Avoiding dropping my precious bike - Page 2

04-10-2007, 12:07 PM

get some R&G blocks put on the bike
i am new to riding, had a few close calls, but with the R&G on, know it should cause too much damage!

04-10-2007, 12:16 PM

I'm tiny too and have found I can't get my legs around pegs, so it's a get off and wheel it when parking. I've just done my test and doing u turns was a nightmare, everyone says you never do another one after the big day but if you can get the hang of them it's easier to move the bike when on board. I have a camber/pothole phobia as the only times I've come off have been down to trying to put a foot down where there's no road, luckily I've done a fairly graceful roll away from the bike for the camber but dislocated my knee on the other. Trying to time lights so you don't have to stop makes life a bit easier too. It's all practice, you will drop it and wish the ground opens up but I don't think there is one biker out there who can honestly say they haven't done it. My instructor said not to worry about it everyone does it it's just how you brazen it out that matters! Being a girly helps, because we are expected to do it and there are usually awfully helpful chaps around to help pick the bike up. Just flutter your eyelashes do a Penelope Pitstop and you'll be fine!

Nickj · 04-10-2007, 07:17 PM

For a good u-turn on a monster you either need a wide road, three lanes would be about right or if you have less you just shove it down and keep enough power and momentum on to keep it stable enough not to topple. The moving part is important as the wheels will keep it stable.
Next time you have wheel off shove the spindle through and give it a good spin, now try and twist the wheel... Magical gyroscope stuff

Oh never try one on a steep downhill slope covered in gravel

24-10-2007, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nickj

Oh alternative is never go slow anywhere any time, Chappers can tell you all about that one LOL

Errrrrrrr yeah

***does a last min lifesaver check over her shoulder***

24-10-2007, 04:42 PM

Well I've dropped mine twice now, mainly cos I only could get tiptoes down
and our drive has cambers in all directions. Had a hissy fit at his nibs and I've now sent seat to be sculpted out a bit so hopefully that should do the trick. On a flat road I could just get one foot half down and one on the back brake but couldn't get both down. Had no chance of paddling so had to get off to wheel her which wasn't too bad if she was angled into me. Problem was himself just didn't believe it was an issue, saying I'd get used to shifting body across etc, but if I did that I had one leg wafting in the breeze. Hence hissy fit! Hopefully next week I will get my seat back to try it out and it will have done the trick.

24-10-2007, 05:56 PM

im sure this has already been said....but i always stand to the left of the bike (i know that sounds obvious, but still worth mentioning!), and lean bike into your right hip so even if you let go, its still being held up. works a treat, whichever way you're moving the bike. If you're moving backwards down a hill (yes, it does happen alot

) just stay sitting on the bike or hand on the brake.

hope that helps! and dont worry if you drop it, just pick it up! I guarantee you every single biker has dropped their bike at least once

24-10-2007, 06:07 PM

Yup that's the best way. I can actually move her around quite well like that. It's not often that you'd be in a position where the bike would be really leaning over but at least you can put your whole body weight against it to keep it upright and there's less chance of it getting away the other way. There's no way to save it if it starts to go over away from you. I know some people may scoff when you get off to move in awkward places but when you're tiny it can be the only safe way. I'm not prepared to dislocate my knee again because I was too proud to get off!

24-10-2007, 06:56 PM

you know what would be really funny? if we get all of us short asses on a ride out together....all dropping out bikes in sync, and fluttering eyelashed in sync to get help picking bike up. nice

or we could pull wheelies past unmarked police cars (ahem)...cue...fluttering eyelashes. not easy when theyre stuck together from rain and wind, but worth a try

lots of great tips for you there

24-10-2007, 07:33 PM

The Penelope Pitstop approach usually works! Got out of a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt by fluttering my eyelashes, men are so gullible! Would be cool to get us tinies out and frighten a few of the big chaps. Would be even better if we could all pick up our bikes though. There is a technique apparantly, think you have to put you back to the bike squatting down and then just stand up. There is a vid on Youtube with a cop demonstrating, unfortunately he goes right over the other way DOH

24-10-2007, 07:41 PM

[QUOTE Would be even better if we could all pick up our bikes though. There is a technique apparantly, think you have to put you back to the bike squatting down and then just stand up. There is a vid on Youtube with a cop demonstrating, unfortunately he goes right over the other way DOH[/QUOTE]

Ive had to pick up bikes for blokes before, and my own

and im not exactly strong! i just got under the handle bars and pushed it up...easy! get someone to lie their bike down (gently) and then pick it up, then you know you can

well.....i am going to be organising something for girls only with ducati next year (more details to follow), and all tiny girlies are most welcome!!!

