Kawasaki Forums - 128 Ways to Drop your Bike! Thanks SBN!

OK I have had this posted on my website for years, and always get a kick out of reading it, and I have not seen it posted here, so here are a few laughs for you guys (or a way to relive a few memories). I have personally done 14, 48 and 54 and 66 (the last two on my YSR).

WAYS TO DROP YOUR MOTORCYCLE

1. Putting your foot into a hole when stopping.

2. Putting your foot down on something slippery when stopping (gravel, dog poop etc).

3. Locking the front wheel during overenthusiastic braking.

4. Missing the driveway and sliding on the grass.

5. Not putting the kickstand down when getting off.

6. Make a turn from stop in gravel or sand at high throttle.

7. Not putting a board under the kickstand on asphalt on a hot day.

8. Letting overenthusiastic people sit on your bike who have never been on a bike.

9. Forgetting the bike's in gear when you jump on the kickstarter.

10. Revving the engine, releasing clutch, and putting feet on pegs when the light turns green, but the bike's in neutral.

11. Not putting your foot down when stopping on red light.

12. Losing balance when putting it on the centerstand.

13. Take an hour ride in 30 degree weather with no gloves, stop at a stop sign and pop the clutch when you start cause you've lost feeling in your hands.

14. Putting your foot down in a thick layer of grease that builds up when cars stop.

15. Using too much power when you pull out of a greasy toll booth.

16. Ignoring the sand that builds up in the spring at the side of the road in places that sand and salt roads in winter.

17. Kicking your kickstand in a cool fashion and having it bounce back up instead of staying down.

18. Getting off your bike while it is running and forgetting that is in gear.

19. Trying to kickstart your first bike over and over 'cause you didn't realize that it was really out of fuel, and getting the goofy metal ring on the side of your boot caught in the kickstarter, causing you (and the bike) to go over on the right side.

20. Starting your electric-start bike, popping the clutch to do an "experienced start, kick back the kickstand and twist the throttle" vigoursly (all three at once) to impress the 50 bikes around you at the local hangout, and then discovering that you hadn't unlocked the steering-lock...(thanks to Brian for this one!)

21. On your trails bike, getting the dual-range lever caught inside your jeans as you come to a stop...

22. Having your boot/jeans catch the gear-lever and putting your running bike into first gear whilst reaching for the side-stand (which is why I now automatically pull in the clutch whenever employing or retracting the stand).

23. Having "green" racing linings which have much higher coefficient of friction on the slight rust that forms on the polished drum when you've not ridden for a few hours, and lose the front-end holding the brakes on against the throttle to wear off the rust, with your brother on the back...

24. Having a three-cylinder two-stroke that's so smooth you think you're in second when you're actually in first, so you spin out when the undercarriage touches down in a tight corner passing a car and you think, "just a bit more throttle will help here..."

25. Revving bike in impressive squidly fashion at red light, thinking it's in neutral; dropping clutch and standing in place while bike wheelies and backflips into intersection. (saw it happen)

26. Having your fat-ass brother (as a pillion) lean waaay over to the side to look at something on the ground while at a stop sign.

27. Wife gets foot caught in saddlebag while getting on before you.

28. Rebuild carbs and treat bike like it still needs full gas away from a stop.

29. Add bald tires, and a smattering of rain to 28.

30. Look at the sand at the edge of the exit ramp rather than through the turn.

31. Neither you nor your dad watching while he's backing his car up to the woodpile to unload wood.

32. Not putting the pin that holds the center stand all the way in and then trying to put the bike on the center stand.

33. Trying to hold the bike upright before deploying the center stand only to find your knees are too weak from riding.

34. Park behind friend's mom's minivan figuring "If anybody goes anywhere, they'll surely see it. 'specially since there'll be 5 of them getting into the van. Why can't at LEAST ONE OF THEM LOOK AND SEE THE MOTORCYCLE SO PLAINLY IN VIEW BEHIND THEM?" "Damn."

35. After getting fuel at gas station and holding the bike level with your legs in order to fill it completely, jumping off forgetting that your legs were holding it upright not the kickstand.

36. Entering a DR ("decreasing radius") turn at too high of a speed... This is especially dangerous when making a right turn where if you attempt to straighten up and brake, you'll plow into oncoming traffic...

37. Trying to countersteer (or wheelie) your shaft driven bike? ;-}

38. Getting your boot/ shoelace caught on the gearshift. (I wear laceless boots now).

39. Attempting to kick start a cantankerous '84 CR500, whilst standing on a picnic table bench, and she *kicks* back!

40. Getting pissed off for dropping it in the first place, yanking it vigorously off the ground, only to have it dropped on the other side.

41. Pulling out the swingarm stand, and forgetting to put the sidestand down first.

42. Backing down an inclined driveway, turning to either side with a full tank of gas.

43. Taking the bike off the centerstand and forgetting the sidestand.

44. Riding on wet grass with street tires (Almost as bad as ice!!)

45. Riding on wet asphalt with dirt tires (Almost as bad as ice!!)

46. *Thinking* the kick stand was down when it wasn't

47. Kick stand slowly burying itself in hot asphalt

48. Kick stand slowly burying itself in soft ground

49. Backing up perpendicular to a steeply sloped driveway and attempting to put your foot down on the downhill side while on a large bike with a high seat. (By the time your foot reaches the ground the bike is so far off center balance you won't be able to hold it up.)

50. Backing your bike down a plank, by yourself, from the bed of a pickup truck. Works great as long as you remember that once you start moving stopping for any correction is out of the question. Get two people to stand on each side of you and the bike.

51. Losing your balance when coming to a stop because of fatigue from a long trip. The wind and the buzz of the bike induces an unexpected case of vertigo. Stop often and rest.

52. Riding beyond your limits while trying to keep up with someone who is probably riding beyond their own. Always a temptation. The best riders/racers understand and use discipline when riding.

53. Not paying attention. Always strive to anticipate what could possibly go wrong and be planning what your going to do when it happens, eventually it will - and you'll be ready, instead of surprised when your much more likely to do something stupid and reactionary.

54. Assuming that all wet roads are created equal. They are much more slippery when it first starts to rain - until the oil and dirt are washed away.

55. Assuming that the condition of a blind corner is the same as it was the last time you rode it. Instead you find sticks, road kill, oil, rain wash, stones, pot holes, garbage etc. etc.

56. Not understanding how to get set-up for a corner when pushing the limits. In most cases the bike could have made the corner but the rider decided it couldn't and while in a panic attempted to correct the situation with the brake. WRONG! MSF course will discuss this at length.

57. Riding without all of the protective equipment because I forgot to bring it and after all it was just this one time. Turned out to be the wrong time! I forgot my MX boots and fell on a steeply ba