I must've dropped my Tiger 800 over a hundred times now, but that's what happens when you fuck around using it as a [heavy](https://i.imgur.com/6xmOvN1.jpeg) [offroader](https://imgur.com/a/25Jz5Io).
Soo.. just don't fuss about it? Patch it up as best as you can and move on with your day.
I took mine on trail … 75% of the time was spent picking it up. 20% staring at it on the ground 3% finding new and better swear words to describe the situation. And yes 2% riding .
Mine is a naked bike and still I drop it often 😭
Last time was when I was parking it, I was parking on a sloped, slippery surface and I leaned the bike a bit because I couldn't get the kickstand... I leaned it too much and my foot supporting the weight slipped and I dropped it :(
I wouldn't worry about it too much. Obviously, you are financially solid enough in putting a GS into a proper trail, knowing how much it would cost to fix it. But judging by the damage, you may want to invest in some advanced protection for the old girl. That headcover shouldn't have been opened like a melon.
It could be that a sharp stone could bypass the crash bar and hit the head. Actually, quite a common phenomenon in trail riding. Loads of pointy stones.
"Another notch in the bedpost"
For me it just adds character. I couldn't tell you how many times I have dropped my bike offroad but it's many.
Last time my wife and I were standing outside of our garage, cleaning the bikes and a strong wind tipped my wife's bike over. She didn't even flinch. Just said "Hm ... well that happened I guess", picked it up and continued cleaning it.
As long as nothing important is damaged I don't mind at all.
Don't want to drop your bike? Don't take it offroad.
I am imagining it like you jump off before it fully stops and just let it roll the last 10 ft and drop. You know what I mean we all had that one friend who NEVER took care of his bike growing up. Usually he was the most outgoing and fun of the group too
Check the bike, start the engine, put it in gear, let out the clutch & move on.
In your case I'd recommend a new head cover before proceeding to step 2
Several steps:
1) Cuss. Loudly.
2) Look around to see if anyone saw.
2a) If someone saw - make up a lame excuse.
3) Pick it up. Before anyone (more) sees.
4) Check for damage, determine safety to ride
5) If safe, continue. If not, stop and attempt to fix or get a trailer.
6) later, tell the tale to friends and exaggerate greatly. After all, you nearly died.
I bought my GS accepting and knowing that I would drop it more than every bike I’ve ever owned, bc that’s the type of riding I like.
I dropped it twice at zero miles an hour with no damage before I invested in upper and lower crash bars.
I haven’t dropped it since, coincidentally!
I get sideways in turns, hit single track and know full well the risks involved- the fun factor and skill building is worth it.
Send it bub!
Riding for 5 years, I just tell others it's part of the "game". If the damage is not too much, I just leave it as a "battle scar". Like a sticker you place on your bike from a place you just went or an achievement. In your case, I'd get that part replaced and add protection to it.
I dropped mine and put a minor dent in the tank…
https://preview.redd.it/ovce8sx7sr1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=019be44d9a16e7dec843f998d2af19d137083633
Definitely invest in better crash bars for sure. I’ve dropped my Multistrada the first day I got it from the dealer and I have battle scars on the bars, bike itself looks fine. Hopefully you get that sorted out
I dropped my bike last week turning it around in a parking spot and running out of space like a chump. I picked it up and went to get 🌮.
The thing that bothers me about that accident is I hurt my hamstring because I tried to keep the bike up with my leg and that shit is heavy. Don't do that, just let it go.
I have a beautiful, expensive pick up truck. I backed into a pillar and there’s a little dent in the bumper. I have not repaired it. It’s a truck, it needs a few dents. Your bike is an off-road bike. It’s going to go down. Some of that is a badge of honor.
I was gutted when I Dropped my sport bike once. Got all the scuffs repaired professionally. I leave the scuffs from dropping my GS, as I know there will be more to come!
I bought a new second hand V stom 650 recently, pomised the original ownerr I'd look after it. Have smashed two clutch leverrs already. You're going to drop it. That's normal.
It can go one of two ways:
1. Don't care, get more scratches, or
2. It will be all you see every time you look at the bike.
If it's No. 2 then the only way is to fix it
lol i remember the day i got my license, my motorcycle had been sitting in my parking for a week, and i took it out to go see a friend and the first thing i do when i get there is a drop it. Just felt a bit sheepish tho, and it drilled into my brain the automatic action of checking if my side stand is out all the way before parking the bike. Never dropped it since
Shit happens. It means you're using it. Now go make some more damage... I mean memories. I hate when people baby a vehicle, takes the fun right out of it.
For me it was a day or two of feeling like I got body slammed by Andre the Giant then hop back on. It is what it is don’t be a bitch just don’t drop it again. (That’s what I told myself not pointed at you)
You stuff those feelings down deep with all the other trauma and let them die. Don’t feed the beast. Ride that bike, it’s a tool, scratches give it character and mark memories. They’re like scars.
At least that’s what I tell myself when I get a scuff or scratch on my king ranch. My bikes and atvs are already beat to shit.
On my first day w my current bike I was learning to ride and dumped the clutch and the bike lurched forward to the ground. Scraped the shit out of the right exhaust.
When I bought the bike the sales guy was going on and on about how the pipes were custom made in UK and are gorgeous lol. You’ll get over it. I don’t even think about those scuffs now.
Offroad bike being ridden offroad, I make sure I didn't bend anything important and fix/replace it if needed. Otherwise it's whatever. Street bike that I only ride on the street, my CBR600, I will replace anything that got scratched because I like it to be shiny whenever I look at it.
Necessity is the mother of all invention. Wish I had stocked up on a pallet of Paint n' Peel. Painted racing stripes on my Camaro over 6 years ago and went split colors on the rims. Not a shade of fade, and I can grab and rip to show perfect factory color In a pinch. Before that, though, the 600 had better days, but the 1000 I learned to keep pristine. Advanced rider course, "I may be an idiot sir, but one thing I am not, sir, is that I am not an idiot." Front tire bow out at 80 in traffic, speed wobbles wobbling, handlebars like a metronome to death metal, pfft child's play. Get yer learn on, next level is always just a weekend away.
