my stupid complacent mistake

[GMAK]

As stated in another response, I suspect your tank can be de-dented.

Probably using the same process employed for hail damage.

But, in the event that a new tank is necessary, you're lucky because

I was cruisin' all the Craigslist sites throughout the country, and I just

happened to see a tank for a '05.

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/1092913763.html

The seller notes - "couple very small smudges on the right side of the

tank but otherwise pristine". Your call. Just FYI.

 

[Chris Prior]

I did close to the same thing last week with my two week old AE.
Pulled into my driveway and tried to do a real sharp u-turn when I was tired after a long day at work and over she went. Scratched my mirror and saddlebags, but I was more embarrassed than anything. I am not a big guy, but I was able to pick her up and now my approach to my garage and anytime I am moving the bike is completely focused.

This bike only feels top-heavy standing still (or laying down :angry2: ), in motion it feels very light and nimble.

As Bill Clinton used to say "I feel your pain". I did the same thing - sharp left onto the ground, 3 days old - scratched the left saddle bag, mirror, and two fairings. An $800 mistake. I dumped it with my daughter on the back in front of her school! Talking about embarrassment. I have a top case(it was full) which adds to the top heaviness. I now as you say am completely focused. The FJR is not a real good slow speed machine. The Concours , ST, etc. are similar as well. The bottom line is that on the bigger machines I have to spend more time thinking about the small stuff that I don't even consider on my small bike. For example, what my feet are on - gravel, grease, wet pavement, etc. Here's to keeping the rubber side down.

Chris

 

[Chris Prior]

Sorry to hear that John, I too parked mine on the ground. Three days old. I could not sleep for a couple days. I am very careful/focused now days. I guess 35 years of riding wasn't enough experience. The only advice I can offer is to be very aware of your footing. Watch out for gravel, sand, oil, sticks, etc. under your feet - I lost my footing.

Chris

 

[Flylooper]

Adrenaline is an amazing thing. I "sort of" dropped mine in the garage, of all places. I thought the sidestand was down-which it wasn't of course-and just sort of relaxed the bike to the left. When I realized it was not supported, I tried to keep it from going all the way but my position was just not such that I could keep it from going all the way down. So, basically, the bike took me down with it, slowly but inexorably. After it got all the way down, my heart was pumping like crazy, thinking and wondering about how much damage I just did from my stupid mistake.

Anyway, I lifted the bike back up as if it weighed about 50 pounds. It was no problem at all! LOL. Adrenaline! (Afterward, my back went out for a couple of days!)

No damage except a bent bracket for my left side driving light, which hangs off the mirror, thank God.

 

[zorkler]

Dont feel bad i droped her 3 times and i time my wife was on the back stoped her put my foot down with out looking and there it was a 18 inch incline on my left side . 3 operations later and my wife has not been on the bike since . Go over the bike with a fine tooth comb ther has to be more damage to the bike any little thing counts with the insurance companys. If 1 can has a small nick in it that is a claim and you will recive 2 new cans . little things add up very quick at m.r.c. If you see there is more damage than the tank pm me .

 

[Fred W]

And then you guys complain that insurance rates are so high?

Sheesh.

 

[GDSFJR03]

And then you guys complain that insurance rates are so high?
Sheesh.

One more story from the drop zone.... Both times the wife was on the back. Bike was one year old and like an idjet I was talking with the sister inlaw as she admired the nearly new machine, forgot to take the fork lock off and down she went. Adreneline helped get it back up ptq. Forgot to ask the wife if she was OK first. :blink: Opps. Round two last year entered a rather tight corner and had to stop in the middle of the apex of a banked corner with my 30" inseam and down we went again. Does stop drop and roll mean anything to you... :blink: Ask me if I remembered to say, honey you OK. Same side as the fresh repaint from the spring. Think I'm going to hang big honking rubber tires out this spring just like the commercial

 

[Franko]

I'm feeling a lot better now. I dropped my FJR in my driveway the second day I had it. I was rolling it up a few feet and let it lean toward me a little too much and over she went. It went down slow and I got a minor scrape on the underside of a motor cover that can't be seen. But, not knowing the secret method of picking it up, I nearly blew out my back and and some neck veins and must have stuck my knee in the gas tank, because from that moment on, I've had a neon blinking small dent on top of my tank, winking at me. It mocks me and reminds me of my shortcomings and how fame is fleeting.

Personally, I don't appreciate the constant reminders of my numerous shortcomings, but it is the inscrutable dent, and I'm just me.

