Why all the garage tip-overs?

[tlwood28]

Forgive the dumb question, but hey, I'm new.

A thread regarding cylinder covers below reminded me of the many comments I have read here, not to mention the innumerable Craigslist adds that offer a bike for sale often with some tip-over damage. I have only owned the bike for six months, but am wondering what to avoid so it doesn't happen to me.

My guess it happens most often when putting the bike on the center stand. If so, I will make my wife play catcher.

Correct, or are there some other reasons?

Tom W.

[Airman]

Forgive the dumb question, but hey, I'm new.

A thread regarding cylinder covers below reminded me of the many comments I have read here, not to mention the innumerable Craigslist adds that offer a bike for sale often with some tip-over damage. I have only owned the bike for six months, but am wondering what to avoid so it doesn't happen to me.

My guess it happens most often when putting the bike on the center stand. If so, I will make my wife play catcher.

Correct, or are there some other reasons?

Tom W.

I think it happens when the bike is moved around in the garage or driveway. It's a heavy brute and could get away from you. Or... I suppose a guy could put a foot wrong in some slippery leaves or something.

[boxermania]

Get close to the bike and lean it slightly towards you it has always worked for me.

[wncbmw]

+1 on boxermania's suggestion. That is what I do moving it around or out of the garage. Actually have the bike leaning on me while moving it.

I find that on a reasonably level and solid surface, the bike balances easily for putting it on center stand, using the proper technique.

[R1150Rclean]

Well, it is somewhat top heavy and once it gets a little away from you it can not be stopped, only slowed down. I never had a problem with putting it on the center stand, thoough you do have to pay attention to the bike's balance. But I found that when doing tight turns in parking lots it is best to use "just" the rear brake. Using the front brake in slow parking lot/garage turns can make the bike jackknife and then it will go over.

[TicTac50]

Moving the bike around while wearing flip flops will do it too.
I did it twice. Did not learn from the first time.

[NoRRmad]

Before I got a low seat, I learned the hard way that just stopping on a slanted surface can do it. Also parking head-in and downhill on gravel. Also using the side stand when facing downhill. With a full tank o' gas, that mutha is heavy.

[sweatmark]

Good question.

Low/no speed drops happen to lots of newer riders. I dropped my first bike 25 years ago, arriving at destination with frozen knees on a wet & cold winter day.

There's no special reason why the Roadsters should be more prone to parking lot & garage drops than other motorcycles. Beemers have generally been mid-pack porky: heavier than sportsbikes and UJMs, but lighter than most all cruisers.

R1150** bikes can be a struggle to get onto centerstand, especially if loaded. Perhaps that's the trouble spot for owners with dropping tendencies.

[iowabeakster]

My first tip came while pushing it out of the garage. I had just climbed out of bed, and was probably not yet fully awake. There was an uneven concrete seam between the garage and the driveway. When I pushed it over the seam, the balance of the bike shifted away from me. Like people said, once it started, I couldn't stop it. For being naked standards, these bikes are some fat pigs. Now, whenever I can, I keep the bike between my legs. It's good to have a leg on both sides of the bike. I think the high seat prohibits some from moving their bike this way, and leads to tip-overs.

My second one was embarrassing and funny. After blasting around Wisconsin with some hooligans (from this site), we came to a stop sign. I took my right hand off the handlebar (and brake) to signal that I had no desire to be the leader of this crazy group. Apparently, I did not realize the slight incline that we were on, and started to roll. Then, my right foot lost traction, and over I went. The disorientation, from the rapid deceleration from warp speed, may have been a factor. I laid on the ground embarrassed and laughing, while the other guys quickly picked up my bike.

The third one happend practicing tight, slow speed, turns. I got it into my head that I wanted to be able to do those things that motor cops can do. I also learned that I should only practice that stuff on a bike that the tax payers had bought.

All three were on the right side, the plastic head guard did its job and the bike has has nothing but easily fixable scuffs on a bar end and the passenger peg. If they weren't so minor, I might even think about some touch up paint. I am pretty anal about the bike too.

[tinytrains]

This one is embarrassing.

Getting in your Blazer half asleep in the morning, putting it in reverse and hearing the sicking crash of your K75 that you parked behind it last night hitting the ground. After 15 years, I still can't believe I did that.

Scott

[Lion_Lady]

Putting one foot of the centerstand in a sand filled (and thus invisible) hole will pretty well guarantee a tipover.

P

[towerworker]

Had stopped at an overlook on the BRP. Lady friend riding with me. Both of us were new riders. After appreciating the scenery we got on the bike. I got on and held it upright getting ready for her to get on. She flips down the right passenger peg and puts her left foot on and stands up to swing her right leg over the bike. All of her weight on the left peg and she was not a little girl. Couldn't hold the bike and her and down we went.

Of course there was an audience.

[Team Airedale]

for me it was with the bike on the side stand and trying to squeeze the bike between the wall and a plastic shelving thing in my garage. Well, standing on the left side of the bike I lost it, and it tipped over to the right side against the shelving. Luckily no damage, just a small scuff.

