Exhaust jack???

[Farmboy]

The trouble with the jack technique is that sooner or later your gonna have to get between the jack and the bike and if it slips at the wrong moment you will be pinned to the ground at best or worse pinned to ground whilst a pack of wild hedgehogs dump in your beard.

Having dropped and picked up the Africa Twin on countless occasions I would have to agree with the practice method.

Even if you can pick it up by yourself you still cannot go green laning because the most likely scenario offroad is that your leg gets pinned underneath the bike - so you need to be in pairs at least, Therefore it will be a problem halved anyway.

[Axe]

+1 for practice.

I threw my Vstrom down the road a couple of months ago, even though it was on a nice level hard road I still figured I'd have trouble lifting it on my own.

Until I actually tried it! Adrenalin helps a lot if your hurt but if not then with the right technique you'll be amazed at how easy it can be.

This site contains some good examples....

Pink Ribbon Rides

Axe.

[acid]

...or just go out riding with a mate and use the old buddy buddy system

Anyone offering? in the Herts / Essex area.

[acid]

+1 for practice.

I threw my Vstrom down the road a couple of months ago, even though it was on a nice level hard road I still figured I'd have trouble lifting it on my own.

Until I actually tried it! Adrenalin helps a lot if your hurt but if not then with the right technique you'll be amazed at how easy it can be.

This site contains some good examples....

Pink Ribbon Rides

Axe.

Thanks, I hear what you guys are saying about technique and practise. To be honest I've spent ages reading sites online about this and yeah I had seen the above link (only thing is that bike's got panniers so it's easier for her to get her butt against it. I might still get some for the @ but they'd make it pretty wide to back through our gate etc).

I've dropped it about four times so far and every time I tried the techniques I'd read about (turning the bars, bending my knees and lifting with the bars, as well as the using my legs to push my back against it) I just still couldn't seem to muster the physical strength to do it. I'm sure some of you guys are stronger than me. It probably is partly also though that someone came to help every time. If I'd been there another 15 minutes alone maybe I'd have cracked it. It seems to be more the top heaviness and how flat on the ground it falls rather than just purely the weight itself.

Still, I will give it another go at some point, maybe lay it down on the grass when the tank's nearly empty. It is possible that there are bits of my technique I can improve - for example leaving it in gear - I can't swear I always did that.

[Joz]

Of course real world situations are always harder. Usually the tank is nearly full, the kick stand has embedded itself in the mud and your feet slip (mud - remember?). Sounds like my last weekend in Wales!

[acid]

Of course real world situations are always harder. Usually the tank is nearly full, the kick stand has embedded itself in the mud and your feet slip (mud - remember?). Sounds like my last weekend in Wales!

Sounds like you made it out though! Cool! Any pics?

[Joz]

Of course I never remember to get the camera out when the bike is on its side and fuel is pouring out of the carbs. Oh well. I need to work on remembering to take photos instead of fixing the situation.

Sounds like you made it out though! Cool! Any pics?

[acid]

Of course I never remember to get the camera out when the bike is on its side and fuel is pouring out of the carbs. Oh well. I need to work on remembering to take photos instead of fixing the situation.

I meant of the ride not the off but never mind

[antti]