Welcome me to the club (of dropping)

[dsrthnd]

10 months since I bought my 2003 LT. Racked up over 5000 miles with and without SO, never close to dropping her. Then today in the rain backing up my driveway I hit some mud and over she went. Held her up 90% of the way then laid her gently down while executing my first and may I add nicely executed pirouette (sp?). No damage to bike - chiropractor trip for me (ya'll are right YOU CAN'T hold up 800+ pounds). Now i feel like a real part of this board. :dance:

[lstinthot]

I too have recently joined the club of dropping. I made a rookie mistake. I left the bike in 4th gear when I stopped ( I was in a hurry) when I came back out to the bike ( I was in a hurry again) and started off without noticing the gear, she stalled, next thing I know she is on her side. I picked her up and started again, she started to go over agian this time I cought it. I looked down a saw I was in 4th gear.

[gglove]

Welcome one and all. :)

[Ted]

YOU CAN'T hold up 800+ pounds.

Schwarzenegger couldn't hold it up - glad you and the bike weren't hurt!

[WildBil]

Welcome to the group - now don't try and take the lead!!

[Silverhair]

Welcome to the veterans of the drop society!

[RonKMiller]

10 months since I bought my 2003 LT. Racked up over 5000 miles with and without SO, never close to dropping her. Then today in the rain backing up my driveway I hit some mud and over she went. Held her up 90% of the way then laid her gently down while executing my first and may I add nicely executed pirouette (sp?). No damage to bike - chiropractor trip for me (ya'll are right YOU CAN'T hold up 800+ pounds). Now i feel like a real part of this board. :dance:

Sorry, that doesn't count. It has to be out of control in order to qualify. ;)

Actually breaking something gets you bonus points.

[hallzee]

may I add nicely executed pirouette (sp?).
On the pirouette, the German judge awards a Nein! :p
Glad you didn't hurt yourself. Mine went 3/4 of the way down, but I saved her. Left arm suffered for a week or two from the strain...

[jgolfer46]

Today was the day!!!!! Had my 08 LT a couple of months now...was feeling cocky I think.... "I have not dropped it, not sure what the big deal is".

Was doing a u-turn to back into my parking space, tapped the front brake with the wheel still turned, and she went down in a blink.

Luckily, from reading here I made no real effort to "catch" it, so I just stepped off - it was clear I was past the point of no return. She layed right down with hardly a sound. I was moving maybe 1 mph.

From watching the video on this site, turned off the motor, put my butt in the seat, and popped her straight back up. Leaned over the other side and put the side stand down.

Don't think anyone saw me, but it is probably on the security camera at work. Great.... Embarassing anyway....

I can see a small mark on the chrome and the wing, but not even noticable unless you were looking for it.

Safe riding everyone.

[dfinazzo]

Having been down multiple times I can state that in a slow turn never ever grab the front brake unless you willing to abort the turn and bring the bike up straight all at the same time - this is a skill I learned after riding the LT for the last 6 years.


Sounds like you have a proper perspective of what happened and have moved on and are ready for the next drop . . . :D

[jgolfer46]

:rolleyes: Me, drop it again? Never!

Maybe tomorrow.

[davek1]

Where is the video???

[gladiator99]

Have been driving my new to me 06 LT for about 3 weeks now and havn't dropped it yet, although I can see how the handling differs from my old 89 Venture Yamaha. Grabbing that front brake during slow speed manouvers can have you on the ground before you can say whaaaaat happennnned!
After reading some of the previous posts here I added a few pieces of chrome
prostripe wheel well moulding to the side cases and the bumbers to protect against just that very thing. Cost is about $20.00 for a 25' roll and it looks good too. I bought it originally for protecting the rear cowl area on our 02 Thunderbird where the hardtop rubs on the paint finish and can scratch it up if not protected.
I don't really want to join this club if possible!!
Take care and safe driving!!!
Jim
:toast: :toast: :toast:

[johnnyt]

Just about ready to buy my first LT. I'm real excited about owning a top of the line tourer. Here's where I have second thoughts. Every time I mention
buying a LT, it's always the same answer:"great on the open road,but watch
yourself around town, too top heavy". Help me here,please. I'm ready to pull
the trigger and buy,but all I can think about is dumping my wife in a parking
lot.[almost always ride 2 up].Is this a real concern or am I over reacting?

Looking for help,Thanks

[SLTex]

My girl went to sleep the first week I had her in my neighborhood (lucky not on my street). I hadn't seen the video, so I held her up until my wife could drive over and help me get her back up. I was huffing and puffing in last August heat. Had to pull in the shade and catch my breath before I could go home. I wish I had read the post about keeping the front wheel straight when stopping before I started riding her.

Anyway go ahead and get the LT. You can ride it in the city. I ride mine to work all the time and dream of weekends when I can ride in the country. Practice what everyone here preaches and you will have a big grin all the time.:)

[Voyager]

Just about ready to buy my first LT. I'm real excited about owning a top of the line tourer. Here's where I have second thoughts. Every time I mention
buying a LT, it's always the same answer:"great on the open road,but watch
yourself around town, too top heavy". Help me here,please. I'm ready to pull
the trigger and buy,but all I can think about is dumping my wife in a parking
lot.[almost always ride 2 up].Is this a real concern or am I over reacting?

