Youtuber hits pothole and crashes brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle

[@ph0ib0s1]

Many clueless comments here... This one is a real mystery. The rider looks very experienced to me... No, it was not the paint (usually not an issue, unless it rains, not in this case). No, it's not the rider (speed and acceleration was fine). No, it was not a pothole. He went down before hitting the bad section and far behind the painted parts. The front wheel lost traction and under normal circumstances, it should have come back immediately. Causing some wobbling at worst, easy to control by an experienced rider. He was not leaning deep and not going fast enough for a high sider or a low side crash. As stated, very experienced rider. For 3 years I used to switch between a BMW street bike and a Harley (VRSCF). If you don't pay attention and you ride the Harley like your street bike, no amount of experience can protect you form a crash. Never happen to me, but to a friend of mine. Very experienced rider, crashed his Harley after entering a corner to fast, forgetting that he was not on his Yamaha. My Harley had a 320 rear tire, yet I used to slide on those tires much more than on anyone of the street bikes I ever owned. Just my personal experience: Harley uses very uncommon tire dimensions on it's bikes. Because sold in much lower volumes, many of those tires are not as sophisticated as average high-silica tires for the street bikes. Especially the OEM tires on the new bikes (any brand, not just Harley) are low cost crap. Don't get fooled by the brand name of the tire,, replace them immediately once you get your new bike. Harley shocks are average at best and have very short travel distance. My VRSCF was setup, way to hard by the factory. With a suspension like this, driving on a bumpy road becomes quickly an uneasy experience. The most experienced Harley riders I knew, used to replace the shocks and leave the OEM exhaust. You get you a Harley, the noise and vibrations will make you ecstatic, however riding windy roads and long distances requires balls made of steel. After my friends crash, I had to make a choice and sold my Harley for good. Drive safe.

[@mitch2519]

Moronic. Not the tires, shocks or HD. Total lack of skill. Plain and simple.

[@jonsmither2003]

Not for nothing harleys suck. Own 4 cruisers now. The harleys handle the worst and have more issues. I've had different ones going back 20 years on and off. And I ride them all to the max a cruiser bike can be, best cruisers I've owned are shadow spirits post year 2000 with good ground clearance even with low seat. And vtx 1300's just is what it is.

[@andyinsames]

HDs are capable of going around mild curves at low speeds. I don't think police departments would use HDs if they just inexplicably pitched over during mild cornering. The rider simply doesn't understand how counter steering works. He started off steering to the right from a stop by turning the handlebars. As he picked up speed the front wheel straightened out as it always will around 15 MPH. He tried to overcome what he thought was a steering lock by trying to turn the bars even harder to the right. That's why he very rapidly pitched to the left. He was pushing with his left hand and pulling with his right. Push left, go left. Push right, go right.

[@jakelaughton683]

This is just complete bollocks. Millions of people ride harleys. They don’t fall off every time they go round a corner.

[@jamesbthejoke5614]

Yeah… bullshit. I’ve had the 2016 103ci deluxe, 2016 xl1200v, 2019 FXDRS 114ci and now have a 107ci Deluxe. I ride rain, hail or shine. Literally everyday. Commuted in traffic on sealed and loose gravel roads, tram tracks in all weather. Ridden interstate more times than can count (Australia, long distances to anywhere). Never, ever has any Harley ever “just fell over” in a corner. Even on new tyres. I love the low centre of gravity which makes riding in these conditions super easy. Don’t lock your shoulders, relax next time 😅 you probably twitched, panicked and then target fixation did the rest. Atleast he walked away from the landing!

[@brianmaclennan561]

"The steering locked..." "The side stand came down.." Just admit u fkd up bro...lol

[@apathy2673]

The steering locked. I hate it when that never happens.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

I did a few lock to lack tank slappers on a Honda CB-100 at high speeds on wet grass and did not crash .. it was a miracle . almost crapped my pants.. Learned not to try and rode 40 MPH on wet grass on a Honda CB-100 with street tires on it ..

[@DiogenesOG]

lol... dry and spot on.

[@draganm7823]

Unless a rider accepts responsibility for their errors, they will NEVER learn and or correct the error.

[@AlexanderSeling]

Should be titled "Rider falls over for absolutely no reason, blames bike"

[@justinperea9753]

Rider looks very unexperienced. This is avery very small bike for him to dropped it like that. Any guy that has miles on his back. Would of handle that situation without any problems. Going straight w this small bike tells that rider was still on learning process

[@georgeyoutube7580]

@Nasty Habitz He slammed front brake cos he feels the bike can't lean. Harley is a manufacturer that has a great marketing department but no real experience in motorcycle manufacturing, they sell the same design for a century and it was obsolete a century ago. The bike won't lean. He panicked and slammed front brake and locked front tire

[@georgeyoutube7580]

@Nasty Habitz probably never will. And it's ok cos I'm sure I'm not missing anything. Its a caricature of a motorcycle, riders look like orcs riding a hog. All about cool factor, nothing else

[@Crinklidge]

@Nasty Habitz this dude has opinions on astrophysics and dropped out of highschool

[@Valkyrie11b]

@Nasty Habitz He is one for sure

[@nathanschild2388]

The real reason he crashed is he was going slow enough to were he could steer to the right to go around the corner but as he increased his speed and the bike started to straighten up instead of counter steering he tried to jerk it to the right making him crash and feel as if the steering locked up.

