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Getting Back On After Dropping the Bike

by Katie Callahan
(Joliet, MT)

I have had my own bike for just over 4 months. Have been riding with my husband for the last three years on the back of his Harley Road King. My first attempts at riding my own Pearl White 883 (used) Sportster has been wonderful.

Unfortunately I jumped on my bike Saturday for a short ride and dropped the bike. Took a turn too wide and ended up in the ditch. Wearing leather and a helmet of course. Scratched my chin tweaked my neck and hurt my thumb but those will heal. Sadly I hurt the 883 and the removable windshield scratches and dings. But the cool thing about all of this is I had read the "how to pick up your bike" and was very proud of the fact that I did it all by myself. The bike was flooded for a bit but started finally. I am interested in talking to others who have had an accident and gotten back into the seat. I have that what if, should haves, guilt (as a mom, wife etc.) and damn the cost of what I put into the bike. I am signed up to take the Motorcycle Safety course in June.

Comments for Getting Back On After Dropping the Bike

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Oct 06, 2010

Dropped bike by stalling
by: Dawn

Add me to the list of dropped bikes. I was doing well on my 1991 250 Honda Nighthawk, so I bought a 2010 BMW G650GS. It is a lowered bike, so no problems there. I stall on corners and have dropped her three times. This is the first time I have ever been afraid to get back on. I am going to buy crash bars for her to protect my fairings, then hopefully get back on her and ride. She is too heavy for me to hold up when I stall her, so down she goes. Wish me luck.

Jul 08, 2009

You're Not Alone!!
by: Anonymous

Honey, you're not alone. I crashed IN CLASS. Practicing the quick stop and locked the front wheel. Next thing I knew, I was on the pavement. Waited a couple minutes and got back on and rode around. Had to! I was scared, but that's just not a good enough reason to stop.

Got my new (to me) bike home from my first ride....and tipped it over in the garage. Not cool.

Mention dropping a bike or crashing in front of any group of motorcyclists - everyone has a story or two.

Glad you're not hurt!

Jun 10, 2009

I Fell Off the Bike, Not Dropped It! LOL!
by: Kristina

Well, Like I said before I've been practicing and practicing, then when it came to do the figure eight, I was doing fine doing the figure eight, then I wanted to stop after practicing for more than 1 1/2 hours as it was getting warm, so I did one last figure eight practice, then I pulled a stop by pulling my clutch in and using both brakes, but I did not put my left foot down first, but my right foot, I was not balanced and I just fell over to my right side! OFC, I was determined not to drop my bike since I bought my Honda! and I was upset with myself! It kinda busted my ego a bit! LOL! I was fine and the bike did not get any scratches or damages except that my foot peg got pushed up good, but my "teacher" was able to pull it down and back where it should be and it's fine! He told me that when you go that slow or slow down to brake, always make sure that you are balanced and put your left foot down first, then your right foot and keep your bike balanced because you are at most vulnerable when you slow down and brake to a stop. I'm still practicing and I am improving each time.

May 05, 2009

Dropped My New Baby
by: Anonymous

Wow I just found this site and glad I did.

Good to know I'm not the only one who drops her bike. I just bought my second bike, 07 BMW R1200RT and dropped it the first day making a u-turn, not enough RPMS. Then my husband and I set out for a ride in the mountains and I dropped it turning out of my driveway, not enough RPMS again. We did have a GREAT 250 miile ride that day. And two times was not enough we were doing some parking lot practice and yep down it went again. This time I was getting tired and and could not decide if I was going to do another circle or stop. I grabbed the front brake and the front wheel was turned ever so slightly down we went. Two lessons, keep my RPMS up when starting and always have a clear picture of what I'm going to do. And I guess three, NEVER ever ride when I'm tired.

Ladies thanks for being here and lets keep the shiny side up!!

May 05, 2009

Riding Again
by: Anonymous

Yep, add me to the list of dropped bike. I dropped mine twice first week of riding. First time it was to tall for me so we lowered it which helped.

Second time grabbed handful of front brake just like they teach you in class unfortunately it was a gravel parking lot. Front brake and gravel bad combo. $100 in parts and lesson learned. No harm to me since I was geared up. Got back on and been riding since.

May 04, 2009

Count me in . . .
by: Jacee

Yup, I've dropped my bike. I went from a cruiser to a sport bike and my husband told me the throttle was very sensitive and the bike has a LOT of power so take it easy. What he failed to tell me was that the front brakes are also very sensitive and that I shouldn't "grab a handful" of brake like I did on my cruiser.

Coming up to a stop light, it suddenly changed and my husband, who was in front of me, stopped. I grabbed a handful of brake (and it was a slight curve up to the light) and I lost the front end. It threw me up in the air - I landed on my left elbow and hip. Big bruises - no broken bones. It ripped the windshield off and cracked my fairing. Also, bruised my pride. All traffic stopped for me and several men jumped out of cars to help me up and pick up my bike.

We pulled our bikes off the road and I walked into the nearby Walgreens and bought some duct tape. We taped my fairing and windshield on and rode home. Needless to say, I was terrified all the way home (from Denver to Colorado Springs).

I got over my terror eventually - just kept riding. I learned that my brakes are ONE or TWO finger brakes.

Since I am vertically challenged and on my tippy-toes on this bike, I have dropped it a couple of times in parking lots - like gas stations where there is always dirt on front of the pumps and my foot slipped on the dirt as I came to a stop. Now I never stop by the tanks. I stop a little ways away and my husband rolls it up to the pumps. We plan our rides carefully so that I always have a safe and mostly level place to stop.

May 04, 2009

Dropping the Bike
by: Anonymous

The common theme on the few times I have dumped mine is "DONT HIT THE FRONT BRAKE" - not that I know that since I am finally getting out of the smaller automatic and into the clutch type normal bike (I got a 1998 - 750 Virago last week) that I am in for more dropping. So I am purposely not going to get a paint job on her til I am confident in riding.

We have an annual party out here in late July called Too Broke (Too Broke for Sturgis) and I am going to be ready to ride with my friends from the Legion by then - 130 miles one way and all sorts of twisties and deep gully mountain ledges

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