Happened again!

A big thank you to all at work who helped me this morning.

My heavy Silver Wing fell on my left foot and induced severe pain. Trish, Mo and Ian instantly leapt to my aid, looking after me and getting an ambulance. Thanks to the ambulance crew too for their part.

It was the classic parking on uneven ground. Put left foot down but the ground wasn't exactly were I would have liked it to be! Weight of bike took charge and over it went and landed on my left foot!

No broken bones only a very painful Achilles Tendon, massive swelling and superb multi coloured bruising. (Not as bad as the embarrassment I felt for allowing it to happen.

Thanks again to all my work mates who helped and sent messages, it's nice to know people care. I now settle down to an embarrassed life of feet up and loads of tea!

Just waiting for the bike to be taken away and have the damage assessed, all the left hand panels require replacing, (about £1k of damage).

Well I'm glad you are not too badly damaged Doug, that's the main thing, but is it really that much damage to the SW? Its a frightening thought to think that if mine went over that's the sort of damage to expect.

I must point out that I have done this on at least 3 tall bikes I have owned and that's why I have now targeted bikes and scooters where I can get my foot down more securely.

Take it easy.

paul.delo451 wrote:

Well I'm glad you are not too badly damaged Doug, that's the main thing, but is it really that much damage to the SW? Its a frightening thought to think that if mine went over that's the sort of damage to expect.

Take it easy.

I used the link supplied on a thread on here to 'Lings'.

The front panel, £480, lower panel, £85

Rear panel, (around the luggage space) £130

Rear light cluster is broken, chipped,

Passenger hand grip/rear wing also chipped!

It all mounts up.

So I guess the moral is; Don't drop your Wing!!!!!!!

I'm fully comp, so paying the excess is cheaper than sourcing the parts on ebay!

Sorry to hear about your mishap, hope you and the scooter mend soon.

Glad it was'nt worse, you and your bike get healed-up so you can get out and enjoy riding your scoot. I'm also laid-up, had eye surgery last Wed., have'nt ridden my scoot in a week, itching to get out and enjoy this nice weather we're having. Take care.

Garage called - confirmed nigh on £1,000 worth of damage. And I was stationary!!!!!!!

Just glad I wasn't moving!

hello Doug,

hope you and your foot get well soon.

Paul

Get well soon Doug.
Just think, all those years 'up there' as a 'pinger', perfectly safe and sound.
Just goes to prove, terra firma is dangerous stuff!!

Hope you get fixed soon - don't leave it too long before getting your leg over again ...

Sorry to hear, hope you get well soon.

Maybe you could source some of the parts of ebay and save some cash...

Nowun wrote:

Hope you get fixed soon - don't leave it too long before getting your leg over again ...

I'm now bikeless like you!

Winger it just goes to proving pinging is perfectly safe!!!!!! Never injured myself searching for submarines!!!!!

RArch wrote:

Sorry to hear, hope you get well soon.

Maybe you could source some of the parts of ebay and save some cash...

All I have to pay is the £200 excess I have with my insrance policy.

It's a no-brainer.

Good Luck Doug! Hang in there and get well soon; and get back to Wing'n soon too.!

That is a lot of damage for being at a stop position,hope your foot is OK. I also drop my beloved Swing. Not 1, 2, 3,but 4 times.The first time was going to register , slip of the seat when brakes lock up.Was able to let go down slowly.Second time Swing on side stand sitting having a coffee at Tim Hortons with left foot on passenger peg, pants leg hooked the peg and a** push it over. Held it slowly till running board touch pavement. Third time with my pillion uneven ground ,and held it slowly and touch the running board . Then one more time by my self same day.the day before I did my yearly tread mile test and with 2 knee replacement my leg felt like rubber.All the damage was tiny Paint chips and a scratch on my UK wind knee deflector.I have been lucky so far but will be getting a Voyager or Trigg Trike kit by spring time when I ride with my Pillion.

