ugh...well I dropped my bike for the first time.

[Ian522]

I was leaving a gas station, waiting to make a right turn out of the driveway. Im not sure what happened since it seems like a blur now...but I must have lost my balance or something while going down the driveway and turning. I went to take off and the next thing I know the bike is going down. I put down my foot and tried to save it, was but too late.

Luckily it was a very soft landing so no real damage, just some light scratches on the right side pipe and brake lever...and a bruised ego. I really need to re-practice low-speed maneuvers.

[ANDS!]

Gas stations are the worst; I've felt my foot slip more than a few times on not noticing gas spots around the area.

These things happen, and as you say it could have been worse. Hell it might even buff right out with minimal work.

[Ian522]

yea the bike is an '82 so im not really sweating it. Im more upset that I made an arse out of myself than I am about the bike.

[Shorts]

Ahh, shake it off. "poo poo" happens

We hit a gas station yesterday that had a HUGE 4" wide gap in the cement that ran the length across the entire drive of the place. Crossing into the lot was easy, but leaving was a little tricky as I was parked fairly parallel to that gap and the drive was sloping down towards it To add, the right side traffic view was blocked by a building so I couldn't just tear out of there. I felt a bit on the spot as there were like 4 gas attendents there just watching us leave.

[Grey Thumper]

Luckily it was a very soft landing so no real damage, just some light scratches on the right side pipe and brake lever...and a bruised ego. I really need to re-practice low-speed maneuvers.

Good thing you're okay and there was minimal damage to the bike. I dropped mine for the first time about two weeks ago . . . while re-practicing low-speed maneuvers

[Ian522]

Yea I shook it off and went out riding again yesterday. Found an empty parking lot and practiced everything from MSF over again for about an hour. I think what contributed to the mishap was that I allowed myself to become complacent. I feel alot more confident now.

At least it was my old bike and not some shiny new harley or something. Maybe ill put off buying a new bike until for another season...just to be safe.

[Jas0n]

The question for most bikers is not IF your going to crash but WHEN, and if you never learn from your mistakes, its HOW MANY hahah.

Ive seen multiple youtube videos of people crashing for what seems like no aparant reasons. There was even this one dude with a helmet cam that fell for almost no reason. He later then put another video online explaining what happened. Not really so explaining it, but creating theories for why it happened. Even after making a chart, you could tell he was still slightly baffled as to why he fell.

[halouis]

yeah the low speed maneuvers can be the trickiest because you don't have the momentum which normally keeps you up. I've had a couple close calls myself at low speed. practice helps. counter-steering. friction zone.

[Flesher]

Yeah, slow speed and gas stations can be tricky. Remember that after you gas up your bike ends up carrying 30 to 40 pounds more weight so your center of gravity is higher and the bike is heavier making slow speed manouvers trickier. Especially because the bike was ligher and more nimble just two minutes before.

[Grey Thumper]

Yeah, slow speed and gas stations can be tricky.

Plus the floors of gas stations are usually pretty slick, and made even worse by spilled gas and other fluids. I almost dumped it at a gas station while snicking my side stand down, because my right boot slipped a bit.