How to amuse your non-riding co-workers

[sagerat]

Make your normal tight U-turn inside of two parking spaces....but this time do not have enough momentum and don’t shift your weight to the outside peg fast enough or give it more power, Captain, in enough time.

A GSA is a heavy thing to pick up, but right when you’ve about got it vertical, have somebody who’s meaning to help put their hand on your top box with a touch as gentle as an angel’s kiss and hilarity ensues as that is just enough to send the bike over onto the other side with you atop it.  

Put down sidestand, walk over to far side of bike, and do the old “butt in seat, grab handlebar, grab frame, walk backward” drill for a second time then put bike on sidestand.  Proves you can lift the bike from either side, you know.  

Be sure, as I did, that there are loads of windows looking out on this comedy of errors.  

Begin the work day.

What's really ironic is gf and I were watching "Falling Skies" on Sunday and at one point the Noah Wylie character is helping pick up a downed Yamaha and of course they're doing it all wrong:  facing the bike, lifting with arms, etc.  I then tell gf proper way to pick up a sleeping motorcycle, little knowing there'd be a field exam in less than 48 hours.  

[loadedmind]

Pics or it didn't happen.    Just kidding.  Sorry to hear about that.  Hey, if nothing else, you now have experience with lifting it.  

[Mac]

That walking backward technique doesn't work for me, my legs are too long. I have no mechanical advantage when I'm sitting on my ankles.

[mesmotized]

Bummer, at least you can laugh about it!

Funny that you noticed that in Falling Skies too.  I was more taken with the absurdity of the ape hangers on Pope's Harley...  Clearly well suited for off-road riding

[bomber]

I'm thinking that this episode might be amusing to your riding friends, as well.

[ConPilot1]

Make your normal tight U-turn inside of two parking spaces....but this time do not have enough momentum and don’t shift your weight to the outside peg fast enough or give it more power, Captain, in enough time.

A GSA is a heavy thing to pick up, but right when you’ve about got it vertical, have somebody who’s meaning to help put their hand on your top box with a touch as gentle as an angel’s kiss and hilarity ensues as that is just enough to send the bike over onto the other side with you atop it.  

Put down sidestand, walk over to far side of bike, and do the old “butt in seat, grab handlebar, grab frame, walk backward” drill for a second time then put bike on sidestand.  Proves you can lift the bike from either side, you know.  

Be sure, as I did, that there are loads of windows looking out on this comedy of errors.  

Begin the work day.

What's really ironic is gf and I were watching "Falling Skies" on Sunday and at one point the Noah Wylie character is helping pick up a downed Yamaha and of course they're doing it all wrong:  facing the bike, lifting with arms, etc.  I then tell gf proper way to pick up a sleeping motorcycle, little knowing there'd be a field exam in less than 48 hours.  

So I guess that's a complicated way of telling us you dropped your GS and people laughed at you.  

[atadaskew]

Just be glad you didn't drop an FJR

[ConPilot1]

Just be glad you didn't drop an FJR

C10'S are fun drop pick-ups too. 'Especially with a full tank.

[black hills]

That walking backward technique doesn't work for me, my legs are too long. I have no mechanical advantage when I'm sitting on my ankles.

I have the same problem, I usually use just the bars, but haven't picked up anything really heavy

[pcrdude]

Just be glad you didn't drop an FJR

We would have heard about the seismic activity on the news.

 

[Hell's Bella]

This sounds like something I would do! Actually, add some gravel and take away the spectators, and it was something I DID do.  

[Flyer]

... a field exam in less than 48 hours.  

Always be prepared for a snap quiz.
 

[sagerat]

That walking backward technique doesn't work for me, my legs are too long. I have no mechanical advantage when I'm sitting on my ankles.

I'm 6'1", so I know what you mean.    Those first few pushes are always a challenge.  Luckily the bags and crash guards on the GSA keep it from laying too flat.  Thank gawd there was only a gallon of fuel in that 9-gallon monster.

These things don't happen when I U-turn the Ural...  

[expatbrit]

I'm amazed and gratified at the lengths you go to to promote amusement and camaraderie in the workplace.

Bravo!

[stew71]

Just be glad you didn't drop an FJR

We go to great lengths to avoid dropping our FJRs. Hernia surgery is expensive.

[falconati]

If you drop an FJR, the best thing to do is just leave it and buy a new one.

[bogfro]

If you drop an FJR, the best thing to do is just leave it and buy a new one.

Actually, an FJR with those plastic "frame sliders" isn't very hard to pick up at all, if you use the butt-in-seat-walk-backwards technique.  In fact, I thought it's a good bit EASIER to pick up than a V-Strom, which I'm sure is easier to pick up than a GSA.  Yeah an FJR is heavy, but all the weight is pretty low, and the bags in combination with the plastic frame sliders, keep it from being completely on the ground in the first place.  One of the times I had to pick mine up was in the GRASS on a STEEP HILL!  Did it all by myself.  

[Sarchi]

I'm amazed and gratified at the lengths you go to to promote amusement and camaraderie in the workplace.

Bravo!

Surely you jest.  I bet he had to wear his helmet in the office the rest of that day.

