Arggg....noob mistake

[harlumjp]

So I've had the ninjette for just over 2 months & I've put 1,260 miles on it. I've always felt confident I would never drop it and today I found out that was wrong...

I changed the oil yesterday so this morning I decided to check the level to make sure I had enough. Usually when I do this I either put up the kickstand or don't (I'm not consistent). Apparently this time I put up the stand but I didn't remember. As I was going to dismount I assumed the stand would touch down and started to get off....

And then slow motion.....and then: "F**K!"

I immediately imagined scratches everywhere and a broken turn signal. Luckily I just got a few scuffs on the bottom of my mirror, possibly because as I was falling I softened the blow by trying to pull the bike back up? Well other than a sustained scratch on my arm and a sore wrist, I am fine but my confidence was shaken.

LESSON LEARNED: Being aware of your surroundings on a bike is of extreme importance when riding....and when not.

[backinthesaddleagain]

Sorry to hear. I am anal about the stand being down. Probably from working at a dealer years ago. We pushed alot of bikes out into the lot in the morning and back into the showroom at night. Back then some of the euro bikes had automatically retracting stands, lift the bike to vertical and the stand goes up, lean it over and you better remember to put the stand down. To this day I check and double check likes its OCD, especially when sitting on bikes in a bike shop.

[Blackwidow]

welcome to the club!

[harlumjp]

Originally Posted by backinthesaddleagain

Sorry to hear. I am anal about the stand being down. Probably from working at a dealer years ago. We pushed alot of bikes out into the lot in the morning and back into the showroom at night. Back then some of the euro bikes had automatically retracting stands, lift the bike to vertical and the stand goes up, lean it over and you better remember to put the stand down. To this day I check and double check likes its OCD, especially when sitting on bikes in a bike shop.

Yes my OCD with the stand starts today.

[backinthesaddleagain]

You know whats a good reminder, and further anal or OCD is I use a kickstand disk all summer, even if not that hot out. It goes in the pocket of my jacket that I put my key in. so I pull up, put down stand, take out disk, lean bike up and onto disk, then put away key. I can't tell you how many times I forget to put the key in the jacket before I started doing this. Hopefully by time cold weather comes I will not need the disk to double check for stand or key. Funny I don't use disk in my garage but I don't pull the key in there either.

OCD ^2 I guess.

[demp]

Originally Posted by drsketch

I personally always keep a firm grip on the handle bars with the front break engaged until I confirm that the weight of the bike is on the stand, then I let go.

ditto

[backinthesaddleagain]

Also if any incline at all I leave the bike in first gear and and let bike "roll" until the engine/tranny resists.

[oblivion007]

I'm part of the club now haha! =]

[Snake]

Originally Posted by harlumjp

So I've had the ninjette for just over 2 months & I've put 1,260 miles on it. I've always felt confident I would never drop it and today I found out that was wrong...

I changed the oil yesterday so this morning I decided to check the level to make sure I had enough. Usually when I do this I either put up the kickstand or don't (I'm not consistent). Apparently this time I put up the stand but I didn't remember. As I was going to dismount I assumed the stand would touch down and started to get off....

And then slow motion.....and then: "F**K!"

LESSON LEARNED: Being aware of your surroundings on a bike is of extreme importance when riding....and when not.

You know what happens whens when you assume. Like you said, lesson learned.

[Jiggles]

I forgot to put the kickstand down one day at the gas station and as I was getting off and leaning the bike over it just kept going! I freaked out and pulled it up as hard as I could and I was able to keep it from touching the ground

I've also left the key in the ignition multiple times

[Mazakawi]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

I forgot to put the kickstand down one day at the gas station and as I was getting off and leaning the bike over it just kept going! I freaked out and pulled it up as hard as I could and I was able to keep it from touching the ground

I've also left the key in the ignition multiple times

I was turning in my garage one time and in a hurry. Laid it over but kept plastic from touching the ground. When it fell my hand twisted the throttle and it red lined until I managed to get my left handover to hit the kill switch. While doing this I was balancing it on the right side foot peg. Avoided causing any damage. All I got was a massive backfire when I restarted it and pain in both legs and arms from straining so hard to keep it off the floor.

I've left the key in the ignition and on before, I had used the kill switch or kickstand to shut off the engine. Didn't find out until a guy walked in the restaurant and saw my jacket. Figured it was my bike so came over and let me know. I've also left it in the rear seat lock before when locking up my helmet.

[ducducgooseit]

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Mazakawi

I was turning in my garage one time and in a hurry. Laid it over but kept plastic from touching the ground. When it fell my hand twisted the throttle and it red lined until I managed to get my left handover to hit the kill switch. While doing this I was balancing it on the right side foot peg. Avoided causing any damage. All I got was a massive backfire when I restarted it and pain in both legs and arms from straining so hard to keep it off the floor.