See this is one of the reasons I have trouble getting comfortable off road. I come from a ton of street experience and like my bikes pristine. Even dropping my crf300l on the trail hurt me more than the bike because I want it to stay perfect. Best to work on modifying your expectations and accept some battle scars. You’ll enjoy the ride more
I totalled my GS a few years back. I took the insurance money, kept the bike, fixed the necessary mechanical things, and I've ridden it 30k miles since then with all the scratches and scuffs still on it. To me, riding is all about the GO, not about the SHOW. Damn awesome bikes.
With engine guards on? Nothing to get over dude! It means you're using it right and you're trying. When you see a pristine ADV bike there are only a few possibilities. The rider is afraid to ride on the loose stuff, doesn't have enough confidence to even try, it's literally brand new or (unlikely) they're a legit off-road riding god! Keep trying, keep learning.
Remember that page on the bmw website that takes you to to different categories of bikes that you are interested in purchasing? Ya, you selected the “adventure” category. Now when ever you or anyone else sees the scratches on the bike, you can just point at it and say “adventure”.
Add another scuff.
The first kills. The second is disappointing. After that it’s it’s just patina.
That being said someone dented my tank while my bike was parked. Like a good crease. I have no idea how. It’s on my 1975 cb750. It kills me. This bike made it 48 years without a dent like that and some jerk did something.
bike is meant to be ridden, and when you ride shitcan (and does) happen ! dont think of your bike as art! its not. its a tool, meant to be used! do you feel bad about scratches on your hammer ?
I look down on ADV bikes with street tires or ADV bikes with pristine body work. If you ever see our group on the road all of our bikes are scratched, dented, and dirty; the natural state for a real ADV bike.
Growing up on dirt bikes, both the bike and I hit the ground pretty hard the first time on a bike. And... pretty much every time I got on a dirt bike. So to me, everything on two wheels will fall down. Unless it is a "Garage Queen," this will happen repeatedly. I just don't care about dents and scratches. I can tell you about travels to New England, California, Florida, Canada, 0Texas, Montana and Wyoming. However, the dozens of dents and scratches on my many bikes have been forgotten. I just don't care.
It adds character. It's not really your bike until you drop it.
I learned this last year when I dumped my 2014 Yamaha Bolt a week after I bought it. Dumped it turning around in a gravel driveway. I've been riding for 7 years. And that was after riding it 5 hours home in pouring rain without dropping it.🤷🏽♂️
You just do?
You must be a brand new rider if you’re that twisted ip over a little scuff. Unless you need to replace parts, it’s not worth worrying about.
A decade+ ago when I started riding I bought really visible Dainese white leathers - top and bottom. After a ride with my really experienced buddy, I was curious how to clean off all the bugs and dust and asked him. His response: "Do you really want to look like you don't ride?". Haven't really whitened it since, although the bugs had to go. Protein, right?
This reminds me of the posts on the off road and Tacoma forums of people taking a brand new $40k+ truck off road and complaining they got scratches on it.
1) What did you expect?
2) Go collect more.
I ride a Vstrom 650 not even a particularly heavy “ADV”bike. My advice learn to accept the fact you’re gonna end up being the bottom in the relationship and spending a lot of time laying horizontally, it happens, ADV’s and DualSports are more or less meant to/ built for getting tossed around a bit.
Otherwise if you have any hard case luggage I’d advise swapping them out for soft saddlebags anytime you plan on doing any sort of off-roading. If you want to avoid more common breakage, bark busters help not only your hand but also your brake and clutch levers from snapping (I couldn’t tell from the picture if it was just a mount or an actual bark buster) They also sell durable mirrors that are more likely to just be pushed inward when dropping the bike (I forget the name of them) but do be advised they are FUGLY.
Repair it. Grieve the ego hit. Get back on the bike and know that everyone ends up on their side at some point. Then start working on improving your skills.
The BMW headcovers do nothing if something makes it past the bars. Invest in better head covers. The touratech ones look nice if you want metal, but I personally went with machineartmoto covers on my RT. Extremely thick plastic with a layer of rubber.
Granted, my RT will pretty much never see dirt, I wanted to make sure I had as much protection as possible if something got past my Illium crash bars.
Funny question. Two things happened on the 6th of May. My MIL passed (expected) and I dropped my bike (08 Concours 1400). I am still mad about the bike. Crash bars have been ordered along with other parts to replace the broken plastics. My dirtbikes I expect to drop, crash and so on. It is a part of the game. I have zero expectations that if I am running around off road, I will be completely upright 100 % of the time.
I guess it comes down to where you are riding and what are your expectations? If your adventure bike is more of a road princess, then yeah... I can see the disappointment. Good luck.
Put your adult pants on and keep going. No stopping to whine, just keep going. Don’t give it space. It’s today’s experience. what difference will the whole thing make 5 years from now? You get to tell a noob, it’s okay we all have done it!
GSA should be dirty and have scuffs on the crashbars, that is what it is made for. If you never drop it, you are not riding it how it was designed.
If you payed the entry cost for a BMW adventure, you should enjoy it for more than trips to Starbucks, or buy a Ducati.
As soon as you buy a motorcycle, you can just as well get used to the fact that you will drop or crash your motorcycle sooner or later.
It's part and parcel of owning a motorcycle.
Your foot might slip, when you try to back out your motorcycle from where you've parked it.
I've done that. It's a lame feeling when you can feel your foot slip, and the scoot begin to tilt - and you just can't save it.
Let go.
You might lose your balance or your grip, when you try to move your motorcycle by hand. It's annoying, but it happens.
So yeah - that's the way it is.
You just pick it up. Seems like you figured it out.
As for the emotional trauma, **everlasting.**
You should check out an ADV training course, dirt bike background helps but it's worth it to learn the ADV bike specific school of thought.
I don't give a fuck about scratches on my adventure bike. I don't drop it everytime I'm out, but it will almost always get some scratches from bushes or pebbles hitting somewhere on the bike. If I damage it mechanically, I'll obviously make sure to fix it.
