Picking up a dropped Venture

[distancerider]

Riding through some unfamiliar territory in Tennessee one night, lost trying to find the motel; I came around a curve to find three deer standing in the middle of a two lane. To make matters worse the road banked about like turn three at Atlanta Motor Speedway. I was on my Goldwing and got it stopped about a a foot from three by then frozen deer. With the bank in the rode and having panic stopped I ended up just easing the Wing down on its side - a first. The deer took off like a rocket and I started catching my breath when I realized I was in the middle of a blind turn from both directions. I panicked and just tried to grab the bike and lift it but even at my size 6'5" and 310 lbs it did not budge plus I was lifting against the banking of the road. I remembered watching a video on how to lift and you are on the money, getting down low enough was the toughest part. Anyway, I got it up on about the third try and no car ever came but the incident sticks in my mind anytime someone mentions a lift.

[JohnMidnight]

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....

 

Its not easy to haul a 800 pound mid to high balanced bike off the deck. Which is exactly what Venture Royales are, I'm sorry. I've lifted a 650 (500#s) a HD Ultra Classic (How heavy is that?) and a Honda Gold Wing. Those are all light to heavy low balanced bikes, and they did not give me problems. But the ol Lady does. I can't speak for 2nd gens, but I also haven't ridden any...

 

Heck, I've had a Rider Coach tell me I was probably lifting her up wrong.... The look on his face when HE lifted her up off the deck was priceless. I got a free lunch for that

[Evan]

I have read all of the posts for this thread with great interest. However, I never imagined that the comments and info would be useful so quickly. As I mentioned in one of Marcarl's posts, I parked under an overpass today (to put on my rain suit) and thought I had enough angle for the side stand. However, the shoulder was sloped so much that the wind from the first truck that went by blew the bike over --- and I mean right over. Instead of being held up by the front and back crash bars, my fairing bit the dust, and the bike ended up sloped downward on its side due to the sloped shoulder. Even with the proper technique, I am sure I could not have got the bike upright without my wife's help. To make matters worse, that was the first time ever that my VR has been scarred from going over.

 

[JohnT]

I carry a used up circular saw blade in my trunk now. Any.doubt and it goes under the side stand.

This going to sound sarcastic or stupid. When I move the beast I make absolutely sure to keep it perfectly upright, plumb, perpendicular. Don't let it get to the tipping point. Ever.

The last time(s) it was on its side I put it jn gear,.put the bars full lock, grab the bar in left hand, the rear crash bar in my right hand, and stood it up.

Can't do that forever, so the plan is to never, ever let it go on its side again.

Yeah, right. :sign **** happens:

[motorcycle_1300]

62years old 6'1 200lbs not bad if you are landing on the kick stand, lot harder from the stand side I would advise having somebody handy to flip the stand down as you go upright. If you are on a downhill side, put a for sale sign on it and start walking home. Actually if there is no one to help you shove it untill you have rotated it so you are not laying down hill, do whatever you can to minimize the scratching. then it is the same routine.

 

dropped mine once while attempting to turn around on a dirt road with grass growing between the tire tracks the hump in the center was high enough that I couldn't get the stand down so there I amm back to the bike trying to turn arround and get my leg over the bike with nothing supporting it. did it but was shaking and sweating like a pig.

 

Al

[Trader]

When I first got my venture I was on a cottage road that ended up being soft sand!

The front wheel just washed out and down I went....very gently...but down just the same.

 

I couldn't Walk it up.....my feet just slid out from under me in the soft sand.

 

Thankfully there were trees on both sides of the lane because I ended up having to use a small block and tackle and hoist it up on two wheels!

Then it was a LOT of fun getting out of there.