How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Ok, I finished the Motorcycle Safety Foundations Safety course Sunday. Passed without a problem. Got my class M. Took the bike out for the first time today for a short little ride on a low traffic road near home. Loads of fun. What do I do? Coming around the final turn to my house, slightly too fast, and off the road I go. I was able to slow good before the bike went down, just lost traction. I wasnt hurt. Broke the front fender. My first whoops . . . 5 miles. Lesson learned . . . take that turn slower.
How many miles before you first whoops. Did the bike go down? Were you hurt? How bad did you mess up your bike?

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

I selected 200 miles+

"The submitted form is invalid" :popcorn:

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

"The submitted form is invalid"

0 miles

In the MSF BRC. We were practicing the long sweeping curve to the right. The parking lot was freshly paved. It started to rain. I entered the curve at 18 mph, slightly rolled the throttle to maintain speed and as I was coming out of the curve I rolled my throttle to accelerate and broke traction on the rear wheel on the slippery pavement and down I went. Skidded on my side for only about 3 - 5 feet. The coaches had to lift the bike off my leg. Those pipes do get hot. Five Tylenols and 4 hours later I aced the course and got my endorsement. My right shoulder hurt bad for over 8 months and it took a couple of weeks for the bruises on the right leg and arm to go away. Busted my brand new helmet being worn for the first time at the class - the right side latch on the modular helmet broke. Had to buy a new helmet but I was glad I had it on.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

I dumped my first bike practicing the avoidance of road objects in a parking lot with my dad and grandad watching, a snickering, in attendance. It was awesome. It did earn me some new flush mount blinkers though... that was nice :)

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Off road.............hundreds of times over the years. On road.............not yet.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Toppled the bike the 1st day of my MFC. I hopped off but the bike fell. "Embarrassed!" 2nd time was about a month after I had the Beast, riding on country road reached a stop sign with gravel by the curb where I was making a right hand turn. Flew over the curb and bike fell but I didn't fall. I jumped off in time letting the Beast hit the ground (thank goodness I have quick reflexes). "Super embarrassed!" felt like the entire street came to a halt to watch me. lol The Beast didn't have a scratch. So under 50-100 miles would be my answer if the form was working.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Oh crap. Thanks Rionna. I dumped a 250 Yamaha during the rider training when I went with Lynda in 2007. Slow manuevers and my knee prevented my turning the bars so I lost my balance. No damage, no hurting so all was well.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

(1) The only bone I've ever broken was my wrist. Had it in plaster for three months after coming off my Lambretta ,when I hit a patch of grit. This was a few months after getting my first 2 wheeler in 1965.

(2) That's why I won't ride without an engine guard/crash bars. Saved my leg a coule of years ago when I got sideswiped. The bike went down, the bars bent, but absolutely no damage to my leg.

(3) My insurance specifically entitles me to claim for a new helmet after any accident.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

That's so awesome.

.....I would probably just dump the bike every year or so, slam my helmet against a wall and claim a new one.
Man, I love helmets! ;)

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

don't know about miles, first down was on a hummer in 1959, and there were 16 more before I gave up bikes in 1986. None since I started riding again 2 years ago, but it has been close a few times.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

No clue why the poll didnt work. Glad to know Im not the oddball. Its Friday. I finished my class Sunday. Insurance and DMV work done Monday. I've only gotten to ride it 5 miles since. If Im not working, its been raining. Or about to rain. I really dont want to get caught in the rain until I get a few more miles under my belt. My little Suzuki rides so much better then the little Kawasaki I was on in the MSF course. Anybody know where I can buy a front fender? And how much trouble they are to replace?

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

The first time I dropped the bike was during the second day of the MSF course. Did you know bikes need a little accelerator to stay upright in a sharp turn? LOL Nothing hurt but my confidence.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

on this bike about 1000 mi

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Wow, thanks WW, knowing that it happened to you too makes me feel a little better. I messed up with the slow maneuvers as well. It was like slow motion and the bike just toppled.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

I'm not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Everyone drops a bike someday. I had a very slow drop with my Vstrom a week after I got it. I had just stopped on gravel and my foot went out from under me when a stone rolled under my foot. It was a slow graceful lay down. Got a couple scratches on the bike. That was the day I wore the new off of the bike.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

I owned an 82 Suzuki GS450 that somebody had converted to a bobber. I was a newbie rider and was having problems with it dying before even riding it (hadn't taken my basic training course yet either). One day, I finally got the dang thing started by ripping on the throttle as soon as I turned the key to start it. The bike proceeded to take me (yes, "take", mind you because at this point I have no control of this machine) straight up on the neighbors yard for about 50 feet, practically to their front door to which I swerved to my left with my legs flailing all over the place and back onto the road.

My wife, who witnessed the beautiful take off, has not let me forget about it yet.

How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Don't know the miles, but it was the summer I got the bike and my license. Took the msf course and all.

Anyway, at the end of my driveway, sitting on the bike as I had the choke on to warm it up. I had my helmet on, but not fastened. Well, the time came when I thought the bike was warm enough and I attempted to secure my helmet. I forgot I was in first and let go of the clutch. Bike took off under me, I roll back and bounced off my rear wheel (bike is bobbed and no rear fender at the time) and I roll off, feet in the air, as the bike takes off a few feet before falling over. Glad I had my helmet on and more importantly, no one saw me, I think/hope. :)

Learned my lesson though and always made sure I'm in Neutral. That would suck if it was in traffic.

