If you drop your Touring Bike will........ : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

Shoe · 09-16-2009, 07:19 PM

Gents,

More of a curiosity question than anything else.....

If you drop your Bike (any FL), will the only parts that actually touch the ground be the engine guards? I am assuming that since that is what they are designed to do, that no other part would hit (i.e. saddlebags, exhaust, etc.).

I have seen demos from Jerry Pallidino (spelling) showing how to pick up a bike, but it is tough to tell from the videos if anything else besides the engine and saddlebag guards are touching.

Thanks,
Dave

Bronxhog · 09-16-2009, 07:24 PM

Yes and of course floorboards

TRazzo · 09-16-2009, 07:32 PM

I lost mine in the sand/gravel with the wife on the back while trying to go around a stopped rider, it rested on the engine crash bar/floorboards/saddlebag crash bar and didn't really hurt anything. We both just stepped off the bike while it was going over - thankfully we had help to get it back up, don't know if I could have done it by myself.

Ultra Sniper · 09-16-2009, 07:39 PM

The floorboards are the first to touch and depending on the circumstances may be the only thing that touches. There is a way to get any bike up by yourself.

TRazzo · 09-16-2009, 07:45 PM

I need to see the video, I need to be able to do it myself if the need arises!

Coupe55 · 09-16-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoe

Gents,

More of a curiosity question than anything else.....

If you drop your Bike (any FL), will the only parts that actually touch the ground be the engine guards? I am assuming that since that is what they are designed to do, that no other part would hit (i.e. saddlebags, exhaust, etc.).

I have seen demos from Jerry Pallidino (spelling) showing how to pick up a bike, but it is tough to tell from the videos if anything else besides the engine and saddlebag guards are touching.

Thanks,
Dave

I bought a Tri Glide to keep from being in this emarrassing situation again! However if there is any way to drop a trike I will figure out how to do it, and they will be 50 people around to see me do it.

How come no one is ever around when you save one in gravel or see you do .1 mile an hour on wet cobblestone, perfect balance for blocks.

Ultra Sniper · 09-16-2009, 07:50 PM

Youtube has them, but I'm blocked here at work. Here's another site.

http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/82/123/

Shoe · 09-16-2009, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRazzo

I need to see the video, I need to be able to do it myself if the need arises!

The Jerry Palladino video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLkrPkjimo

Dave

Shoe · 09-16-2009, 07:56 PM

So the exhaust would not hit the ground? It looks like its too close to call from the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeLkrPkjimo

Dave

nvsteve · 09-16-2009, 08:22 PM

It's very close on an Ultra. The one time that I tipped mine at less than 1 mile an hour on an off camber turn, I think the highway pegs on the engine guards saved some scratches to the lowers.

geneo · 09-16-2009, 08:27 PM

Two week ago I was out by my self near Fair Field Idaho and decided to turn around and head home like I've done in the last 7 times in this same side road parking area. The lot is all P-gravel and has a 1% slope on it and I knew it. So I pulled in about 2MPH into it and the next thing I know I'm on the ground. First time that ever happened on a road bike. Well I got up took my lid off my head and put my back into it just like it said to do in the books and movies. Well that's all fine and good on pavement not so on p-gravel. I could get it up about 1 foot and then my feet would kick out from under me because of all the p-gravel. So I said to my self this sucks and a few other words. About 5 min. some guys came by and helped me pick it up, so I learned a lesson about approaching p-gravel parking lots and some times your not going to get it back up by your self. Bike was not hurt at all. Gene

Hawg Man · 09-16-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoe

Gents,

More of a curiosity question than anything else.....

If you drop your Bike (any FL), will the only parts that actually touch the ground be the engine guards? I am assuming that since that is what they are designed to do, that no other part would hit (i.e. saddlebags, exhaust, etc.).

I have seen demos from Jerry Pallidino (spelling) showing how to pick up a bike, but it is tough to tell from the videos if anything else besides the engine and saddlebag guards are touching.

Thanks,
Dave

Been there/done that.

I've dropped my Road King twice.
The only things that hit were the engine and saddlebag guards and the foorboard.

Tip-O-The-day:
Don't have your footboards so tight that they can't fold up during a drop.
They're designed to fold up - do NOT defeat this feature.
Keep em snug but NOT tight.
If they don't fold up, something has to give, and you'll more than likely end up riding home witout the use of the broken footboard.

RK05 · 09-17-2009, 06:52 AM

Drop mine every now and again. It just pushes up the floor board and rest on the crash bars.

racklefratz · 09-17-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geneo

I got up took my lid off my head and put my back into it just like it said to do in the books and movies. Well that's all fine and good on pavement not so on p-gravel. I could get it up about 1 foot and then my feet would kick out from under me because of all the p-gravel.

Same thing goes for water crossings where the water's only an inch or so deep. If the weather's been warm, there will probably be a layer of slime on the road, and I dumped my 'Wing on one of those. No way one guy can get enough footing to get a bike back upright in a case like that.

Doc 1 · 09-17-2009, 08:37 AM

It happens to us all. The best part is that there is always someone willing to help. I was in Prescott, AZ Doing a uturn, front wheel caught the slight dip in the road for drainage and the bike went down. A fully patched Hells Angels was driving down the street stopped to help, a real nice guy. Remember ride a Honda you ride alone, ride a Harley and you have brothers.