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Dropped it again..

12K views 75 replies 37 participants last post by  DaveNZ 
#1 ·
Im getting pretty heartbroken with this bike. Finally a gorgeous day here that i have off work, wake up early to ride all day.. add some oil to the engine (and proceed to spill it all down the side of the crankcase...) leaving a big puddle on the floor. Backing the bike out, i lean it away from me a bit to try to avoid the tires rolling through the oily spot on the garage floor and apparently leaned it too far because i dropped the damn thing AGAIN.. Knuckle guard busted, right fairing and tank gouged up, and I think the rear brake lever is bent but I can't remember if it angles inwards slightly or if it truly just bent from the fall. Both times Ive dropped this damn thing have been 0 mph, and have cost me over 400 to fix now each time. I really need to get some frame sliders or engine guards or something. It is really letting the wind out of my sails. Ive had several several bikes that haven't been brand new and haven't been ones I've cared about and haven't been red and italian, and I've never dropped them... But this brand new, red, italian, bike that I wanted to be my "long term" touring bike.. Ive dropped twice in the last 6 months.

Can anyone take a pic of the rear brake lever from the top down so I can see the orientation... thanks
 
#2 ·
That sucks... the only time I dropped the bike trying to move it was exactly the same (luckily I was on grass and got off with a bruised ego). Now I sit on the bike to maneuver it or on rare occasion I have to move it standing next to it I lean it right into my hip. It doesn't take much lean angle away from you for it to get away.

I'm not back to town until friday so can't get a pic but I'm sure someone will.
 
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#17 ·
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#4 ·
I also generally try to avoid moving the Multi much without being on the bike. It's an unwieldy motorcycle to move otherwise; not because of the weight, because of the overall height combined with the wide bars. I would rather walk an ElectraGlide than a Multistrada, provided I was on a flat surface.
 
#5 ·
I feel your pain having done so myself with the Panigale.
My garage has a sightly forward slope. For the life of me, I had left the small carpet I previously used under the bike for winter storage.
Consequently the bike was more upright than usual where only the side-stand was on the carpet. As I reached rearward to grab my pit-bull stand the bike fell over in what seem to be an endless slow motion. NOooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
 
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#6 ·
Im getting pretty heartbroken with this bike. Finally a gorgeous day here that i have off work, wake up early to ride all day.. add some oil to the engine (and proceed to spill it all down the side of the crankcase...) leaving a big puddle on the floor. Backing the bike out, i lean it away from me a bit to try to avoid the tires rolling through the oily spot on the garage floor and apparently leaned it too far because i dropped the damn thing AGAIN..
Ugh; sorry, I feel for you. I thought I was going drop mine into my 916 the other day when I stumbled over my tire inflator.

I also generally try to avoid moving the Multi much without being on the bike. It's an unwieldy motorcycle to move otherwise; not because of the weight, because of the overall height combined with the wide bars. I would rather walk an ElectraGlide than a Multistrada, provided I was on a flat surface.
Yeah, at 5'8" (only in the morning), I find it unwieldy because the CG is relatively high. My sketchy moments are either in the garage, pulling up where the surface is iffy or where I'm off balance; tippy toes all the way for me on my 2014 which is, apparently, the tallest of the recent years. My wife rode pillion yesterday for the first time in a year and it was hard work holding the bike up with her clambering on/off.
 
#7 ·
I never buy a bike that doesn’t fit me. I don’t “ do “ tippy toe. Last year I dumped my Monster trying to remove it from the stand with no help. It was a stupid thing to do, and it bit me in the ass. I vow that someday I’ll quit doing stupid stuff. ( date to be determined)
 
#8 ·
I learned to deal with it, for now, because the Multi otherwise works for me, although the profile of the PR5 (which I really like) seems to have raised the bike compared with the Angel GT. Around town I set it into Urban with low preload and switch to Touring or Sport when I'm on the move. I haven't dumped it in 5 years, touch wood. The most fun was a DRZ400 I used to own - I had to slip one butt cheek way off the seat to touch down on that :surprise:

But yes, it's limiting and a little frustrating: I don't bother looking at a KTM, for example, because I'll never get on it.
 
#9 ·
First time I got mine on the floor I moved to the head of the class. Turned over lift table. Took me hours to get them separated and when I did my old back could not get the bike up alone. Finally got it up by sticking a 6’ long piece of pipe into the rear axle hole and using that as a pry bar.