24-10-2007, 09:19 PM

I'm tiny but pretty strong even with my injuries. I used to out lift the guys at the gym when I was fit, 56kilos deadlift, 30 kilos bench pressing, which considering I was only 47 kilos at the time was quite cool. It's all technique, even more so now I've done so much damage. My mates called me mighty mouse.
A girly day out would be cool, I'm trying to get a sort of club together around here as I've got a few biker mates who don't want to go out with the testosterone junkies. I think there are about eight of us so far but we haven't yet managed to get organised. I guess we'd have to meet half way if we got a Duke day set up, sort of Cambridge way as we're about 120 miles from London and take it from there.

24-10-2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gremlin

I'm tiny but pretty strong even with my injuries. I used to out lift the guys at the gym when I was fit, 56kilos deadlift, 30 kilos bench pressing, which considering I was only 47 kilos at the time was quite cool. It's all technique, even more so now I've done so much damage. My mates called me mighty mouse.
A girly day out would be cool, I'm trying to get a sort of club together around here as I've got a few biker mates who don't want to go out with the testosterone junkies. I think there are about eight of us so far but we haven't yet managed to get organised. I guess we'd have to meet half way if we got a Duke day set up, sort of Cambridge way as we're about 120 miles from London and take it from there.

good plan

this may not help, but a group of us are planning a ride out box hill way on sat 3rd nov (weather permitting)...if for some reason anyone fancies it, we'll be doing lunch and the hand and spear in weybridge (posh pub lunch) too!
some more girls representing would be nice....as im the only one

25-10-2007, 05:17 PM

May not have my seat back by then, but would be up for meeting up somehow in the future. So far I've only done 120 miles in one session so it would be a shock to the system to more than double it so soon after getting on a bike. Talk about being unfit! It is cool there are so many girls on the site though so perhaps we could have a splinter group and do a few rideouts without the guys. I'll have to get out as much as poss when I get my seat so I get fit enough to keep up.

04-10-2007, 07:17 PM	#18
Nickj Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Forest Of Dean Bike: S2r Posts: 3,195	For a good u-turn on a monster you either need a wide road, three lanes would be about right or if you have less you just shove it down and keep enough power and momentum on to keep it stable enough not to topple. The moving part is important as the wheels will keep it stable. Next time you have wheel off shove the spindle through and give it a good spin, now try and twist the wheel... Magical gyroscope stuff Oh never try one on a steep downhill slope covered in gravel __________________ "The final measure of any rider's skill is the inverse ratio of his preferred Traveling Speed to the number of bad scars on his body." Song of the sausage creature

04-10-2007, 12:07 PM	#16
chudies Guest Posts: n/a	get some R&G blocks put on the bike i am new to riding, had a few close calls, but with the R&G on, know it should cause too much damage!

04-10-2007, 12:16 PM	#17
gremlin Guest Posts: n/a	I'm tiny too and have found I can't get my legs around pegs, so it's a get off and wheel it when parking. I've just done my test and doing u turns was a nightmare, everyone says you never do another one after the big day but if you can get the hang of them it's easier to move the bike when on board. I have a camber/pothole phobia as the only times I've come off have been down to trying to put a foot down where there's no road, luckily I've done a fairly graceful roll away from the bike for the camber but dislocated my knee on the other. Trying to time lights so you don't have to stop makes life a bit easier too. It's all practice, you will drop it and wish the ground opens up but I don't think there is one biker out there who can honestly say they haven't done it. My instructor said not to worry about it everyone does it it's just how you brazen it out that matters! Being a girly helps, because we are expected to do it and there are usually awfully helpful chaps around to help pick the bike up. Just flutter your eyelashes do a Penelope Pitstop and you'll be fine!

