Twice last year. In both cases I stopped off balance using too much front brake. Also, I had my wife riding passenger and had a load of stuff in the tour pack. Got to remember to ease off that front brake when coming to a stop and don't use it at all on a loose surface. After an all day ride of 200 plus miles with my HOG chapter yesterday, I damn near dumped it again (with the wife aboard)when stopping in my Brother in Law's gravel drive way. Once again, too much front brake. Just when I think I've drummed it deep into my dense skull, I make the same mistake again.

 

Dropped my Ultra with my wife on the back on its first drive home (new) from the stealer as I was pulling into the garage. My drives are graveled and it taught me real quick to NOT use the front brake on the gravely stuff. We were going like zero MPH so nothing but my pride was hurt. Amazing how much damage (scratches on chrome and one of the side covers) a simple drop on gravel can do. My insurance company picked up the cost of making it brand new again and it set them back over 3K.

 

As I have heard many time: There are 2 kinds of people that ride motorcycles. Those that have dropped em and those that lie about it. I even dropped my sporty once! Put MYSELF in a bad position and over she went. One thing I have learned, if the bike is determined to go, let it go. Parts can be replaced, bikes can be fixed. Broken bones, scrapes and pride hurt.

 

done it more times than I want to recall---all it takes it one inattentivesecond, one wrong moveand down it goes---I don't know anyone that can hold up 700+lbs

 

ain't touching this thread with a 10 ft pole.... or a 760 lb EG. [sm=bustedsign.gif]

 

I don't remember ever having a bike that I didn't dump at least once[:@]

But most of the "drops"have been while I'm practicing stuff on an MSF range. You don't know where the limit is until you get there.......

BTW, I have added engine guards to every bike I've had that did not come with them. Makes it easier to get the bike up in campgrounds when you dump it in wet grass, mud,hill side, log hidden in the leaves, etc. etc..

 

Interestingly enough....after 6 years of serious and many more on and off years of riding something or the other, I just layed mine down for the 1st time last week. I was pulling into a Starbucks right in front of a window full of people. I went to make the slow turn into the parking space and down to the right I went. I have NO idea why, other than it just happened. My first reaction was sheer embarrassment as I straddled the bike and grunted and groaned trying to right the bike. Finally, much to the amusement of the Starbucks gallery I got off and leaned into the bike and got her up on two wheels, promptly turned around, took off and found my coffee elsewhere. I know...chicken **** move but I just was too humiliated to get off and walk in after that No damage though at all...love those crash bars! Funny thing is, after never having any real issue or sense of keeping her up, since then it's crossed my mind more than a couple of times when I'm making slow turns or pulling up to stop, particularly 2up.
Bryan...sorry to hear you're ailing..

 

I had mine come over on me 3 weeks ago, dead stop,almost level surface, lost it and I let it slowly roll to the left and it ended up at a 45 degree angle held up by the engine and bag guards. No damage. I was sure glad I added the passenger grab handle (35 bucks thanks EBAY!) because I used it to muscle the bike back up.

 

Just so you know, I laid my SG over to the right, and it ballanced on the foot rest, never touched the bag... Whew...
Had a cager on a cell phone cut me off in a stopped lane... smacked the rear bumper at about 2mph...
trashed my fender but nothing else...

[IMG]local://upfiles/36512/555856A9F9D74768A4ACFF1199DDB3D7.jpg[/IMG]

 

Dropped mine a few times. Once in a campground on a hill in the grass, once doing slow speed manuvers in the back yard, once with the wife aboard and fully loaded on a trip (lost it in 3 inch deep gravel - twice!) and thru it down once rushing to the aid of an injured rider while on a bike run. I expect to drop it a few more times too...