I dropped mine in my front yard, trying to turn it around and it went out from under me. Not fun, but at least it happened in the grass.

 

Back in the 80s, one of my Dad's buddies had a garage in his back yard, so you had to ride through grass to get to it. I lost track of how many bikes got laid down in wet grass going to that garage. Unfortunately, most were heavy ass Goldwings.

 

Congrats on popping the roadmaster's cherry.
I too have a "roadmaster" (actually it is a '16 chieftain with a roadmaster's trunk).
Being mid 60's I practice the uprighting this beast several times a year both level ground and on inclines.
I like the "Aruba" lift method best as it is easier on me than the put your back to the seat method.
I dread the day when I can't upright it anymore which is one of the motivations at the gym.

 

With everyone having dashcams and cellphones, I wonder if you’ll be on the internet sometime soon, if not already.

 

1 question. Did you keep you cigarette lit and in your mouth?

Didn't miss the light....awesome.

I'd love to witness this if, in fact, you were as casual as you say you were. If I weren't stopping to help and just saw the whole thing, I'd likely have pulled up next you and reached out for a fist bump then cruised off. Probably would've told whoever in the car next to me, "that guys a badass.".

 

Yes. The whole scenario took place with a cigarette in my mouth.

 

Maybe this was an omen. That was a costly cigarette. It could be telling you that maybe it's time to quit smoking 🚬 🚭 🙃 😆

 

Last weekend the wife and I were about to leave for a ride. She's on the back and I asked if she locked the side door of the house. I couldn't remember if I did or not. I tell her "wait here, I'll go check." I forgot to put the kickstand down and went to jump off. Felt the weight of the bike and my wife tipping over. Front and back crash bars definitely saved us. Adrenaline kicked in and I was able to get the bike upright with my wife still on the back. Scared the crap out of me!

 

You win! Picked it up with your wife on the back!

 

Dropped my Springfield about a week ago in traffic, in a left turn lane, on a hill (No way I could pick it up). Two guys stopped to help. Aside from scrapes on the highway bars and like you said bottom side of the saddlebag I took a huge dent to my pride.

Turning 70 in a Month I thought this was it, no way I could ride without being able to pick it up if I dropped it espeacially if it was on uneven pavement or in gravel. So I purchased a pole hoist from a place in the UK and I had a friend come over to help drop the bike here at my house just to see if I could pick it up the way you did and I did, which is a huge load off my mind.

#way2go!!

 

OK. I have to tell my story now. I bought my Roadmaster 3 years ago. On the first chance I got to take my wife out on it, I see her with leggings on. I told her she needed to change. Put some jeans on or something. Nope, she said she was good and didn't think she needed my advice. So off we go....

We get down to Olympia and just cruising the neighborhood. When we were about to head back, I missed the turn to get to the freeway. So I continued on for a few hundred feet till I had room for a U-turn. Now as you know, I am just now getting myself accustomed to the bike myself. So here I am doing my first U-turn. I ended up having gone a bit wider and the driveway that I turned around on had an incline going up. That incline made my bike lean more to the left which I tried to compensate for. Now it came to the wifey, she with those nice slick leggings decided to start sliding to my left off of the seat which then made me fight to keep upright because of all the shifting going on.

I saw on the corner of my eye, my wife hitting the ground, and myself struggling to keep this bike from touching the ground with the incline and angle weighing down on me. Plus now my concern swings to her because I wasn't sure if she was ok. I yelled at her, she acknowledged me, so I knew she was ok to a point. But she saw me struggling to keep this bike up and she managed to get up and assist me. I was tired by then because this bike was much heavier than my last one.

I initially thought she abandoned me or jumped off the bike. But nope, she told me she slid off of it. I just tried to keep my cool while telling her: "That's why I told you not to wear leggings." She had some chaps and jeans within a week or so after that. Landing on her tailbone was an eye opener for her. Fortunately no cars were coming when the u-turn occurred. Funny thing was, she looked real quick to see if anyone saw her fall off her bike. She got up real quick so she wouldn't feel embarrassed. To this day, we still talk about it to people we meet just for laughs.

