[Fairfieldwizard]

Although I'm a long time rider, I have only been riding my Goldwing for a cople of months. I confess that it's size and weight are occasionally intimidating to me still.

So today at the beginning of a ride I got five minutes from the house, getting ready to go from a residential street to a major thoroughfare. Not sure what happened, but I may have bumped into a pickup truck stopped at a light. I say "not sure" because a) I don't remember and b) the guy in the pickup truck didn't stop.

Anyways, I felt the awful feeling... The bike is going over for sure and it did. Cars were behind me and I learned that it is true... The first thing you do is look around to see if anyone is watching.

I've seen the terrific YouTube video in which an instructor demonstrates tipping over a Goldwing and how to pick it up. In fact, since the reaction of the spectators in the video is a little comical, I've seen it a bunch of times. Today, I was SO glad I did.

As promised, it tipped over only about 20 degrees. Also as promised, the engine stopped running about five seconds later. I hopped off of it (as if I had a choice) and ignored the guy in the car behind me who I'm certain was preparing to call 911.

I took a deep breath and remembered what I saw in the video. No ordinary human is going to be ale to just lift a Wing back up by simply lifting it from the handlebars. I faced backwards and then remembered that I would not be able to prevent it from going over the other way unless I put the side stand down. I did and then returned my back in position.

The bike went back up easily, all the way onto the side stand. I hopped back onto it and pushed the starter. The bike wouldn't start. Then I remembered the ignition has to be cycled off And on. I did it and the bike fired back up. I was on my way.

I love YouTube and I love that video.

 

[Chopin]

Wow. Your story was like real time for me. I was feeling what you were feeling. Do you ever get the feeling you're going to be on someone's YouTube post ? Ive only had to pick up my bike once and that was under controlled conditions. Changed the rear tire by laying the bike on its side. As for you, wizard, You meet Hemingway's definition of Heroism: Grace under pressure. Thanks for the inspiration I may need one day.

 

[jayhawkokie]

When I bought my Goldwing friends told me ther are those who have and those who are going to, I'm in the those who have catagory. I had the bike just two weeks and had been riding on back streets near the house getting the feel for the bike so I could take my MC endorsement road test.

I'm still not sure what happened, I pulled up to the stop sign and the next thing I know is the bike is going over. A young kid pulled up behind me and walked up and said he has helped his frien pick up his Goldwing more than once, and he helped me get it up.

My hands were still shaking when I pulled it into the garage, thankfully there was no damage except to my ego. I decided I wasn't going to let the bike get the best of me and I got back on it an hour later.

I plan to find the video and watch it.

 

[trike lady]

Here's it is.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

the last time my 1200 wingfell over the highway board landed on my foot so i couldn't turn around to lift it but its amazing how much streignth you have with 720lbs of motorcycle on your toe

 

[budoka]

Try it in wet grass (campsite) or on a greasy roadway (construction) and see what happens. Don't ask me how I know Whole bike just skates sideways in the direction of said applied forces. Happened to me/us on the 1200 (clay roadbase in 3" of water) and in the rain with the 1500 at a campsite. Sometimes there is just no sublstitute for anger and adrenaline fueled frustration.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

Thanks for your first person narrative on your experience. I was right there with you when you picked up the bike.

I was working on the cooler hitch of my 1500 with the sidestand down and pushed my bike forward and it fell over. It was full of camping gear and things strapped onto the passenger seat. I think it weighted a ton..... or more. I was in a Car Toys parking lot and I remembered the video. I pushed it up myself. I had forgotten about the kickstand thing...... but was able to turn around and balance the bike without it going over on the other side. Nothing hurt but my pride. I was on a pretty busy street and there were quite a few on lookers. The whole thing happened so fast. I had the bike up in less than a minute from the time it fell over. Nobody even had time to offer assistance before I had it standing back up.

It was on the very start of this solo trip and this is how the bike was loaded:

After I got the bike up, my confidence was shaken and it took awhile to feel comfortable again on the bike. (100 miles it was all forgotten) No damage at all. I was very surprised how well it fell over.

The only thing that went rolling was my coffee cup full of coffee. I had to stop at Starbucks and get that refilled. $2.00 total loss.

 

[lakecharles]

...I'm still not sure what happened, I pulled up to the stop sign and the next thing I know is the bike is going over....

One thing you must be aware of is that if you are almost completely stopped and apply the front brake with the front wheel even slightly turned - you are going down and most likely you will not be able to hold onto it and keep it up.

I learned this lesson the hard way over time.

Remember - never use your front brake when almost stopped - unless you are certain your front wheel is straight - and even then - just get in the habit of not doing that.

 

[jayhawkokie]

Thank you lakecharles, I learned the hard way too, thankfully no damage to the bike, only my pride. It's a hard habit to break not using the front brake at that point.

 

[lakecharles]

Thank you lakecharles, I learned the hard way too, thankfully no damage to the bike, only my pride. It's a hard habit to break not using the front brake at that point.

Yes, Jayhawk...It is a very bad habit to get into and even harder to unlearn - especially because I always wanted to put both feet down when coming to a stop.

No one ever reminded me about the inertia of mass continuing on when the brake is applied - and to a wheel straight on the shocks work to stop that inertia - but when the wheel is at an angle... and you are almost stopped, the weight is still moving - that inertia continues to move the weight forward in the direction the wheel is turned - and the machine goes over.