[@SnerASDF]

That would be a massiv rider error.. it looked so weird there was no obvious reason

[@jeffveraart2695]

That wasn't a pothole, you just fell into a money pit.

[@mranonymous9355]

Good thing the 'steering lock' fixed itself once you picked it up

[@GoatyHerps]

I still have no clue what happened. It's like he just fell off the side for no apparent reason.

[@waynemilton9513]

Verdict: can’t ride a bike and fell off. The End.

[@Sean-qn6mb]

Look at the video, it's plain to see what really happened. The bike hit that huge pothole causing the steering to lock and the kick stand to drop down flooring the bike, just as the half wit biker explained.😳

[@keithhgallop7232]

@@Sean-qn6mb if thats a pothole id love to have those roads in beaverton oregon...we got some that are over a inch deep...ive hit a few before on my hog...nothing happened...tbh i feel this was staged cause hes some stupid ass youtuber trying to get views

[@NightcruiserMA]

I've read a few of these comments and man, some people can be brutal. Relax. Unfamiliar bike combined with a situation like hitting a large pothole and seeing more ahead will throw you off 1 out of 100 times. You just happened to be filming that 100th time. I don't think it's a reflection of your skills or experience. Kudos to you for uploading this and facing the music not only at the dealership but in the comments section. You're okay, which is what matters. Live, learn and ride on :)

[@MercerVisualProductions]

Dave Barker I think it's probably better described as a seam and with the fat tyre tracking it it was enough to unsettle the bike

[@inlinescreamer]

It's wasn't the steering lock it's the weight of them whilst handling potholes that threw you off, just a guess though.

[@sarahdell4042]

Exactly. I have more experience on a road course, than on the street and I wouldn't fault him for anything. Sometimes, things just happen. He wasn't doing anything stupid, and it's hard to say exactly what caused this. At the end of the day, he crashed a motorcycle and was able to walk away without inquiry. That's always a win

[@MindBodySoulOk]

I dropped my new klr650 in a parking lot the other day. First time in 40 years I've dropped a bike. Was wearing one of their dual sport helmets. Made everything seem a little off and weird. Yeah, new bikes can be funcky. My old bike as a 1200 sporty so the other end of the spectrum.

[@pm3577]

Every time someone rides a new bike they’re riding an unfamiliar bike yet 99.9% don’t proceed to crash. The guys a wanna be, he can’t ride.

[@michaeldekowski2995]

*returns bike* "Not for me, but thanks"

[@everythingsbetternaked473]

xDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[@gaigecasteen1301]

🤣😂🤣

[@silntstl]

The steering lock engaged excuse has to be legendary. lol

[@mikeskidmore6754]

A lot of HD's have crashed on straight roads do to high speed wobble .. but that's like at 60 MPH not 25 MPH ..

[@JFalto]

325 let's go

[@bmfilmnut]

The steering DID NOT lock!!! That's ridiculous.

[@Rustyskillswilldoit]

He pulled in the clutch in the middle of the turn, removing all power from the rear wheel, and destabilizing the bike in the middle of the turn when he is going over the rough pavement(you can see it fully pulled in at 3:58 and at 3:47).

[@CodyCha]

That was a turn?? 😳

[@andrase435]

No pothole, no steering lock and obviously no side stand coming down! Not understanding countersteering caused to fall! It is clearly visible that you turned the handle bars to the right while going to the right, which made the bike go to the left. Than you didn't understand what is going on, panicked and just fell off.

[@dickjohnson5025]

I hear a side stand grinding in advance of the lean to the left. Counter steering? Come on.

[@TexanWolverine]

Clearly he did not lean right and pulled the handle bars to the right like any new rider does. Physics took care of the rest. You are correct. Don't bother trying to teach this other twits. They won't listen. Just put them on a bike and let nature take its coarse. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIeoaGyOiZ1gg8k

[@1250GSX]

This is exactly what happened.

[@burntmonkey1123]

@@LJS01 Go to a class...maybe you'll understand what countersteering is.How's life on your moped?Got rid of the L plate yet?

[@burntmonkey1123]

@@dickjohnson5025You hear a side stand grinding?Hahahahahahahahahha.I heard a flea fart once!

[@MeownoldJTrump]

It's Harley's new Biker Alert System. If you ain't biker enough it spits you out on the pavement.

[@Townes.VanZandt]

Um no, the bars locked....no wait... the kickstand...wait there was a toddler in the street so I dove off the bike. Looked like the ejection seat malfunctioned IMO.

[@simsey33]

100% Rider error. Starting from lights on a corner at that speed on a dry road, there is no other explanation - he wasn't even on the road lines... The bump he rolled through while leaning right (just prior to the spill) left him unbalanced causing him to shit himself and in his efforts to straighten the bike up he overcompensated on a bike that was too big and too heavy for him and it was this overcompensation that brought him down on the left. Thats how quickly it happens folks when you don't know what you're doing. Listening to him say everything from steering lock to side stand just shows the inexperience. His disbelief at his error has him looking to blame everything else including non existent potholes. Learn from this kid, its a cheap lesson and it will make you a better rider. Stay safe

[@brichant5650]

He also knew he was in trouble way before he went down. I completely agree with your assessment.

