Video: how to pick up a dropped bike

I’m posting this because I’ve seen a number of videos around the Web telling people to pick up dropped bikes by backing up to them and lifting them backwards. Some buddies and I ran a workshop recently to let people try out various techniques in a safe environment, and the backwards technique didn’t work for anyone.

With all due apologies for the shocking gag at the start, this video shows a technique that allowed some pretty tiny women to pick up bikes as big as a Suzuki V-Strom. The wider the handlebars, the better this technique will work, although I’m using an old VFR400R track bike to demonstrate here.

Step 1) Turn the engine off, and put the bike in first gear if it’s not already in gear.

Step 2) Turn the handlebar so that the front wheel is pointing upwards at full lock

Step 3) Get both hands under the lower handlebar, and lift up with your legs. Move in towards the bike as it rises, and get your hip into the tank to help lift.

Don’t relax until you’ve got the sidestand down and the bike settled. Plenty of people have lifted their bike up only to have it fall over the other way.

If you know somebody that’s not confident about lifting their own bike, get a few people together and get them to try this technique.