Picking up a dropped Venture

[edtheguy]

Anybody ever drop one of these bad boys?

I've dropped mine twice and was unable to pick it up myself either time.

No damage done, fell over on the bars, but still a bit embarassing.

Once on a gravel driveway(turned into newly resurfaced drive) and once in my driveway.

I have a 1988 Venture Royale, not sure if it makes a difference.

Anybody out there have any tricks or the secret to getting this thing back up when you're

alone?

 

Thanks

 

Ed

[etcswjoe]

Out you back up against the seat and walk it up works every time.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLkrPkjimo]How To Pick Up A Fallen Motorcycle - YouTube[/ame]

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

I am sure you can find some demos on Youtube but the basics are:

 

Aproch the bike backwards

Turn handle bars so the bar closest to you is in the full lock position

Bend at the knees, bum toward the ground

Grasp the handle bar and the passanger grab bar

walk backwards toward the cycle

If it is on the right side, make sure you put the kick stand down, if on left, dont go too far.

 

Sounds easy but it is not, if on gravel yup it is more difficult.

You can do it, I have seen many vids of 125 lb women doing a lift on a Harley.

 

Be careful

 

Kevin

[CantWin1]

I'm 5'5, about 160#'s. I backed out of my driveway opposite of every other time I've backed out and my 'untrained' foot slipped and down my Venture went. Nice and easy onto the bars, no damage, and I just sort of straddled off.

 

I had seen the following video, and watched it several times and it was a piece of cake to pick up! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Er4FFEQ8I]How to pick up a Goldwing up off the ground- YouTube[/ame] If you do some digging there's even one of that guy showing a short 'older' lady how to do it and she is successful!

[Dragonslayer]

I'm not proud of it but I have on several occassions in different scenarios. Best advice is if anyone is around get them to help you. I have found that it makes a lot of difference what terrain and surface footing condition it falls in. If it falls over on a down hill slope with gravel under your footing and there is no help your screwed.

 

Adrennalin rush is also helpful in the right conditions.

[bongobobny]

Actually as I get older it's harder to pick up a Venture, 1st gen or 2nd gen even with the described procedure!! Those puppys are almost 900 lbs! It seems as I almost get it up but need just a slight extra push sometimes! That's why I always have the wife with me...

[MiCarl]

 

Adrennalin rush is also helpful in the right conditions.

 

Yep! Do it quick. Don't flip it on across the other way though

[Evan]

A few weeks ago, a friend (unnamed) had his 2nd gen slip out from under him on some slippery wet ground. He called for help to get it upright. We could not do the proper procedure cause of the ground. It was all we could do to lift the bike off the slippery ground

[GolfVenture]

My 1st time was in the garage and I was 5 month recovering from open heart surgury. I used a come-a-long. Picked it right up.

[pmelah]

My 1st time was in the garage and I was 5 month recovering from open heart surgury. I used a come-a-long. Picked it right up.

 

have come-a-long will pick up

 

where there is a will there is a way

 

whatever works best as long as its up

[Grump]

don,t worry i am like the old coot in lought in on the little trike . i am for ever falling over.at 71 and both knees shot and my back as well peaple are for ever pulling bikes off of me and putting them the right way up. it is just parte of the trip.

[bongobobny]

A few weeks ago, a friend (unnamed) had his 2nd gen slip out from under him on some slippery wet ground. He called for help to get it upright. We could not do the proper procedure cause of the ground. It was all we could do to lift the bike off the slippery ground

And did this certain unnamed member pay his $5 OOPS fee to the site???

[hunter 1500]

Have picked up my RSTD a couple times. Not real easy but I can do it. Last time it was cold and I took some of the layers of clothes I had on and forgot that I hadn't put the kickstand down. Looked around and thank god no one was watching. I tried that technique but there was gravel and it wouldn't work because my feet kept slipping. So I just grabed it and picked it up. I did manage to pull a muscle.

[Condor]

I just love it when someone posts that they are having difficulty picking a bike up, and everyone chimes in with the butt under the seat technique.... Especially when a 5'6" 130# rider says it's a piece of cake..... Well guess what... For us horizontally challenged riders it ain't so easy. It's harder for us to get our butts under the seat because we have more leg to fold up, and when we do it's a bytch to get out of the deep knee bend. So the technique does work, but for a few of us it's still a PITA. Size does matter.... I love to see a video of a 6'6" rider with a few extra pounds on him lift an 800# bike up on it's feet....

[OB-1]

I'm not proud of it but I have on several occassions in different scenarios. Best advice is if anyone is around get them to help you. I have found that it makes a lot of difference what terrain and surface footing condition it falls in. If it falls over on a down hill slope with gravel under your footing and there is no help your screwed.

