I dropped it!

Hi all,

Well I dropped my bike. It was the perfect end to a bad day. Work was really bad. I’m a tech for a restaurant and maintain arcade games and restaurant equipment. That was a day where everything was going wrong. Nothing went right that day. But I was determined to ride a little when I got home.

As I was pushing her out my husband wave goodbye as he was leaving. I waved and dropped my swing. Luckily he saw me and came back to help me. I should’ve went inside and called it a day. But I didn’t.

So I start her up and duck walk it down my driveway. This was only my 3rd time on it and I didn’t do well turning the other times. But I was confident and ready to go. I tried to turn right and things got real. I don’t know exactly what I did wrong. But I was out of control fast and the swing hit the ground hard. I didn’t get hurt bad. I just scratched my knee and had a sore wrist for a few days.

The crash was so loud my daughter heard it upstairs. Thankfully a neighbor came over to help me pick the bike up. I was super embarrassed and shaken up emotionally. The bike got scratched up pretty bad. But it could’ve been way worse.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, I rode it again this weekend. I was shaking so bad but I made it to a parking lot to practice. I did much better and didn’t fall! Thanks YouTube! My husband thinks the bike is too big and I that I should sell it. I’m not ready to do that. I just need lots more practice!

I think just about everybody who rides a SilverWing, experienced or not,drops them period! I rode my 2 SilverWings over 90,000 miles and admit to at least 2 drops, parking lots. They can be a little unbalancedl at times!

I, and many others, have been caught 'off guard' with the SW. I almost dropped mine while doing a U turn outside my house at 0mph using throttle and brakes, trying to be clever by keeping my feet on the footboards. The bike went over in a microsecond and I just about held onto it before it hit the ground. Stupid stunt but it taught me how easily the SW can go over.

Don't beat yourself up about it. You've learned something about your bike. Just don't do it again

Been there. Slow speed drops, especially on right turns, force a drop on most bikes because we pop our feet out to plant on the ground for balance, leaving only the front brake the most easily accessible brake handle to grab. Then we pull on that brake handle to try to stop the fall or skid, and the harder we pull (thinking this will keep us upright), the tighter the front wheel locks, skidding the bike into a drop, on grass, on gravel, or even on clean pavement.

The SWing is a little more forgiving because we can develop the habit of pulling the left (rear/front) lever while planting feet. On a regular bike, we have no choice while planting feet, but to grab the only brake available-the front-which will more readily put us into a skid if the wheel is not perfectly straight.

Two kinds of 2 wheel riders and dropping, A. those that have and B,. those that will, at least it wasn't something heavier like a G'Wing.

Simanga wrote:

Well I dropped my bike.

First off, I'm glad you didn't get hurt and people were nearby to help.
Secondly, I hope that dropping the SWing wasn't such a bad experience that you would be forced to sell the bike.
Horses have four legs but falling off is part of riding and it's only a matter of time....  
Last but not least, hat's off (or helmet....   ) for publishing your story. Although, it can be personally embarrassing, many new riders can learn from your experience.

Glad that you didn't injure much more than your pride, and well done for getting back on that horse quickly!

I've only ridden my Swing a couple of times, but I've been riding since 1982, and currently also ride an ST1300 Honda which is a) heavy and b) tall. Strangely enough I find the Swing's balance to be really different, probably due to the weight being so low down. Certainly takes me a moment to acclimatise.

I'm also glad you didn't hurt yourself too badly, or the SWing. I've dropped mine, and other bikes I've owned, a few times.
I don't have to worry much anymore about dropping it because I triked it out a couple of years ago and have no regrets.

Hang in there. It's part of learning to ride . SW slow speed turning is not the best . I doubt there are few here that never dropped a bike.

I have learned that when you feel the Swing going over onto it's side on a U-turn, give it more throttle, not brakes. This will cause the bike to right itself enough to complete the turn.

It's safe to say that anyone who rides has dropped their bike. There are two types of riders, those that have dropped their bike and those who lie about it.

I've owned quite a few motorcycles and scooters in the 62yrs I've been riding. I think I dropped damn near each one once. I haven't dropped my SW yet but probably will. Dropping a Goldwing is a more memorable thing that a SW.

