Embarrassed rider
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,310
Likes: 2,446
From: Eastern NE
Welcome & nope...
Said it once & I'll say it every time = NEVER buy your "dream bike" as a "learner." You know the result...
Sorry to hear about your mishap, but feel lucky you're still able to dust-off & saddle up again.
Said it once & I'll say it every time = NEVER buy your "dream bike" as a "learner." You know the result...
Sorry to hear about your mishap, but feel lucky you're still able to dust-off & saddle up again.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,583
From: Wisconsin, USA
I'm not assuming. He says it in his post: "I was very excited and nervous being this was my very first Street bike."
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 5,627
Likes: 1,382
From: Monroe, North Carolina
Welcome from Monroe NC
You didn't get hurt bad that's all that counts. You will be fine this will build your confidence not to do it again. You are not the only one with stories like this. Forget about it and move on to be a excellent rider!
Last edited by wideglideCVO; Oct 13, 2016 at 09:23 AM.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 605
Likes: 313
From: Colorado
Welcome and don't worry about it. It happens. I'll give you one that's a lot more embarrassing.
Packing up my E-Glide at a dealership in Albany, GA after getting a head pipe fixed. A guy is outside riding his new soft tail standard around the parking lot, very shakily. After four laps he stops, shakes hands with the salesman, and says he's gonna smoke a cig and then take off.
Salesman (who doesn't want to watch) goes back inside. As I'm finishing up I notice the guy trying to start the bike with no luck. I watch him for a couple minutes and he asks "What am I doing wrong?" I walk over and show him that the kill switch is in "kill".
He turns on the kill switch and hits the starter button almost simultaneously... without pulling in the clutch... bike in gear. It starts. His legs go up in the air as the bike takes off across the parking lot. Right into the side of a car. Rider ends up laying on the hood. Bike on ground. His very first motorcycle ever.
Helped him pick up the bike and ride it back to service department for him.
So see? It happens.
Packing up my E-Glide at a dealership in Albany, GA after getting a head pipe fixed. A guy is outside riding his new soft tail standard around the parking lot, very shakily. After four laps he stops, shakes hands with the salesman, and says he's gonna smoke a cig and then take off.
Salesman (who doesn't want to watch) goes back inside. As I'm finishing up I notice the guy trying to start the bike with no luck. I watch him for a couple minutes and he asks "What am I doing wrong?" I walk over and show him that the kill switch is in "kill".
He turns on the kill switch and hits the starter button almost simultaneously... without pulling in the clutch... bike in gear. It starts. His legs go up in the air as the bike takes off across the parking lot. Right into the side of a car. Rider ends up laying on the hood. Bike on ground. His very first motorcycle ever.
Helped him pick up the bike and ride it back to service department for him.
So see? It happens.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,651
Likes: 1,278
From: PA
The issue isn't that you dumped your bike. As you see a lot of people have done it as well. The issue @ hand is do you understand WHY you dumped the bike? Can you pinpoint and recall why it happened and have you learned from it?? If you don't know what you did or why it happened that would be concerning because you are more than likely gonna do it again and maybe next time you won't be so lucky.......
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 1,735
From: Variable
Welcome.
I echo the thought about the MSF course...
Also, I don't know that I agree with the idea of buying a "starter" bike. I believe understand the reasoning behind the idea of a starter bike, but I am not sure I agree with the premise that when you learn, you will drop your bike, or otherwise damage it. I am not sure that that is the right mindset to get used to.
Sounds like the OP either just had really bad road conditions, or does not know how to properly control the bike.
One time when I was on a solo ride, I pulled into a truck stop diner. A guy comes running out and starts telling me that he really likes my bike, what is it... He then tells me he has been riding for over 15 years, and just is getting into Harleys. He lost control of his last bike when coming out of a parking lot - and he asked me how I control such a heavy Harley (I have a 2016 Softail Slim S). I told him that for me, at slow speeds, it was all about slipping the clutch and feathering the rear brake. He had absolutely no idea what I meant by slipping the clutch. He didn't even know that that was a technique that should be used. So I referred him to an MSF course (he has never taken one, but learned to ride from a buddy).
R,
Sanjuro
I echo the thought about the MSF course...
Also, I don't know that I agree with the idea of buying a "starter" bike. I believe understand the reasoning behind the idea of a starter bike, but I am not sure I agree with the premise that when you learn, you will drop your bike, or otherwise damage it. I am not sure that that is the right mindset to get used to.
Sounds like the OP either just had really bad road conditions, or does not know how to properly control the bike.
One time when I was on a solo ride, I pulled into a truck stop diner. A guy comes running out and starts telling me that he really likes my bike, what is it... He then tells me he has been riding for over 15 years, and just is getting into Harleys. He lost control of his last bike when coming out of a parking lot - and he asked me how I control such a heavy Harley (I have a 2016 Softail Slim S). I told him that for me, at slow speeds, it was all about slipping the clutch and feathering the rear brake. He had absolutely no idea what I meant by slipping the clutch. He didn't even know that that was a technique that should be used. So I referred him to an MSF course (he has never taken one, but learned to ride from a buddy).
R,
Sanjuro
Last edited by Sanjuro; Oct 13, 2016 at 07:39 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 33,718
Likes: 3,723
From: Connecticut.
2 kinds of riders, those that dumped, and those that haven't. There are way many people that have dumped, than didn't dump yet, don't sweat it , take a safety course and welcome to the street side.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,573
Likes: 113
From: Fort Worth, TX
Welcome aboard! It happens, don't worry about it. As a couple of other posters mentioned, take the MSF or riding course ASAP if you haven't already.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,238
Likes: 5,784
From: On the Big Blue marble
Nearly had my 1st dump last night
After 40 years I nearly had my 1st dump last night. I'm living in a new house and had to move the bike. I park in the alley and drove in the dark down a narrow corridor without issue. When I got to the yard, theres a brick patio where I was moving the bike to. Well the bricks were wet at I came within 2 inches of a dump. I shut her off, gained composure and righted the bike. Man, road kings are heavy..