[Corwin]

A couple of years ago I was doing chain maintenance on my ride.  As I was putting it onto the sidestand from my rear stand, I thought it was leaning a bit further than usual.  Unfortunately, that thought was soon confirmed as it went horizontal.  I had that bike up and almost over on the other side in like a second or two.  Forgot to put the damn sidestand down.  Luckily, my ride is only about 400 lbs wet and I never had to think about how to lift it up, just did.
So far, the only time it's been off it's wheels.
One of the advantages of having a light bike.

[5OUTTA6]

I had a similar incident with my GS.  I was filling it up in a gas station on the center stand.   I went to take it off the center stand and when the bike rolled off the stand, I moved back, but I forgot I had my side cases on.  I 'walked' into my side cases, knee collapsed and the bike went down.
Some guy walks by and says something like , did your bike fall down. I said " no I always lay it down on its side to fill it up".

I got it right up using my enormous strength powered by embarrassment, using the butt against seat and handlebar turned to lock method.

[bungie4]

Actually, an FJR with those plastic "frame sliders" isn't very hard to pick up at all,...  One of the times I had to pick mine up was in the GRASS on a STEEP HILL!  Did it all by myself.  

Has your other ball re-appeared?

My FJR has done taken two naps. One time some dude had it vertical before I got my ass off the ground. The second time I was doing U-Turn on a narrow back country road with sand shoulders. Looked a LOT firmer than it was and the earth sucked it down post haste.

Got it back up without having a shit hemmorage, but it was close, damn close.

[2RR2NV]

that's one way to get practice.  i've seen the backwards version used, but never used it. i should but haven't. dropped the VFR in the walmart gas station. was so embarrassed that once i got out from under the bike, i just grabbed a handful and lifted. guess adrenalin was kicking cause it was cake. thought to myself "why do people say it's so hard to lift bikes?" hmmm...  

[sagerat]

OK, I can't believe I'm typing this.  My GSA in 17,000 miles and three years had never touched terra firma until its inaugural nosedive yesterday morning.  I'm leaving work and stopping at the base of a hill less than a hundred yards from our parking lot where I've stopped a jillion times.

Except this time, there's something under my foot and WHOOMP down we go for the second time.    I did the "butt in seat, walk back drill" for the third time in eight hours.  Let's see, nothing in 17,000 miles and then twice in about 100 yards.  I think I've got it out of my system, but I should probably just walk out to the garage and huck it over a third time and be done with it.  

[expatbrit]

Surely you jest.  I bet he had to wear his helmet in the office the rest of that day.

Jest? Joke?! That's as likely as me, an Englishman, being sarcastic.

Just sayin'.

[2RR2NV]

3rd time's a charm

[ConPilot1]

OK, I can't believe I'm typing this.  My GSA in 17,000 miles and three years had never touched terra firma until its inaugural nosedive yesterday morning.  I'm leaving work and stopping at the base of a hill less than a hundred yards from our parking lot where I've stopped a jillion times.

Except this time, there's something under my foot and WHOOMP down we go for the second time.    I did the "butt in seat, walk back drill" for the third time in eight hours.  Let's see, nothing in 17,000 miles and then twice in about 100 yards.  I think I've got it out of my system, but I should probably just walk out to the garage and huck it over a third time and be done with it.  

Awesome. Good thing you've got a bike meant to take a drop pretty well. That's incredible. 17,000miles and your first three drops within 8 hours.  

dude I don't mean to laugh at your misfortune but it IS kinda funny.

[sagerat]

Believe me, even I think this funny.

[Sarchi]

Jest? Joke?! That's as likely as me, an Englishman, being sarcastic.

Just sayin'.

Reminds me of an exchange from the film Bottle Shock.

It looks like a tough bunch.

 
Best palates in the business.

 
What's he saying?

 
Where I come from,
they call it a left-handed compliment.

 
But I don't think they have
a name for it in England.

 
It's too embedded in their culture.

 
Hmm.

[mellow_gold]

I too have done the "double drop". Twice.

First time was my '72 CB350 and it was sitting on a trailer in front of a motorcycle dealership at the time  

2nd was my '81 GS850GL...I had it loaded to the gills with camping gear in my driveway at home.  Put my foot down on a bit of sand and down we go...with the adrenaline pumping I muscled it up (didn't know about the butt on the seat trick at the time) but was so exhausted by the time I got it righted that I couldn't hold it from going over the other way.  God that was a heavy pig of a bike.    

[tthompsr]

How's about with 0 miles on the bike and right outside the front door of the dealership.  

[2RR2NV]

How's about with 0 miles on the bike and right outside the front door of the dealership.  

ok...  you win!

[esqualey]

First motorcycle I bought was a 80's V45 Magna in 1992.  Never, ever rode a motorcycle in my life before then.  Had my dad bring me there, paid for the bike, they showed me where the shifter and clutch were, I got on and managed to get half a block to a stop sign.  I stopped...and forgot to put a foot down...picture a slow motion fall to the side with my dad in the truck behind me.  

After he found out I wasn't hurt, he was laughing his ass off!  Thanks Dad.  

Pauley

[stevent]

" no I always lay it down on its side to fill it up".

    Classic......