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Embarrassed


JesterPilgrim
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So yesterday I took the bike out for its first real spin. Before that, though, I dropped into the motorbike shop where I'd bought it. Thought I'd get some maintenance bits and bobs. Anyway, as I parked up in the forecourt, I lost balance and dropped the bike to the right. Staff rushed out to help me. Was SO embarrassed that I didn't even go into the store, just mumbled something about the camber of the forecourt and not being used to the weight yet, before they left me to sort myself out and I just got back on and left.


Anyway, now I'm feeling stupid and can't even face going back there!

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Dont worry about it mate, most of us have done it. Im just lucky that when i did it with my old bike it was in my garden out of view lol.

Like has been said, be aware of the ground, look at the ground where you want to park up before you even get to it to assess the risk.

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Anyway, now I'm feeling stupid and can't even face going back there!

 

I passed my test.


I bought my bike.


Early one Sunday morning I went up to an empty business park to practice slow speed stuff.


Lost commitment on a turn I probably could have done and dropped the bike.


Couldn't pick bike up - the previous owner had taken the pillion seat handles off to 'make the bike look nicer', and I couldn't get enough grip on the rear of the bike.


Was beginning to contemplate calling my wife for assistance.


A tiny dot of an old lady walking her dog came past.


"Do you need a hand my love?"


Well... yes I did. Just asked her to steady the rear for me whilst I did the heavy lifting.


Thanked her profusely and quickly put my helmet back on.


Don't sweat it. I guarantee those staff have seen loads of people do it AND have personal stories of their own. One benefit of this forum is you'll discover most bikers have their own tales of embarrassment.


In case you haven't done so yet, grab a towel or blanket, lay the bike down on it and practice picking it up. In my case, I had been trying to get my bum close to the floor like people recommend. I saw an alternative method where you rest the edge of your backside on the seat. For me personally that was MUCH better, especially coupled with the pillion seat handles which I put back on (I prefer holding onto them when pushing the bike backwards anyway).


In my opinion half of getting over the fear of dropping the bike is knowing if it happens you can pick it up easily enough. Then you can just focus on laughing it off in front of whoever is around as you pick it up.

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I took my second new bike back to the dealers the day after I picked it up because something was loose. They said no probs, pop it round the back to the workshop and they'd sort it. The shop was on a busy high street and this was Saturday lunchtime. The little access road to the workshop was about 100m up the road. So I got on the bike and waited for a gap in the traffic and gunned it for a gap that I saw. My new RD350 picked up a bit quicker than my CD175 that I'd just parted with. So I shot across the road on the back wheel, straight towards a queue of people at a bus stop, who parted like the Red sea. I shut the throttle quickly and thumped the front wheel down and managed to swerve and keep the bike on the road. And wobbled up the road and round the access road to the workshop. To be greeted with "Alright Barry Sheene, what's up with the bike then?" I wished that the ground would just open up! :oops:

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I took my second new bike back to the dealers the day after I picked it up because something was loose. They said no probs, pop it round the back to the workshop and they'd sort it. The shop was on a busy high street and this was Saturday lunchtime. The little access road to the workshop was about 100m up the road. So I got on the bike and waited for a gap in the traffic and gunned it for a gap that I saw. My new RD350 picked up a bit quicker than my CD175 that I'd just parted with. So I shot across the road on the back wheel, straight towards a queue of people at a bus stop, who parted like the Red sea. I shut the throttle quickly and thumped the front wheel down and managed to swerve and keep the bike on the road. And wobbled up the road and round the access road to the workshop. To be greeted with "Alright Barry Sheene, what's up with the bike then?" I wished that the ground would just open up! :oops:

 

That sounds so familiar :D

1974 West Drayton High Street on a Norton Camando. Same thing “take it round the back to the workshop” lot more powerful than my old BSA C25, big fist full showing off, resulting in an almost uncontrollable wheelie. Didn’t go through the bus que just got a lot of slow hand clapping and jeering, let alone the very embarrassing comments from the shop staff, never had the front to go back there again :oops:

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Anyway, now I'm feeling stupid and can't even face going back there!

