The "I dropped my bike, because of some stupid stuff" club

[jeffkisthename]

Welcome to the club @biggaudi. Sorry @e30kawi, your request for membership is denied...LOL!!!

[Tyler Jane]

How I felt after my last drop:
 

[sane]

I "repaired" the scratches from my drop using kintsugi. I had some spare gold leaf around.

[ornery]

         [video src=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_4NPntHRn0]
 

[wickedtwister]

3 days after i had my bike i was getting some food and went to get off the bike. Bike was on side stand but not locked all the way forward. My right leg caught back panel and we both went over in the parking spot. Bent the clutch lever and broke the peg feeler off. My helmet ate the the concrete curb i fell into. It took way more damage than the bike.
 
5 days later i dropped the z1000 moving it around in my driveway when slipped on some gravel.
 
Today when pulling into my garage i hit a coiled up air hose front tire slid out right and nearly went down. I was probably at a 45deg angle. Surprised i was able to catch it.

[fivefootthree]

I read today that this thread started and thought to myself, well good thing I haven't dumped it or even dropped it yet.... well I dropped it in the garage this evening as I went to move it so I could sweep up a mess I had made working on it the past week or so. The OES sliders did a nice job of protecting the bike and the plastics that did hit just so happened to hit the only floor mat in the garage. My bar end mirror is toast tho, and lucky for me only snugging the clutch lever allowed it to rotate up and not get bent. Next time ill be very very sure the kickstand is fully locked open before letting go.

[slow06er]

         [video src=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_4NPntHRn0]

 
I don't know if it was staged or not, but that video is funny. I like the part when you tried to start the bike with the key in the off position, and at the end coming out the gate, I thought you were going to wheelie the bike and hit the white car, that would have been even more funnier .... :-)

[sorkyah]

         [video src=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_4NPntHRn0]

*plays imperial march at begining of clip*
Hey they sync up perfectly
 
I agree with slow, kinda looks staged

[jeffkisthename]

@wickedtwister & @fivefootthree, you are now club members!!!
 

[motomeek]

Who doesn't want to be part of this club?
 
1. CBR250R - I'm leaving the parking garage, passing the parking attendant and the exit arm to make a right onto the street. I slow down to check if it's free to pass and right as I decide to go it just DIES (this random bike dying happened a few more times, those stories for another thread). With no momentum, I just plop right over the right side. The parking attendant looks at me dumbfounded and tries to assist me. I get the bike back up by myself but I just know it looks like I just didn't know what I was doing.
 
2. FZ07 - It's been awhile since I've practiced E-stops, so I take it out around the block. I figure, might as well show the new neighbors who are moving in, who rides this bike out everyday. After a few laps, I finally decide to end it with an E-stop right in front of my house. I brake, and just as I put my foot down to balance, it slips and down goes the bike. Sliders saved it, but now the neighbors REALLY know who rides this bike now.
 
 

[pattonme]

hey, all the cool kids are doing it! Mine (albeit not a FZ07)
 
pulled all-nighter thurs for work, worked full day friday, teaching MSF classroom till 10pm. Riding home from NIU campus goodly west of town back home to Skokie IL. Last 20 minutes feeling really, really tired and sleepy. About 3 miles from home just blacked out from exhaustion. drifted into curb and woke up as I'm rolling on the sidewalk grass. Stopped a foot shy of a pole.
 
Somehow was fully awake for the rest of the trip!
 

[sorkyah]

Sorry @pattonme.... fizzys only
Though you do have the 09 right?
Hmmm thats a tough one to call

[sane]

hey, all the cool kids are doing it! Mine (albeit not a FZ07) 
pulled all-nighter thurs for work, worked full day friday, teaching MSF classroom till 10pm. Riding home from NIU campus goodly west of town back home to Skokie IL. Last 20 minutes feeling really, really tired and sleepy. About 3 miles from home just blacked out from exhaustion. drifted into curb and woke up as I'm rolling on the sidewalk grass. Stopped a foot shy of a pole.
 
Somehow was fully awake for the rest of the trip!

Dude, no dream riding.  Glad you made it without harm.
 
 

[jeffkisthename]

Welcome to the club @motomeek!

