bluevolt

Let's face it - no matter how safe you think you ride or how experienced a rider you are, you will drop your bike one day or the other. It can happen in the office parking lot, an intersection or during a tempting curve on the ghat section. At times, for reasons beyond your control.

Needless to say, to avoid the risk of injuries, you need to be fully geared up. Without gears, you'd probably not be in a condition to lift the bike by yourself. I'd like to share my experience from earlier this week, when I spilled my bike on the Western ghats near Karwar. I had a GoPro camera automatically taking pictures of what happened, so I thought it was a good opportunity to share so that everyone learns from my spill.



When you fall off the bike, you will be momentarily disoriented. This is a natural thing to happen so take a moment to collect your wits together. Then approach your bike, and follow the steps below. Before attempting the lift, make sure your bike is in gear so that it does not roll off while being lifted. 90% of the time your bike will be in gear when you spill it, but in case it isn't, you need to engage the gear. Difficulty may arise when the bike falls on the gear side - I don't have a workaround on that.


1) DO NOT try to lift the bike the way 99% of the people do by lifting the bike with your front facing the bike. Instead, turn around, squat, grab the handlebar end with your left hand and the rear or pillon grab rail with your right hand. Once you have decided you have sufficient grip, use your powerful thigh muscles to gradually rise from your squat position to standing. Do this while keeping the bike propped against your back/buttocks. If your bike has fallen on the right side, engage the side stand first so that you don't have to worry about it later.




2) When you feel the bike is almost straight and if you are on the right side, just prop the bike on its side stand as the bike becomes straight. If you are lifting the bike from the left side, engage the stand with your leg when straight and prop the bike.




The Ninja 250 was a heavy bike at 170kg+ (full tank of fuel) so I could not have lifted any other way without help. But even for smaller bikes which weight lesser, this method is the best way to get your bike off the ground.

Hope you never crash, but in case you do one day, you know what to do!

Puneet1

wont it be better to first engage the side stand first if bike has fallen on its right .

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riazmomin

Simple but nice explanation. This particular method does avoid load on the spine.

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burnrubbernotursoul

@ bluebolt: sorry to learn about your crash hope you and your bike are alright.

here i have a little suggestion to make:

if the bike is lying on the right side,it becomes far more easier to engage the side stand first before lifting the bike.that way when you feel the bike is sufficiently straightened you can turn around and gently ease the bike on the already engaged side stand,that way you dont have to mount the bike to engage the side stand.

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bluevolt

That is a fair suggestion, I had overlooked that. Will edit post to incorporate that. Thanks for your inputs guys.

shrinathrao

Nicely explained blue volt, but my query is lifting in the way you have told wont that create pressure on lower back apart from the squat that creates pressure on your thighs and again when you turn so you face the bike isn't there a possibility that bike may fall on you if you dont engage the side stand?

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Gray-haired riders don't get that way from pure luck.

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aargee

When I read your post on the Kwacker 250 thread, I was searching for this technique. Thank you, Thank you & Thank you for opening a thread on the same & educating us.

OT - Wondering how your thread is visible without even moderation. Are you a mod in xBhp?

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animeher

Thanks for the tip bluevolt. GS150 is a heavy bike for its engine (almost 150kg), and I always worry how the hell I am going to pick it up should it decide to fall. Now I know!

bluevolt

Nope, not if you keep your back straight and leaned forward. This is like a powersquat in a gym when you do squat with 100kgs kept across your shoulders or a deadlift. The thigh muscles are extremely powerful when it comes to lifting heavy weights. In the conventional method, there is immense pressure on lower back since you are using nothing except your arms, shoulder joints and lower back. Lifting a heavy bike that way is a sure shortcut to backsprain and potential slip disc.

The bike will not fall on you - if the bike has fallen on the side, engage the side stand before you attempt the lift. If it has fallen on its left, lift the bike, and turn around while keeping the bike propped against your thigh/backside.

You're welcome. I believe that all of us should be wiser from each other's experience.

And no, I am not a xbhp mod!

vikram kumar

Thanks for posting it here for all of us to see.
Really useful technique.
Helps thin guyz like me.
Splilled my R15 once but managed to straighten it up with great difficulty but i think your method is going to be much easier but hope i never need to find out.