First errr two drops

[RhadamYgg]

Ahhh my streak for never dropping a bike has ended. I have only myself to blame.

And no, it wasn't good enough just to drop it once, but I ended up doing it twice.

Break-down of drops:

Drop #1
I had finished riding on some very twisty roads at regular speed - between 25 and 40 - maybe slower even on some particularly sharp sections. I decided to go up a road that I've never been on in my bike. I approached a stop sign and didn't remember which way to go.

Hmmm, left or right. i decided to go right. Then I bitched up the start off with wayyy too much throttle. I overcompensated by reducing the throttle to zero. The bike stalled! (my second stall on this bike, bleh - same kind of scenario. I had actually managed a few feet with too much throttle and using the clutch so I was mid-turn.

Then, I went from a mild case of the stupids to a large case of the stupids. I focused in on the fact that the bike was stalling and trying to correct that problem. Messing around with the clutch and throttle and looking down at the instrument cluster (non fatal error right there). So, I look up in the sequence of events and see that my forward momentum is virtually zero and panic and.... Grabbed the front brake. Partial lean + zero forward momentum = bike on the ground.

Scratches in the usual places. A guy who had let me by earlier (I think he thought I was going to burn it up down the road, which isn't my thing) came out of his truck and helped me lift the bike up. That bike is really heavy. The shape of the seat does not lend itself to being lifted up the way they show little 5' nothing women picking up gold wings on youtube. With his help its up. A minute or two later to focus and I'm back on the road in this residential area.

I ride down the GSP and went to the Metro park exist and in to a businesses parking lot to work on some tight turns, do a few figure 8's and work on some quick stops.

Drop #2
Well, I'm actually doing pretty good. My figure 8's suck. Slow speed control is terrible. When the bike is pulling in first gear it wants to go a speed that is much too fast for real slow-speed maneuvers. Gliding reduces speed very quickly.

But anyway, quick stops are really good on this bike. No problems there. Even at 15 - 20 mph the I apply the breaks and the bike stocks with the rear wheel maybe 1 ft ahead of the paint that I was using as my stop mark. I'm getting better with my confidence. I decide to do 1 last figure 8 before I leave and try and put some highway miles on the bike - and work on my speed on some on/off ramps with declining radius turns and then off to home.

But I turn in to the worlds biggest dork. I enter the U-turn making a right, but I'm sure I'm looking down and not where I need to go. So I look up and feel like I'm going too fast (I'm probably not, actually) and grab a handful of front brake (again!). Down she goes.

Only this time I'm alone and I figure out that I don't have my cell phone with me. It doesn't matter, my wife is pregnant with twins and wouldn't be able to help me pick it up anyway. I don't really have a lot of close friends who are as physically capable as I am.

So, I have to get the bike up myself unless there are security guys roving around that are willing to help.

I try the traditional way a few times. And what are only a few scratches that aren't too bad I'm sure get worse because I'm moving around on the pavement a bit in order to pick the bike up.

Eventually, I set myself up like a football player with one hand on the handlebar and one around the back of the bike. There isn't much place to put a hand on the back of the bike due to the exhausts.

I lift the bike up and as expected the scratches from before are all worse. Still not too bad - they can be viewed as character marks. Need to put some black paint on some covers for the engine. No leaks. Scratch on the enormous non-functional air intake - scratched.

Little scratches on the mirror.

Injuries to me physically, none.

So, my pride and the finish of my bike are a bit damaged. Meh.

I ride home with no incidents. My confidence isn't too messed up as I don't ride the shortest way home. I botch a slow speed turn on the way home and go way to wide.

So, I'll promise myself to ride a little tomorrow to make sure I'm not afraid of the bike. I'll practice again tomorrow , but maybe not figure 8's. I'll probably work on tight slower (but not figure 8 slow) turns in both directions until I have more confidence to handle the figure 8's.

I'll need to work on my clutch control - and even though I dropped the bike, I did do a number of starts from complete stop and emergency stops even after I dropped the bike. I rode up and down the aisles of the parking lot for some more turns.

RhadamYgg

[Thumper]

First, I'm glad you're no worse for the wear; it sounds like it was just one of those days, and the bike isn't badly damaged. But more, at least you have a good idea what went wrong and why. When I launched off my SV last year I had no clue why until I heard the EMT say something to the cop about locking up the brake. Then it was like Well, DUH!

I couldn't ride for a week or so (getting old sucks...I *hurt* all over) and when I did I took my little Rebel out, thinking I'd be scared. Naw...careful but not fearful. I'm guessing since you know what your issues are, you won't be too bothered by the first ride. Practice the basics, then hit the road and tell yourself "I am a bike GAWD!" You'll either believe it or will laugh at yourself...and either way, it'll be smooth riding

[wrecks]

Sounds like a bad day for ya! It happens to the best of us. The good thing is that you're ok and the bike isn't badly damaged. Some engine case covers and maybe if they sell frame sliders for the b-king it probably would be a good idea to pick some up and put on your bike in case of these low speed drops. Your doing the right thing by practicing slow speed maneuvers. Slow speed stuff is difficult on a large displacement bike. Anyway, a little thing that helps me with doing tight turns and figure 8's on a big bike is dragging the rear break gently while easing the throttle and clutch. This helps stabilize the bike especially if your bike has a sensitive throttle.