I exclusively ride my adventure bike offroad though, so if you ride your GS to work, around town or with groups on road trips I would probably be a bit more bothered with scratches like that, not gonna lie. But it's why I didn't buy a GS for my adventuring.
So you can either accept that taking your bike offroad will scratch it up and it's part of normal usage, or you fix it right now and stay on the road. Both are acceptable. The GS is one of the best touring bikes on the planet. A lot of people only use it for that and will never go offroad. But it's a very capable offroader as well, so it's a shame to not use it there.
Slid my 02 vfr out from under me at 70kmh caught my breath, picked the bike up inspected it with my dad, still rideable? Yep, ok off to work! 😂 still scratched to this day, I had to weld a cracked foot peg mount, replace a mirror when I got home after work and off I went again on another ride! fairings are still scratched but idc she’s got over 100,000 on her now and she’s never looked prettier in my eyes
Listening to the stories of what the rest of us have done is a good start. I was told a long time ago there's two types of riders: those who have laid it down and those who are going to lay it down. You just got to forgive yourself because you're only making yourself more upset.
All of us want to be perfect riders and none of us are. Keep learning and growing. And if you have to be upset with yourself, at least take a moment to have some gratitude that you didn't drop the bike on yourself and cause damage that takes away a season of riding.
Take a moment to compose yourself (first drops are always tragic).
Make sure you’re not leaking anything and your parts are good to continue.
Make a mental note of what mistake you made. Every drop is your fault to some degree, take it as a learning experience.
Get back on and ride.
I’m like you and I can’t shake the frustration and sadness after dropping my bike (that said I don’t go on trails - you’re going to drop it on a trail).
I just deal with it by racking up more miles and repairing it as best I can. It is what it is, and time heals all wounds.
alr so heres 2 options you can do after you drop your bike:
Option 1. Kys (dont)
option 2. dont make a big deal out of it unless the damage is more than cosmetic.
option 3. if the damage is more than cosmetic, try your absolute hardest, not to cry. just fix it up, maybe that is repair it yourself or go to the mechanic to get it repaired.
yes it hurts to drop the thing you pretty much live for, but aslong as the damage is cosmetic, theres nothing to worry about, just path it up as best you can and continue breaking multiple felonies on your bike.
Ya your right the bike still runs fine and nothing mechanical aside from the electronic adjustable windshield arm broke, which I just found out they don't just sell the arm and I have to buy a whole new assembly ($950 🤦), other everything else is cosmetic.
I’m trying hard not make fun but bro come on it’s a bike meant to go off road I’ve dropped my pan America so many times the Harley guys cry when they see it
This is my first adventure bike before this I've owned nothing but super bikes, my last bike was a 22' S1000RR, I've grown accustomed to keeping my bikes looking pristine. I'll learn to love the scuffs and scraps as I don't plan on stopping my off-roading as it's too much fun and I know if I keep pushing my limits I'll drop it again eventually.
Dude that’s sick welcome to what motorcycling should really be about
Beat the fuck out of it no regrets learn the insides and out because you’ll need to fix it off road
Then hug it and kiss it before you go to sleep at night lol
Try parking it so the bad side is up against a building or something that blocks the view. If anyone comments on it, pretend you either didn’t hear them, or didn’t hear them correctly. If all else fails, scream “aliens!,” point to the sky, and ride away.
Seriously though, don’t sweat it. It’s just a machine. You actually used yours for its intended purpose, unlike 90% of ADV bike owners. One of my best friends just bought a brand new R1. He took it to a shop to have about $4k of mods put on. That same day he went for a ride and had his bike tipped over by another bike. Totally messed it up. Still rideable though. It happens, even to the most experienced riders (my friend has over 25 years under his belt).
You just get back on the bike and you keep riding.
Bikes are meant to be rode, so unless you bought it as some classic collector's piece that is going to be sold in a decade or two, you don't worry about scuffs. If your bike is a garage queen collector's item, you just leave it in the garage and never take it out.
At the end of the day, did you buy the bike to be a pretty decoration or do you seriously mean to use it? If it's the latter, accept that chips, scuffs, etc. are almost inevitable and just ride. Fairly powerful bikes are significantly cheaper than even 'cheap cars' so if you're not going to cry about scuffing your Honda Civic or Hyundai Sonata, why cry over scuffing a bike?
To elaborate, you bought an adventure bike and you're taking it out to the trails, so it is inevitable that you're going to see some kind of damage. Is that BMW adventure bike expensive? Yes, but it's still less than the price of most cars.
Also, did you buy the bike because you wanted a big bike that is pretty to trot around town and decided to take it off roading once as an experiment or did you buy it as a performance machine for significant off-roading action? If it's the former, just go get the damage repaired and then never take it offroading again and stick to on-roading with it and get a cheaper bike to go off-roading with that won't get you angry when it gets scuffed up.
Try to separate and acknowledge the warring feelings you have about the issue. Let them both ring true because they are.
It sucks your new bike isn't new anymore
It's fine that your adventure bike is scuffed because it doesn't matter
On one hand I'll be gutted, especially if it's the first drop for the bike.
On the other hand, I now don't feel like babying it anymore and can start to get some proper enjoyment in.
Just sigh for a few days. Mine got knocked over while parked by someone who reversed into the bike parking area . Was mint condition at the time. Got their insurance to pay for the fairings but then decided to keep the cash and have a few scuffs
Was heading out for Wales weekend on Friday, set off and forgot my phone, turned around on a neighbor's inclined drive and dropped my GS, because of the incline, I just couldn't get the bike up, would roll as soon as part lifted. Took a friendly passing chap to help me. Thankfully have full crash bars so that was the only 'character' scratches.
That's actually really clever. I had this same issue dumping it on the trail as I left it in neutral and couldn't bring it up and putting it in gear without it wanting to roll back down the incline.
Swear, pick it up, continue riding.
Or just swear and continue riding, since my last dents and scratches were totally unrelated to dropping the bike(s)
/r/motorcycles users showing off their brand new full faired bike: “I’m a real rider now I’ve dropped this thing 4 times!”
/r/motorcycles users posting a GS with crash bars: “how do I continue life now that I’ve dropped this thing”
1- Check myself if I broke something or have bleeding.
