I have officially joined the club.

[Gravity]

Yesterday there was enough of a break in the rain that the roads in the neighborhood dried and my girlfriend and I decided to get in some much needed practice. We tool around and take our time doing laps while practicing starting, stopping, low speed turns, etc. We are just trying to get used to everything before venturing out into the craziness that is traffic in northern Virginia.

Well, it was my turn out in front and I was taking a very slow corner and I guess as I started to roll on the gas it started to buck a little and when I applied the clutch she just fell over. I couldn't catch it. I dropped the bike. No harm done, other than my bruised ego. I was barely moving.

I picked her back up (Heavier than I expected) and got back on. She didn't want to start up right away and was running a little funny after the drop. Maybe flooded? Does that sound right? I had to run with the choke on for a few minutes. I made it through a couple more laps before the rain started back up and we called it a day.

Anyway, I guess more low speed practice is in order. I hope she is running okay the next time I get a chance to go out.

[will_maxim]

Originally Posted by Gravity

...when I applied the clutch she just fell over. I couldn't catch it. I dropped the bike. No harm done, other than my bruised ego. I was barely moving.

You're not alone. I did something very similar within an hour of picking up my bike from the dealer. Was trying to practice the low-speed U-turns from the MSF class. Got about 1/4 into the turn, wasn't giving it enough gas, and the bike laid over just as pretty as you please. Thought I could just stick a leg out to stop it, but no dice. No damage to the bike, but I served myself a heaping helping of humility, seasoned with a dash of respect. A good lesson that I have not repeated (so far).

[feedjdream]

Same thing almost happened to me while I was in the dealer parking lot. A little humble pie is good for a person once in a while.

[Earthling789]

Happens to all of us sooner or later... usually sooner, lol... and almost always when there are about a million people watching you

As far as not starting right after... that is common. Once you lay one over, the fuel in the carbs either dump out or fuel floods into the carbs because the floats and needle valves are no longer "upright" and controlling fuel. Anytime I've dropped one in the past, I let it set for a few minutes before trying to start... and it usually will take a few cranks to get the system equalized back out.

Glad you and the bike are okay... and glad you got back on and kept riding! Keep working on those low-speed maneuvers... they give all of us problems at one time or another... practice, practice, practice... lol

[ejsaenz]

Happened to me yesterday. I was riding and began to feel nauseous and not dizzy but not well either. I made it to my destination and tried to pull off a slow speed left turn in the driveway, I didn't make it, it stalled and I hit the ground fast! The crash bar saved the bike but not fun. I lifted it up and just sat there for a while. No more riding while feeling ill. I went in to my friend's house and a bit of ginger ale cleared me up in about a half hour, rode home okay.

Gotta practice slow speed maneuvers. Time to do my RLAP (ride like a pro) exercises...

[So-Crates]

Originally Posted by ejsaenz

Happened to me yesterday. I was riding and began to feel nauseous and not dizzy but not well either. I made it to my destination and tried to pull off a slow speed left turn in the driveway, I didn't make it, it stalled and I hit the ground fast! The crash bar saved the bike but not fun. I lifted it up and just sat there for a while. No more riding while feeling ill. I went in to my friend's house and a bit of ginger ale cleared me up in about a half hour, rode home okay.

Gotta practice slow speed maneuvers. Time to do my RLAP (ride like a pro) exercises...

Oh man... That story reminds me of the time I went on a camping trip with two friends on our bikes... Rode all the way up the CA coast to Eureka, and I got hell of sick. Decided to try to ride home alone so they could continue on the trip without me. Got about two hours south when I suddenly felt the urge to vomit. Pulled off the road...but didnt get the helmet completely off in time.

Got to ride the rest of the way home in a wet helmet that smelled like puke! Wont ever forget that weekend!!!!


Of course, beats the time when my friend had to ride home in a wet helmet that smelled like URINE!!! Some buttwipe pissed in his helmet outside of a bar!

[rb608]

Originally Posted by Gravity

Well, it was my turn out in front and I was taking a very slow corner and I guess as I started to roll on the gas it started to buck a little and when I applied the clutch she just fell over. I couldn't catch it. I dropped the bike. No harm done, other than my bruised ego.

If you're going to bruise something, your ego is the best thing. Yeah, sometimes you find yourself holding a very heavy weight that was perfectly balanced a moment earlier. No big deal. You pick it up and get back on.

I did it just a couple weeks after bringing the new 1100 home. I'd been on a Rebel (OMG) for a couple of years, and backing into a parking space in my driveway, I just got a little off center. Holy crap that thing got heavy in a hurry. Couldn't stop it.

[CPTRICK3]

Almost 50 years of riding, over 300,000 miles, I can honestly say I've never crashed in the street. What I can't say is that I haven't dropped a bike in a slow turn in a parking lot.

[GiveItToMikey]

So-Crates:

"Of course, beats the time when my friend had to ride home in a wet helmet that smelled like URINE!!! Some buttwipe pissed in his helmet outside of a bar!"

------------------------

Well, I gotta tell ya, folks -- I'm thinkin' that's the one time I ain't wearin' my helmet. Probably wouldn't if I puked in it either.

[T-Niggs]

been there man, like first or second week owning the bike, tried to do a turn around in a parking lot, well tried making the turn while going uphill...yeah the weight of the bike won and I dropped her; it almost felt like I jumped off the bike in a way. thank god for my crash bars as there was no damage but I learned that the bike is heavier than I thought and never turn left while going uphill haha. haven't done it since so I guess I learned something.