First time you laid your bike down?

[skysearch0005]

I saw another post that stirred up this unfortunate memory, and thought I'd share. I had been dreaming of riding forever, and finally made the plunge as a 49 year-old. Took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Class, and bought a new 2008 Suzuki Boulevard M50. The bike actally arrived prior to the class, and was so excited, decided to read the owners manual cover to cover. Despite never having been on a bike before, I was convinced the manual provided enough of what I needed, and started taking the bike out on short trips around the neighborhood. Just cruising along in first and second gear; getting a feel for the clutch, and executing smooth shifting. Things were going well... so well in fact, I decided to leave the neighborhood for some of the surrounding two lane roads.

So there I am at the stop sign (on an uphill grade), and have managed to find the clutch's "friction point", just waiting for traffic to clear. Okay, off I go! Release the clutch, start to give it some throttle.... STALL!!!! Now I'm starting to roll backwards, and absolutely clueless what to do. With no other choice (and losing balance), I lay the bike down on the concrete. Quite possibly the worst feeling in my entire life. I so loved this bike, and now it's down on the street, and I'm in a complete panic... as if one of my kids just fell out of a second story window. Finding super-human strength (I've heard this can happen), I pushed the bike up, and put down the kickstand. It certainly could've been worse, but the scratches on the tail pipe made me nauseous. Seriously, I was depressed for a week, and put a cover on the bike in our garage... out of site, out of mind.

Okay, so now it's 4 years and 15,000 miles later, and all has been great. Riding is everything I thought it would be, and the bike is in excellent shape. Still the scratches on the tail pipe, but lots of wonderful riding experiences along the way. Man, I'm certainly ready for a bigger bike, but gotta find the cash.

Hope everyone has an adventurous (safe) riding summer!

[Dodsfall]

Scratches give the motorcycle character.

[Klrlindy63]

Originally Posted by skysearch0005

I saw another post that stirred up this unfortunate memory, and thought I'd share. I had been dreaming of riding forever, and finally made the plunge as a 49 year-old. Took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Class, and bought a new 2008 Suzuki Boulevard M50. The bike actally arrived prior to the class, and was so excited, decided to read the owners manual cover to cover. Despite never having been on a bike before, I was convinced the manual provided enough of what I needed, and started taking the bike out on short trips around the neighborhood. Just cruising along in first and second gear; getting a feel for the clutch, and executing smooth shifting. Things were going well... so well in fact, I decided to leave the neighborhood for some of the surrounding two lane roads.

So there I am at the stop sign (on an uphill grade), and have managed to find the clutch's "friction point", just waiting for traffic to clear. Okay, off I go! Release the clutch, start to give it some throttle.... STALL!!!! Now I'm starting to roll backwards, and absolutely clueless what to do. With no other choice (and losing balance), I lay the bike down on the concrete. Quite possibly the worst feeling in my entire life. I so loved this bike, and now it's down on the street, and I'm in a complete panic... as if one of my kids just fell out of a second story window. Finding super-human strength (I've heard this can happen), I pushed the bike up, and put down the kickstand. It certainly could've been worse, but the scratches on the tail pipe made me nauseous. Seriously, I was depressed for a week, and put a cover on the bike in our garage... out of site, out of mind.

Okay, so now it's 4 years and 15,000 miles later, and all has been great. Riding is everything I thought it would be, and the bike is in excellent shape. Still the scratches on the tail pipe, but lots of wonderful riding experiences along the way. Man, I'm certainly ready for a bigger bike, but gotta find the cash.

Hope everyone has an adventurous (safe) riding summer!

I was 17 in 1981, had a 79 Honda CM400t, was riding faster than I could handle and ran out of road! Fortunately for me, I bounced over a curb and fell over on some guys manicured lawn, I picked the bike up and made a quick escape! My riding got much more controlled after that!
I was once told every rider will go down at least once and to pray that when you go down it doesnt hurt to bad! After 31 years of riding I have been down 2x, the second time did a great amount of damage to my gpz1100 but not much more than some really ugly bruises to me. I was pulling out of a parking lot, not paying attention to the oil slicks in the centers of the parking spaces, I hit the gas and that bike came around on me so fast and hard I don't remember much more than feeling it slip and laying on the ground with it on top of me! I did a little over $1000 in damage to my bike.
Thanks for sharing!

[SpitefulHam]

Originally Posted by Dodsfall

Scratches give the motorcycle character.

Yep, just like chicks dig scars.

[ralphlong]

Originally Posted by SpitefulHam

Yep, just like chicks dig scars.

I don't mind scratches, dents or dings on a y of my vehicles as long as there is a good story behind them.

