Down on Hwy 17

[Devious Devi]

Not quite a crash, but could have easily led to one:

Earlier today I was on Hwy 17 heading towards Monterey when I hit bad traffic. There was an accident up ahead that had the right lane blocked, so I merged to the left lane, stopped and when I went to put my left foot down, couldn't find the ground and dropped the bike.

Here's my thoughts on why I dropped it:
~I'm a short (5'2") rider on a taller bike (SV650 with overstuffed seat, making it taller than it's advertised 31.7" seat height), so at best I'm on tippie toes.
~I was entering a left curve and the road to the left was angled downwards. Due to this, the ground was lower than where I was expecting it to be and didn't compensate in time for it.
~I'm still a new rider (under 6 months) so quick adjustments - like cheeking it to land flat footed - don't come naturally to me yet and so I made the newbie mistake of letting my bike follow me down.

How I think I can improve:
~Had I stayed in the right side of the lane, the ground was more even, vs being closer to the left side of the lane where it angled downwards.
~Replace the seat with an aftermarket or OEM seat that will lower it enough where I'm not on tippie toes (stubbornly against this) OR
~ Practice standing flat footed on either side by sliding slightly off the bike until it becomes a natural movement (slowly working on it).
~Practice balancing at very slow speeds (>5pmh) as well as stopping and starting on various angles/inclines.

Any other advice on what to practice would be greatly appreciated. I'm frustrated this happened at all as I thought I'd finally learned better, but if anything it's showed me I still have a long way to go.

I do want to thank the motorcyclist who was behind me and helped me pick up then move my bike off the road. I'm sad he left before I could thank him (he'd parked his bike behind mine in lane 1 so had to hurriedly get it out of the way of traffic).

I also appreciate the guy who stopped by later to check I was OK, though I didn't appreciate his snapping off my shifter when trying to fix it nor asking me out - twice - after I'd kindly declined.

 

[sanjuro]

Another tip: put down your right foot.

Sounds simple, but many riders by habit favor one foot down over the other. Like this mountain bike vid. Viewers are stunned by the huge fall, but if you pay attention, the first rider put his inside food down and made it through, the second rider put his outside foot down and went over the cliff.

Practicing going slow is another good idea.

 

[Flying Pig]

Have you been asking/getting help yet? I've learned much faster with inputs from others whom I trusted when I was first starting out.

If not, feel free to ping me. I'd be glad to go out riding with you to give you pointers on the basics. You won't have to worry about me asking you out either.

Now going back to your drop. I didn't understand this concept before I started riding, as I didn't need to worry about it while driving. But many turns are cambered. Camber refers to the banking in the road. You were on a road that was cambered correctly. But some roads are also off-camber (ex: in a left turn, the right side is lower and left side is higher). Realizing the camber in the road will allow you to know how to take the turn, but if you have to stop, you'll definitely want to slide over on the side that is higher - as you've recently found out.

Even city streets are cambered (to allow water to run off to the sides as I understand it). Many city streets are higher towards the center and lower towards the edge. So if you are able to see this, then stopping for city lights with camber in the road will be easier if you know which side to put your foot down on.

And I do recommend shifting your body over to one side or another when you come to a stop. Getting one foot solidly planted is much better than being on tip toes on both legs.

I'd like to think that I've learned a number of things during the past few years, so if you haven't had anybody to help you out so far, I'd be happy to oblige.

Keep the shiny side up!

 

[Devious Devi]

Thanks for the advice, Sanjuro. I do tend to stop and put both feet down than one, and when practicing putting one foot down it's usually the left side. I'll work on stopping flat footed on either side. I definitely also need to work on slow maneuvers and balancing.

FP, thanks for the offer! I have a couple friends who ride with me ever so often and give me advice on how to improve. When I first began, one in particular would take me to parking lots and give me drills to practice certain techniques (like braking before turns, parking, right hand turns, etc.), though I'm always excited to have new people to ride with and give advice I'll have to fix Desi first, though.

 

[jdhu]

I'm also a left-foot down rider. I think your 3rd self-suggestion is the best. Just use one foot, don't try to tiptoe on both, and plant that foot solidly flat on the ground.

 

[Hank Wong]

My BMW is tall and heavy for me. For a year or two, I had trouble walking it when I do not pay attention to which way the parking spot slants because I worry about dropping it as I walk it uphill for the short 8 feet or so. Once my starter broke a mile or two from home and I had to push and coast the bike all the way home. That experience cured me of my worry about dropping it when I walk it. Since then, I have had no problem with the heft or the seat height. At red lights, I put my left foot down flat and keep it in 1st. At the red light going uphill on Hwy 9 between DT Saratoga and four corners where the road is uphill and slants down to the left, I put the right foot down when I come to a stop. When the light is green, I switch to left foot so the right can be on the rear brake to prevent rolling downhill at takeoff. It is quite a dance.

 

[EjGlows]

You are short. Get used to having either foot down depending on camber, debris, and other road conditions. Learn how to scoot your butt to one side of the seat after having taken into account the aforementioned and plan for your take off. I'm 5'2" and am acutely aware of how I park and where I stop.

 

[Devious Devi]

Thanks for all the advice. I think it's time to take it back to parking lots and empty streets and practice scooting my butt and planting one foot solidly on the ground (and not just the left!)

 

[AkatomboRR]

This almost happened to me once getting off the freeway where the offramp had a line of cars backed up and I was stopped at a curved section of the offramp.
I was on a 04 R6 at the time. I'm 5'11 so I'm a bit taller than you. I think you just gotta tell your brain that the road is curved and you need to put your other foot down and stop not parallel to the road.. its weird but you'll eventually get the hang of it.

are you wearing boots? that usually will give you a inch or so. My gf can flat foot a 250R with her boots on and she's about 5'2

 

[packnrat]

were traffic tends to go slow,and it gets hot. the asphalt tends to dip in were the tires are at, so if you are not in the tire groove your foot could be up to three inches above the rd serfice.
i have not dropped a bike this way...yet. but if not aware it can catch you in a surprise.
we have many roads in the valley like this.

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