Picking up a dropped Bike

[Kieth]

I started to say picking up women for a thread title but thought it might get me in trouble. I just got back from a trip to Colorado and we did about half of the ride off highway, I dropped my 950 KTM Adventure loaded with luggage in a creek that really made it hard to pick the bike up. It was laying with the bars down hill and the soft gravel bottom made lifting the bike almost impossible. I could get hold of the handle bars but had no place to get hold of the rear of the bike. I even had a buddy along and we had one heck of a time getting the bike back upright. So I started thinking about what could help make this situation a little easier (and I now understand how you ladies feel when trying to lift up one of these bikes by your self.) I came up with a surprisingly simple solution.
Take along a set of soft hooks (the ones you put around the fork tubes when tying your bike down on a trailer) Feed the soft hook back through itself on the handle bars up front, and another thru a attachment point on the rear luggage bracket. Turn with your back to the bike, squat, placing your rear end against the seat, and then feed your hands thru the front and rear soft hooks. Keeping your arms straight and using your legs only slowly raise the bike up. the soft hooks make it easy because you do not have to use your hands to hold onto the bike. If you are not strong enough to pick the bike up this way, I am working on a set of lifting straps which would attach in much the same manner but you would use your shoulders instead of arms for the lifting. Hope this helps someone out of a bad spot someday.
Kieth in Tulsa

p.s. let me know if you need pictures or might need information on the lift straps. I will try to post them here or can send you a e mail.

[janiceclanfield]

I started to say picking up women for a thread title but thought it might get me in trouble. I just got back from a trip to Colorado and we did about half of the ride off highway, I dropped my 950 KTM Adventure loaded with luggage in a creek that really made it hard to pick the bike up. It was laying with the bars down hill and the soft gravel bottom made lifting the bike almost impossible. I could get hold of the handle bars but had no place to get hold of the rear of the bike. I even had a buddy along and we had one heck of a time getting the bike back upright. So I started thinking about what could help make this situation a little easier (and I now understand how you ladies feel when trying to lift up one of these bikes by your self.) I came up with a surprisingly simple solution.
Take along a set of soft hooks (the ones you put around the fork tubes when tying your bike down on a trailer) Feed the soft hook back through itself on the handle bars up front, and another thru a attachment point on the rear luggage bracket. Turn with your back to the bike, squat, placing your rear end against the seat, and then feed your hands thru the front and rear soft hooks. Keeping your arms straight and using your legs only slowly raise the bike up. the soft hooks make it easy because you do not have to use your hands to hold onto the bike. If you are not strong enough to pick the bike up this way, I am working on a set of lifting straps which would attach in much the same manner but you would use your shoulders instead of arms for the lifting. Hope this helps someone out of a bad spot someday.
Kieth in Tulsa

p.s. let me know if you need pictures or might need information on the lift straps. I will try to post them here or can send you a e mail.

Photos would be great. I -can- lift my 'strom, just barely. My Concours, however, felt like it was welded to the ground. There was simply no way I could have ever gotten Ms.Piggy back onto two wheels by herself.
That's the main reason I got rid of her; she was a top heavy pig. Fast, but a pig...;)

[Boondocker]

Pictures? Heck about a video? I had a little trouble following your description. I've picked my bike up a few times with no problem, but last time, in gravel, on unlevel ground, it seemed a whole lot heavier. Unfortunately, I leaned against the right mirror stalk and broke the bracket, which also holds the front brake lever. Wating on delivery of that part before I ride again. :(

[leeloo]

Here is a good youtube video on how to pick up a bike. It includes tips for getting motorists to stop and help you! Just lay down on the ground and somebody will stop to make sure you aren't hurt. Lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjYweKeiLk

leeloo

[Kieth]

Sorry, I do not know how to post videos but will attempt to post pictures,

Here is what I did,

1. bring along 1 short soft hook and 1 long one.

2. attach the short soft hook to the handlebar.

3. attach the other soft hook to a rear attachment point, (luggage rack etc)

4. turn around squat down with your backside to the seat.

5. insert your hand into the soft hooks (this means you do not have to get a grip on the bike the soft hooks do that for you)

6. Lift with your legs keeping your arms straight.

I will take pictures and post them later today......Kieth:bom_glasses:

[greywolf]

http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/pickup.html might be more appropriate for this forum as it is done by a woman.

[vstrom_ryder]

http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/pickup.html might be more appropriate for this forum as it is done by a woman.

A diferent story when no side lugage, but still good info.

[BadTrainDriver]

I met Carol, aka SKERT, at a BMW K1200RS Rally a few years ago and saw her demonstrate this technique with a fully loaded R1100GS. It was really something!!! Almost as amazing as watching this woman ride:D

BTD.

[Tom-S]

BMW boxers and Gold Wings are actually easier to pick-up than some lighter bikes since when down and resting on tires and engine cases they are already part way up. An important point that is not emphasized is that you really need to have the bike in gear. This keeps it from starting to roll away as you pick it up. Don't ask me how I know. As for the part about laying down on the ground, didn't work that well for me. Not done intentionally, what happened is I pulled over onto the shoulder to check my map. What looked like an OK surface turned out to be soft sand . Front wheel sank, bike stopped quick, and we both toppled over. Left leg was trapped under the bike. This was my full faired Nighthawk. At least a half dozen vehicles passed while I struggled to get my leg out. It wasn't until I got my leg out and was sitting there getting my breath back that a guy in a coat and tie stopped to help. He said his son rides.

[Eradicator]

That was an interesting method for lifting it back up but like someone else said, it was already partway up.

