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Cruiser
Posts: 222
Barefoot Bay, FL United States | It seems that the tip-over stops don't always work, even on a hard, tarred parking lot surface. I was checking my air pressures, and had to roll the bike backwards to get the valve so I could put a guage on it. Checked it, filled it with air (not easy!!), and then went to the rear. I had to roll it forward to get access to the rear valve stem, so I did. I had a buddy with me checking when the valve stem was accessable, and when it was, I stopped and set the bike back on the side stand...or so I thought. It seems that when you pick up the bike from the right side by pulling it up, you may not get it up off the side stand all the way!! When that happens, the side stand can move back enough to start to go to it's 'up' position. I set the bike back on the side stand not realizing it was partially up because I was on the right side of the bike. It only took a few seconds for it to go over!! The problem was that it actually rolled over far enough for the edge of the left morror frame to hit the ground!!! I was amazed that it rolled that far on a tarred parking lot surface!! The tip-overs only 'sort-of' worked. The tip-overs were scratched obviously, but the black plastic edge of the left mirror got a pretty good gouge in it. I was just very surprised that the bike rolled over so far!!! Maybe the forward momentum helped it roll beyond the tip-overs?!
Didn't hurt any chrome though!! Front tip-over did better than the rear.  |
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Tourer
Posts: 495
Carrollton, TX | That is surprising that it went that far over. Was the ground level or at a slat or hill? I can’t say enough for my tip over protectors. Just watch this video of my crash and see how well they worked. They kept the bike from going over protecting the bike and me. If it wasn’t for the reflector pole I hit the bike and I would have been able to finish my 9 day trip with my friends Kevin and Bruce. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iC14h-i3Ns |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | witchbiker, sorry to hear of you misfortune on two accounts 1) the kick not staying where you expected it to be and 2) the vision going over further than expected. I would ask the same questions as spock.
I've learned, from experience, to stand on the left side of the bike when ever I move it so I can eyeball the kick as it likes to play tricks on us. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Sorry to hear about that. I did the same thing with the kick stand, but It didn't go all the way over. My only beef with the tip-over is that they have no strenth if the bike is moving forward. When I had my crash, the front tip over broke off and there was sigificant damage to the bodywork and floor board. The back did it's job and not a scratch on the trunk, saddlebag, or exhaust. My other mishap was being stupid and went for a little off road slide in the wet grass. Not a scratch on the bike, however the front tipover dug in and bent rearward about a half inch, misaligning the bodywork.
They work very well in the parking lot as long as the impact is on the bottom.
Edited by cw1115 2009-10-05 9:48 AM
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Tourer
Posts: 363
Goldsboro, NC | cw1115 - 2009-10-05 10:45 AM
My only beef with the tip-over is that they have no strenth if the bike is moving forward. When I had my crash, the front tip over broke off and there was sigificant damage to the bodywork and floor board. The back did it's job and not a scratch on the trunk, saddlebag, or exhaust. My other mishap was being stupid and went for a little off road slide in the wet grass. Not a scratch on the bike, however the front tipover dug in and bent rearward about a half inch, misaligning the bodywork.
They work very well in the parking lot as long as the impact is on the bottom.
I'm fairly sure that the tipover protection was never intended to be crash protection. If I remember Spock's crash video correctly, most of the sliding was done tires-first, so the tipovers helped him by luckily dragging in the direction of their designed strength. It also helped that he was in fairly loose dirt. If he had caught a rock lip or buried pipe, they woould have snapped like my mother-in-law's temper.
I have intentionally demonstrated the tipover protection many times... always gently. I believe that a full drop would risk overunning the tipover protection. This is especially true if the trunk is even moderately loaded, as angular momentum will add to the risk.
Are we asking too much of the tipovers? I've always treated them as protection for that "oh crap" moment when you lose footing while parking or if you forget to put the stand down. The rider tries to catch but is in an awkward angle or not quite stong enough. The tips are there to augment the protection of the rider guiding the bike down... not to take a full impact.
I'm starting to think the tipovers are to Visions what cruise control was to cars in the 70's and ABS in the 90's. A great idea, but marketed up to the point of false expectations. Stay within their intended use, and they will serve you well.
Edited by trailbarge 2009-10-05 11:21 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Good point. I'm just saying if the front had the same structual strenth as the rear it would be nice. Nobody expects to be protected in a crash protection. Back in the day they were called "crash bars". Now the same device is an "engine guard" |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Another absurdity of life, like flying. Safe only by statistics, as you are 30,000 feet in the air only on hopes nothing goes wrong. I rode along side a smart car last night and "admired" it. However, as cool as it looks or as cool as it would be to own one, I would rather ride my bike in a pinch because of the manueverability and being smaller target. In a crash in the smart car I think you'd be toast. But that is the risks we take as we can slip in our bathtub and be waking up facing our Maker. The TOP are a great addition to a great bike and my only expectations of them is that I don't drop my bike, one, and two, if I do, it will be in such a way they'll get to do there job. I've done it once in a intersection when a lady ran a red light, expecting to be slammed and thrown around like a ragdoll, only to be missed and me laying it down on the TOP. Today, the only evidence of that near miss is in my mind.
Edited by varyder 2009-10-05 12:01 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 256
| I was making a walking turn in a tight area and my foot got tangled in the rear TOP. Bike went down but they did their job. They both caused and helped the fall. Second time my foot has entangled them but first time to go down. |
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Tourer
Posts: 390
| Whew....I thought I was the only one to do that Prime Power. I also pulled the bike over onto the mirror ,but there was no damage to the fairing but I got a wonderfully colored bruise on my ankle. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Prime Power - 2009-10-05 2:32 PM I was making a walking turn in a tight area and my foot got tangled in the rear TOP. Bike went down but they did their job. They both caused and helped the fall. Second time my foot has entangled them but first time to go down. TIP: A tip for the rear tip over protection (TOP). Keep the passenger floorboards in the down position and the touch of the floorboard to the back of your leg will warn you before you get your foot caught up. Ouch, beeeeeen there done that, messed up a boot and mad me matter than a hornet, and I limped for about a week afterwards. Had a few close calls after that, but not since I read about the tip and started doing it. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 256
| Nice, will do that immediately. Thanks |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 14
| In my opinion the rear tip over protectors pose a double edge sword. Yes they will keep damage to a minimum if you drop your bike, as most crash bars will do. On the other hand, because of their placement, serious injury can occur if you happen to get stung behind your ankle....I know this all too well. One thing I found interesting is the lack of rear tip over protection on the new cross country and cross roads. I believe these models are supported on the Vision frame and those beautiful rear bags could sure use the protection...if the TOP was that great! I give credit to the members of this forum who have suggested lowering the passenger floorboards to help avoid this injury from occuring...take that suggestion seriously! |
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Tip-over protection ???