My First Downer

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

I've heard of people doing offroad riding (or even speedway taster days) to get used to the feel of a back wheel letting going without panicking, so that might be another idea.

Exactly what i did, on an old honda xl125 that my cousin brought for 100 quid

that poor bike was thourouly abused

Matt

Originally Posted by lylej

i really hate it when this sort of thing happens, like when im doing a slow u turn and dropping the p!s!n bike doing about 3MPH i loose my footing then you hear the unmistake able . . . .CRUNCH . . . it hurts my pride more than anything lol,

Yep, like the time I got my bike out of the garage for a wash (it, not me) and wasn't really paying attention to the fact that I was parking it face down a small slope. Just rolled off the sidestand and...

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

One of the things thats good to do is to spend a couple of hours in a gravelly carpark, or in a feild, locking up the front and back wheels - this can help to develop that intuitive sense that you know when the bike is gonna lock up. I spent some time doing this a few years ago, when i started riding on private land, and it helps somewhat.

Good to make these sorts of reactions second nature. Went to visit the girlfriend performing a Shakespeare tour at the Mapperton leg and parked up on sopping wet grass. When I pulled off to move it and rejoined the gravel I realised I was going a little fast and instinctively grabbed the front brake. One front end slide later and I was a little nervous and my nuts hurt like hell from cracking the tank Kept the bike up no problem but it just shows what happens when you don't pay attention properly!

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

I've heard of people doing offroad riding (or even speedway taster days) to get used to the feel of a back wheel letting going without panicking, so that might be another idea.

Yep, I realise that this would be invaluable for control of a road machine when things go wrong. It's no wonder that many of the top racers started life dirt biking.

Gonna book myself onto the BMW off-road course in Wales prior to my mammoth bike trip, think it'll pay off on the road too.

Good you're ok.

At the end of the day, if you're on a two wheel and you use it everyday, you will drop the bike at some point, even when standing still because you forgot to put the stand (hope I'm not the only one...) or something.

It's good your first drop was a 5mph stop and not a "45% lean angle / I think I am Rossi" type of crash!

get back on the bike as soon as you can!

Oh Sh*t, well at least you're ok... Now for a really embaressing injury read on...

I was over the moon. I passed my test 3 weeks ago, searched around for 1 week to find the "right" bike- an 8 month old SV650 Sport and am just getting used to the woah factor when rolling on the power and building confidence. And then.
I'm backing it into a bike parking bay.
....and my hamstring rips.

I was doing around 1mph. if that.

just proves that it's NOT speed that injures.....
Not only that it'll probably be september till i can get back on. So i'll miss the summer grrr.

Make sure you all get out and enjoy the sun everyone!