 

Don't ruminate on it - the culture at bike shops is still firmly in the old-school - you don't get to be a valued part of the gang unless and until you have been initiated.


Anyone can hand their money over for goods and services, but when you need a small favour, or an 'off the books' conversation about fault diagnosis, your shared history ('remember that first time you came here and you dropped your bike? Hahahaha') is what will get you that help, where the polite but unmemorable customer who goes un-noticed will be referred to the service manager's desk for a copy of the workshop time vs cost analysis.

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Glad you and bike are OK, had the Bandit down this year for the first time pushing it backwards, mortified but got it back up and had a laugh with the "witnesses", people i have know for a long time and they know I don't make a habit of it. Good advice on practice lifting, it is all technique no matter what bike and with the adrenaline flowing you will have no trouble. Yep and get back to the shop ASAP to get it over with, if they are enthusiasts they will tell you some good stories. It can be a nice ice breaker if you are new to the dealer.


All the best and + 1 for the crash bungs


Rob B

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I dropped the gs in Portland. We'd been out for Thai food the night before. Fed up of the bland food I asked for extra hot. All they did was cover the plate of food in vast amounts of dried chilli flakes but I fronted it and ate the lot. Of course that meant I was up all night drinking litres of water and going to the loo. We left accommodation the next day. 43 degree heat and increasing dehydration, stomach still churning we pulled into a restaurant car park to get a drink. Stopped on a camber and over she went dumping me and my girlfriend on the floor. With all the stuff on the bike and me feeling crap we couldn't lift it up but thankfully a bloke came over and helped. This stuff happens

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Life's too short to be embarrassed. I bet there aren't many on here , if any , who haven't dropped a bike at least once . It doesn't matter how careful you are , it will happen. I dropped my GSXR 1100 last year but there was no damage because I was stuck underneath the bloody great thing !

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:stupid: Also bikers enjoy sharing their d'oh moments with other bikers.


I fell on a bus a while back (silly filtering, clipped a kerb over I went).

Oh and did I mention it was a bus full of school kids.... THAT'S embarrassing!!!

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Anyway, now I'm feeling stupid and can't even face going back there!

 

I dropped my newly purchased GPZ900 at school. Not just at school but right in front of the main building at break time.


I leathered up, got on and realised the keys were still in my pocket so stood up a bit to reach in and get them... Over it went - Crash!


I still had a few months of school left and I got the piss ripped royally at every rugby practice and match.

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In these time of major embarrassment I only have to say thank God for full face helmets . As they can't see you burn in them .i have dropped my bike like twice in matter of weeks doing a slow turn 1st with my daughter on the back in front of about 20 ppl outside a church. (So had to jeep the ban language down)


2an with my wife on the back when there was no one around till I went to pick up the bike cuppl ppl came out there houses asking if I was ok 2 cars stopped (One guy helped me pick the bike up) it was like where did all these ppl come from ..


So the challenge I guess is to find a biker who not got one these story's to tell .

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Don't worry about it.

We've all done it.


Neil's lager fuelled philosophy incoming.


When you enter a room/situation.

Learn to think "I hope I like them "

rather than "I hope they like me"


Embarrassment is temporary and only a sign of a little nerves.

Sod it. Be right :thumb:

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  • 4 weeks later...

haha i know what you mean, i dropped by CBF600 twice in about 2 weeks.

First time whilst parking up at work. I was on it, engine off and i leaned it too far right whilst turning right.

Second time, i attempted to put it on centre stand on uneven road (silly i know).


Luckily just my ego and crash bars bruised lol.


This video helped me alot:

">
(How To Pick Up A Motorcycle)
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Me and the missus went to France the other year, rode all the way there ;;;;;;; no issues.


Pulled up outside the biker hotel, 100's of people there.


Thought I had put side stand down...........NOPE :D :D :D :D :D :D


all the panniers & topbox broke open......... Mrs knickers blowing in the wind :D :D :D :D :D


It happens mate....... go in and make a joke of it with them and thank them for coming out. All will be good

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