Roachy, congratulations on the test and well done on getting your first drop out of the way.   I haven't paid attention to what bike you've got but I can tell you that there are a couple of excellent ways to make it easier to pick up a dropped bike.  I've had 3 back surgeries and one of my bikes weighs over 900lbs and the techniques work without doing your back in and without the need or a lot of strength either.   I tend to use this technique but it may not work as easily on a bike without crash bars or saddlebags because the seat will be much lower to the ground.  If this is the case the second technique may work better for you.   http://www.pinkribbonrides.com/Videos/drop05.mpg   This one shows the above technique plus the second option that might be easier without saddlebags etc.  http://www.dps.state.mn.us/mmsc/latest/MMSCHomeSecondar...mp;scat=27   Here is a website or the FFS ladies as well http://www.vtwinmama.com/index.htm   I have some great stories of bike drops that have happened to me.  The best one, only in October on my Mississippi trip, neither of the above techniques would work because I was almost out of petrol, late at night, dark middle of nowhere, Arkansas.  Found a petrol station all lit up, one on each side of the road.  Pulled into the one my side, up to the pump.  Then noticed that the garage shop was actually closed but pump had credit card payment option and seemed to be working.  Dug around in pockets for wallet, started to get of bike and realised hadn't yet put sidestand down.  In my hurry to re balance the bike and get off at the same time it toppled away from me and fell to the floor against the pump.   Problem was, seat was wedged against pump body, handle  bar had got tangled in pump hose pipe.  After  much expletives, found there was no way to work either technique and had to resort to brute force and anger from the opposite side of the pump and pull the thing up.  I was so relieved that I was able to get it up.  To cap it all, bloody card wouldn't work and had to go across to the other station, which did have someone in the shop.  She was smiling when I went in so probably had great fun watching the whole thing.   Another time, busy fitting Fishtail exhausts in my old woooden shed to the Venture.  Bike was on centrestand, I was laying down on the floor twisting away getting these pipes slipped on tothe bike.  One went on quite well, one was sticking.  Tried pushing a bit harder and didn't twig that I was slowly rocking the bike off the centre stand!  Lucky for me it topled off ( all in slow motion the moment I noticed!) and fell to nthe left, so only about a foot onto the wooden wall in the shed as it was so close.   The worst news one was the same 950lb bike ridden out of the very same shed alongside one of my aluminium bodied sports cars. Got off the bike, oops, hadn't done the side stand and crash, fell against the car, much like the wooden shed, not very far and only the plastic fairing was against the car but it was enough to put a nice little ripple in the bonnet and empty my wallet of about £300 to rectify!   Still, now you know why I liked to learn those techniques                                                                                                                                                                             

Of course, I wouldn't always need to know the techniques if I remembered the side stand more often!                                                                                                                                                                              

Some really good advice there Shooter! Cheers. The Vtwin website is good too.. wonder if theres a similar UK one , Im sure us FFS'ers could get sum really good tips off there.   * makes mental Note:-  Pictrue Shooter at the petrol station - REMEMBER TO PUT SIDE STAND DOWN*                                                                                                                                                                             

hey Roachy  - congrats on getting out on the bike & then picking it back up again - I know how frustrating THAT is!!! lol   WB - when you're compiling the FFS book, don't forget to put the FFS Girls song in there!!   & Kaz * makes mental Note:-  Pictrue Shooter at the petrol station - REMEMBER TO PUT SIDE STAND DOWN*   Yep- I thinkI'll have that one in my Mental notes bank aswell!!!