well i did it. i must have looked like a fool

[texbid]

I was out on a ride with a large group of people. it was a day that started with a little drizzle but no heave rain no need for the nylon suit.

I was at a stop light noticed my warning light was on. I figured it was a taillight that was out so I turned to check it. I moved my left foot about an inch. Enough to put it right on top of a paint stripe. The rest you can imagine. I am 6'3" 240. the guy behind me could not stop laughing. I managed to lift the bike back up on its feet in about a nanosecond but it was too late. too many people saw waht happened.

luckily the GS guards were installed and a GIVI maxia. a tiny scratch on the left cylinder head and a consistent bashing from my friends.

watch that paint guys...

[DJ Downunder]

What a bugger... ...they're like stepping on a banana peal sometimes.......sorry cos I'm smiling and I know it's not not funny..

DJ

[Brownw3]

Laid it down at 70 MPH on a superslab. Lots of good luck runs in my family, still rode about 8000 miles this season.

[texbid]

you may have noticed the poll does not have "never" as an option.

my opinion is you either have or are lying about it

vp

[toner87]

You forgot "dropped it before ever getting moving due to fact the front wheel had a cable lock on it"...
T

[SLEDGE]

My tip overs (2) were when I first got the bike , at under 2MPH! Problem was becoming accustom to the ballance.

[challey]

My R has been down four times but only 2 of the four occured while I was in the saddle.
The first was when I stopped near the edge of the road and put my foot down off the pavement and in a 6" hole. Very slow kabuke dance to the ground but no real damage The other was when I didn't have the side stand down and attempted to get off. Not a pretty sight but again no real damage. The other 2 times, my baby was hit by cagers while parked - I go to see it both times. Big damage (literally in the thousands of $s) from these.

[Capt. Blackadder]

I've dropped mine once, very slowly. The left cylinder head guard actually just touched the driveway, just enough to scratch it. Thought I had the side stand down, leaned the bike over... over... over... whoa! That's too far! Pulled for all I was worth, but couldn't quite stop it. Had to get off to right it up. A quick scan in all directions for witnesses... whew, none to be seen. Started the bike and rode away quickly.

I once witnessed a pretty painful scene. This Harley couple mounted up outside Long Wong's in Tempe, and the guy started the hog up with the usual open-piped, constant-throttle-blipping, look-at-me ruckus. Got ready to go, let the clutch out, and... went three feet, then flopped over on the left side. Right in front of a packed veranda of bar patrons... ouch. It looked to me like the steering had been locked. The couple took corrective action quickly and left the scene with much less fanfare.

[yjleesvrr]

I've dropped mine a couple times at 0 mph. The first time was trying to get it off the center stand without requisite attention. The second time was starting the engine after I thought I had the transmission fully in neutral while I was standing next to the bike. The bike lurched forward and I didn't have time to grab the handlebars and keep 'er from falling. In both instances, there was hardly a scratch on the engine guards.

[Parkblu]

I have yet to drop the R (it's probably a bit like computer data loss: there are those who have lost data, and there are those who will).

But my previous moped (a Honda 1100 Aero) did go down:

in glorious full-colour slow motion while I was walking away from the bike, the sidestand just folded and the whole thing keeled over like a beached whale. Right when a female real estate agent pulled up unanounced to show my listing (a $2m house - with a bike on it's side in the driveway and sweaty dude trying to lift it up... nice setup.)

[zooomart]

Both times ( <5 MPH dumps) because of too much front brake. After the first I thought I learned my lesson...watch for sand or gravel and use the foot brake. Well, turns out that residual salt on roads will bring ya down as well.

[joejeweler]

Yeah,....i noticed that about the poll,.......it's the reason i haven't voted.

You "might" have included a catagory called: "Haven't laid it down,.....YET!"

Damn,......it just hit me, ........when i was in high school and showing off near the school,........i popped a wheelie on a Suzuki 3 cylinder 2 stroker.

Unfortunately, i missed the stop sign that was partially hidden by a huge tree,......and was hit from the left by an old geezer that was shaking like a leaf after i bounced off his windshield, took out his antenae, and rolled off his hood.

I was SO lucky!,......only a brused knee (and ego).

The right front fender smashed into my left side cooling fins,.......missing my leg by just a few inches. Bike flipped over sideways about 3 times and was totaled,........only had her a week or so.

Were i a bit faster, or he a bit slower,........i'd be signing my e-mails with a "Stumpy- Joe" signature.

As that was 34 years ago,.......i must have put it out of my mind,.......until you happened to awaken the incident.......


................................. THANK'S A LOT!

.............guess i can vote after all............

you may have noticed the poll does not have "never" as an option.

my opinion is you either have or are lying about it

vp

[BigC]

I haven't been down on the R yet either...but give me time, I haven't had it that long I went down gently on my old Honda about 4 months ago. I rarely am on the roads at 5pm as I go in early and come home early. I had to work late one day and thought I'd be smart and avoid construction which put me out of my way but I THOUGHT it would be less busy. I popped over a hill a respectful distance behind a car going about 40mph and they jammed on their brakes as there were cars stacked up about 100 yards deep at a 4 way stop. I didn't lock up the rear wheel although I probably should have as I had a new tire on the rear. I did lock up the front...twice and let go of the brake just as the it started to jerk out on me. I said screw it and pointed it at the ditch. I missed the car in front of me by inches although I was only going about 5mph or so when I went into the ditch. I went to put my foot down after I got it stopped and found air until it overbalanced and then I gently laid it down...still running, lol. There were scads of spectators and no one seemed to concerned about me. My ego was in flames. I rode in embarrassed fury home and immediately ordered a new front tire as the one on there had to be petrified due to age not treadwear. Two weeks later I saw the R on Craigslist and bought it immediately....KNOWING that the brakes had to be better and that the bike would be safer to ride in general.

Texbid, while my experience may not seem quite as embarrassing as your slippery foot taking a look at your bikes arse type thing , it was very frustrating for me at the time. It happen's to everyone...live and learn is the best advice one can take away from an experience such as this....

[priapismic]

The second time was starting the engine after I thought I had the transmission fully in neutral while I was standing next to the bike. The bike lurched forward and I didn't have time to grab the handlebars and keep 'er from falling. In both instances, there was hardly a scratch on the engine guards.

I've done that, too!!!! Not once, but twice! Push the starter button, the bike starts and lurches forward at the same moment. I was lucky to save it both times. You'd think I'd know by now to always look for the neutral light before I turn the key.

[boxermania]

texbid.....I don't know what is worse, the fall or the look on the face of the rest of the people you are riding with, when they try to be sympathetic but in reality they really want to bust out laughing.

Yes, we are some very strange creatures......

[MattPie]

Mine is pretty lame, I was doing a u-turn in two parking spots, realized I wasn't going to make it, and grabbed the front break. I didn't hit the car, which is good since it was mine too.

The best story I have: A local bar (Edigans in Binghamton, NY) had a bike night kind of thing, where they blocked off part of the lot so you could hang out and drink and look at the bikes. A guy rides up on what looks like a brand new Hayabusa (this was 1999-2000 time frame, so it was *the* bike). rides in, and dumps it while turning left into a parking spot. He stuck around, but I would have just picked the bike up and left without taking off my helmet.

[chitownrbike]

early one chilly wet sunday morning i was headed downtown, about a minute out, i had just come over an overpass and was probably doing at least 20 when i decided too late to turn right and avoid the red light ahead. i don't recall my stupid sequence of events, but down left i went. the cylinder protected my leg on impact and i let the black beauty go...laying in the middle of the street i watched in amazement as the first 2002 r1150r in chicago flipped 3 times. it was still running. tore off peg tips, signals all around, gouged both covers (no guards) and a rear peg mount, broke the windshield, bent the bar with the customary tank dent. there were a few more incidentals, but that was basically it. i was wearing a fiberglass backpack which took most of the impact and got up with merely a bruised hip. i rode it home and i am pleased to say it is again good as new. i think this quite a testament to the engineering that is merely part of the r1150r experience.

[texbid]

texbid.....I don't know what is worse, the fall or the look on the face of the rest of the people you are riding with, when they try to be sympathetic but in reality they really want to bust out laughing.

Yes, we are some very strange creatures......

later in the day i was laughing too. So they were laughing WITH me not AT me .... small difference but I figure I would make the best of it.

[NorseMan9]

early one chilly wet sunday morning i was headed downtown, about a minute out, i had just come over an overpass and was probably doing at least 20 ... i watched in amazement as the first 2002 r1150r in chicago flipped 3 times. it was still running. tore off peg tips, signals all around, gouged both covers (no guards) and a rear peg mount, broke the windshield, bent the bar with the customary tank dent.

Boy, glad you're ok. you must've been doing more than 20 to have the bike flip that much no?

[jerseygeorge]

I bought a 2005 R1150RS in San Antonio and drive it back to Jersey the first week of the month. 1880 miles in 4 days. 3 days into trip I pull into gas station, put down stand, (don't think I put bike on stand), reach over to do something on GPS, and whacko! I get high sided and thrown to the ground, standing still. Still not sure how the bike went over, I was standing and had it balanced inbetween my legs, but no hands on bars.

NOW - how do I repair the scratched valve cover? Or do I just plunk down the $160-180 for a new one to remove the evidence of my excursion?