What was your first drop like?

[phire]

Everyone has some embarassing story that they don't like to talk about when it comes to their first times dropping a bike!



So, my first I felt I knew how to ride pretty well and was fairly comfortable and confident in my riding skills... So anyways, time comes to go get licensed... Alright let's take the drivin test right now, I don't need to wait! So we go out back and she shows me what to do and I'm like peice of cake alright here we go... weee... Ran over two cones and when I came in for my U turn park I was trying not to put my foot down and was watching the gravel instead of the road and was going too slow....and before you could blink an eye I was on the ground cussing and swearing... I've rode dirt bikes for quite a few years and here I thought I had what it took... Anyways, needless to say I failed that day... The second time I dropped is only relevant because it happened back at the DMV again in the same spot doing the same thing! Luckily though I just happened to be smart enough that day to go practice some more and make sure I was fluent in all of my skills... Anyways, that day there were 4 other guys on sport bikes there to test with me this time and I was the only one that passed. Everyone else that called me a rookie (which I am, so what) and made belittled me for being one had to be pretty embarassed when I was the only one standing in line to get my new class-M license.  Perfect score.

[Bluebellylint]

I was riding two up with my wife we had just gone grocery shopping so the tank bag was full of groceries and my wife had a back pack full too. to park I have to go up a steep 4 ft incline to the level parking space. I guess I was going to slow so the bike stalled, we tripped over, and soon groceries, the two of us, and the bike were sprawled out on the pavement. to make matters worse I think some people in a neighboring apartment saw our fall because we heard chuckling from a balcony above.

[GeeP]

Anyways, that day there were 4 other guys on sport bikes there to test with me this time and I was the only one that passed. Everyone else that called me a rookie (which I am, so what) and made belittled me for being one

But who's still riding?  My guess would be that three of them have probably crashed out by now.  The fourth one probably still doesn't have his license and has less than 2k miles on his CBR/GSXR/R6/etc.  

No drops yet...  (Would be nice to touch the ground with both feet though.)  

[john]

First drop I can remember by stupidity was trying to bump start my GSXR600.  It only had about 500 miles on it. I almost cried.

[Alphamazing]

When I had the '92, the first day I had it I was going to take it out on a ride around the neighborhood with my dad, and as I wheeled it out of the garage I didn't have it balanced very well and it tipped over. The case guards prevented damage though. First day, first ride, first drop.

The first day I had the '04 I rode it from my house to my friends place and was going to show it to him. I was trying to put it on the centerstand, but didn't anticipate the extra weight of the F model compared to my old E (with the V&H exhaust, so it was even lighter). It didn't go up on the centerstand all the way, came down and tipped over because I couldn't lean it towards me. Tank dent and some scratches.

[natedawg120]

Droped mine out of stupidity.  I was parking on the side of a street and the paved road surface was higher (1-2 inches) than the concrete curb (flat concrete area).  As I kicked the kickstand down and started to get off the tire slid off the asphalt and onto the concrete causing the bike to begin falling to the right, as I am sitting on the bike.  Me and the bike went down.  Scrape on the fairing, no cracks YAY, and my pride.  There was also an entire family getting into the van in front of me that witnessed everything.  I got up cracked a joke and we all laughed.  At least I could brighten somebodies day with my newbiness. (bike had 1500 miles on her)

[phire]

OMG. :lol: Bluebellylint, that's horrible! Was the wifey pissed off? What'd she say?


I think the wost part of dropping a bike aside from cosmetic damage if it's new, is when people see it happen.

[Bluebellylint]

We were both laughing about it while we picked up the groceries and bike. I can still get a good laugh looking back on it. It must have been the funniest thing those people ever saw.

[Bluebellylint]

P.S. the bike wasn't new and suffered no cosmetic damage it didn't already have because we were hardly moving and it partially landed in a bush

[RVertigo]

I was riding two up with my wife

Same here...   

I have a post about it somewhere, but I can't find it.

[makenzie71]

First drop was nothing.  Bike slid out from uder me pulling out of a drive and I just planted my feet down.  I was left standing there like nothing happened...

First real lay down was memorable...highsided a little 250 ninja.  Dislocated the 4 joints I have left that'd never been dislocated...

[RedShift]

It was emotionally painful -- and still is when I think about how stupid I was.

Backed into a parking spot at work that had a 1-2 degree downslope, so the bike was parked downhill.  (I think you can see where this is going, n'est pas?)  I got on the bike, started it up, put'er in neutral, side stand down and let it idle to warm up while I got off to put my helmet and gloves on.

