Poll: Dropped your oilhead ( zero - 3 mph)?

[NoHeat]

Question 1:

Have you ever dropped your oilhead at zero - 3 mph? Include any zero-speed tipovers in garage/driveway/parkinglot/roadside etc. as well as any very-slow-speed street riding (walking speed or slower).

 

Note: You can include paved or gravel surfaces for street riding, but don't include any dirt/offroad riding - we can already guess you dropped it if you did that.

 

Question 2:

If you answered YES above, did you break anything that required repair or replacement.

 

Note: don't include scuff marks, scratches etc. that you didn't repair or that you just improved by buffing or some other no-cost/low-cost procedure.

[Jerry Johnston]

Dropped twice from being parked with bike TOO upright. Scratched fairing and replaced mirror on right side.

[Woodie]

Tip:

Don't mount things (like foglights for example) so they stick out further than the crash-guards.

[Chip]

Am completely scared to respond to this poll. Bike hasn't been dropped...but, if I complete poll, it'll happen within an hour.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Torrey, spring ’03: my RT was on the sidestand, but only just barely. In my absence, it fell to the right. The bike next to it was far enough away to avoid damage, but close enough so that that bike’s footpeg snagged my PIAA 1100 (above my mirror) and pushed it into my fairing. Cracked/mangled fairing, bent front subframe, scratched mirror, scratched sidecase, hacked engine guard, cracked bracket on windscreen drive assembly. Collected insurance money around $3000, but only spent about $450 for the new painted fairing; mirror/case/guard weren’t badly scratched, and I was able to straighten the subframe and repair the windscreen drive.

 

El Paseo, spring ’05: putting RT on centerstand at a gas station, the foot lever snapped. Since I was lifting on the left side of the bike, basically I ended up throwing it to the right, and it came down HARD on the engine guard. There was some crush action on the guard, but that was it – no other visible damage.

[Wooster]

Am completely scared to respond to this poll. Bike hasn't been dropped...but, if I complete poll, it'll happen within an hour.

 

Same here but I completed poll anyway. Hope the Curt Goudey (sp ?) curse doesn't bite me.

 

Wooster

[Lion_lady]

Dropped the Rockster three times in one day... early in our acquaintance. A LOOONG day of riding. No replacement parts needed.

 

Then, a tipover in a municipal parking lot: A "hole" from a removed post had been filled with CAT LITTER. Not seeing the 'hole,' I put one center stand foot in it, and, well, the bike tipped over. Snapped off the right side mirror on the car in the next space, and the mirror/stalk caused $950 damage to the car.

 

P

[mrduck]

How about riding my RT across a stream crossing with the wife on board? Ya know that green slimey stuff that grows in water? Can you guess the outcome of that? She made me promise no more offroading on the RT and if the sign says "road closed" we just will turn around.

[baggerchris]

Stopped at a bakery to get a maple bar, too much crown, fell over onto curb. Had to repaint side panel: $500.00, plus decals. 2nd time at top of Hwy 108 to take pictures; put foot down and slipped on marbles heading downhill. Had to wait until some nice folks stopped to help get bike up. No damage. In 30 years of riding HD's the only time I dropped one was when I got my pant leg caught on the brake, and didn't get my foot down in time at a stop light and fell over. Was able to pick it up quickly.

[russell_bynum]

0mph tipover on my RT due to trying to make a full-lock U-turn on a cold engine that needed a tuneup. It died and down we went. Aside from the usual scuffs, the thin aluminum plate that the footpegs and the front end of the saddlebags attach to broke.

[4wheeldog]

Got blown over by 60+ mile an hour wind......Fell onto tongue of trailer. Broke the right mirror housing. Could have been a lot worse.

[blaisew]

OK, I admit it, though I voted no, I remembered that I did go down once while making a u-turn at night in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. The shoulder sure looked like hardpack, but it was soft, loose sand! Instant wash out. Well, it was a very narrow side road, and I'm sticking to my story. 'Hope this doesn't screw up the statistics too much.

