Heavy ...

[ionbeam]

Where was that damn trunk monkey when you needed him? Oh, bad move, you took off the trunk.

 

[mcatrophy]

I wish I had video of the first time I tried to put my FJR on the center stand - which happened to be on my lift! I had no idea it was so hard compared to other bikes I own, and it went over AWAY from me. I managed to save it, I have no idea how..

Save up for a Gen III. Much easier to get onto the centre stand. Even with my 155-odd pounds and well over seven decades, I find mine easy, certainly much easier than my previous Gen IIs.
Unlike lifting the d*mn thing when it leans more than about 2 degrees, they've done nothing to improve that. And I'm very pleased my episode wasn't video'd, for all the world to laugh at my puny ineptitude.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Taller tire and good suspension also make it MUCH easier.

For me taller means a new tire that hasn't been worn down in the center. I always freak myself out the first time I put the FJR on the centerstand after a tire change.

 

[graler]

Sorry to hear about your upcoming hernia surgery.

 

[El Toro]

Glad you worked that out, Mc. Same exact thing happened to me (Once)! After that one I double and triple kick the side stand every time!

I had something similar with my 2005 Suzuki DL1000 (V-Strom).

It was pouring rain. I was late for a meeting. I pulled up outside the double doors to my lab. I was on a large disfunctional treadplate lift.

I hopped off, slapped the side stand, ran toward the door, and watched the big V-Strom fall in slow motion. One of the nubs of metal on the treadplate had caught the bottom of the side stand, and it folded up as the bike fell.

Lucky for me a grad student was wandering by at about the same time. Those in academe know that grad students often do the heavy lifting, especially for the dean of their college.

So .... he helped me pick it up. I got the doors open, rolled in, and was late for my meeting.

Rules in academe allow that assistant profs must be on time. Associate profs can be 5 minutes late. Full profs can be 10 minutes late. Deans can be as late as they want. Lucky me.

FWIW, today was the day that I turned in my keys. The BeemerDonS memorial retirement is now officially underway.

 

[art miller]

I'm sure most of you already know to put that beast in gear 1 and roll it against compression then put the side stand down. I have seen too many folks park on a down slope and have the bike in N get off and as they walk away the un-imaginable happens!!

 

[Eric L]

i instinctively tried to stop the bike from falling and tore a tendon in my elbow.. months of recovery and therapy. Should have let her fall

 

[hppants]

Art - great idea, but for us along the coast, it doesn't matter. We don't have any slopes.

 

[gixxerjasen]

I'm nowhere near a coast, what's a slope? Is that like a speed bump or a wheelchair ramp? I don't park my bike near those things.

 

[eflyguy]

Slope..

This is real. It may not be the *precise* location, but I saw this myself while house shopping around 1996..

 

[gixxerjasen]

Well duh, you either park on the street or in the garage.

 

[Proteus1952]

My own drop experience was one week after becoming the proud owner. Just finished a tour entirely around the city and had filled the tank before heading it into the garage. Popped down the stand and commenced to lean the bike over to the left. Oh ****, what's that odd grating noise? It's the side stand, slowly folding back up while in contact with the concrete. The bike hit the "event horizon" and suddenly was an irresistible force heading downward. When it settled on its side, I had a flash of panic as I heard the sizzling of gas leaking out from the fuel system onto hot parts. My shouting for help brought my adult son to my aid and we got it upright. Got a new mirror out of this and a much increased appreciation for making damn sure the stand is securely down on a solid surface. (I even carry the outlet cover stand support in the glove box) After days of pondering over and over in my mind what happened, I sincerely believe that a shoelace caught on the stand and pulled it out of its proper down and forward position. Needless to say, my riding boots have VERY short and tight knots on them now. (My riding boots have to double as hiking boots)

I consider myself as very fortunate considering some of the drop stories other forum members have shared.

Real happy for MC that he avoided injury. Way to go and hip hip for the quick thinking!

 

[gixxerjasen]

I always called it "The point of no return" but from hence forth it shall be called "The Event Horizon." I like it.

 

[mcatrophy]

Ah, an event horizon.

That's why time seems to stand still as you are right on the edge. Explains why everything goes dark as you are pulling against such an extreme gravitational force, and the strange stretching of different parts of your body.

 

[Fred W]

Slope..

This is real. It may not be the *precise* location, but I saw this myself while house shopping around 1996..

That is insane. What car has enough ground clearance to get from the driveway into that garage without high centering?

Edit - That must be why the cars are parked out in the street.

 

[eflyguy]

I think it was on the news at the time (before internets) - they had to fix it of course.. re-grade the front yards.

 

[Knifemaker]

Ah yes, the Event Horizon.

I tried to pull out of it and got a twisted ankle. Thankfully I had just installed sliders so all I got was a little scratch on the left side case. Luckily my neighbor was home and helped me right the thing. Lesson learned? Don't try to pull a U turn going down hill and into a driveway with a shallow curb.

 

[garyahouse]

Ha, buddy of mine just sold his K1200LT Beemer (the BIG heavy one) to his brother - sight unseen. Baby brother came into some money and got the itch. He was warned that this is a very big and very heavy motorcycle, but he had to have it. So last week, he showed up with a cashier's check for 6000 dollars and a trailer. He said something about it being beautiful, and bigger than he thought it would be. He requested a quick "try it on for size" ride. My buddy told him, "Give me the check, and I'll give you the keys. And know this: if you drop it, you own it, no matter what." He agreed, hopped on the bike and headed down the side street where he attempted to turn it around in the dirt at the end of the road. Bad idea. Thankfully a neighbor saw what happened, and helped him right it again. He came back and told his sad story. My buddy informed him that there was no turning back now, he owned it. For some reason, he decided to take one more ride. Same street, same attempt to turn around at the end of the road. And you guessed it: same exact result. Except this time, the neighbor wasn't around so my buddy had to drive down in the truck and help him get the thing back up. They loaded it on the trailer and he drove back home with his new bohemoth. Last I heard, he dropped it again after he got home and broke the footpeg bracket. By buddy got him another off eBay for 120 or so. When he complained about the price, he was warned, "Good thing you didn't go to BMW for a new one. They're probably something like 800 dollars. I warned you that BMW stands for 'Bring More Wallet.' Now you own one."

FWIW, I rode that bike several times. It is significantly heavier than my FJR.

True story.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[mcatrophy]

It's been festering away in my mind, why did trying to lift the bike make it roll backwards? My drive is essentially level, I certainly wasn't pushing it backwards, just pushing from the side.

Sitting in the back of son's car for three hours (going to brother-in-law's annual family barbecue, wifey on board, so no bike ), I finally worked it out. Obvious, really.

 

[Lowcountry Joe]

Just another reason why I NEVER push any of my bikes around like they are bicycles or something. Get on the damn thing and use your legs.