Well I know she won't appreciate this but since I don't have any stories I'll share my wife's first story.

Now, to give some background we got the Sporty because it's big enough to carry me and small enough for her to ride comfortably. She'd never ridden before so we took the MSF class and before you know it she was riding all over the neighborhood with no problem...except one. She can't back it out of the driveway. She dropped it the second day we had it because we were going to go for a ride and she wanted to start her up and pull her out. No damage to wife or bike thank goodness except for my wife's pride. I pick the bike up and we're off.

A few days later same thing, trying to back the bike out and down they go. I pick em up again thankful that both are again okay. So, I'm getting tired of picking the bike up because it happens a few more times and then I post here and you guys help me find a way to teach my wife to pick it up. Well, two weeks ago she drops it again (pulling it out of the garage) so I figure this is as good a time as any to teach her how to pick it up. She gets it on the first try! (She was a Marine too). Now I'm not so worried about her, though I do wish she'd stop dropping the bike. Anyway, more riding practice for her going a little farther and farther each time.

So, this morning she's worked up the courage and asks if she can ride into work. I should be cleaning out the garage right now so I say, "Sure, I won't be riding today anyway." Well, she gets to work and here's what she tells me when she gets there. She dropped the bike twice. Once at a stop light where she stopped too suddenly and someone helped her pick up the bike. She couldn't do it because it was too close to a curb and then when she got in the parking garage she was going around a curve and hit sand and gravel. Down she went with a little slide. This time she picked it up by herself. Luckily she's okay except for some small bruises on her leg and a large one on her pride.

I'll be going to get the bike during lunch and see if there's anything wrong. I do know that the mirrors are loose so they're probably scratched up but that's no biggie. I do have to say that our saddlebags were the best investment for the bike we have. All of the drops have been in slow motion with my wife fighting the bike on the way down so the bags have saved any real damage to both of them.

I'm just proud that my wife keeps getting back on and trying again.

 

Got the bike and not too much. A little scrape on a pipe and scratches on the mirrors and clutch and brake levers. The bags bore the brunt of it but they held up well too.

 

Glad your wife and bike are ok. If it makes you and her feel better, I have been riding with many women and men who have dropped their bikes. My buddies daughter dropped his Fatboy at Laughlin River Run in front of about a hundred people. Backing it up out of a parking space. The good thing is everyone keeps getting back on. One thing that seems to help the backing challenged is to back it in first when you get there, not when you are leaving. Most parking spots are sloped in. Probably all in their head but it seems to work. Go very slow and lots of front brake. Tell your wife to hang in there.

 

Thanks Firedude. Unfortunately she keeps dropping it while backing it out of the garage and our driveway is too sloped to back it in after a ride. I've tried so that she could just ride out of the garage but the bike is just too heavy to do it.

 

Really, if this is a problem make sure she knows how to pick up the bike correctly. Don't lift from the side with both wheels pointing straight ahead, she will kill her back. While on the ground, swing the forks all the way they will go, and lift the bike up on the front wheel following the direction of the front wheel. Try it, it works.

 

And make sure it's in gear too. It'll keep it from rolling around. I found a site that shows a small woman lifting a big BMW. She faced away from the bike and lifted with her legs. Let me see if I can find it:

http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/pickup.html

There it is. I've posted it to other forum so it's still in my cache. Lots of good info.

Carl

 

Yeah, you posted it for me and that's now how my wife picks it up. It really works well for her. I just wish I could teach her how to not drop it.

 

Do you know anyone with a small bike? Old Enduro maybe they don't mind getting a little banged up? Sounds like she just needs practice and to get used to bikes. Could get expensive if it is the Harley that gets the practice.

 

That's why she gets a rat bike to start with. My wife dropped her first Honda a few times before geting the hang of riding. She dropped her newer Honda Shadow one time and banged up her shin pretty well. Now she's on her Aprilia and has put over 6k on it over two long trips (second half of a 3k ride; took the train to Dayton to pick it up, and a 4k ride in August to Idaho, CA coast and back to Denver) without dropping it yet.

And it's such a great help for smaller riders that I post the link each time I see someone talking about dropping bikes, especially if the person is smaller.

Carl

 

Carl,

Nice website. I dropped my first bike a half a dozen times, sometimes needing assistance...wish I had had that site then.

Stones,

Tell her to keep at it! Sounds like she will. Thank goodness she is OK after the dump at work. That stuff is scary. Hopefully she had all the right gear on.

Mac