I've left the key in the ignition and on before, I had used the kill switch or kickstand to shut off the engine. Didn't find out until a guy walked in the restaurant and saw my jacket. Figured it was my bike so came over and let me know. I've also left it in the rear seat lock before when locking up my helmet.

omg I wish you had that on video. Guys bike falls over and redlines, survives without a scratch. Win.

[KawiKid860]

That sucks you dropped it! I did a similar thing just a couple days ago, I was just in a hurry and I forgot to put the kickstand down and i started to lean her over and she just kept going. I Couldn't even let it down easy it took me by so much surprise, but I got lucky too, only got Scuffed bar ends, turn signal and mirror and a bent clutch lever :P We all make mistakes, especially us noobs! Oh wow I just realized this thread is like a year old..lol

[ally99]

Originally Posted by harlumjp

I've always felt confident I would never drop it and today I found out that was wrong...

Sigh. Haven't we all had those hopes at one time? Though there are some on our board who have never dropped theirs, it's few and far between.

[Xoulrath]

Sorry to hear about your mishap. Glad you and the bike have no real damage.

As far as checking oil levels, I stand the bike up enough to get an accurate reading, but the kickstand never goes up. I don't even put the kickstand up when the bike is on its rear stand. Too easy to forget.

As far as simply getting off the bike after a ride, I use the kill switch, turn off the key, pull out the key, then put the kickstand down. I also do a foot sweep after dismounting to make sure the kickstand is engaged before releasing the weight of the bike from my hand. I find this little ritual helps me, as several times when I first started riding, I would constantly forget to get my key from the bike. It was always turned off, so no worry about a dead battery, but you do that in the wrong part of town, and you have no bike to come back to. I'm glad I broke myself of that bad habit quickly.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by Xoulrath

As far as checking oil levels, I stand the bike up enough to get an accurate reading, but the kickstand never goes up. I don't even put the kickstand up when the bike is on its rear stand. Too easy to forget.

With the rear stand, I use a block of 2x4 under the kickstand to keep it as upright as possible so using this as habit, I havent forgotten the kickstand yet.

I have on the other hand forgot to raise the kickstand and wondered why I couldnt click into gear without the engine getting killed a few times. Then I realize it's the kickstand kill switch and then I feel embarrased because people start watching when you start and stop your engine a few times sitting there.

[Xoulrath]

Yeah, Brian, but at least you didn't drop it.

[n4mwd]

You know you are supposed to mount and dismount on the kickstand side, right? I'm not sure where I learned that, but I think it was MSF.

At least that way, if you forgot the stand was up, the bike would bump you and you could catch it.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

You know you are supposed to mount and dismount on the kickstand side, right? I'm not sure where I learned that, but I think it was MSF.

At least that way, if you forgot the stand was up, the bike would bump you and you could catch it.

Or crush you.

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by setasai

Or crush you.

With a 250?

Anyhow, here is a link to a page about mounting. Its not an MSF page, but its almost accurate. Most motorcycles that I have seen have the kickstand on the left, and the page says mount from the left, but you're really supposed to mount from the kickstand side. In most cases that I can think of, its the same, but in the event you find a bike with the kickstand on the right, mount and dismount from that side.

[2011Ninja250R]

Live & learn. I'm OCD about my bike so I share your pain.

[CZroe]

Originally Posted by Snake

You know what happens whens when you assume. Like you said, lesson learned.

I'm not sure the circumstances but his bike is totaled now according to his bike description. Perhaps he did not learn?

[Mazakawi]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

omg I wish you had that on video. Guys bike falls over and redlines, survives without a scratch. Win.

Only scratches on my bike are on the chrome ring around the end of my exhaust. But those are from accidentally backing it into the wall at the front of my garage while parking it for the night.

It's not the first time I've caught a 250 and avoided damage.

The first time was during my MSF course a few months ago prior to purchasing the bike. We were doing the skills test at the end of the course. Right when I stopped after the last turn on the test I lost my balance and almost dropped the class bike. If I had dropped it I would've failed the test and not been able to get my license. Needless to say, The pain was worth it to get my license.

As for when I dropped mine all I was thinking was "NO NO NO NO NO" while remembering how much those fairings cost if one touches the pavement. Again, the pain was worth the cost of a $350 fairing. I can assure you though, straddling a bike on it's side while holding about 75% of the weight is not fun and does not feel good.

I was bored one day so I looked up the cost of all the plastic on my bike. Now that I know the exact cost of replacing it all if I break it that bike is not touching the ground.