Triumphrat

Anchorbend · 03-05-2006, 03:56 PM

We are all responsible for our own actions and the level of risks we take and suffer with the consequences. Last night, while channel surfing, I ran into Discovery Health which was analyzing the causes of a motorcycle accident. Apparently an experienced cyclist was going around a curve at a low speed and the bike slid out from underneath him and he hit a truck coming from the opposite direction. They analyzed the speed he was riding at in conjunction with the degree of lean , replicated the turn and he was well within the margin as to what would be expected with his bike.

The final analysis was that he had hit his head on the switch plate on the handlebars with his head and this was what killed him. The causes were that, after analyzing the tire which had plenty of tread, was that he used a tire dressing on the tire to make it look shiny and black. The tire dressing was extremely slippery and the bike slid out from under him. Good lesson to learn from this if you didn't already know of the pitfalls of tire dressing.

The head injury was also the result of a poor decision. The helmet he was wearing was one of those German army clones which was clearly marked as a novelty item and not DOT approved. It baffles me that if you are going to wear a helmet , why not wear one that will do some good. Your decision as to whether or not you wear a helmet. Form over function I guess.

Gets back to the decisions one makes and the consequences. Don't mean to be a drag but I think there were two good points to be made about safer riding.

D9 · 03-05-2006, 04:55 PM

Anchor, I'll have to check the listings, I'd like to see that show - guess the only upside to this incident is taking the lesson from it.

Your post reminds me of reading Pat Hahn's excellent book Ride Fast, Ride Hard. He really goes into asking the questions about decisions that take place well before as well as during a ride - and gets to some pretty hard core conclusions as far as accidents are concerned.

Cheers,

D9

dazco · 03-05-2006, 05:42 PM

very good post ! This is something i learned and posted about a while back....DO NOT use tire dressings on bikes !! I did, and i realized the mistake befor i learned the hard way. While looking at my tires i noticed the first inch of tread on up from where the tread and sidewall meet looked funny. On close inspection i realize the rubber was hard and very slick ! The dressing "creeps" up onto the tread via centrifical force while riding even tho i was carefull not to get any on the tread. the tread was so slick it was sacry ! I saneded this hard coating off and will NEVER use that ****e again.

Everyone should take heed and DON'T use tire dressings. Lucky for me i try and avoid steep turn angles. I try and ride ultra safe these days. But i can easily see how if i had taken any turns steep enough to contact that slick patch on the edge of the tread i have no doubt i probably would have had a good chance of sliding along the asphault !

AllanCook · 03-05-2006, 06:39 PM

On this subject, I would add that it is very important to ensure than no chain lube gets on the tires, either. It's a waxy lubricant, and it doesn't take much to produce a nasty little slip.

Allan

03-05-2006, 11:16 PM

That tire dressing must be just as dangerous as the mold release agent on brand new tires. A few years back after having some new tires fitted to a Yamaha FZ1 after listening to the 50 mile safety talk I nearly dumped that bike 1 block from the tire shop. Making a right turn from a dead stop carefully feathering the clutch and easy on the gas the the rear tire slid out a good 2 or 3 feet in a heartbeat. After that I aways take some very fine grit emory paper to clean away that awful stuff.

ChuckofTahoe · 03-06-2006, 12:22 AM

No tire dressing allowed around bikes.

Ditto on watching the use of the other lubricants like chain lube which should be applied carefully so that it does not drip onto the rear tire. If you over lube, it can fly all over the place including the tire. Even though I am careful with the chain lube. I take it easy on the bike until the lubricant works in and any that may find it's way flying off the chain is worn off.

[ This message was edited by: ChuckofTahoe on 2006-03-05 22:27 ]

Panthermark · 03-06-2006, 08:09 AM

:gpst:

Silverado57 · 03-06-2006, 08:16 AM

Great post.
This poor guy misinterpreted the message of "shiny side up".

I realize a lot of you guys don't wear helmets, but man alive I don't even like bumping my head walking into something much less coming off a bike doing 60.