Can you give me a hand in picking up my bike?

[SuzukiSomething]

I'm pretty sure this is my first post, so here's a little background: 27yo, living in Columbia, SC, just recently got in to motorcycles cuz I've always wanted to, just recently got a 1990 GS500E, just rode it for the first time Friday.   

If any of you are on sportbikes.net, then this may all be familiar to you, since I posted this story there as well. I'm cutting out most of the "here's what happened on my first ride" stuff.

Basically, on Friday at lunchtime I was moving my bike in my garage (not even started, just on the bike moving it further from the wall) and I laid it down. Later that night I went for my first ride and at one point I was at a complete stop, and I laid it down. On both drops I tried several times to pick the bike up by myself and had to get someone else to help me because I couldn't. I'm 5'5" and 140, so this shouldn't be impossible. I've read many pages that describe how to pick up a bike, but usually on the sites where there are pictures it's a GoldWing or something that's just basically tilted over on it's saddlebags and not actually flat on the ground. 

Since this is the GS500 forum, I was hoping that somebody could give me tips on how to pick up my bike. I'm not worried that I dropped it twice on my first run. If I cared about that, I probably wouldn't be in to bikes. I *do* care about being as self-sufficient as possible, so this is definitely something I've got to do. I know when it's flat on the ground, I've gotta lift it a bit before I can push it back vertically or else it will slide. Not being able to get a proper angle with my legs, and not being able to find a good grip on the rear of the bike when I'm lifting or pushing are just two of the things I haven't been able to work out on my own.

Also, when I sit on the bike, my feet are flat on the ground, but I'm still considering getting the bike lowered because I think it would help if my legs were angled out more. I'm also considering getting crashbars (but that will probably have to wait a paycheck or two).

I'm hanging out w/ someone later this week who's going to try to help me with this, but as always, I appreciate any and all advice I can get from this forum.   

[hmmmnz]

there are  3 or 4 basic methods
1. get as close to the bike as you can grab the framebelow the seat and the handle bar, bend your knees and pick the bike up like your lifting a heavy box.
2. grab the bike by the handle bars and lift with the hand thats closest to your body and push with your hand thats reaching over the bike,(quite often twisting the handlbars away from you can help as well)
3, go to the oppisite side of the bike, stand on the foot peg, one hand on the bar the other on the back of the bike frame or grab rail, and lean/jerk backwards.

you'll have to try the one that works for you best.
for me its number 2. but im 6'4"

practice makes perfect.
some others might have some other ideas as well.
happy riding

[scottpA_GS]

I would try and learn more  "How not to drop it" rather than worry about how to pick it up.

The GS was my first bike as well and I have never droped it.

You should study the MSF manual.. (available free online) Go into some empty parking lots and practice. If you ride within your limmits and get the basics down first, you will never drop the bike durring normal operation.

Also sign up for the MSF... If you drop it there on the test.. you fail  What better way to learn HOW NOT TO 


Also ... WELCOME TO THE SITE! You can learn alot here  I used to live in Sumter, SC  I went to USC in Columbia 

[annguyen1981]

I would try and learn more  "How not to drop it" rather than worry about how to pick it up.

The GS was my first bike as well and I have never droped it.


Also sign up for the MSF... If you drop it there on the test.. you fail  What better way to learn HOW NOT TO 

+1 to the "How NOT to drop it"

+1 to the GS being my first bike...  Never dropped it either.

+1 to the MSF course.  I've taken both the beginers and experienced.  WELL WORTH IT!!!  Saved my hide many times.  It helps you learn some basics and some life saving skillz.

+1 to the WELCOME!

and finally...

+1 (just because.

[NiceGuysFinishLast]

Ehh.. I drop mine a good bit.. I'm the male Pandy.. ... Anhyway.. I'm 5'3, 135 lbs, and I can pick it up no problem... Easiest way is to turn the bars so that the bar on the side that's on the ground is as close to the tank as it will go. Grab by the handle bar and the grab rail under the seat, and lift with your legs. No biggie, it's just leverage.

Also, I would recommend NOT lowering the bike, it will mess with suspension geometry. If you search this forum for "lowering links" you will see how to do it, and why it is not recommended. I have a roughly 28" inseam, and I can handle the GS just fine, for the most part (well, aside from running it into things.. that's a different story)... Thanks to my being comfortable on the GS with just one foot on the ground, I can also handle bigger bikes like the Gixxer600 or gixxer750, cuz I feel ok with just one foot down.

Finally, the crash guards are a GREAT investment.. they saved my engine in my ~30mph high side.. engine started up, and I rode it home, despite the bent forks and trashed handlebars... Just my $.02

[scratch]

Welcome!

Bike dropped on left-side, handlebars turned to the left - squat next to bike, grab the handlebars (each hand to its respective grip), put on the front brake (this will keep the bike from rolling away from you), and lift.  You may have to grab the right grip using an undergrip (palm towards you); grabbing the brake lever.  You're mostly going to lift with your legs and your left arm.

Recently, I had to lift my bike from this position using only the grabhandle on the back of the bike with both hands.

Bike dropped on left, handlebars to the right (rare) - this makes the handlebars easier to grip, again apply front brake.

Bike dropped on right, handlebars to the left (rare) - You couldn't get a better situation than this, squat next to the bike grab the bars, apply the front brake and lift.

Bike dropped on right, handlebars to the right - probably the best way to do this is to turn you back to the bike and squat down, put your butt against the filler cap on the tank, or the seat, grab the front brake with your left hand, and as you lift, use your right hand to get under the seat, or grab the grabrail.  Put the sidestand down so you don't have to worry about throwing the bike over on its other side.

Hope this helps.

Next week I'll address lifting on a slope.

[starwalt]

Greeting fellow SC GS owner!

There was a post a while back regarding lifting the bike when it gets in its most stable position -- that is on its side. 

Rather than lifting while facing the bike, this method involved getting a grip while the bike was behind you and lifting by standing up/leaning backwards. 

I believe it was referred to as a "girly method". In fact I remember a video link to a demonstration.  Going on a search....

Here you go from the Pink Ribbon site.

GStwin forum posts that also link to the Pink Ribbon topic:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=11743
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=12464.0


There that should give you a good start.

The other day when I dropped mine, while stopping and not finding any left foot ground because I stopped too close to the road edge, a cager stopped to help me. I was too embarrased to tell him it was him I stopped for! 

[bubba zanetti]

Pandy should be able to give all the tips you need to pick a bike up.
















P.S.  Always lift with your knees & not your back 

[rangerbrown]

SS let me know if you want me to show you some pointers on the bike and some riding. i am off monday so jsut hit me with a pm