Sorry to hear about your mishap , but at least you're not seriously hurt and you have insurance for the damage.

With all the leaves on the ground now , I worry about slipping myself when
backing my Silverwing out the garage.

Doug, sorry to here of your mishap, hope you mend quickly.

My swing has gone over 5 times. The first time, by the previous owner. Left side scratches. The second time, with me pulling into a driveway very slowly. Thought I was going to hit Bob and panicked. Went down very slowly again on left side. More scratches. No injuries just felt stupid. I was pretty new at riding. The third time I was in parked in a gas station. I got on the bike and it came down on the left side again. I was able to scramble out from under it but I came down pretty hard. I had bruised ribs and a sore wrist for about a week or longer. Broke part of the wind screen and more scratches, some broken tabs. This because I was parked on uneven ground.

The fourth time was this past summer when I was riding it up a truck ramp. To bring it home from Knoxville, TN. Bob's bike had a mechanical problem and he couldn't ride it home to Chicago so we rented a truck. Why the heck I thought I could go up a ramp into a truck without getting spooked is beyond me. I should of had Bob do it. I got almost to the top when I slowed down to an almost stop and fell off on my right side. Thank The Lord the ramp was on a slope so the fall was about a foot and onto grass. Feeling really stupid again. New scratches on the right side now and a few on me. The fifth time was all by itself when the side stand sunk into the pavement because of the extreme heat and the asphalt gave away. Of course on the left side again.

I was hit while sitting on the bike behind a scrap metal hauler (pick-up) backed into me and I could get out of the way fast enough. I did not fall or get hurt. I did have to replace my front fender and driving lights. The fender was about $140.00 from the dealer.

Those are my embarrassing moments on the bike. I hope you recover quickly. Keep us updated.

Cathy

Waspie,

Glad you are on the mend and injuries were not more serious. It is a situation many of us have experienced, just a part of riding.

Surly,

I have the same problem this time of year with leaves in the garage where the bike is parked. I have learned to either sweep the area or use the leaf blower before attempting to back out the Swing.

Training wheels?

I need a sidecar or trike conversion, especially with a pillion.

Get back on the road asap!

Lucky the Swing doesn't have rotors!

Glad that you are on the mend.

This bike is heavy - 500+ lbs. Just doesn't feel like it most of the time - until off kilter standing still.

My personal rule - wear tall boots and get my feet and other body parts out of the first. The bike is much cheaper to fix than my body.

KurtPerthWA wrote:

Training wheels?

They make them for Goldwings....

Dropping bikes at no speed happens----sorry about foot, but the sad things about modern plastic scooters.....they sure cost a lot to fix!!.

Roll off side stand happens, too. Bikes I have had that could stand static fall down---Kawasaki Voyager/Harley Electra Glides and early Sportster with crash (roll) bars---scooter on Daelim with the Korean 360 degree sturdy add on bumper. I guess Vespas, too can take the drops when properly equipped.

Modern plastic scooter can cost and do cost lots of money for what appears simple damage. Sad. I slipped a little the other day putting my Burgman on lift, but no damage. Not fun. I remember---1962, my brand new 6T Triumph Thunderbird going down in gas station when my foot slipped on gas/oil spot----Avon fairing took the bump.

I have had the experience of dropping four models of Goldwings, GL1100, GL1200, GL1500 and the GL1800. All were non-moving incidents. One time on my 1500 with the wife on the back pulling into a fast food joint with a lot of people standing around I put my foot down in a big oily patch and down we both went. Neither of us was hurt and the bike landed on the crashbars as GWs are wont to do. We just left it there laying over like a ship aground telling the bystanders, "the kickstand is in the shop so I have to park it that way." Got some odd looks. None of those incidents damaged the big 'Wing other than some scratches on the under side of the crash bars where they don't show. Rule of thumb when a big bike decides to lay down and take a nap, get out of it's way! You really have to know the butt first technique to upright a 900lb bike. I'm good at it. No problem with the SW so far.
It's said that there are two kinds of riders, those that have dropped their bikes and those that lie about it.