One day on a road trip my brother on his BMW 1100 and me on my Goldwing we both managed to drop our bikes. I think we'd covered too many miles that day. I got off my bike at a gas station and my bike fell over. Seems someone didn't put down the side stand. My brother laughed at me but after a cool drink and fueling up we took off. At a intersection we stopped and he put his foot down and dropped his bike. Karma is hell. For the Karma'd

Watch "Ride Like a Pro" by Jerry Paladino on Youtube. We can't use clutch slipping as a technique but you can use his method by using light throttle and using the rear brake to control speed.

Most people who drop their bikes do it by using the front brake in a sharp turn. The rule of thumb for that is, "dont". Use a bit of power to keep the bike moving and use the rear brake to power gently in the turn. This is the best method to learn to make short radius turns. Works nicely when you have to make a U turn on a narrow paved road. On sand or gravel it's better to 'paddle' with your feet a bit and go very slowly, especially if you have to 'back and fill' to get turned around.

With a little practice you can make locked handlebar turns on a narrow road without sweating, shaking or swearing off bikes.

https://www.youtube.com/user/motorman857

"It's safe to say that anyone who rides has dropped their bike. There are two types of riders, those that have dropped their bike and those who lie about it."

Never dropped any of my 12 bikes (that's the truth). Closest I came was in a grocery store parking lot when some clueless Betsy on a three-wheeled bicycle suddenly darted in front of me while looking the other way. I had to pull both brakes hard as I could. With immediate and total loss of momentum the bike began to fall to my left. It felt like slow motion. I had a flawless black '12 Silver Wing and remember thinking, "Your stupidity is NOT going to cost me hundreds of dollars (in tupperware)." I planted my left leg and caught the bike about knee level with all my strength centered on my left hamstring. It was a Herculean effort but the bike didn't go down. I swore I tore my hamstring and went to my doctor for xrays but it was all right. I limped for a week.

"With a little practice you can make locked handlebar turns on a narrow road without sweating, shaking or swearing off bikes."

Thanks for the link. I will review that and practice low speed turns in an empty parking lot. If I'm going to drop a bike it will be during a low speed turn or balancing it to put up on the center stand (as I get older and weaker). I'm wary this will happen with my Burgman 650, which is a big, awkward beast. Never had an issue with the Silver Wing or my BMW 650 GT's.

Anytime I use the side stand, I put it down and then push it forward two distinct times to make sure it's fully extended. I figure the time I DON'T do this is the time it won't be fully extended and the bike will fall. I do this every time I use the side stand, without fail. The spectre of scratched tupperware is all the reminder I need.

Dropped mine late last summer when tight turning (U turn) onto drive, right in the middle of my road, lucky I had helmet on to hide the RED face . The neighbour opposite was on his drive as it happend, he just stood there and looked and no offer of helping me up with the bike, needless to say, I don't speak to the ar$hole now. So your not alone on this, your part of an elite club "DropSwing"

Problem with SilverWing is....if you drop it, you probably do some plastic damage!! My new Daelim in Korea had factory option of 360 degree bumper, that seemed to prevent body damage. Was very strong.

That's a great idea John

Ah well at least your unhurt Simanga.
It's only a low speed spill, it happens to everyone at some stage. Don't let it put you off, but it might be worth getting some formal training so you don't have to learn by trial, error and bruises!
Over here (UK) formal training is mandatory to get a licence but I understand it's not a requirement over the pond.

Training can be tricky here in Canada (Ontario). Once you get your M1 License (written test), you are legally allowed to ride solo on the roads (except for highways) during daylight hours. However, no insurance company will deal with you because you're on top of the high risk group. It doesn't make a difference what age you are or how much riding experience you've had in the past. So, you can't get a license plate.
The M1 License is valid for 90 days and you can get your M2 (practical test) within this time period. At this point, most riders still have no chance of riding a motorcycle, so they will take a 3 day course to learn the basics. The test is at the end of the third day and if you pass, you can call the insurance companies, get a license plate and can ride without M1 restrictions.
M2 is valid for 5 years and you can upgrade to a full M license within that time period.

I am on my second silver wing and been riding 53 years. All my bike drops have been at low speeds thankfully. Slow turning is the hardest on a silver wing. The Silver Wing has a bit of an understeer during slow sharp. You think you have it then the front turns quickly. Hard to get hurt if you dress for the fall every time you ride. Boots, pants, jacket and helmet.

