consequences of having dropped the bike 3 times in one ride.....?? | GTAMotorcycle.com

consequences of having dropped the bike 3 times in one ride.....??

H

hybrid

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I'm a new rider and had a learned to ride from a private instructor(who also is an instructor for a mto qualified motorcycle school) to help me prep for the 2 day bike course(long story) and after two days of learning to ride with this dude, told me i was ready to ride the road! YAY!!
So one day i thought i'd be a bit adventurous and go put gas in my very empty bike by myself. Gas station is 5 min away, what could go wrong?

drop #1: I live in a condo where I have to go up a steep ramp to get out of the garage....I dunno why I thought I could manage that when i've never tried it before. I dropped my beautiful bike on the ramp when it stalled.

drop #2: While I was turning into the gas station(another uphill), I thought to add a bit more power and I suppose i turned to sharp at the speed I was going. :(

drop #3: On my way back and having stopped at an intersection right by my house, my bike started to constantly stall. It wouldn't start up that I started freaking out cause there was a bus behind me that was constantly honking at me cause he needed to turn, that I ended up dropping the bike the third time.....It wasn't until after I managed to get home that I remembered that once a bike is dropped, the engine is flooded.....and is most likely why it caused it to stall....and having dropped it 3 times....i'm sure it's no brainer why it definitely would.....but then I was told by someone that if i let it sit for an hour, it should be fine.

it's now been 2 days since i let it sit and i decided to test out the bike to make sure it was ok....but maybe i'm being paranoid...but i don't think it felt very smooth....and usually when i slowly release my clutch all the way without applying any throttle, my bike still moved without stalling....but when i tried to test it without applying throttle, it stalled or it felt like it would if i didn't apply throttle. Any opinions......??
 
Don't let previous poster discourage you. You should probably practice with the bike in a parking lot. I would also recommend taking a course. Sometimes you learn a lot not just from the instructor but also from other people learning with you in a course. Also if you take an m1 exit course you get to use their bikes so if you drop it... no big deal :)
 
hybrid said:
....and usually when i slowly release my clutch all the way without applying any throttle, my bike still moved without stalling....but when i tried to test it without applying throttle, it stalled or it felt like it would if i didn't apply throttle. Any opinions......??
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Based on this, you should get the bike checked out. Without you listing out year, make and mileage, it's going to be difficult for anyone to give you advice. Also, 3 drops in one ride is quite a story.

Your instructor was definitely sub-par. He taught and trained you for 16 hours???

Suggestion: Take the course. Try not to ride in Traffic or only when it's light traffic (Sunday morning at 6:00am). You can start by practicing going 3-5 parking spots wide, slow turns in a parking lot. Get your confidence up, but stay off the roads as much as you can 'till then.

TAKE THE COURSE!

(but zeniceguy also has a point...)
 
thanks westendbike girl :)
I am taking the course next weekend, I just wanted to make sure I got a hang of shifting gears ahead of time so that I can focus on the technical stuff of being a better rider, which is what the instructor at the sheridan college advised me to do cause i've never driven a manual car either.
In the parking lot I was actually very good, the bike was very smooth and never dropped it. but then again i had someone there to watch out for me and this time i was actually by myself.
I was more concerned for the condition of my bike. I wasn't sure if it was in need of repair after 3 drops...i don't know what the indurance level is on bikes yet so it's tough for me to have an idea if anything is wrong with it that i would need to bring it in.
 
Every drop is theoretically a potential for something to go wrong. Having dropped 3 times in 1 outting, I would strongly recommend you stick to parking lots until you are a lot more comfortable on the bike.

As for checking it out I'm not sure what to say. My CBR250R doesn't crawl very well with no throttle (always have to give it a touch while feathering the clutch), but every bike is different. By the sounds of your post you do have issues with clutch/throttle control, so that might be why your bike seems to be having issues (do you have any experienced friends who can try it and give you an opinion on the bike's state?)

