Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hi everyone,

So basically i'm coming here with my ego in shards...i'm a complete fool.

I bought a brand new bike yesterday, and in all the excitment i just had to try it out.

I have not taken my MSF course, nor do i have much of any experience.
...should have been my first clue.

I had my friend who's good on bikes ride it around the parking lot in front of my house, just so i could hear it and see it was working ok.
The only reason i bought the bike before i had the training was cause i got a good deal. My plan was to baby it for a month and just get used to sitting on it and feeling the weight.

So i decided i was capable enough to do 1 loop in my parking lot.
...I'm sure you can all see where this is going. Started off fine, moved ahead with out any real issues. Until it came to the first turn. I simply screwed up. Hit the front break going too slow, and lost control. It was like a dream..i just wanted to wake up and have it all be over.

I scratched my bike, i took a little paint off part of the engine, and i'm absolutely SICK. I'm an idiot, and I totally learned my lesson. I deserve all the finger pointing in the world, but hopefully you guys can look past my mentally challenged behavior and help me out.

I had my friend ride it back to my garage, and it seemed fine other than the cosmetic damage. But when i had him ride it around the corner this morning just to make sure, something happened. When he returned the exhaust was smoking. It smelled like burning oil, so i'm hoping that when it was tipped oil just got mixed somewhere and it will burn off.

But this is my question. What could cause a smoking exhaust...is it somewhat normal when a bike tips while it's on. Will it disapear, or do i need to take it in for service immediately.

I've obviously decieded i'm not getting back on it til i take the MSF training, but i need to make sure my baby is ok. Has anyone had this problem?
___________________________________________________________

Update:

I'm still in one piece
I've passed my MSF and have an obviously MUCH better understanding of how a bike works.
I've taken the bike in for service and there is nothing wrong with it, The smoke and smell was just oil that spilled on the pipes, both have gone away since.

I had my first ride on Sunday 12/17/06 and it was absolutely awesome!
I took it slow and just enjoyed the ride, spending my time adjusting to the bike and paying attention to the road. I cant wait for another warm day so i can ride again!

Thank you all for your advice and help. i really appreciate it. ...the good and the bad.
I look forward to a long riding career and many more posts on these forums.

Thanks again.

to make it a bit easier to figure out what may be going on, we need more info.

What kind of bike? (All bikes have their own quirks and because things are mounted in different places on different makes, it will help).

Which side did it fall on?

How long was it down? Less than a minute, more than a minute? Did you notice anything on the garage floor after sitting overnight?

Is the bike making any unusual noises? Describe them.

P

ok,...i didnt' post the type cause i'm absolutely embarrased i blemished such a beauty of a bike..

Thank you very much for helping!




2007 Suzuki GSXR 600

It fell on it's Left Side....

it was down for less than 1 minute,
there were no leaks, nothing on the floor.

Nothing leaked where i dropped it, and so far everything seems fine...other than the smoking exhaust.

No noises, sounds great.


I want to cry... I = noob

Smoking exhaust could be condensation in the pipes. What color smoke? Was the bike warmed up?

I think the smoke is fine. But just a couple of questions. Are you leaking any oil since after the incident? Check the oil level after each ride to keep track of how much oil may be burning.

The only other piece of advice is this: There are two types of bikers... those who have dropped their bikes, and those who are about to. Its all a learning experience, and its only cosmetic damage... be glad you are ok.

patient wrote:ok,...i didnt' post the type cause i'm absolutely embarrased i blemished such a beauty of a bike..


2007 Suzuki GSXR 600

It fell on it's Left Side....



I want to cry... I = noob

Can i ask how much you paid for it?

Shorts wrote:Smoking exhaust could be condensation in the pipes. What color smoke? Was the bike warmed up?

'

Excellent point! And good questions.

Oh forgot to ask, is it continually smoking? Or ask Shorts was asking, does it smoke after warmed up?

SOunds like a bit of oil just got where it shouldnt be, or condensation as mentioned. Check your fluid levels and see how they look.

And take your MSF course, thats a pretty hefty bike you got there, and not as forgiving as some. Take it slow and easy and learn how your bike handles.

lots of $ probably laid up in it. be a shame to scratch it all up.

thanks for all the advice guys,...yoru really easing my mind...

Yes it's a gorgeous bike..and yeah i screwed up pretty bad. but it's been a reality check.
I thought the damage was worse last night, it's just 1 fairing and a bit of paint on part of the engine.

as for your questions.

Oil level seems fine...if anything it looks high.

I noticed the smoke after it had sat indoors all night.
I had my "experienced" friend take it for a short ride twice today and after runing the engine for a bit it would start smoking.
(he said other than that it ran great and was tons of fun)...i'm jealous

It is a white - clear smoke
and it dissipates after the engine has cooled down.

it does NOT smoke when i first start it up.. only after it's warmed up and been running for a few minutes.



as for what i paid... It was less than 10k

Sucks dosn't it. You've just devalued your bike. Oil is usually blue smoke, I'd go with condensation and the bike not being run long enough for it to clear.

Away from that this is really not the Bike you should be riding, I would suggest mothballing the Gixxer for the time being and getting your paws on a 250 or 500cc learning bike to get your skills in on.

Failing that I'd suggest the best quality safety gear you can afford, frame sliders and better health insurance. Which ever you choose to do good luck with it.


Oh joy. I went looking at Trouble shooting engine problems online, this is what I found...

"Head gasket...
Do you have large amounts of white smoke flowing out of your exhaust? Could be a head gasket.

The head gasket seals the cylinder head to the engine block and also seals the coolant passages. When this gasket fails coolant can enter the cylinder and it will be turned to vapor as the engine fires. Head gaskets most often fail after the engine has experienced an overheating situation. When super hot, the cylinder head can warp and allow the gasket to fail. "