Never had any problem with putting the bike on the center stand. I always put the bike on the center stand sitting on it. With one hand on the front brake to keep the bike from moving forward. And with my left foot pressing on the stand and then pulling back with both hands. Works for me every time.

[tlwood28]

Thanks for all the stories.

At the sacrifice of my car, I have plenty of room in the garage so I always maneuver it (to the extent I even need to) by sitting on the bike and moving it from there.

I am petrified of the center stand and have yet to find a way to put it up without risking a tip over. I am probably too height challenged to try it from the seat but will give that a try.

Currently nursing a fractured hip from a ski accident so might not do this right away

Tom W.

[Sunbeemer]

I always put the bike on the center stand sitting on it. With one hand on the front brake to keep the bike from moving forward. And with my left foot pressing on the stand and then pulling back with both hands. Works for me every time.

I used to do this with my Nighthawk, but stopped after finding a broken plastic throttle sleeve under the right grip, apparently from the pressure I was using to jerk it up on the center stand. I don't know if the same would happen with the RR throttle sleeve since I don't do that anymore.

I now dismount (sometimes with the sidestand down if it's loaded up), and grab the forward, lower-left, subframe-tube (the black pipe in front of which the left, rear foot-peg is mounted, and which I put a short piece of foam pipe-insulation around for better grip) with my right hand (thumb facing rearward) while holding the left handlbar grip with my left and ease it up and backward while applying weight on my right boot to the centerstand's foot-lever = easiest bike I ever had go up on a centerstand! (I think this is procedure recommended in the manual.)

Sorry to hear about your hip - that's gotta hurt!

[tlwood28]

I now dismount (sometimes with the sidestand down if it's loaded up), and grab the forward, lower-left, subframe-tube (the black pipe in front of which the left, rear foot-peg is mounted, and which I put a short piece of foam pipe-insulation around for better grip) with my right hand (thumb facing rearward) while holding the left handlbar grip with my left and ease it up and backward while applying weight on my right boot to the centerstand's foot-lever = easiest bike I ever had go up on a centerstand! (I think this is procedure recommended in the manual.)

Sorry to hear about your hip - that's gotta hurt!

I will give that a go as soon as I'm able. Thanks for the advice.

Hurt? You bet. Looking forward to getting off the crutches. Surprisingly, I can still ride. Stopping and getting off the bike when is it gets interesting.

Thanks again!

Tom W.

[MattPie]

Never had any problem with putting the bike on the center stand. I always put the bike on the center stand sitting on it. With one hand on the front brake to keep the bike from moving forward. And with my left foot pressing on the stand and then pulling back with both hands. Works for me every time.

I've tried doing that a few times, but I've never managed to get the bike to go up on the stand that way. I should be plenty tall and heavy to do it, so it must be technique. I (almost) always push the bike off the stand while sitting on it, I nearly dropped it on my first fuel fill-up after it started to fall to the right. Luckily, I am tall and heavy, so I managed to pull the bike back to the left.

As for the one time I did drop it, I was making a U-turn in two parking spaces in front of my house. I grabbed the front brake just before I ran into the side of my own car, and dropped it on the right crash bar. A couple light scratches on the underside of the bar.

[MattPie]

I now dismount (sometimes with the sidestand down if it's loaded up), and grab the forward, lower-left, subframe-tube (the black pipe in front of which the left, rear foot-peg is mounted, and which I put a short piece of foam pipe-insulation around for better grip) with my right hand (thumb facing rearward) while holding the left handlbar grip with my left and ease it up and backward while applying weight on my right boot to the centerstand's foot-lever = easiest bike I ever had go up on a centerstand! (I think this is procedure recommended in the manual.)

Yep, this procedure is what I use and works really well. I turn the bars a little to the right as I get off so the bike is inclined to fall towards me. Also, once you put a little weight on the centerstand lever with your foot, the bike will straighten up and stand without having to hold onto it (but you have to maintain that weight with your foot!) Give it a shot (with someone on the opposite side to catch, just in case), it makes a good pause point while you're learning the centerstand dance.

[NoRRmad]

Yeah, you can feel when the opposite centerstand leg touches down. Once you're sure it's down, then stand on the pedal. If you stand while the other leg's not in contact with the ground, it'll want to fall one way or the other -- and on the pedal, you don't have much leverage to stop a tipover.

[philm35]

I dropped mine the first week I owned it. I was parking it at work, and stepped in a small water puddle as I was walking the bike into its space. As I put the weight of my foot on the center stand, the slippery sole of my shoe slid of the stand pedal. That was enough to get the bike slowly tipping away from me. I made a valiant effort to slow the bike's fall, but only succeeded in nearly ripping my arm out of its socket. (That hurt for months afterward). Only other damage was a small valve cover scrape... which his now hidden by the valve cover guards I bought the next day.

--Phil
2004 R1150RA Silver