[yamahappy74]

I don't have an FZ anymore, but I still wanna play.
I had an '93 FZR 600 that I bought off the floor back in '94. I was working overnight shifts at the time at Schwan's headquarters. The day after I bought it, I got home in the morning and as I was backing it into my spot at home, I lost my balance and tipped. I have never moved so fast in my life. I got myself under it (somehow) before it hit the ground, so I was holding it up and pushing up with my legs to get it upright. I just kept thinking, "there is no f'ing way this thing is hitting the ground". Power of positive thinking. Considering I weighed 130lbs at the time (5'10"), it was a miracle I managed to get it upright, lol.
I also had an '84 Honda 125 Enduro with knobbies before that. It's the bike I learned on. On one occasion, I was banking into a corner on a back road when I noticed I was about to hit a patch of gravel. Rather than risk a fall, I aimed straight for the ditch. I still bailed, but the grass was really long so it cushioned the fall. I was probably doing 30-35mph. Picked up the bike, revved it up the hill back onto the road, and away I went.
The worst by far was my '03 R6 that I totaled in a low side crash. I was supposed to be at work, but the building security system wouldn't accept my passcode because it was July 4th and it wasn't programmed right. Sooo, I decided to work from home, but I took a detour to mess around in a business park on a frontage road, a little place we call the "OPUS International Speedway" round these parts. I was on my 3rd or 4th lap when I was just down all of a sudden. I was leaning hard at 60ish and then just sliding. I later determined that a piece of the suspension linkage ripped apart due to a bad weld. The rear tire was touching the subframe when I picked the bike back up. Considering it just slid to a stop without hitting anything, and there was no gravel or anything to indicate any other reason for me going down, plus the part that broke went the completely opposite direction as the rest of the bike and myself, I figured it was the most reasonable explanation. The dumb part is that people are known for crashing out while screwing around in this place, and though I was wearing my gear, I certainly wasn't wearing knee sliders. The leaning I was doing was not a good idea at all.
Anyway, that's my "dropped [or almost dropped] my bike because of some stupid stuff" post.

[oneyellowbird]

New Rider have dropped FZ-07 several times – need advice
 
 
I’m a new rider and I just purchased an FZ-07 two weeks ago. I have dropped the bike several times and I’m having trouble picking the bike up by myself. I need advice about adding sliders to help me pick up the bike myself.
 
I’m small, 130 lbs. and have dropped the bike because of stupid errors. I was not hurt but broke the clutch lever end which I replaced. First time, I did not fully engage the kickstand; then I stalled the bike taking off in first gear; next I brushed a hedge in my driveway which caused me do drop the bike. Finally, I was at a stop sign and could not get the bike in first gear. I looked down, turned the handlebars and dropped the bike. I recently took the MSF Safety Course and was told how to pick up a bike. I still can’t do it without help.
 
I talked to a friend who owns a motorcycle and asked him if sliders would help me pick up the FZ-07 if I dropped it again. His advice, don’t drop the bike.
 
I’m frustrated and have my pride hurt. Any ideas? If sliders, which ones?
 
 

[jeffkisthename]

New Rider have dropped FZ-07 several times – need advice 
 
I’m a new rider and I just purchased an FZ-07 two weeks ago. I have dropped the bike several times and I’m having trouble picking the bike up by myself. I need advice about adding sliders to help me pick up the bike myself.
 
I’m small, 130 lbs. and have dropped the bike because of stupid errors. I was not hurt but broke the clutch lever end which I replaced. First time, I did not fully engage the kickstand; then I stalled the bike taking off in first gear; next I brushed a hedge in my driveway which caused me do drop the bike. Finally, I was at a stop sign and could not get the bike in first gear. I looked down, turned the handlebars and dropped the bike. I recently took the MSF Safety Course and was told how to pick up a bike. I still can’t do it without help.
 
I talked to a friend who owns a motorcycle and asked him if sliders would help me pick up the FZ-07 if I dropped it again. His advice, don’t drop the bike.
 
I’m frustrated and have my pride hurt. Any ideas? If sliders, which ones?
 

One, welcome to the club buddy. Two sliders won't help you "pick up" the bike, but may reduce some damage sustained from the drop. Three, go to the gym. That's my only advice. I'd you can't lift it, work on getting stronger.

[i28]

@oneyellowbird
Not dropping the bike is easier said than done for some people. I broke my clutch lever too the first time I dropped my bike and that was my first "mod" on my bike. hah. General learning curve for some people (check my story at the first page of this thread).
 
Sliders will lift the top of bike off the ground a few inches so it might make the bike a little easier to pick up but not by that much. They may help protect from some of the damage though so thats always a plus. Check out the Vagabond (I have these and like them) or the OES frame sliders.
 
Also check out "how to pick up a bike" videos on youtube and maybe try changing the way you pick it up (where you grab the handlebars and whatnot and try lifting with your legs instead of your arms).
 