I was taught by my older sister when I began to ride to never buy a bike that I couldn't pick up by myself....and my older sister taught me to ride in the hills around Boulder Co. It was easy since the first bike I owned was a CB450 Honda. I haven't had to pick up any of my other bikes or my Vee but over the years have helped a lot of others get their back on two wheels. I have to agree with Janice(also my older sisters name<LOL>) I once help this huge guy pick up his Connie and he didn't have a clue. He was bent at the waist, pulling and tugging when I came up on him. Once I stopped laughing and got out to help him, I showed him how to bend his knees and get low...then stand up next to me bringing his bike with us. I still agree that I'd never buy a bike that I couldn't get back up by myself. I wouldn't want to be way out in the boonies and be stuck simply cause I fell down.

[Bisbonian]

What looked like an OK surface turned out to be soft sand . Front wheel sank, bike stopped quick, and we both toppled over. Left leg was trapped under the bike. This was my full faired Nighthawk. At least a half dozen vehicles passed while I struggled to get my leg out. It wasn't until I got my leg out and was sitting there getting my breath back that a guy in a coat and tie stopped to help. He said his son rides.

I had an experience much the same; nobody stopped but a few at least were more than happy to call the police. I hate getting a ticket for no good reason :sad1:

[Nero]

oh well,.. it's not only a ladies problem.
Us men are not all schwarzenegger or JC Van Damme.

Usefull tip.
I'll remember it.

[janiceclanfield]

Here's an excellent photographic tutorial on how to pick up a dropped bike.

It makes it easy....

http://www.pinkribbonrides.com/dropped.html

[JoeInLex]

I guess that the gist of picking up a motorcycle if to have it already partially up by means of installing side cases. Skert's bike if pretty much in a great angle to begin with that allows her to not have to really squat low. I do beleive that it would be a completely different story if the bike was completely on its side. How do I know this? For jollies I laid the bike on its side (without side cases) and the seat was very low to the ground. It was with quite a bit of effort to lift it.

Everybody make sure to ride with side cases.

[snooze]

I guess that the gist of picking up a motorcycle if to have it already partially up by means of installing side cases...

+1 on this. I managed to keep my bike upright until a few days after I put some Caribous on it. Tucked and rolled in a parking lot. The bike actually fell more slowly because it pivoted on the bag, then left enough room for my leg to not get trapped. They made the bike about 500lb total, but the bag gave the bike a fulcrum I could rock it on until the saddle was at least knee-high. It was easier to pick up than my last 375lb sport bike.

[sturgeon]

Bah. I'm almost 60, and a 5'9 desk jockey. I have no problem picking up a flat bike. Side cases or no side cases. It's mostly technique.

[greywolf]

Bah. I'm almost 60, and a 5'9 desk jockey. I have no problem picking up a flat bike. Side cases or no side cases. It's mostly technique.I'll second that but 63 and 5'10". It's actually harder for taller people to get leverage. The Wee is so light I haven't needed to use both hands to lift it. I once bent the handlebar picking up a Yamaha XS1100E close to 30 years ago. It's all in the legs. The arms are straight in the most intense part of the lift.

[klong]

http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/pickup.html might be more appropriate for this forum as it is done by a woman.

Yup - That's Skert! She often travels around showing people how to do this; you can reach her at skert@bellsouth.net, or via her webpage: http://www.pinkribbonrides.com/dropped.html

If you see her, give her a hug for me!
KevinL

[Newstromguy]

The next time I drop a bike, I'm just gonna break out the cell phone and call Janice.

She is, after all, The AMAZON Princess. :cool:

(she can kick my ass after the bike is upright and secure, if she wants).

[AncientMariner]

It's not a bad idea to learn to raise the bike without hurting yourself. At 61, 5'-8" I'm not the bike wrestler I used to be when I started riding in 1967. I used to could pick up my XV920RH by the handlebar. No more. Unfortunately, my lesson in the importance of learning proper lifting technique was somewhat severe. I was in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, :bom_sombrero:when I stopped the fully loaded strom slightly leaned. Wasn't able to hold it up. As it settled slowly on its left side against my vain efforts to keep it upright, I decided I needed to get my left foot out of the way. My right heel caught on the Kappa top case as I tried to swiftly dismount so I wound up flopping on the pavement. :mod2_oops:This, of course, ramped up the embarrassment factor which, in turn ramped up my sense of urgency to get up and out of there before making eye contact with any witnesses to my incompetence. In the attempt to jerk the bike up as if I were young (supreme effort), I managed to fully rupture my right achilles tendon. :weapons_91:This is a pretty serious injury and it made the ride back to western Nebraska for surgery somewhat less than comfy. I since then saw Skert's technique and have had the chance to try it. Squatting down and lifting with your legs is stupid. Of course it will work if you're strong and supple and/or your bike is light. The way to do it right with the least risk to your bod is butt against the seat and have your legs almost straight for maximum mechanical advantage, the way Skert does it. Excellent technique and worth practicing at least a few times.

[ajpower]

Some 6-8 years ago I rode my Shadow 1100 to work and came back home with it for lunch. I had it parked very close to the end of my driveway because my car was there too. After I ate I took a quick look out the window and the bike was lying on the right side. Of course I was furious, this was my pride and joy. I got my shoes on and ran out the door. I had the bike up in a second, and I can't remember what I did. I honestly don't know if I was on the left side pulling it up or the right side pushing it up, but it was as if I had super human strength. The weight was nothing. I'm still mad at my idiot neighbour who backed into it and then drove off. I didn't see it happen, but I did see the touch up paint on his bumper the next day. I live in a townhouse with a private drive, so I know it was him and not any kind of passing car. Driving a dealer demo at that. The funny thing is that not a single thing was permanently broken on the old 86. There is a scratch on the pipe, a few scuffs on the signals and such, but no broken glass and no parts to replace. That doesn't mean he's off my list...