[Dan Gleebitz]

Yup twice ...

 

Fully loaded for weeks holiday in the N Yorks Moors, with Missus on back ... U Turn outside Lincoln Cathedral on cobbles .. road could do with being 6" wider as I clipped the kerb ... dammit .. rolling around in front of gathered congregation prior to going in .... hope I didn't swear too loud. This happened after fitting cylinder head covers a week earlier.

 

2nd .. Outside pub .. just dropped wife up and I was parking the bike .. again doing a U turn .. not seen this time

 

Damage .. scrapped cylinder head cover .. cracked aluminium side plate near rear foot rest .. could do with changing - cosmetic! Damage to self esteem - priceless!

[outpost22]

Yep, twice in 3 minutes in front of the new girlfriend while standing still. The only thing broken was my pride

[X_BamaCop]

Yep, my oldest daughter was helping daddy wash the car, after the motorcycle was washed and put back in the garage. Had to put the finishing touches on the car and just put the Armorall tire foam on the wifes minivan! Then while cleaning windows, it was starting to get dark and I had to call my daughter (5 at the time) back out of the garage. All done both the van and my bike are clean. As I walk into the garage I take a look at the bike which I had spent so much time on and had to ride it 3 houses down to show the neighbor my bike was cleaner than his. Sweat pants and shirt no helmet and off I went. Remember the 6 year old, Armorall and her in the garage! I did as I turned or actually did not turn into his driveway! I am looking at sparks from the crash bar thinking that can not be too good, then I realize the thigh and hip grinding down the pavement does not feel good either! My sweet daughter was just helping Daddy and did a very good job of spraying down the tread of my front tire. Good tire but I had too replace it just so I could get over it! Crash bar and tire and that was all I had to pay! Cost of hurt pride, not to bad! Explaining what Armorall does to motorcycles tires to my daughter, priceless!

[nrp]

Dumped my 2000 R1100RT in my concrete garage floor while on the center stand, tipping it forward to remove the rear wheel. I didn't have the stand tied forward so of course it folded over.

 

I have two mechengr degrees etc but deserved the dunce-of-the-week award for it. Stupid! It really only scratched a valve cover & the bottom tupperware. I still remember the sickening crunch sound tho....

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Aw Hell, I have dropped everything I ever owned. Worst one so far was when I bumped my MotoGuzzi LeMans, ask anyone about Italian side stands, with my Mercedes SLK, Guzzi promptly took offense and landed on the hood of the SLK, slid off leaving deep scratches, and knocked into my VFR which, in shear terror, jumped onto my Harley. I just sobbed and closed the garage door, leaving the carnage to be sorted out another day.

 

Mercedes, scratched hood and right front fender

Guzzi - dented tank and broken tailight

VFR - scratched left fairing and ding in tank from HD

HD, rat bike anyway and it didn't seem to mind a bit.

 

That plus I think I have witnessed everything I own decide to lie down and take a rest at one time or another, sometimes with me aboard.

[Stan Walker]

I hate to fess up.......but.......

 

I dropped my R1150RT putting it on the side stand. It fell away from me knocking my F560 off the Handy lift it was on. The F650 fell onto the R1100RT swinging it around on the center stand but not falling over. The R1100RT's rear end hit Jan's F650 and knocked if off it's center stand into some metal cabinets next to it.

 

Total damage, the BMW connector on the Battery Tender that was plugged into my F650 broke. I couldn't find even a scratch on any of the four bikes involved.

 

I should have played the lottery instead... I'd be rich!!!

 

Stan

[Huzband]

OK, OK, I confess!. I dropped my beloved RT.

Actually, while sitting on a stool behind it, & messing with the rear wheel whilst in gear, I managed to push it off the center stand. I watched as it, in super slo-mo, stood upright, then decided to fall to its right. The only damage, besides my pride, was the marred windscreen as it slid down the edge of my tool chest.