[@johnmcdonough666]

Yep.

[@SteveWrightNZ]

yep

[@iainhenderson3536]

Agreed.

[@Mackathne]

If you look, he pulled the clutch and that cause the bike to lose power and topple over. He bumps and then pulls the clutch and that exact instant is when the bike falls to the left

[@Adam-wz7pv]

Watched it 1000 times.... inexperienced with heavy bike, clutch in, low speed, no power to the back wheel, eyes fixated on the curb, or at least down.... boom.... this was simply a case of a rider making some really bad mistakes on any bike - the steering didn't lock, the rider just was not accustomed to the weight, the fat tires, and the compression..... then they looked down..... people drop bikes like this in parking lots every day.

[@evanmorrow1234]

I was skeptical of the rider's comment as well as his riding ability. It is a poor workman, who blames his tools. Conversely it is a poor rider who blames his bike. I've never seen a steering lock actuate while riding a bike. It is a physical impossibility. That guy tried to cover up his marginal skill as a rider by lying to everybody on KZbin. What the hell does he take us for ?? I don't have any respect for this man whatsoever

[@itzAndyBeezy]

@@evanmorrow1234 oh noes! An inexperienced rider dropped his bike and was embarrassed. No need to overdramatize it

[@bobgibb2781]

100% agree.

[@jakedaniels9565]

As an experienced rider I was thinking the same. It has to be a traction/rider issue rather than steering lock. Also the steering will lock the way you want it to so either way its rider error. 3:56 clutch in after pothole losing drive train to rear wheel. New tyres poor contact with road.

[@TheNostorian]

Blaming the bike for his own shitty riding.

[@mikeskidmore6754]

Harley Davidson was not designed to ride on the wrong side of the road ..

[@samgab]

Every excuse in the book right from the moment it happened. 1: "It was the steering lock, mysteriously came on randomly while riding out of the blue with the ignition key on" - NO, it wasn't, and it didn't. Your handlebars have to be fully turned to the left and the ignition turned off to lock the steering. 2: "The side stand must have just come down all by itself mid ride and threw me off" - NO, it didn't. At 7:48 the staff member clearly demonstrates the engine kill switch linked to the side stand. 3: "It was a monster pot hole that threw me off the bike!" - NO, there was no giant pot hole there. I can see that you had the clutch in fully throughout the entire incident, so you didn't lose traction due to power transfer. I can also see that you didn't touch the front brake, so you didn't lock up the front and wash out. The thing that went wrong here was that you failed to keep the rubbery side down and the shiny side balanced up above the two rubbery things.

[@701_ben]

Hahahaha no disrespect to the guy riding it, but I 100% agree with this

[@Lipelouco]

come on dude.... you ran over a slick spot, lost traction, panicked, clamped on the front brakes and now you wanna blame it on the bike.... You wreck it, you buy it.

[@submissions72]

Wtf was that? That was the most pathetic crash I have ever seen.

[@lnhislmage]

submissions72 My thoughts exactly!

[@MHeadroom]

What we have here is a first time HD Fatbob rider who isn’t used to the fatter front wheel and steering feel. At the scene of the self-induced accident he blames the steering lock for miraculously kicking in for absolutely no reason (never ever happened on any HD I’ve ridden). Then, back at the dealership and still ego-wounded he explains to the staff at the dealership that the side stand dropped down and caused him to tip over to the left. Take ownership for your accident dude. 100% rider error and nothing to do with the motorcycle mechanicals. Suggestion: stick to bikes you can handle dude. Try a push bike till you gain some skills. 🤡

[@joeleefpv2115]

At 3:56 he clutches in and immediately starts to go low side to the pavement. Rider error. Just own it, dust off,and keep riding.

[@oe1freak]

Yes, exactly......

[@Nakamura65]

You are right, I was wondering if maybe he front braked didnt even look at the clutch, he should have just steady accelerated forward. That being said, he was not going so slow, he should have been able to turn even with the clutch pressed imho,.... something else must have happened.

[@josephsantana3094]

What I see is target fixation as he goes wide to the left and instead of leaning right, looking where he wants to go, and giving a bit of throttle he turns the handle bars to the right causing the bike to lean even more left and veer more out of control. I didn’t see any kind of “sTeErInG l0cK” occur. This looks like pure rider error to me yet he immediately starts making excuses and tries to shift blame entirely on the bike. Couple of clowns.

[@AA-qg5ug]

Even if it's an old video, this could help: You can clearly see him at 3:55 pressing the clutch at multiple times while trying to turn at 18 km/h!!!! what do you expect. You never should press the clutch while turning, especially at low speed, this frees the power transmission and causes losing traction. so the bike falls as in 3:57 on it side with no power. Hope this helps anyone and this is only my analysis the situation and I'm not a motor gp pilot, jus a rider who studies a lot and rides a lot.

[@Burzurk1987]

You should be in the friction zone when turning at low speeds right?

[@DimitrisDr3am]

@@Burzurk1987 yeah at SLOW speeds. Not as fast as he was going

[@jam-rockrider9479]

“I’m giggling like a little girl!” *moments later...* “I’m making excuses like a little girl!”

