Avoiding dropping my precious bike

[Queline]

:on:

I am a new 'biker' and even newer Monster owner (S2R)
Any tips on how to keep the bike upright when stationary slow manouevres and when trying to push it around parking etc, I've had a few heartstopping moments!!!! :dizzy:
I suppose benchpressing a few weights would help my feeble girlie muscles but any tips would be appreciated.

[Nonnie]

Hi, really I guess it's just practise. Remember your training and remember to look where you want the bike to go. Try not to stop on a camber or over a pot hole where your foot should go! To be honest, once it's gone over the point of no return just try to be gentle! Most drop their bikes. Don't worry!

I rarely push the bike, I always paddle it, that way I feel more in control and I think it gives better balance.

Take your time too and don't be rushed. If it feels wrong then take a minute, breathe and try again when you're ready.

When I first passed, I was very nervous about riding alone but I put in a few hours as and when, just riding around, took him into carparks and in to town and then out into the country to get used to how he handles.

Now, I crave those few hours when I can.

[Gilps]

Make sure you have a friend with you and just practice moving it about. When I am off the bike moving it about, I find it best to let my leg take the weight with the tank resting on it, just cover the front brake to stop it sliding away from you. The big mistake is to try to keep it dead upright and balancing whilst you move it. It only has to tip the other way a little and then it's going away from you. Not much you can do at that stage.
Don't be afraid to get off the bike to move it either. I'm quite short so sometimes when I have ridden into a parking space, to get the bike out I manouevre it whilst off the bike, point it in the right direction, then off I go.

[SazzaG]

Welcome!

Also being a girlie (and a short one at that), I sympathise with you - I once dropped mine up at Bury Hill when wheeling it backwards (in front of lots of people).

The tips I have are always keep the brake in reach, lean it slightly towards you, and practice!

By the way, I'm your friendly Sussex rep, so I hope to see you out and about. Keep an eye on the forum for events going on (weather permitting of course!).

Saz

[singletrack]

Hi queline
welcome to :ukm:

I hate to say it but most new bikers drop their bikes.
The good thing about a Monster is that there are no fairings to ruin.
If you are really worried I would get a set of R&G crash bungs so damage is limited.

Slow speed manoeuvres are generally tricky - get off the bike and push it if you need to! A lot of ladies find Daytona Ladystar boots helpful - they add about an inch to your height and it is easier to paddle the bike.

The best way to learn how not to drop it is by experience - get out there and ride. It will eventually become easier.

Have fun.
Anne x

[Stafford]

I'm quite short .

Understatement :chuckle:

[Nickj]

At low and very low speeds don't wave your legs around like a waddling half paddling duck, not only does it look so uncool it also keeps moving your point of balance and generally unsettles the plot. :eek:
Get used to lifting your feet up and then you can use you knees and feet pushing down on the pegs and small steering input to keep you balanced. Keep gentle power on and be very gentle with the clutch throttle and brakes. Unless you feel like you in instant danger of falling over then you can put a foot down once you've stopped the bike.
Does it work? Used to be what we got all the kiddies to do on the old RAC/ACU training scheme, we also used to take perverse delight in doing very tight figure of eights round the cones on a Gold wing at sub walking pace.
Proper form is clutch out feet up, bike stops feet down
Moving the bike 'by hand' keep it just off vertical and towards you, it's not about strength but subtlety of balance.
Personally I always park up so I'm aiming where I want to go later, it saves embarrassment. You learn from bitter experience that any bike triples its weight when it's lying down and all available grab points become totally inaccessible !!
Practice out of sight somewhere its easy really.

Oh alternative is never go slow anywhere any time, Chappers can tell you all about that one LOL

[MrsJel]

As everyone else has said - when you're moving the bike around - just take your time. If you're not happy - practice somewhere with someone the other side of the bike if it helps you (my hubby always has big bikes usually with a centre stand, so when he does get a new one he stands the other side of the bike while I put it on and off the stand a few times). When you're stopping, have a quick look around you - and if you can remember your training. Parking up can be something else, again just take your time and think about what you're doing and how you're going to get out again! If you do need some height - I'd definitely look at the Ladystars (mine are 4 years old like comfy slippers now and I wouldn't be without them).

