Bet my back hurts tomorrow.

[El Diablo]

Don't tip the bike, don't tip the bike over.

Lesson learned - just because putting down the kick stand turned the bike off, don't assume it made it all the way down and didn't pop back up.

I was leaving my house today after going by at lunch time. I had driven my truck to work (drop off my son at school). I generally go home for lunch and swap out for my motorcycle. As I was driving down the driveway, I decided to stop and make sure my truck was locked. I pulled just barely passed the truck, stopped, put the kickstand down (I thought), and started to get off the bike. I am going to work out after work so I had my gym bag bungeed down on the little passenger seat.

Well, I as I start to get off, the bike starts to tip over. I hang on and do stop it's progress before it gets all the way to the ground. My mind is saying, just let it go and get out of the way but my body hangs on, turns the tide, and uprights the bike. My left hand mirror was askew as it had been pushing on my arm. The left foot peg is turned up and my gymbag is hanging on the side of the bike. It just caught the bumper of the truck and probably helped me a little. O_o

Bike is ok and I am ok but I am a little bit sore in my back between the shoulder blades, as well as my bi-ceps. I was grateful that it happened on the 300 pound GZ instead of a heavier bike.

[Sarris]

People say at 300 lbs. it's not heavy. I told them I agree, unless it's laying on your leg. I did the kickstand whoop-shit on my 900 lb. Harley once, and it took me and three other guys to get it upright. I know about the walk it up backwards method, but it was easier to enlist the aid of others, than to try it and possibly hurt myself.

It's a very common whoop-shit that we've all done. I feel your pain brother, hope you feel better soon.

:whistle: O_o :roll:

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Sarris

It's a very common whoop-shit that we've all done.

No, you're wrong there. I've never done that......in front of two dozen people at a busy gas station......and then yelled OH, S**T! so that they all laughed......never. :biggrin: :haha2:

[alanmcorcoran]

Couple of things to add: Try not to point it downhill when you are putting down the stand. Also avoid slopes to the right or left. I leave mine in first gear also, so it won't roll, especially when I get back on it later. I also usually turn the front wheel all the way (to either direction, unless I'm going to lock it, then it only works to the left.)

One last driveway tip: I park a Suburban and a Camry in my driveway, at the extreme edges. I garage the bike. On the second or third day I had the GZ, I rolled it out between the two vehicles, fired it up, set out down the driveway and... nearly ran over two ladies and their yellow lab. They were just walking the dog on the sidewalk, I couldn't hear them or see them and it was just luck I wasn't going that fast. From now on, I duck walk it or roll it slowly out to the bottom of the drive, and "peek out" between the truck and the car before I cross the sidewalk. I don't actually start the bike until I am on the sidewalk, because I can hear little kids, dogs and whatnot better.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

I leave mine in first gear also, so it won't roll, especially when I get back on it later.

You might want to try parking in 2nd. I find it MUCH easier to find neutral that way, most of the time. :roll:

[alanmcorcoran]

Hey Easy,

I am sure I am not following best practices here, but I only use neutral if I gotta pick my nose or something and my throttle hand is busy. Other than being able to leave the bike running when you are not sitting on it, what is the purpose of neutral? I think I could do nearly everything I normally do on the bike without ever using it. Please set me straight.

[patrick_777]

This should probably be a new topic actually. I don't use neutral that often on the GZ, but I find myself using it a lot on the Ninja. The clutch on the Ninja is a lot tighter than the GZ and sitting at stoplights is kind of a pain in the hand.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Hey Easy,

Other than being able to leave the bike running when you are not sitting on it, what is the purpose of neutral?

Topic morhp alert! :skull:

Picking your ..mmmm....nose...is as good a reason as any. :neener:

And I think the way the thing is designed, it helps with starting a LOT. :biggrin:

[Water Warrior 2]

The engine/starter will spin over a lot easier when in N. This is quite noticeable on the first start of the day when the engine and oil is cold. The clutch plates will tend to drag after sitting all night.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

The engine/starter will spin over a lot easier when in N. This is quite noticeable on the first start of the day when the engine and oil is cold. The clutch plates will tend to drag after sitting all night.

Are the bikes that different in Canada ?? MY '06 GZ 250 will not start after ignition off unless the transmission is in neutral......and the clutch is pulled in. Once started, it will RESTART by just pulling in the clutch regardless of the gear. I test this safety feautre almost every time I park it in gear !! :roll: