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I dropped my bike today

By webwench (Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 08:49:48 AM EST) (all tags)

at the gas station, in a terrible rolling-off-the-centerstand accident...

and then my fiance dropped his too, while laughing at me

...

And not a mark on the bikes, or us, stationary drop and all. We just looked really silly.

Worst thing is, we didn't take a photo

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I dropped my bike today | 26 comments (26 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

You're both by blixco (2.00 / 0) #1 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 08:58:52 AM EST

fired.

But your bike can definitely take being dropped. Even from a small building.
---------------------------------
"You bring the weasel, I'll bring the whiskey." - kellnerin

Seriously by webwench (4.00 / 1) #2 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:11:30 AM EST

I'm torn between continuing to use the centerstand every time by way of practice, or just using the sidestand (the wimp's way out)... that sidestand business is the only point of operation where I don't have my legs quite yet.

^{Getting more attention than you since 1998.}
[ Parent ]

I have to say... by toxicfur (4.00 / 1) #3 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:17:11 AM EST

centerstands do look complicated. Dropping a bike is one of the things I'm worried about when I get mine next spring/summer - I'm not sure I'd be able to get it up again, at least not easily.
-----
If you don't get a Bonnie, my universe will not make sense. --blixco
[ Parent ]

: Someone by blixco (4.00 / 1) #7 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:49:46 AM EST

will always be by to help, though I've never had a problem levering a bike back up...even some full-dress models that outweigh my car.
Center stand is something that BMW owners use a lot, because....I don't know why. It's always been easy for me to get a bike up onto it's center stand, but getting it down can be tricky if the bike is heavy. But the side stand is stable for parking duty, and fairly upright with most bikes. And, most bikes don't even have a center stand. If you need a maintenance stand, there are some neat wheel jacks that look like the jacks used on GP bikes.
Just...ignore BMW pilots. They're a strange bunch of people. Nice, quiet, and riding machines that tend to be used for Saharan expeditions. Sort of like me driving to work in a Huey.
---------------------------------
"You bring the weasel, I'll bring the whiskey." - kellnerin
[ Parent ]
: many moons ago, when i almost by StackyMcRacky (2.00 / 0) #14 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:39:34 AM EST

bought a bike i was given this piece of advice: never buy a bike that you can't pick up all by yourself. you're going to lay it down at some point, and you never know if you'll have help or not.
(note: since i decided to move to Houston, I never bought a bike. GOOD move on my part - this is not a small-vehicle friendly city)

[ Parent ]

I only use my centerstand for repairs by georgeha (4.00 / 2) #5 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:33:28 AM EST

the side stand is easier, and feels more stable (you end up with a wider base).

[ Parent ]

Sidestand! by blixco (2.00 / 0) #8 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:51:52 AM EST

BMWs are usually parked on the center stand, and I have never understood that. To me, the center stand is a maintenance piece, like a jack.
---------------------------------
"You bring the weasel, I'll bring the whiskey." - kellnerin
[ Parent ]

I am coming around to your point of view by webwench (2.00 / 0) #13 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:31:26 AM EST

and may subscribe to your newsletter in the future.

What I've heard about the boxer engine and centerstands is that, if you leave the bike parked for longer than a few hours that way, one cylinder ends up less lubricated than the other because the oil all runs from the high sode to the low side... then again, if it's on the centerstand, all the oil runs out anyway, does it not?

...maybe I need to crack open the maintenance manual before coming to any 'edumacated' conclusions.

^{Getting more attention than you since 1998.}
[ Parent ]

Just gently use the kickstarter once or twice by georgeha (2.00 / 0) #15 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:43:01 AM EST

to get the oil circulating, then start it. It works for me.

[ Parent ]

: no kickstarter :( by webwench (2.00 / 0) #18 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:47:50 AM EST

I have recently heard that some smaller guys leave it on sidestand anyway, though.
But I can do this centerstand thing, I just need more practice at it.

^{Getting more attention than you since 1998.}
[ Parent ]

Wait, by blixco (2.00 / 0) #24 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 03:49:12 PM EST

it kicks over so far on the sidestand that the oil draining becomes a factor? Hrm.

I'm thinking that doesn't sound right. See, my car is situated in such a way that the cylinders face up, toward the sky. Everytime it fires, they raise their fists.

And it is parks with the engine facing up.

Gravity being gravity, oil leaves the engine, though most journals and channels will still be coated well enough to live through the microsecond of no oil. Especially with the Royal Purple that i use, but any oil should coat the necessary parts well enough to survive. Sure there's some wear, but not a ton.

If I were concerned, I'd buy an AmsOil system.

Now, if oil is puddling around the "bottom" cylinder, somehow causing oil to soak into parts it shouldn't, like a ring or whatever, then OK.
---------------------------------
"You bring the weasel, I'll bring the whiskey." - kellnerin
[ Parent ]

Generally speaking by Gedvondur (4.00 / 1) #4 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:30:00 AM EST

You don't use the center stand for brief stop-overs. Unless the terrain makes it necessary. Most riders carry a "puck" to put the side stand on in case they are on a soft surface.

The center stand provides more opportunity to have the bike fall during the center stand mount and dismount operation.

Use the side stand, no shame in that.

Gedvondur
"Well, one of the two girls I'm friendly with out here is a Christian and she wouldn't do the things I want to do." --Sapphire

I was worried there for a minute... by atreides (2.00 / 0) #6 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 09:43:38 AM EST

My stomach clenched when I read that title. I was afraid "dropping" also involved "cruising at 60 MPH". Now I feel much better.

