Has your bike ever hit the ground?

[BigPoppa]

My FZ6 hasn't hit the ground (knock on wood) but my previous bikes? That's another story...

 

[radexS1]

phew, nearly dropped it there last week:

Stopped on a down ramp into a car park, foot on the brake, and reached into my pocket for the swipe card (for the car park). Its a very steep, short slope, down to a gate.

Not sure what happened, maybe my foot came off the brake for a sec, but suddenly the bike was going down on the left, both my hands off the bars, and rolling forward a bit down the slope. lost my footing too, and nearly fell over completely.

Somehow i grabbed the front brake hard, wrenched the bars around for some reason, and got my left leg down, just about, I gave my balls an almighty smack into the tank in the middle of all that, and then wrenched the bike back up again through the pain in my balls.
I really thought it was going down though. I was leaning back in the saddle and it all got out of control very quickly. I really have no clue how I managed. I was able to smile afterwards even though I was sick with pain, and a little worried about my ability to reproduce. Serves me right for being too relaxed, and leaning back with my hands off the bars like that.

 

[pocket]

Layed mine down today for the first time I was turning left after a stop sign, and I guess i hit some loose gravel and it slid for about 10-15 feet. Scraped the left mirror, front turn signal, and crankshaft cover. Also bent the handle bars. The frustrating part is I was just about to put frame sliders on. Does anyone have any advice on handle bar replacement? Are there any good aftermarket handle bars? Anyway.. I got back up, picked up the bike with a rush of adrenaline, put it in neutral and let it stand on the kickstand a minute, started it up and rode it home.. slowly hah. Oh yea, it happened about 50 feet from my driveway. If you ride motorcycles, its not a question of whether or not you will crash, its a question of WHEN it will happen! In a strange sense, Im glad that it finally happened.

 

[Kazza]

Layed mine down today for the first time I was turning left after a stop sign, and I guess i hit some loose gravel and it slid for about 10-15 feet. Scraped the left mirror, front turn signal, and crankshaft cover. Also bent the handle bars. The frustrating part is I was just about to put frame sliders on. Does anyone have any advice on handle bar replacement? Are there any good aftermarket handle bars? Anyway.. I got back up, picked up the bike with a rush of adrenaline, put it in neutral and let it stand on the kickstand a minute, started it up and rode it home.. slowly hah. Oh yea, it happened about 50 feet from my driveway. If you ride motorcycles, its not a question of whether or not you will crash, its a question of WHEN it will happen! In a strange sense, Im glad that it finally happened.

Glad you're ok - the monkeys off your back - I understand what you mean.

Handle bars? Lots of guys like the FZ1 bars, but I have Rizoma bars and I love them. Do a thread search as there are loads of threads on them.

Good luck

 

[Ryan T]

"...... If you ride motorcycles, its not a question of whether or not you will crash, its a question of WHEN it will happen! In a strange sense, Im glad that it finally happened"

This is all too true. It's just a matter of time before your bike takes a dive. Yes, some may not experience this, but that's the exception to the rule.

I've dropped my baby three times (one an emergency stop, the other two due to putting my foot down on peebles and sand mixture). One accident due to slick spot in left hand turn.

Yeah, it's been rough but the only damage came from the accident. That caused scratches, bent peg, and inner fairing damage.

Gotta watch my footing.

 

[JPH]

45mph crash resulting in a fractured spine, 5 shattered ribs, both lungs punctured.

I was fully geared otherwise I would be dead or paralyzed. Also thank God for USA Private Medicine! I have some nice titanium hardware in my back now!

Newbies! Always Gear Up, Ride defensively. Understand that road conditions and traffic are constantly changing and can be life threatening at ANY speed. Oh, and always look, verify, proceed... never 'assume' a road or traffic condition at first glance.

 

[foxbass]

Yep.
Twice over winter. Once when leaving the sidewalk where I park - the rear tyre hit a patch of snow just as the front made into the cleared road and the whole thing kinda spiraled out of my hands. The second was really embarrassing when I left the disc lock on and fell over with the bike on top of me. Lucky a passing biker on foot helped me up. Both times no damage.
However, since then its fallen over in high wind when I put the cover on. Fell right off the center stand and damaged the left corner of the fairing and yeah its tough picking one up with the cover in place! Found out that superglue works on the plastics a treat. That and silicone adhesive behind plus a couple of layers of duct tape for good measure so I don't lose any more bits in the next fall - coz you just KNOW its going down again any time soon.:spank: Previous owner did the opposite corner too.
Nearly had to lay it down yesterday too when some prize assh**e pulled a U turn with no indication or language of intent whatsoever. God knows how I stopped even though I was actually only doing 30. In my car I would have certainly smashed into the back of him.:Flip:

 

[DownrangeFuture]

I vote yes.

Left hand turn onto a four lane road. I'm already doing 40+mph when suddenly, hummer. The guy didn't hit me, but I was exiting the turn still and the guy pulls out in front of me going 10mph. Stupid douche.

He's only feet in front of me, going way slower than I am. And I had only been riding for about a month total at that point. So like the newb I was (and still am) I grabbed a handful of brake... while still leaned over.

