Total Motorcycle Community Forums

That sort of language implies that you have dropped some sort of bike then. Is this true? I certainly think it counts.

I don't think it does. There's lots of street bike riders with no drops or very few over a long period. There aren't any dirtbike riders who haven't dumped. None. Two very different things.

Low speed around my house. One incident I actually broke a couple ribs.

Bike was fine tho.

I was teaching myself how to ride when I dropped it for the first time. Approximately 10 min. and 1.5 miles riding time. I dropped or crashed several more times in my first 5 or 6 yrs. of riding (learning things the hard way). Happily, I haven't dropped one since 1992. I was riding an overloaded 750 on a mountain logging road with 4 inches of gravel on it, and dropped it twice in 30 miles.

I think I've wised up to most of the ways you can drop a bike by now, but I'm certainly not ruling out the possibility that the next one could come tomorrow.

I don't count my motocross and enduro days. Besides they weren't drops, they were out and out crashes. When your pushing it to the limits everytime you race it's very different from just riding a street bike. I've never taken a street bike into waist high water or foot deep mud bogs either. I did road race an RD-400 for a few years but never dumped that either (did come close a few times). Basically if your riding within the limits of the law (or even a little above that) and stay focused I don't understand how so many can just "drop them". i have worked around dangerous equipment a good part of my adult life and maybe that has something to do with it also. Staying focused in whatever your doing can sometimes mean the difference of having all your fingers or not. Riding a motorcycle is the same thing to me. It is certainly fun and enjoyable as we all know, but the second you disrespect them or not pay attention they can send you to the morgue in short order.

P.S. As far as miles on a bike I'm guessing close to 1/2 million miles. In the mid to late 70's I road about 8 hours a day everyday for 2 1/2 years in europe. When I moved to california it was close to the same thing. I lived on a motorcycle. When I wasn't workig or sleeping I was riding. Right now is probably the least i've riden when I've owned a motorcycle and I still have yet to do less then 300 miles a week. There has to be snow or ice on the ground to stop me. And as far as stories of mishaps. I could probably keep you guys laughing for hours. One good one is with a 69 ducati 450 I owned. I weigh 140lbs, back then maybe 125lbs. if you didn't hit the compression release just right when you started it bad things would happen. On one such occasion i found myself laying on my back about 6 feet in front of the bike after the kick starter threw me over the handle bars. bike didn't fall though LOL