Went on a ride with the local HOG chapter to ride The Dragon. Had a great ride up and was pulling into the hotel for the night. Was tired, sweaty and evidently had a bad case of the STUPIDS.

Heading into the parking lot around the back of the hotel there was a very steep hill leading into the parking lot. I started up the incline, realized I was in second gear and attempted to rev it up so I could keep moving forward. I then decided I needed to get back into 1st gear and lifted my left foot off the ground to hit the shifter and the "biker ejection seat" engaged. The bike fell on it's left side and since the engine guard caught the bike, I was able to roll out from under it before it pinned me.

Then, I was surrounded by a bunch of very clean cut, young guys who grabbed the bike and got it upright. When I looked up the hill into the parking lot, I saw that these were State Troopers (their bikes were parked at the top of the hill). Great news is that I don't drink anymore (long story that didn't end well) but when they helped up, my .380 fell out of my boot. They looked at each other and said something about "that's why you are careful on ALL traffic stops". They asked if it was a Kel-Tec .380 and I told them that it was a Ruger .380. They were cool about it and didn't even ask to see my permit.

So.....at the end of the day, all I lost was my pride, my left highway peg and got some road rash on the left saddlebag and the front left of the fairing.

Learned some valuable lessons....

1. Watch for hills and be prepared going INTO them as to where I'm going and where I might stop if I had to.
2. Get a good ankle holster intead of using gravity to "hold" my .380

Anyway.....just thought I'd share.

hopefully I'll see some of you in Sturgis.....going to be there on 8/10 - 8/13.

 

LOL! Great story and glad to hear you didn't get harassed about the pistol.

 

This is the part where you lost me. If you are going up a hill in 2nd gear, why would your foot be on the ground?

Shakey

 

My bike fell over on the way back from the Dragon, it happens. Just pick her up, dust her off and say you're sorry and you love her, then take her for a night on the town, she'll forgive you.

A Ruger .380 fits very nicely in the back pocket, get a thin holster and it looks like a wallet. I just saw a video on You Tube where a cop threatened to kill a guy for having a conceal carry permit, but they weren't motorcycle cops, yours were, that's probably the difference.

 

Sounds like those particular state troopers probably wouldn't even bothered if you were stewed too.

 

If it makes you feel any better, I lost mine Saturday bringing it back from my brothers house. Was unloading it off the trailer (had to bring back a mower too, and the Harley won't pull a mower). Ramp on trailer was wet and the rear tire slid off the side of the ramp, at an angle. Bike turned over and pinned my leg between trailer frame and the bike. I set there in the driveway for a few minutes like that, pinned, before I realized no neighbors were outside to help me. Sucked it up, took a deep breath and using arms only, got it up enough to pull my leg out, then did the usual "pick up your fallen tourer" drill.

SE exhaust tip was destroyed, and my lower fairing lost a small chip. New tips on the way, and I don't know what the hell I'm going to do about my lower now.

Anyway, that's my story. Hope yours doesn't feel so bad to you now.

 

It's easy to mess up after a long ride like that. Glad it didn't hurt you or the bike any more than it did. Get a holster.

 

i was at the outlet mall getting the spouse a gift card Saturday, put the jiffy stand down--it was not all the way down as I was getting off the bike; it went to the ground. A guy came helped me get it up. No damage. Chit happens.

 

Desantis makes a nice ankle holster that fits even the bodyguard 380... they make it left or right.... I messed up and got a right,,, do yourself a favr and get the left, so it can be worn on left foot and still be on outside of ankle, not facing in towards engine.

model number ik-290583 cabelas sells em for $45...

 

Sounds like hell, sorry man. On the plus side it aslo shows that not all "Staties" are bad...