 

Picture, or it didn’t happen! 😆

 

Wish I had one. It would have been funny to see.

 

Not just me then.

Dropped mine on Saturday, two up turning in a gravelled car park.

Actually "dropped" makes it sound more heroic than it was. With the crash bars bikey just leans over and falls asleep.

Tiny damage to base of pannier but other than that all is fine. More importantly, girlfriend is undamaged and unshaken.

I am glad in a way that this has happened now as it has taken the mystery out of it for me. I have proved that I can pick bikey up again.

That said, I will try to avoid a second performance.

 

I've dropped my Harley but haven't dropped my Indian yet. It happens, good thing is not much damage.

 

Has anyone tried the (Aruba) Police Method to lift a motorcycle…
Here’s a video … and they are lifting a Springfield…

 

This is how I lifted the Springfield.

I never would have tried it if some kind soul hadn't highlighted the technique on this forum.

So thank you guys, and thank you Aruba police.

It's still surprising heavy to wake from sleep mode though. These guys make it look easy.

 

I know they are apparently 'bad' for me, and I'm pretty sure a cigarette dangling from your lips while riding doesn't look as cool as the movies make it look, but god I love that first cup of coffee and cigarette in the morning. I light up number 2 on my way out of the driveway, at which point the hot coffee is stored in the saddlebag, and the cup holder is holding one of those covered ashtray-like cups so I'm at least not tossing a lit butt off to the side of the road. Several close calls over the years for me, but to this day the only drop was in 1983, at a stoplight, and my fool slipped and I just flat out fell over. I was 28 then, no other traffic in sight so the embarrassment was all mine. I think if I drop a bike with my wife on it, my choices are to be a man, pick it up and keep going and hear about it forever or just maybe leave the scene and head for a non-extradition country.

 

I dropped mine this weekend. They are heavy. I turned against my last harley because frame change and got heavy.

Planning on tipping it at home and trying the leg technique. I have always been able to dead lift.

Low 800s is manageable 900 seems a tipping point, for me.

Would help if the engine guards stuck out farther for getting a grip.

 

It happens. I dropped mine at a gas station due to being on a higher spot and my feet could not reach the ground. One couple in a car asked how long had I been riding...I thought they meant that day and I said about a half hour. It was only after they rode off that it dawned on me they meant in total...lol. I must have a million miles on bikes over the last 50 years. Like I said, it happens.

 

2017 Roadmaster.
Totally my fault and a humbling experience.

I pulled up to a red light this morning. A light that is notorious for being a long wait. So, I decided to light a cigarette. It was 50 degrees this morning, I had gloves on. I got a smoke out and my gloved fingers messed that up and another cigarette fell out of the pack onto the pavement. I went ahead a lit my cigarette and put the pack away. The traffic light was still red so I thought I could reach down and retrieve the cigarette on the ground.

Wrong.

I leaned way down and my fingertips were on the cigarette, when I felt the bike's weight shift over to the right. I tensed up and tried to steady it with my legs. It was too late.
The bike laid over on its right side and somehow didn't take me with it. I was still straddling it.

Embarrassed as hell but I kept my cool. Other cars were coming to the light to stop as well. I'm sure they were all getting their eyes full. I casually put the kickstand down and then hit the kill switch. Moved off of the bike on the right side and started to raise it up by backing up to the seat and lifting with my legs.
I've done this before but never on my Roadmaster. I practiced on past bikes I have had over the years.

OH MY GOD THIS BIKE IS HEAVY!!!!!
I almost didn't get it back up. It took two attempts.

The bike raised up and flopped over onto its kickstand and I casually walked around to the left and got back on as the light was turning green.
Clutch.
Kickstand up.
Kill switch on.
Hit the starter and away we went.
No delays at the light for anyone!