There have been the remote times I was able to muscle the my Vt-700 and even my Road Star motorcycle and keep them from going all the way over - but that really brings a very real possibility for serious back injury etc.. But for the most part the inertia will carry the mass forward and motorcycle will dump. While it can be done, it happens so suddenly, and you are moving so slow - to almost stopped - that most people don't realize what is about to happen, and they are not strong enough to hold back the moving mass of weight that comes with the sudden stop of a 500 - 600 lb. motorcycle with it's wheel cocked; with a 900 lb. 'Wing - forget it!

I pulled up to an intersection for a right turn on my first motorcycle one time and hit the front brake... and in the blink of an eye I found myself down and tumbling head over heels - sprawled out and looking up at a car full of people at the intersection staring down at me. Talk about embarrassed - but at least I was not hurt or run over!

I also remember being at a meeting and going to lunch with a couple of other bikers and one of the guys dumped his brand new V-star when we all had to hesitate coming out of a gas station onto a busy road. He later complained that he didn't know why that had happened and that he couldn't understand it - that it wasn't his fault - but in reality I knew it was most likely because he had his wheel cocked and had to put the brake on - and he hit the front brake while almost at a stop.

 

[Fairfieldwizard]

I'm so pleased that the story of my little experience has triggered so many comments. In my original story, I said that I couldn't remember exactly what caused the tipover. Lakecharles, the more I think about it, the more I suspect that my front wheel was turned (it is that kind of an intersection) and then I applied front brake.

Now I have to know for sure, especially since it doesn't seem to hurt the bike. I'm going to have to try it in a parking lot to see for myself- I'm just that kind of person.

 

[Redfox]

Lakecharles - I too have learned the hard way about that front brake but it took more than one event for me to change my stopping technique. I wanted to keep both feet down to help keep it up but it just helped to put it down.

 

[crfloyd]

Avoid using front brake?

So are you to use just the rear brake when coming to a stop or both the front and rear until just before the bike comes to a stop?

 

[Redfox]

I personally use both but once the bike has slowed down I have one foot on the back brake and the other one out for a nice soft stop. Haven't any problem since the switch. I am also a lot better at looking for the right even, no pot holes, no loose gravel, etc. place to stop.

 

[yogibear1100]

Thanks guys. Now i don't feel like the lone ranger. Yes ,i to have laid it down and now i know why. Thanks a bunch

 

[lakecharles]

So are you to use just the rear brake when coming to a stop or both the front and rear until just before the bike comes to a stop?

I sometimes will still use the front brake when almost completely stopped - but only when I am aware of what I am doing and that the front wheel is absolutely straight.

But the idea is to get in the habit of using the rear only when you are almost at a standstill - to get in the habit of that - so that it becomes second nature - because when you least expect it... if at almost a standstill.. and with the wheel slightly turned - if you apply the front brake - you will go down.

 

[WingnutGordo]

Saturday night some jerk stopped all of a sudden in front of me so I slammed my breaks on went to put my foot down and missed , had no choice but to lower bike down but no harm was done , looked around only the trees were watching so I remembered the video and did what he did , it was a piece of cake

 

[whacker]

Fortunately haven't had the 1800 on its side, yet! As Budoka implied anger and frustration mixed with a good portion of adrenalin can make you capable of some feats of strength. In my 3 instances, I was so peeved at what I had done that i just picked the beast up, never even gave the proper way a thought. The 18 is the heaviest of the 12 and the 15, I'll be keeping the video in mind.

 

[DooKoo's Friend]

The key to smooth stops is braking finesse even with the use of both brakes. Most importantly keeping your eyes at the horizon or above it is a critical starting point. The handlebars tend to come off center due to the eyes down...and yes following the general rule of no front brake while in motion and bars off center...however it is generally advised towards less experienced riders.

You can build your braking finesse and muscle memory of smooth front brake application for every kind of stop by practicing. Just keep in mind the ABS/Linked braking systems will always have both brakes functioning at some level even if you are just using the rear brake.

Now the friggin CT on a non flat surface can challenge any experienced rider in making smooth stops

 

[T-Rex]

My last Wing drop was on Walnut Mountain in Ellijay, Ga. I rode out of my nieces parking lot and had to stop for a stop sign twenty feet later...no problem. I slowed, braked and then put my feet on the road...surprise, surprise, surprise there was no roadway under my left foot!! The Wing went over and I rolled down the hill. My niece helped me get the Wing upright, it was an uphill effort. I remounted the Wing, started it up and zoomed down the hill...shaking like a whore in church!!

Later the next day on the Blue Ridge Parkway I read a brochure about the parkway and they described "concentric curves", where the roadway is not even. I called my Niece and informed here that her cabin was on a concetric curve.

My roadpegs prevented the Wing from getting scratched. Later, again on the Blue Ridge, I was paying too much attention to the views and went off-road onto the shoulder, a narrow strip of grass about 10 inches wide. I rode that strip about 50 feet before hitting the parking lot exit and bounced the Wing back into the middle of the road. A little bit down the road I stopped to use the bathroom and get a soda. At this pit stop I found a small yellow and black decal that cautions riders to watch the road. The decal depicts a bike rider, hands and legs in the air going over the side of a mountain. My helmet is now the proud owner of that decal.

The rest of my 6500 mile trip was sort of uneventful, except for the tornado that went through Dayton, Ohio about an hour before I was supposed to go thru. I got tired and stopped early...missed the big breeze by an hour.

I love my Wing.!!!!!!