Picking up a dropped bike

[Blackbird]

There have been a few posts about the best way of getting a downed bike up again when you're on your own, especially if you're not built like a gorilla.

This site: http://www.pinkribbonrides.com/dropped.html has a lot of photos showing astep-by-step method. God forbid that we should ever need it in earnest but maybe something to practice.

[bert_is_evil]

Has anyone tried this method?

It's surprising the superhuman strength you can muster up when you're shamed out about dropping your bike - mine "fell over" a month or two ago and on my third attempt I managed to pick it up facing the bike. Interestingly I think the involuntary "aarrhhghhlllgg" sound I made as I did it helped..... not bad though considering its 200kg dry and I'm about 65kg, I was surprised I could do it at all.

btw check out the link to a slideshow of chicks picking up bikes on that page, some pretty ladies there...

[SDU]

They are great tips but why are they always shown with a BMW- they don't even get all the way to the ground- does that style work as well on picking up other bikes?

[James Deuce]

Hey! SDU! I've got News.

Your bikes don't get all the way to the ground either!

[surfer]

They are great tips but why are they always shown with a BMW- they don't even get all the way to the ground- does that style work as well on picking up other bikes?

Probably but I wouldn't like to try with a skirt on:gob:

[Joni]

Yup SDU it does...
I remember when I let the Zeal have a little lie down... Ixion had posted this technique a while before... tried it and voila! I was up and away again.

Your bike is a little bit heavier... but apparantly if you use that method it does not matter.

[crashe]

Probably but I wouldn't like to try with a skirt on:gob:

Awwwwwww go on surfer........ you would look ever so cute.........:dodge:


Actually we just need McJim in his kilt to try it out....:dodge:

[Maha]

Knowing me i would probabaly end on the other side of the bike on my arse!
Then there would be damage on both sides so time to buy a new bike...:yes:

[ceebie13]

Oooh...dodgy ground here folks...dodgy ground. There are one or two on here (No names mentioned) that advocate that if you can't pick your bike up on your own then you shouldn't be riding it!!
At that rate, anyone who can't should therefore go get themselves a push bike! ...or a trike....or, heaven forbid, a car!

Personally I'm not in line with that theory.

[Joni]

But Ceebie in theory if you use the "backwards, waddle tecnique" you should be able to lift any bike :spudwhat:

[Blackbird]

Oooh...dodgy ground here folks...dodgy ground. There are one or two on here (No names mentioned) that advocate that if you can't pick your bike up on your own then you shouldn't be riding it!!
At that rate, anyone who can't should therefore go get themselves a push bike! ...or a trike....or, heaven forbid, a car!

Personally I'm not in line with that theory.

I'd be all for trying this technique on the Blackbird. When I had a slow speed "off" on a dirt road fully loaded with Ventura packs, it took 3 of us to get it up!

[ceebie13]

...in theory ....you use the "backwards, waddle tecnique"

Sounds like the same technique I use in the loo when I've just realised there's no bog roll!! :laugh:

[Joni]

Blackbird it 100% works... my ex is a 5ft5" little guy - he dropped his bird and tried it... he said it came right up (on his own)...

Thats a heavy bugger too :yes:

OK, I will keep quiet now, I have made it clear I think its a great technique! :yes:

[ceebie13]

I think I'll pop into the garage and try it!!! hehe

[kiwifruit]

if you can't pick your bike up on your own then you shouldn't be riding it

i agree with that.......

also, the bike on the site would be alot harder to pick up if it fell all the way over ;)

[skidMark]

straight after the crash get to the bike...turn the key off so if it's leaking fuel theres less chance of a spark making it go boom

then ive found ive usually got so much adrenalin a heave and it's up....

i picked up a 600 for a guy who crashed once....i was so worried about it catching fire or something that......i just heaved...and i'm only 60 kg

but to warn people get to that bike asap and get that damn key turned off even if u can't pick it up....and if you can get to the fuel tap shut the fuel off too

last thing you want is your bit of road rash turning into a bike turning to nothing in a fire

just my piece of 10c new copper coin.

cheers : mark

[k14]

Don't know what you guys are on about, never had any problems picking up the rs if I drop it :msn-wink:

[Jantar]

I've found this method works well as long as there is grip for the tyres. Its not so good on soft wet grass, or on very steep & rutted dirt slopes.

