dropped the Norge yesterday

[blackbuell]

Over my 50 years of riding I have come to accept that any bike I own will eventually end up on its side on the ground at least once due to one stupid mistake or another. However, the Norge has been lucky; after nearly 5 years of ownership and 47K miles on the ODO, it has remained upright its whole life, that is until yesterday.

Wife and I were taking a nice long ride on back roads in north-central KY; decided to check out a winery that we passed. As I slowly made the sharp turn onto the winery's long, gravel-covered driveway, the front wheel slipped, I planted my right foot on the ground, but my foot ended up in a depression. My legs are short (can't flatfoot the bike), so the bike was tipped over too far for me to hold it up; we went over on the right side, but we were able to ease it down gently.

The side cases were off that day. Only significant damage was to the lower fairing on the right side; the plastic spark plug cover, bar-end, and mirror got scuffed a bit. No big deal, but it did piss me off that I my record (for me, anyway) of keeping a bike off the ground had ended; my mistake.

Jon

[guzzi ride]

Sorry to see this Jon, glad you both weren't injured. PM'ed you a while back?

[bpreynolds]

Jon, very glad neither of you were hurt.  Sorry about the Norge.  If you decide to repair, hope it is not too costly. 

[Kev m]

Well, look at it this way, at least you weren't rear ended this time!
;)

[JeffOlson]

Bummer! Glad you and your wife are okay.

I dropped my Norge in my driveway. At least you were riding yours! (I think the Norge is incredibly top-heavy, especially with a passenger; it is just begging to fall over!)

I had my dealer work up an estimate for my damage, and I presented it to my insurance company. They cut me a check for over $2,000 (after deducting the $500 "collision" deductible rather than the $250 comprehensive deductible). I decided not to repair the fairly minor damage (I did replace a bar end and my clutch lever) but to take the money and run. I will find some fingernail polish at some point to touch up the scratches on my pannier. (The other scratches are too minor for my old eyes to see, so I will leave them alone.)

[dl.allen]

sorry to hear that.  Glad you are ok.  Seems  Im jinxed as well.  Seems I drop or tip my bikes over within the first year of ownership and then then Im good for years after that.  Knocked my restored 850T off the centerstand and dropped my v11 lemans within the same month.

Anyway, I had really good luck with Moto International and sent them a parts list and they filled it quickly and I repaired them myself at minimal cost.

[Gliderjohn]

Don't feel bad. During my first month of ownership of my new Norge I dropped it first in a parking lot when the front tire washed out on silt and and second time at my drive entrance (live on a rural dirt/sand road) when the road maintainer left about a 18" high dirt barrier. I can bring it upright on pavement by my self using the backup method but not on dirt/sand. Has its character marks now and I have since learned a lot about dirt riding a Norge. 
GliderJohn

[Idontwantapickle]

Jon, Sorry to hear that, glad y'all are OK. It is such a hit to morale to tip over. A spot of luck the bags were safely at home! I feel your pain, though. My first street bike was a BMW K100RS. I threw that thing on the ground a half dozen times at least just putting it on the stand. Got pretty good at fixing those fiberglass parts though........silve r lining I guess.
Hunter

[lucydad]

Well crap, that sucks.  Glad you are ok, it will polish out and keep on riding....

[Spuddy]

Definitely a drag.  But up side is that you and spouse are okay.  Bikes can get fixed faster than we can.

Spud

[sib]

Welcome to the dropped bike club.  To paraphrase Mel Brooks (in History of the World, Part I):  I do it.  You do it.  We all do it.  Anyone who rides eventually (or more often) drops a bike.  Comes with the territory.  Pick it up, replace the broken mirror and/or clutch lever, and move on.

[lucian]

Glad everything important was unharmed, you and your wife.

[wymple]

I did the same thing with my GS850 Suzuki a couple years ago. Stopped on a slight ridge, my little legs to short. The GS850 gets top heavy real quick. It does make you really mad, too. Years ago I was riding a dirt bike and crossed between two fields. The grass was tall so you couldn't see the ground. I stopped on the little culvert bridge when I saw deer, and put my foot down, to find no bottom. I had stopped on the edge and me and the bike went upside down to the bottom, about 5 feet.

[bpreynolds]

This thread got me thinking, seeing if I could recall all of mine.

First drop.  I dropped my brand new 250 on the first day of buying it and first day of street riding.  Thought the kickstand was down.  Embarrassingly stupid but taught me a fast lesson about kickstands.  Only the rubber on the bar end was harmed.

Second drop.  Several years after the first one but still not experienced/smart enough to learn that alcohol and bikes don't mix.  Pulled up at a stop sign and got my leg down too late.  Lucky my pride was the only thing really injured that night.  Muffler scarring but nothing extreme.

Third drop.  A year after the second maybe.  Had no garage at my former house and had to park the bikes in the backyard and oftentimes on the sidewalk.  Hopped aboard my then 1000DS Multistrada.  Tall bike and leg I had planted while mounting was not on the sidewalk; rather, it was on the moist ground beside the sidewalk.  Slid out from under me.  Bike dropped on top of me and the lawn.  No injury to bike or me.

Fourth drop.  About 9 months ago.  Backing the Stone out of my garage and between mine and my wife's  car.  Pushing the bike backwards too fast and while looking over my shoulder I turned the front wheel too steeply, hit my brake hard, bike went down.  Scraped my box but bike was okay. 

A very small part of the reason(s) I sold the Stelvio is that it was a lot of work for my small frame to push around and I was convinced I would eventually drop and seriously damage it.  The next bike I bought after the Stelvio was the wonderful Street Triple.  Haven't dropped it yet but it'll happen, likely.

[balvenie]

It feels terrible doesn't it? I have done it. Makes us wonder if we know what we are doing for a while but with the encouragement of friends, we get back on and go again
At least your wife wasn't hurt

[Bill Hagan]

It feels terrible doesn't it? I have done it. Makes us wonder if we know what we are doing for a while but with the encouragement of friends, we get back on and go again
At least your wife wasn't hurt

Exactly.

BTDT.

It is also "normal" to try to pick the beast up by yourself or too quickly. 

BTDT, too.  Also have five hernia surgeries under my belt (so to speak!). 

Best,

Bill

[Gliderjohn]

Bill, that picture makes it look like a great time to pull rear wheel.
GliderJohn

[MotoGoosy]

Seems everyone has dropped a bike while parking.  Pulled a muscle in my inner thigh trying to hold up a bike I used to have.  Damn, that hurt for a month!!  What I fear the most is damage to the engine, since engines are not designed to lay on their sides with fluids in them.  After I got help picking that bike up, it ran like crap afterward.