To Drop or Not To Drop

[Guest Highway]

Well one of my tight turns in a small area finally showed me that the RSV is more than I can hold up once it starts the lean over. Im 6'1' 283 lbs. but I will tell you once it starts over, thats it... Riding through the Cherahala Skyway this past weekend was a ride to remember. But on a dead end road, narrow, I was humbled. Not embarassed since no one saw me, but a new respect for the machine. Getting it back up is another experience. I had no damage since I was not rolling when it went over, but I will always look for a wider spot in the future.:cool10:

[Venturous Randy]

It's not if, it's when you will drop it...Been there, done that.

RandyA

[Gary N.]

welcome to the club...

[Carbon_One]

A rather large club at that too. Be thankfull there was no damage except the ego.

Larry

[86er]

You're definitely not alone in that one, Terry! I've been known to ease my bike down on it's side!

 

Checkout this thread: The Oficial "I Dropped My Bike At Vogel" Thread

(And get your five bucks ready!)

 

[Guest Highway]

You're definitely not alone in that one, Terry! I've been known to ease my bike down on it's side!

 

Checkout this thread: The Oficial "I Dropped My Bike At Vogel" Thread

(And get your five bucks ready!)

 

were you in Reliance, Tn. (near the ocoee) last week? saw a 1st gen. at the river there, the man was fishing. Could not see him up close, and he was gone when we returned later.

[nkbjones]

welcome to the club, we've all done it:bang head:. As Todd said, get $5 ready:rotf:

[BuddyRich]

More than once the bike has showed me who the heavyweight is..

[Bartley]

After 30+ years of riding, most of which were Goldwings, I had never dropped a bike. I went straight from a GL1800 to the RSV. Drove home, packed, grabbed the wife, went for a 5 day cruise through the mountains to "experience and enjoy" the new ride. First time I cruised into a parking stall at a lookout point, down she went. The next day, same thing. I was humbled and embarrassed. I lost confidence in my abilities as a biker and didn't understand how this could happen to me. My wife was afraid to ride with me on this bike. I figured I'd have to sell her (the RSV). But then I figured I wasn't going to let it beat me. It handled alot differently than the Wing and I just had to get used to it with LOTS of practice. It's a BIG bike and demands respect. It's not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced. Once I got to know it, I've enjoyed it immensely, probably more than any other bike I've owned. Haven't dumped it since. Plus the fact that once I stumbled upon this great site, I found that most, if not all the owners of this machine have had the same experience.....it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when!

[DragonRider]

I done lost count of how many times I have dropped mine,,,I do know its more than what I can count on 1 hand.............:whistling:

 

Welcome the club..............

[rod]

I am 5'7" and #165 an have laid the Venture down a few times while stopping. A few tips that I have figured out, handlebars straight when stopping, no front brake at slow speeds, plan your stops carefully and last practice often including u turns. Also learn how to pick up the bike by backing into it. Rose has learned to help counter balance when the bike starts to lean and that is a big help for me. It has been a while sinse I have dropped it and never had damage till it fell on the down hill side and then it was some scratches. Rod

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Ok...since were all showing our shorts here...

 

Ive been riding large touring bikes for about 80,000 miles...motorcycles in general for 40 years. I'm not a newbie.

 

One night, about midnite, riding home from Amarillo, I stopped to put on my 'snoopy' hat and adjust the headlight. It was VERY dark where I stopped...deserted 2 lane...old highway 87 for those that know the area. I mean pitch black that night. I have some remaining vertigo from an accident 9 years ago, when I got conked on the head. The vertigo is never a problem if I can see horizontal and vertical surfaces so my brain keeps track of whats up and down, left and right, and level. My inner ears balance organs are not too good anymore.

 

Anyway, it was pitch black, no horizons or vertical buildings visible where I was. I stopped and shut off the bike...now its REALLY dark...slight blindness after the headlight went off. The pavement was not very level, so I was careful to slowly set the bike down on the stand, but knew it was not really leaning very much to the left, like it should be..but like I said...vertigo...since I cant see anything level, I'm not really sure.

 

So I get off the bike, put on my snoopy hat...it was getting chilly, and then turned on the key, started the motor, went to the left side of the bike, and reached under the fairing for that little knob...now dont get ahead of me here!!

