How To Safely Lift A Motorcycle Off The Ground By Yourself

Dropping your motorcycle feels awful. Whether you're riding the bike at speed or just pushing it around a parking lot, you never want your bike to end up on its side. In addition to the obvious desire to avoid damage to your bike, you want to stay safe while riding, no matter what the speed. Yet while there are safe-riding strategies to avoid dropping your bike and even pieces of hardware to protect it in case you have to lay it down (like frame sliders or swingarm sliders), dropping a bike is often referred to in the motorcycle community as an inevitability. As the saying goes: "It's not if, you crash, it's when." So on top of wearing the right gear and riding safely, what can you do to safely pick up your bike if this seemingly inevitable incident occurs?

In several years of riding, I've dropped a number of motorcycles and I've watched dozens of other drops and crashes. It's always scary but, with the right preparation, you can have the bike safely up on two wheels in a matter of moments. The first order of business, though, is assessing your health. If you drop your bike, check yourself for any injuries first. Next, if you're out on the road, make sure you're in a safe place. Look for potential traffic or other motorists that don't see you. Once those boxes are checked, you can go about the task of picking up your motorcycle.

Riding instructor MotoJitsu shows some great techniques that work on all sorts of different motorcycles, so if you need a visual aid be sure to check his video out. First order of business: Once you've confirmed you don't have any injuries, make sure the bike is turned off and remove the key. If the motorcycle is tipped over on its right side, put the kickstand down so that when it's upright, you don't drop it in the other direction, too. If you're able to put the bike in gear, do so. On a flat surface, that won't be necessary, but either way it will help you keep the motorcycle from rolling once it's upright again.

Before lifting the bike, take off your helmet and gloves so you can get a good grip on the motorcycle and see what's happening. If there's oil or other fluids on the bike, try to avoid grabbing in those slick locations. Also, hold secure parts of the motorcycle like the handlebars and the rear subframe if possible. Avoid grabbing anything that might be hot like the engine or exhaust. 

To lift the bike in a way that's least stressful on your back, put your rear end towards the bike and push backwards as you lift. This takes much of the strength requirements out of the equation. Lots of experts, including riding instructors and seasoned police-bike veterans have shown that large motorcycles can be picked up by small humans if you get the form right.

Once you've got your bike back on its feet, you'll want to check a few things before you start it up and ride again. First, look for obvious signs of damage to the engine or the drivetrain components. Allow a bit of time for the bike's fluids to settle, and then visually inspect your bike for leaks. Check the chain, drive belt, and suspension components for any damage or breaks. The bike may start again, but it could be dangerous to ride if you've bent things like suspension forks. You'll also want to make sure the clutch lever, shifter, and brake levers are all complete and in working order.

Depending on the kind of motorcycle you ride (and whether or not you've installed protective hardware), there may be cosmetic damage to pieces like the exhaust or fairings, but those things shouldn't keep you from riding if everything else is in working order. It's also worth noting that some riding schools will teach pick-up techniques to get riders used to the idea of lifting a downed motorcycle in a controlled environment. If you don't have that sort of riding school near you, it's possible to practice on a soft surface with a friend to help you out.