Oops! Man down.

[DrPete]

Had an unplanned GS-tarmac interface this afternoon. The usual story - leaving a rural hotel after a work conference, car park exit covered in wet leaf mulch - you get the picture. Anyway, picked the bike up and apart from a bit of scuffing to the cylinder head protector and topbox, everything seemed ok. On the M1 coming home, it started to behave as if it was wanting to drop out of gear. I didn't have far to go, so got home and realised that the left hand handguard had moved, thus not allowing the clutch to fully engage.

I'll be out there with the torx keys when I get a chance to fix it - I just wondered if this was a common occurrence when a GS topples on to its left side.

-and yes, I feel pretty stupid.

 

[Gruffalo]

yep, dropped mine a few times, although never on the road, usually off road and in a big muddy puddle,
but yea the hands gaurads usually move when they hit the deck, but nothing to worry about, just bush it back onto place,
glad your ok and the bikes ok too, happens to the best of us, just make sure you learn from it!!!!

 

[Dahoum]

scuffing to the cylinder head protector and topbox

character marks

 

[Mike Gough]

Yep, dropped mine a few weeks ago whilst on a slight forward incline, side stand flicked up and down she went. No damage, luckily landed on grass verge, but left handguard had moved upwards restricting the clutch lever travel. I moved it by hand as the rain was stair rods. Always check both hand guards for movement, it is a well known event.

 

[karnevil]

Had an unplanned GS-tarmac interface

-and yes, I feel pretty stupid.

You mean usually you plan them

Why?

Sympathy


I usually do them on GSer ride outs,makes everyone else feel superior and gives em a laff

 

[Morticia]

~If its any comfort....i dropped mine in the car park at work....lifted it off the side stand and kept going....landed in the low hedge on my right...luckily i had help lifting the beast back up again.

Glad you and your bike are ok, since i have been on the BMW off road school, i don't care about dropping it now....they make it seem so normal.

Morticia

 

[ExpatinIstanbul]

I dropped a GS once, it wasn't mine so I walked away.

 

[Wapping]

I'll be out there with the torx keys when I get a chance to fix it - I just wondered if this was a common occurrence when a GS topples on to its left side.

-and yes, I feel pretty stupid.

Yes it's not uncommon... and it can happen on the other side, too, trapping the brake lever slightly.

If you find yourself with 'wooden' brakes - usually as you hurtle towards a roundabout - you will know the reason. A good check, once you have stopped in the council sponsored flower bed, is whether the brake light is stuck on.

Seasoned 1200 GS riders get in the habit of flicking the levers forwards with their fingers, just to make sure all is well.

As to your stupidity... well, nobody knows other than us and a potential worldwide audience of billions... enjoy your moment of fame, it probably won't last.

PS BuMW gave out some stickers, with crosses on them, to stick inside the handguards. The cross is meant to line up with the ball at the end of the lever (the ball that is meant to stop the lever going through your leg when you tumble off) = No selfrespecting rufty-tufty GS rider will ever use the stickers....