Triumphrat

tooblekain · 11-18-2008, 04:13 PM

Just as the title says...

I was riding and heading turning into a gas station. As I was entering a car almost hit me head on and I had to hit the brakes. I was still kinda leaned over. But as soon as I grabbed the breaks I feel my front wheel just slip and I slam onto the ground. I was so pissed off and full of adrenaline and managed to pick up the beast pretty fast to the point where it was still running!...and then stall out because it was still in gear. The car drove off and the gas attendant came out running ask if I was okay. Needless to say I'm fine. It turns out the gas station I went to uses the same smooth concrete we use in our garages so there is little to no grip there.

When I got the bike up on its stand, It started up right away. Looked around the bike to asses damages. Gas tank...no dent and scratch. Muffler...no scratches other than from doing spirited riding. left side mirror very small scratch. Speedometer...very small scratch. Headlight...very small scratch. front wheel fender...grrr...2 small noticeable and deep scratches. kickstand...small scratch. Shifter peg...BROKEN!!!

I was devasted and rolled my bike to a station to pump gas. As I was pumping gas, I was almost on the verge of calling AAA to tow my bike back home all because the shifter broke. Luckily I let myself calm down. As I was sitting on the bike letting my nerves settle, I realized I was tapping my foot on the shifter!!! AWESOME...I can downshift...what about upshifting? Can't use my toes like I do normally. So after playing around with my feet and the broken shifter, I realized I can upshift by digging my heel the the front of the shift arm and pulling up. So I fired her up and off I went on the way home.

This is where it proved really difficult. It was pretty hard to tell myself to modify my riding because I took shifting for granted. I was pretty slow on a busy street trying to shift my bike. Once I got on the freeway, it was a huge sigh of relief staying in 5th gear. Getting off the freeway was okay until I had to get going again after stopping...but thank goodness it was only a couple miles away from home.

When I got home, my parents saw I was pissed. They asked what's wrong and I told them I low-sided. My mom freaks out and my dad thought I was lying because he couldnt see any damage until I pointed out the scratch on the front tire fender and broken shift peg.

With that day aside, I call my dealership and the total cost for a shift peg and rubber boot is only $13. The touch up paint cost $20....but I might as well just repair the deep scratches myself with JB Waterweld & matching spraypaint. Thank goodness the repairs are not costly

So after I work, to my local dealership I head off to.

This sucks...I have 4 accidents on my 675...and now 1 on my Bonneville.

propforward · 11-18-2008, 04:41 PM

Well that sucks mightily - I'm glad you're OK that's the main thing, and at least your shifter repairs are inexpensive. Frankly - it's better that your shifter broke off than bending the gear selector shaft. That's fairly spendy to repair. This I know from recent annoying experience.

So.....that's the silver lining in your cloud.

Take it easy!

sweatmachine · 11-18-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tooblekain

This sucks...I have 4 accidents on my 675...and now 1 on my Bonneville.

maybe time to accept a little personal responsibility and think about riding habits?

slowgator · 11-18-2008, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tooblekain

AWESOME...I can downshift...what about upshifting? Can't use my toes like I do normally.

Sorry about your down episode! I broke my shifter peg as well letting her fall over and called the local dealer since I was out of town. They suggested using a small pair of vice grips attached to the shift lever and it worked great! Got me home and to the dealer for repair. I still carry the vice grips in case it ever happens again.

Sofiaspin · 11-18-2008, 05:10 PM

MacG - he may be erring on the accident prone, but he has a great line in poetry....

So after I work, to my local dealership I head off to.

That is a great line.

Anyway, who are we to judge on others riding habits??

AAustin · 11-18-2008, 06:20 PM

Glad you're ok and minimal damage to your Bonneville.

Wanted to ask you to back up to the part where the car almost hit you head on as you were entering the gas station. What exactly happened? Was it a blind entry or did the car come up from behind an obstacle where you couldn't see it? How could it have been avoided?

whoa · 11-18-2008, 06:53 PM

I hit an oil slick and low sided on the left side taking clutch lever, peg, and shifter to name a few major parts. A fully fared Honda had just gone down in the same place before me, but he was able to ride off. I suppose this is the risk of a naked bike.

It makes me wonder if cutting down the shifter would save it with another off?

tooblekain · 11-19-2008, 01:59 AM

In response to sweatmachine. I kind of take offense to the response, but I guess it does deserve explanation and at first glance looks like plain wrecklessness and squid-like behavior. To counter, I have always worn full gear and needless to say thanks to always wearing full gear, all accidents on a bike have been injury free. The 4 accidents on my 675 were:

1st: Coming around a blind corner and finding a Silverado truck in my lane and making me run off the road and hitting a curve indicator ejecting me from the bike and down a ravine. Granted I was new to motorcycling and hit the front brake in a panic causing my handlebars to go from one end of the tank to another.

2nd: Turning into a parking lot at work hitting a huge patch of sand in a center turn in lane. The sand was nearly the same color as the asphalt. Turns out many cars have spun out there as well. I've written to the city to sweep it up. They say they did but never gets done. I may voice a complaint at this point.

3rd: Happened at the track...my first track day at Streets of Willow---I lowsided. A combination of cold tires and going pretty fast at full lean and hitting a bump on a banked sweeper going about 70mph.

4th. Happened at the track...my second track day. Was the last session and was about to start my lap into the pits. I was at Pahrump on turn 9. Just as I was accelerating out, I all of a sudden lost grip on my rear and lowsided. Prior to the crash I had lost grip at random times on turn 3....one of them a total pucker moment where my rear was sliding violently that my feet came off the footpegs. This day made me realize why I hate Pilot Power 2cts.

To answer AAustin, I was turning left into the gas station and as soon as I entered a car was getting out and turning straight into me. I guess it was trying to exit but was turning too sharp. THe pumps were to the right. There were bushes so we couldn't see each other. Needless to say I probably won't enter through there again.

Slowgator...EXCELLENT IDEA!!! I think I'll do that from now on.

taximan62 · 11-19-2008, 11:52 AM

Just a little reminder that if you are leaned over and you panic when having to brake you will go down. Too many people when leaned over will grab a mit full of front brake and boom on the ground. You need to remember if you are leaned over to straiten up and apply the brakes smoothly. Not abruptly.

tooblekain · 11-19-2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taximan62

Just a little reminder that if you are leaned over and you panic when having to brake you will go down. Too many people when leaned over will grab a mit full of front brake and boom on the ground. You need to remember if you are leaned over to straiten up and apply the brakes smoothly. Not abruptly.

I just read that last night as I was browsing through my plethora books such as Sport Riding Techniques and Proficient Riding. That was probably where I could have avoided lowsiding it: bringing it upright.