It is those darn parking lot door dings or stupid stuff that happens in the garage that I hate!

[goalie]

Originally Posted by ralphlong

I don't mind scratches, dents or dings on a y of my vehicles as long as there is a good story behind them.

It is those darn parking lot door dings or stupid stuff that happens in the garage that I hate!

I've got scratches on my bike, but I only have a good story if my own stupidity counts.

[ralphlong]

Originally Posted by goalie

I've got scratches on my bike, but I only have a good story if my own stupidity counts.

Just make up a story: "There I was, fighting off three women who all wanted me because of my really cool bike and iresistable charm... One of them jumps at me, she missed and her nails made this really nasty scratch. Her head dented the tank."

Or sumthn like that.

[goalie]

Originally Posted by ralphlong

Just make up a story: "There I was, fighting off three women who all wanted me because of my really cool bike and iresistable charm... One of them jumps at me, she missed and her nails made this really nasty scratch. Her head dented the tank."

Or sumthn like that.

I did not know there were witnesses!

[zmago]

Originally Posted by ralphlong

..."There I was, fighting off three women who all wanted me because of my really cool bike and iresistable charm... One of them jumps at me, she missed and her nails made this really nasty scratch. Her head dented the tank."

...

It happens to us all. You get used to it.

[bajakirch]

It is those darn parking lot door dings or stupid stuff that happens in the garage that I hate!

+1 -- I did more damage to my bike dropping it in the garage then when I crashed it.

I had just put new tires on the bike and took it out for a slow-speed tire-scrubbing ride at night. I was taking lots of corners in my neighborhood to try and get as much of the slick stuff off as I could. I came around a corner and, with no warning, the bike slid out from under me. I picked it up (the advantage of having a 400-lb. bike) and looked around to see what caused the problem. I realized they were doing construction in part of the intersection and there was loose dirt all over the asphalt. There was no street light at the interesection and no warning barricades or lights. I was so pissed that I called the municipal office the next day. I think I even threatened to sue them over the unmarked safety hazard (cuz that always works, right?). That night, on my way home, I saw that the interesection was fully marked with both barricades and flashing yellow lights.

Damage to the bike was a broken right mirror, a slightly bent front brake handle and scratches on the right exhaust. Since the bike was already 25 years old at the time, the dings fit right in to what was already there. Plus a buddy had a spare set of mirrors that he let me have for free.

[Badlands-4-2]

Originally Posted by bajakirch

+1 -- I did more damage to my bike dropping it in the garage then when I crashed it.

I had just put new tires on the bike and took it out for a slow-speed tire-scrubbing ride at night. I was taking lots of corners in my neighborhood to try and get as much of the slick stuff off as I could. I came around a corner and, with no warning, the bike slid out from under me. I picked it up (the advantage of having a 400-lb. bike) and looked around to see what caused the problem. I realized they were doing construction in part of the intersection and there was loose dirt all over the asphalt. There was no street light at the interesection and no warning barricades or lights. I was so pissed that I called the municipal office the next day. I think I even threatened to sue them over the unmarked safety hazard (cuz that always works, right?). That night, on my way home, I saw that the interesection was fully marked with both barricades and flashing yellow lights.

Damage to the bike was a broken right mirror, a slightly bent front brake handle and scratches on the right exhaust. Since the bike was already 25 years old at the time, the dings fit right in to what was already there. Plus a buddy had a spare set of mirrors that he let me have for free.

You are about the only person who I have ever heard get any kind of action from a city street department.

[Tailwag]

I was 19 when I crashed my scooter. It was the first day I got it as well.

Me and a friend rode around on our scooters all day long and I was so overconfident in my abilities. I decided to race against him and as I'm going around a corner I lean into the oncoming traffic lane so I can lean further and BAM A ****IN TRUCK comes around the corner. He brakes and I swerve and BAM INTO A SIDEWALK EATING SAND.

Lol.

Sigh.

Fail.

Never crashed again in a year and a half.

[bajakirch]

Originally Posted by Badlands-4-2

You are about the only person who I have ever heard get any kind of action from a city street department.

Well, it helps if you live in a town of 1200 people and you've known the clerk for 12 years

[chefonahonda]

Originally Posted by skysearch0005

I saw another post that stirred up this unfortunate memory, and thought I'd share. I had been dreaming of riding forever, and finally made the plunge as a 49 year-old. Took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Class, and bought a new 2008 Suzuki Boulevard M50. The bike actally arrived prior to the class, and was so excited, decided to read the owners manual cover to cover. Despite never having been on a bike before, I was convinced the manual provided enough of what I needed, and started taking the bike out on short trips around the neighborhood. Just cruising along in first and second gear; getting a feel for the clutch, and executing smooth shifting. Things were going well... so well in fact, I decided to leave the neighborhood for some of the surrounding two lane roads.

