I believe I've killed my '99 Sprint ST

It is not yet official, the insurance person has not evaluated the damage and done his or her calculations but my gut feeling is that it will be a total loss. I will consider buying it back if the money is right, the damage is largely cosmetic with an emphasis on large damage.

It is a very sad. This was the first bike that I personally owned. I have kept it well for six years (I bought it as a leftover in 2000.) It has been on long adventures and been driven with spirit through many a twisty lane.

It was much more than a motorcycle to me. It has actually meant much more to me than any vehicle I've ever owned. At the time that I purchased this bike, I was in the middle of a nasty divorce. Buying and riding a motorcycle was a bit of my own declaration of independence from my ex-wife. It was something she never even knew that I wanted because it was a desire that she would not have allowed. I wouldn't have been allowed to access the money to buy it and she just wouldn't have allowed me to even consider riding (too dangerous in her opinion). In fact, when she did find out about the bike, her comment was "David, this just isn't you." In reality, it had always been a part of me longing to come out.

When I was a teen, I rode friends bikes and loved it. Mostly small dirtbikes on a limited basis but I rode any chance I got. I have been an avid bicycle rider since I was in college and the motorcycle has always seemed like just an extension of the same thing. Just faster and over greater distances. But the same feeling of adventure, exploration, discovery and freedom.

From the time when I bought this bike, I have felt that I would always keep it. I thought I might eventually buy other motorcycles but that this one would always be with me, sitting in a cherished corner of the garage after it became too outdated and old to ride on regular basis. But still brought out for special shared rides with the memories of adventures past.

It is with extreme sadness and regret at my mistake that caused its likely end that I consider my Sprint now. I am having difficulty contemplating something different or even just a newer version of my crashed motorcycle. I like riding something that is not what everyone else is riding. I have loved the look of the bike from when I first found out about them. Althought my skill progression and riding venues have at times tickled a desire for something a bit lighter and a wee more agile... I like the strength and relative comfort this bike provides with even two people aboard. I still grin and giggle at the sound of the engine revving. I am a Sport Tourer but with track tendencies of late. I perhaps really need two bikes now to fullfill my powered two wheel desires. This event will regretibly delay a chance at that possibility even more.

Perhaps I need to go to my local pub and raise a glass of a fine single malt in honor of the fallen. (or I could just nip a bit from that nice bottle I bought my brother)

[katrider]

Sorry to hear about the bike, but it sounds like you are OK (I don't know the details of what happened to you...) and hopefully you can find an admirable replacement...

[Pwdrhd]

Very nice eulogy. I'm sorry for your loss. I have a 99 ST and love her also. It will all resolve itself though.

Were we married to the same woman? I divorced her about 12 years ago!??

Glad you are safe.
Scott

[Beach]

I feel for you Dave.

Infact our stories are pretty close. Except for the divorce part. I bought my 99 ST in 2000 and planned on keeping it. I was about to buy a low mileage Bimota SB6, when I was on a short ride and a wayward dog crossed my path. I chose to brake rather than hit it. The front wheel locked on a damp patch of diesel on an otherwise dry road. Down we went on the right side. The cosmetic damage was extensive. At 85,500kms I was paid out. I tried to buy it back, but a chap at the disposal centre had the same model so he grabbed my old friend to make one bike.

After I healed I bought a 05 ST. Its a wonderful package and I love riding it, but I do miss the '99 ST.

The most important thing is that you are ok and can ride another day.

If we were closer I would join you in that single malt.

Brett.

[steventhechef]

Sorry to hear of your loss dave. Time will soften but never completely heal. Glad your OK physically..

[Stlakid]

"David, this just isn't you."

That one sentence alone shows just how out of touch she was within her marriage to you and the people she is supposed to truly care about.
I'm sure you know how much better off you are now, no matter how close you may or may not be with her. (good riddance to her IMHO)

As for the bike I do understand how it would have a special place for you as a symbol of how little your EX really either understood, or perhaps that it was just a selfish, and obviously controlling personality trait. I'm sure you enjoyed giving rides to whomever your pillion passenger was. (Obviously more in tune with you than the EX) The bike is a lot like a woman, the best way to get over a broken heart is to get out and ride a new one. (in both senses!) Get a new (or newer to you Sprint) between your legs and give her a good thrashing, I promise you will be the better for it!
:hihi:

And as far as the EX is concerned I hope the fact that you are enjoying the riding experience leaves her feeling...........
kit: :wow: :brk: "> ssd: :kck:

No one should stop someone (of either gender) from the things that make them truly happy! :yayyy:

[DaveM]

Bad luck Dave,
I know what you mean when you get attached to a machine you love.

