Topic: Well..I layed it down! (Read 4245 times)

drkarate49 · « **on:** July 07, 2009, 06:00:09 PM »

I have a 2007 Ultra Classic, and this is the first summer I have been able to ride it, since I got it in September of last year. My wife was on her first ride with me..what a time to happen! I have probably placed 1500 miles on it this summer already, but this was the first time I layed it down, very slllowlyyyyyy and gently, but my wife rolled off and was fine, as was the bike. I feel like a total idiot, especially since I want to get an Ultra Classic Screaming Eagle this year..I feel I don't deserve it. But...I'll keep on riding and learning.

dartman · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:03:16 PM »

The only people that don't drop their bike occasionally are the ones who dont ride them, it happens to every one sooner or later.

Twolanerider · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:04:08 PM »

Were these 1500 miles your first on a bike or just your first on the Ultra? Difficult to distinguish that from your description.

In either case very glad people and bike are fine. Certainly the most important thing. If new to riding, however, I'll share one thought. 1500 miles is nowhere near enough experience to be carrying a passenger yet.

Eqcons · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:06:06 PM »

There are two types of rider. Those who have dropped their bike, and those who are going to drop it. Welcome to the club!

Jim

Smuuth · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:27:05 PM »

I would like to second the statement above by Twolanerider. If you have only 1500 miles total riding experience, you are not ready to be carrying a back seat rider.

Please also take the beginning rider's course offered through most HOG chapters or ABATE chapters. It will give you more confidence and make you a better rider.

Don't feel bad about laying your bike down, it's good that it happened slowly and not in traffic. Good luck and be safe.

Buy early · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:27:52 PM »

Dropped mine last year after about the same amount of miles. Going too slow in a parking lot and looked at the front wheel as I thought it felt squishy. That's all she wrote. Had enough adrenaline to pick it up after just learning the proper recovery method that morning (me & a buddy were out in Sturgis for bike week). I was embarassed as heck but at least it was behind a Best Buy store and there was no one around to witness my error.

I agree with others, we all lay 'em down sometime. Glad no one or nothing was injured but your pride.

RidinRuby · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:29:34 PM »

If I had a nickel for every time I layed my bike down, I'd have... Ok 15 cents

charlie · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:50:20 PM »

I have layed my ultra cvo down 2 times both with my wife on, once in the sand and once in the rain, I still don't like riding in the rain but today I got caught in it and all was fine. Be careful and ride safe. Glad you are both ok.

drkarate49 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2009, 06:59:36 PM »

Those 1500 miles are with this bike so far this summer. I had a '94 Low rider for 6 years..but wife never rode with me.

Jon Seddon · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2009, 04:22:47 AM »

Quote from: drkarate49 on July 07, 2009, 06:59:36 PM

Those 1500 miles are with this bike so far this summer. I had a '94 Low rider for 6 years..but wife never rode with me.

I've ridden bikes for 30 odd years and the Ultra is difficult at very low speed. I've found that for me I use much more rear brake at low speed than any other bike which seems to tighten it up and also when you put your foot down you have to be very positive.

Off out on Big Bertha now, I hope I haven't invited the Gods to frown on me!

Jon

faceracer · « **Reply #10 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:39:05 PM »

Welcome to the Club. I am a 3 time member over the bars club! I have seen more Ultras hit the ground than panties at Chillicothe! They are a little top heavy and tough to handle. When I started riding this new SERG I realized when ever I stop and while stopped both feet must remain on the ground. If the passenger moves it really seems to throw me around. This is the heaviest bike I have owned and I can see it will get you down fast. Glad you and the misses are OK! Face

DICKW · « **Reply #11 on:** July 08, 2009, 02:56:00 PM »

I went from a Dyna Wide Glide to the Ultra, first thing I did was take another class. It wasn't the beginners course it was the advance course.
Do not let your pride get in the way of being taught something. I have also watched the "Ride like a Pro" video several times.

Although I have never dropped my bike, I have been forced to lay it down (twice) once on the Dyna and once on my Ultra.

Just get back up and learn from it, no big deal.

Glad to hear that no one got injured.

ultrafxr · « **Reply #12 on:** July 10, 2009, 03:48:31 PM »

Quote from: Eqcons on July 07, 2009, 06:06:06 PM

There are two types of rider. Those who have dropped their bike, and those who are going to drop it. Welcome to the club!

Jim

Jim, actually there are three types of riders. The third is on who has dropped their bike but lie about it!

Jerry

sawyerghost · « **Reply #13 on:** July 10, 2009, 05:35:06 PM »

I dropped off my my FLHTCUSE3 at dealer yesterday for some warranty/mod's.
As I pulled into the service area there was a tow truck with what looked to be a very shiney 883 Sptstr.
Well the story goes like this.
Bike was sold and driven away that same day only to return on a tow truck, with bent shifter peg, and bars.

Bike was apparantly stuck in gear and not ridable.

It had 23 miles on the odometer.

So, dkkarate 49, these things just happen!

Have a lot of fun this summer on your Ultra!

Harley Guy · « **Reply #14 on:** July 11, 2009, 10:31:56 AM »

Quote from: RidinRuby on July 07, 2009, 06:29:34 PM

If I had a nickel for every time I layed my bike down, I'd have... Ok 15 cents

I also have 15 cents......on my 2009 SEUC....

I had my 2004 Heritage Classic for 5 years (39,000+ miles) and NEVER collected any nickels.

DICKW · « **Reply #15 on:** July 23, 2009, 02:13:47 PM »

Ok........I layed it down today.
No ones fault but my own, I was on a hill coming to a stop sign and needed to go left up a hill......just a goofy position and the Handlebar went right. I didn't even try to fight it....I would have pulled something. I let it go down as easy as I could....man you gotta love a Bagger! I scratched the lower fairing and my Black tip on the muffler.

Picked it up (just like they teach you in Ride like a Pro) and finished my ride up to Conn.

Not proud of it but not really upset either.

Just wanted to fess up..... that was my first time without any help from idiot drivers.

Twolanerider · « **Reply #16 on:** July 23, 2009, 04:45:41 PM »

Quote from: DICKW on July 23, 2009, 02:13:47 PM

Ok........I layed it down today.
No ones fault but my own, I was on a hill coming to a stop sign and needed to go left up a hill......just a goofy position and the Handlebar went right. I didn't even try to fight it....I would have pulled something. I let it go down as easy as I could....man you gotta love a Bagger! I scratched the lower fairing and my Black tip on the muffler.

Picked it up (just like they teach you in Ride like a Pro) and finished my ride up to Conn.

Not proud of it but not really upset either.

Just wanted to fess up..... that was my first time without any help from idiot drivers.

Be proud Dick. Be proud. Hey, at least you didn't do it directly in front of about 35 friends on 25 bikes all parked at a gas stop

.

Back when the group was in Eureka Springs a few months ago I did just exactly that. Was maybe eight weeks or so past having wacked off a big hunk of my left index finger with a miter saw. It still had a couple of hypersensitive spots. So everyong had finished fuel. The whole crowd was lined up behind me because, well, nine-finger-twolane was lead that day.

Don't remember what right now but something required me to circle around. So I rolled forward to make a nice night U-turn on what was about a 20 degree grade in a little section of the parking lot. Quirky maneuver anyway, but not that big a deal. Except...

As I'm nursing the clutch and bringing the bike around in the right hand turn the end of the damn finger hits one of the sensitive spots. With a mind of its own it tries to go behind my head. So dumped the clutch, killed the engine and on over the bike goes on the little downhill slope right in front of everyone.

Don't think I'd hit the ground before a half dozen were already the 25 foot or so across the lot and standing the Road Glide back up. Fortunately my right hand didn't get as stupid as my left. It knew the bike was going to fall. And so did the right foot. So the brakes got hit. Forward motion was stopped. And I could set it down as slowly as I could manage on that grade. In the end it was right on the front and rear crash bars and not a mark on the bike. But the damn finger hurt for a couple hours

.

DESERTBEAR54 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 23, 2009, 04:58:42 PM »

Well as you can see most people that own a ultra have layed them down. I have layed my 08 SEUC over three times with my girlfriend on it. It had to do with me getting used to the higher center of gravity and not making my mind up which parking space I wanted to turn into until the last second. 30,000 miles later I don't make those choices anymore. It all has to do with getting used to the bike/carrying a passenger and NOT making last min decisions on turning. Thank God it's only the EGO that gets hurt in this situations!!

tompen · « **Reply #18 on:** July 23, 2009, 06:43:15 PM »

It's a pretty big club. Stopped too quick on a turn, on a hill. Was stopped when it went down.

Compu_blast · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2009, 11:07:06 PM »

Quote from: tompen on July 23, 2009, 06:43:15 PM

It's a pretty big club. Stopped too quick on a turn, on a hill. Was stopped when it went down.

One of those hard cafe racer right turns where the footpegs almost craping when ~OOPS! sand~ frontwheel starts to go where No front wheel should ever go.
So after my right heel toutched the ground at a highrate of speed {Motocros style save}the sole of my Boot Slaps the ground so hard that any old scool princapel would be so proud of the sound of WHACK!
Toes tingeled for an hour,~~BUT What a Save!

napalm · « **Reply #20 on:** September 02, 2009, 02:52:09 PM »

Well, now that you layed it down once, you don't have to worry about it!!!!! Just ride....

I dropped my 2006 SEUC, forgot to put the kick syand down...started to get off and down she went!!!! No damage, surprisingly since it was on my gravel drive way!!!

Get that SEUC!!!

napalm

Elixer · « **Reply #21 on:** September 02, 2009, 03:23:05 PM »

been there, done that...that said, if its the SEUC that your heart is set on, then climb on and get moving. We all learn from our mistakes and from them, lessons are learned that we typically do not forget and thus forego repeating.

Lets all remember the learnings from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF, Rider Safety)....SEE (see / evaluate / execute).

Great to know the only piece of you and your wife that got hurt was your pride.

even though we ride alone at times....we are never truly alone.

Author Topic: Well..I layed it down! (Read 4245 times)

charlie