Likewise, my first drop in 6 years was last week.
Likewise, the Triumph frame slider prevented damage as the bike was gently lowered into its rest position on the right hand side. The only noticeable mark is a slight abrasion to the stock alloy brake lever end. Even the frame slider, which took most the bike's weight, was unmarked.
The rear brake foot pedal seems to have taken some of the weight and it's possible it feels and looks like a slight bend inwards has occurred. This needs to be checked carefully.
Main damage seems to be to the rider who has sustained a pulled hamstring in his right leg while straining to hold the bike upright, then lowering it as gently as possible to the ground.
The drop happened while moving off and with the bars turned slightly to the right attempting to negotiate a fairly tight slow speed turn in a confined space. I was wearing a new pair of riding boots for the first time. They have a considerably heavier construction than my old boots. Consequently, with a reduced feel, too much pressure was being exerted onto the rear brake pedal. Insufficient engine revs while releasing the clutch caused the engine to stall. With the bike lean angle and the inertia from the slight movement forward, being out of balance, was catastrophic. The bike had passed a point of recovery instantaneously and before my foot was down to prevent the drop.
I had seen demonstrations of how to lift a fallen bike. First I switched off the ignition and then had to detach myself from the air vest lanyard to get away from the bike. The bike was still in first gear and I put the side stand into the down position. My first lift attempt hardly raised the bike. A female neighbour came to my assistance who steadied the bike and provided some force as I did the main lift. This time the lift was successful and the bike was restored safely onto the side stand, stationary in gear, on the gentle downward slope of my driveway onto the road.
An unnerving experience and something I had always dreaded with my first new bike 6 years ago. Now it had happened with my new TS660.
Fortunately, no-one was seriously injured; it happened in a quiet location; I have practised the correct way to lift the bike. Fortunate too that the bike fell to the right, such that the side stand was available to safely return it to the upright.
I can imagine far trickier scenarios.