The only saving grace was, I had already decided to order a V-Stream. Still sucked having to look at it for two weeks, tho.

[Limecreek]

I was departing from my first Torrey (2003), leaving the Days Inn at o'darkthirty. Bike was loaded down and I was sleepy. I rolled off the center stand and stepped right in a hole to my right that I didn't see and down we went all the way to the pavement. I just rested there on my side, still on the saddle for a few minutes taking it all in.

 

I also dropped the same bike (RT) one other time in the garage. The wall saved full impact with the concrete floor.

 

Now, I haven't come close to dropping the 12RT I purchased earlier this year. It just seems like the weight is carried lower than the 11RT or maybe I'm just a bit more experienced at pushing big touring bikes around more that I was a few years ago.

[Peter_Doege]

Well, not an RT. I don't own one.

 

I dropped my R:

 

1) while practicing (very) low speed turns in a parking lot.

2) while stuck in very deep sand (up to the engine block)

3) while in the garage. Not really a drop, the wall caught it.

 

I dropped my GS:

1) While in deep sand (I'm in Florida, USA. Lots of sand)

1) While in deep sand about 2 minutes after #1.

 

No damage to the GS. The R now has a scuffed right valve cover. I am too tightfisted to replace it.

 

I probably shouldn't take my bikes into such situations. I figure that if I am not dropping it I am just not trying hard enough...

 

Peter

[BMW-K]

First drop: 1mph, backing out of the garage. Scuffed a head.

 

Second drop: 2mph, fully loaded, tad too much front brake at an awkward angle. Scuffed the other head.

 

Third Drop: 2-3mph, Gas station drop at too much of a turn. Scuffed right cylinder, scuffed upper right fairing (appx 1" mini-scuff), scuffed Givi V46 topcase.

 

Fourth Drop (and my favorite): forgot to tie the centerstand down while changing tires. Knocked the bike over without any tires on it in the garage. Finished putting the tires on while the bike was on it's side, righted the bike, went for a ride. No visible damage.

 

5th-10th, I can't remember. But nothing has broken on the bike at all. Gotta love them heads!

[Redbrick]

Friend and I, both on 1200RT's, riding up Tioga pass from LeeVining California...Stop and the first overlook before the Yosemite entrance....After viewing, he rides off...I get on and using foot brake somehow get bars turned to the left going slow uphill with a slight off camber and it starts down toward the right...Able to cushion the bounce...Remember how to pick it up...Back up to bike, bend knees, hand grip in left hand and grab bar in right get it up and over to the side stand (after setting it down again, walking around the bike and putting the side stand down)...As I walk around behind the bike after it's up I see a car there with 2 people in it and I swear their mouths were open....Not anymore stunned than I was.....Yes, I fessed up at the next stop where he was putting more oil in his 1200, but that's another story........

 

Phil........Redbrick

[Doppelganger]

1st at the dealership of all places. Turned front wheel too far at low speed.

2nd time at the Pancake House after band work. Put foot down in gravel, lost grip. Thanks to chef helping me get it back vertical.

3rd time in driveway, getting ready to wash.

4th in garage.

5th and final at motorcycle parts shop.

[cogger]

Yep - first ride on a new R1200RT. Very steep gravelly shared road and then a sharp left turn into our asphalt driveway. Made it up the hill and made the left turn and then gave some gas and it stalled. I assumed (and we both know what that spells) that you could really lug these things down - wrong!@#$. Anyway, it threw me to the ground at somewhere around 3 - 5 mph. Would you belive just under $1,500 damage. Had to replace the left cyclinder guard (and I was going to put the plastic cyclinder guards on as soon as I got home) and the left mirror; no paint damage at all. But then I noticed that the mirror vibrated a lot around 2,500 - 3,000 rpm. Turns out that the subframe that the mirror is mounted on was tweaked just enough that the mirror was not seating securely (even though it sure felt like it). Because of this rediculous expense, and many other things I just didn't like, this bike was sold with just over 1,000 miles!