Looking for help,Thanks

I think it depends on your physical build and riding experience. I owned a Kawasaki Voyager XII prior to the LT and I frankly don't see much difference in low speed handling or top heaviness. I just rolled past 7,600 miles on a ride this evening and haven't even come close to dumping the LT. The closest I came was making a U-turn on a gravel road that had ditches on both sides. I was almost through the turn when the front wheel began to slide into the ditch as the road wasn't as firm as I thought. I had my wife on the back at the time, but I still used my old dirt riding technique of applying throttle whenever things are going sour! The back wheel spun and both wheels went into the ditch at almost the same time, I stabbed hard with my leg and rode the bike up out of the ditch onto the road.

I'm 6', 230, 32" inseam and spent my younger days climbing the mountains of PA with a 25 lb chainsaw and another 25 lbs of gear. I'm sure that helps some, but even so the trick is balance and not strength as others have pointed out. If it gets far enough over, even Ahhnald probably couldn't hold it. So, don't let it get too far from vertical!!

I'd read and heard all of the horror stories about the LT before buying mine and certainly had some trepidation about the top heaviness, dry clutch, grabby power assisted brakes, etc., but I've found all of those concerns to be non-issues. I don't think the LT is top heavy and I can ride it just fine at slow speeds. I'd be hard pressed to tell the dry clutch from my Voyager's wet clutch if I was blind-folded. And the brakes are a little grabby, especially at walking speeds, but once you get used to it it is no different than going from an old car with manual brakes to a car with power brakes. I remember when I got my first car with power brakes and front disks and thought I'd never get used to it. But we do acclimate and the LT is the same way.

Test ride it and don't pysch yourself out beforehand. Just take it as it comes with no preconceptions and I'm guessing you will do just fine.

[country-bum]

I dropped my 02 twice in 1 week. Once on each side. The main thing I learned was when you drop it on the right side, it is easier to put the side stand down before picking it up. I know I looked silly standing there with my back to the bike. The side stand up, and nowhere to go.

[sward509]

Country - I'm right there with ya! Got my LT about 6 weeks ago and dropped it twice the first week, at least laid it down as soft as I could. Luckily no damage to me OR her! Since then have had no problems and feel a little better...

Steve

[loansumrider]

Just make sure that you are in an area where there is someone to help you pick it up. I was on a gravel road last weekend, about 3 miles from blacktop and other drivers. I tried to pick it up, too heavy and too hot. finally a rancher came by to help me. earlier this year I was on a very remote country road and the goose took a nap when I stoped to decide which way to go at an intersection. I did not have the front tire straight. I had to wait for someone to drive by and help.

I have gotten used to it.

[hagar]

So far so good, never dumped my K1200LT..

Must have learned from my past mistakes, on my first bike, the RD50, I must have fallen down a dozen times. Broke my nose too and never got it treated. :dance:

The GS750 I used my front brake too aggresively on wet pavement, and down I went. :eek:

The GSX1100 I flipped over backwards doing a wheelie, it wasn't planned that way! :confused:

Never dumped the 750F. :)

The 1000R was hit from behind by a drunk friend when I stopped at a street sign (never hang around drunk people when you are sober). :o

Never dumped the CBR1000's, either of them, but came close, one fell on me instead of the road. :mad:

Dumped the ZX11 twice, once courtesy of an illegal alien with no license, no insurance, no papers, the other being stupid, just did not think about putting my feet down after coming to a stop driving it out of my Toy Hauler. :rolleyes:

Touch wood on the Beemer! ;)

[woodey]

my turn to confess


I dropped her...

I came to a stop on a slight angle at night not seeing the angle, i felt it falling to the left and i thought i pulled it back straight but it started to fall again....it was just a gentle setting down...
now its laying down on the left side on a angle and i cant get it up...my boss came by she is 5"4 about 115 pounds.......yup she helped me get it up and did not even laugh or tell any one of my co-workers.Thank Gawd there was only a small ding on the black rubber guard...

[Stixx]

Have been driving my new to me 06 LT for about 3 weeks now and havn't dropped it yet, although I can see how the handling differs from my old 89 Venture Yamaha. Grabbing that front brake during slow speed manouvers can have you on the ground before you can say whaaaaat happennnned!
After reading some of the previous posts here I added a few pieces of chrome
prostripe wheel well moulding to the side cases and the bumbers to protect against just that very thing. Cost is about $20.00 for a 25' roll and it looks good too. I bought it originally for protecting the rear cowl area on our 02 Thunderbird where the hardtop rubs on the paint finish and can scratch it up if not protected.
I don't really want to join this club if possible!!
Take care and safe driving!!!
Jim
:toast: :toast: :toast:

I've sworn off using the front brake below 20 mph after my first drop. :)

[kk610lt]

I've sworn off using the front brake below 20 mph after my first drop. :)

Yeah, but if you are used to the front brake, then you can have BOTH feet down for the stop.
Did you ever come to a stop where the bike wanted to go over center to the right and have a boot hang up on the peg? That'll get your attention too. Just another thing to think about...............
Keith