(The lift table lowered while I was not with it (my fault) and caught the edge of my shop stool that apparently rolled under it. That caused the table to lean as the bike came down and tipped it. Took out the mirror and hand guard but otherwise ok. All my plastic was off for servicing at the time. Still, scary and expensive lesson learned)
 

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#11 ·
Quote: It is really letting the wind out of my sails. Ive had several several bikes that haven't been brand new and haven't been ones I've cared about and haven't been red and italian, and I've never dropped them... But this brand new, red, italian, bike that I wanted to be my "long term" touring bike.. Ive dropped twice in the last 6 months.

This ^^^^is exactly why I haven't put my pristine NOS tank on my Monster. The big ugly dent and scrape on the left side of the tank is my drop deterrent. As soon as I put the new tank on I am guaranteed to drop it the first time I touch it.
 
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#12 ·
But this brand new, red, italian, bike that I wanted to be my "long term" touring bike.. Ive dropped twice in the last 6 months.
Ugh. Sorry to hear this. At least you're not alone. With the average age of riders getting up to 50, lots and lots of bikes are getting dropped these days. I'm pretty fit and strong, but now that I'm over 50, I just don't have the sense of balance I used to have - either on or off the bike. :(

Along those lines ... I used to scramble up 40 foot ladders like a monkey. Not a care in the world. Now, all of a sudden, I'm afraid of heights! Just part of aging I guess. :)
 
#14 ·
My multi has been down once... in the garage as well. Put the side stand down but didn't investigate to ensure it really was down. I guess it didn't make it past the spring point and snapped back up without me realizing it. Hopped off and it just toppled over. Thankfully my beast of a KLR was next to it and took the brunt of the fall. Got away with only a little scratch on the black plastic of the mirror...

Now I always look at the side stand before leaning it to the side.
 
#15 ·
Too many horror stories to tell but one that sticks in my mind was the customer who picked up his brand new St series ducati at our dealership on a wooden flat bed trailer. it was raining and on the way home he looked in the mirror and the bike had lost the right side straps and flipped upside down outside the trailer wheels so he was dragging his new bike down the road upside down outboard of his trailer. :surprise:

For me it was
1. surprising he did not crash his car after seeing that.
2. how little damage was done, the rear passenger rail took 90% of the rear damage and the upper fairing /mirrors got the rest. I do not remember changing either side fairing.

Tips and spills happen with 2 wheels I see them enough I just prepare as best I can and move on after they happen. That said making too heavy bikes too tall does not help any of us I hate loading water/multis onto the dyno for this reason.
 
#18 ·
Used a step ladder in my garage to grab something from the rafters.

Proceeded to open the garage door which hit the very top of the step ladder, that went crashing into the corner of my gas tank.

Argh. :mad:
 
#21 ·
If it makes you feel any better, I dropped my brand new 2015 Multi twice within the span of about 2 months. First time I got lucky and only busted the knuckleguard. Second time the kickstand folded up at the gas station (my fault, I should have spot checked it first) and busted the knuckleguard, cracked and broke the tank fairing. I've dropped plenty of bikes in my time, but it definitely hurt more with the multi. I just gave up rigged the knuckleguard together after the second drop and am saving for an engine guard and bark busters. Once those are installed I'm going to fix the busted tank fairing.

I'm seriously tempted to reproduce the tank fairing in carbon fiber.
 
#22 ·
I'm the same. Rarely ever dropped all of my previous bikes. I go out and buy a brand new 1260, and something happens every time I'm near it!

It fell over in the driveway when the kickstand sunk in the rocks and broke the flimsy hand guards.

My new left touratech pannier fell off going down the road, giving it road rash.

I lowsided at 15 mph roadrashing the right pannier and a small bit of fairing (with the touratech panniers, the crash bars are useless as the pannier levers the bike enough that the fairing above the crash bars touch first).

I swear if I bought it used, it'd still be pristine. At this point I'm thinking about just coating it in truck bed liner and calling it a day.
 
#23 ·
Now that I'm over the shock of having chucked mine down the road a few months back at 50 mph, I'm strangely at peace with not really worrying about my formerly pristine princess anymore. I'm more worried about my formerly pristine knee that is taking its sweet time to heal.
 
#24 ·
My wife was more heartbroken over damage to my bike than I was. I bought it to ride, not to be a show piece. Stuff happens! :) Those knee's are no joke, get better soon!
 
#26 ·
I low sided my old Sportster in the 90"s at about 2 MPH on a wet garage floor.

