Update to my story on page five
Today was the day or my first ride on my Suzuki SV650S big bike and it went swimmingly well, right up until I hit the patch of gravel and crashed. I ended up on my back, on the ground and the bike went down on her left side.

The wife helped me back up and we lifted the bike back up onto it's wheels to survey the damage.

Where did this happen you ask? The sodding car park by her Nan's house. How fast was I going? Less than walking pace, I was backing into a parking space!

I think the wife would have laughed had it not been for the fact that she knows how much I love that bike. Luckily, no damage to me or the bike. I did however walk into see Nanny Noreen, wearing a somewhat embarrassed smile.

Of all the luck, it had to happen to me didn't it! Bugger...
( Rev. Jayneflakes Buy my book, I need the cash for drugs and hookers, Sun 25 Apr 2010, 1:23, 6 replies)

Car parks are a nightmare for bikers! I dropped my Pan European in Morrisons car park yesterday at precisely 1mph, for example.

Amazing bike though - it has these pods that stick out and catch the bike when it hits the deck - apart from a scuff on the pod there's not a scratch on the other million acres of plastic. Huzzah! In your case you could invest in some R+G crash mushrooms, look 'em up.

Anyway don't worry about dropping it - everyone does it, even if they don't admit it!
(zootius, Sun 25 Apr 2010, 1:39, closed)

Very easy to drop them at low speeds. Dont feel too bad about it - many bikers have done it!
( enoughblueskyforsailorstrousers, Sun 25 Apr 2010, 4:00, closed)

Gives you the shits, doesn't it....
I dropped an old VF750F in a car park after my trouser leg caught up on the footpeg and I couldn't put my foot down. To make matters worse as I attempted to catch it grabbing the right side bar, the throttle twisted on, alerting everyone in earshot.
(M61A1 CUPID- STUNTS, Sun 25 Apr 2010, 7:21, closed)

Ouch, bad luck
Still, all are OK. First time I took my 125 out I pulled into a gravel layby and applied the front brake...barely half an hour since I left the garage I'd bought it from!
Then In November 2008 I overtook a van on the same bike, only to find the reason for his slow progress-a fucking huge patch of ice. Fresh underpants all round and the CG had a BSA bantam clutch lever grafted on until I could get the correct one. I got of far lighter than I deserved for that moment of twatishness.
( Greenbat, Sun 25 Apr 2010, 7:25, closed)

I reckon...
..any biker who tells you they have never dropped a bike is telling you a big fat porky.
I have managed it (with a large audience of course) a good 3 times and am hoping to not do it again when I finally get my grubby mitts on another bike (5 years bikeless is too long).
My first was in the work car park just as a large order came in, so several people watched me pull up on my brand new bike (on my way back from the showroom)and stop, and gently keel over.
The next was failing to manage a u turn.
and finally my best display yet, right outside the front door of my local tesco! I actually just lay on the ground laughing for quite a while at that one.

So don't feel down, as long as you escape injury or major damage it's still been a good day.
(cmouse is pondering about life in other jobs, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 9:22, closed)

It's a good thing
You've got the first (guaranteed) silly drop out of the way, and now you don't need to spend all your time worrying that you'll put a scratch in it.

Also, with neither of you hurt, it's a good lesson in how annoying gravel is! I've dropped my bikes at least once each by putting my parking foot down on a patch of gravel and just slipping out and going over.

Petrol spills on rainy days can do the same, watch out while stopping to refuel too.

I dropped my first 33+bhp bike while pootling round a car park with pillion, looking for a space - we gently fell to one side and lay there giggling helplessly for a while. A chap wandered over and gave us a hand, turned out that he'd done the same with a sodding Goldwing the week before!

Knowing how guaranteed dropping is, I've always bought bikes without plastics. Practical, me.
( Fronds are waving gently on, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 9:43, closed)