So there I am at the stop sign (on an uphill grade), and have managed to find the clutch's "friction point", just waiting for traffic to clear. Okay, off I go! Release the clutch, start to give it some throttle.... STALL!!!! Now I'm starting to roll backwards, and absolutely clueless what to do. With no other choice (and losing balance), I lay the bike down on the concrete. Quite possibly the worst feeling in my entire life. I so loved this bike, and now it's down on the street, and I'm in a complete panic... as if one of my kids just fell out of a second story window. Finding super-human strength (I've heard this can happen), I pushed the bike up, and put down the kickstand. It certainly could've been worse, but the scratches on the tail pipe made me nauseous. Seriously, I was depressed for a week, and put a cover on the bike in our garage... out of site, out of mind.

Okay, so now it's 4 years and 15,000 miles later, and all has been great. Riding is everything I thought it would be, and the bike is in excellent shape. Still the scratches on the tail pipe, but lots of wonderful riding experiences along the way. Man, I'm certainly ready for a bigger bike, but gotta find the cash.

Hope everyone has an adventurous (safe) riding summer!

The day I bought my Phantom I had almost the same exact thing happen to me. On an incline, clutch at the friction point, ready to go and down the bike goes. I pulled a few muscles getting her up and continued on my ride home. That was 14 months and 33K miles ago. I leaned her once at a gas station (tired-lost my focus) and once when the wife got off and did not tell me she was gonna do that. I hear these are love marks-I stopped sweating it, ride everyday!

[Kiwi Steve]

Not so much laid it down .....

I'd had my 250 cc learner cruiser for less than a week. I rode out of our garage and had to curve left to go down the drive. Bit too much throttle, and I went straight ahead into the garden.

Now my wife had a set of three teracotta pots set back against the fence. You just wouldn't believe how many pieces a motorbike can break two teracotta pots into. No scratches on the bike, and I cleaned up all the pieces. At least there was one pot left.

[RobMoore]

Approaching a green light in the city at 25ish, a pedestrian starts to cross the road against the light, left to right, on a 3 lane one-way. He isn't even looking to his right to see if anyone is coming. I honk and move to the right lane, and am all set to pass in front of him with room to spare when he suddenly realizes I am there and sprints for the curb ahead of him.

He is right in front of me about to be plowed into when I grab too much front brake. I hear a split second of groan from the front tire, and I'm on my side sliding down the road. I hear the scrape of plastic on the pavement. As I feel myself rolling up onto the curb, I'm yelling out "You f***ing idiot".

I come to a stop, and pull my gloves and helmet off. He is apologizing repeatedly as I slowly calm down. The bike has minimal road rash, apart from the very worn frame slider. He gives me his info, agrees to pay for the damages, and I ride off.

My textile jacket looks untouched, as do my gloves and boots. My Kevlar jeans lost a belt loop. My helmet has a scratch on the rear vent.

[hogcowboy]

63 years old and 40+ riding and I finally bought the big one this last January. Been riding in rain for about 30 miles when I rode into an absolute downpour. Couldn't even see the mirrors. Started backing off and that's the last I remember until I woke up in pain. Turns out after going back to where the accident occurred, that's just when a sharp turn to the right popped up. The whole thing was still my fault because I had been doing between 65 and 70 which I knew was too fast but I just wanted to get home and out of my soaked leathers. I didn't even have my rain gear that day. Just wasn't my day.

[Klrlindy63]

Originally Posted by hogcowboy

63 years old and 40+ riding and I finally bought the big one this last January. Been riding in rain for about 30 miles when I rode into an absolute downpour. Couldn't even see the mirrors. Started backing off and that's the last I remember until I woke up in pain. Turns out after going back to where the accident occurred, that's just when a sharp turn to the right popped up. The whole thing was still my fault because I had been doing between 65 and 70 which I knew was too fast but I just wanted to get home and out of my soaked leathers. I didn't even have my rain gear that day. Just wasn't my day.

That is harsh, are you Ok now? I got caught in the rain last week and found myself riding faster and faster for the same reason. Have to be extra aware of what you are doing when in the bad weather.

[Massey]

I guess I was 7 my first time. I was sittin there, clutch in, First gear...*click*... give it a little gas, let up the clutch... (too much clutch) bike jerks, I panic, more throttle, bike runs out from under my 70LB a$$, I end up on my a$$ and my bike is about 20 feet in front of me on it's side.

Since I have been riding on the street I have not laid down the bike.

Massey