[@tobedetermined4180]

I see the problem clearly, you are riding on the wrong side of the road.

[@MercerVisualProductions]

Silly British people. We also brew out tea in cups and then drink it from the teapot.

[@tobedetermined4180]

Ant on a Slant I’m glad you caught the joke brother, I am also glad you are ok. Keep them coming, safe ride.

[@SteeeveO]

Hahaha a Yank with a warped sense of ironic humour!!!! Love it. Please accept our offer to make you an honorary Brit, you are most welcome.......

[@bensanchez7041]

This looks like a classic example of target fixation. He's looking and heading straight at the poles in front of him and then jumps off the bike. He should be leaning the bike to the right, but he leans it to the left (where he is looking). Cruiser or Sport Bike, the physics and the basics of riding don't change. If you don't think a Harley can go around corners look up Harley on Mulholland Drive. If we can't be honest when it's a rider mistake the whole riding community will suffer. Even if the kickstand magically came down, you pull the clutch and ride it out. Remember, look where you want to go, not where you don't want to go.

[@ericteneyck8691]

Exactly. But looks like we are all going to be honest for him. LOL He rode it straight were he was looking and dumped it before he hit the poles.

[@davehale2309]

As a retired police motorcycle instructor for the RCMP in Canada I saw nothing on the road that caused this collision. The kick stand may have not been up in lock position. The steering did not lock. My verdict as a collision analyst would be driver error. Failing to ensure the kick stand was up and locked in place, many a new police rider experienced this during our training.

[@MercerVisualProductions]

The road was in very poor condition! I think it was easier to see how patchwork it was in real life than it appears on the camera. The UK is very notorious for having really bad roads, especially in the North. Potholes make up one-third of all claims in the UK for insurance companies. It often takes two years for a road to be filled up and even then it's not great to ride on!

[@_RussD]

Definitely not the kickstand. Besides the fact that he was turning right, the bike was running in gear, so kickstand would have shut it off (as shown at the end, it is working). It really does look like the steering locked. Even as he about the hit the ground, the handlebars haven't moved at all since he started to lose control. Could still be rider error, and he just happened to be holding the bars in the same spot the whole time. But not kickstand.

[@greenclydefrog]

RussD I know some Japanese cruiser have that safety feature. My friend's 2017 Harley sportster doesn't have a safety kickstand feature, I can ride with the kickstand still down. Hard to analyze the crash in a first person view, but it looked like a tail whip to me, I wonder if he downshiftsd during that turn.

[@evanmarks7912]

Dave Hale it would not move if the stand was not locked

[@greenclydefrog]

evan marks ........... I guess you don't read comments above

[@StuHNomadBiker]

I've never seen a crash like that .. steering lock ? Nope .. stand ? Nope as it was the opposite side to the way you were leaning. What I did notice at the traffic lights was your right foot pretty much resting on the rear brake pedal... unfamiliar with forward controls and the riding position ... pressed the back brake possibly without realising ... causing a reaction to the bike that caught you off guard ...

[@bigh7777]

Definitely a issue between the seat and handlebars.

[@Gio0285]

would've said the rider but ok

[@danprice1016]

@@Gio0285 that's what he meant. It was a joke I think 🤔

[@Gio0285]

@@danprice1016 u think! possible but I didnt see any implications it was a joke. you know like, an "lol" ,an emoji, punch line...... I went by what he said but if that was a joke than that was freaking hilarious 😏

[@danprice1016]

@@Gio0285 yeah humour gets lost over the Internet. An emoji would have helped definitely fella.

[@tonylama2012]

Thanks for test ride I dont think I'm goingnto be buying today

[@MercerVisualProductions]

Kinda how it went down....no pun intended

[@evanmorrow1234]

@@MercerVisualProductions ....that's a good one

[@stefanpuffer]

First the steering locked...never heard of that before, don't even know what a steering lock is. Then it was a pothole...I didn't see any pothole and then when he brings it back it was the kickstand. Maybe you just had some bad gasoline in the tank mate.

[@abijitguptatrading]

Stop blaming the bike, it was the rider.

[@charlescorl2667]

I OWN this bike. I can Tell you what I see happening here and I'm pretty sure I'm right. Although doesn't everyone on KZbin think they are? 1st- ITS NOT A STEERING LOCK. Physically impossible on this bike. The key is used to lock the forks ONLY. Not the ignition. And its on the side of the bike. He would have to physically reach and turn a key that shouldn't even be in the bike at this point. 2nd- This bike BRAND NEW was jumpy as hell for me. The throttle had a slight dead spot and then it would engage all of a sudden causing a sudden lurch forward. I was coming off a sluggish Harley Road King and it took me by surprise. Took a while to find the sweet spot in the clutch to compensate. 3rd- If I'm not mistaken he rides a Yamaha MT10? Thats roughly a 1000cc bike. The Harley he is riding is a completely redesigned bike that rides like no Harley I've been on. Its a 114 cubic inch engine which is over 1800cc. I know people will say Harley engines don't ride like sport bikes, and its not a fair comparison but TRUST ME you feel the power behind this thing. I rode my bike 1600 miles the first week I had the bike, and broke in the throttle and tires. Now it rides PERFECTLY but I took it easy the first 500 miles to make sure stuff like THIS didn't happen. At 3:55 in the video You can see the pot hole he hit. Its small but there. I think he hit the lip, while still adjusting to the throttle, as its a new bike and not worn in yet. He didn't have the clutch in enough, and the bump caused a small twist off the throttle which on this bike ABSOLUTELY would have cause a sudden lurch forward. That burst caused the bike to want to go straight, and as he mentioned hes not used to the bike (completely different riding posture from what hes used to, blah blah blah). You can see him pull the clutch back in too late when the bike veers left. He lost control. plain and simple. It sucks. Doesn't make him a bad rider. Just unaccustomed to the bike (and maybe a bit cocky).

