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Almost dropped it.

R_W_B

R_W_B

Senior Member
You know I've read threads in the past about when someone dropped their bike or fell with it which I guess would also be dropping the bike. So far I've been lucky, but yesterday I thought just for a minute my luck had run out.

We had just finished up a PGR ride and we were all getting ready to head home from the graveyard. We were parked on a narrow loose gravel road that had a slight decline going across the road. In other words the road was lower on the right side of my bike than the left.

So I mounted the bike, stood it up, kickstand up and planted both my feet firmly on the gravel and went to lean forward to put my key in the ignition. Just as I leaned forward my right foot slipped on the gravel and I felt the bike and me going to my right side. Just out of a gut reation I leaned my upper body as far to the left as I could, put all my weight on my left foot and pulled hard to left with my right leg on the tank and my hands on the bars.

I had already dropped my key and fob in the gravel. It felt for a minute I was going down, but I just barely was able to pull it back. I will think about that one for awhile. Next time I'm gonna lean the bike left uphill before I put the key in. I'd been just a little sick if I'd a dropped my Bob on that gravel.
 
Good to hear you were able to hold her up. I've had mine go over a couple of times. I'm pretty small an my EGC is heavy. When my foot slipped on sand there was noting I could do about it but I have leaned to let it go down rather than to pull out my shoulder or back (learned that the hard way). Uneven or slippery footing is our enemy.
 
dbinbc said:
Good to hear you were able to hold her up. I've had mine go over a couple of times. I'm pretty small an my EGC is heavy. When my foot slipped on sand there was noting I could do about it but I have leaned to let it go down rather than to pull out my shoulder or back (learned that the hard way). Uneven or slippery footing is our enemy.
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Dave as soon as I saw the title of the post and thought the worse. Glad you and bike are OK. Take care.
 
If you had been on a heavier bike it would have gone over
I always leave my bike pointing up hill and do stuff with keys before i mount

Brian
 
Glad the bike came out unscathed, but how are you feeling today? Many times when you do something on gut instinct like you did, it's real easy to pull a muscle or strain a ligament. I know 99% of us would readily sacrifice our puny bodies to protect our "babies!" Often the injury doesn't really manifest itself for a day or 2 so be on the lookout for unusual symptoms.
 
Dave don't know if it will work for you but I always start my bike on the kickstand. Once it's running I can then concentrate on getting it upright and pointed in the direction I want to go.
 
Two kinds, those that have and those that will. Good thing it wasnt a touring model. They are hard to recover. One can really mess up ones back if not careful. Glad you made out ok.

Bodeen
 
Good save...:sd Good advise from Brian...nose up with all the fiddling w/ keys done first, in neutral, pull in clutch, start the bike, push the choke in after 10 seconds, (yep, have one of those), put in gear, plant both feet steady, rock the bike right upright, kick the jiffy stand, resteady everything before having the passenger get on (if riding two up). Only then will I power away...!

I always assume the parking space is on an inclined or crowned grade, and always want bike to be faced uphill, so I can power out of it, with the grade not two steep for me to lean the bike uphill or such the bike wants to fall in too much on the jiffy stand. Yep, lots of things to think about when parking your Harley. Experience is what gets you through.:newsmile07:
 
I read every post and took each one to heart. A lot of experience from all of you. Many times I do put the key in first as suggested, but I have to turn it on or the darn thing will fall out. If I happen to be on the left side of the bike putting on my helmet and stuff I just tend to mount and then put the key in. I won't forget this though, I've tried my whole life not to be one of the boys you have to tell over and over again.

My back and everything is ok, even though I have bad arthritis from previous injuries I lift moderate weights daily to keep blood flowing in the muscles. I'm not near as strong as I used to be but it helps keep the tone up and (usually) prevents injury. It's a daily battle though with arthritis, you can feel great after exercise and then later that evening start to stiffen up and hurt. The doc told me the more I fight it the better I will be.

I met a lot of new guys on this last PGR ride, and really enjoyed talking with them while we waiting during the Church service. Glad I didn't have to eat gravel in front of all of them. Thanks for the input.

Oh I'm gonna try the start on the kick stand too. Reminds me of the old days when you actually kick started it while on the stand.
 
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