Long story short, the bike lowsided, leather saved my ***, and the only traffic was the cop right behind the hummer that just got off duty. And the bike is all fixed up.

 

[amanlisman]

Once. Went out at 2 in the morning this winter and realised I had forgotten to put the bike in the garage. A heavy frost was settling on the bike which I didn't like, but I didn't want to sit on the cold frosty saddle...

Pushing the bike off its centre stand without sitting on the bike is not a good idea. Oops, over it went. I picked it up immediately, in a complete rage with myself for being so stupid.

The tip of the right handle-bar is now scratched. A shame, given that the bike is in close-to-new condition despite its seven years.

 

[Josh1466]

Yep, yesterday, in my gravel driveway. I was backing it out of the garage for the first ride of the season. I was trying to back it out and turn it around at the same time while standing on the left side, all while in my downhill driveway. I knew better, but was dumb and did it anyway. My hand slipped off the front brake lever and it got away from me, went down on the right side. Just a small scratch in the tail panel, bit of rash on the right bar end/brake lever, a little paint scratch in the top of the front fairing and some scratches in the turn signal and mirror. All in all, not too bad for going down in gravel. It actually took me a minute to find any of the marks. It's not a show bike, so I'm not too upset.

 

[agf]

I voted "no" and touched wood real fast. Dropped bikes on the dirt and did plenty of damage to myself and bikes, mashed kneecaps, brake levers, fingers,clutch levers, bruises etc.
Now I want to be really careful and hope i dont do anything stupid or have to avoid someone else doing something stupid.
closest I came was in the 1st week of ownership when I thought I had the stand down and startedto let the weight go, realised in the nick of time
great sigh of relief!

 

[FIZZER6]

Mine has been down twice, both at low speeds and both were saved from any real damage by my frame sliders (best investment for any sport bike!)

1st time I was backing into my parking spot and did not realize the bike was in first gear, accidentally dropped the clutch and it bucked me over on it's side, only the slider touched.

2nd time I was at the end of a 9 hour riding day and tired...was making a left turn at an intersection when a vehicle that had previously been in the oncoming turning lane, decided to go through the intersection instead, right at me...I grabbed too much throttle mid-turn and low sided at the end of the intersection at about 10 mph. Frame slider saved the frame and case but I got a nice scratch on my mirror and scrapped off 1" long strip of paint on the corner of the fairing. Could have been much worse. That was 2 years ago and haven't been down since.

 

[LDO]

I am afraid to answer this, kind of the jinx thing, but so far so good mine hasn't touched the ground since I bought it.

 

[PAULED]

Unfortunately yes.

Wheeling it out of my garage, lent over it and I passed the tipping point and I tried in vain to keep it upright but could not. It was a very slow and soft fall. If that makes sense?

And all I can say "Crash bungs worth every penny" no damage done. :thumbup:

 

[04fizzer]

Unfortunately yes.

Wheeling it out of my garage, lent over it and I passed the tipping point and I tried in vain to keep it upright but could not. It was a very slow and soft fall. If that makes sense?

And all I can say "Crash bungs worth every penny" no damage done. :thumbup:

I had something similar happen. I think I mentioned it earlier in this thread. I tried to catch it, but ended up just laying it down, gently. I was quite sore the next day but couldn't figure out why, until I remembered my little "incident".

 

[phranK2k11]

As soon as i hit the "no" button my heart dropped! What have i done? I'm going out now to wrap her up in soft things to keep the inevitable damage to a minimum. I do have sliders at least.
Seriously though I had a real close call the other day. Was riding 2up with my wife and was stopped at a traffic light on a pretty steep hill. I was behind a car that turned on red, i pulled up and stopped. As soon as I put a foot down the light changed and I let the clutch out a little too quick and stalled. I had already made enough speed to bring the foot up and turn just slightly. Between the stalled in traffic panic and extra weight from the missus it took a LOT of will and muscle to keep us all upright! I got a cramp so bad I had to pull over and let it relax once i got us outta harms way.

 

[Al Theman]

No for my FZ6, but I managed a (0mph) slow lay-down on my R6S on the right hand side at the end of my street the second day I owned it. Managed to trap my glove gauntlet between the handlebar clip-on grip and the tank whilst turning on the steep hill, Doooh! Fortunately no neighbours were watching and sliders were fitted preventing any damage.

 

[jcfz6]

Yes, another 0mph slow set down on the right side. I was trying to roll it off the center stand, but I was standing on the left side and it just got leaned over a little too far for me to save it. It was like it happened in super slow motion. Had it back up about 10 seconds later, and now every time it comes off the center stand I'm on the seat walking it off. Luckily the frame slider and the bar end took up the minor scratches.

 

[lonesoldier84]

Just curious how many members have ever had their bike touch the ground. Flop and drops, knocked down, tipped over, etc, or even worse, suffered a crash since you have owned it?

Nope. Not once.

 

[krid80]

Nope. Not JUST once. DOZENS OF TIMES.

Fixed it for ya.

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