[@phdtobe]

Charles Corl I don’t hear the engine revving due to the throttle being jerked at all when/after he hit the pothole.

[@phdtobe]

Charles Corl Also, he didn’t seem to be countersteering, which is necessary when riding HDs like that because they have much heavier front wheels than a pocket rocket. In fact, his entire turn on that HD as he starts to cross the intersection was wrong. You can see that the handlebars were turned to the right versus his forward-looking body position. When he hit the pothole, which pushed the handlebar to the left, he probably pulled the right handlebar back towards himself to compensate, causing the angular momentum torque from the front wheel to tilt the back over to its left. And he definitely kept pulling with his right hand, as he released his left hand sooner. That’s why he felt like the “steering lock” was mysteriously engaging and causing the front wheel to flip left.

[@phdtobe]

What he should have done to begin the turn was simply lean right and countersteer slightly right as he gained speed about in the middle of the intersection after he’d gained enough speed for angular momentum of the wheels to keep the bike upright. If he’d done that, that pothole would have only felt like a small bump that a small adjustment of countersteer would correct.

[@charlescorl2667]

ChrisGeez you brought up a few really good points. Although I don't think we hear his engine at all really during the whole thing, regardless of if he hit the throttle. The engine noise of the other bike seems to be drowning it out (and the auto leveling on the audio from his go pro or whatever camera that is, is canceling out some as well.) The biggest thing I think you brought up though, is his body position. I hadn't thought of that beyond his riding posture, but your right. I can say from experience this bike handles differently than most HD bikes I've ridden and you don't need counter-steering nearly as much. But at this slow of a speed, a lack of counter-steering combined with off body position would cause the kind of reaction your describing. I don't see the pulling on the right handle bar, but from 3:55 to 3:58 there's a noticeable change in camera position and angle meaning he had to have been in the middle of changing his body angle and position on the bike. A quick change of weight on the seat, with the pot hole affecting the steering at the same time might have caused him to over react and lose control. I dont think i agree on how your saying the handlebars would respond exactly (the right handlebar pulling back etc.) but the causes and effects I do agree with in general. And I do agree with the "What he should have done" portion. With one addition. He shouldn't have blamed the bike! "The steering lock just kicked in!" BULLSHIT lol.

[@bobgibb2781]

We were all enjoying taking the piss until you came along with your scientific dissection of the available evidence . Anyway , how would you like to have a go at the famous video of two Harley riders driving off a cliff ? See if you can spot that hole .

[@CaneFu]

NO, the steering didn't lock and then magically unlock itself while laying on the ground....you simply fucked up. It's OK, we all fuck up sometimes but you're better off not making excuses and just own up to it.

[@jonhelms6496]

That’s exactly why you guys aren’t allowed to have firearms. You would be blaming the gun.

[@randallradke1279]

They'd pull an Alec Baldwin

[@cascadesouthernmodeltrains7547]

Yea the media here always blames the gun too.

[@Eric-gq9dt]

W comment 😂😂😂😂

[@Icefisher420]

😂

[@nmfranklin66]

Yeah and that's also why our school kids in in the UK don't get killed in mass shootings every six months to!

[@RobertAdairWorkshop]

Everybody is blaming the bike or calling rider error but I can't see it. Your hand wasn't on the front brake, maybe a bit on the clutch. Doesn't sound like you were on the throttle much. Easy turn, not leaned much. From the previous few minutes footage, you seem to ride a bike just fine. And in the 30 years I've been riding a bike, I've never seen anyone go down because of cold tires or potholes. The bike ought to have a safety switch for the side stand to keep it from running when its down. Seriously, I don't why you went down.

[@matthew6173]

Probably the truest call here ... Can't tell from the vid really.. Only he know what really happened.

[@renegade1987]

@@matthew6173 yea it was only my ass on the seat so only I really know. The stand 100% hit the floor so it was likely my fault, maybe I didn't put it up fully and as I was riding over bumps it just came down. Ah well, shit happens...

[@laxfpvpilot589]

The problem was counter steering... he was making a right, saw the side walk and tried to steer right to lean right; wrong move. At that speed, you counter steer. You steer left to lean right. When he steered right, it leaned left and ran straight into the sidewalk.

[@shegocrazy]

I ride a heavy British cruiser so have a bit of experience. I think the problem was that you got pushed off line a little by the road surface at low speed and first reaction was to grab the front brake. That causes the front end to drop and the bike is too heavy to correct in time. Just my theory.

