Dropping or dumping your bike

[NightNurse]

When have you done it? What exactly what were you doing?

I am still learning (in parking lots ). I have had several people tell me "You WILL drop your bike learning". Well I have been out 6 times so far, and havent yet. I go for about 45 minutes at a time, and am just taking it slow - no rush!

Does it happen mostly stopping? Turns? What?

THanks!

[jonnythan]

Mine fell over once while I was nowhere near it. I think someone backed into it. I broke a turn signal.

[Flting Duck]

I took my brother (who has passed MSF and has a license) out for a training street ride on Sunday. He did pretty well. I pulled into a small waterfront park fir a mid-ride debriefing. I pulled over and stopped. He pulled up next to me, turned off his bike, put the kickstand down and then pulled in the clutch lever while starting to get off. (On the K75, this retracts the sidestand - a safety feature to avoid rding off with the sidestand down). The bike fell over but he controlled the descent so there was no damage. Now he REALLLY understands why I found a used $1700 bike for him.

[NightNurse]

Im learning on the boyfriends Ninja 250, just in case I drop it

[shalihe74]

Let's see...

Up until the Daytona, I hadn't ever dropped a bike. This bike was dropped (at least once, but I suspect more, since there is damage on both sides) by my ex-boyfriend and once by me.

When the ex dropped it, he was trying to unload it from his truck by himself (rather than waiting for help). Left mirror completely busted off, gouged a good chunk out of the front faring (about a 1.25" long, .25" wide and maybe 2mm deep gouge), broke the left front turn signal cover, busted a plastic pivot that connects a hose to my coolant expansion tank, and put a number of big scrapes in my windshield.

On the right side of the bike, there are a couple of small cracks in the paint that make me think he dropped it gently at some other time.

I dropped my poor bike backing out of my garage. Helmet in one hand, bookbag hooked over the other shoulder, thinking about where the garage door opener was... didn't notice the precarious lean my bike starting aaaaaand... plop. I basically lowered the bike to the ground - onto a pillow, actually - so there was no damage. Phew.

Have yet to go down while in motion. Knock on wood...

[Bachstrad37]

I haven't yet, but came close while cornering an intersection. Loose gravel from the winter hadn't been swept by the city sweepers was the cause.

I had another close one when my foot slipped on a patch of oil while backing out of my garage.

[flynrider]

I dropped mine 10 min. into my 1st ride. While taking a relatively low speed right hand turn, I decided I needed to slow down a bit more and grabbed a handful of front brake. The bike tossed me right off.

When learning, the most common reasons for dropping the bike are low speed issues that have to do with transitioning from the bike keeping itself upright, to the rider having to keep the bike upright.

[IcyHound]

Low speed turn that I screwed up on. My fault my fault my fault. No problems practicing I feel more in control. I've learned my lesson so far no more wrecks.

[ANDS!]

Gravel. Speed. Breaking. Too late. Skid. Bye bye turn signal and gear-shifter.

[Ian522]

Ive been riding for about a year now but havent dropped a bike...but came darn close a few times. Mainly when I was learning, and went into a turn a little too hot and instinctively went to grab the brake. Luckily I didnt get tossed but scary enough.