Really sorry - it is definitely experience that helps most. Better share my first "drop" - first week riding my first big bike, parked bike downhill, not in gear, it rolled off its stand and onto its side (seems so obvious now). A bloke helped me to pick it up and he told me I should get a smaller bike (imagine that), I moved it to face up-hill then a traffic warden told me I was in a disabled space!

You'll find that nearly everyone has done something stupid at some time its best not to worry about it - enjoy your riding.

Carole

[Gilps]

Understatement :chuckle:

I'm going to report you for being size-ist.

[JerryXt]

all the above is excellent advice, but remember that the engine is like a big gyroscope when it's spinning, so don't be afraid to rev it and slip the clutch when you're doing low speed manouvers. It really helps keep the bike upright.

Enjoy and be safe!

Oh, and welcome to the club!

[gary tompkins]

Bit drastic but it worked for me :p

[Gimley]

Good point by Jerry.
When going slow on mine I keep my feet firmly planted on pegs, rev a little higher and pull the clutch in to biting point and more or less use that to control the speed with a little bit of rear brake..Should be just like you were taught to do your U turns on your training. Bike is a lot more stable when its got drive going to the rear wheel.

Im only 5' 3" so have difficulty paddling the bike around. I do like others have said above and look ahead at where and how I want to park. Take my time and push it if I think it will help. Dont care what anyone else might think because, hey, its my bike and I want to keep it looking new.

If all else fails do as GT did and put bloody great stabilizers on it :biggrin:

[Queline]

Wow loads of great advice , Tx :biggrin:

No doubt will be back for more tips!!!

[spm23]

Avoid low speed as much as possible :)

[J.P]

All the advice is right on. And the only real solution for slow speed manouvering is practice. I flippin hate it and even after a year and lots of training I still look like a complete novice at slow speed turning, I'm ok in a straight line and find that with a little bit of revs and plenty of back brake you will find the control coming back to you.
And as for moving it around by hand, make sure you leant he bike into you, that way hopefully any lean in the bike can be caught by your body quickly, if it's away from you & it goes, you're buggered !

[chudies]

get some R&G blocks put on the bike
i am new to riding, had a few close calls, but with the R&G on, know it should cause too much damage!

[gremlin]

I'm tiny too and have found I can't get my legs around pegs, so it's a get off and wheel it when parking. I've just done my test and doing u turns was a nightmare, everyone says you never do another one after the big day but if you can get the hang of them it's easier to move the bike when on board. I have a camber/pothole phobia as the only times I've come off have been down to trying to put a foot down where there's no road, luckily I've done a fairly graceful roll away from the bike for the camber but dislocated my knee on the other. Trying to time lights so you don't have to stop makes life a bit easier too. It's all practice, you will drop it and wish the ground opens up but I don't think there is one biker out there who can honestly say they haven't done it. My instructor said not to worry about it everyone does it it's just how you brazen it out that matters! Being a girly helps, because we are expected to do it and there are usually awfully helpful chaps around to help pick the bike up. Just flutter your eyelashes do a Penelope Pitstop and you'll be fine!

[Nickj]

For a good u-turn on a monster you either need a wide road, three lanes would be about right or if you have less you just shove it down and keep enough power and momentum on to keep it stable enough not to topple. The moving part is important as the wheels will keep it stable.
Next time you have wheel off shove the spindle through and give it a good spin, now try and twist the wheel... Magical gyroscope stuff

Oh never try one on a steep downhill slope covered in gravel

[Chappers]

Oh alternative is never go slow anywhere any time, Chappers can tell you all about that one LOL

Errrrrrrr yeah :dizzy:

***does a last min lifesaver check over her shoulder***

[gremlin]

Well I've dropped mine twice now, mainly cos I only could get tiptoes down
and our drive has cambers in all directions. Had a hissy fit at his nibs and I've now sent seat to be sculpted out a bit so hopefully that should do the trick. On a flat road I could just get one foot half down and one on the back brake but couldn't get both down. Had no chance of paddling so had to get off to wheel her which wasn't too bad if she was angled into me. Problem was himself just didn't believe it was an issue, saying I'd get used to shifting body across etc, but if I did that I had one leg wafting in the breeze. Hence hissy fit! Hopefully next week I will get my seat back to try it out and it will have done the trick.

