So Much For Picking Up .
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: WACO
So Much For Picking Up .
I was on a back road dirt road. Turning around I got off balance and fell over. It was on a down hill incline. Ultra was all the way over on it's left side. I tried to pick it up a couple of times with the "method". Might as well be picking up a house with my 67 year old year old legs with two knee replacements. I was just about to call my son to come help the old man. About 40 miles away. But. Then. That big old brown van showed up. It stopped and the young big strong driver got out and helped me get it back on two wheels. God Bless God and that UPS driver. I guess that was UPS paying me back for all the times it left my packages out on the street for anyone to pickup. 
And. No. I am not getting a trike. It could happen to anyone.
And. No. I am not getting a trike. It could happen to anyone.
Popular Reply
Aug 23, 2021, 10:45 PM
Thread Starter
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,149
Likes: 2,975
From: WACO
I can see your point of view. I am thinking that you can press 850 pounds from a dead squat. From a 20 degree incline. You sir are much more manly than I. I guess I should get a Honda 305 Dream.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
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From: SE Michigan
I am totally with ya. I once found myself on a gravel road, which turned into a national forest, and all of a sudden, the road turned to sand - and I mean beach sand like you are on an actual beach. Deep sand. Of course the inevitable happened, and when you can't get a grip, you are not getting that bike righted by yourself, no matter how much of a he-man you are.
I too had to rely on the kindness of passing strangers (which I thought would never happen), or else I would have spent the night in the forest.
I too had to rely on the kindness of passing strangers (which I thought would never happen), or else I would have spent the night in the forest.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Upstate New York
Happened to me when I slid off the road and high-sided back in 15. My Heritage Softail had crash bars and usually if it fell on the bars I could pick it up, but this time the bars were buried in soft dirt and the bike was fully on its side. There was also no footing in the ditch at the side of the road. I had to wait until a guy in a pickup came by and helped me get the bike up.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
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From: SE Michigan
@OLD 96 I will add that I tried to contact a nearby Harley dealership, about 30 minutes away, they gave me the razzmatazz about how they are about to close for the day, and I was ... 30 minutes away, yada yada - I was f*ing FURIOUS. So much for the Harley ethic. Given that I had seen exactly nobody in the 90 minutes that I had been there at that point, I felt like there was a very good chance they had just decided I was going to spend the night in the forest.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,149
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From: WACO
I can't remember the last time I set foot in a dearer ship just because of stuff like that. Maybe a Hog Member would fare better. IDK? I always figure I am on my own. Or. The Good Lord and Good People will help out. Such as happened in our situations.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 552
Likes: 70
From: Bellevue Washington
I fear that situation and I'm only riding softails. I laid my BMW over on it's side and I was able to get it back on two wheels, but it had a ridiculously low center of gravity and it only weighed 500lbs. The Harleys might just kill me.
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 675
Likes: 252
From: Alberta
This happens. about 3 wks ago on a ride (I should have stayed home) with high winds. Then a very strong plow wind came, all I could do to hold the bike on the road dust and rubbish blasting you.. A lady rider ahead tried to stop and got blown right over. I thought I better stop and help, go the kick stand down and then the wind picked up and pushed my bike and me over. Road shoulder had a pronounced gradient to the ditch, so I had parked about 45 degrees to the line of the road, but could not hold the bike against that blow. Scraped up my fairing and right lower. I managed to pick up the bike. I guess doing weights a couple of times a week keeps this 68 yr old sort of functioning. Kind of embarrassing stopping to help and then becoming part of the problem! But at my age and after 4 daughters I don't have much vanity left. The fix was about $300 plus tax at a local body shop. Not a perfect fix to a perfectionist but I can't tell the diff. You have to know what to look for.
The 4 daughters thing went pretty good, all the boy friends were afraid of me (beats me why though).
The 4 daughters thing went pretty good, all the boy friends were afraid of me (beats me why though).
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Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,149
Likes: 2,975
From: WACO
I can see your point of view. I am thinking that you can press 850 pounds from a dead squat. From a 20 degree incline. You sir are much more manly than I. I guess I should get a Honda 305 Dream.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 4,912
Likes: 8,987
From: SoCal
My driveway is short and steep, and my garage is way too filled with crap (mostly from my wife), so to get the bike out I have to duck walk it backwards while making a 90 degree turn, then duck walk it forward for another 90 degree turn so I am heading downhill. I am always terrified that I'll drop it on the steep driveway, in which case there is not a chance in hell I could get it up by myself, in fact even with a helper it would be really messy. Gotta clean out the garage so I can at least turn the bike around inside!!!