Check uTube for how to pick up a fallen bike. My favorite bit of advise is if you drop it on the side of a road, or some place where there are people, just lay down spread-eagled next to the bike until someone stops to see if you are ok. Then shame them into helping you getting it back up. A pathetic hang-dog face and a slight limp should be sufficiently manipulative to get the job done.

 

[palerider]

My favorite bit of advise is if you drop it on the side of a road, or some place where there are people, just lay down spread-eagled next to the bike until someone stops to see if you are ok. Then shame them into helping you getting it back up. A pathetic hang dog face and a slight limp should be sufficiently manipulative to get the job done.

Yes, that's the method I use.

 

[RadioHowie]

A pathetic hang-dog face...

Well I WAS gonna embed a pic of Bustanut in all his "post-frying-pan-clobber" glory, but the gutless bastie removed 'em all from his Photobucket account.

Pussy. <_<

 

[Franko]

A pathetic hang-dog face...

Well I WAS gonna embed a pic of Bustanut in all his "post-frying-pan-clobber" glory, but the gutless bastie removed 'em all from his Photobucket account.

Pussy. <_<

That cat looks like a trouble-maker to me, Rusty.

 

[RadioHowie]

A pathetic hang-dog face...

Well I WAS gonna embed a pic of Bustanut in all his "post-frying-pan-clobber" glory, but the gutless bastie removed 'em all from his Photobucket account.

Pussy. <_<

That cat looks like a trouble-maker to me, Rusty.

KoonKat....she's really a sweetie. Talkative, friendly, affectionate.

Hell, she's better than the old lady. If only she could cook.

 

[scubabiker]

Dropped my FZR6 first time I was taking it off the center stand. Cracked the fairing as I went over with the bike trying to hold on to it. First thing I did when I got the FJR was to put on sliders.
Sorry to hear about your drop. I think we all have done it or will at sometime.

FJJ'sR

Put a set of T-Rex Sliders on my '04 last Fall. Two days ago, stopped at an intersection . . . Audi R7 SUV cuts the corner too sharp . . . . hits me in the front end . . . . bike knocked on left side . . . I'm thrown off (banged up knee, but nothin' else) . . . left side case scuffed up, engine case scuffed, front fender scuffed, forks are a wreck BUT, the mirror didn't break and there's not a mark on the fairing! Must have been the adreneline or the Mt. Dew, cause I picked the bike up in a flash.

Did you pick up the bike before or after you extricated the Audi driver through his car window? And was the window open or closed? :axesmiley:

 

[Fred W]

Well, I just joined this (not so exclusive) club. Had a serious brain fart and dropped mine in a parking lot on Thursday. Wanted to take a look at the headlights to see if both HIDs had fired up. Thought the side stand was down, but I had absent mindedly already kicked it up. Ionbeam and Cota95 witnessed my little blunder and they didn't laugh at me even once! :blink: Then they are such nice guys that they even helped me pick it up!! Thanks guys!

The slider did it's job for the faring. The left side bag now has some rash on the lower 1/2, as does the alternator cover.

Ah well. I can't see it when I'm riding it, and I'm never selling this bike anyway, so it's all good.

 

[playgtar]

Bummer. If you can't get it out, buy one of those bullet hold stickers. I know..... it's not the same.

 

[Draggon Rider]

Why is this thing so top heavy? I have never minded "top heavy" in the past. Now I’m thinking this is a negative. I wonder if Yamaha could do anything to lighten the load on this bike.

Hey John, I feel your pain having dropped my 05 five times, and this forum has had many arguments about this beast being top heavy.

I don't know if it would make that much of a difference, but the Gold Wing's gas tank is under the riders seat. That thing that looks like a tank is where the electronics are. But moving the tank would change the entire dimentions of the bike, so what would you rather ride a want to be GW or a FJR? I've give up on worrying about scratches, I'll start worry again when I buy the new one. :lol:

 

[FJR DaveH]

Courtney.... you're not alone. I laid my down in the garage. The mirror hit the weed eater, broke the mirror and bent the housing the mirror is attached to. I replaced the mirror but I don't know a way to straighten the housing. I know the technique for getting a bike back up by putting your back to the bike and "walk it up" and even with adrenaline I couldn't get it up. Sheez. Every time I glance in my left mirror I notice that small gap that should be a smooth fit I could kick myself. <_<

 

[palerider]

Courtney.... you're not alone. I laid my down in the garage. The mirror hit the weed eater, broke the mirror and bent the housing the mirror is attached to. I replaced the mirror but I don't know a way to straighten the housing. I know the technique for getting a bike back up by putting your back to the bike and "walk it up" and even with adrenaline I couldn't get it up. Sheez. Every time I glance in my left mirror I notice that small gap that should be a smooth fit I could kick myself. <_<

Bend the other one the same amount.