I got to work a bit later and after daylight, I checked the bike for damage. The crash bars have a little roughness but the worst is the saddlebag. The bottom edge it messed up. Probably from where I lifted the bike and set it back down for another try. Nothing terrible but it's enough that I will have to get that repaired.

Oh well.
Its got battle scars now.

The first scratch is the deepest

 

I hear you brother, My moment was I was working in the garage so my Victory was in the drive way, it was late and I was very tired. Pulled the bike in, thought ok that's it, relaxed and let go of bike without putting kickstand down . I popped up so fast and threw that bike back up and was sheepishly looking around to see if anyone had seen me. We've all done it, I've been down hard and I'll take the gentle drop anytime over that.

 

I dropped my bike last week with disastrous results. Pulled off the road to let an aggressive tailgater by, the shoulder was mostly gravel, lost my footing as I stopped, bike went over. The only damage was a scuffed saddle bag. The disaster was when I was pushing the bike back up and lost my footing and had the full weight of the bike pull my arm with it, complete rupture of the distal bicep tendon. It was a painful hour ride home. Still waiting for a surgery date.

 

So sorry to hear - I hope you mend fully.

 

My bike prior to my Indian was a road glide. I was in a group of buddies ripping through the hills of Northern California and my buddy that usually is close behind had his girl on the back so I was about 2 miles ahead

I decided to stop at a turnout that was angled, a small hill paved still but in the middle of nowhere. Calm as could be put my foot down, right in cow sh!t and it slid like crazy setting it on the crash bars😂 live and learn

most everyone has done something similar, few will admit it lol

 

My Honda during my trip in June, I was so excited to hit the 30k mark I pulled over on highway 96 West and hopped right off the bike to get pics. It layed right on over. Luckily my crash bar and kuryakyn saddlebags prevented any damage. No one was around for miles so not even the ego was damaged in the fall lmao. Only time that bike has been layed down too

 

2017 Roadmaster.
Totally my fault and a humbling experience.

I pulled up to a red light this morning. A light that is notorious for being a long wait. So, I decided to light a cigarette. It was 50 degrees this morning, I had gloves on. I got a smoke out and my gloved fingers messed that up and another cigarette fell out of the pack onto the pavement. I went ahead a lit my cigarette and put the pack away. The traffic light was still red so I thought I could reach down and retrieve the cigarette on the ground.

Wrong.

I leaned way down and my fingertips were on the cigarette, when I felt the bike's weight shift over to the right. I tensed up and tried to steady it with my legs. It was too late.
The bike laid over on its right side and somehow didn't take me with it. I was still straddling it.

Embarrassed as hell but I kept my cool. Other cars were coming to the light to stop as well. I'm sure they were all getting their eyes full. I casually put the kickstand down and then hit the kill switch. Moved off of the bike on the right side and started to raise it up by backing up to the seat and lifting with my legs.
I've done this before but never on my Roadmaster. I practiced on past bikes I have had over the years.

OH MY GOD THIS BIKE IS HEAVY!!!!!
I almost didn't get it back up. It took two attempts.

The bike raised up and flopped over onto its kickstand and I casually walked around to the left and got back on as the light was turning green.
Clutch.
Kickstand up.
Kill switch on.
Hit the starter and away we went.
No delays at the light for anyone!

I got to work a bit later and after daylight, I checked the bike for damage. The crash bars have a little roughness but the worst is the saddlebag. The bottom edge it messed up. Probably from where I lifted the bike and set it back down for another try. Nothing terrible but it's enough that I will have to get that repaired.

Oh well.
Its got battle scars now.

2017 Roadmaster.
Totally my fault and a humbling experience.

I pulled up to a red light this morning. A light that is notorious for being a long wait. So, I decided to light a cigarette. It was 50 degrees this morning, I had gloves on. I got a smoke out and my gloved fingers messed that up and another cigarette fell out of the pack onto the pavement. I went ahead a lit my cigarette and put the pack away. The traffic light was still red so I thought I could reach down and retrieve the cigarette on the ground.

Wrong.