Get back on that thing and have fun.

Great place for SW plastics is Partzilla and Cheap Cycle Parts

Using the rear brake as balancing aide in slow speed turns helps but can be a bit tricky with linked brakes----but it really helps provided front does not come on! I had 4 new Helix and over 175,000 miles with them...I found rear with foot control really fine----and never dropped a Helix...of course it was lighter machine and maybe better balanced.

Skilled riders do use rear brake as balance aide---but I found SilverWing, loaded for touring and with top box a little top heavy at times.....and over she went.

Me too ..... damn dogs !!!
I may have related this story here before. When returning home I usually go to the end of our street to practice U turn and then head to my driveway ,,, a right turn (and slightly down hill) off the street. This day the neighbor at the end of the street was outside working on his car. In the midst of the U turn his barking dog came charging at me. I ignored it as I headed back down the street. First the animal was on my right side then on my left. When I was turning (right) into the driveway the bouncing hyper dog seemed to be gone. Nope !! It suddenly appeared right in front of me and I made that greatest mistake of all. I grabbed the brakes ...hard. And with the front wheel turned to the right and going at slow speed and suddenly hard braking ...boom --down I went. My lawn falls away from the asphalt of the driveway and the bike caught the edge of the pavement. It was an expensive lesson. I've learned, from comments here and elsewhere, to stop or even just slow dramatically when being chased by a dog and then boost the throttle. The theory being that chasing animal becomes confused and drops the chase. Hope I remember to try this the next time the dog chases me. Also hope I have strong boots on too. Man I hate dogs ! Hope this experience may help some one.

And another thing ... I find ""Ride Like a Pro" by Jerry Paladino" most helpful. Jerry himself is helpful. One ride I took was on what became a really windy day. I felt like a leaf in a hurricane at times. I sent Jerry a note asking for recommendation of techniques for riding in windy conditions. I was somewhat surprised to receive a reply from him. He simply suggested riding into the wind and not to become tense and fighting it. Just go with "the flow" so to speak and relax. It works and windy conditions are more easily handled.

I didn't drop my Silver Wing in my 8 years of ownership. Yes it is heavy, especially when loaded up for touring, but I went straight to a Silver Wing after a couple of years riding the lardass lump AKA as the Suzuki Burgman 650 (which I didn't drop either). After the bulk of that riding that thing solo and with Mrs M as passenger, the Silver Wing felt lightweight in comparison.

Neither was I ever tempted to try slow speed U turns on too narrow or dodgy road surfaces with either of them. In those situations, I just paddled and steered them backwards and forwards with my feet down until I could complete the manoeuvre. As I'm basically a lazy old git too, I'd also ride a bit further down the road for somewhere more convenient to turn.

Now after almost a year and a half on the 300 Forza, the Silver Wing seems to me as if it was from another era.

Only bike I ever dropped was a new EX500 Ninja, because my foot slipped on some oil in the intersection. Almost dropped the wife's Silverwing when it was on 2 wheels. Forgot it had a parking brake and was trying to get my wallet out on an incline. I now find my perfect balance is a 150cc scooter. No need for the extra weight or power of something bigger. And the wife's Swing is triked now. Still heavy to push around. You have to pay attention when parking it because there is no reverse gear.

Man I hate dogs ! Hope this experience may help some one. Mike don't hate the dog hate the owner there's the problem. I've had my share of dog chases over the years and breaking hard then accelerating hard does break the line of attack, let them get close enough so they can't recover the line.

I'll confess I've dropped most of the bikes I've owned over the past 60+ years. My first was a Cushman scooter that had a heavy steel rail around the lower part of the body. That thing was great for a newby rider. I dropped that scooter several time but it never went over quite 45 degrees. Fairly easy even for a 14 year old to upright. No problem avoiding the front brake in short turns, it didn't have one. You could even eschew the kickstand and leave the bike leaning on the bottom rail. Crude, but great for a young fellow who had to teach himself to ride the thing. Put a lot of miles on that thing before I got a job and needed a car.

Simanga wrote:

Hi all,

Well I dropped my bike. It was the perfect end to a bad day. Work was really bad. I’m a tech for a restaurant and maintain arcade games and restaurant equipment. That was a day where everything was going wrong. Nothing went right that day. But I was determined to ride a little when I got home.

