 New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,690
Learned Hand
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OP
Learned Hand
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,690 |
Im riding to work on my 1972 Bonneville, doing about 60 to 65, and traffic close on my rear.....engine stalls and quits, and I make the mistake of deciding to make a rather fast left turn into a shady area. Traffic behind me went around me as left turn was made, plowing into the left rear shock and sending me sliding across the pavement...LESSON: NEVER make split second decisions at high speeds with close traffic!!!! I should have relaxxed, and let the bike continue to roll off to the right side of the road....Situational Awareness was'nt all there for me that day, so just remember, GO WITH THE FLOW till ALL CLEAR!
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,464 Likes: 1
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,464 Likes: 1 |
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,937
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,937 |
Ya know, A mistake is a mistake. We ALL make them, mostly we luck out and nothing happens, but we INDEED make them.
Glad it's nothing permanent.
And you may see me tonight
With an illegal smile
J. Prine
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 753
3/4 Throttle
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3/4 Throttle
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 753 |
Layed Black Beauty down early Wednesday morning (5:15 a.m. or so) @ 40mph trying to stop w/ less than 25 yards before the stoplight @ Belmont & St John. The light had turned yellow to me with westbound traffic on St John turning N onto Belmont in front of me & I figured I should try to make the stop rather than run it & perhaps T-bone a cager.
Injuries - minimal (skined R knee, elbow, forearm, & a nickle size abrasion on the heel of palm). I walked away clean otherwise and am grateful for that. I coulda been hurt much worse. (Yes, I was wearing my MPJ, gloves & boots, my levis took the most abrasion damage. Although I tried to kick BB away to minimize my injuries, my R foot was caught on the frame below the seat & I got dragged about 20 feet or so)
Damage to BB: my new windshield was trashed, headlight rim scraped, and RH side of handlebar bent (about $400-$500 of replacement parts and a days work).
Funny, but I've practiced E-stops @ faster speeds or shorter distances without problems. I figure somewhere between the downshift from 3rd to 2nd the trailbrake locked (but I didn't feel it lock) &/or the pavement was just damp enough from dew that down she went.
We all make mistakes for sure, but we learn from them too!
Karl
Independence, MO
'07 America, Cinnamon Girl (aka: Black Beauty) - Sit Down, Shut Up & Hang On
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,419
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,419 |
That's tough. Commiserations. At least no major damage to you or BB. There's usually a lot of crap/oil on the road near intersections, that and the damp would do it. If you trail brake had locked you would most likely have high-sided.
Last edited by foglefar; 08/17/2012 9:19 PM.
Cheers, Richard ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 09 America, Staintune Pipes, K&N, Breathe, Hagon Nitros, AI & O2 removed, tune 20184 (modified), MTX-L a/f gauge
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 753
3/4 Throttle
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3/4 Throttle
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 753 |
Yep, I would have felt her lock too & been able to counter & throttle out of it okay. But I didn't feel the brake grab/lock at all....BB just went right out from under me. Frankly surprised the $hit outta me!
Karl
Independence, MO
'07 America, Cinnamon Girl (aka: Black Beauty) - Sit Down, Shut Up & Hang On
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,464 Likes: 1
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,464 Likes: 1 |
Well, I guess I should add my wife to the "Oops" column. Last week, she wanted to take an early evening ride on the scooters. She took the Big Ruckus, the front tire went out from under her on the gravel driveway (slow speed) and the bike fell on top of her. She escaped most of the damage since she was wearing her helmet and leather jacket, but the floorboard pinned her left ankle. A couple hours in the ER and follow-up with the orthopedist to learn that she's damaged some ligaments. Then two days later, as she's walking through the house in her new "calf-high boot", she bangs her right foot into some furniture. Two fractured toes.
Today she told me she doesn't want to ride anymore. I have mixed emotions.
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,124 Likes: 13
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,124 Likes: 13 |
Quote:
...I figure somewhere between the downshift from 3rd to 2nd the trailbrake locked (but I didn't feel it lock) &/or the pavement was just damp enough from dew that down she went...
I'd say it might have been slick from some fleas escaping from the market on the corner! 
Seriously, get well soon! Sorry to read of your spill.
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,236 Likes: 56
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,236 Likes: 56 |
Quote:
Yep, I would have felt her lock too & been able to counter & throttle out of it okay. But I didn't feel the brake grab/lock at all....BB just went right out from under me. Frankly surprised the $hit outta me!
I did that a couple years ago it was gone and away before I could blink. I did one bounce off the pavement pushed back up and was chasing the bike down the street before I even knew I was down. Fortuneately the Speedie rode on the kick bar on my centre stand and mitigated the damage.
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 753
3/4 Throttle
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3/4 Throttle
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 753 |
Moe, The flea market is a real landmark in that neck of the woods for sure, and on weekends the fleas are jumpin all over the place...LOL. If you pan east to south on the google link you'll see the convenience store. I started my E-decel from about 45mph at the southern entrance to the store & dropped Black Beauty about a third of the way between the trees and slid to w/in about 4 or 5 feet of the intersection. right in that section of Belmont (not visible in the google pan) is a patch of pavement that has been recently repaired & the edges sealed/mended with tar. I think the "tar-snakes" are what got me.... 
Karl
Independence, MO
'07 America, Cinnamon Girl (aka: Black Beauty) - Sit Down, Shut Up & Hang On
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 Re: New riding advice from experience
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,124 Likes: 13
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,124 Likes: 13 |
Them snakes suck, especially when ones traction is being eaten up with hard braking. Happy Birthday Karl!
Blowing gravel off rural roads
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