Argh...Dropped it. :( Took nearly two weeks and almost 600 miles, but I guess I had to get that out of the way. Complacency yields inattention, and getting it up on the centerstand is something that demands some attention. I was going to check the oil and fluid levels, so I straightened the bike up, raised the sidestand and looked down to locate the centerstand arm when I felt it pulling (fairly gently at first) away from me. I quickly realized that I wasn't going to be able to stop it, and down it went.
The good news: the damage was all cosmetic, and very minor. There's a 1/2" or so rash on the plastic from where it introduced itself to the (thankfully rounded) curb--can probably just sand it out--and a few small (<1mm) chips/pockmarks from where it contacted landscaping gravel on the other side of the curb. It went down really slowly, and it didn't so much "impact" as it just laid down. The right mirror moved slightly, but wasn't damaged, and the bars never contacted the ground. *phew*
Of course, I felt like a complete tool, but I also realized that I'm not the first, it probably won't be the last time, and it could have been a lot worse. All I could think about afterward was all of the people who wisely pointed out, "You will drop it." I did have a brief moment of panic when I tried to start it and got nothing, but then I realized that I moved the cutoff switch when I picked it up and everything ran fine.
Some things I'm relieved about:
* Minimal damage, nothing bent
* It didn't fall on me.
* There wasn't a puddle of anything on the ground afterward
* It didn't hit anything else (like someone's car or another bike)
On that last one: The other spot I considered parking in was next to 2 other bikes...I avoided that spot in favor of one further away but not next to anything. Good thing...it might have knocked over a very new-looking R1 *shudder* On the flip side, I might not have tried to put it up on the centerstand if I had put it there.
Probably most relieved that:
* Nobody was around to see it. :)
After the festivities, it turned out that the oil level was (of course) fine.
Knucklehead.
It's going in tomorrow for it's 600mi initial service, so I'm sure I'll get some grief over the rash, but I also feel better that they'll be looking it over to make sure everything is a-ok.
Just figured I'd share. Live and learn, I guess.
Glad to hear the damage to your baby was minimal. And also glad to hear the damage to your pride was minimal as nobody saw the bike go down :)
I'm still waiting for my first to happen. It's been 9 months and 3000 miles with no incident yet. :thumb:
Don't worry buddy. I dropped mine leaving the dealership. I was having trouble starting it (because the cutoff switch was off) and went to lean it over on the stand, but unfortunately the stand was not down. And down the bike went. Fortunately it went down very gently, because I was doing everything in my power to stop it. Guess you gotta chalk it up to a stupid noob mistake.
Quote from: roguegeekI'm still waiting for my first to happen. It's been 9 months and 3000 miles with no incident yet. :thumb:
It's only when you need to knock on wood that you realize that the world is now made entirely of plastic...
Continued good luck to you! :thumb:
Glad to hear you weren't hurt and that the bike was just bruised. I've come really close a few times while trying to put the bike on it's centerstand, but have kept it upright so far.
QuoteDon't worry buddy. I dropped mine leaving the dealership.
I didn't drop it leaving the dealership, but did drain my battery trying to start it before realizing I didn't have the choke on. :dunno: Oh well, live and learn.
Quote from: flyingbeagle71I've come really close a few times while trying to put the bike on it's centerstand, but have kept it upright so far.
I think my problem was that I hadn't had any trouble getting it up on the stand prior to the incident, and just wasn't paying much attention. Looking back, I'm sure that I was straightening the front wheel while I was looking down for the centerstand arm. Next time, one thing at a time! Probably also could have thrown in: use -both- hands on the bars (and hold the front brake) while straightening the wheel and make sure everything is stable before worrying about the stand.
I probably could have kept it up with some heroic effort, but I learned through a lot of previous (occasionaly painful and/or costly) mistakes in other endeavors (skiing, driving in snow, etc.) that when things start going pear-shaped, the situation is never so bad that you can't make it worse...usually through some ill-conceived action seems like a really good idea in the heat of the moment. I could easily see myself pulling a muscle or getting pulled down with the bike in a spectacular failure to accomplish anything positive.
Next time, left hand on handlebars, right on rear handle. Step on the stand and let your body weight do the work.
Quote from: Whatever6060Next time, left hand on handlebars, right on rear handle. Step on the stand and let your body weight do the work.
I didn't get that far.
Here's the process I use:
1. Get the bike upright (off the sidestand)
2. Kick up the sidestand
3. Straighten the front wheel
3a. Maintain balance (continue through step #7)
4. Left hand on handlebar, right hand on bar under rear fairing, foot on centerstand arm
5. Set the centerstand down
6. Rock very slightly to make sure both stand feet are contacting the ground (paying close attention to step 3a)
7. Stand up straight (bike sets on stand)
I tried to execute #3 and #4 at the same time, and sort of forgot about #3a.
The bar your using to pull the bile up is the liggage rack. Because you grabed it there it put more upward force on that side then the other side...................which probably made it tip over. Grab the handle right behind the seat to put it up. And you don't really need to rock on it. Just put your foot on the thing and put all your weight on it. Should bounce right up.
I gave up - I can't GET it on my damn center stand. And I (gasp) dropped my bike too, the first couple of hours I had it - it was in a parking lot where nobody was around, I'd never been on a bike before and I just leaned and it leaned further, all the way ontop of my right leg. THAT left a nice bruise (but on the flipside, my bike only got one little itty bitty (but rather noticeable) scratch :roll:
Both my boyfriend and scratch have showed me many times how to get the Baby G up on his centerstand, and they BOTH make it look so darned easy...but I haven't mastered it yet, either. :oops:
I'm still practicing, though! :mrgreen:
Quote from: Whatever6060The bar your using to pull the bile up is the liggage rack. Because you grabed it there it put more upward force on that side then the other side...................which probably made it tip over. Grab the handle right behind the seat to put it up. And you don't really need to rock on it. Just put your foot on the thing and put all your weight on it. Should bounce right up.
Um...
Didn't get that far.
I looked down, so that I could put my foot on the centerstand arm. Note that my foot (at this time) is not on the centerstand, it's on the ground (next to my other foot I assume, but I wasn't looking at my feet...I was looking for the centerstand). The centerstand is currently tucked up under the frame, waiting anxiously for me to use it. Actually, I don't know for sure how anxious it was, but I assume it would have been much happier on the ground because I wasn't paying that much attention...that would make me anxious if I was a centerstand.
It was at this time that the handlebars (which may or may not have been turning, remember: I was looking for the centerstand and not paying much attention) decided to pull away from my hand. Gently at first, but with a lot of conviction. Because my right hand (the one not on the handlebars) wasn't firmly holding onto anything at this point (it was on the seat), it wasn't able to lend any significant assistance to my increasingly futile cause. My left hand, still attached to the handlebars, provided marginal assistance in slowing the descent.
I do appreciate the advice. I think this was mostly a mental misfire, though...the result of not paying close enough attention.
[edit]...and complacency. I had no trouble getting it on the centerstand the previous dozen times or so. So that means that among the main causes were such diverse elements as:
Mental misfire, inattention, complacency, surprise, fear, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the pope, and nice, red uniforms. (with apologies to Monty Python)[/edit]
yeah those things due happen. I mean i dropped mine at the dealer!!!! How does that happen?