Well, that was an unpleasant new experience...

[Muzz]

...riding into work today, behind the ultimate ditherer, a woman in a Merc, coming out of a side junction. She goes, she stop, she goes, she stops, then finally she goes....then stops halfway across the road, for no readily apparent reason. I'm at nearly full lock trickling behind her, have to brake, and...doooooown the bike goes, veeeery slowly.

OK, the bike's fine, just laid down onto the crash bars*, so it's just a simple matter of picking the bike up and going. Huunnmmf...HUUNNMMF...maybe I'm at the wrong angle...HHHUUUNNNNMMMMFFFF.

No chance. Eventually the bloke in the car behind got out and gave me a hand. More embarassing than anything (and probably not helped by the fact I'd just filled the tank), but a sobering realisation that this is the only bike I've ever owned that I couldn't pick up myself.

Anyone else found they've dropped the beast and couldn't pick it up?**


* Paid for themselves there, then...

** If anyone has tales of how their ten year old niece can pick theirs up, I'd be grateful if you could keep that to yourselves, just for this morning - my ego's feeling fragile enough as it is...

[z-weiser]

Hey Muzz - i had a similar experience with my AT on a slippery muddy hill!!

just noticed you are in oldham!

you may see My Vara parked in the town centre if you pass through!

I'll look out for you matey!

as far as the bruised ego goes - sh*t happens and lets be fair the bike weighs twice as much as you do so you can't be expected to deadlift twice your own bodyweight first thing in the morning!

there ya go now have a brew and relax!

Z

[YEN_POWELL]

You were obviously not sufficiently embarrassed which gives extra lifting strength.

[Muzz]

You are both too kind... Z-weiser, I drive in down Oldham road and park in our offices' indoor car park off Canal Street, so I'm kinda North of the centre mostly, but you might see me around at lunch. Or even at Rivvy barn of a Sunday. Was up there this Sunday in the sunshine, and my, weren't the chromed Harleys all out under clear blue skies...a different story the other week when it looked like rain

I read a review that said the Vara wet through weighs 274kg - didn't give that much credence till today. Also, Robster's Stella photos take on a new perspective...

Yen, was more angry than owt - the woman drove straight off, and will now no doubt be telling colleagues how someone fell off behind her, but that she's "never had an accident in her life..."

[Robster]

I've dropped mine a couple of times now, both when parked up!

First one, as documented here I broke my screen, but fortunately had 2 mates there to help hoik it back up.

Second time it went down on my parents driveway while I was up there visiting. Again it was just parked up but on a funny angle and the slight movement of me clipping my TomTom on sent it over. I was fully loaded up with luggage too so they saved any damage and fortunately my folks had the gardeners in doing their hedge so they were able to help me up with it.

Must've dropped the AT 4 or 5 times too, always when fully luggaged up and there was no way I could lift that myself either.

These things happen, but more annoying when it's caused by someone else being a numpty and then just driving off.

[Dee Duble Yuh]

Frankly I wouldn't even try to pick it up on my own. Permanent injury to your back will hurt more (and longer) than any temporary loss of pride.

When you DO find someone to help, stand on the saddle-side, turn your back to the bike, bend your legs to crouch down, and grab hold of the handle bar and a pillion grab handle. Keep your body close to the bike and use your legs to lift it up. This will minimise the strain on your back.

It will help if the bike is in gear when you do this to stop it rolling away from you as you lift. Also, if the bike is lying on its right side, put the side stand down in preparation.

See also here. "Apparently an 80-year-old granny can get a Honda Goldwing upright using this technique." Yeah, right. They don't fall down; they kinda roll over.

[Muzz]

Yep, that was my M.O. for getting the thing upright - always worked before, which is why I was surprised I couldn't even get the thing off the ground this time.

Seen that site, and yeah, Goldwings never get closer than thirty degrees from horizontal anyway. Mate of mine had one, and the weight's all so low down it's easy to lift. Looks good in petrol stations, as I recall...

[Marmiteman]

I've been in more or less exactly the same situation! A kindly car driver helped to pick the bike back up. It was a bit of a shock to realise that I couldn't do it myself as my previous bike was a BMW 1150 RT and I could lift that up ok. The weight is all low down on the beemer though, and high up on the Vara. I'll have to try and remember the 'back to the bike, foot stand out' trick (especially as I seem to only ever tip a bike over on rights side!).

[Zenarchy]

Sorry to hear about your crash. Did you get her numberplate? Not sure if there's anything they can do as you didn't actually crash into her, but it might be worth looking into. Driving away from the scene of an accident you've helped cause is really scummy even if you didn't crash into her.

I've heard that this is the best way to lift them (luckily haven't had a need to try it myself on the AT yet - which I'd guess is going to be a bit more of a struggle - probably even moreso on a varradero):



I can't find the exact video I was looking for, but there's one I saw somewhere of this really small thin woman lifting up a massive heavy harley in one quick smooth motion, so it must make the job a lot easier.

[Zenarchy]

LOL. You guys type too fast. Before I had a chance to hit reply someone already posted