Hope you are on the mend Waspie. Dropping the scoot when stopped is a favourite of mine. The embarrassment is the worst injury!

Cheers,

Due to slippery surfaces, slopes and roadside gutters (and short legs!), my old BMW K1100LT toppled over twice (both times knocking off the LH pannier) & my Electra Glide's fallen onto the crash bars 4 times, twice with my wife on the back! As the others have said, it's part of owning a bike but what I've never been able to figure out is this:

Where does the bloody crowd suddenly materialise from...???

Ishkatan wrote:

KurtPerthWA wrote:

Training wheels?

They make them for Goldwings....

I have them on my Swing -- Danson Trike kit.

:flower:

Sorry to hear about the layover of the Swing. Glad you faired fairly well.

I have the Danson Trike kit also. My philosophy is ... when you first learn to ride a bike, training wheels are big help. AND, after a certain age, we need those training wheels again - hence, the trike!

Homer

Oooh errr... If I'm gonna need the extra wheels in the future, I'd better start saving up now...!!!

Atrick wrote:

Where does the bloody crowd suddenly materialise from...???

It one of the unwritten laws that your own misfortune cannot happen without onlookers.

:flower:

Well guys, sitrep.

Haven't heard from the repairers (yet). Having the front wheel bearing changed whilst I'm losing the machine for a while too!

Foot is swollen, feels like it is splitting!!! It's now a nice blend of black, blue, red, purple and all colours in between. Oh - and sore! Managing to walk but with some additional pain. Really glad I had sturdy boot on. Composite toecap did a fine job, the injury was from the foot twisting through 90 degrees.

Lesson learned methinks.

Sorry to hear you're having difficulties getting about, Doug, but sounds like a good reason to settle back & down a shot or two of "Pusser's"...

Atrick wrote:

Sorry to hear you're having difficulties getting about, Doug, but sounds like a good reason to settle back & down a shot or two of "Pusser's"...

Had a clear out a year or so back and the 'Pussers' !!!! It all gone!

Well we can tell, where you two have had some misspent years!

Nowun wrote:

Well we can tell, where you two have had some misspent years!

Twenty four and one half years to be exact!

Then I was told to act my age at 40. Errrr didn't quite happen!

I doubt it ever will, and neither should it. Well done lads!

Ahh those were the days...

All together now:

"All the nice girls love a sailor, all the nice girls love a tar..."

Atrick wrote:

Ahh those were the days...

All together now:

"All the nice girls love a sailor, all the nice girls love a tar..."

Explains the tea-pot pose!!!!!!!

... and the not so nice girls?

Waspie wrote:

Atrick wrote:

Sorry to hear you're having difficulties getting about, Doug, but sounds like a good reason to settle back & down a shot or two of "Pusser's"...

Had a clear out a year or so back and the 'Pussers' !!!! It all gone!

Guess I'd better not tell you what I found when we moved house three months ago then!! Certainly gets better with age, 1969 vintage!

Waspie: Actually I was leading a ride-out on my Harley, we stopped for a break at the top of Porlock Hill to admire the sea when everyone started giving me some stick about my chaps! Mmm, praps I oughta change the photo, people might get the wrong idea....


Finally took a photo of my Swing so changed my picture...!!

Another update.

Just back from the doctors and he has refused to let me return to work as the ankle still hasn't healed properly. Another week off, not that I'm complaining too much about being away from somewhere I really don't like, but I thought I might have stopped limping by now and the pain might have subsided.

Regards the bike!!! Long story, the insurance company I am with is seriously playing me along terribly. Two weeks after the accident and they haven't authorised the repair yet. Tomorrow is the earliest they can get an assessor to look at the bike! They also zero'd my No Claims, and bumped my premiums by 60%. Foolish of them really as I was 2 weeks away from renewing the policy. As a result I have not renewed with them and had a bit of a mouthful on the telephone with them. (I imagine that call may be behind the heel dragging over the authorisation).