[Ixion]

Soft surface or gravel, kick or dig a little trench on the upward side of the tyres. Let the tyres drop into the trench. Only needs to be an inch deep or so, just enough to stop them sliding.

[Lissa]

I dropped my bike once, with the engine running still when my foot slipped. After rolling on the ground, my friend, picked up the bike for me, because the fuel was leaking, so I never got the chance to try it. Strange the bike came before me, I had to haul myself up!

[sAsLEX]

Don't know what you guys are on about, never had any problems picking up the rs if I drop it :msn-wink:

Helps you didn't even let go of the bars last drop you had!

[Motu]

The first I bike I owned that I couldn't pick up was the XLV750 - it wasn't so much that it was heavy,but the weight was carried high as well.The first time I dropped it was sorta off road,although the road was only an underarm lob away.It fell on a hump,so everything was touching the ground - the wheels were on the ground,the bars were on the ground,and the tank was too.So there was no way I could get a purchase under the bike to pick it up.This was a remote area with absolutly no traffic (why else would I be there?) I popped every cork and used up my supply of ''oh shit!'' adrenalin,the next day every single muscle in my body was sore.I resorted to scouring the countryside,and found a 2 metre half round and managed to lever the bike up with it under the steering head.

We call it adventure riding....making the impossible possible....

[Toaster]

I need to find someone's bike to push over and try it.......... (just kidding!!).

[Balrog]

I've used the bum on seat method to pick up the GS a few times now
and it works great unless the bikes completely flat.
( sticky out cylinder in hole = bmw flat on arse )

The other way to try is
- make sure the bikes in gear
- push the down handle bar as far forward as you can away from the tank.
- Squat down, grab the handle bar with both hands, keep your
back straight and lift.

Not as good as the bum on seat method, but is an alternative.

:)

[NordieBoy]

So that's what's been happening with Cath's bike!
Damn KB'ers practicing their bike picking up techniques.

[90s]

Embarrassing story - yesterday bringing my bike out of the garage I wasn't paying attention, slipped and dropped it ... lowered it to the ground effectively although it hit with a jolt on the wing mirror.

First time I have ever dropped a bike (not counting beinf hit by a car).

I have read that website's advice before, and taking it nearly killed me! First the GSX was flat on the floor - no way to effectively brace the small of your back on. GSX weighs full about 220kg. Eventually I thought I would maybe get a neighbour to help - the ultimate humiliation - then I simply tried picking the bike up with one hand on the grab rail and one of the seat. It sprang up easy with not much effort.

The affair is over - I'll never trust the internet again.

[kevfromcoro]

They are great tips but why are they always shown with a BMW- they don't even get all the way to the ground- does that style work as well on picking up other bikes?
think they use BMWs because the darn things fall over a lot at slow speeds..have found my 800 very hard to monuver at slow speeds.dropped it while doing a u turn in the middle of the h/way..its amazzing the strength u can get out of shear embarrsment..

[SDU]

Hey! SDU! I've got News.

Your bikes don't get all the way to the ground either!


A lot lower than the BMW!



Yup SDU it does...
I remember when I let the Zeal have a little lie down... Ixion had posted this technique a while before... tried it and voila! I was up and away again.

Your bike is a little bit heavier... but apparantly if you use that method it does not matter.

I have tried that technique on the Guzzi (on a hill too:shutup: ), & I couldn't get under the bike enough to get the lift it nearly broke my back trying. I don't have the arm length / strength to do it that way I need to use my body/hip side on to the bike to help take the weight. Even with the DR. I have practised but not a technique I can use. Oh well Adrenaline is amazing at times.


Soft surface or gravel, kick or dig a little trench on the upward side of the tyres. Let the tyres drop into the trench. Only needs to be an inch deep or so, just enough to stop them sliding.

That works sweet as every time!

[SDU]

think they use BMWs because the darn things fall over a lot at slow speeds..have found my 800 very hard to monuver at slow speeds.dropped it while doing a u turn in the middle of the h/way..its amazzing the strength u can get out of shear embarrsment..

So do Guzzis:shutup:

[beyond]

Well, my bikes 250kgs with oil and gas and I have been offroad on it twice and not voluntarily I may add :)

I weight in at 83 kgs and all you do is grab the bike and thow her back on it's feet while the adrenaline is still pumping and before you discover you have any damage to yourself :) This seems to work no matter which direction you are facing and however you go about it. Turning the steering so the wheel is facing away from you seems to help of course.

[Ixion]

Well, my bikes 250kgs with oil and gas and I have been offroad on it twice and not voluntarily I may add :)

.

Well, yes, with featherweight sprotsbikes, it's quite easy. But not everyone rides such light weight machines

[xwhatsit]

Hah. No sweat for me, with my 125kg powered bicycle.

[speeding_ant]

Learning to pickup your bike is very important... I was in a situation where I slid on an oil patch going into Paekakariki hill road from the other side of the highway. My bike fell over (my old RG150) on the wrong side of the road. I looked up and a truck was heading straight for me. Thankfully adrenaline is an amazing thing, i picked up the bike like superman, whilst consecutively keeping the engine running and engaging the clutch. I jumped on the bike while it was pulling the front up in the air, looked back at the truck screaming past the intersection.

I learnt how to pickup a bike about two weeks proir to that incident. So.. i highly reccomend learning! :D

[XP@]

It definatly works, have used it many times.

That is unless your wheels are higher than your tank (gravity will be affecting the fuel in your tank). If they are then use your wheels to pull the bike round, usually the front is the cleanest, offers the best hand holds and is out of the way of the hot exhaust pipe. You should find the bike pivots on the footpegs.

[howdamnhard]

Thanks I'll try the butt lift next time,although my bikes light and a few weeks back when I dropped it I had it up before I even knew it,must have been the shame factor.:scooter: :scooter: :dodge:

[MacD]

Has anyone tried this method?



Yes, I picked up my RF900 using this technique after dropping it in the carpark at work when I tried to drive off with the disc lock on! :pinch:

An RF900 is not a light beast, yet it came up pretty easily with this technique. I tried the face-on method first (not thinking really at that stage) and felt my back complain fairly quickly!

Just watch that the bike doesn't go over centre while you're still pushing backwards!

[klingon]

It's just as well the bike in those pictures fell over onto a couple of blue towels. Must remember to carry blue towels wherever I go and throw them on the ground if I feel the bike tipping over. :yes:

[CM2005]

15 liters of gas, old XL (FOR SALE!!!), wet clay, no tread, sore knee, HARD! too half an hour. i weigh 65kg.

[botb]

Totally agree with the adrenalin/shock theory once you crash after the obligatory holy faaarrkkk OMG shit faaarkin hell!!! OMG!!! i can't believe i just dropped it stuff the ole 'Nike' theory kicks in and ya 'Just Do It' i came off i got up i turned off key saw gas was leaking and panicked bike was up in about 2 sec's flat..... me 60kg! bike 170kg! It just sort of happened i no explanation and can't even remember what i did to be honest lol....... but different situations call for different techniques i guess and pfffffttt to the 'if ya can't pick it up you shouldn't be riding it' comments whatever!!! it's all about passion and loving what your riding it hell do you have the same theory for your toffeepop loving partners??? (gee i wonder)

[cbr guy]

lol i wish i knew that last friday, good post

[Teflon]

I use a deadlift technique.. only problem i have is nearly flipping the bike over onto the otherside.

It's technique, not really strength.. i wouldn't have problem picking up any bike.. i'm not big

[desmo dave]

I see some of the GP riders could do with a lesson in bike pick up.Its not offten you see them pick there bikes up on there own

[Hitcher]

Using this technique, I successfully uprighted an ST1300 in the main street of Opotiki early one Sunday morning, much to the amusement of a female forecourt attendant in the adjacent petrol station.

[Big Dave]

Poor little halflings.
They haven't made one I can't pick up with one hand yet.
Send for BD.

[Dodgyiti]

So do Guzzis:shutup:

You heathen! May Carlos smite you!
They are perfectly balanced and gifted with the best sidestands in China