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My bike lies down and takes a nap in the middle of a curve

2K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  Blackbird 
#1 ·
All of this is copied and pasted from my post in another board.

July 9th.

Came around the curve and realized I was too hot. Started easing on the brake but that stood it up. So I let off the brake and started leaning harder. I started easing off the throttle. Caused the back to wobble.

So finally I started slowly rolling on the gas and just cranked it over (this is an uphill right hander).

The peg dragged till it couldn't drag anymore and then it happened. My X-metal pipe started dragging. I think it was about a milisecond later that the tire come up off the ground and the bike and I parted ways instantly.

I slid on my back and somehow rolled over and slid into the trees. A group of three trees hit me and the back and stopped me. I sat there for a second totally in denial and unable to believe what just happened. I've gone two years riding hard without ever going down. Chalk one up to the pavement gods.

I heard the guy that had been riding behind me up the hill aways yelling about whether I was ok. I couldn't say anything. I jumped up and ran out of the woods looking for my bike. I looked down and saw my mirror lieing on the ground. Then I realized my bike was gone.

SHIT!! I yelled. I ran to the tree line and looked down over the embankment and there laid my baby. VERY battered.

Hop, skip, and jump forwards and we were on the way back with his truck. Come over the hill and there were the flashing red and blues. A local had come through and seen the skidmarks. Not being able to find a body he called the police. Luckily a good friend of mine was on duty and she took the report.

We got the bike home and looked over the damage.

THE BIKE: Side and front fairing has no piece untouched (headlight is okay though). Front fender torn off. ZG Double Bubble busted into about 6 pieces. right mirror busted off. Right clipon is hanging off by wires and cables. Right peg and the bracket is gone. Rear cowl is busted. Corbin seat is torn down the side (but in the vinyl side panels so possibly fixable. X-metal can is badly scuffed on the ends of the can. The Carbon Fiber looks ok but this happened right at dark so until daytime I won't know the extent.

ME: Scraped up back. Third degree burns on right upper arm. BAD road rash on the right lower arm. Pretty busted up right knee. Over all I came out great considering what the bike went through. That and what stopped me. I went from pretty good speed to zero awfully quick when I hit those trees. God was with me I believe.

ANYwho, if anyone has any used plastics (yellow and black) for sale let me know. I'm not going to turn the bike into insurance unless I find that the frame is screwed.

If any good came out of this I convinced the guy with me that he needs to start wearing a helmet:D

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update:

Well, last night was a long restless night. Hurt too bad to sleep well and replayed the incident about 10,000 times in my head.

My arm and knee are sore as hell this morning. Can't hardly move my arm actually and it makes putting it up on the desk to type a bitch.

Discovered two other sore spots I didn't know about. The left front of my neck feels pulled and the "smurf off" finger on my left hand. No idea how the finger happened but when I went into the trees and slammed to a stop I remember making a loud HUFF!! as I hit. I think maybe it jarred my neck then.

Went out to look at the bike today. Could cry. Luckily I don't think any of the major mechanicals are screwed. I'll have to have the frame checked and the forks examined. One of the guys from the F4 mailing list responded that he had all the plastic I'd need but wanted to know what color I had. Hopefully he has a yellow and black that he races and has stock plastic for.

Well, thanks for the concern guys. And to those of you that ride. If I hadn't had my helmet on I'd probably be without a right ear and some scalp and maybe worse. WEAR YOUR FRIGGIN HELMET.

Side note, had I not decided it was too hot to wear my Ballistic jacket the only injury I'd have recieved would be to my knee.
 
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#2 ·
Hang in there Chris, Keep those rash wounds dressed and clean. Its a burden but eventually they will heal. The better you take care of them the less scarring they will leave.

Good luck on the bike and I'm sure we are ALL glad you had your helmet on.
 
G
#3 ·
I've read a lot of your posts. I was quite surprised to see the pictures of your road rash.
You don't come off to be a moron ? So what gives ? Are you ?

If it's too hot to wear you jacket, it's too hot to ride man. going to the store is not what I mean. Getting over your head in corners is.
 
#4 ·
Squidwannabe said:
I've read a lot of your posts. I was quite surprised to see the pictures of your road rash.
You don't come off to be a moron ? So what gives ? Are you ?

If it's too hot to wear you jacket, it's too hot to ride man. going to the store is not what I mean. Getting over your head in corners is.
Hey man. I deserve the title of moron on this one. When I went out for this ride I did not intend to ride hard. Its been awhile since I've been out on 66 and there was a straight right up to the curve. I just bumped it up to about 75 and was starting to back off when I realized which curve I was in. Most of the curves (with only a few exceptions) are wide sweepers that you could run at 80 to 90. So I figured that 50mph (what my target speed was) would be easy since the speed limit is 55 on this highway.

Problem was that once I was INTO the curve and realized it was the Gypsie's it was too late. I am not one to "get crazy" very often and never without my gear. I don't do wheelies or any other stunts for that matter. This particular ride seemed ill fated from the git go and I just didn't listen to that little voice in my head which I usually do.

