BIKE FELL OVER - What a prat

[Oldbiffer]

Freewheel reversing down the drive, nicely balanced in control: or so I thought

Side stand that I thought I had kicked up was not. It caught the ground, locked and pole vaulted me and the Hornet sideways on to the deck. B******s I said plus a few more.

Picked myself up: fortunately nothing damaged, had all my leathers on so that prevented the raw meat/bruise effect.

Managed to lift the bike up unaided (could not ask for help, could I) and happily nowt damaged thanks to the crash bung which took the brunt of it; only a slight ding. Well worth the £25 to buy them just for that episode.

So I have awarded myself the "prat of the year so far" unless you know of another!

First time I have ever dropped a bike like that and me with an IAM test looming. Must remember to engage brain in future.

I now have a few aches and pains; I wonder why?

[iooi]

Sounds a lot like me falling over in petrol station, but i was not moving at the time.... Well only sideways.
Perhaps rater than a switch that stops engine starting when SS is down it should lock the wheels instead.

[pebbles]

dont beat yrself up about it mate as long as u
are both, ok these things happen,coming back
from the 5 bells one night at the new forest
didnt see my mates 750 kawasaki fell right over
it he was so drunk that he went to kick me missed
and broke his mirror hope all goes well with the iam

[CD]

I really think bikes should have double side stands linked together so that they go down together at both sides of the bike. They would add minimum weight and solve many bike fell over problems.

I recently had to repair my D900 centre stand. Its heavy, actually quite complicated to make and so narrow it twists every time its used so cracked and broke. I welded the crack and added a bracing bar. With all that weight a second (RHS) side stand and connecting linkage would be lighter weight, easier to use and probably cheaper to make.

Why can't we have them? Maybe because in some ways bike design limits are almost a religeon -
- no diesels,
- only use fuel injection when the law forces (carbs cost more so why the long wait?)
- sides stands on one side,
- always use telescopic forks,
- petrol tanks above the engine,
- never fit adjustable handle bars or footrests
- leave all sorts of wasted space which could carry fuel or storage.
- Always use fast rot aluminium brake calipers when cast iron would not be much heavier or stainless bore sleeves would add minimal costs
- Always use ultra thin brake discs that dont last long prone to warp and cost mega bucks. The weight saving is minimal

Of course some manufacturers do some of these things but non of them are mainstream.

[biodon]

Well oldbiffer I did the same thing but as I was wheeling the bike out the side stand hit the top of my left foot causing me to throw the bike away from me and apart from a few dents the awful thing was that my foot swelled up so much that my boots would not fit curtailing my riding for a week.Don