balance

[edsh]

are there any bikists here who have never fallen off?

 

[Simon Davey]

It's part of the real world training. 

Welcome to the forum @edsh

Edited July 3, 2024 by Simon Davey

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Only whilst stationary - so far.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Twice on snow at under 5mph - same journey. (Don't do it kids!)

 

One emergency stop - fork dive coupled with handlebars not straight. Brought it to a a halt then toppled over.

 

One moment of indecision at 2mph as a new rider, didn't have the momentum to make the turn.

 

[JRH]

11 hours ago, edsh said:

are there any bikists here who have never fallen off?

 

Probably not.

[RideWithStyles]

Agree with JRH, think it would be better to added if not how many times?

once at speed initially (the rear tyre let me down) but got it to a stop helped by a unseen bog which stopped the bike instantly at 30mph, then fell over at 0mph- still badly damaged bike.

once stationary when I thought the side side was down enough but wasn’t.

 

almost did when forgotten about the disc lock once, never done it again and hopefully never will.

 

Wife had at least two at 5-20mph, boot deep chippings at a junction along the main road when the contactor never bothered to sweep the loose shite ever! the other at the exit of a roundabout with durty diesel slopped every where. 

[husoi]

Embarrassingly a couple times stationery and a slide on diesel and water at 5mph

[S-Westerly]

Once very early in my biking career (1979) due to my ambition outweighing my competence and a couple of stationary drops in the last few years but nothing in the last 2.

[KiwiBob]

Twice!.. Both stationary .. one when I had diesel on my boot and my foot slipped away and the other when I forgot the side stand and got pinned against my garage wall.

[Simon Davey]

Fell off (and my pillion) my KE125 in the snow, no harm. 

Dropped my Z1300 trying to get down the drive at 02:00. It had a noisy 6 into 1 exhaust, and I was trying to be as slow and quiet as possible. Ironically, I Had to wake the folks to help me lift it. 

 

Numerous others I can't really remember. 

 

[Phil1]

Nothing at speed, I dropped my granddad's triumph Bonneville t120 on his steep driveway once after he let me have a go and also a cb500 on my first test (before I'd even got out the car park). 

 

[bonio]

Too many times; all when stopped or going very slowly.

Once I was rear-ended at a roundabout and got shunted off the bike, but not hurt. Each time I've been able to pick the bike up and carry on riding.

[Fender1515]

Two of note, 

One in South of France, long sweeping corner, amazing views, diesel patch on the apex, got a good look at the scenery and then the tarmac, traveling around 6omph, that one urt, me and the bike.

South Wales, leading a group to the hotel, at end of an amazing , long day, .mini  round about appears, not on satnav, a new housing estate, with diversion signs off the main drag,  Grit all over the road, turned in way to late and fast. Down we went, and two guys behind be decided to do the same, as show of solidarity.

 

Oh, just about every weekend when scrambling racing, didn't seem to hurt in those days!!!

[Nick the wanderer]

Not on Sat Nav.

All the reason you should ever need to look where you are going instead of relying on a satnav to tell you about a mini roundabout and gravel on the road.

 

[AstronautNinja]

Slid a 50cc bike across an Odeon carpark thinking I was cool at 16 "blasting" round

 

Upon reflection I must of looked an idiot but in my head is was cool AF

[Bender]

32 minutes ago, AstronautNinja said:

Slid a 50cc bike across an Odeon carpark thinking I was cool at 16 "blasting" round

 

Upon reflection I must of looked an idiot but in my head is was cool AF

With age and experience comes wisdom least you've realised, some folk never do.

[AstronautNinja]

4 minutes ago, Bender said:

With age and experience comes wisdom least you've realised, some folk never do.

Luckily I was a kid with no money. If I had any serious income I'd of had neons and a race pipe on my 7bph monster.

 

I remember getting smoked by my mates 900cc cincechento. My god did I pull my best race face for that launch off the lights

[bud]

The funniest one that springs to mind was when I  ploughed a furrow down somebody's front garden.

I had just got my 250 and didn't realise I was going about 20 MPH too fast to make a corner. I went straight up their drive hard on the brakes. But locked the front when I hit the grass.