[RhadamYgg]

First, I'm glad you're no worse for the wear; it sounds like it was just one of those days, and the bike isn't badly damaged. But more, at least you have a good idea what went wrong and why. When I launched off my SV last year I had no clue why until I heard the EMT say something to the cop about locking up the brake. Then it was like Well, DUH!

I couldn't ride for a week or so (getting old sucks...I *hurt* all over) and when I did I took my little Rebel out, thinking I'd be scared. Naw...careful but not fearful. I'm guessing since you know what your issues are, you won't be too bothered by the first ride. Practice the basics, then hit the road and tell yourself "I am a bike GAWD!" You'll either believe it or will laugh at yourself...and either way, it'll be smooth riding

Yeah... I'm afraid that because of other issues I just wasn't able to focus on riding.

I've probably made similar mistakes with my Kawasaki, but the difference in weight means that it is a lot less tolerant of me being a moron.

While I do know what went wrong, correcting it is still an issue. I know, when I stall I'm going to focus on recovering (which is impossible on this bike due to the interlocks) instead of well, the bike going south.

I'm glad you didn't suffer permanent damage during your incident.

But the worst thing about it is.... If I hadn't been doing slow-speed maneuvers on purpose... I probably wouldn't have had any issues.

Top on my list right now, though is to make sure I never stall on a start off. As far as practicing figure-8's, u-turns or taking the ERC.... Those things might need to wait until my comfort level on the bike has gone up a lot.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

Sounds like a bad day for ya! It happens to the best of us. The good thing is that you're ok and the bike isn't badly damaged. Some engine case covers and maybe if they sell frame sliders for the b-king it probably would be a good idea to pick some up and put on your bike in case of these low speed drops. Your doing the right thing by practicing slow speed maneuvers. Slow speed stuff is difficult on a large displacement bike. Anyway, a little thing that helps me with doing tight turns and figure 8's on a big bike is dragging the rear break gently while easing the throttle and clutch. This helps stabilize the bike especially if your bike has a sensitive throttle.

Yeah, my bad day doesn't compare to yours.

I'm definitely learning the hard way that low-speed maneuvers are a lot tougher on a large displacement bike. Although, I'll probably put off some figure 8's for a little while. U-turns I'll do...

What you are describing sounds like trail-braking... Might be out of my capabilities right now. I'll have to experiment.

They do have frame sliders for my bike. I didn't get them because of.... cost. Well, now it will cost a lot more to repair the bike (assuming I repair it, the scratches are starting to grow on me) and get frame sliders. And they really aren't all that expensive. Not sure if I'll be able to put them on myself, though.

Actually, maybe that's part of my issue not that I think about it. I can do U-turns just fine. U-turns are always a tight left turn. In both cases this was a tight right turn (good thing, too - I mean it could have been both sides of my bike with scratches).

So, something in my doesn't like making tight-radius right turns. Or I just don't look the right way when I'm doing it.

Bleh.

RhadamYgg

[Penguin]

Nah trail-braking is where you brake while turning into the corner, then accelerate out.

This is different, all you have to do is keep a light bit of pressure on the back brake pedal, and suddenly all the slow stuff becomes easier. You can get away with more sloppy clutch/throttle control because the rear brake will keep you at a reasonable speed.

[Brackstone]

Damn,

Sorry to hear that happened man. But good for you getting back up on the horse and continuing on. I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway! Don let fear get to you. You've beer riding a while now so there isn't anything to be worried about.

Just a hit of history about my experience. I stuck to roads I knew and didn't practice any parking lot exercises until I felt comforable with my new bike.

Also I did spent for frame sliders. They were like $100 for my bike, I know I sucks up front but if they look cool it's a necessary evil almost

[Brackstone]

Nah trail-braking is where you brake while turning into the corner, then accelerate out.

This is different, all you have to do is keep a light bit of pressure on the back brake pedal, and suddenly all the slow stuff becomes easier. You can get away with more sloppy clutch/throttle control because the rear brake will keep you at a reasonable speed.

Captain Crash taught me how to do this! My life has been much easier thanks to this!!!

[HeathersWheels]

Look at it as cup half full... at least it wasn't raining at the time.

[RhadamYgg]

Nah trail-braking is where you brake while turning into the corner, then accelerate out.

This is different, all you have to do is keep a light bit of pressure on the back brake pedal, and suddenly all the slow stuff becomes easier. You can get away with more sloppy clutch/throttle control because the rear brake will keep you at a reasonable speed.

Interesting. I'll have to check this out and see where it leads me.

RhadamYgg