes me want to just get even better each time I'm out riding. My friend Jim made me go for a ride once we got things straightened out to make sure I didn't lose the nerve. It was during this ride I figured out the clutch may have an issue so hoping to fix that this week and get back out there!

[Rambunctous]

You ought to race and post up some race reports on Monday morning.

[Petorius]

I did exactly the same thing once upon a time after pulling onto a steep side street to shut my gas cap. The open gas cap compounded the problem as gas went all over me and the street. Super embarrassing. Best advice is to not sweat the small stuff, you can fix just about anything with a manual and google.

[Dave603]

You ought to race and post up some race reports on Monday morning.

hahaha

As I was reading i was thinking wow this is definitely the most detailed write up of a tipped over bike incident I have ever read. And then I began to reminisce...

Fact is it happens man and hopefully you learned something and won't do it again. Other then the fact that you won't be able write in your craigslist ad "Never been dropped before" when you go to sell it, and a bruised ego, everything can be fixed. Gravity will always win so if you do race or ride on the track long enough you WILL eventually hit the pavement again. Then you'll be wishing that all you did have was a "tip over"

There are only 2 types of riders. Those who have crashed, and those who will crash.

[stoinkythepig]

I've been street riding for 28+ years and dropped mine a couple of months ago. It happens.

[caddydaddy]

R&G sliders prevented any damage to my bike when I dropped mine! Worth the money!

[Tunertype]

I did exactly the same thing once upon a time after pulling onto a steep side street to shut my gas cap. The open gas cap compounded the problem as gas went all over me and the street. Super embarrassing. Best advice is to not sweat the small stuff, you can fix just about anything with a manual and google.

Don't forget money. Just about anything is possible with enough money. Doesn't sound like the damages in this accident are going to be very costly, but in other more serious accidents involving rarer vehicles can be.

[TheIglu]

It happens. Time for some rink parking lot practice.

[caloots]

Ya it really makes you want to kick yourself in the balls.
I did that a few years ago on my zx10. Went to put the kickstand down when it was running.. hit the shifter and it jumped forward.. then it fell over. I was also able to slow the fall..

[aprilb]

R&G sliders prevented any damage to my bike when I dropped mine! Worth the money!

Idiotic move on my part was not putting on my sliders yet as I wasn't completely sure on the how application of them and was waiting for help. Meanwhile I hadn't had an issue since purchasing the bike last summer until yesterday. So now when I remove the fairing to check the clutch connection I will be removing both sides and putting the sliders on!

[South of Heaven]

I've got all of you guys beat......I sneezed last year and threw out my back (back spasms)! I literally couldn't do anything for like 2 days........from SNEEZING! lol

[Rambunctous]

I sneezed so hard I fractured a rib. I am not kidding.

[jwm2k3]

This one time, in band camp....

[caloots]

Hahaha.. holy Shit that's awesome..

[breakdirt916]

too much description!!

[whynot]

I've been street riding for 28+ years and dropped mine a couple of months ago. It happens.

I've been riding 50+ years and dropped my KLR650 last weekend, misjudged some ruts (in Rutland), at low speed, no forward notion to speak of. Others in the group ride picked the bike up off my leg, thank you very much indeed. Contusions on me and a buffed fairing on the bike.

[Garandman]

I have you all beat. I was working on the Tiger on a paddock stand. Went to move it forward and one of the wheels went in a hole in the driveway and the bike tipped over. The V-Strom was exactly the right distance away so that the Tiger's fuel tank hit the corner of the rear bags, leaving a 6" long crease that can't be removed. Then the V-Strom fell over, denting the bag.

One little push, $400 in damage and that was for a used tank!

"It is very difficult to feel smart in these situations." Me.

[caloots]

Now that is a repeat kick to the balls

[whynot]

^^ One-man chain reaction ... horrible.

[Garandman]

Beez, trapped under his GS, 2008 on the way to Cromag.


My 2009 V-Strom, 2nd day I had it on the road.

[whynot]

Beez, trapped under his GS, 2008.

Exactly my posture on the KLR last Saturday. I've since installed my old Eclipse soft bags for a softer landing. Now looking for a KLR 250 for trail rides.

[jasnmar]

I tip mine over on its side to change the rear tire.

I might have practiced the tipping techniques unintentionally "a couple" of times.

Rub some dirt on it.

[Degsy]

Been riding 33 years. Dropped my ducati last month. It happens. You're in good company.

[aldend123]

I almost dropped mine making a left u-turn out of a gas station Friday. Done it 100 times, don't know why I screwed up this time. A quick foot kick saved it, but I rode away wondering how the hell I screwed it up. Get some practice in to get comfortable again.

A lot of the older bikes I've been on had a wiggly clutch from a drop at some point in it's life. My old Ninja has a wiggly and squeaky lever. The housing is bent open a little wider, so tightening won't help. I'll need to replace it, or bend it back. But it still works decent enough, so it just gets ridden as-is.

[CBR929RE]

I've owned 4 bikes in 11 years. the only one I haven't dropped is my racebike, crashed it plenty of times though.

you're ok and the bike needs a few bucks in parts. no big deal.