[LoveMyKat]

Dropped once

I dropped her the first day I rode her. It was on a gravel road and I pulled over to turn her around. When I took off, I let the clutch out too fast, hit the far edge of the road and lay her half-way in the ditch. Left some really ugly scratches and broke the mirror. I broke the clutch lever using all my muscle to lift this heavy thing out of the ditch. Had to push it a lil over a mile on a nice warm day... Anyway, learning to use the clutch properly was the most important thing for me. I ride her 2 hours per day now (work and back) and haven't gotten killed so, considering how people drive, I must be doing ok.

[flipper66]

So far I've only dropped a bike once (years ago, soon after I bought my new to me 95 VFR 750).

It was at the gas station. I parked with the pump on my right, kicked the sidestand down, got off, walked around to get the fuel hose and when I turned back towards the bike I saw it falling in slow motion.... All I could do was grab and lower as gently as possible.

The problem? I didn't look carefully and notice that the sidestand hit a raised area of pavement rather than the forward stop. The stand was almost exactly half down, and after I got off and the suspension rebounded it slowly went down.

[Alexanderr]

I just dropped mine yesterday

Parking her by a curb. Came to a stop and at the same time turned the front wheel. Didnt notice the sand, but the front tire did... Wump, down it went with me jumping out of the way.

So embarrassed didnt even look around, quickly pulled it back up and carried on as if nothing happened!

[dudebudstud]

I just dropped mine today - Turning into a driveway hit a patch of sand/gravel and the bike slid under me :S Just some fairing rash but still not fun.

[giftedwon]

sand is really bad. the part that i hate is i notice alot of sand and gravel in the street and when i see that i slow down, cagers do not understand that so i had close calls with them because i was slowing down for sand and they kept going the same speed

[Catcha23]

I dropped mine the first couple of days that I had her, but stupidly the thing fell on my leg when I had just let go of her with the side stand down. I had just sprayed the chain with some lube and it was all over the smooth as glass concrete in the garage, When I released my hands from moves the bike back 2 feet to hit a different part of the chain, I sat her down with the side stand in the middle of a lube stain on the ground and on the way down I just let it gently roll down my leg instead of hoping out of the way. SHe never hit the ground and I got her back up safely in about 45 secs...... I was scared of her hitting the ground, which scares me to thinking that I'll be one of the riders that won't let go when I lose control on the road!

[slotzero]

1. Dropping it in the driveway, garage, etc.

Do you have to be a n00b to do this? I did it just a couple weeks ago, and I'm not exactly a n00b. <sigh>

[MdowGS500]

im going with kickstand i almost droped mine cause i missed the kickstand

[thenastiestnate]

Kickstand is probably number one. Done that one a few times myself.

Seen tons of newbies panicking and grabbing handfuls of the damn front brake while leaned over in a corner, especially when the road is
wet\sandy\dusty and dump it. I had one buddy who dumped his bike 3 times that way, before he finally accepted the laws of physics. Seen just as many stomp nothing but the rear in a panic and snake walk like crazy or lowside. Never done it myself, but years ago I did wash my front end out on sand at low speed. Then again on a gravel road. Also dumped in a parking because I stopped too hard on the painted lines. I went over the top, so I reckon I highsided, but it was at lower speed. Hurt pretty bad every time, but only scratched the bike up.

Do you have to be a n00b to do this? I did it just a couple weeks ago, and I'm not exactly a n00b. <sigh>

Don't feel bad. The kickstand seem like it sucks on these bikes. It doesn't lock worth a damn. A kitten could knock a Kat over of the rear isn't leaned down hill a bit.

[95 katana]

has anyone ever shortened their kick on here? mine seems to be too tall and my bike wants to stand almost straight up when i park it

[loudnlow7484]

holy 4-year-old thread!

[thenastiestnate]

holy 4-year-old thread!

Dammit. Thats the second time i've zombie threaded this year...

[loudnlow7484]

Dammit. Thats the second time i've zombie threaded this year...

It's ok. Just for future reference, with the kickstand thing........ Leave the bike in gear. Roll it forward until the engine stops it from rolling any more. THEN put the kickstand down. If the bike can't roll forward, then it can't roll off of the stand.

[sekter]

after picking up my Kat last tuesday, getting it home (my brother rode it home) I took it for a spin around the block. the ride went great, I pull back to the house and ALMOST dropped it. It was passed the balance point, I had to herculese it back up. lesson 1, put your kickstand down! hahah

[STULER]

The number one reason noobs drop their bikes is simple: the override their abilities