Here's hoping your next set of two wheels brings you just as much plrasure! :wink:

Davem

[DaveM]

Err........ that new word was Pleasure! :-D

Davem

Thanks for the nice replies. I intentionally left out details of how it happened in the other post because I needed to focus on how I felt now.

The Ex, I'm long over, I've actually been remarried for 4 years tomorrow. And she enjoys the bike almost as much as I do. In fact, we spent three days of our honeymoon on a motorcycle trip in Scotland. Actually the Ex and I have managed a kind of casual aquaintence at this point. We still live in the same area, but do not see each other that often. Since we met in college and had all the same friends, there are connections still though.

Physically, I'm fine. my left shoulder is a bit bruised and my left elbow and knee feel a little tweaked, perhaps some strained tendons but nothing serious at all.

So what happened? I was actually taking a "Definsive Riding Course" on Sunday. This course is on a small track here in MN at one of the area Tech. Colleges. It was built and designed for teaching Semi-truck drivers and emergency vehicles. There are a few MC organizations that use it for training though. It's nice for that. It's not very long so you can't get to real high speeds and has lots of corners of various types.

Before I tell you more of what happened. I know that most books and experts say that you should go for the corner when in distress. You are most likely going to make it. Even if it is at higher spped than you think you can or should navigate said corner. I made another choice and it turned out badly.

We were in the 2nd session of the day and I had been following another rider and I was riding great. I could visualize completely how I could make each corner better and slightly faster than I was following this other guy. I decided it was time to pass him and up my speed level just a notch. Since this is a class and not racing at all, there is only passing on the straights of which there are two on this track with enough space to pass without difficulty. So I set up right behind the other bike and through the last sweeper before the straight I was in good position to flow right by him. As we came out of the corner, an instructor was a bit ahead of us and waving us (we both thought) past him. So instead of a nice early, clean pass, now we are both accelerating down the straight. I did a quick calculation and thought I could still make it. I did, but was coming into the next corner much faster than I was used to and in an entirely wrong position to take the corner. I was also thinking that even if I made the corner I would be WAY off for the quick chicane after it and knew that if I missed that the pavement to dirt transission would not be forgiving. So I thought that just running into the grass would be good. I had done it on other corners and everything had worked out just fine. (yes this really did all flash through my head in mili-seconds, it wasn't all in words but the ideas were all definately there) I entered the grass, felt I was going WAY too fast for conditions, especially since a straight line would lead to definate trouble of other varieties. I know to use just the rear brake but must have grabbed some front because the front wheel slid out and I went down hard on my left. After the initial hit I remember sliding through the grass with dust flying up all over and thinking "This isn't so bad, I've been worried about a crash like this and sliding isn't so bad" but then I saw the bike do a flip fop from the left to right and back to left side... That was more painful than anything else.

End result was very little damage to my leathers, a bruise in the outline of the shoulder armor on my left shoulder and other little twinges as I already mentioned. Not a touch to my helmet and just dirt on my gloves. The bike is a completely different story. All of the plastic fairing parts are at least scraped and many cracked and or broken. The front fairing stay took a hit and is shoved to the left and back. Hand break lever is broken off, right foot peg is gone and the gear shift is curled into a shape similar to a pigs tail. Both mirrors are shattered, the right one shoved it's bracket in (I'm guessing that's what shoved the fairing stay over). Three of the guage housings have dings and the wind screen (new Zero Gravity smoke, double bubble that looked great by the way) was broken in half. Two pieces of plastic survied in tact, the small piece at the rear that joins the two side rear halves and the center piece in front has no scratches. That's most of the damage... Oh, forgot the big scrapes in the engine cover on the right side (not deep enough to cause leaking). Sound totalled to you? Me too.

Yes, I know this was entirely my fault so no beating me up about wrong decissions. Next time I'll attempt the corner.

One final thought. In a situation like this, allmost all of the other riders were very nice and gave me nice help and support afterwards. A big thanks to my friend Dave who drove quite a ways to bring his trailer down and scoop up the remains and deliver them back to my house.

[ This message was edited by: davethebiker on 2006-07-26 13:15 ]

[Beach]

Dave,

This may not be an option and you have probably already considered it, but you would be able to source most if not all of those bits second hand and rebuild your baby. I've seen it done a few times.

Having said that, time, space, money and the immediate need for transport could all conspire against you. It did in my case.

Brett.