Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hey Guys,

New Rider here and I'm signed up for my MVS course it'll happen sometime in August. Very excited to finally be able to get out onto the road on my 750cc bike! Just kidding I read the 600cc sport bike thread and that's how I felt all along, despite the recommendations of most of my personal friends telling me to get 500cc or more because I'll just get "bored" with the bike in a week or two. I have a lovely fiance and a wonderful future ahead so I'd rather play it safe.

So on to the question:

I'm curious what constitutes "dumping" your bike. I'm assuming it's different than an accident because otherwise everyone would just say they had an accident. One of my friends got his motorcycle license dumped his new bike, and now I've heard he doesn't ride it anymore at all!

Could someone define what "dumping" is and what some of the most common causes are?

Thanks!

Dumping is dropping the bike while moving... or standing still... depending on who uses the term.

See also: laying it down, low siding, tipping, high siding, crashing, offroad excursion, oops, "fudge", god damnit, noooooooo, cry, ouchy, mistake, not my fault.

Common causes are - rider mistake, poor road conditions, other vehicles, aliens, animals, paranormal activity, "I have no idea why, it just happened."

Some common causes for dumping a bike...

1) Forgetting to put sidestand down (done that!)
2) Stopping with the bars turned (done that at the BRC during the box exercise....oops)
3) gravel/sand/etc on road on a turn, making the rear wheel skid out a little
4) stalling the bike and freaking out
5) crowned roads....putting a foot down during a stop and realizing that the ground is a little farther down than expected, and the bike tips over and you can't save it (done that, too!)
6) Rider ego....trying to ride beyond his or her skill level
7) starting on hills sometimes result in people dumping

There's alot more, but I can't think of any more "common" ones.

One time I was at a stop light in the left turn only lane, and a car turning right into the lane next to me, took his turn really wide, and almost ran over my left foot. I was startled and tried to move my left foot out of the way, but in the process my right boot slipped and I couldn't stop my bike from tipping over. It was like in slow motion....I stepped away from the bike and let it drop. Luckily I was riding my Ninja 250 (instead of my Shadow) and was able to pick her back up.

ShadowGrrl wrote:Some common causes for dumping a bike...

1) Forgetting to put sidestand down (done that!)
2) Stopping with the bars turned (done that at the BRC during the box exercise....oops)
3) gravel/sand/etc on road on a turn, making the rear wheel skid out a little
4) stalling the bike and freaking out
5) crowned roads....putting a foot down during a stop and realizing that the ground is a little farther down than expected, and the bike tips over and you can't save it (done that, too!)
6) Rider ego....trying to ride beyond his or her skill level
7) starting on hills sometimes result in people dumping

There's alot more, but I can't think of any more "common" ones.

One time I was at a stop light in the left turn only lane, and a car turning right into the lane next to me, took his turn really wide, and almost ran over my left foot. I was startled and tried to move my left foot out of the way, but in the process my right boot slipped and I couldn't stop my bike from tipping over. It was like in slow motion....I stepped away from the bike and let it drop. Luckily I was riding my Ninja 250 (instead of my Shadow) and was able to pick her back up.

Coming out of a driveway after just it stopped raining after long hot spell, crossing to the other side of the road, and punching it just as your rear tyre hits the double yellow while your are still in your turn.............and end up landing flat on your back........guilty.

ceemes wrote: Coming out of a driveway after just it stopped raining after long hot spell, crossing to the other side of the road, and punching it just as your rear tyre hits the double yellow while your are still in your turn.............and end up landing flat on your back........guilty.

Ah yes! The "Wet road paint" dump! Haven't done that yet *knock wood*

I made a turn over a double yellow line the other night and almost skidded the rear tire! They are slick even when it's practically dry, so I'm sure they're brutal after some rain.

Be careful out there!

ShadowGrrl wrote:Some common causes for dumping a bike...

1) Forgetting to put sidestand down (done that!)
2) Stopping with the bars turned (done that at the BRC during the box exercise....oops)
3) gravel/sand/etc on road on a turn, making the rear wheel skid out a little
4) stalling the bike and freaking out
5) crowned roads....putting a foot down during a stop and realizing that the ground is a little farther down than expected, and the bike tips over and you can't save it (done that, too!)
6) Rider ego....trying to ride beyond his or her skill level
7) starting on hills sometimes result in people dumping

Im guilty of #1 and #2. Almost got taken out by a #3 but was able to recover.

ShadowGrrl wrote:

ceemes wrote: Coming out of a driveway after just it stopped raining after long hot spell, crossing to the other side of the road, and punching it just as your rear tyre hits the double yellow while your are still in your turn.............and end up landing flat on your back........guilty.

Ah yes! The "Wet road paint" dump! Haven't done that yet *knock wood*

That's interesting, glad I'm taking the Safety Course one more thing I wouldn't have known! Is this also true for the white dotted lines that divide up the lanes?

ShadowGrrl wrote:Some common causes for dumping a bike...

1) Forgetting to put sidestand down (done that!)
2) Stopping with the bars turned (done that at the BRC during the box exercise....oops)
3) gravel/sand/etc on road on a turn, making the rear wheel skid out a little
4) stalling the bike and freaking out
5) crowned roads....putting a foot down during a stop and realizing that the ground is a little farther down than expected, and the bike tips over and you can't save it (done that, too!)
6) Rider ego....trying to ride beyond his or her skill level
7) starting on hills sometimes result in people dumping

Falling over at a stoplight because you forgot that you'd just taken the sidecar off that morning.

Didn't happen to me, though. It was a friend. Yeah, that's it... a friend.

ShadowGrrl wrote:Some common causes for dumping a bike...

1) Forgetting to put sidestand down (done that!)
2) Stopping with the bars turned (done that at the BRC during the box exercise....oops)
3) gravel/sand/etc on road on a turn, making the rear wheel skid out a little
4) stalling the bike and freaking out
5) crowned roads....putting a foot down during a stop and realizing that the ground is a little farther down than expected, and the bike tips over and you can't save it (done that, too!)
6) Rider ego....trying to ride beyond his or her skill level
7) starting on hills sometimes result in people dumping

There's alot more, but I can't think of any more "common" ones.

One time I was at a stop light in the left turn only lane, and a car turning right into the lane next to me, took his turn really wide, and almost ran over my left foot. I was startled and tried to move my left foot out of the way, but in the process my right boot slipped and I couldn't stop my bike from tipping over. It was like in slow motion....I stepped away from the bike and let it drop. Luckily I was riding my Ninja 250 (instead of my Shadow) and was able to pick her back up.

#8 - Looking down at the ground or at your wheels or handlebars while turning. My wrestling coach in high school used to always say "Where the head goes the body will always follow, usually (Marie Antoinette being an exception)." On a bike, where the eyes go the bike will follow, usually. Look down, you'll probably go down.