[@Nerdster883]

Watch the clip, you can see his hand, it's on the throttle, not the brake.

[@shegocrazy]

Andrew Willis You can't see what his RH fingers are doing only that he has hold of the grip. I might be wrong in this case but I know from experience that if you touch that front brake in a low speed turn you are in trouble. It will drag the bike down whereas touching the rear brake will tend to keep it up.

[@rodneyrogers7452]

The steering locked. The kickstand is defective. The road did it. Sounds like someone is trying to avoid paying.

[@texasmotorcyclerideradventures]

Rodney Rogers I have seen more people hit "gravel" that mysteriously disappeared when I went back to check. I have never seen anyone eat it on that straight of a road. Maybe some front brake when he hit the uneven pavement.

[@rodneyrogers7452]

I'm not criticizing the wreck. I'm commenting on the list of excuses. It wasn't the bike's fault. Most dealers carry the insurance that cover test rides, so the only thing this guy has to lose is a bit of pride. Making excuses might lose him some viewers.

[@chunkyfxdls1878]

Rodney Rogers when I last test rode a Harley the excess on the dealer insurance was £1000 so I guess he will pay the excess

[@rodneyrogers7452]

In the US, you can rent a Harley (and I presume other brands). You have the option to pay additional insurance which would cover any damage- no excess/deductible. Also, he may be able to run the accident through his own insurance if his excess/deductible is lower. I feel for the guy and I'm sorry it turned out this way when he was clearly having a great time.

[@finch135]

There was no pothole. You just freaked out and crashed.

[@jjbing3]

James Fincher That’s what I thought 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@theanalmarauder]

Yeah "pothole". Try riding a bike in a country where they actually have winter to make real potholes. Potholes 6 inches deep 3 feet across.

[@GoodTimes80s]

Look at his right hand full clutch and the rpm is at idle lol.

[@Chris-0113]

"The steering locked" my ass.

[@edwardjackson9871]

He didn’t counter steer and lean into the turn. He under estimated the power of the bike and his speed as it pick up. That’s why he felt like the steering locked up. The counter forces were too great.

[@mattfrancis8826]

"The steering lock just kicked in..." dumbest excuse ever!

[@howardbardy4759]

I have examined this video in slow motion. I was a Motorcycle Instructor with ROSPA and have also instructed police riders. The repairs on that section of road look very poor and in fact it looks like areas of new tarmac have been laid onto the surface with no thought given to overbanding. Your test bike front tyre tracked a piece of poorly maintained road and caused the same effect as if it were caught in a tram line. This video needs to be sent to the county engineers department of whichever authority it is. The damage to the bike, any damaged riding gear etc should be claimable. This video is now in the public domain.

[@morro8730]

I learned something today. Motorcycle handlebars lock up while riding for no apparent reason 😂

[@martiangod]

Don't forget Harley also use weak stand springs which flop up and down mid turn 🤣

[@WillyDaC]

First off, I have to hand it to you. You're a better man than I am posting this. I just could never do it. Second, I'm sorry to say the fault is on you, not the bike. Nearly 45 years or so of riding and racing and I don't need to play this back. It wasn't the steering lock (they just don't do that, in fact some days you have to hold your mouth just right to get one locked)and it didn't touch anything down.. My guess is you aren't accustomed to all the forward weight on a Harley and it turned on the uneven pavement and caught you off guard. Instead of gassing it a bit and simply steering back, you fell. Still, my hats off to you for posting this. Glad you weren't hurt. When in doubt, gas it!

[@thrillwillie]

WillyDaC I agree with your observation.

[@murray8958]

WillyDac I think the other guy who didn't wreck posted this!

[@BigOldCarChannel]

Dude, you dropped it. Don't blame the bike. Don't blame a pothole. You dropped it. Ya fucked up. It happens. Doesn't make you less of a man or anything--although it does, probably, put you on the hook for repairs. But don't try and blame the bike.

[@bobjoe7707]

BigOldCar NO SHIT WHAT A DUMB FUCK

[@KM-my9zy]

Its a Fat Bob. With wider tires the bike handles differently from other bikes. I did not see any pot holes and I doubt the steering locked. I believe it's the rider's driving error based on the video

[@oetken007]

If you do not know what happened, don't tell stories about a pothole, a locked steering or what not.... If you loose, be honest.... nobody is perfect.

[@HollywoodCod]

Inexperienced rider hits nothing on the road and dumps his nice bike

[@EverythingN.Nothing]

...and THAT'S why nobody rides my Road King but me. It's simple, he pulled in the clutch and hit the front brake lowsiding it. Kickstands have springs to prevent random dropping. It wasn't the fork lock either... Props for posting but c'mon man, don't blame the bike for your mistake.

[@patchrockit]

You're really going to blame a pothole for that?

[@mayhemmike1789]

What pothole???

[@2000tc88]

Total RIDER ERROR. How could ANYONE who knows anything about bikes say the Steering Locked.

[@tgv1p3r93]

In Croatia if you crash because of a pothole you have to call the police, they will come and take photos. After that Croatian Roads has to pay you for fixing the bike.