I was just planning to head on home and pack it up for the evening when this happened.

Sucks a big one seeing as I was planning on selling the bike in a couple of months (had just started discussing this with the wife about 4 days before) and go buy a decent priced sport-touring bike.

Not sure what my plans are at the moment.
 
#7 ·
Sorry to hear about that. I would seriously consider the insurance claim if I were you. After reading your description I have a couple of observations. If it was a 55 road you should be able to navigate it at 50mph without all that drama, FWIW I think the on/off throttle maneuver caused your wreck. Matter of fact I bet you would have been better off just holding a steady throttle and railing through on your original line.
I'm not being critical here I know there have been plenty of times when I myself have had that "too fast" feeling. Learning whats really too fast as compared to what seems to fast is a big part of becoming a better rider.
Did you have any specific event that made you feel like your pace was too hot or was it just a general feeling?
 
#8 ·
lucifer said:
If it was a 55 road you should be able to navigate it at 50mph without all that drama, FWIW I think the on/off throttle maneuver caused your wreck. Matter of fact I bet you would have been better off just holding a steady throttle and railing through on your original line.
I'm not being critical here I know there have been plenty of times when I myself have had that "too fast" feeling. Learning whats really too fast as compared to what seems to fast is a big part of becoming a better rider.
Did you have any specific event that made you feel like your pace was too hot or was it just a general feeling?
I'll take these in order.

The highway itself is a 55 as its considered a highway. The curve itself is a 15 mph curve with the sign stolen. I managed to head into it at a speed I won't mention. Slowed to 65 or 70. The guy following says 75 cuz he was running 65 and I was leaving him. The bike was still stable after the throttle on/off. It just wasn't until the pipe touched down that things went to hell. Holding the original "Line" wouldn't work because its a switchback in a narrow section of road. The too fast "feeling" didn't come into account simply because it was indeed TOO fast.
 
#10 ·
H-Man...I can feel your pain...

I wadded my new FZ1 on July 4th, got into a switchback corner and "blam"...sun directly in my eyes, face shield gooped up with bug guts...well, the road went left and I went straight...

Bike is pretty close to totalled, State Farm is taking care of this one for me...

Injuries: Minor dirt rash on the left forearm where my Leathers pulled up...bruise the size of Michigan on my right hip...slight bruise to ego...

I second the recommendation to: Always wear your gear...
 
#11 ·
what is this, a feel-good convention?

GreenNinja said:
Hang in there Chris, Keep those rash wounds dressed and clean. Its a burden but eventually they will heal. The better you take care of them the less scarring they will leave.

Good luck on the bike and I'm sure we are ALL glad you had your helmet on.
yeah, the cleaner you keep a wound, the less scaring you will have, better write that one down. we are all truly glad, can i have a hug? i love you man.
 
#14 ·
GixxerSixxer said:
So, will the Ins take care of it? If it's a 15 MPH corner on a 55MPH highway you should be "good to go" right
Umm, not quite sure what you mean here bud.
 
#17 ·
It sucks to read this, but

from what I have read, it sounds like you have ridden this road before, but some time has passed since the last time you have ridden it. I think that we all have experienced the "how did I get here" feeling on familiar roads where it seems that we rode in auto-pilot. Staying attentive and alert, even on roads that you have ridden a hundred times is a very important part of riding as you now well know. God speed.
 
#18 ·
funksouljon said:
Sucks you dropped your bike. Good thing you are okay and learned a lesson. Hopefully you can get back on 2 wheels soon, if the old lady lets you that is. :)
I'm hopeing to be back on the ACE by next wednesday if my Mustang seat gets here :D .

Too many people asking if I'm going to keep riding. Damn, do you quit driving if you have a wreck?

The difference between my bike wreck and their car wrecks is that I am probably the only one that walked away and actually took away something learned.
 
#20 ·
GixxerSixxer said:
I mean: "Ins will take care of it, right?"
Oh, yeah. I just havn't decided whether or not to turn it in. I have a perfectly clean record. don't know what this will do to my MC insurance in the future.

Right now full coverage for each bike is $425.00 for a full 12 month year. None of that 9 month crap.
 
#21 ·
Glad to hear you're okay(ish). Sounds like it could have been a lot worse from what you said about where the bike ended up!

If I were you I'd claim on it. That's what your insurrance is there for. In a similar sort of accident myself in Jan they wrote the bike off with about the same amount of damage (maybe less!) than yours has sustained. I'm paying a lot more for my insurrance now with a higher excess (it was high enough as it was!), but them's is the breaks.

Heal fast man!
 
#22 ·
Blackbird said:
I'm paying a lot more for my insurrance now with a higher excess (it was high enough as it was!), but them's is the breaks.

Heal fast man!
That's just it. With no previous claims or tickets my insurance at full coverage is only 410 bucks a year. I'm not sure I can handle a big hit on 'surance.
 
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