I Dropped My Bike Today

I feel like that title could be the first lyrics to a bluesy motorcycle song. Oh I dropped my bike today, heard it hit the ground and it’s just not okayyyyyy….

Yes, ladies and gentlemen… I dropped my motorcycle. Now, it’s not the first time to be honest. As a fresh new rider in the first month I got the Yamaha Maxim I dropped it in my driveway. It was embarrassing and daunting, but being so new I learned to let it go.

Today however…

This morning on the way to work I turned right to get onto the freeway via a looooong banked curving onramp. The onramp signals were active- ya know, the ones that let one person go every 4 seconds because sheeple can’t manage themselves? This particular “light” never recognizes me and I considered blowing through it. Coming to my senses I braked, and stopped right on top of the metal sensors laid into the asphalt. The surface was sloped down and to the left, and when I put my foot down I just didn’t have the grip. Next thing I know the tall top of the TDM was slowly heading toward the “point of no return”.

And then I knew it was going to happen. I was going to drop my motorcycle on an onramp in front of multiple cars, and worse than that… the human beings inside the cagers were going to bear witness. Awesome.

I slowed it’s fall as much as I could and moved my leg to avoid hurting myself, it hit the ground with a clunk. As slow as I may have dropped it, it’s still 450+ pounds hitting pavement.

My heart sunk… but it didn’t phase me. I immediately tried to assume the backwards facing position to life up the bike. It didn’t work- the bike was past 90° from upright. I turned around and asked the 8 cars behind and to the side of me, “A LITTLE HELP?!” with my arms, yelling in my full face helmet.

A guy jumped out of his Fiat 500 and ran over. I killed the bike and he hoisted it up. After he inspected the fluid on the ground (it looked like oil) he said, “I’d pull over if I were you!” and I proceeded to see if it would start. It fired up immediately, I hopped on, signaled a thanks… and took off. Tested it a little bit making sure it didn’t have oil on the tires or serious issues, and it was fine.

Later down the traffic riddled freeway I saw him again- I waved and put my hand on my heart as a sincere thanks.

It took me all but 30 minutes to get over my worry of how the people around me will apply their experience to other women riders. My coworkers reminded me that everyone does it, and that not all men are tall, nor strong… and most of them can’t pick up their bikes. Think about all the incredibly heavy Harley cruisers… eh?

My point of telling this tale of my embarrassment is to remind you ladies that there’s no shame in fumbling your bike every now and again. It happens to everyone.