got pics?

 

yeah lots of folks round here dont ride

 

That's very impressive. Your luck will run out too eventually, though. All the faster if you think it won't Just wait till you hit an oil slick that you can't even see at night on a hard turn. When you go down though, we won't say "told ya so". We will wish you the best.

Been riding 46 years and worn out a few bikes in that time, myself. Been down four times. Oil on clover leaf exit at night. Front tire blow out (got launched on that one). Deep (eight inches) gravel. Front brake system lock up failure. That's not counting the dirt bike mishaps. Still, it's all those monster cages driving around that concern me the most.

For the original post. Even though it sucked for ya, you were lucky. Best way to learn how to handle gravel is to spend some time on gravel roads. Really. When it gets really deep though, it's good balance or down ya go. Practice pays off here.

 

I agree with this. Everyone I know that rides has dropped a bike at least once. I'm not talking about crashing at speed, it is the low speed driveway and parking lot drops that seem to get us all.

Back in the mid 90s I was at the Myrtle Beach HD bike week with my sport bike and I met the girl pictured below. We road around all week and had a great time. Near the end of the week we pulled up to the hotel on the bike, we were talking and I forgot to lower the side stand. I leaned the bike over thinking the stand was lowered and down the bike went with the chick on the back in a bikini top. That was not a smooth move and it cost me about $1000 in plastic.

 

Have to say, I am not a fan of calling people retarded but that just is. I bought a brand new bike before I had ever driven a bike and once I signed the paperwork and got ready to leave the salesman told me that everyone drops their bike. Had he said that before I bought it I would have walked out the door and purchased it somewhere else.
Have been a new rider for 4 years now and have had 3 brand new bikes in that time and I HAVE NOT DROPPED ONE YET. I am also not a "cowboy" - someone who thinks they're an expert and drives like maniac.

 

I've yet to drop mine yet either but I'm not saying I never will. I just think its a bit ludicrous to say that if you've never dropped your bike then you aren't really riding it.
I think if I do drop it it'd be from something like oil on the road like one poster mentioned or an animal in the road or something else.

 

 

I have to agree with the majority of folks on here. I have been riding for about 23 years and have yet to do down. Use good judgement, watch your following distance and be careful for everyone else on the road. Accidents happen, but I wouldn't say I havent been riding.

 

Saw a chick go down on a bike run recently. She'd probably had a few drinks. Came into the parking lot entrance to the bar too fast, on the brakes too hard. Parking lot is gravel. Luckily, only her pride was hurt and some minor damage to her bike.