I had to lay 'er down ... stupidest statement indeed

[Grumpy Goat]

I can remember when I first heard this statement firsthand, uttered by someone in a certain rider community ... I could not believe my ears. I had pretty much the same immediate thoughts as Ari mentions in this video. Apparently, this phrase is actually a thing ...

Who the heck rides such that this is a viable option? They need to improve their skills and / or adjust their riding and expectations. Perhaps people who tend to say this learned to ride on dirt bikes growing up, and never did take any proper training before riding on the road. I know people like that. 

These folks are all around us in the motorcycling community I suppose, so be careful out there ... a laid down bike may just come sliding your way to take you out! 

[Lee]

Perhaps people who tend to say this learned to ride on dirt bikes growing up, and never did take any proper training before riding on the road. I know people like that. 

People who started riding dirt bikes at a early age usually turn out to be very talented street riders.

When I hear someone say "had to lay it down" I cringe and sometimes I try to explain they have a better chance of stopping if they stay upright on on the brakes.

A few times I've seen in a news paper article where the reporter will state the rider laid his bike down to avoid the collision with a car.

[Grumpy Goat]

People who started riding dirt bikes at a early usually turn out to be very talented street riders.

I ride with one such person. However, I also recently met someone who grew up riding dirt bikes and is not confident enough on the street by his own admission.

The point I was making is that while laying 'er down in the dirt may be sometimes the correct thing to do, on the street the opposite is the case, but the tendency may still linger.

[Unkgd]

This brings back memories - from the  mid70's.  I used that statement on my first drop of a street bike to my wife.

Much younger rider then with maybe three years experience.  Bike was BSA 650 Lighning.  Was on Imperial Highway in Brea, going 10 -20 over the speed limit.  A lady in a station wagon pulls out of a nursery on my left and plants her car about 2 car lengths in front of me, at a much slower speed.  Grabbed the F/R drum brakes to little avail.  Still going straight way too fast and could not turn the bike -- imminent collision (to me).  Decided to get off the bike and I went one way and the bike slid off the pavement on the opposite side.  No injury and minimal damage to the bike. No plastic side panels in those days.

In hindsight, if I had let off the brakes, I might have been able to dive into the empty lane.  Will never know :-)

Obviously young, dumb and lucky at the time!

[Grumpy Goat]

Thanks for sharing that and glad that you are here to tell it. These days most bikes have ABS brakes which also enhance safety, especially in situations like that.

I personally don't believe that we can definitively say that there is no condition in which we'd like to initiate a lowside or try to jump off an go a different direction from the bike .. even Ari made a couple of examples. But in most cases the people who make such statements were not in those situations, and could have probably had a better outcome have they had better training and maybe more safety-capable motorcycles.

[maxredline]

Back in 79 I had to lay down an enduro on the road due to a Mercedes going slow into his driveway while in my lane as I came around the corner. Split second decision. I stuffed the bike under his car as apposed to going through the windshield. Punched the dent out of the old blue metal flake open face Griffen that the cars bumper produced, straightened out a few things and limped away.
That bike was trash.
Not to long after that I had to do it again. Again a dirt bike but on a dirt road this time. Lost brakes while at speed. Tight corner coming up. Not much I could do. Laid her down. This one did not end very well but could have been much worse. Limped for 2 months. Different bike but it was trash also.

[Grumpy Goat]

Sounds like after that you were out of dirt bikes maybe ... Two in a row ...? Bet you learned from those experiences though. Thanks for sharing.

[maxredline]

I think Ari was just trying to produce content with the video.

Yes in both instances I had made errors in judgment that ended up on sliding out. I vaguely remember practicing sliding on "Mustang" bicycles as a kid.
The first instance I was going to fast into a blind corner.
Second, I should never got on the POS bike in the first place.

I will ride trail bikes but full blown dirt bikes, no thanks. They hurt me (I hurt me).

[BHF]

I intentionally laid a bike down once. Early 70s 250 CZ motocross bike. Unadjusted throttle cable that was too loose. Went WOT and when I backed off the end of the cable near the carb was out of the adjuster sleeve and wouldn’t let the cable back to roll off the gas. So at nearly wide open and with the drum brakes fully faded I ran out of room to avoid the rapidly approaching woods. It was also then that I realized the bike didn’t have a kill switch. Rather than go into the trees head first I laid it down and slid in sideways. I was unhurt but the expansion chamber on the bike was crushed against a tree which fortunately stopped the motor. Rigged a kill button before I road it again and always checked the cable adjustment and tested the kill switch before each ride after that.