[@blackangus869]

Wow i wish america was like that. We have basketball size holes in the nost expensive places in the world to live

[@tgv1p3r93]

@@blackangus869 yeah here the roads are basically half holes, yesterday when I was riding I almost lost control after hiting a 10cm deep pothole (about 4 inches). Only the highways and important roads are good. Everything else is trash

[@anthonyrosa5006]

I'm told that in NYC if you crash due to road problems you cant collect but if someone has laready reported it and then you are in an accident then you can file a claim because they were neglegent on repairing it. Sounds like BS but I got it straight from my uncle, retired NYCPD.

[@xpusostomos]

Why don't I believe you?

[@geezerwithagrudge526]

"Steering lock" my ass. you just freaked out and ell over.

[@966Mako]

Ah, the magical dropping kickstand phenomenon. And I saw a UFO last night, beaming up a unicorn!

[@paint4850]

I'm dead😂

[@gordonknight7588]

“The steering lock just kicked in!” LOL yea that’s not a thing. Bad hand placement on the throttle and lack of focus and you dumped it due to a nothing-bump. Target fixation to where you dumped it was your steering lock. Take a moto training class. It’s useful.

[@andycoomber6159]

I've got to the bottom of this crash. It's clear to me you could have avoided this by shaving your head, growing a grey beard, getting some tattoos and dressing up as a pirate. People using this method can ride these bikes. I see it all the time.

[@MercerVisualProductions]

😂😂😂

[@thedefenestrator2994]

I work at Harley and can say that literally 3 guys in the building dress mostly like that. Squidding around.

[@DanDanTheFireman]

Hey! Can I use this footage for a close call analysis video? You would be helping others and full credit will be given in the description.

[@kanishk4421]

Wassap dan. Great vids. Keep up the good work.

[@Spike-rj6ye]

Full credit to get slapped in the face. poor little fella

[@AlexanderSeling]

I need to see Dan's interpretation of this event!!

[@pmartin150]

@DDFM very interested to see your analysis. Which vid did you post it in?

[@guys_im_trash6447]

You cross dress to more power mate

[@videocardzrule354]

Handlebars slighted pointed left, and he hammered the front brake, the bike literally magnetized directly to the left side on the road. This is simple physics, for any motorcycle really. Don’t hammer the front brakes at low speeds. Use the rear brake man...

[@moderatefkr6666]

He wasn't turning right. He was travelling in a straight line. He rode into a pothole and couldn't handle the way that heavy, outdated geriatric vibrator responded - badly. Before taking a strange bike on the road it's best to ride it slowly around a car park and get used to how it feels. Then you don't need to invent stupid fucking stories about the steering locking up, and them change it to blaming the fucking side stand...! Pathetic on all courts.

[@douglaswilliams1680]

Dude. The side stand didn't "come down." The steering didn't "lock." You hit a pothole and slammed the shit out of the rear brake.

[@johnpotter4210]

This wound up in my feed again. I still haven’t got a clue how this guy crashed. It’s like he just said well that’s enough riding and dove into the pavement?!?!? I think his instinct locked!

[@anthonyr587]

Me too. I don’t get it.

[@parkersgarage4216]

Same here man lol.

[@stuwest3653]

Yes you hit a pothole but that isn't what caused the wreck, it certainly wasn't the steering lock. You panicked, stood the bike up and pulled the clutch removing the power that was your only hope of riding it out. Mistakes happen but you need to put the blame in the proper place so you can learn from it.

[@nickfotopoulos5323]

"The side stand came down, or the steering locked!!" Friend: "Oh...okay...ummm...did you grab the...front brake at all? xD

[@dotmoredots9370]

He caught the crack in the asphalt with the edge of his tire. Makes the steering feel locked up, had it happen but just ride it out all is good, panic and its down

[@MercerVisualProductions]

I agree 👍

[@TheJdfingerboards]

Jason Jason If you read some other comments, the pot hole wasn’t big enough for anything. They say it was either Erving the engine or improper trail braking that caused the bike to flick up.

[@innocuousmerchant8766]

@Ain’tEasy LivinWheezy you a Perth lad too? I just started riding and I've dealt with that already. bit spooky.

[@NextScamdemic]

Video should be titled, “Clueless rider doesn’t understand counter-steering, drops bike He wanted to go right pushing the bars to the right which made the bike lean to the left. That’s why he said “it felt like the steering locked!” because he was literally trying to fight the forces of physics. He panicked and target-fixated on the curb while turning bars to right = dropped the bike on the left side He even confirmed it at the end in his bullshit story about the kickstand, notice he said, “I was making a right-hander, the bike went upright and went left” Rider is a danger to the public and has no business being on the road

[@michealportwood5987]

I think he was definitely not looking what he was doing and then got into a ditch lost his line and just grabbed his front brake and went down.

[@karlgustav5490]

steering lock...MWAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRFFFFFFFF.. the worse excuse ever for this unskilled rider.

[@Byley-e7h]

The guy just needs to man up and admit he fucked up instead of trawling through multiple excuses .

[@ML-gl6vd]

Everyone is getting a little too serious on this. Trash talking Harleys because you prefer other types of bikes, and telling him that he doesn't belong on a Harley because he rides street bikes. We all have to start somewhere. The only thing that I disapprove of is the guy making excuses and blaming the bike for his slip up. Also, I feel like the other guy had the right idea, and he didn't get the highest displacement bike when he tried a different type of bike. You're all a part of the motorcycle community, quit being toxic towards each other.