I leaned way down and my fingertips were on the cigarette, when I felt the bike's weight shift over to the right. I tensed up and tried to steady it with my legs. It was too late.
The bike laid over on its right side and somehow didn't take me with it. I was still straddling it.

Embarrassed as hell but I kept my cool. Other cars were coming to the light to stop as well. I'm sure they were all getting their eyes full. I casually put the kickstand down and then hit the kill switch. Moved off of the bike on the right side and started to raise it up by backing up to the seat and lifting with my legs.
I've done this before but never on my Roadmaster. I practiced on past bikes I have had over the years.

OH MY GOD THIS BIKE IS HEAVY!!!!!
I almost didn't get it back up. It took two attempts.

The bike raised up and flopped over onto its kickstand and I casually walked around to the left and got back on as the light was turning green.
Clutch.
Kickstand up.
Kill switch on.
Hit the starter and away we went.
No delays at the light for anyone!

I got to work a bit later and after daylight, I checked the bike for damage. The crash bars have a little roughness but the worst is the saddlebag. The bottom edge it messed up. Probably from where I lifted the bike and set it back down for another try. Nothing terrible but it's enough that I will have to get that repaired.

Oh well.
Its got battle scars now.

Wild stuff, I couldn’t imagine pulling out a burner at lights on my bike 😂….. are the prices as bad over there as here in Australia? $50 a packet

 

Depends on the area but $10 to $18 a pack I would say

 

Sh$t Happens. At least you and the bike weren't hurt.

 

16 RM and I wont tell you how many times I've had her on her side but I always got her up without much effort. Just got rid of her last year and got a 24 Pursuit and had her down 2 times and both times I had to have help getting her up. Center of gravity is horrible on the Pursuit. I'm 62 and consider myself in much better shape than most 62 year olds

 

@EvilMonkey That video is me from a few years ago.
At my age/Flexibility the Aruba method allows me to enjoy easy success uprighting a dropped bike.
Like most I was taught to use the "back-to-the-bike"-"get-low"-"arch-the-back"-"Press/walk-it-up-with-the-legs" method but I find that method difficult as I got older.
I produce a slow speed clinic a few times a year in which I often demo the Aruba, someone must have taken video.

 

I did it this afternoon. I turned out of the street my office is on onto the four lane into town, went into the left lane to pass the slow little old car that had turned out in front of me. Showing off, I zipped up to about 60 in a blink, and saw a guy straddling a Harley on the shoulder as I roared by. I didn't see him for the car I was passing till I was passing him. "Sh!t!" I thought. "I should have stopped to ask if he needed help. He's probably thinking I'm an a$$hole for zipping on by!" So I came to a break in the median to U- turn and go back. As I turned into it, stopped and put my feet down, to my shock the bike went right down to the left and I couldn't catch it! I had no idea what had happened! I got off and fumbled around for a few seconds before rememberi f how to position my arms to do the Aruba pick-up. As I was doing so, the young fellow in the car I had passed came up and stopped on the shoulder of the road and ran over wanting to help. Lots of cars were whizzing by in all four lanes. The young fellow said 'I ride too." I said "Thanks! I've got it." I picked up the Springfield. Then I was holding it carefully upright while trying to kick the kickstand down, and he put it down for me. I thanked him profusely and remounted my bike and cranked it back up. I went back toward the guy stopped on the Harley and met him riding on my way. The explanation that makes sense for my surprise dump is that right as I stopped I must have let the front wheel turn a bit to the right with the front brake on just before I was fully stopped. I've never done that before! 😮 It was public as could be. Dozens of drivers saw me go down, down, and pick it back up. I'm sure I'll hear from some who know me. I'm grateful to the young fellow who stopped to help me.

 

... I said "Thanks! I've got it." I picked up the Springfield...

Nice job!
I love hearing "In the wild" Aruba method success stories.
I find a special joy when someone who hails from an era of 10 cent pay phones will matter-of-factly and without-fanfare upright their 800+ pound bike unassisted.

 

The car stopped because he knew he pulled out and you did exactly what he would have done and zipped around.