[Nim]

im sure this has already been said....but i always stand to the left of the bike (i know that sounds obvious, but still worth mentioning!), and lean bike into your right hip so even if you let go, its still being held up. works a treat, whichever way you're moving the bike. If you're moving backwards down a hill (yes, it does happen alot :)) just stay sitting on the bike or hand on the brake.

hope that helps! and dont worry if you drop it, just pick it up! I guarantee you every single biker has dropped their bike at least once

[gremlin]

Yup that's the best way. I can actually move her around quite well like that. It's not often that you'd be in a position where the bike would be really leaning over but at least you can put your whole body weight against it to keep it upright and there's less chance of it getting away the other way. There's no way to save it if it starts to go over away from you. I know some people may scoff when you get off to move in awkward places but when you're tiny it can be the only safe way. I'm not prepared to dislocate my knee again because I was too proud to get off!

[Nim]

you know what would be really funny? if we get all of us short asses on a ride out together....all dropping out bikes in sync, and fluttering eyelashed in sync to get help picking bike up. nice :)

or we could pull wheelies past unmarked police cars (ahem)...cue...fluttering eyelashes. not easy when theyre stuck together from rain and wind, but worth a try :)

lots of great tips for you there

[gremlin]

The Penelope Pitstop approach usually works! Got out of a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt by fluttering my eyelashes, men are so gullible! Would be cool to get us tinies out and frighten a few of the big chaps. Would be even better if we could all pick up our bikes though. There is a technique apparantly, think you have to put you back to the bike squatting down and then just stand up. There is a vid on Youtube with a cop demonstrating, unfortunately he goes right over the other way DOH

[Nim]

[QUOTE Would be even better if we could all pick up our bikes though. There is a technique apparantly, think you have to put you back to the bike squatting down and then just stand up. There is a vid on Youtube with a cop demonstrating, unfortunately he goes right over the other way DOH[/QUOTE]

Ive had to pick up bikes for blokes before, and my own :look:
and im not exactly strong! i just got under the handle bars and pushed it up...easy! get someone to lie their bike down (gently) and then pick it up, then you know you can :)

well.....i am going to be organising something for girls only with ducati next year (more details to follow), and all tiny girlies are most welcome!!!

[gremlin]

I'm tiny but pretty strong even with my injuries. I used to out lift the guys at the gym when I was fit, 56kilos deadlift, 30 kilos bench pressing, which considering I was only 47 kilos at the time was quite cool. It's all technique, even more so now I've done so much damage. My mates called me mighty mouse.
A girly day out would be cool, I'm trying to get a sort of club together around here as I've got a few biker mates who don't want to go out with the testosterone junkies. I think there are about eight of us so far but we haven't yet managed to get organised. I guess we'd have to meet half way if we got a Duke day set up, sort of Cambridge way as we're about 120 miles from London and take it from there.

[Nim]

I'm tiny but pretty strong even with my injuries. I used to out lift the guys at the gym when I was fit, 56kilos deadlift, 30 kilos bench pressing, which considering I was only 47 kilos at the time was quite cool. It's all technique, even more so now I've done so much damage. My mates called me mighty mouse.
A girly day out would be cool, I'm trying to get a sort of club together around here as I've got a few biker mates who don't want to go out with the testosterone junkies. I think there are about eight of us so far but we haven't yet managed to get organised. I guess we'd have to meet half way if we got a Duke day set up, sort of Cambridge way as we're about 120 miles from London and take it from there.

good plan :)

this may not help, but a group of us are planning a ride out box hill way on sat 3rd nov (weather permitting)...if for some reason anyone fancies it, we'll be doing lunch and the hand and spear in weybridge (posh pub lunch) too!
some more girls representing would be nice....as im the only one :(

[gremlin]

May not have my seat back by then, but would be up for meeting up somehow in the future. So far I've only done 120 miles in one session so it would be a shock to the system to more than double it so soon after getting on a bike. Talk about being unfit! It is cool there are so many girls on the site though so perhaps we could have a splinter group and do a few rideouts without the guys. I'll have to get out as much as poss when I get my seat so I get fit enough to keep up.