Embarrassed rider
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 38
Likes: 10
From: louisville tn
It takes awhile to get use to the weight of a Harley. I have rode bikes all my life. there is a lot of difference between a Honda and a Harley. People will say you should have started with something smaller to learn to ride, and for basic riding skills I would agree, but if you dumped the bike it was probably due to not being used to the weight.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 243
From: Maine
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.......
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,044
Likes: 336
The nerves alone riding a brand new bike can get many riders riled up - if you think that was embarrassing wait till the first time you pull in someplace and forget to put the jiffy stand down ...welcome from Colorado
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,681
Likes: 233
From:
First time riding a harley i picked it up off CL, showed up at this guys house to get it. He lived on a hill with a gravel path up to his garage. I bought it, sat on it and started it up. I had been riding for years but never a harley. I was intimidated by how loud it was and the shaking of it. I had no idea how much power it had (sounded like alot) and the thought of taking it down a gravel driveway for my first time scared the crap out of me. To make things worse there were two guys standing there, good old boys saying "go ahead man, take off!!" I let out on clutch too fast and the bike jerked forward onto the gravel i put the front brake on and down i went. No harm was done to the bike or me, the guys laughed got me back up and i tried it again. That was so embarrassing so i know how you feel.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 580
Likes: 14
From: Texas
You really do need to figure out what you did that caused you do dump the bike.
One thing that will dump your bike is if you use the front brake when the front wheel is turned at low speed. It will dump you every time. Once you learn that, you never use the front brake at low speed again, you use the clutch and rear brake. When you are making a U turn at slow speed you use the rear brake and clutch, NOT THE FRONT BRAKE.
But first you have to figure out what it is exactly that you did that caused you to dump the bike.
One thing that will dump your bike is if you use the front brake when the front wheel is turned at low speed. It will dump you every time. Once you learn that, you never use the front brake at low speed again, you use the clutch and rear brake. When you are making a U turn at slow speed you use the rear brake and clutch, NOT THE FRONT BRAKE.
But first you have to figure out what it is exactly that you did that caused you to dump the bike.
Last edited by MikerR1; Oct 13, 2016 at 11:33 AM.
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Joe Kucinski
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,101
Likes: 1,013
Get some practice, or take a course.
First tip, NEVER hit the front brake at low speed if the bike is not totally upright.
If it's leaning just a bit, hitting the front brake will cause you to kiss pavement
quicker than you can say aww ****!
First tip, NEVER hit the front brake at low speed if the bike is not totally upright.
If it's leaning just a bit, hitting the front brake will cause you to kiss pavement
quicker than you can say aww ****!