 

I got the light just where I wanted it...then stood up, swung a leg over from the left side, and OVER WE WENT!

 

I had barely even gotten my leg over when she started to fall hard to starboard, heading laterally for the ditch. I knew it was gonna fall INTO the ditch, so I pushed HARD with my right foot, and pulled hard with my right hand on the grip, but OVER IT WENT...like I wasnt even there. Now luckily, the tipover bars just touched the edge of the pavement, and the bike stopped at a user freindly 45 degree list to starboard. And the engine shutoff! I had been led to believe these bikes dont have a tip sensor, but I guess it does...or maybe my hand hit the kill switch...whatever happened, the bike was off. I switched off the key, so as not to 'advertise' to passing airplanes I had a problem.

 

Anyway, there it sat, and there I recovered for a minute. Getting my bearings, and using all my best 'golf' words, I decided, well its had enough rest. Here we go. I've righted my Ultra, but this thing is higher, heavier, and I had unsure footing in the ditch too!

 

So...I turned around, backed my butt against the bike saddle, me, with boots lower in the ditch than pavement level, looked over to see that the sidestand was still deployed, and grabbed the right bar with my left hand, the right passenger grab rail with my right hand, and HEAVE!!!! Up it came! right on over to the sidestand and settled nicely almost sitting straight up!

 

Needless to say, I was VERY careful getting back on the bike, and learned that these bikes need a more level parking spot than my Ultra.

 

I have to say, it takes a more careful, skillful, focused rider to ride these Ventures, than it does the Ultra. You have to pay attention to what your doing...ALL the time.

 

Pat your self on the back if you can ride one of these and NEVER have an issue...if you ever get an HD ElectraGlide, it will seem EASY to ride after the Venture.

 

So...there you have it....now...where do I send the money?

 

 

 

 

[Marcarl]

Even the first gens will fall over sometimes, they are more nibble on their feet, but when they decide to take a rest, let 'em, it's much easier to pick them up, then to try to stop them from something they're going to do anyways.

To pick it up??????? Back yourself up to the bike, put your butt into the edge of the seat, one hand on the handle bar, the other hand on something like a grab bar in the back, and now you just walk backwards pushing with your butt into the edge of the seat. Don't try lifting it, just push with your butt. Make sure that it's either in gear or that a brake is on if you are on a slope. It's that easy!!!!!!!

[Long Tall]

I've had my 06 for 14 months....did the Dragon and Cherohala last October....My Bud on his Road King dropped his on one of of those tight turn lookouts...Almost not moving...We (wife and I didn't)...I thought...BOY I'm GOOD....I'm 6'5"...240#...five weeks ago...was backing the bike out to take to dealer for inspection....tipped it JUST A LITTLE to miss the corner of something...DOWN SHE WENT...worst part....the left fairing laid over on a small bush at the corner of the carport a somehow it must of landed JUST RIGHT...punched a hole about an inch in diameter right in the bottom...

 

NEW left faring and $160 dollars later!!!

 

IT HAPPENS!....Thought I would be the one without a fall....NOT...

 

George In Virginia

[wolfman1]

Agreed! It's not if, it's when! I was sitting at a stop sign when I did it. I wasn't fortunate enough to be alone when it happeded to me. My friends just looked at me and laughed. Then helped to get it back up. Didn't hurt a thing except my pride! You're right, when it want to lay down, it's gonna and no one's gonna be able to convince it otherwise! To this day, I have no idea how it happened either. To top it off, we were just leaving a Spring Bike Blessing!

 

Steve

[Guest BluesLover]

I've had mine for 3 riding seasons and haven't managed to go a season without laying her down at least once. I thought I had her nipped last year, but in October while doing a Pennsylvannia Fall Colours tour, with the better half on the back, coming out of a rest area, my left foot slipped on some lose gravel and over she went ...

 

Might 08/09 be the "no-drop" season? We'll see...

 

Cheers,

Lou

[Rocket]

So...there you have it....now...where do I send the money?

 

 

Click on the donations button, for this fine site.

[roadwarrior]

Well it is comforting to know that I am not the only one that has experiened the humbling experience of dropping the beast.I have dropped mine twice,once in my driveway making a slow sharp turn into my garage in front of the neighbors ,and once in the parking lot of the Police station giving several officers a good chuckle.

