Oh...and in the April issue of Superbike, they have a comprehensive article about everything that happens or can happen to you when you crash!


"From the CBR to the E.R." as they say.

I was out cruising last-night, it was cooler than ideal, but I was dressed for it. I was following a buddy of mine, him in a car and he pulled over in a lot. I followed quickly realizing that the lot was pee gravel. I eased on the rear brake, and grabbed the front too hard highsiding the bike at about 10-15 mph, with my lack of experience I couldnt save the bike and focused on a controlled roll... My $2000 dollar first street bike is a little uglyer resulting in some nice scratches and gouges on the fairing, the bike was damged cosmetically only and after verifing everything mechanically was ok I continued to enjoy the ride.. Oh well better to dump it at lowspeed than 55 on the highway.

Dan

a few comments, great story by the way.

1--think of how bad it would've sucked if you had a new bike, like a lot of people have.

2--fortunately, low speed accidents are much more common, since a bike has more stability at high speeds than low ones. of course, high speed crashes hurt.

3--steel framed bikes crash better.

i hope you're feeling okay.

one thing that is difficult to figure out is when to use front brake vs rear brake and how to apply them properly. it sounds like you were using too much rear brake. of course too much front would have dropped you as well. there is a balance that changes with conditions. only time can get you that experience. i'm sure next time it happens, you'll probably do better.

don't worry though, most f2's have scratches. mine did.

Dont have anything to add..But this is a great read. Keep them comming.

you may wanna get your friend reading this thread. there's a lot of good info and i'm glad you're enjoying. it wasn't my idea, but i thought it was important.

Ill definatly bring this one to his attention. We went to a few shops today..he saw a 98 GSXR 600 he really likes..Before that, I showed him a few people 'stunting' and crashing...first word out of his mouth was... I need to learn how to do a wheelie. Looks like this might be a battle I wont win.

it's too bad. i seriously doubt that your friend will end up dead, but, it's also unlikely that he'll never know the joys of motorcycling for a life-time.

I am about to get a bike for the first time and I have two questions. Has anyone ever avoided serious crashes all together? Also how do you find a nice used bike for $2000?

most people do avoid serious, life-threathening crashes. most people have minor accidents. however, the better your gear, the less likely you'll be to have a serious accident. i got more hurt crashing at 10 mph in t-shirt and jeans than i did at over 100 in leathers. neither were serious accidents. one i ripped my knee up a bit, the other my hand was a little sore, for about a day. the point of this thread isn't scare people away from bikes, but to let new riders learn tough lessons the easy way. pick up information to avoid these accidents that we have had.

check some of the posts below. good cheap bikes are out there, they really are. paper, auto-traders, etc. are a good place to start.

Probably the best one I had was when I had my FZR1000 about 10 years ago, 200 metres from home, neighbour had been putting a new pool in. Went to pick up my girlfriend and hit the patch of sand (from the pool digging) that had strewn on the road coming into a roundabout at around 30kph. Flicked one way, then the other, and spat me over the handlebars. Complete flip, landed on my feet and kept running for about 5 steps before falling over.

Turned around just in time to see the bike flip and land on the top corner of the fairing, broke the mirror, brake lever, side fairing and screen. Then I looked up to where I has somersaulted off the bike - 2 feet to the right and I would have hit a Give Way sign upside down with my back. Managed to pick up a 225kg bike and ride it back home (not far as I said), walked back and picked up the bits that weren't attached anymore. The lucky part was I was in T-shirt and jeans, and all I got for my trouble was a rip in my glove from where I stumbled trying to run at 30kph.

Was the black with the red metallic fleck through it, damn near cried when I took a good look at it. My brother is a spray painter, and we managed to repair the fairing and plastic weld the screen, got the side graphics done from a local sticker shop, looked like new again.

Was very very lucky to get away with not a scratch on me - and not to have been 2-up at the time, could have been very messy.