First Ride on my GSA today...dropped it.

[sedanman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sP3cqKbOEs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=BeLkrPkjimo

 

[redbeemer]

Good but..

Hondarider,

Your snowmobile stories still make me giggle every time I think of them, which is usually triggered by seeing someone doing the unbelievable.

Alan

 

[Paul_F]

Last year, for my first ride on the K, I wheeled it back it out of the garage and then at a 90 like I always do to allow me to ride it out of the driveway. This time I had too much of a lean and dropped it, before even getting on it or getting to the street. Stuff happens.

 

[RIK]

If I was smarter, I'd keep this to my self...but it was funny...and I'm stupid. Very first ride on the GSA today...in the rain...on brand new TKC80s. Took the bike down to get an inspection sticker in preparation for the warm temperatures that the weather man promised for next week. Made it down the hill...no problem...rode across town...no problem...sticker...check...riding home...accellerating as I exited a corner...crossed a man hole cover...slippery...tail end kicked out...AND...nothing happened...regained traction and rode home like a pro. However...pulled into the driveway...rode up to the garage door...attempted to perform a very tight u-turn in front of the door so that I could back in...standing on pegs...turning...turning...steering lock...no more turning...too close to the door to make the turn...hit brakes...foot down...too late...going...going...gone!

Not to worry, your GSA was just sleepy after an arduous day. Scratches and broken stuff give them character.

 

[HONDARIDER]

Fortunately the GS has some handy handles on either side of the passenger seat...I was able to lift it like the video shows...I mastered that on my Valkyrie years ago...the funny part of this drop was that as the bike was falling, I was holding the bars and struggling with every ounce of strength...still it kept going...inch by inch...muscles straining...fighting the pull of gravity...and then...when I couldn't do anything more...and I was sure that I was going to pull a muscle or hurt myself...I gave up...I let gravity win...accepting the inevitable gnashing of metal and plastic...and the bike fell about an inch.

Turns out that I wrestled it almost completely to the ground...the bags and the bars stick out so far that it seems to rest at about 45 degrees. I'm sure this whole thing would have been terribly amusing to a bystander.

 

[tmoyer]

The video posted above essentially shows you how to do it. One thing I will add that has made all the difference for me. Look up! As you are lifting with your knees, look up at the sky. Not sure why it works but it does.

 

[SGTBILL]

I was able to attend the BMW Enduro school in Hechlingen, Germany while I was stationed over there in the 90's. The instructor for my group was a woman who rode a R80GS (the anniversary model they produced) like it was a YZ125. Our first lesson was "How to pick up the bike". She demonstrated the proper technique first on a flat surface (in this instance a dirt parking lot). She then rode part way up a berm and stopped, lowered the bike to the ground and showed us how to rotate the bike on a cylinder to get it into the correct position so you weren't lifting the bike uphill. Watching that bike spin on the cylinder is something I won't ever forget.

 

[captwheel]

I know the feeling. I bought my 07 GSA in March of 2011. The last bike I road was a 78 Yamaha 750, 30+ years ago. I had about 100 mi on the GSA when I was taking off for the Overland Expo in Tuson. I live in N IL so I was dressed to the max (about 33 deg), looked like the michlen man. When pulling out of the garage to the end of the driveway, as I come to a stop I could not get my foot off the pegs in time & guess what! Luckily my buddy was there to see me off, & we got her stood up, dusted me off, & I climed back on & went on a 5k m trip.
Phil

 

[dualdoc]

Shortly after getting my GS had gone riding in nearby National forest. The gate to one of the side roads (a little bit better than a single track) was open and I had to explore. About 3 miles in, it ends at a creek. I park the bike and go exploring. When I get back the side stand had dug into the sandy ground and then bike is on its side at a down hill angle. No cell phone service, about a 10 mile hike to civilization .... after about a 45 minute struggle I got the bike lifted. Wish I had known the spinning trick then.

 

[bigwaves]

Just did the same thing. short turn and was backing in the garage. The bike landed on the foot peg and cylinder head. No damage just ego. Glad to see others have done the same. Now i am thinking about some kind of protection for the heads.

 

[HONDARIDER]

I've got cylinder head guards from Machineart Moto X Head Cylinder guards...they're pretty nice...not sure if they were put on after the previous owner dropped it...they're suspiciously scratch free.

 

[bubbagazoo]

I assume this is the only reason that the Can Am Spyder exists...

My plans for when I no longer have any sense of balance

And a Burgman when I can no longer lift my leg over a bike.

 

[dude987]

Ditto. Did a similar thing with my 2011 R1200RT. Thought the side stand was down and it wasn't. Leaned it over too far and by the time I realized something wasn't right it was too late. Dumped it. If I could have kicked myself in the butt, I would have really hard. Moaning to myself what a dumb a$$ I was.

Got the side stand enlarger from Wonderlich and no more trick side stand. Works every time.

 

[jnerges]

If I was smarter, I'd keep this to my self...but it was funny...and I'm stupid. Very first ride on the GSA today...in the rain...on brand new TKC80s. Took the bike down to get an inspection sticker in preparation for the warm temperatures that the weather man promised for next week. Made it down the hill...no problem...rode across town...no problem...sticker...check...riding home...accellerating as I exited a corner...crossed a man hole cover...slippery...tail end kicked out...AND...nothing happened...regained traction and rode home like a pro. However...pulled into the driveway...rode up to the garage door...attempted to perform a very tight u-turn in front of the door so that I could back in...standing on pegs...turning...turning...steering lock...no more turning...too close to the door to make the turn...hit brakes...foot down...too late...going...going...gone!

How ridiculous! 25 years of riding and I just dumped it in the driveway...at 2 mph. The crashbars are certainly effective, but what a big heavy pig this thing is. Fortunately, my tank was 100% full so it was like picking up a normal motorcycle with a 70 pound kid sitting on the bars. I hope this isn't a harbinger of things to come. Maybe I should have bought a Ruckus scooter instead. So lame.

Dropped an RT in front of a diner, all the patrons were in the window and the little ones were pointing. Wrestled it up, hoped on and sped away, stopped and surveyed the scratches. It was fascinating how perfectly balanced it was sitting on the Right Side Cylinder Head. You could spin like a top.