[@iholesale]

Right on, I was looking for a reasonable person on here. Everyone has their own preferences on bikes, everyone has to learn to ride at some point. Everyone was a beginner at one point. We need more encouragement for people that want to try, the more people that ride, the better.

[@epicmarco514]

@@iholesale my thoughts exactly, a lot of toxic people in this community lol

[@TENanninga]

ROFLMAO, "I don't know what happened" Truer words were never spoken. There was no pothole though...

[@JuanRamirez-gu7dh]

Completely his mistake. He tried to avoid that "pothole". And in doing so, he thought he was in an appropriate speed to not counter steer. He did the opposite and went the opposite way. He panicked.

[@SckharVawn]

the only decent comment i've seen here so far.

[@JuanRamirez-gu7dh]

Sckhar Leviathan thank you Sckhar, I call it like i see it lol. It's only so obvious.

[@Bobshouse]

I knew you guys were doomed from the start...riding on the wrong side of the road.

[@JohnDoe-ir2ft]

Poor Harley just got confused about rolling down the wrong side of the road. It's a safety feature for drunk Americans. Lol

[@happyfreeliferc]

the guy cant ride ..that is obvious .. blaming the steering locked up ,lol BS

[@mattmurdock80]

Little groove in the surface.. you panicked and tried to muscle the bar when you needed to just ride through it. You don't have the skill for that bike, go back to your scooter.

[@wendydillard1]

I watched it in slow motion several times. He's trying to take the slight curve to the right but pulls in and holds the clutch so when he applies the gas the bike can't respond with any power and his own weight of leaning to the left tips the bike onto it's side. The bike does not have a steering lock, unless it's parked an u lock it with a key or use your own pad lock. This is just my opinion but I've been riding since the 70's.

[@GogogoFolowMe]

Yeah, why the clutch holding when turning...those bikes have some torque... just wondering.

[@ripmax333]

I glad that the rider didn't get hurt but still I cannot comprehend how he went down, didn't look like a huge pothole or something that a Harley couldn't handle.

[@Lovelfe88]

Didn't look like he chopped the throttle, but the steering locked? Really? Come on now. You weren't familiar with the bike and went off fucking around. That's what happens.

[@Szlejer]

There was no pothole, just a scared, clueless newbie on a bike...

[@kbosssauce1045]

What pothole

[@Corey-pd3mi]

The steering lock just kicked in 🤣😂

[@ma3stro681]

It saved him from really hurting himself later on when he got out of first gear … 😂

[@TheToycloser]

Yep, blame the roads. Crashing in a straight line. Must be the road's fault...

[@Chainspike101]

Right was gonna say that's got to be one hell of a pot hole, I've hit them in NJ before but I've never dumped it.

[@kevamor]

Lol wasn't no pot hole. That was just him not knowing how to ride.

[@justinwood3278]

All I saw was the curb

[@searayus1]

God bless the 4 wheel public that stops and checks on down riders.

[@MercerVisualProductions]

all 1 of them 😂😂

[@rvarnum]

I played it back at .25 speed and I can't figure out what he did to dump it. There was no pothole. I thought it looked like he gunned it and kicked out his rear tire, but it really looks like his clutch was in. If you look at the way he was trying to corner slightly to the right, it appears that he was turning the bars to the right which is going to make him go surprisingly to the left. A new rider might think the the steering was faulty. Btw, the audio is hillarious at .25 speed.

[@magnuss2916]

Watched it over and over, I dont get what happened. Its like if the rider just got dead stiff and fell over on his side? :|

[@dimitriosmihalas]

no speed thus no balance for such a heavy bike and the bike turned on its own weight

[@thearmy88ify]

focus of his front brake hand. grabbed the shit out of it.

[@Arthurvanderlee]

What Pothole? I did not see one. How long have you been riding motorcycles?

[@timtimtimmay4654]

Turning right, but leaned left and turned his head forward before he completed the turn, then he hit the ridge in the road. Pushed him right over to where he was already leaning and looking.

[@antonmaclean8418]

I didnt see a pot hole, they might be changing their policy on letting people take test drives, maybe they should put a track next to the store and put training wheels on the bikes.

[@NatsumeKonno]

3:55 you mean that pot hole he went on and is clearly visible. It looks deep but surely if he went straight and didnt lean he would be alright.

[@NatsumeKonno]

@P Bebnowski what you mean 3:55 his leaning right hits a huge pot hole so he leans it left looks like his front dig in a small pit so he fell.

[@Ryan-re1rs]

@@NatsumeKonno huge pot hole? Lolololololol.

[@aakashvara]

lmao you call that a pothole, come to India you can legit fit an apartment inside the pothole

[@alanmlkbanda]

His explanation to the woman in charge is hilarious. It’s obvious nobody believes him even-though no one’s says a thing. Oh boy is it embarrassing.

[@iamthebeatmaster]

there was no pothole. you made a mistake.

[@ValdiviaCesarBro]

Noob rider blaming it on a bike.. THIS IS WHY new riders SHOULDN’T buy new bikes