How the hell ???

[Huzo]

Here's one that I'll share to my cost, ( red faced embarrassment ), it may save someone else what happened to me. There I was at a remote location about to move the Norge to a flat area at a campsite after loading. It was early in the morning and the other campers were still enjoying the peace and quiet. The Norge sits at a nice angle on the side stand when un laden, but obviously closer to the tipping point with heavy gear on board. I straightened the bike up with a view to wheeling it manually away from the general area so my departure could be as quiet as possible given that I could roll down a nearby hill and start the bike 100 metres away. With helmet and all the gear on I reached out "blind with my left boot and flicked the side stand to what I THOUGHT was up, and proceeded to wheel the bike backwards with about all the strength I have over soft rough ground, (not easy). I didn't know it but the stand was only half retracted and was about 3" from the grass, as I rolled the bike backwards the side stand contacted my hard toed boot and further rear movement only resulted in the stand deploying DOWN this meant the bike began to lean AWAY FROM ME AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT ! The darn thing fell away and did some minor cosmetic damage to it's poor self and I really struggled to lift it up. I could not do it again if I tried but hope to save someone the same feeling and expense. Huzo.

[Old Jock]

There are riders who have dropped their bikes at standstill......... ................... ...............and those who are about to

Nice of you to post the advice even at your potential for ridicule

Me................. ..........well, many moons ago at large square in Paisley with my "cool" 750 Trident parked up on the sidestand.

Steaming hot day and the bike was next to the railway offices where all the workers were hanging out the window to get some air

I stroll manfully across heave the bike upright, kick it into life and take cooly take off to gasps of "how cool is he"................... ........well almost............. ......left the bloody steering lock on and proceeds to eject myself off said motorcycle onto the pavement

Loudest cheer I think I've ever had

This year I dropped the Sfida at walking pace too and I'm still waiting on the bits to repair it

Its not a regular occurrence but its not that rare either

Glad both you and bike were undamaged

John

[lazlokovacs]

yep. slow speed drops. it happens!

[charlie b]

SAD club.  Stopped and dropped.  Had a few myself, almost all related to the sidestand.

The worst was when I dropped the T5 when I first got it.  Rolled it up, pushed down the kickstand and it was fine.  Let go of it and the stand sank an inch and over it went.  But, the tank was in just the right spot to hit a largish rock, putting a significiant dent in the tank!  Nope, cyl head just missed.  That was the 'most expensive' drop I've had.

[lucydad]

Huzo,

You get the good intentions award of merit, with additional sash of positive karma. 

Incredibly hot today here in Houston.  Tar snakes moving around. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFIWWM0Iv-U

Impossible to stay hydrated....

[LowRyter]

I hate it when that happens

[oldbike54]

 Well dangit 

  Dusty

[Idontwantapickle]

Huzo, we all do it. Some don't talk about it!
When I was young I threw my K100RS on the ground a number of times
Usually it was after a long time in the saddle. I would hop off and reach down for the pop out handle to hoist it onto the centerstand and the two of us would do the slow motion dance to the ground on the offside.
Good times. Good times.

Hunter

[fotoguzzi]

a couple weeks ago I got to the cabin after dark (almost hit a deer) with a loaded pack on back (not shown) parked in the soft sand and then put a board under SS.. so it wouldn't sink in.. got off, turned around and saw in slo motion as it tipped over to the right side from the weight of the pack on back.. burried the throttlemiester in the sand and the full tank spewing gas.. I had to quickly undo the pack bungees before I could lift her up.. lucky for me the DR weighs in about 366# ? coulda never done that w/th Bassa. the Lemans- maybe..



sorry to rushed to get the photo on her side in the dark..

[fotoguzzi]

then there was the time my Buell SS stubbed my toe so bad it took 4 months to heal.. not to self, always put SS up when maneuvering around the garage.

[JeffOlson]

I've done that, too, only my Norge was unloaded and in my driveway. It thought its side stand was down and decided to fall down when it was not.

Good thing I had insurance! In true red-suspenders style, I cashed the $2,200 insurance claim check, did not fix the bike, and rode it as-is with a few minor (but expensive) cosmetic blemishes.

[Gliderjohn]

The Norge down twice and you can tell it. The T-3 3 down twice, not a scratch. My Suzuki GS 400 down several times when I was young and dumb. It took it without a scratch also. At least none of these occurred in front of other riders. Poop happens.
GliderJohn

[davedel44]

Old Cali down going all of 1mph coming out of my brother's drive had to get a neighbor to help right her.

LD got pinned under his racer had to call EMS to save him.

Stuff happens!

Dave
Galveston

[tris]

.......... and the worst thing is that you can't blame anyone else 

Dropped  mine the other week so known where you're coming from

[lucydad]

Yep, blame does not much work.  My friend Ed pointed out to me later that I could have simply rolled the bike to the edge of the garage entry, leaned it, then moved the stuck side stand down.  These days I keep my stand grabber on, and also had it greased up.  Bad design. 

[Duc-Duc-Goose]

Definitely feel your embarrassment and frustration, Huzo. Anyone who says it hasn't happened to them either isn't being honest, or doesn't ride enough. And these Norges are painfully large and heavy. If loaded, it's like lifting one and a half full 55 gallon drums of IPA (I used to work at a chemical plant  ). And they're top heavy to boot!

A couple of my tips on my Ducatis were my own stupidity - I thought the stand was fully extended, but it had retracted. And the "expected" lean to the ground was reached, but it was too late when I realized the stand wasn't in place to support the bike. Boink! We've all done it ...

Cheers

[greyghost]

I feel your pain.
I recently dropped my V7 when I decided to turn around and help a tortoise cross the road. The best turn-around was a church parking lot. I didn't notice the slope until I had stopped, and the bike started to fall over. My left leg wasn't long enough to reach the downhill side! Not only was I down, but I was beyond horizontal. Imagine my embarrassment when I had to accept help from a passing 16-year-old to pick it up.
 
No good deed goes unpunished, right?

[greyghost]

And on second thought... I have discovered that the V7ll centerstand REALLY needs a bungie to the front wheel to stay deployed. I'm so glad I have the engine guards.

[n3303j]

Senior moment at the local Honda shop when I pulled in to the lot on the T3 and got off without deploying any stand. Forgot I wasn't on the sidecar rig that day.

[charlie b]

Yep, the RULE is you always do the most embarrassing drop when in front of a larger crowd of motorcycle riders.

[Red Dog]

Funniest & most embarassing was at a local coffee shop where the college kids hung out. 

Pulled in did a quick, tight turn to get into a parking spot & just fell over.

No damage just bruised ego.

[Guzzibrat]

Rolling up to a T junction on my T3 California and caught my trouser leg on the knee protector. Slow roll and try not to squeal.
Same year pulled up OK and put my left foot down onto the grass. Sadly there was a large hole covered by the grass and down I went.
Pretty sure it's good for the soul in some way
Steve