EDIT: If you are taking the course in a week, do that, then try your bike again and see if it seems any different. Also if you are going to worry, then I'd recommend taking it to a mechanic to have it looked at (don't ride it there if you are uncomfortable/think you might drop it a few more times -- maybe see if someone can get it there for you if that's the case).
 
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Not to put you down, but sometimes you have to take a good, hard look at your own personal abilities and decide if you have the innate physical skill to do something like ride a motorcycle.

If you dropped it so many times in one day, and so easily, you may really want to honestly reflect on this.

Riding really isn't for everyone.
 
sorry you're right i should've mentioned what bike i have, it's 2009 kawasaki ninja 250, and it's under 2500km. it ran beautifully when i rode it the two days....i was doing the snake turns, shifting gear left right and centre, turning with different speeds....until that night i attempted to go up the ramp on my own....

ps, ive only learned to ride for 4hrs. i don't believe anyone can be a pro after 4 hrs??? (minus the day of attempting to ride on my own)
 
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hybrid said:
sorry you're right i should've mentioned what bike i have, it's 2009 kawasaki ninja 250, and it's under 2500km. it ran beautifully when i rode it the two days....i was doing the snake turns, shifting gear left right and centre, turning with different speeds....until that night i attempted to go up the ramp on my own....

ps, ive only been riding for 4hrs. i don't believe anyone can be a pro after 4 hrs???
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Depends on how slow you completed the journey to the gas station, but a cold Ninja 250 is a whole different bike than the warm one. For example, after riding on the highway for 5mins, it's impossible to stall the thing, but if I just took off, especially after not riding the prev day (which in your case I believe), then it will do everything possible to at least to dim the headlights off on each take off.
 
hybrid said:
...ps, ive only learned to ride for 4hrs. i don't believe anyone can be a pro after 4 hrs??? (minus the day of attempting to ride on my own)
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One sec, that "instructor" said you were 'ready to ride on the road' after 4 hours??? There's someone who needs a career change. But OP, take a good listen to Busa Bob. Take a step back and Stop riding until you've taken the course (ask a buddy to help you take the bike to get it checked out).

After the course make a decision if you want and can keep riding.
 
that thought did occur to me as well....but the guy that was helping said because my condo garage is so warm, i most likely don't have to worry about the choke so much....but maybe i was jumping the gun too fast and expected it to run right away without really warming it up.

whetaus-tr said:
Depends on how slow you completed the journey to the gas station, but a cold Ninja 250 is a whole different bike than the warm one. For example, after riding on the highway for 5mins, it's impossible to stall the thing, but if I just took off, especially after not riding the prev day (which in your case I believe), then it will do everything possible to at least to dim the headlights off on each take off.
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dont give up. dropping a bike 3 times on your first solo isnt as bad as it sounds.
your nervous and you mess up having never likely thought about riding a ramp (like seriously thought about it)
so now your nervous, scared, frustrated with shattered self confidence so of course your more likely to do it again, repeat with a bike thats riding characteristics have changed from the drops.
its not like you crashed into a bus in 3 separate rides out of your first 6 trips!

but maybe have a buddy drive it to your first REAL GROUP lersson

drive safe..you've got guts for even sharing this episode, lol
 
I suggest you have the bike looked at by someone you trust or else ask on the forums for a shop that you can have it checked out at. Most of the time a lay-down type drop won't cause alot of damage other than cosmetics and pride. However clutch and brake levers can bend and break easily, your clutch cable might have stretched out as a result of this. And a bad knock to the engine case can break free the strainer screen in the oil pan. I'm not a bike mechanic but I am an Auto tech for the last 10 years and my girlfriend recently dropped my bike when she let out the clutch too quickly. It was a slow-motion tip-over more than a fall but it still snapped my clutch lever, scuffed the crankcase and I wanted to check everything over before I had her on it again.

