Honestly, and the Georgia Rally crew knows his well, I can't say "I finally crashed", as I went down 3 times, and off the road 2 of those times in 3 trips over there. (And I fell asleep in the saddle and dropped it in Chy's driveway one afternoon, for the 3rd )
But the bike hardly shows any evidence of any of that.
Well after 106K hard miles on the '04, and a punctured oil filter incident 4K miles ago, that I think must have gotten a bearing or something, she's tired. She's rideable, but sick, in my opinion, and once she gets hot, it's impossible to find Neutral. She runs okay when moving, but seems to lose all oil pressure at idle. Probably down on power, too.
I picked up this '09 almost 3 years ago, with only 6K miles on her, and I've been riding both when I've been riding, but my annual mileage has fallen from 10K miles/year for over 10 years after I bought the '04 new in June, 2004, to closer to 2K mikes last year. My annual riding miles took a nosedive. Back surgeries, unemployment, no serious place to go...new job, lack of vacation time. But the desire is still strong.
A week ago Wednesday I failed to navigate an exit ramp off an HOV lane I had no intention of exiting at the time. Caught in the wrong lane, I panicked and locked my eyes and my brakes up on the fast-approaching barrels and retaining wall, and I laid the 2009 bike down before hitting the barrels. Doing about 60, I should have easily navigated the exit, but panic prevailed. I'm okay. Insurance totaled the bike.
With only 13K miles on the '09, she's remarkably unscathed, except for needing a fork, tank, headlight, light bar, and right front peg - and maybe a frame, as it appears to be tweaked at the steering head stop.
I do not want to scrap her to insurance, as that's a win/win for the scrap yard. There's not a scratch on either fender, sidecover, or the motor. The Willie and Max saddle bags did a job(as did my leather chaps, boots, shirt, helmet and gloves). The chrome Triumph triangle crash bars did their job, too. The motor is totally unscathed.
What would keep this motor, from the 2009 Speedmaster, from going into the 2004 Speedmaster? SURELY SOMEBODY ELSE HAS DONE THIS ALREADY???
Any pitfalls or surprises?
It goes without saying I'm lucky to be okay. Bumps and bruises, yes, and of all things, the only broken bone was the tip-end of my left thumb. Heavy, thick leather knee chaps from LeatherLeg.net - really saved my bacon, as did my Red Wing Iron Ranger boots. I'd be more comfortable now if I had worn a proper riding jacket with appropriate back, elbow and shoulder pads, but after 10 days, I'm all healed up but for a internally sore right shoulder blade. No bruising there, but I may have torn something.
Always wear your gear.
And bump your insurance accessories coverage. I was under-insured before ever getting to the helmet, gloves, boots, chaps, and riding shirt. All non-stock accessories are that - accessories - even if Triumph parts. Touring seat, pipes, light bar, rocker shifter, sissy bar and rack....all counted towards that accessory coverage and it cost me several hundred dollars. Likely cost me $1000-$1500 or more, being under-insured.
Oh, yeah - you have to be carrying full-coverage insurance to begin with, and I had almost dropped mine.
