Learnt a valuble lesson

[Chris750]

A non biker friend I haven't seen for ages come to visit the other week and wanted to take a look at my bike as I didn't have it last time he visited.
I wheeled it out of the garage so he could have a better look.

After a few minutes discussing the bike the conversation went as follows:

Him: Can I sit on it
Me: I suppose so
him: Can I start it
I then direct him how to do this and I point out he will need to take
it off the side stand. You can guess what happens next cant you.

He drops it!!!

Luckily im just close enough to lunge forward and grab the left clip on just before it hits the ground taking most of the impact force away. It still touches down but rather than breaking anything (its a plastic type bike) I just have a minimal scratch on the left fairing.
The annoying thing is I had only just recently repaired and resprayed this side pane to correct the existing damage when I bought it.
I found I couldn't get too annoyed as I was responsible for letting him on it, him being a non-biker and that, but I thought it would be ok, hes a fairly big bloke in his 30's and he only had to keep it upright. Anyway lesson learnt.

[kate t]

Oh dear, that is unlucky

[rac3r]

I always have people trying to get on/off from the wrong side
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[27cows]

Never let civilians sit on your bike. Never. Not even some fit bird you have a major itch for (in fact, particularly not one of those ). Riders acquire a kind of balance that lets them hold on to a bike seemingly precariously, even something huge like a Z1300, without dropping it. But put a C90 in the hands of a civilian and it will certainly end up on its side, guaranteed.

[G]

[Clanger]

[27cows]

[rac3r]

The bike leans to the left (on side stand) so if you try and get on or especially off on the right it's a bit awkward, even worse if they've never sat on a bike before
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Bikes : 2006 CBR125R - 2004 Monster 620ie - 2004 ZX-6R B1H - 2005 Monster S2R 800 - 2011 Street Triple - 2009 Streetfighter 1098 - 2014 ZX-6R 636

[Pernig]

[Glory Hunter]

I'm tall so I can get on or of whatever side I like. I can see why you mere-midgets may have to go stand side though
____________________
2003 Suzuki VanVan - Sold
2000 Honda CB500 - written off by a spoilt brat with no manners
2005 Yamaha XT660 - I'm in lurve....

[Mystery]

i had something similar to that, the guy jumped on my bike without asking and the bike went the other way and lucky i had no fairings from a spill at a petrol station a few days before
____________________
Carbon knuckles assure you maximum protect against debris and unfortunate accidents or if someone cuts you off, their side mirror.Mopeds are like chubby chicks.. they are really fun to ride until you're friends catch you on one

[Skudd]

[Alex A]

[hellobaby]

Had the same thing happen on my old CBR125, only difference is rather than dropping it he managed to put it in gear and pin the throttle. Ended up him crashing into the kerb on the opposite side of the road, bent front wheel, broken mud guard and bent handlebars etc. cost 400quid of damage in less than a minute.

Moral of the story never let anyone sit on your bike, unless u are positive they can:
a) handle the bike
b) pay for damages if they brake it.

Noone goes on my bike anymore, just cant risk the hassle (I fear sometimes I come off as a git for not letting people sit on it though)
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CBT - 10/05/08, Theory 7/05/08

[27cows]

[DEN MONKEY]

[benvanwell]

Which bikes can't you start with the stand down? I always thought bikes could be started and the side-stand switch would cut the engine when trying to put it into gear. For this reason I'm happy to start the bike and leave the stand down. This way if they put in in gear the bike will cut out, and with the stand down they are much less likely to drop it.
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Currently Riding: Triumph Sprint ST 1050
Previous: GSF600s, GS500, BMW F45, CG125

[27cows]

[Mystery]

[G]

[Tarmacsurfer]

[MattHirst]

[the grim reaper]

[27cows]

Some bikes have the side stand linked into the clutch cable, so when you pull the lever the stand flips up. That's probably even better than the cut out, as cut outs have a habit of cutting out when they're not meant to

There's a very good reason for getting on the bike from the right - if you're aging and can't get your leg over with the ease you once could, catching a foot on the seat is much less likely to topple a bike if you're swinging from left to right, or against the lean of the bike. Some people swing both ways - each to their own

[benvanwell]