 

Does anyone have their drop taped? My neigbors descibed it as watching the guy on the old show Laugh IN fall over on his Trike at low speed.

[Condor]

I've only dropped a bike once... OK twice if you want to count the slide thru that intersection back in my early 20's... The only thing you can do is try to make it a controlled drop. Forget about trying to muscle it back up once it decides to go down. If you're able to soften the impact and let 'er down easy, generally nothing's gonna get busted except your ego...

[91nwl]

I got trapped into turning around at the end if a very narrow road and the worst part was that it was unpaved and also very steep. Luckily, I was on my Goldwing and it has reverse. While reverse is handy and useful in quite a few situations, I think that was the one time I really had to have it. I don't know how I would have turned around without dropping the bike if I hadn't had it. There was no way to get traction under my feet. Maybe the next gen Venture will have reverse.

[papabratton]

I've laid mine over about 4 times, always at a stop. VERY EMBARRASSING!!! No damage yet. However, I have an appointment this Friday to have leveling links installed in hopes of helping the problem. If everything I've read is true, they should help.

[KiteSquid]

Might I suggest viewing Ride Like A Pro V DVD....

 

I have it and I dont think I will drop my bike again.....as I am now truly learning how to ride my bike.

[halfwitt]

I've donated $5 to VR twice now. I'm hoping that will be the end of my donations. Imagine what Don could do with the site (or the server bills he could pay) if everyone donated $5 for each drop!

[86er]

were you in Reliance, Tn. (near the ocoee) last week? saw a 1st gen. at the river there, the man was fishing. Could not see him up close, and he was gone when we returned later.

 

Nope, wasn't me, Terry. Wish it were though! I could use a fishing trip on the bike!

 

Ok...........................................................

 

So...there you have it....now...where do I send the money?

 

 

I did a post, that I linked to in my earlier post, about a club that I belong to that tosses five bucks in the kitty for a drop and ten for a crash. The difference being under or over 5mph! I suggested we do that using the "donations" button on the top right of this page. I think I've done 5, 5 and 10......so far!

 

 

Might I suggest viewing Ride Like A Pro V DVD....

 

I have it and I dont think I will drop my bike again.....as I am now truly learning how to ride my bike.

 

Careful there, Harold! That sounds like you're tempting the fates a wee bit! I've watched and practiced that cd as well. It is very helpful. I can scrape both pegs in a parking lot at slow speed, but there are times that nothing you do will "stop the drop". Like starting up in a turn and loosing forward momentum. IE: the bike popping into neutral or dieing suddenly.

 

[Mordalo]

I've only been riding for 1.5 years. In that time I've put on 15k miles. I got rid of my car 3 months after I got my first bike and haven't been in a cage since. Luckily out here in the desert there are only a few days of the year that the ground is slippery, but that's why my taxes pay for the city transit system.

 

Anywho... my first bike was an '06 Honda Shadow Sabre 1100. I dropped it at least 20 times, all under 5mph and all in the first 3 months. Then I went to California for a vacation and rented a BMW 1200RT. The guy at the dealership told me "if she starts to go, just let 'er. She'll put you in the hospital if you try to keep her up..." He was right... I kept it up and after I returned the bike I went to the doctor for a pulled groin muscle.

 

traded my '06 Honda for a '99 RSV 3 weeks ago (straight-across trade) and I actually felt for the first two weeks that she was MUCH more stable a ride than that little bar-hopper. Well this morning I had to make a run to Sears for a screwdriver long enough to tune the carbs when I found myself trying not to meet pavement in my driveway. Learning my lesson from the BMW I let her go. I don't normally start my bike 'till I'm in the street because my 2yr old granddaughter lives with us and honestly we cherish every moment she's not awake (Baron Bagger straight-pipes). It turns out that I had forgotten to fold the kickstand back, so it broke the fall.

 

now... here's the funny part. My brain had made the assumption that I was going to be hugging cement. The kickstand being down saved the bike from falling but for some reason my brain did not accept this fact. I actually fell OFF the bike simply because my brain was expecting it. It was the oddest damned thing I've ever experienced.

 

So I guess the point is... is that $2.50 or the full $5?

 

cheers