2- Check the bike if something critical broken or not working
3- keep riding
Ps: I use 150 kg dual sport.
You tell yourself, "Fuck", and after fixing whatever broke, you move on in life.
I dont intend to sound demeaning, but its just shit that happens, you should as a adult know how to handle things not going your way.
Its not a big deal, just deal with it
Normally I twist the throttle and it turns the frown upside down. :)
Really though, it bugs me, but I stop myself and remind myself of all the cool things I've seen and ridden, and I need to be thankful that the worst accidents I've had are just injuries to paint, plastics and pride.
You just keep riding.. make sure it's mechanically working and that's about it.
I dropped my tiger 1200 2ce in one day. First in my driveway, the second in a parking lot. It sucks, but you get it out of the way and just keep at it.
https://preview.redd.it/pi85q4yjas1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ee9b83d8b23b39b24e64bee58eeecec47c980cd
It sucks. But that’s what happens sometimes specially if you take it off road :/
Two weeks after buying my ‘13 GS, I took it out to the desert and followed some atv rider friends on an “easy” trail riding the crappy stock Anakee 3 tires. It was a disaster. 4 hours later, dripping sweat, and after countless drops I made it to the tarmac then back to the camp site.
Still riding it with those scratches and many more. I probably get a little respect from fellow riders for the condition of my bike. The atv folks still tell the story of the idiot with no desert riding experience trashing his new bike. Just ride the thing, dude.
Best thing to do is just go on and push the dang thing over when it’s new and get it over with. Also a good time to figure out how and if you can get it back up by yourself.
That’s why you have guards and skid plates. Those are meant to take the damage. Like another commenter said as long as nothing important is damaged then it’s fine right? You can easily replace cosmetics.
I worked in a shop for a couple years, and my manager had a Kawi Ninja 636, in that Royal blue color, beauty! When he dropped it, he put a bunch of cracks in the fairing… His fix? Safety wire! He drilled holes along each side of the cracked plastics, and “stitched” them back together with safety wire. It looked boss! Like Frankenstein.
Nobody gives a shit about a clean ADV bike. Everyone loves to talk to the guy with a dirty one.
If you stop thinking of the bike as the status symbol and begin thinking of its scrapes as a status symbol it's a lot easier to move on.
I must've dropped my Tiger 800 over a hundred times now, but that's what happens when you fuck around using it as a [heavy](https://i.imgur.com/6xmOvN1.jpeg) [offroader](https://imgur.com/a/25Jz5Io). Soo.. just don't fuss about it? Patch it up as best as you can and move on with your day.
Dude, it's an "adventure" bike, it's specifically made to be dropped.
[удалено]
Offroading is like sex, you dont have to be good to enjoy it, but it can be better!
I took mine on trail … 75% of the time was spent picking it up. 20% staring at it on the ground 3% finding new and better swear words to describe the situation. And yes 2% riding .
You and me both brother.
I did not write this but I could have
Don't even gotta drop it to fuck it up. Pretty sure it was just a rut that grabbed and bent my foot shifter one time.
Mine is a naked bike and still I drop it often 😭 Last time was when I was parking it, I was parking on a sloped, slippery surface and I leaned the bike a bit because I couldn't get the kickstand... I leaned it too much and my foot supporting the weight slipped and I dropped it :(
A pristine bike is like a pristine guitar: It just means it never gets used.
I wouldn't worry about it too much. Obviously, you are financially solid enough in putting a GS into a proper trail, knowing how much it would cost to fix it. But judging by the damage, you may want to invest in some advanced protection for the old girl. That headcover shouldn't have been opened like a melon.
I don't know if it is a visual effect. But if it isn't and the headcover has a hole, how? Aren't the bars supposed to be there exactly for that?
It could be that a sharp stone could bypass the crash bar and hit the head. Actually, quite a common phenomenon in trail riding. Loads of pointy stones.
I think that's a protective guard (comes with the crash bars?)on top of the head. I could be wrong.
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking too. Looks plastic and you can see the coil inside, not the valve train which would be bad
In that case, the guards did their job. Nothing to see here, moving along :)
"Another notch in the bedpost" For me it just adds character. I couldn't tell you how many times I have dropped my bike offroad but it's many. Last time my wife and I were standing outside of our garage, cleaning the bikes and a strong wind tipped my wife's bike over. She didn't even flinch. Just said "Hm ... well that happened I guess", picked it up and continued cleaning it. As long as nothing important is damaged I don't mind at all. Don't want to drop your bike? Don't take it offroad.
It's never occurred to me to care. I treat my bikes like disposable inanimate objects built with the sole purpose of entertaining me.
It’s an adventure bike. Why would you not drop it? lol
Then he gets weird looks at starbucks
I am imagining it like you jump off before it fully stops and just let it roll the last 10 ft and drop. You know what I mean we all had that one friend who NEVER took care of his bike growing up. Usually he was the most outgoing and fun of the group too
Drop it on the other side and make it even
Brother… it’s a GS. Go watch some people who really ride GS’ (not to Starbucks) and get over it. It’s a tool.
I kick up the stand, bump the starter, tap it in gear, and twist the throttle. Never fails to put a shit eating grin on my face.
Easy. Check it, then hop on, start it and drive away
Dude...if your bike doesn't have scuffs and scratches and bumps and bruises...you're probably not using it enough. :)
I usually just beat my wife then go get drunk
Have a few beers, beat your wife, fuck your dog. Or was it the other w... Whatever.
A man of culture
Check the bike, start the engine, put it in gear, let out the clutch & move on. In your case I'd recommend a new head cover before proceeding to step 2
Several steps: 1) Cuss. Loudly. 2) Look around to see if anyone saw. 2a) If someone saw - make up a lame excuse. 3) Pick it up. Before anyone (more) sees. 4) Check for damage, determine safety to ride 5) If safe, continue. If not, stop and attempt to fix or get a trailer. 6) later, tell the tale to friends and exaggerate greatly. After all, you nearly died.
Buy used, so I’m never the first to drop it.
you tell yourself its not that bad then be nonchalant about it. ride on
I bought my GS accepting and knowing that I would drop it more than every bike I’ve ever owned, bc that’s the type of riding I like. I dropped it twice at zero miles an hour with no damage before I invested in upper and lower crash bars. I haven’t dropped it since, coincidentally! I get sideways in turns, hit single track and know full well the risks involved- the fun factor and skill building is worth it. Send it bub!
Riding for 5 years, I just tell others it's part of the "game". If the damage is not too much, I just leave it as a "battle scar". Like a sticker you place on your bike from a place you just went or an achievement. In your case, I'd get that part replaced and add protection to it.
I dropped mine and put a minor dent in the tank… https://preview.redd.it/ovce8sx7sr1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=019be44d9a16e7dec843f998d2af19d137083633
Definitely invest in better crash bars for sure. I’ve dropped my Multistrada the first day I got it from the dealer and I have battle scars on the bars, bike itself looks fine. Hopefully you get that sorted out
I dropped my bike last week turning it around in a parking spot and running out of space like a chump. I picked it up and went to get 🌮. The thing that bothers me about that accident is I hurt my hamstring because I tried to keep the bike up with my leg and that shit is heavy. Don't do that, just let it go.
I have a beautiful, expensive pick up truck. I backed into a pillar and there’s a little dent in the bumper. I have not repaired it. It’s a truck, it needs a few dents. Your bike is an off-road bike. It’s going to go down. Some of that is a badge of honor.
I was gutted when I Dropped my sport bike once. Got all the scuffs repaired professionally. I leave the scuffs from dropping my GS, as I know there will be more to come!
as mosko moto says: "wear your scars with pride"
Congrats. Your adventure bike now looks legit adventurous. Keep up the good work!
I assume you just go out and drop it again to take the sting off and now you have an ADV bike.
I bought a new second hand V stom 650 recently, pomised the original ownerr I'd look after it. Have smashed two clutch leverrs already. You're going to drop it. That's normal.
It can go one of two ways: 1. Don't care, get more scratches, or 2. It will be all you see every time you look at the bike. If it's No. 2 then the only way is to fix it
lol i remember the day i got my license, my motorcycle had been sitting in my parking for a week, and i took it out to go see a friend and the first thing i do when i get there is a drop it. Just felt a bit sheepish tho, and it drilled into my brain the automatic action of checking if my side stand is out all the way before parking the bike. Never dropped it since
It's a GS dude. I have one and I have dropped it a bunch of times (off road of course). It's fine.
ouch, I've dropped mine 6 times now. I never thought it would be so easy to lose balance after riding normal bikes for the 50 years previous.
Shit happens. It means you're using it. Now go make some more damage... I mean memories. I hate when people baby a vehicle, takes the fun right out of it.
I bought mine pre-scuffed so I don't need to worry about it
Ride it more. Can’t see the scuffs when you’re riding it
For me it was a day or two of feeling like I got body slammed by Andre the Giant then hop back on. It is what it is don’t be a bitch just don’t drop it again. (That’s what I told myself not pointed at you)
Cry.
It's an ADV, that's what they were built for!
You stuff those feelings down deep with all the other trauma and let them die. Don’t feed the beast. Ride that bike, it’s a tool, scratches give it character and mark memories. They’re like scars. At least that’s what I tell myself when I get a scuff or scratch on my king ranch. My bikes and atvs are already beat to shit.
On my first day w my current bike I was learning to ride and dumped the clutch and the bike lurched forward to the ground. Scraped the shit out of the right exhaust. When I bought the bike the sales guy was going on and on about how the pipes were custom made in UK and are gorgeous lol. You’ll get over it. I don’t even think about those scuffs now.
Offroad bike being ridden offroad, I make sure I didn't bend anything important and fix/replace it if needed. Otherwise it's whatever. Street bike that I only ride on the street, my CBR600, I will replace anything that got scratched because I like it to be shiny whenever I look at it.
You went on a trail and you're upset about getting a few scratches??? I don't think trail riding is your thing.
NOTHING in this world/universe stays new. All part of the chaos that is.
Necessity is the mother of all invention. Wish I had stocked up on a pallet of Paint n' Peel. Painted racing stripes on my Camaro over 6 years ago and went split colors on the rims. Not a shade of fade, and I can grab and rip to show perfect factory color In a pinch. Before that, though, the 600 had better days, but the 1000 I learned to keep pristine. Advanced rider course, "I may be an idiot sir, but one thing I am not, sir, is that I am not an idiot." Front tire bow out at 80 in traffic, speed wobbles wobbling, handlebars like a metronome to death metal, pfft child's play. Get yer learn on, next level is always just a weekend away.
See this is one of the reasons I have trouble getting comfortable off road. I come from a ton of street experience and like my bikes pristine. Even dropping my crf300l on the trail hurt me more than the bike because I want it to stay perfect. Best to work on modifying your expectations and accept some battle scars. You’ll enjoy the ride more
you have an adventure bike, if you got those “battle scars” you are probably doing something right
I totalled my GS a few years back. I took the insurance money, kept the bike, fixed the necessary mechanical things, and I've ridden it 30k miles since then with all the scratches and scuffs still on it. To me, riding is all about the GO, not about the SHOW. Damn awesome bikes.
It’s ruined! I’ll give you $1.50 for it.
Call your mom and seek validation
With engine guards on? Nothing to get over dude! It means you're using it right and you're trying. When you see a pristine ADV bike there are only a few possibilities. The rider is afraid to ride on the loose stuff, doesn't have enough confidence to even try, it's literally brand new or (unlikely) they're a legit off-road riding god! Keep trying, keep learning.
Accepting that you’re human and mistakes happen?
Remember that page on the bmw website that takes you to to different categories of bikes that you are interested in purchasing? Ya, you selected the “adventure” category. Now when ever you or anyone else sees the scratches on the bike, you can just point at it and say “adventure”.
It's a GS. Dropping it just means you are using it right. Patch it up and take it out for more adventures.
It's the oldest cliche in the book. What do you do when you fall off a bike? You get back on again.
