1st time down the road

[spiki-spikester]

Well it happened - I went down on the motorway on my nice new Sunset Red Sprint.

It was heavy fog all day today. Condensation in the visor, despite the Shoei pinlock, heavy misting on the outside of the visor, slippery road, heavy traffic & speed restrictions, weather warnings everywhere - and roadworks. Where the M1 is having road widening (Junction 10 - Luton) the road splits into a contraflow. I was changing lane and slightly misjudged, clipped a traffic cone that marked the entry to the split lanes. That caused a wobble but I held upright - but not so upright that I could do anything about the car that clipped me coming past - down I went & into the cones at about 30 / 40 mph. At least they meant I wasn't in the path of the traffic...

The car that caught me didn't stop, but the guy behind did & helped me get the bike up again.

At least I am ok - just a bit of bruising under my arm and a small bruise on the hip where I hit the deck & slid into traffic cones. Boy, am I pleased I invested in proper gear. My new all weather suit did the job brilliantly

The irony is that I was on my way back home from having the drag lnk bolt done under the latest recall - otherwise I wouldn't have gone out today... I did a long trip yesterday in fog and wasn't in the mood for it again - but I was booked in, so I went !! I usually have a rule of thumb not to ride if I don't feel right, as that is when I find small mistakes happen. Should have listened to myself more today !

Thankfully, I wasn't too far from the dealer, who got the bike patched up and rideable again for me. But it is going to cost a lot to replace the top fairing (now missing a big chunk), the lower fairing and whatever else they spotted - all on my insurance. But that why we pay for it I suppose.

All the mechanical bits are ok, as are the forks and frame (apart froma small scuff). The crash bung is bust though - more money well spent ! Heaven knows how much worse the damage would have been without it.

I have to take responsibility for this one, as I miscalculated. Even though it was a minor miscalculation, I could have been more aware of some of the surrounding traffic. I'd like to think that on most other days I would have been.

At the moment I 'm just pleased to be here, with my new baby daughter screaming her head off !!

Keep it shiny side up & have a good holiday everyone.

[Alsworld]

Glad you are okay. Sucks about the bike but it sounds quite fixable. We all live and learn (and make mistakes). Lord knows I have and surely will continue to. Just like you said, that is what insurance is all about. Happy to hear the gear worked and you weren't banged up too bad. Keep your chin up Brother, they'll fix that bike soon enough and you'll be riding soon again.

[Django]

Bad luck or good luck?

Your baby daughter is the important thing here. You will see her grow up and she will have a daddy. I will give my baby son a hug tonight and if they take my ST to the crusher while I'm doing it, well, it could be so much worse.

Glad you are writing.

Django

[DaveM]

spiki-spikester,
sorry about your off mate but very pleased you are in one piece.

A word of advice mate, I have extensive falling off experience :razz: (at least 12 over 30 years, most when I was younger and bullet proof).

Get yourself checked out by a Doc even if you feel 100% sometimes stuff happens after. I'm sure your fine but better to be on the safe side

Glad you are ok have a good christmas with your loved ones.

Davem

Sorry to hear about your going down. I have been riding for 2 yrs now. Had a 2000 Suzuki Katana 750 - until August of this year. Then, when I was going around a long winding, and blind, curve uphill, some idiot was doing an illegal U-turn. So off I went. The bike was totaled, and I went to the hospital with severe road rash (the only time I dont wear gear is to the coffee shop, 1 mile away -- and this was that time!).

The good side of the story is now I am buying (Arrives next week) the bike I always wanted -- Silver 2003 Sprint ST (OK used, but I love that body style).

Hope you and bike get better. :hammer:

[omaz]

"The car that caught me didn't stop, but the guy behind did & helped me get the bike up again."

I don't know how it is in England but hit and run is frowned upon by the authorities in the U.S.A and Canada. Hopefully the driver of the car that struck you will be tracked down and held accountable for their actions.
I'm very glad to read that you're OK. Go give your wife and new daughter a hug and have a Merry Christmas!

[bakwheeltango]

yikes! glad to hear your okay.
I hope the rest of the holiday season goes smoother for you.

and yes you got your priorities right! ... you're still here for your kids!

cheers

[ruscook]

spikester, sorry to hear about the off, but as others have said you're still here for the family and basically ok.

Dave's advice to check with a Doc is sound, it means you and the family will know you've done no serious damage especially this close to Xmas when a lot of normal services shutdown (who wants to be in emergency just cos that headache keeps cmoing back over xmas!!!).

Good luck with the repairs

Russ

It's great to know that you're o.k. Take care of yourself, and you'll heal up just fine and will ride again. The comments on this site are spot on when it comes to remembering what's important. That young child at home needs you so be thankful that the accident wasn't worse.

I personally have a 3 year old son, and I couldn't imagine him living life without me (or vice versa). I've actually affixed a small photo of him to my windscreen to constantly remind me to ride within my limits (This accident wasn't your fault, that's not my point). Some accidents, like yours, can't be avoided. But let's all remember to ride safe for our loved ones.

Take care, get better.

[SpiderTex]

Spiki, good to hear that you are well.

The last days it was very foggy here too. I also have a Shoei with pinlock, and although the interior remains clear, those little droplets on the outside are hell. Evening, bad lighting, reflections... Very easy to make a miscalculation.
However, your initial miscalculation took away your safety-manoeuvrability margin, that doesn't mean that the car causing you to finally go down goes free... Did the guy behind you got a license plate (I assume that you were too busy with keeping the bike up to notice a license plate).
heal well, merry x-mas and happy new year