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Anyone ever had to lay their bike down?

T

trvlr

Junior Member
I've been riding since 1977. Learned on a Suzuki 380 - moved up to a Kawa KZ-1000 - a 1500 Goldwing and now an 08 Ultra.

I always liked hitting the twisties but would probably call myself "cautiously" aggressive. Only (knock on wood) been down once and that was many many years ago when I got too aggressive in a curve that was layered with sand, stood her up and was heading right for some oncoming traffic. Decided to take the ditch instead. Not hurt too bad, that I recall. Still here anyways...

I have never had to lay a bike down, and to be honest, not sure if I'd know how to do it in an oh-(EDITED) moment..never having had any practice. That's almost embarrassing to say after riding for all these years.I would think I would/should know how.

Any of you fellow riders ever had to intentionally lay a bike down? Was it gut instinct that took over and got you through it? Was it something you studied and were ready for, or is it something you learned in a safety riding course.

And just how easily does one of these baggers lend itself to avoidance maneuvering? Interested in other folks experiences.... TIA -

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Although in the past i have ended up on the tarmac a few time Ive never done it deliberately Ive always been assisted by snow/ice/diesel/blown tyre to name a few incidents
I don't think id bounce the same as i did when younger so i hope it does not happen again

Brian
 
I've riden dirt bikes since I was a 6 year old snot,been in a few situations that will teach a lesson or 2,can't tell ya how valueable those lessons are now. Doesn't hurt anyone to take an advanced rider coarse as there you will learn to put it down and defend yourself too. I still have a honda rebel 250 that I dont ride on busy streets because drivers just dont see such a small bike,ex;forced into oncoming traffic,cars pulling out in front of you,etc. Still remember when I had a guy in a pickup pull out in front of me,I was moving at 55 mph on a 2 laner and I can still picture that chump looking directly at me as if he did it deliberately. Put her in a power slide as he couldn't have been more than 150 feet in front of me angleing toward the shoulder, can still here the horns from other cars that saw this play out. Best part is a cop saw it all too. And the cherries were flashing, scratched the bejeebers out the scoot ,not a scratch on me!
 
I have always been of the opinion that nobody lays one down on purpose. Brakes and rubber always stop faster than sliding steel. Plus you have some control, even if slight. I think people get into a skid, and low side unintentionally (better than high siding). Afterwards, they claim to have laid it down on purpose. In 50+ years of street and dirt, I've never considered laying one down on purpose (but I have laid a few down). JMO :newsmile061:
 
Breeze3at said:
I have always been of the opinion that nobody lays one down on purpose. Brakes and rubber always stop faster than sliding steel. Plus you have some control, even if slight. I think people get into a skid, and low side unintentionally (better than high siding). Afterwards, they claim to have laid it down on purpose. In 50+ years of street and dirt, I've never considered laying one down on purpose (but I have laid a few down). JMO :newsmile061:
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I agree. Laying your "road" bike down on "purpose" is not a good option. I doubt any modern motorcycle safety course would teach that practice.
 
I got into a sandy corner once and it went down faster than I was ready for. It turned out ok. Other than that, rubber and brakes for me.
 
well here's what's fresh in my mind as to whether laying it down or not would be an option. About 3 years ago, we're crusing down Rt 50 South in Maryland running about 60mph. Absolutely gorgeous 2-lane country road, crisp beautiful morning day. My buddy is riding lead with his 03 EGC and I'm behind him with 2 more bikes behind me. We're riding staggered. 2 lane road and out of the middle of nowwhere a woman in an SUV pulled out of I guess their driveway. Definitely a hidden entry/exit point of access. Lead guy locks up the rear and the rear rubber's laying a strip on the asphalt. Now regardless of whether the proper braking was being done by him, if this gal had froze and just stopped, Tim t-bones this vehicle. No doubt about it. Fortunately she kept her forward motion and cleared out of the lane enough to get around. So in this particular situation, it's either a t-bone or a lay it down and slide. Not sure which would have been the better option at that point, but I remember this like it was yesterday. Reminiscing on this the reason for the question -
 
Almost the same situation as trvlr only in town going thru an intersection on a green light. Pickup pulled out from the right and turned right about 6 to 10 feet in front of me. Speed limit was 45MPH and solid line of traffic to the left curb to the right I did lay it down on purpose. Since taking the safety course and the advanced course I now know that I put myself in the wrong place and always look for the escape route long before I get into these types of situations. Take a course you will be a better rider for it.
 
trvlr said:
well here's what's fresh in my mind as to whether laying it down or not would be an option. About 3 years ago, we're crusing down Rt 50 South in Maryland running about 60mph. Absolutely gorgeous 2-lane country road, crisp beautiful morning day. My buddy is riding lead with his 03 EGC and I'm behind him with 2 more bikes behind me. We're riding staggered. 2 lane road and out of the middle of nowwhere a woman in an SUV pulled out of I guess their driveway. Definitely a hidden entry/exit point of access. Lead guy locks up the rear and the rear rubber's laying a strip on the asphalt. Now regardless of whether the proper braking was being done by him, if this gal had froze and just stopped, Tim t-bones this vehicle. No doubt about it. Fortunately she kept her forward motion and cleared out of the lane enough to get around. So in this particular situation, it's either a t-bone or a lay it down and slide. Not sure which would have been the better option at that point, but I remember this like it was yesterday. Reminiscing on this the reason for the question -
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I had a very similar experience. Blue Ridgeparkway (four or five friends on bikes behind me). Lady pulled right out of one of the overlooks(she freaked and stopped. I locked up both tires, noway to stop. (Thought I was dead, slow motion episode in my mind). She stopped right in my lane, I took my eyes off her car and looked around the back of it. Got off the brakes and Somehow rode the bike around the back of her car on the shoulder. Could hear brakes screeching behind me. No one dumped their bike. What a feeling of relief, after I made it around the car. It was the start of a four day trip too. Put a damper on things for me.

I was leading the group and speeding 55mph. Bad idea on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
 
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