Washed out the front of my Road King in a sandy spot in a parking lot at about 5 mph. ( 800 lbs was hard to get off the ground , at least the engine guards held it up a bit.

Low sided my Hyper the day after I got it (way faster then 5 mph). Destroyed the handguard/turn signal combo and scraped up the right side passenger peg , snapped off the prake pedal.

Totaled an S4RS Tricolore doing something dumb AF.

Oh Yeah ....dropped a few in garages too Lol . I feel for you. Your just getting it out of the bikes system. It will be fine from here on out !!
 
#30 ·
I just got from riding Tail of the Dragon with no incidents. I went to the store at the end of my street Saturday and dropped it in the parking lot. Unfortunately, I had just installed a pair of $400 Rizoma mirrors. I was more upset about scratching the left mirror than I was about breaking my finger...ugh
 
#35 ·
Don't get down on yourself or give up on it. Its almost impossible to stop any bike from going over past a certain tipping point. It is a tall bike but try a lower seat and see if that helps. The MTS is a lot lighter than many sport tourers especially when it's moving. Put some miles on it by yourself without a passenger and get your confidence back.
As for the rear brake, you can remove the lever with an Allen key. Just be careful to note the position of the return spring so you put it back the same way but it's not hard. You should be able to put a little heat on it and straighten it out.

Good luck and be safe
 
#36 ·
2016 DVT PP here. The Multi is the best bike I ever owned, it handles amazingly quick and nimble, once you get moving. Been on Mt Hamilton CA, super twisty, switchbacks, gravel, dips, cattle guards. Been on the track at T-hill, in Willow CA, fast and steady in in fast sweepers, accelerating out of turns (while the DWC keep the wheel closer to the ground) like a beast. It's very forgiving, even midturns, and comfortable for all day (413 miles in approx 9hrs). Dropped it 2 wheeks ago during a trip. Side stand not completely down, the bag got scratched and that's all. Just get familiar with it, learn how it react and move under various situations, you'll love it...I guarantee it.


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#37 ·
The Multistrada is not for everyone. For all of it's massive capability, it's a top heavy, tall, ungainly at low speed motorcycle that isn't well suited for some people, or some riding conditions. If I lived in a city core, I wouldn't own one as a primary ride, they're just not good at stop and go traffic.

It's not like you got the bike two weeks ago, it's been nearly a year. You're the only one who knows if the relationship is recoverable. If not, do what it takes to get rid of it and move on, even if that means taking a hit to the pocketbook; life is too short to spend years not riding because you've got a bike you no longer enjoy, and are still paying for. The depreciation isn't going to get better, it just gets less bad after the first year.

I've seen people quit riding for good over situations like this. Better to just move on to another bike than let the frustrations with this one consume your enjoyment of riding generally.

If, on the other hand, you want to try and keep it, consider investing in a quality low speed advanced handling class. Sometimes local police departments with MC patrols host them, in any case there is usually something available near any major city. There is nothing I'm aware of that will restore or increase a rider's confidence faster than instructor led training where they can see and feel themselves getting better as the class progresses. It's money well spent for just about anyone who takes riding seriously.
 
#38 ·
The Multistrada is not for everyone. For all of it's massive capability, it's a top heavy, tall, ungainly at low speed motorcycle that isn't well suited for some people, or some riding conditions. If I lived in a city core, I wouldn't own one as a primary ride, they're just not good at stop and go traffic.



It's not like you got the bike two weeks ago, it's been nearly a year. You're the only one who knows if the relationship is recoverable. If not, do what it takes to get rid of it and move on, even if that means taking a hit to the pocketbook; life is too short to spend years not riding because you've got a bike you no longer enjoy, and are still paying for. The depreciation isn't going to get better, it just gets less bad after the first year.



I've seen people quit riding for good over situations like this. Better to just move on to another bike than let the frustrations with this one consume your enjoyment of riding generally.



If, on the other hand, you want to try and keep it, consider investing in a quality low speed advanced handling class. Sometimes local police departments with MC patrols host them, in any case there is usually something available near any major city. There is nothing I'm aware of that will restore or increase a rider's confidence faster than instructor led training where they can see and feel themselves getting better as the class progresses. It's money well spent for just about anyone who takes riding seriously.
You're right. Its definitely not a not-very-experienced rider's bike either. Like most adv bikes it's a bit of a challenge for less than tall people also. I'm 5'8" and have to be careful about stopping and slow/tight maneuvers.
Still, a dream ride imho.

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