Tip over...now blowing smoke?

[GoNoPo]

I hate to admit this, but yesterday was my second drop (tip over) in 2 months. First was 1K from home (on trip to Canada) and busted up my windshield. This one was in the garage. Both occured on transition from side to center stand (R11RT) and with full tank of gas. Crashing down on exhaust side.

I am newbe (5K on BMW); coming from cruiser land (and never going back). Anybody have a tip on avoiding the (:doh ) tip over?

Also, after tip over, she is blowing some serious smoke (more white than black). I went around the block and it continued (so I parked her for the day). I'm thinking of checking oil level and plugs; then taking her out for longer trip to blow it out the back end (so to speak). Wise?

Man I feel like a dumb ass; and no I am not impaired in any paticular way (though my wife may disagree on that).

Cheers,
Tom

[GrafikFeat]

...coming from cruiser land (and never going back)...

Cruiser Land?

[BubbaZanetti]

I am newbe (5K on BMW); coming from cruiser land (and never going back). Anybody have a tip on avoiding the (:doh ) tip over?

Tom

when i pull the bike off the center stand (which is rare as i usually keep it on the sidestand) i tend to hold the front brake a bit, to let it down slowly, while pulling the bike towards me a bit.

simple advice, but i've dropped my bike quite a few times.........:D

[DPeakMD]

I leave my sidestand down when placing on the center stand. I keep left hand on left grip and use my right hand to pull up on the handle while pushing down with my body weight on the center stand's leverage arm. Before pushing down with all my force, I make sure both feet of the center stand are touching the ground by lightly pushing and rocking side to side slightly to 'feel' where vertical thus ensuring both center stand feet are solidly planted. I wonder if your tip-overs have resulted from trying to lever it with only one of the feet planted and you're in essence throwing the bike to one side of the other. :dunno :dunno :dunno

I use two methods for getting it off the center stand depending on the situation. With bike on the center stand, I put the kickstand up, sit in normal position and rock forward using my legs and body weight for momentum. The other method is to leave the kickstand down and stand beside the bike and lift up and forward on the lift handle with my right hand and left hand on the left grip. I pull the bike slightly towards me with the knowledge that the sidestand is already down and can help me catch it just in case. I always check go ahead and check the sidestand with my foot to make certain it's all the way down before resting it there and subsequently getting on.

[rinty]

Don't sweat the tip over; it happens to all of us.

It's like pilots' Gear Up Club. :laugh

[MTSweger]

I am newbe (5K on BMW); coming from cruiser land (and never going back). Anybody have a tip on avoiding the (:doh ) tip over?

+1 to the good advice from DPeakMD.

See http://www.wrench-wench.com/maint/centerstand.htm for some additional "tips" (OK, poor choice of words :heh ) on using the center stand.

Key Points:

Put the bike in neutral
Left hand on left grip
Right hand on suitable grab point (e.g., the lift lever on most Klassic K-bikes)
Make sure both "legs" of the centerstand touch the ground
Transfer all of your weight onto the stand lever
Keep the front wheel straight

Here is a demo:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fC6jGdzn4V4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fC6jGdzn4V4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Park safe! :laugh

-MTS

[glennhendricks]

Mine was putting the bike on a caster stand. Seems to have busted up the windshield adjustment on the right side, it moves but is loose.

:banghead

Since the oilheads don't have any anti-freeze I'm wondering where the white smoke is coming from too. I think running it out to clean it isn't a bad idea. Is it possible that the cat is slightly fouled and needs to warm up to cook out some contaminates?

Cruiserland is populated by HD and knockoff bikes.

Welcome to BMW.

[MotorradMike]

Hi Tom:
Was it cold and or damp out when you saw the white smoke? Once around the block won't warm up the engine much and it might be nothing more than that.
Oilheads are pretty much restricted to blue or black smoke.

And oh yeah, don't feel like a dumbass, they all fall over eventually, best to do it while stopped.

[awagnon]

Keep the front wheel straight

As above except I think it's better to keep the front wheel turned slightly to the RIGHT or away from you so the bike will lean towards you if it leans at all when it comes off the cener stand.

[aaaaaa]

But the white smoke? Is it still an issue? I've always thought that white smoke was caused by water in the combustion chamber. Did the bike fall into a puddle? Is it really an oilhead?
robert

[bumblebmw]

awagnon has the right idea. This is the way they teach it to the "newbies" at the dealer. If it leans toward you , you have the leverage to hold it upright.

[RJM2096]

With bike on the center stand, I put the kickstand up, sit in normal position and rock forward using my legs and body weight for momentum.

I agree, I also sit on the bike and rock it off. Sometimes I need my wife or friend to help push.

The smoke can be oil that has soaked into the cylinder area and may need a bit of running to get it blown out. White smoke can also be excess fuel. Maybe the FI has been damaged.

[amiles]

If you are fortunate enough to attend the national rally, there is a woman who rides her MC in a dress who demonstrates a system of how to pick up a tipped over bike without throwing out your back. Good for all of us to know.

[GrafikFeat]

rides her MC in a dress...

I wear a dress...

oops...

Never mind... wrong thread...

[r1150gsadvrider]

Always! Don't worry 'bout the smoke, they all do that. I have a boxer and brick. One tine, and only time, it smoked so bad for 5 or 6 blocks my face was red with embarrassment. It blew out and has not done it again.:dunno

[MotorradMike]

He said white smoke, not blue.

The bricks are known to blow blue smoke on startup if left on the sidestand, the boxers do not have the engine geometry that leads to that.

Anyhow, gonopo, what's going on? Did it stop smoking? Did it blow up?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[aaaaaa]

White smoke can also be excess fuel.

try black for fuel. water is white.
robert

[flars]

This is a SWAG:
Boxers will occasionally blow blue smoke after sitting on the side stand. Doesn't apply to your situation, but I just wanted to mention that.
Usually if they blow smoke after a tip over, it is blue (very light blue, but blue nonetheless). The air filter box accumulates oil (from overfills, or whatever - it doesn't matter why. They just do) and if you tip over, I guess the oil could flow back into/onto the air filter, thereby being re-ingested into the engine. I suppose water could do the same thing, but have no idea how water would get into the air box on an RT. If you are worried about the smoke, pull the air filter and see if it is wet.
I personnally would just ride it for a while. Here in Florida, smoke is a good way to irritate the mosquitos.
Just as regular maintenance: There is a drain plug on the bottom of the filter box on the left hand side of the bike behind the triangular panel. It should be drained yearly/biyearly/every so ofter/now and then/when you get around to it...

[wuli959]

If you are fortunate enough to attend the national rally, there is a woman who rides her MC in a dress who demonstrates a system of how to pick up a tipped over bike without throwing out your back. Good for all of us to know.

SKERT (http://pinkribbonrides.com/dropped.html) :)