Add another scuff. The first kills. The second is disappointing. After that it’s it’s just patina. That being said someone dented my tank while my bike was parked. Like a good crease. I have no idea how. It’s on my 1975 cb750. It kills me. This bike made it 48 years without a dent like that and some jerk did something.
bike is meant to be ridden, and when you ride shitcan (and does) happen ! dont think of your bike as art! its not. its a tool, meant to be used! do you feel bad about scratches on your hammer ?
I look down on ADV bikes with street tires or ADV bikes with pristine body work. If you ever see our group on the road all of our bikes are scratched, dented, and dirty; the natural state for a real ADV bike.
Growing up on dirt bikes, both the bike and I hit the ground pretty hard the first time on a bike. And... pretty much every time I got on a dirt bike. So to me, everything on two wheels will fall down. Unless it is a "Garage Queen," this will happen repeatedly. I just don't care about dents and scratches. I can tell you about travels to New England, California, Florida, Canada, 0Texas, Montana and Wyoming. However, the dozens of dents and scratches on my many bikes have been forgotten. I just don't care.
It adds character. It's not really your bike until you drop it. I learned this last year when I dumped my 2014 Yamaha Bolt a week after I bought it. Dumped it turning around in a gravel driveway. I've been riding for 7 years. And that was after riding it 5 hours home in pouring rain without dropping it.🤷🏽♂️
I actually dropped this on my driveway the second day of ownership cuz I didn't put the kickstand all the way down 🤦
You just do? You must be a brand new rider if you’re that twisted ip over a little scuff. Unless you need to replace parts, it’s not worth worrying about.
Welcome to the club man. Great job using the bike for what it’s made for. 🤘
Thanks bro
I like to retry the section that made me drop it and then crash again but on the other side to make it match
A decade+ ago when I started riding I bought really visible Dainese white leathers - top and bottom. After a ride with my really experienced buddy, I was curious how to clean off all the bugs and dust and asked him. His response: "Do you really want to look like you don't ride?". Haven't really whitened it since, although the bugs had to go. Protein, right?
Crash bars on a GS should be scratched, otherwise you’re not doing it right.
it sucks
Spit on it. Rub it with your sleeve. Get on and ride. Its a machine not an art piece.
This reminds me of the posts on the off road and Tacoma forums of people taking a brand new $40k+ truck off road and complaining they got scratches on it. 1) What did you expect? 2) Go collect more.
I ride a Vstrom 650 not even a particularly heavy “ADV”bike. My advice learn to accept the fact you’re gonna end up being the bottom in the relationship and spending a lot of time laying horizontally, it happens, ADV’s and DualSports are more or less meant to/ built for getting tossed around a bit. Otherwise if you have any hard case luggage I’d advise swapping them out for soft saddlebags anytime you plan on doing any sort of off-roading. If you want to avoid more common breakage, bark busters help not only your hand but also your brake and clutch levers from snapping (I couldn’t tell from the picture if it was just a mount or an actual bark buster) They also sell durable mirrors that are more likely to just be pushed inward when dropping the bike (I forget the name of them) but do be advised they are FUGLY.
It’s a GS. Wear it like a badge of honor!
Forgive thyself
Repair it. Grieve the ego hit. Get back on the bike and know that everyone ends up on their side at some point. Then start working on improving your skills.
Get crash bars, and respect that it built character and you learned from the experience
The BMW headcovers do nothing if something makes it past the bars. Invest in better head covers. The touratech ones look nice if you want metal, but I personally went with machineartmoto covers on my RT. Extremely thick plastic with a layer of rubber. Granted, my RT will pretty much never see dirt, I wanted to make sure I had as much protection as possible if something got past my Illium crash bars.
Funny question. Two things happened on the 6th of May. My MIL passed (expected) and I dropped my bike (08 Concours 1400). I am still mad about the bike. Crash bars have been ordered along with other parts to replace the broken plastics. My dirtbikes I expect to drop, crash and so on. It is a part of the game. I have zero expectations that if I am running around off road, I will be completely upright 100 % of the time. I guess it comes down to where you are riding and what are your expectations? If your adventure bike is more of a road princess, then yeah... I can see the disappointment. Good luck.
I bought it mainly for road use with light off-roading in mind but your right I shouldn't be bummed by a few scuffs or scratches.
It's a piece of metal and plastic not a human life. I say Fuck real loud and move on with my life.
Battle damage It makes it more distinguished, unique, and yours
You throw your leg over it and get back to riding.
a case of beer
That’s a bike built for dropping. I don’t see a problem.
It’s a scuff, not a breakup.
Put your adult pants on and keep going. No stopping to whine, just keep going. Don’t give it space. It’s today’s experience. what difference will the whole thing make 5 years from now? You get to tell a noob, it’s okay we all have done it!
GSA should be dirty and have scuffs on the crashbars, that is what it is made for. If you never drop it, you are not riding it how it was designed. If you payed the entry cost for a BMW adventure, you should enjoy it for more than trips to Starbucks, or buy a Ducati.
Real simple. Ride it some more so you remember it’s made to be used and not to look at.
As soon as you buy a motorcycle, you can just as well get used to the fact that you will drop or crash your motorcycle sooner or later. It's part and parcel of owning a motorcycle. Your foot might slip, when you try to back out your motorcycle from where you've parked it. I've done that. It's a lame feeling when you can feel your foot slip, and the scoot begin to tilt - and you just can't save it. Let go. You might lose your balance or your grip, when you try to move your motorcycle by hand. It's annoying, but it happens. So yeah - that's the way it is.
You just pick it up. Seems like you figured it out. As for the emotional trauma, **everlasting.** You should check out an ADV training course, dirt bike background helps but it's worth it to learn the ADV bike specific school of thought.
Agreed I plan on signing up to some dirt riding classes in the coming months.
Good to see people are treating the 1300 as intended.