Couldn't start the bike for 10 minutes or so. Was told there's some sort of a safety switch that cuts the power off, per the Suzuki rep.

:)

Ken

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

I do not think the GZ has a safety switch in case of tip over. Most if not all FI bikes have a tip over switch to cut off the fuel/fuel pump and stop the engine.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Yes, there definitely isn't one on the GZ.

How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Hmmm. Not what I was told. Whatever happened, just glad I was able to start it again 10 mins later after not being able to when it fell over.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

The only safety switch is a flooded engine. :)
That's what kills these things when they tip over.
Give things time to settle in the float bowl after you stand it back up and you'll be good to go.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Well you can take it from all of us GZ riders that you were told wrong. :)

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Just waiting for that youtube video to come out, aren't you! :hide: I know I'm waiting for the random neighbor who caught my embarrassment to post it on youtube (if they did catch it on video). Of course, that was back in May 2011, so I think I just might be safe by now. :whistle:

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

I guess I'm not surprised. I would take the word of folks who owns and rides a GZ regularly. He may not even own a Suzuki. :tongue:

Back to embarrassing stories. :popcorn:

As for the video... gosh, I really hope not.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

As WW said, many times on dirt bikes as a kid. But on the GZ I put over 10,000 without a problem, switched to the Vulcan 500 and put another 32,000 on it before I laid it down in the ice and slid a long way, but I was lucky and other than some superficial scratches to the exhaust and crash bars no real damage to the bike or me, I didn't even damage my riding gear. Then, at 44,000 miles, I met a dog, he won. I broke my right tibia, tore out the ACL and MCL in the right knee, broke 5 ribs, and shattered my right shoulder, the bike received a lot of scratches and one knee size dent in the tank but mechanically was okay and my son in law actually rode it home after the accident.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Ouch. Brutal.

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

When I had my whoops, I broke a small chunk out of the front fender. From a safety standpoint, is there any reason I can't cut it off straight so that it looms better?
Thanks

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

No reason at all. :) :cool:

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Thanks

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Why not copy the curve (but further back, past the missing chunk)? It'll look neater, and it's not hard to do, using an electric jig saw, then sanding. :)

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

My 1st time..oh my GZ was probably 3 days old, I was practicing around our neighborhood going on an incline on a turn and I decided to shift gears!, the rear tires slipped or something and down she went! no damaged to GZ but my wrist still hurts up to now and its been 3 months..

Re: How many miles before you first whoops?
 

Sounds like you upset your balance big time. Be sure to be in the best gear before any maneuvering and turning. A slope will always mess with any change in balance or power.
As for your wrist, get it checked out and find a therapist to teach you excercises to heal it. It will probably lead to nerve damage or loss of motor control in time. Due to a fall(work related) both my wrists are messed up and I can barely write my name on a good day. Thankfully I have this keyboard to communicate.

2 years ago I got a 150cc Jonway china scooter, I was on day two of the MSF class where we started riding in the parking lot. I got home afterward a few hours later got on my scooter and practiced around the neighborhood. I pulled the front brake too hard in a left turn in some sand on pavement and I caught myself with left hand and my middle finger hurt for a while. Guy living nearby offered help and I was ok except for my finger hurt for about a month afterward. The engine shut off being in too much of an incline. I was surprised it didn't just keep running, having a CVT and all. I remembered it had a safety cutoff if on its side.

That scooter I put on 3,300 miles and I changed the oil at least 6 times and had enough tinkering and replacing cheap parts. The engine threw a piston rod through the case but I was lucky I was a few miles from home and pushed it home. Gotta love a CVT transmission for that.

Then a few months later I got my GZ and haven't had a whoops since. Other than letting go of the clutch a few times at a stand still. Lucky me it just stalls, a bigger bike wouldn't be as forgiving.

A dirtbike I fixed up landed on me after I gunned it off a stop sign,thousands of miles on various bikes and I chew pavment In front of a hobo,he asked if I was ok and proceeded to laugh.

Go see a chiropractor. Find a good one first.

:hehe::hehe: Check the date of that post. It has been a while.

Oops, senior moment.

definitely slow a bit before the turn but it sounds like you
Weren't looking where you wanted to go but maybe looking where you "didn't" want to go?
I was on my bike first day for 5 minutes and got thrown off slammed on front brake in a turn!

Always look where you want to go. You will naturally go where you are looking. Your body postion and muscle memory will work for you.
If you look at the side of the road on a curve you will go there. Target fixation will be the enemy and will hurt you.
Having ridden a lot on curving roads has taught me not to let my eyes stray from the direction I want to go. Even on a straight road it is best not to do more than a glance away from the road. Want to see the scenery............stop and take a good look and a pic if you want.

Well TIFU
 

I had a car pull out right in front of me (20-30 feet) and low sided the bike. Took a spill didn't hit anything but my wrist is painful and I've got a tibial plateau fracture in my right leg. Now i've got to see an ortho and see just how bad it is.