 
In terms of general advice, if you keep dropping the bike and stalling then you may want to spend some more time getting a feel for the balance, clutch, and turning of the bike in a parking lot so you're not in harms way like at stop sign with cars around you.

[motomeek]

@oneyellowbird , I understand the difficulties of being small. I use to be your weight until I got a desk job and no time for the gym HAHA. 
 
Anyway, how are you trying to pick it up? It's not necessarily strength, but your technique that could be hindering you. Check out this video and see if this helps... USE YOUR LEGS.
 
[video src=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4MPyX0QCYw]
 
And yes - Sliders will help reduce damage and give you a few inches to get under the bike to pick it up. But that's about it.

[motomeek]

@i2837856393, haha - we practically made the same post.

[motomeek]

@i2837856393, haha - we practically made the same post.

[duenan]

New Rider have dropped FZ-07 several times – need advice 
 
I’m a new rider and I just purchased an FZ-07 two weeks ago. I have dropped the bike several times and I’m having trouble picking the bike up by myself. I need advice about adding sliders to help me pick up the bike myself.
 
I’m small, 130 lbs. and have dropped the bike because of stupid errors. I was not hurt but broke the clutch lever end which I replaced. First time, I did not fully engage the kickstand; then I stalled the bike taking off in first gear; next I brushed a hedge in my driveway which caused me do drop the bike. Finally, I was at a stop sign and could not get the bike in first gear. I looked down, turned the handlebars and dropped the bike. I recently took the MSF Safety Course and was told how to pick up a bike. I still can’t do it without help.
 
I talked to a friend who owns a motorcycle and asked him if sliders would help me pick up the FZ-07 if I dropped it again. His advice, don’t drop the bike.
 
I’m frustrated and have my pride hurt. Any ideas? If sliders, which ones?
 

How small are you?  Height, yes, that can screw with you.  Weight on the other hand means nothing.  I'm lighter than you. A few things.  Well, the kickstand, nothing you can do about that.  Anyone would accidentally drop the bike if they miss the kickstand.
A few things... this advice in this paragraph is only strictly as a beginner.  After a few hundred miles, you may want to abandon this advice.  Do not use your front brakes anytime you are going less than 5mph.  Do not use your front brakes taking off from a start.  You probably dropped the bike when you stalled because you panic grabbed too much front brake.  Stay away from the front brakes anytime 5mph or less including stops.  If you are slowly moving forward from a stop, just coast on those rear brakes.
Along with that, always keep your tire straight when you are at a full stop.  Don't ever turn the wheel when you fully stopped. 
Now, I can't really help you on the picking up the bike other than you are using the wrong technique.  My gf who is 125 lbs picked up her motorcycle twice on her own so its all about technique. Unfortunately you cannot practice this unless your bike is actually on the ground, so just watch all those youtube vids.
 

[timjh]

Before deciding for sure on the FZ-07 I got a dealer to lay one down on a blanket and let me see how well I could pick it up.  No amount of technique was good enough for my old Triumph Scrambler, but the Yamaha is a piece of cake.  Funny what a difference 100 pounds and a lower center of gravity will make.

[designslucid]

This thread is heart breaking. I've not had the misfortune of dropping the FZ, yet.(Knocks on wood)
 
However, my first bike, a mint 98 Yamaha YZF600R came to an abrupt sliding front tire stop in a parking lot and unseen sand/gravel mix while trying to pull a stoppie. I got to 0mph and a dreaded, slow tip over, which I tried to save with my left leg. Didn't save the fall, but the bike survived without a single scratch, dent or broken anything. Just a damaged ego in front of some buddies who helped pick it up.(468 lbs. Dry weight, yuck.)

[ddog]

Well I was out riding with my buddies you see, doing all manner of hooligan activities. After coming down from a wheelie I see that the road ahead is closed, and I'm heading for the sign that says so. Now for the life of me I can't figure out why, but I don't turn away from the sign. I don't slow down. I had ample time to pick either one of those options, but failed to do so and ran head on into the sign. Luckily I had managed to grab a bit of the front brake as I made contact, but it was too little too late. I was in the air, holding on to the bars. Somehow, miraculously I managed to land both of my feet squarely on the left side of the bike and not drop it. Now all that remains of the incident is a small crack in the side of the front fender, and the constant reminders that my riding buddies so willingly dole out. So I guess I technically didn't actually drop my bike, but I figured the level of stupidity qualifies me for an honorary membership.