I don't give a fuck about scratches on my adventure bike. I don't drop it everytime I'm out, but it will almost always get some scratches from bushes or pebbles hitting somewhere on the bike. If I damage it mechanically, I'll obviously make sure to fix it. I exclusively ride my adventure bike offroad though, so if you ride your GS to work, around town or with groups on road trips I would probably be a bit more bothered with scratches like that, not gonna lie. But it's why I didn't buy a GS for my adventuring. So you can either accept that taking your bike offroad will scratch it up and it's part of normal usage, or you fix it right now and stay on the road. Both are acceptable. The GS is one of the best touring bikes on the planet. A lot of people only use it for that and will never go offroad. But it's a very capable offroader as well, so it's a shame to not use it there.
My dad always says "If you don't use it, it won't get scratched. If you want it to look perfect, then leave it in the garage."
Slid my 02 vfr out from under me at 70kmh caught my breath, picked the bike up inspected it with my dad, still rideable? Yep, ok off to work! 😂 still scratched to this day, I had to weld a cracked foot peg mount, replace a mirror when I got home after work and off I went again on another ride! fairings are still scratched but idc she’s got over 100,000 on her now and she’s never looked prettier in my eyes
Listening to the stories of what the rest of us have done is a good start. I was told a long time ago there's two types of riders: those who have laid it down and those who are going to lay it down. You just got to forgive yourself because you're only making yourself more upset. All of us want to be perfect riders and none of us are. Keep learning and growing. And if you have to be upset with yourself, at least take a moment to have some gratitude that you didn't drop the bike on yourself and cause damage that takes away a season of riding.
i typically let the clutch out to move on
Completely acceptable for an ADV Bike. It's proof you don't just take it to Starbucks and back.
Bikes get dropped, that's just a thing. You're going to just have to accept that and come to peace with it.
Take a moment to compose yourself (first drops are always tragic). Make sure you’re not leaking anything and your parts are good to continue. Make a mental note of what mistake you made. Every drop is your fault to some degree, take it as a learning experience. Get back on and ride.
Isn't that considered a badge of honor on an Adventure bike????
Sweet. Now if you drop it on that side again you won’t really notice a difference.
Womp womp better luck next time!
I’m like you and I can’t shake the frustration and sadness after dropping my bike (that said I don’t go on trails - you’re going to drop it on a trail). I just deal with it by racking up more miles and repairing it as best I can. It is what it is, and time heals all wounds.
Until I drop it again, eventually I just remember that one last time.
You drop it again, at least that's how it goes for me.
alr so heres 2 options you can do after you drop your bike: Option 1. Kys (dont) option 2. dont make a big deal out of it unless the damage is more than cosmetic. option 3. if the damage is more than cosmetic, try your absolute hardest, not to cry. just fix it up, maybe that is repair it yourself or go to the mechanic to get it repaired. yes it hurts to drop the thing you pretty much live for, but aslong as the damage is cosmetic, theres nothing to worry about, just path it up as best you can and continue breaking multiple felonies on your bike.
Ya your right the bike still runs fine and nothing mechanical aside from the electronic adjustable windshield arm broke, which I just found out they don't just sell the arm and I have to buy a whole new assembly ($950 🤦), other everything else is cosmetic.
I’m trying hard not make fun but bro come on it’s a bike meant to go off road I’ve dropped my pan America so many times the Harley guys cry when they see it
This is my first adventure bike before this I've owned nothing but super bikes, my last bike was a 22' S1000RR, I've grown accustomed to keeping my bikes looking pristine. I'll learn to love the scuffs and scraps as I don't plan on stopping my off-roading as it's too much fun and I know if I keep pushing my limits I'll drop it again eventually.
Dude that’s sick welcome to what motorcycling should really be about Beat the fuck out of it no regrets learn the insides and out because you’ll need to fix it off road Then hug it and kiss it before you go to sleep at night lol
Great news it’s already been dropped. You don’t have to worry about dropping it again. What’s the worst? It gets a few more scratches?
Try parking it so the bad side is up against a building or something that blocks the view. If anyone comments on it, pretend you either didn’t hear them, or didn’t hear them correctly. If all else fails, scream “aliens!,” point to the sky, and ride away. Seriously though, don’t sweat it. It’s just a machine. You actually used yours for its intended purpose, unlike 90% of ADV bike owners. One of my best friends just bought a brand new R1. He took it to a shop to have about $4k of mods put on. That same day he went for a ride and had his bike tipped over by another bike. Totally messed it up. Still rideable though. It happens, even to the most experienced riders (my friend has over 25 years under his belt).
You just get back on the bike and you keep riding. Bikes are meant to be rode, so unless you bought it as some classic collector's piece that is going to be sold in a decade or two, you don't worry about scuffs. If your bike is a garage queen collector's item, you just leave it in the garage and never take it out. At the end of the day, did you buy the bike to be a pretty decoration or do you seriously mean to use it? If it's the latter, accept that chips, scuffs, etc. are almost inevitable and just ride. Fairly powerful bikes are significantly cheaper than even 'cheap cars' so if you're not going to cry about scuffing your Honda Civic or Hyundai Sonata, why cry over scuffing a bike?
To elaborate, you bought an adventure bike and you're taking it out to the trails, so it is inevitable that you're going to see some kind of damage. Is that BMW adventure bike expensive? Yes, but it's still less than the price of most cars. Also, did you buy the bike because you wanted a big bike that is pretty to trot around town and decided to take it off roading once as an experiment or did you buy it as a performance machine for significant off-roading action? If it's the former, just go get the damage repaired and then never take it offroading again and stick to on-roading with it and get a cheaper bike to go off-roading with that won't get you angry when it gets scuffed up.
You should see what I've done to my vstom. Heheh! I'd sand that and a quick coat of paint and keep on smiling.
Try to separate and acknowledge the warring feelings you have about the issue. Let them both ring true because they are. It sucks your new bike isn't new anymore It's fine that your adventure bike is scuffed because it doesn't matter
Thanks brother this definitely helped 🤙
Heck yeah man it made my day to hear that. Cheers bro.
My bike was built to be dropped. Neighbors will text me in a panic when the wind blows it over in the driveway and it's like "oh word thanks."
On one hand I'll be gutted, especially if it's the first drop for the bike. On the other hand, I now don't feel like babying it anymore and can start to get some proper enjoyment in.
Just like a Klingon, every scar tells a story.