[Santron]

Am completely scared to respond to this poll. Bike hasn't been dropped...but, if I complete poll, it'll happen within an hour.

 

+1

 

Nice try, though...

[Lynn]

Yep. And more than once.

 

First time: In my driveway before I left for work, within a week of getting the bike. It was 5:30 in the morning-so no one but the dog and I saw that one. 0 MPH. Just plain stupidity-and not being used to such a tall (for me) bike.

 

Second time: Within 6 months of getting him. Parked him in a spot that wasn't flat enough. He tipped over as soon as I walked away. Ouch. Lesson learned-I am now very, very careful about where I park. Between my short inseam, and the need for a flatter spot-well, lets just say that it drives Mark nuts that I will walk a mile before I will park in a spot that I am not comfortable with. He is fine with me looking for a good spot-he just thinks I am too picky about how flat the spot needs to be. He might be right-but after the tipover, I am a bit on the over-cautious side.

 

Third time: This summer, in the parking lot after the 100,000 foot ride. Right there in front of god and everybody. My foot slid out from under me on the gravel.

 

No real damage, other than the big bruise to my pride in the third one and some scrapes on the mirrors and side cases. Didn't even break the mirrors.

 

Lynn

[SnowDog]

I have a few to my name:

 

* RT Stalled in tight low speed turn

* RT fell when I went to lean it over onto the sidestand but forgot it was up

* GS fell when I tried to take off with the brake disc lock on

 

But the only one which caused notable damage was when on a trip when we had parked in a hotel lot which was gravel. It seemed very firm so I wasn't worried. Overnight we had a horrendous thunderstorm with heavy rain and winds. In the morning, I found my RT on its side, resting on the kickstand, cylinder and upper fairing. It had missed the car parked next to me by an inch. My buddy's GT was just about to go over with the kickstand sunk in about 4 inches.

 

I had:

 

* Smashed mirror

* Fairing mount bent

* Footpeg plate broken

* Windshield tilt stopped working

* Dirt splashed up onto and into every surface and crevice

 

$1400 and lesson learned.

[EricJRW]

Garage drop... Side stand to center... Close to wall so bike hit wall, and some cardboard boxes on the ground. Mirror hit wall and popped off. The mirror broke, but not the housing. From the sounds of the above posts, less damage occurs if the bike just hits the ground vs. hitting something on the way.

[NoHeat]

Garage drop... Close to wall so bike hit wall ... From the sounds of the above posts, less damage occurs if the bike just hits the ground vs. hitting something on the way.

 

Least damage if it leans into the garage wall, most damage if it hits another bike or car on the way down -- that seems to be the rule judging from the posts above, at least so far. Sounds like a useful lesson there, in arranging one's garage.

[Mark K]

I can't be the only one who flipped it over when the tang on the center stand broke off while kicking it up....

[EricJRW]

I can't be the only one who flipped it over when the tang on the center stand broke off while kicking it up....

That thought just scares the oil out of me...

[Parrothead]

About two weeks ago hit a pine cone pulling into my driveway. Bike went quickly out from under me. Busted mirror, crash guard snapped, and the valve cover is real ugly...........all parts replacable but my pride is not! Ten year old bike, first time I was down.

[Al Navecky Jr]

My 2000 RT fell over in NEW asphalt and broke the left footpeg plate where the System case attaches and major scratches on the mirror that need repainted.

[Aluminum_Butt]

I dropped my previous RT while starting a 180 degree turn at full lock from 0 mph. (Learned that's a stupid thing to do. ). Managed to lower it gently down - no damage.