24-10-2007, 04:42 PM	#20
gremlin Guest Posts: n/a	Well I've dropped mine twice now, mainly cos I only could get tiptoes down and our drive has cambers in all directions. Had a hissy fit at his nibs and I've now sent seat to be sculpted out a bit so hopefully that should do the trick. On a flat road I could just get one foot half down and one on the back brake but couldn't get both down. Had no chance of paddling so had to get off to wheel her which wasn't too bad if she was angled into me. Problem was himself just didn't believe it was an issue, saying I'd get used to shifting body across etc, but if I did that I had one leg wafting in the breeze. Hence hissy fit! Hopefully next week I will get my seat back to try it out and it will have done the trick.

24-10-2007, 05:56 PM	#21
Nim Guest Posts: n/a	im sure this has already been said....but i always stand to the left of the bike (i know that sounds obvious, but still worth mentioning!), and lean bike into your right hip so even if you let go, its still being held up. works a treat, whichever way you're moving the bike. If you're moving backwards down a hill (yes, it does happen alot ) just stay sitting on the bike or hand on the brake. hope that helps! and dont worry if you drop it, just pick it up! I guarantee you every single biker has dropped their bike at least once

24-10-2007, 06:07 PM	#22
gremlin Guest Posts: n/a	Yup that's the best way. I can actually move her around quite well like that. It's not often that you'd be in a position where the bike would be really leaning over but at least you can put your whole body weight against it to keep it upright and there's less chance of it getting away the other way. There's no way to save it if it starts to go over away from you. I know some people may scoff when you get off to move in awkward places but when you're tiny it can be the only safe way. I'm not prepared to dislocate my knee again because I was too proud to get off!

24-10-2007, 06:56 PM	#23
Nim Guest Posts: n/a	you know what would be really funny? if we get all of us short asses on a ride out together....all dropping out bikes in sync, and fluttering eyelashed in sync to get help picking bike up. nice or we could pull wheelies past unmarked police cars (ahem)...cue...fluttering eyelashes. not easy when theyre stuck together from rain and wind, but worth a try lots of great tips for you there

24-10-2007, 07:33 PM	#24
gremlin Guest Posts: n/a	The Penelope Pitstop approach usually works! Got out of a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt by fluttering my eyelashes, men are so gullible! Would be cool to get us tinies out and frighten a few of the big chaps. Would be even better if we could all pick up our bikes though. There is a technique apparantly, think you have to put you back to the bike squatting down and then just stand up. There is a vid on Youtube with a cop demonstrating, unfortunately he goes right over the other way DOH

24-10-2007, 07:41 PM	#25
Nim Guest Posts: n/a	[QUOTE Would be even better if we could all pick up our bikes though. There is a technique apparantly, think you have to put you back to the bike squatting down and then just stand up. There is a vid on Youtube with a cop demonstrating, unfortunately he goes right over the other way DOH[/QUOTE] Ive had to pick up bikes for blokes before, and my own and im not exactly strong! i just got under the handle bars and pushed it up...easy! get someone to lie their bike down (gently) and then pick it up, then you know you can well.....i am going to be organising something for girls only with ducati next year (more details to follow), and all tiny girlies are most welcome!!!

24-10-2007, 09:19 PM	#26
gremlin Guest Posts: n/a	I'm tiny but pretty strong even with my injuries. I used to out lift the guys at the gym when I was fit, 56kilos deadlift, 30 kilos bench pressing, which considering I was only 47 kilos at the time was quite cool. It's all technique, even more so now I've done so much damage. My mates called me mighty mouse. A girly day out would be cool, I'm trying to get a sort of club together around here as I've got a few biker mates who don't want to go out with the testosterone junkies. I think there are about eight of us so far but we haven't yet managed to get organised. I guess we'd have to meet half way if we got a Duke day set up, sort of Cambridge way as we're about 120 miles from London and take it from there.

25-10-2007, 05:17 PM	#28
gremlin Guest Posts: n/a	May not have my seat back by then, but would be up for meeting up somehow in the future. So far I've only done 120 miles in one session so it would be a shock to the system to more than double it so soon after getting on a bike. Talk about being unfit! It is cool there are so many girls on the site though so perhaps we could have a splinter group and do a few rideouts without the guys. I'll have to get out as much as poss when I get my seat so I get fit enough to keep up.