As I was pushing her out my husband wave goodbye as he was leaving. I waved and dropped my swing. Luckily he saw me and came back to help me. I should’ve went inside and called it a day. But I didn’t.

So I start her up and duck walk it down my driveway. This was only my 3rd time on it and I didn’t do well turning the other times. But I was confident and ready to go. I tried to turn right and things got real. I don’t know exactly what I did wrong. But I was out of control fast and the swing hit the ground hard. I didn’t get hurt bad. I just scratched my knee and had a sore wrist for a few days.

The crash was so loud my daughter heard it upstairs. Thankfully a neighbor came over to help me pick the bike up. I was super embarrassed and shaken up emotionally. The bike got scratched up pretty bad. But it could’ve been way worse.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, I rode it again this weekend. I was shaking so bad but I made it to a parking lot to practice. I did much better and didn’t fall! Thanks YouTube! My husband thinks the bike is too big and I that I should sell it. I’m not ready to do that. I just need lots more practice!

Two things stand out to me, 1. your good luck in not getting hurt 2. and your determination to keeping riding your Silver wing. You're on the right track with your practice statement, parking lots are good.
Plus, the admissions galore of similar embarrassments from the forum should be reassuring. These members are experienced, careful, knowledgeable and wise in the ways of motorized two wheeling. And surprisingly nurturing too.
I had two drops with SW, either time was I in motion! The first time was unloading it by my self from the u-haul trailer after buying it, a bad idea as a DIY chore. The next time I sitting in the saddle, reached around to extract my key from the saddle lock, lost my balance and slowly fell over. The SW is heavy and when it starts to go you had better be prepared, I was not.
So, stuff happens, one shouldn't beat themselves up over it. My question to the forum: what are we doing about the drop damage? Buying new tupperware is the easy answer, there seems to be plenty around. But more satisfactory and creative ways of  fixing cracks, scrapes, dings and rubs beside purchasing new panels must be out there? ABS plastic is very tough stuff, but how to repair it effectively?
Anyone care to share any methods?
Be Safe!

oldwingguy wrote:

Man I hate dogs ! Hope this experience may help some one.  Mike don't hate the dog hate the owner there's the problem. I've had my share of dog chases over the years and breaking hard then accelerating hard does break the line of attack, let them get close enough so they can't recover the line.

You have a solid point there ... hate the owner ! But even as a kid, dogs and I never got along. I still hate the dog but maybe hate the careless owner more. The animal should have been contained by a lease at least. The owner was all apologic and offered to pay for damages. I turned that down as my fall is my fault for not being 100% prepared. An expensive lesson. I'm ready for the next time !!!

It is amazing how some people have complete control over their dog and the animal responds to what the owner "commands". These people don't even yell at the dog. They speak at a normal volume and the dog behaves. I hardly ever hear a well behaved dog bark. I'm thinking of a German Sheppard asross the street. Really well behaved and never yelled at. Then there is the Sheppard next door that the owner lady is always yelling at. This dog starts barking if I go out my back door. Oh well... It must have been your advice on the technique to handle being chased by a dog. Thanks you for that.

Mike

Freddie_I wrote:

( SNIP) So, stuff happens, one shouldn't beat themselves up over it. My question to the forum: what are we doing about the drop damage? Buying new tupperware is the easy answer, there seems to be plenty around. But more satisfactory and creative ways of  fixing cracks, scrapes, dings and rubs beside purchasing new panels must be out there? ABS plastic is very tough stuff, but how to repair it effectively?
Anyone care to share any methods?
Be Safe!

Lots of info here on the forum regarding tupperware repair. Just use the Search function. Here is one post from last year:
https://www.silverwing600.com/t11446-repairing-panel-damage-video?highlight=Repair+tupperware

What I was hoping for, all good. Thanks!

Black ABS cement is your friend. Available cheaply at your local hardware store. As I mentioned in a previous posting you can mix the stuff with ABS powder made be grinding or sanding an ABS pipe fitting and mixing with ABS cement. Used the stuff a lot at my old shop where I refurbished older model Goldwings. Their plastic is the same as used on the Silverwing.

I repaired my cracks on the mudguard and side panel, was pleased with the result

https://www.silverwing600.com/t11041-tupperware-repair