Just sigh for a few days. Mine got knocked over while parked by someone who reversed into the bike parking area . Was mint condition at the time. Got their insurance to pay for the fairings but then decided to keep the cash and have a few scuffs
Was heading out for Wales weekend on Friday, set off and forgot my phone, turned around on a neighbor's inclined drive and dropped my GS, because of the incline, I just couldn't get the bike up, would roll as soon as part lifted. Took a friendly passing chap to help me. Thankfully have full crash bars so that was the only 'character' scratches.
I carrry a cable tie or two with me fo this eventuality, cable tie brake, put it in gear. No idea of the weight of your bike, mine's around 220 kilos
That's actually really clever. I had this same issue dumping it on the trail as I left it in neutral and couldn't bring it up and putting it in gear without it wanting to roll back down the incline.
Learned this after having to tie the brake lever in with the arm of a hoodie. Reusable cable ties are occasionally available at Lidl etc.
Genius!
FIDO Fix It Drive On
Pick it up and move on
Take it as a learning curve and move on. The more you think about it the more you will make mistakes.
The sting will wear off eventually. Just replace the broken part and move on.
I thought if you were going to drop a bike an adventure bike would be it. You guys have some crash protection.
It's an adventure bike, if it's not scuffed up you're not riding proper
Dont buy new if you're not comfortable with fucking it up. How do I deal? Drink a beer, move on with life. It's just stuff
Drop it again
Repair the broken stuff and look at the rest as “character”.
This is why I buy used bikes. I’ve dropped every bike I’ve owned.
Swear, pick it up, continue riding. Or just swear and continue riding, since my last dents and scratches were totally unrelated to dropping the bike(s)
Slap some stickers on it
Just throttle it and ride on.
Drop it again… Every time it gets easier
Repair and move on? What kind of question is that?
That feeling goes away when tou drop it a second time or a third time, then they jusr become "battle scars"
Swallow your pride, learn from it and ride on.
Get back on!
Get over it
[https://www.health.com/stages-of-grief-7482658](https://www.health.com/stages-of-grief-7482658)
/r/motorcycles users showing off their brand new full faired bike: “I’m a real rider now I’ve dropped this thing 4 times!” /r/motorcycles users posting a GS with crash bars: “how do I continue life now that I’ve dropped this thing”
It's meant to be ridden not a show piece, at least that's how I moved on
1- Check myself if I broke something or have bleeding. 2- Check the bike if something critical broken or not working 3- keep riding Ps: I use 150 kg dual sport.
I say “shoot darn” and then never think about it again
a scratched bike is a cool bike
Cry 😢
You tell yourself, "Fuck", and after fixing whatever broke, you move on in life. I dont intend to sound demeaning, but its just shit that happens, you should as a adult know how to handle things not going your way. Its not a big deal, just deal with it
Stand up and pick that thing up. Worse can happen.
Pick it up and continue riding. Those scuffs are reminders to improve and hone your riding skills.
Just accept it's going to happen. If you bought it new? Im sorry. Take her off-road. It will get you over it quick. Safe riding and sliding, brother!
Normally I twist the throttle and it turns the frown upside down. :) Really though, it bugs me, but I stop myself and remind myself of all the cool things I've seen and ridden, and I need to be thankful that the worst accidents I've had are just injuries to paint, plastics and pride.
You just keep riding.. make sure it's mechanically working and that's about it. I dropped my tiger 1200 2ce in one day. First in my driveway, the second in a parking lot. It sucks, but you get it out of the way and just keep at it.
By remembering that I'd rather own a scuffed bike that actually gets used than a perfect bike that sits in the garage.
I've never seen an adventure bike that went off-road without scratches. I guess it's just part of the off-road experience.
Get back on the bike and ride.
https://preview.redd.it/pi85q4yjas1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ee9b83d8b23b39b24e64bee58eeecec47c980cd It sucks. But that’s what happens sometimes specially if you take it off road :/
Two weeks after buying my ‘13 GS, I took it out to the desert and followed some atv rider friends on an “easy” trail riding the crappy stock Anakee 3 tires. It was a disaster. 4 hours later, dripping sweat, and after countless drops I made it to the tarmac then back to the camp site. Still riding it with those scratches and many more. I probably get a little respect from fellow riders for the condition of my bike. The atv folks still tell the story of the idiot with no desert riding experience trashing his new bike. Just ride the thing, dude.
What a weird post. You make the bike sound like a person. You get over it by prioritizing people and not objects.
Meh, if it's just scratches it doesn't affect the resale value much
Moving on? Lol. Its an adventure bike. Ride it, take pride in the earned stripes of an actual adventure.
Best thing to do is just go on and push the dang thing over when it’s new and get it over with. Also a good time to figure out how and if you can get it back up by yourself.
When you sign the papers and they roll your new bike outside, the first thing to do is kick it over on it's side.
I just pick it up, swing my leg over, keep riding.
That’s why you have guards and skid plates. Those are meant to take the damage. Like another commenter said as long as nothing important is damaged then it’s fine right? You can easily replace cosmetics.
I deal with it by picking it back up and carrying on.
order new parts, overnight from germany
I worked in a shop for a couple years, and my manager had a Kawi Ninja 636, in that Royal blue color, beauty! When he dropped it, he put a bunch of cracks in the fairing… His fix? Safety wire! He drilled holes along each side of the cracked plastics, and “stitched” them back together with safety wire. It looked boss! Like Frankenstein. 
Hurts the ego a bit, but all is good lmao
well.. it was inevitable ..
Well it goes away for me when the bike turns back on. I’m just happy that I get ride again.
laugh/shrug it off and move on, it's not a 50,000 USD car. It's a toy to be played with, especially when you take to the sandbox.
I consider many parts on a motorcycle to be consumables. They are going to get used, torn up, scratched, and if function is impaired, replaced.
Insurance check and a trip to revzilla for new parts normally helps a lot.
I get up and keep riding.
Nobody gives a shit about a clean ADV bike. Everyone loves to talk to the guy with a dirty one. If you stop thinking of the bike as the status symbol and begin thinking of its scrapes as a status symbol it's a lot easier to move on.