Oh, yeah and...

_{He sails from world to world in a flying tomb, serving gods who eat hope.}

CenterStand.... by jad3675 (2.00 / 0) #9 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:07:43 AM EST

My '03 R1100s BCR doesn't have a CS, which makes maintenance a bit of a pain. I wouldn't use a CS for anything but maintenance. Do you stop, put the bike on the SS and then put it on the CS? Seems like too much work for me...

If it makes you feel better, the day I brought my BCR home my friend wanted to take it for a spin. Since he used to ride pre-marriage, I let him. He gets on the BCR and lifts it off the side stand and promptly lays it on the right jug. Did I mention the jugs have $600 Carbon Fiber valve covers? Luckily the only thing damaged was his pride, though I made him pick the bike up by himself.

That sucks by barooo (2.00 / 0) #10 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:26:14 AM EST

glad there's no damage though.

I know it's a matter of time, which is why I have a $1300 bike. I use the sidestand unless I'm doing maintenance or parking it in the garage for a long time (because it takes up a few inches less room that way). I have noticed that bimmers are usually on the centerstand though. Not sure why. My fiancee always parks her scooter on the centerstand, too.

When you say "rolling off the centerstand" do you mean getting it up there, getting it off the stand, or while it was up?

re 'rolling off the centerstand' by webwench (2.00 / 0) #16 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:43:48 AM EST

After fueling, I was getting it off the centerstand.

For those who haven't experienced the wonders of centerstands themselves (and this is my first centerstand bike) here's how I get the bike off the centerstand: I get on the bike while it's on the stand, and lift my rear out of the seat, with feet on pegs. I then have to throw my weight forward to roll the bike off the centerstand. I kind of nibble at the brake on the way down so as to make the descent a little gentler, and I also seek to maneuver my weight off my feet/pegs and onto my ass during the descent, so as to be able to put my feet to the ground for balance by the time both tires reach the ground and the centerstand is no longer providing any support.

Somewhere in that tricky peg-to-ass transition, I messed up, and before I had my feet down, the bike was headed glacially leftward. When it gets past a certain point, I can't stop it going over.

From the fiance's point of view, he wondered what the hell I was doing when I had the bike down and my left foot still on the peg. I think I thought I was still descending when i was already at the bottom.

^{Getting more attention than you since 1998.}
[ Parent ]

Obgreyrat That was was the most erotic by greyrat (2.00 / 0) #19 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:51:28 AM EST

description of anything I have ever heard about motorcycling. plspstvideokthx.
~
There is absolutely no correlation or causation amongst intelligence, power, talent and wealth.
Kha-Nyou
[ Parent ]

it was the terms 'pegs' and 'ass' by webwench (2.00 / 0) #20 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 01:52:48 PM EST

that did it, wasn't it.

^{Getting more attention than you since 1998.}
[ Parent ]

: Well...pretty much all of it. by greyrat (4.00 / 1) #22 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 03:27:34 PM EST

I was actually going to exerpt the suggestive parts here, but it'll be easier to exerpt the NON-SUGGESTIVE parts:
"For those who haven't..."
"...the ground..."
"...I think I thought..."
That's it.

~
There is absolutely no correlation or causation amongst intelligence, power, talent and wealth.
Kha-Nyou
[ Parent ]

your by barooo (4.00 / 1) #21 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 02:45:37 PM EST

feet don't touch the ground?

I just sort of powerwalk (well, not powerwalk, since it's not running, but you know what I mean) mine dow with both feet on the ground. I'm not sure how I'd get it down if I couldn't touch the ground.

[ Parent ]

heh by webwench (2.00 / 0) #23 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 03:41:40 PM EST

I'm tiptoe when it's off the stand, haha. When it's on the stand, I can't touch the ground without hanging off one side or the other.

^{Getting more attention than you since 1998.}
[ Parent ]

: Have you seen the movie by barooo (2.00 / 0) #25 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 03:54:22 PM EST

Gattaca?
mmm..... long legs.

[ Parent ]

Heh by Phage (2.00 / 0) #11 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 10:37:53 AM EST

I have similar stories.

Arriving at service station after a winter ride over the Blue Mountains, only to drop the bike at the pump because my legs had frozen up, and wouldn't extend to the asphalt.

Coming up to the intersection where Parramatta Rd (major varicose vein of Sydney) joins the highway, there's a very big set of lights. I rumble up to the line and stop. I then put my foot down directly into a pool of oil and slide gracefully to the deck.

Founder member Golgafrinchan 'B' Ark

Nice badger [nt] by riceowlguy (2.00 / 0) #12 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:13:45 AM EST

My only comparable story by greyrat (2.00 / 0) #17 Thu Aug 16, 2007 at 11:44:21 AM EST

was on a push bike. I managed to 'go over the high side' while stopped at a light -- major intersection, lots of witnesses -- for no other reason than I had my foot in the toe clip and I wasn't paying attention. Nothing to do but dust ones self off and act like nothing happened.

Glad the bikes are OK.
~
There is absolutely no correlation or causation amongst intelligence, power, talent and wealth.
Kha-Nyou

Less informed husite. by Mole (2.00 / 0) #26 Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 08:33:32 AM EST

So which bike did you end up getting?

I dropped my bike today | 26 comments (26 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback


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