 

Adrennalin rush is also helpful in the right conditions.

 

Yep, this happened to me in June in the mud. RSV's and mud aren't a good combination. Thanks to the adrennalin rush I got her back up and finished the ride home, but that could be why I'm presently sitting in the easy chair recovering from hernia surgery. Don't recall anything letting go at the time, but there was increasing discomfort until the surgeon did his work on Thursday. Now I won't be lifting anything for a while...

[MikeWa]

Woho. Picking up a big bike can be fun. Most important stop a few seconds and take a deep breath. Bow to the audience if there is one. Turn the key off. Make a plan. Then unlike a certain Honda video make sure the bike is in gear so it doesn't try to roll out from under you. Also if it is on it's right side put the kick stand down. These things are really hard after you get the bike picked up and you are holding the brake on a slight hill. Guess how I know this for sure. Use your imagination to visualize an old fat guy trying to bend over the seat of a big bike to reach the side stand on a hill out of gear while holding the brake. But with unscheduled practice I am getting much better at this procedure.

 

Mike

[Nemo]

Well, I had laid mine down too many times and trying all the techniques, I was never able to raise it back up by myself. Hey, maybe that bottle of water hanging on the handle bars added too much weight!! Anyway, I finally gave up, this summer, and had the Hannigan factory install one of their fantastic Trike kits. Problem solved! Talk about "piece of mind," Wow! Owen.

[edtheguy]

I will try the procedures mentioned.

I'm aware of the butt to seat method, but being 6'2" not sure I can fold

up to the degree required to do it. On gravel it gets even worse.

Any taller riders out there with suggestions?

I know---don't drop it in the 1st place, but it happens.

Thanks

Ed

[Dragonslayer]

I just love it when someone posts that they are having difficulty picking a bike up, and everyone chimes in with the butt under the seat technique.... Especially when a 5'6" 130# rider says it's a piece of cake..... Well guess what... For us horizontally challenged riders it ain't so easy. It's harder for us to get our butts under the seat because we have more leg to fold up, and when we do it's a bytch to get out of the deep knee bend. So the technique does work, but for a few of us it's still a PITA. Size does matter.... I love to see a video of a 6'6" rider with a few extra pounds on him lift an 800# bike up on it's feet....

I don't care what anyone says, picking these bikes up is a PITA now matter how tall or short you are.

[frodotoo]

I will try the procedures mentioned.

I'm aware of the butt to seat method, but being 6'2" not sure I can fold

up to the degree required to do it. On gravel it gets even worse.

Any taller riders out there with suggestions?

I know---don't drop it in the 1st place, but it happens.

Thanks

Ed

 

My first drop was luckily in my garage where no one could see. I'm 6'3" and not the most limber person but was able to do the butt to seat walk up method.

[TwoStars]

My first drop was luckily in my garage where no one could see. I'm 6'3" and not the most limber person but was able to do the butt to seat walk up method.

 

My first drop was in the garage as well, a day after I bought the bike - before I realized how top heavy the Venture is. I'm 5'9" and was able to do the butt to seat walk up method, mostly driven by adrenaline.

 

The second time was somewhere in Missouri, after finishing a 400 mile ride. I was backing into a parking spot, not realizing it was sloped a bit to the left. I was tired, and perhaps rushing, and down it went. I needed help this time, partly because of the slope.

 

Valuable lessons learned.

[straycatt]

I haven't dropped mine, but I did lay it down in the back yard just to see how hard it would be to pick up. I'm 6'1" 225#, and while it was very doable with the "butt in the seat" method.....it wasn't easy.

 

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a373/gat803/sidebike2011004.jpg

[AKRefugee]

I've got 36 inch inseam and have had to pick my 2nd Gen up more then twice by myself. Your legs do not have to be directly under you all you have to be able to do is getting a bend in them. Once you do, it is the same technique butt against seat, arms extended straight, knees bent. Push up legs until knee is straight. Walk backwards with arms kept straight and but against seat. You are essentially using your arms to hold the bike straight and your legs to pick it up

 

 

Ride Happy, Ride Safe

[Flyinfool]

Had my 88 fall in the back yard on wet grass.

Wife came in housee and asked why the bike was laying on its side.

 

The side stand had driven a 4" dia pad down into the ground far enough to tip over. Since the side stand did not fold when it fell that meant that I had to lift the bike over the extended side stand, with my feet on wet grass.

 

Yup, butt to seat and walked it right up. Pretended like I layed it down on purpose.......

[PGunn]

Having done this myself more than once the real trick is don't fold your legs under you and try to straighten them out. Bend them a little yes but the real trick is to walk the bike up with small steps not push the bike up with your legs.