Dropping the bike | GTAMotorcycle.com

Dropping the bike

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Nursingdude

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Noob alert!!

Why is dropping considered such a bad thing? When buying a used bike which has been dropped before, is it a deal breaker? What to lookout for in a previously dropped bike?
 
Nursingdude said:
Noob alert!!

Why is dropping considered such a bad thing? When buying a used bike which has been dropped before, is it a deal breaker? What to lookout for in a previously dropped bike?
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its not, everyone drops their bike, especially newer riders

A dropped bike is not a deal breaker, Id rather see the mild cosmetic scratches on an otherwise sound bike than an owner who tries to hide them with cheap aftermarket ebay fairings or lies about them

mild or low speed drop is NOT the same thing as a serious crash however
 
Nursingdude said:
Noob alert!!

Why is dropping considered such a bad thing? When buying a used bike which has been dropped before, is it a deal breaker? What to lookout for in a previously dropped bike?
Click to expand...
Nah, but take the info with a grain of salt. Don't cross it off the list until you see it, but know what to look for or bring someone who does. Guy might say 'dropped it while cleaning it'. Fine, it happens to the best of us. Go to see it and there's obvious signs of road rash and dents, highly unlikely that was the real story. What else could he be hiding?
 
I have to agree, my ninja 250 was dropped on every side. After modifying or replacing all the rash that bike is amazing. The 500 I got looked great, but rides all messed up, obviously it took a hard hit and bent the frame. With the rear wheel adjusted almost a half inch one way, it rides much better but not quite perfect.


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Nursingdude said:
So what should I look for in a dropped bike other than obvious rashes and dents?
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There are a bunch of things to look for, if you're new you might not know what they are or might overlook them, you can ask an experienced rider or a mechanic to go look at a bike with you for a small fee(or a dosa/burrito depending)
 
Nursingdude said:
So what should I look for in a dropped bike other than obvious rashes and dents?
Click to expand...
Conditions of the plastics, do they even look original? repainted? repaired?

what about other touch points if a bike is dropped/laid down; bar ends, swing arm, front/rear axles, foot pegs, mirrors, clutch and brake levers, engine casings, etc.
 
I dropped my bike last week in the garage, first time in a while. I’m considering just gently dropping any bike I get in the future on day 1 just to get it out the way. In a week I should be out on the trails again…my bike will maybe get dropped again.

If you’re looking at used bikes look for bent bars, broken mirrors, bent levers, bent rear brake/gear levers. Check everything works. Most drops are not going to do anything to the bike. Mine is cosmetically perfect. A tip over or a hard drop can do some damage though.
 
bigpoppa said:
There are a bunch of things to look for, if you're new you might not know what they are or might overlook them, you can ask an experienced rider or a mechanic to go look at a bike with you for a small fee(or a dosa/burrito depending)
Click to expand...
I could go for a dosa but I get the point
 
Nursingdude said:
So what should I look for in a dropped bike other than obvious rashes and dents?
Click to expand...

Unless parts are replaced, there are certain tell-tale signs that distinguish a 0 km/h drop and a crash at high speeds.

Drops will result in cracks in fairings, dents, dings and slight rough edges on exhaust pipes, bar-ends, broken turn signals, levers and mirrors, damage that suggest a single sharp impact.

A crash will result in ground-down bits, like someone has taken an angle grinder to a bar end, shifter or lever, also long lateral rashes on fairings and pipes running parallel to the ground.

DAMHIK.

Also check the condition of OEM parts on either side of the bike. If one fairing, clutch/brake lever, mirror, bar-end or turn-signal looks a lot newer than the same part on the other side, chances are it was damaged and replaced.
 
Jaymod said:
I have to agree, my ninja 250 was dropped on every side. After modifying or replacing all the rash that bike is amazing. The 500 I got looked great, but rides all messed up, obviously it took a hard hit and bent the frame. With the rear wheel adjusted almost a half inch one way, it rides much better but not quite perfect.
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Wow, someone certified it like that ?
 
forks can be tweeked in the triples. sometimes they only need to be loosened and re-tightened as shown in owners manual.
slightly bent tweeked forks and/or triples, are a worse situation...

pay and bring along someone like freekyguy to look at the bike if you are serious about it. money well spent ..
best luck
 
There is a guy in Ohio who has the jig to straighten bent frames. Never run across anyone in Ontario who has one, or who repairs bent frames properly, mainly because insurance writes off bent frame bikes and they can't be certified if that happens. If the bike doesn't track straight after a drop it could be a number of things, bent frame being the worst.
 
TK4 said:
Wow, someone certified it like that ?
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It looked great with no outside signs of anything.. till I got it on the road, and it pulled a bit riding with no hands.


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As long as the drop didn't affect handling (frame, wheels, forks) go for it. I've lost track of how many times my klr has been down - but only in gravel & sand. Have yet to throw it away on the street.
 
Am I the only one that forgot to put the kickstand down and got off the bike, Kerplop. Not the Ducati, Was a SV 1000. Felt really stupid.
 
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