They were having breakfast in the kitchen at the time and came rushing out. And didn't seem too concerned about the garden. As long as I was okay.

I quickly made my escape.

[AstronautNinja]

Not quite the same but as a cyclist part of becoming a true lycra w**ker is falling over sideways at the lights / cafe becasue you've not approached at the correct angle and couldn't get the offending foot unclipped quick enough.

 

I did this in spectacular fashion outside a cafe, falling through what felt like endless chairs whilst shouting OH BOLLOX only to be laid on my side moments later

[Phil1]

My boss did something similar the very first time he tried out his new clip on pedals and shoes. Fell over onto the side of a police car after he couldn't get unclipped. 

 

Luckily the police laughed it off as a genuine accident and didn't expect him to pay for the damages.  

[Edbeef]

I’ve only fallen off once in my short biking career.

 

I passed my CBT4 years ago, bought a 125 and run it around absolutely fine for three or four months. I was doing so well I decided it was time to get on a 600. Well, that was my intention anyway.
 

Before getting the big bikes out the instructor put us on a 125 again just to make sure that we are ready and I decided to do some kind of advanced manoeuvre on a cul-de-sac.

 

Panicked, I gripped very hard and the next thing you know I was doing a superman over the handlebars as my front wheel collided with a curb.

 

I was doing 5mph but still managed to dislocate my left shoulder! I’ve had four years off and forgotten how much that hurt so now I’ve re-qualified and bought a new bike. I should never have sold my old one. What falling off does is teach you a very very good lesson.

 

 

But no matter how careful you are, there’s always a chance that somebody could knock it out from under you. I reckon the more you worry about it, the higher the probability something might happen! Remember - Your bike will go where your eyes are looking!

Don’t look at a ditch

Edited July 6, 2024 by Edbeef

[Treebeard74]

I bought my FJ1200 from a guy who'd had it from new since 1997. He kept it in a carpeted room and it was pretty mint. Even has the original chain. I bought it this year and it had done 9000 miles. Day 2 I dropped it doing about 20 mph in Bristol. In my defence, I had to brake hard to avoid someone pulling out of a junction in front of me (no ABS) and the bike just skidded beneath me. They're heavy lumps these FJ1200s. I was cursing myself all the way home. Luckily only very superficial damage to a fairing guard!

 

Phil

[AstronautNinja]

On 06/07/2024 at 07:41, Phil1 said:

My boss did something similar the very first time he tried out his new clip on pedals and shoes. Fell over onto the side of a police car after he couldn't get unclipped. 

 

Luckily the police laughed it off as a genuine accident and didn't expect him to pay for the damages.  

It's 100% happening to anyone getting to grips with those pedals. Anyone who says they haven't is lying.

[RideWithStyles]

I have to say I joined the STTC (stuck to the clip ons) club, many many years ago.

quite new shoes and clips were set up well, sometimes a little more effort but always let go when testing. happened at a set of lights on a very busy main road on both sides on full show, Didn’t hurt much but pride and confidence very dented. 

[Steve_M]

On 04/07/2024 at 22:34, Bender said:

With age and experience comes wisdom least you've realised, some folk never do.

At what age does wisdom kick in? Did I miss the boat? 
 

falling off… or learning opportunities if you survive. Over the course of 34years

 

• Overconfident on my CX500 after a year of ownership  entered a bend too quickly and had a bit of a slide down the road.
• turned into a minor road from the A47, got distracted by the cleavage of a woman in a open top car, didn’t see the gravel. 
   
• After a long day in cold and wet conditions in France I took a micro-nap. Luckily in a hairpin bend so was only travelling slowly.
• Riding in the muddy car park at Goodwood on my FJR1300 aiming for the ramp straight ahead when a car drove down said ramp causing me to take avoiding action. 
   
• France again. Pulled up to the exit of a hotel, put my foot down and the ground was a bit further away than I expected. Both my front wheel and my rear wheel being on slight raised tarmac. Fully laden BMW R1200GS with pillion had an unexpected lying down moment.
• A weekend off-roading with Trail Rides Wales saw me run out of talent as my wheels got stuck in a gravel filled rut. That was a quite impressive launch into the air, luckily landing on my back allowing me to break fall. 

Edited July 12, 2024 by Steve_M