 

My favorite drop story comes from my then-wife. She had a brand new R. She started the bike, then pulled up next to the garage to use the keypad to close the door. She lost her balance, and the bike went down running and in gear. The head raised the front of the bike just enough so that the rear tire could catch a bit. It spun around, on the head, making five complete revolutions on the driveway before finally coming to rest in the grass.

 

Oh, and the cylinder guards that I hadn't installed yet were laying on the kitchen table.

[nrp]

I know it sounds like playing to lose, but when I do some maintenance thing in my garage that just might involve a dump (like removing wheels?) I throw an old carpet down. It actually makes it kinda nice to work on. Oil drips don't have to be wiped up and I can slide around without a creeper. Old carpet is available for nothing.

[rondob4]

Knocked my RT11 off the centerstand in a rush to bungee a computer bag in a garbage bag to the pillion whilst in a downpour. Scuffed the right side valve cover and the mirror, but that was it.

 

Worse though was my semi-circular ride on a shovelhead. Twenty years ago I lived on David Street in Monterey, a steep hill that leads down to the aquarium. My wife and I had just spent 15 minutes shouting at one another and I decided it was time to spend some time away. I hopped onto the HD parked against the curb and roared away, with my wife cursing me from the porch.

 

About .5 seconds into my ride, I realized the fork lock was still on and I did a quick 270, first up hill, then back down hill, then back up hill. The shovelhead dumped me off the lowside into the road. Fueled by anger, embarrassment, and adrenelin, I lifted the FXRT all the way back up, somehow managed to unlock the fork lock, get back on and really ride away in less than 30 seconds.

 

My wife wished I'd waited until home video cameras were invented to pull that stunt.

[Redbrick]

 

Quote:

About .5 seconds into my ride, I realized the fork lock was still on and I did a quick 270, first up hill, then back down hill, then back up hill. The shovelhead dumped me off the lowside into the road. Fueled by anger, embarrassment, and adrenelin, I lifted the FXRT all the way back up, somehow managed to unlock the fork lock, get back on and really ride away in less than 30 seconds.

 

My wife wished I'd waited until home video cameras were invented to pull that stunt.

 

Holy temper tantrum, Batman.......Sorry but I am just imagining this event !!!....Hope you weren't hurt.......Funny, though......

 

Phil.........Redbrick

[mikeR1100R]

I dropped my R1100R onto the front bumper of my car. I had to replace the taillight and glue the right rear signal light back together. No glue or repair could make me feel less stupid.

[bakerzdosen]

I answered "yes" even though my ST isn't technically an oilhead.

 

Put the sidestand down, leaned it over, found out that first part wasn't true...

[chrisx]

backing it out of my driveway, foot hit gravel where the driveway meets the road and over she went. note to self. rt's are TALL, do not suspend them over a "ditch" and expect to reach the ground. mirror and cyl gaurd.

[Mulepick]

So paranoid about the dry clutch I just had to replace... Putting around v slow in a McDonald's parking lot with a lot of steep asphalt. I was being so careful that when I should have revved her up and done some clutch slipping, I tried to save the clutch and went over.

[flat_twin]

At the Boone rally I dropped the RT coming to a stop in a muddy slick campground. To make matters worse the ground was on a grade with the downhill side to my right. I lost my footing and the fully loaded RT fell to the right. Immediately three riders came to assist me. We got the bike upright, camp gear and all. Nothing broke bad enough to strand us but when I got home and had the dealer check it over the parts and labor were just under $2000. Markel Insurance came thru with no problems and no rate increase either.

[Survived-til-now]

It is very top-heavy and once past that 5-degrees off upright away it goes! Oddly enough - twice now I have dropped an oilhead (RT) having just bought new boots - I wear them in now around the house before I get on the bike.

 

The most embarrassing drop was when I was following a car at two miles an hour into my place of work and the driver in front slammed her brakes on for no reason. I slammed my brakes on and the good old BMW power booster stopped me dead - so fast I only just got my foot down - but at the wrong angle and sooooo slowly over it toppled. I just had to step off and let her go.