Just as well I'm not fit enough to ride or I might be angrier that I am. So I now sit and wait and wait and wait!

Hello Waspie,

Assume the quack said the ankle was improving, just not enough to have to return to work.
Insurance companies - legalised robbery! On you next policy when you get the chance go for protected no claims - certainly better than a 60% hike.

Cheers,

I never bothered to get full coverage on my Swing . The insurance company never give you what it is worth,they will ware you down,and raise your premium. It will be on record with you every were you go. I paid an xtra $17 dollars on my premium and If I get into a accident my rate will not go up.

Protected no claims is exactly that, you keep your no claim discount but that doesn't prevent them from hiking up your actual premium so the company still wins anyway !!!

tarmacburner2 wrote:

Hello Waspie,

Assume the quack said the ankle was improving, just not enough to have to return to work.
Insurance companies - legalised robbery! On you next policy when you get the chance go for protected no claims - certainly better than a 60% hike.

Cheers,

Ankle is better that it was a week ago but is very painful when putting lateral load onto it. Still tender to touch!!

Re Insurance!!! As been stated Protected NCD doesn't mean that premiums wont be affected. I have Protected Full NCD on car but was warned that after the SMIDSY in that the premiums MAY go up. The other driver accepted full responsibility so my insurance company didn't part with one groat!!

As for the bike insurance, I made the mistake of putting all my eggs in one basket as there was a financial incentive to do so. In hindsight, bad move. LV aren't geared up for two wheeled insurance. That I found when the girl who the accident was reported to said the local CAR garages won't touch my bike. It was at this point I kicked into sarcasm mode and probably shot myself in the foot!!!! (The good one )

Insurance is unfortunately a legal requisite here in the UK otherwise I wouldn't bother!!! Now I am with one of the big motorcycle insurance groups - at least they know it's a motorcycle and not a cage!!!!!

I wait to see what LV's assessors say tomorrow!!!!!

Good luck and hope for the best.

I'm with Carole Nash for insurance on the scooters. I also went with them on my travel insurance as they are not paranoid about not covering motorcycle accidents.

Cheers,

tarmacburner2 wrote:

I'm with Carole Nash for insurance on the scooters. I also went with them on my travel insurance as they are not paranoid about not covering motorcycle accidents.

Cheers,

That's who I opted for in the end.

My scooters were always insured with Carole Nash and I shall resume insuring with her when I get back.
Ed's been looking around and also will use her, not least because combined car and bike cover is on offer.
I had to get on quickly with car insurance so went to the broker in Salisbury who fixed up house insurance for me but I'll move the car on to a joint policy after a year.

Hi Waspie, Sorry to hear about the damage (to you and to the SWing)! Trusting that your bike and body will be back to normal for the holiday season. I have had and hate those 'tipovers' with my SWing. Now, when a tipover gets to that 'point of no return' I try to jump clear of the Titanic and then regroup to pick up my SWing (and one time the pieces!). While it has been about 20,000 miles since my last SWing tipover - I know unfortunately that my next tipover is coming and that it could happen at any time.

I've managed to drop my 1500 Goldwing more times than I like to remember. The usual stuff, kickstand sank into the ground, put foot down on oily pavement, put foot down on sandy pavement, put foot down on muddy pavement, bike rolled forward off stand, and once parked the bike and got off forgetting the stand. That one was after an 800 mile ride. At least I use that for an excuse. My 1800 wasn't so easy to drop for some reason. The only time I dropped it was when a car backed out suddenly in a parking lot when I was making as turn. Luckily it was hardly moving so it didn't do any damage.
So far I haven't managed to drop either of the SWs I've owned. The 900lb GW was good training, fingers crossed though.
As they say, there's two kinds of riders, those who've dropped their bike and those that lie about it.