Moral: Always listen to those more experienced!

[PointyPete]

Firstly: Hello All.

I'm new to the forums, biking and the joys of SV ownership. Passed my test on last Thursday, put down my deposit on an impulse on Saturday, bike delivered yesterday and DROPPED TODAY!

To cut a long story short my brother is quite experienced and works in the local bike shop. My driveway is steep, slippery and akward even in the dry. Brother told me not to try and get the bike up it on my own in the wet.

Of course I ignored him! Now have broken indicator and brake lever and scratches on the silencer and bar end on an otherwise mint bike that I've not ridden yet. :oops:

I can't afford to insure it for a few weeks anyway. I had no reason to be getting it out other than the fact that I was sitting on it with the engine running and the gate was open.

I know I got away lighty but still am > :x , :oops: and :cry:

[Tomcat]

would have done the same mate ! bad luck, brother will love the I told you so moment :)

[Baph]

I've done the same drop, only to the left side.

One of those rights of passage things... :) (My excuse anyway)

Welcome to the madhouse!

[Mogs]

Welcome,

That's rotten awful luck mate, and now you have to face your bothers "toldyouso" all over Christmas.

[on yer bike]

I got mine, brand new, a week later tried to turn it when polishing, went into a funny angle, (couldn't take the weight as I was used to a 125cc bike) and dropped it onto my steps, luckily the corner of one of step went right into the exhaust causing the impact to be softened on the bike, no damage to the front, or the tank, luckily... but there was damage to the tail, I know exactly how you feel, it can really break you.

Welcome to the forum, and I hope it hasn't put you off, the sv is a brill bike.

[Ed]

Oh Lordy, another one... I dropped mine week before last, see thread 'panels are expensive'.

[PointyPete]

Actually my brother couldn't have been better, I phoned him at work to order replacement parts, he took a half hour break, did a 20 minute journey in about 10, helped me back down the drive, took the brake lever back to work, found a match from his Kwak stock, tracked down a Suzuki dealer with an indicator in stock and had it sent first class.

I came off about an hour and a half ago, if I'm lucky with the Christmas post I should have the bike back together tomorrow night!! :shock:

[fizzwheel]

Doh !!!

Hint - this is what god invented crash bungs for :wink: Don't beat yourself up about it we've all done it.

[PointyPete]

My word, the replys come quickly 'round here!

The crash bungs are on order but they didn't do much good this time! Actually I think they may have saved the edge of the can but tipped the bike forward on to the fairing so I may have been lucky, It'll be a good excuse to get the hacksaw out sooner rather than later anyway!

I can't have my bro's Superduke being louder can I? :wink:

[on yer bike]

If you're ever looking for a cheap can, the wanted section here does wonders, its one of the few wanted places that actually gets read and there is always someone around with the thing you need sitting about being unused that they want rid of.

[Beenz]

Welcome.

Sorry to hear about this. Just put it down to eperience.It's so easy to do as well. I guess most of us have had low/no speed drops.

I never had crash bungs (R&Gs) on my SV, but I do have them on my curent bike. They can be a good investment having seen the things do the job first hand to a neighbours bike that had a low speed tumble.

Look forward to getting out on the bike in the future and catch up with a few more bods here. Oh and I can reccomend the CCC zorst can, they sound fantastic. My neighbour has my SV now and am envious of the sound that bike makes compared to my Yoshimura.

[anna]

Well welcome to the .org.. sorry to hear about your little incident.. trust me I would have done the same though...

...although it sounds like you owe your brother a very very nice Xmas prezzie! :wink:

Chalk this one up it happens to all of us at some point just be glad you got yours over with on the first day! :wink:

[Jelster]

If anybody tells you they've never dropped (or almost dropped) a bike when they first got one, don't believe 'em. Moving a bike around takes a bit of both confidence and experience.

I dropped my SV within a couple of days, turning it round on the drive. Luckily I slid my leg under it in time so it didn't get damaged. Hurt like $%&£ though :lol:

Welcome to the site mate....

.

[Beenz]

Another small bit of advice, after you've pushed the bike to turn it round or anything, flick the side stand down before getting on it and/or hold the front brake on before geting on. It's all too easy to topple over when you get on it without a stand. Nearly toppled a few times for not doing this myself.

[Alpinestarhero]

I nearly dropped my SV the other day u-turning. Ran out of room and met the steering lock :shock:

My driveway is slippery too, I take it dead slow and steady moving my bike in and out of the garage.

Oh...

...Fit some crash bungs!

Matt

[PointyPete]

Well thanks for all the shared stories and advice guys. :D Hopefully the crash bungs will get here sooner rather than later.

I've done the brake lever already and also discovered I can't get the bike up the step into the garage backwards without someone pulling on the grab rail. Tried rocking it on the forks but to no avail. My bro seems to manage it tho some hopefully it'll come with time and a little regained confidence.

Also tried to change the bar end. Managed to move it about 1/2 cm out before it got stuck, now won't go back in or come further out. Any ideas about this, knock it back in with rubber mallet to try and loosen it? Or is it just a case of brute force? :?

[Stig]

Hey, look on the bright side. EVERYONE drops thier bike at some stage when new to biking. At least you have already done it now and at 0 speed too. IF you are going to drop the bike, then this is the correct speed to do it. :wink:

[oldjack]

Pete, the layout of your garage and driveway sounds similar to mine, I ride my bike up the drive, and ride it up the step to the left side of the garage. I sit on it to reverse it out, turning it to the right all the time so it is across the drive outside the garage, then ride it forwards down the drive. I never try to turn it around unless I'm sitting on it. I am tall enough to keep it upright sitting on it but not strong enough to stop it falling if I am pushing or pulling it.

[PointyPete]

Pete, the layout of your garage and driveway sounds similar to mine, I ride my bike up the drive, and ride it up the step to the left side of the garage. I sit on it to reverse it out, turning it to the right all the time so it is across the drive outside the garage, then ride it forwards down the drive. I never try to turn it around unless I'm sitting on it. I am tall enough to keep it upright sitting on it but not strong enough to stop it falling if I am pushing or pulling it.

Sounds like my drive's the opposite of yours: it slopes up away from the garage getting steeper all the time until it levels off for the pavement. There is a short level section of drive across some grass between the pavement and road where my Mum's car was parked so I was trying to ride up the drive (it is far too steep to push or paddle) and around the corner on to the pavement, however I was trying not to launch in to the front of my Mum's car and was trying to do it without slipping the clutch, so I stalled just as the front wheel made the pavement, my right foot found the flowerbed instead of the driveway (a couple of inches lower and soft clay) and that was that. Next time I think I'll not be lazy and move the car! :?

[on yer bike]

Also tried to change the bar end. Managed to move it about 1/2 cm out before it got stuck, now won't go back in or come further out. Any ideas about this, knock it back in with rubber mallet to try and loosen it? Or is it just a case of brute force? :?

the bar end should come out without too much force, try loosening the screw a bit more then get a good grip and get someone to hold the bike as you pull :roll:

[northwind]

What sort of crash bungs do you have? Suzuki's own? If so, get some real ones :) Even when those work, they don't work too well.

Also, instead of trying to do stuff like that with the throttle, more clutch control is needed I'd say. Unfortunately it's not that easy to aquire, but if you get the revs up and slip the clutch you'll have far more control and you won't stall it. You might, on the other hand, dump the clutch and ride into the mini at 30mph, so be careful!

Like's been said, most of us will drop their bike some time. Me more than most :) Just learn from the mistake, fix the damage, and move on. If you're afraid to scratch it you'll never really ride it- at the end of the day, as pretty as they, both tools and toys pick up marks as they're used and played with.

[PointyPete]

What sort of crash bungs do you have? Suzuki's own? If so, get some real ones :) Even when those work, they don't work too well.

Also, instead of trying to do stuff like that with the throttle, more clutch control is needed I'd say. Unfortunately it's not that easy to aquire, but if you get the revs up and slip the clutch you'll have far more control and you won't stall it. You might, on the other hand, dump the clutch and ride into the mini at 30mph, so be careful!


I think I've got some R & Gs on order. My Brother's sorted it all out through work and he wouldn't get me any old rubbish.

I was worried about launching into my Mum's car 'cos it was the first time I'd ridden the bike and wasn't sure of the clutch. Was always getting told off for not using enough revs for slow speed control during my training, I actually thought about it as I set off but was feeling a little blaise (sp?). Still lesson learnt. My bro has actually agreed to give me some 'Getting Up The Drive' lessons over Christmas!! He will, as someone said earlier, be getting an unusually large gift this year for introducing me to biking.

Northwind, love the viper stripes, didn't I see your bike in one of the mags a few years back? Despite owning a pointy I think the guys got the styling right first time. The mid to late 90's were a high point for bike styling as for as I'm concerned with 916, VFR750 (the one that looked a bit like an NR), Blackbird, various Bimotas etc, etc. I don't think modern bikes are anywhere near as pretty.

[northwind]

Nah, never been printed... Its appeal is more selective ;)

[ejohnh]

What sort of crash bungs do you have? Suzuki's own? If so, get some real ones :) Even when those work, they don't work too well.

Also, instead of trying to do stuff like that with the throttle, more clutch control is needed I'd say. Unfortunately it's not that easy to aquire, but if you get the revs up and slip the clutch you'll have far more control and you won't stall it. You might, on the other hand, dump the clutch and ride into the mini at 30mph, so be careful!

Like's been said, most of us will drop their bike some time. Me more than most :) Just learn from the mistake, fix the damage, and move on. If you're afraid to scratch it you'll never really ride it- at the end of the day, as pretty as they, both tools and toys pick up marks as they're used and played with.

I need to get some crash bungs for my k2 naked. Where would they fit Norfie?

JohnH

[PointyPete]

I need to get some crash bungs for my k2 naked. Where would they fit Norfie?

JohnH

This may help. :wink: http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=49206

[SteveH]

Once I neally dropped the bike while the better half was getting off it, that was my old SV and my first bike, but I did drop the ER5 I was learning to ride on :oops: :oops: