...in about 1996 when my son accidentally knocked over one of the bikes in the garage...only a broken clutch lever and a scuffed fairing. He was scared $#!&less. A couple times before that...once when my kick stand sunk into the grass/dirt after a few hours and once when I thought you should park and cover a motorcycle leaning INTO the wind on a windy day. No...the cover acts like a sail and over it goes... None of those were Harleys...

 

Oh, A month or so ago, I ride home the 27 mi from work and approach my driveway. The driveway is concrete, sloped at about 25 degrees which then transitions into the concrete street going up towards the crown of the road. I also live on the corner, which puts me at about a 35 degree angle when I get to the base of said driveway.

I almost dropped my ironhead chopper a few years ago, the first time that I rode down the driveway. I knew that I needed to cross the transition perpendicular to get away from the weight transfer.

Most times I stop before my front wheel gets to the driveway, dig around for my door opener, wait for door to open, then gun it up the hill.

Not this time.

I'm digging in my windshield bag of my King for the opener, when I hit the transition at an angle. The bike throws hard to the right, which I muscle through, over compensate, and go down on the left side.

I roll off and stand up. I get a thought in my head where the neighbors all saw me and they are thinking: "That biker guy came home drunk today", and I start laughing.

I try to pick her up facing toward the bike, and she doesn't budge. I turn around trying to remember where you are supposed to grab, lift, and she doesn't budge.

I look around to see if anyone in the neighborhood is coming out to help me. Nope.

I go inside and yell help to my wife. She comes out and we lift, and the bike doesn't budge. She moves her hands to the bag guard, we lift, and stand up the bike. Hooray!

My King is lowered 2 inches front and back so it only leaned over on the bottoms of the guards. Sitting at about 45 degrees. The rubber foot board pad pops loose in the middle. I pop it back in and there's no other damage to the bike.

I'm happy and still laughing about being "home drunk". I was sober.

It was my first drop in the 4.5 years since I learned to ride. I did drop the 250 Kawi at the MSF class. Both days.

 

Went to my yearly check-up at the VA and was just getting off my bike when I heard the sound of metal crunching on pavement. Saw an older vet miss the corner coming into the motorcycle parking area and he dropped his scoot on his leg trying to make the sharp turn. Bike had him pinned and I ran over and picked his bike up and wheeled it into a parking spot. Rushed back to check on him and he laughed saying at least he was at the right place if he was going to wreck his bike. Just his pride and a few scuffs of the bike was the only damage.

 

The one and only time was in 1978 on my XLCH spinning donuts, got away from me and it laid down.

 

1973 was the last time for me...