I don't want to tell you to buy a car, or quit riding, quite the opposite, I believe riding a motorcycle is not some in born skill, but something that requires patience, practice and more practice to become skilled at. Some people will progress through the learning curve quickly, some more slowly, The key for you would be to get good advice from skilled trainers.

Also if you feel uncomfortable with inclines/sharp curves, etc. you are NOT ready to ride in Toronto. You need more practice off the road and on a side street. Do not put yourself and others at risk by pushing yourself.

I hope you have a good time at the M1 course, I had a blast last year at Humber college. Don't know if any of the instructors are on this site but they were great.
Good luck and safe riding
 
hybrid said:
that thought did occur to me as well....but the guy that was helping said because my condo garage is so warm, i most likely don't have to worry about the choke so much....but maybe i was jumping the gun too fast and expected it to run right away without really warming it up.
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If the bike starts-up and idles, then you shouldn't need the choke, but that still doesn't mean the engine is at operating temperature. Also, considering how little kms your bike got over 3 or 4 years, it suggests that it had a ton of sitting time. That I believe requires of cleaning the carbs after, for best functionality, especially for cold engine riding.
 
to cargoload: Yah I know....for the most part, at least it's not the gear shifting that I'll be worried about anymore when i get to the course. I actually wanted to practice maneuvering my bike at 1km/hr which is why i started on that escapade alone and see if i can do all the tight turns or be able to confidently maneuver and do 90 degree turns when they're pushing me with no engine, cause i know that's the first thing you do in the course. I weigh like a 100lbs and 5"3 girl so trying to balance the bike with no engine is a bit tough right now but i know it's possible cause there are girls that fit the same and can ride 600cc!!
 
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Don't be discouraged. Get some more seat time in a parking lot or wait until you do the course. Try and to relax out there and do not let impatient motorist control how you ride; when in doubt, safely pull off to the side wave them by and think of your next plan of action.
Try to look at this experience in a positive manner. You did learn three situation's in which you could potentially drop your bike in the future and what skills you probably need to work on (i.e. throttle control, turning....)
 
oh really? No one mentioned that....
I'm gonna wait for my buddy to come back from vaca and get him to ride it out to see if it's the bike or me LOL. If it's the bike then i'll have to bring it in...but if it's me then i just need to practice some more.

whetaus-tr said:
If the bike starts-up and idles, then you shouldn't need the choke, but that still doesn't mean the engine is at operating temperature. Also, considering how little kms your bike got over 3 or 4 years, it suggests that it had a ton of sitting time. That I believe requires of cleaning the carbs after, for best functionality, especially for cold engine riding.
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If you're 5'3" tall, I'm to assume you can't reach the ground with both feet? Get the bike lowered and you will lessen the chance of dropping it again. That said, I'm going to give you credit for trying to ride in T.O. on a bike with only 4 hours experience, and no previous experience driving a manual car. Just be careful though, no one here wants to read about you in a fallen riders thread.

Given the fact that you're female, 5'3" tall, and 100lbs, if you post your location you won't have any trouble finding members that will ride with you to at least get you to a parking lot where you can practice.
 
If you're 5' 3", do you have difficulty reaching the ground?
When going up ramps or curbs, you need to carry some speed, otherwise you may stall or start to tip over.

Also, when going up ramps, you may need to keep your right foot ready on the rear brake in case you have to pause. If stopped on a ramp, apply the rear brake to hold the bike there. Slip your clutch as you apply throttle until you have enough engine power to start rolling uphill. You will need to hold yourself up with your left leg until you get rolling.

The motorcycle requires the forward speed and rotation of the wheels to gain stability. If you go too slow, the bike will feel more and more unstable.

Everyone will drop their bike sooner or later. I dropped my first bike several times (well, not all on the same day), and it sucks. But if you're really struggling to control your motorcycle and keep it upright, you may need to consider the possibility that riding isn't for you, but that's for you to decide. See how you feel after taking the course.
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