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New bike...first wreck
Good afternoon folks, I just purchased my brand new 2006 Black Tiger a week ago today. I was able to put in a hundred miles the first day to get past the "keep it under 3500 RPM" phase. It sat the garage until Friday when I could ride it to work. Less then a mike from home, on a two lane highway, speed limit 55, I am just up to 50 mph and I see ahead of me a van driving slowly on the shoulder. I keep my speed and start to pass, staying in the same (right hand) lane. As I get withing 50-75 feet, the vans left blinker goes on and it makes a left turn right in front of me!
My first reaction was to apply as much break as i could, unfortunatley locking the rear. I felt the rear slide a bit, I let up on the rear break a bit and tried to turn to the right to miss the van. Unfortuatley I didn't. I glanced off the rear of the van, turned the bike hard left, to avoid going off the road, and down we went. I must have scrubbed off quite a bit of speed as it didn't seem like I slid the far. I poped right up, pissed and screaming at the stupid SOB.
I get me helmet off and see this older women run out from the van, I am yelling something along the lines of "WHAT THE F#$@ WERE YOU THINKING"? Her first words to me were "I had me signal on". I just shook my head.
Long story short; I'm a lucky guy. My head never hit the road, my Fox Creek leather jacket did a great job saving my hide, my deer shin gloves kept my hands intact. I walked away with a scratch on my knee, elbow, and a bruise on my hip.....that's it.
The Tiger, had 113 miles on the odometer at the time of the accident. Two days later is has over 500 miles. Luckily, the bike is still straight. Right side bag is scratched to **** (still works though), tank has a scratch but no dent, lost a bar end, ground the hand guard off to where it is even with the brake lever, bust the turn signal lens (bulb still works), and took a chunk ou the bottom of the front fork. I take it in on Tuesday for the 500 mile service and damage estimate.
This was my first accident that included contact with a car;scared the piss out of me but by golly I still want to ride. All I can say is be careful, knuckleheads are everywhere, wear good protective gear, and pratice emergency stopping and avoidence techniques.
Lastly, I am VERY happy I was riding my new Tiger instead of the Harley Road King I just sold.....I would have hit that car a lot harder on the big pig.
Nice to be a RAT instead of a HOG
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