I inadvertently nudged the bike with my butt, and that's all the momentum it needed to start rolling forward. Cost me a clutch lever and a lot of pride as two guys from work were just passing by to witness it.  Cost me $16 and a tonne of pride.

Your first scratch is the deepest...

[Caffeine]

Riding my '97 to a friend's house the day I bought it.  My friend was following me in his truck, since it was technically my first time riding on the streets with a motorcycle.  I got to the destination just fine, even 1/4 mile down the sandy dirt road that leads to his house with no issues.  But then I got to his driveway, which is concrete, and 5 inches above the level of the dirt road.   I made the approach very slowly, since I knew the front of the bike would "buck" back when I went up on the concrete, which it did.   What I did *not* anticipate was the  TESTICLE PAIN    that would momentarily blind me when the bike bucked back.   Even though it was relatively minor testicle pain, it was testicle pain just the same, and it was enough to completely break my concentration.   I did get the bike up on the concrete, but it went down immediately.   I tried to save it, but knew I better get my leg out of the way because it was too late to keep the bike upright.   WHAM!   I was embarrassed, but since the bike had obviously been dropped a bunch of times before I bought it, I didn't feel so bad.   

And if anyone cares, my cojones are just fine (and apparently still functioning).   

[makenzie71]

^thinking of embarassing ways to drop a bike, imagine pulling onto the side of the road and stopping and trying to put your feet down but you can because your laces are caught on the pegs.  So you just fall over.

Best way to learn to tuck your laces.

[calamari]

^thinking of embarassing ways to drop a bike, imagine pulling onto the side of the road and stopping and trying to put your feet down but you can because your laces are caught on the pegs.  So you just fall over.

Best way to learn to tuck your laces.

after reading all responses, this is the one that made me think 'Oh Crap!...' while I imagined it happening to me. 

oh, no drops so far, but I will make darn sure I tuck my laces all the way (I've been doing that since I started riding, but thanks for the reminder).

[groff22]

I dropped my bike with 5k on the clock in the dealership parking lot the SAME DAY I BOUGHT IT!      ARGH! I get so angry at myself when I think about it. I was making a right  turn out of the dealership with my girlfriend and her brother in the car behind me when all of a sudden I stalled mid way through the turn and on gravel ... I put my foot down only to have it slide out to the right and the bike made a somewhat controlled fall. Even though it was a slow drop, I still managed to scuff up the right handlebar and mirror.

[rubberpenguin16]

my first one was rather funny actually.

I had just got done painting my 72 cb350 (at the very end of its rebuild) and i was putting in on its center stand at the top of the drive where it was level. well the bike is fairly unbalanced on its centerstand (design flaw... thats honda for ya) and i didnt quite get the stand down all the way when it pulled me (standing on the left) over the bike and both down hard on the driveway. i just laughed because i had just decided two seconds ago that i hated the red paint i had chosen but was too lazy to repaint it.

needless to say i had to repaint it. this time satin black. the DAY i finished that and put the petcock and everything back on i rode it to work and got taken out by a 2005 mustang that ran a red light in a cobblestone intersection... 8 months of work... gone in 2 seconds. it didnt even scratch my paint job but it did dent the tank halfway in and cracked the frame. 

[rubberpenguin16]

all will be well though... the bike was paid out and i got a sh*tload of tools for it to rebuild my gs500e i had just gotten for free 

[annguyen1981]

^thinking of embarassing ways to drop a bike, imagine pulling onto the side of the road and stopping and trying to put your feet down but you can because your laces are caught on the pegs.  So you just fall over.

Best way to learn to tuck your laces.

after reading all responses, this is the one that made me think 'Oh Crap!...' while I imagined it happening to me. 

oh, no drops so far, but I will make darn sure I tuck my laces all the way (I've been doing that since I started riding, but thanks for the reminder).

This has happened to me as well, but luckily I haven't dropped her yet...   

[phire]

And if anyone cares, my cojones are just fine (and apparently still functioning).   

That's the best news of all I think! 

^thinking of embarassing ways to drop a bike, imagine pulling onto the side of the road and stopping and trying to put your feet down but you can because your laces are caught on the pegs.  So you just fall over.

Best way to learn to tuck your laces.

You know, that's _ALMOST_ happened to me before but luckily I was still moving and had an extra second or two to kick them free.

Your first scratch is the deepest...

That couldn't be more true...