General topics » I dropped the RS yesterday

I routinely do full lock turns on my bike. I do one, either left or right handed when I leave home and as I examine for an advanced motoring organisation I expect others to be proficient and have to be able to demonstrate same, often starting on full lock.

I've done it routinely many 100's of times.

Yesterday I went along on a ride out and met everyone assembled in a local supermarket car park. I turned in to do a full 270 degree full lock turn to park up neatly facing outwards. At full lock with a degree of lean the motor coughed and stopped. The only way I was going was downwards. I initially thought I was in 2nd gear. I wasn't.

A shade embarrassing and totally unexpected.

Later in the ride, turning right at I junction I had to concentrate more than I normally would as it felt a little weak and with a possible stutter at low revs.

I'm not sure if it's me, my cockiness, laziness in not giving it enough revs or the bike. It's due a service this week but only a minor as the plugs/Vv clearances were done last service.

I'll monitor it. The RS was great on the trip itself as per usual, very strong.

Damage was limited to another scrape on the top box side and the MAMoto head cover took the brunt. The bike is a 2015 and has signs of use while still being in lovely condition for it's age and mileage. My helmet took a slight knock and the footpeg tore a small hole in my new Rukka pants.

Oh well......

Sorry to hear about your mishap Peter,glad the only hurt to you was your pride

The tear in the Rukka pants is the only real physical damage, but you're going to deal with that little voice in your head for a long time. I had a somewhat similar experience last Fall at a Basic Level Instructor workshop. We were doing emergency braking exercises; approaching the stopping zone after upshifting to 2nd. It was warm, just after lunch and I was at the end of the queue of idling big bikes with aftermarket exhausts. I missed the upshift for some unknown reason but accelerated to the target speed and applied the brakes. The bike came to a complete stop, but I slid forward slightly on the seat and didn't extend my left foot to support the bike. I was stopped, the exercise instructor was about to say something, then I and the bike fell to the left side......

Why that happened, I have no clue. But, it's on continuous replay in my head............

You're gonna need to educate me Wessie, even Google isn't help.

A bloody bootneck? Sheesh!
Heaven forbid.
Rtd RN

180 turns still get me tensing up

I need a very big space

Firstly, thanks for sharing. Courage and comfort to do so. Kudos.

Most importantly, glad you’re alright. Pride heals more quickly and easily thank the body.

As for your get off, honestly, I find middle age has tought me to expect and laugh off these incidents. Way better than anything at speed.

I know it sux to replace otherwise good gear, but… a) better your pants than skin. And b) that’s what it’s for. Same w mamo guards.

When I slid on my Mamo guard expecting to crash into a wall of rock, I admit, after I was like,
I gotta replace those! Then, I was like, nah, good reminder. (And when/if I ever sell it, I’ll put stock back on anyway.) Unless they’ve served their useful life, I’d say leave ‘em.

Helmet may be a different story, but if it’s battered enough to replace, insurance in US at least will usually cover your gear.

As for the top box scrape, I patched a side case scrape with a sticker from the area near the goat path I dropped my K1600 on and that stirred up more positive conversation than the scratch itself. Maybe consider picking up a local sticker(s) for your top case.

Most of all, consider recognizing your skills and talents and that this may be more of an “oh shit moment” than an “I suck moment.”

Worth repeating: glad you’re ok!

I'm glad you (and the bike) are ok.

I dropped a Tiger 1200 by stalling it on a tight 90 degree turn. Then a week later I almost did it again and it convinced me to sell the bike and get an R1250RS.

Hehe, we haven’t met Wessie. You may be surprised.

I'm no parking lot acrobat, but I'm reasonably competent. What I know is that an engine that quits it a tight parking lot turn is almost 100% sure to bring you down irrespective of your level of skill.
Kudos to the OP, who is obviously and of necessity highly competent, for relating what must have been an embarrassing moment.

Thanks for telling us - it does help to remind us that this happens.

Now, it causes me to rethink my approach to the procedure for tight, slow turns. Personally, I know to keep the revs up to around 2,000, slip the clutch and control the speed of turn with a foot on the rear brake, and use the clutch+throttle to keep the revs at the same place. But, I know it is all to easy to just do a "quick and easy slow turn' by leaving the revs at near tickover, and then the engine stalls and down you go. Yes, so thanks for the reminder.

Question is, is my described approach still the taught one for IAM or police? Comments of any form welcome.

A Boxer, or any twin, is more susceptible to stalling at a given RPM than a triple or four.


I have stalled mine a number of times applying load at idle.