 

Fortunately !!!! a whole bunch of work colleagues were passing at the time and delighted in not only rushing over to pick up the bike but dusted me down and even offered to help me back on...... all of this to the roars of laughter from the crowd that had now gathered. If I could have crawled into that drain I would have done so. Sadly i could only go the colour of my red helmet.

[norah]

Put me in for two - once in Torrey (feet slipped in gravel at almost a dead stop) and once with my daughter on the back. Stupid move - I was going to stop on an incline and instead of staying straight, I turned 90 degrees and as soon as the bike came to a stop and got off kilter, down it went. No major damage either time - scuffed up mirrors and city lid scratches......

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Twice in the first week I owned it!

 

Riding it home the first day. The ol' dreaded "Stop sign Stall." It was gently set down on its right side, as I was was trying to keep it from goin at all. My back and wrists disagree with the "gently" part of the story!

 

The second one was not really a tip over, since I was between two parallel parked cars, and my being pinned against my wife's trunk didn't scratch the bike or let it hit the ground. Interesting to watch me try to get it back up and get myself out from under it though, or so my wife said the next morning when I got home from work. She was watching and laughing froma window during the whole incident!

[RTP Rider]

Dropped an RT-P for the first time this summer in the middle of nowhere. Misjudged my foot position on some gravel and the bike went down at about 4 MPH. I leaped clear, and watched the bike roll on it's crash bars

 

No damage but I had to do the solo lift on an uphill grade. Quads were thanking me that day

[Green RT]

Am I the only one who is beginning to have trouble remembering all the times it has fallen over at near zero. I think this list is complete:

 

In garage when new

To the right from sidestand when parked with a high center

On a metal plate in the rain at 1 mph

From the sidestand in the wind in a Safeway parking lot

At 1 mph in Costco parking lot

By the side of Hwy 50; broke system case mount brace

 

Except for the one that required replacing the foot peg plate, none of them caused substantive damage. My mirrors have some scratches on the end; that's it.

[Blue Beemer Dude]

Good thing this is in the oilhead forum and not the LT forum, huh? The thread would be 300 pages by now.

 

Yeah, dropped my LT(s) no fewer than 4 times, owned both of them cumulatively no more than a few thousand miles. Don't ask.

 

Anyway, only one time on my first RT, drove on the shoulder of the road to look closely at a rezoning sign, and then backed up to return to the road (there was a slight incline on the shoulder). Turned the wheel too early, so I was still on the incline when the bike started to go over. I realized that I had about 18" of space between my foot and the ground, and so I just jumped clear of the bike, which then completed the trip without me. Popped off the mirror housing and broke the mirror, broke the aluminum support for the foot peg and bag mount, broke the instrument panel mounting points, bent the fairing subframe. It was on grass so there was no damage to the painted surfaces or cylinder head.

 

I was so pissed that I ended up selling the bike (it was its fault, right? ). I was upset because a) I had to wait 30 minutes for someone to drive up and help me pick up the monster and b) there was a lot of expensive stuff to replace or repair.

 

My new(er) RT is not a virgin, as the PO dropped it for me before I bought it. He never replaced the scratched mirror, so I figure as long as it's there, I'll be fine.

 

Side note: on my last LT, the PO dropped it so many times I had to replace the bumpers before I could sell it. They were trashed. He had cracked parts of the fairings, pretty well destroyed the plastic on one of the mirrors and broken the foot brake as well as damaged the throttle grip. Other than that, the bike weathered the abuse well.

 

Michael

[BigChill]

This is an evil chain letter thread.

 

I responded to the poll and just two days ago my neighbor backed into my 1200RT and knocked it over. I have to go get a repair estimate today.

 

I knew that I should not have replied. Now I have to knock on some wood, throw some salt, tip over some ladders and repair a mirror or two to ward off any more evil. Perhaps we can have an Exercism performed on this thread...

 

Willie