coffee_brake
Well-Known Member
I'm not a speed junkie, a squid, or a newbie. I wear good gear and practice my skills regularly. I'm not an expert rider with decades of experience, but I consider myself a profficient rider dedicated to common sense riding.
So I biffed for the first time on the Vmax, on the way to Deal's Gap. My good riding suit is in for repairs (not crash related) so I had only my armored mesh jacket and jeans to go with boots and gloves. I had on some borrowed rain gear. I was taking it real easy through the curves on Hwy 28 headed up to Highlands, thinking about every move because it was raining and I've never had this bike in the curves.
Uphill left-hander, didn't go in too hot, on the contrary my line was too conservative and the back tire rolled over the painted yellow center line. SPLAT! In an instant I was sliding on my front and listening to my bike bounce across the pavement into the dirt. I always thought I'd panic when it was my turn to go down, but all the instructions came back somehow: first get out of the road, check yourself, get the bike out of the road. It was pitiful, "chug-chuging" sideways as I scrambled to turn the key off.
I thought I must have crushed my kneecaps, that crap about the pain not hitting till 5 minutes later is bull. Nothing broken, just road rash and really sore knees.
I couldn't get at the handlebars to lift the bike, it was buried in mud. I was digging it out with a flattened beer can when some hottie in a pickup offered to help me lift it, thanks Bubba-the-Redneck, wherever you are!
Once the fuel fed back into the carbs and I got it started, it was about 2 hours to the Gap, as I was all shook up and scared to lean it over, and my knees were just agony.
Of course everybody mobbed the bike with tools and capable hands as soon as I showed up at the Gap, checking out everything important and fixing it up enough to ride. "G" gave me a ride into town for dinner (you rock, thanks so much!) and after a buncha pain meds and many beers it didn't seem so bad. Still got some awesome riding in, and got my groove back. Vmax is fun in the twisties, if it's dry....
So I rashed the left side: Scoop is cut so deep I can't buff it out, looks like some bodywork and paint for it. Rash on mirror stem and front/rear signals, bent up the Supertrapps can and disks. Rashed master cylinder and cap, rashed lever.
The crash guards did their job, it bent waaaay back but it didn't hit the motor, and it saved the case from being cracked or ground through. The left guard is rashed bad. Didn't touch paint or seat or motor.
Gear took a good hit, shreded the rain suit and Joe Rocket gloves came apart at the seams, junk. Ground down the boots and tore up the left sleeve of the jacket but not my left arm. Helmet never touched the ground.
They say any crash you can walk away from is a good one. Well this one left the frame and wheels straight, so I rode away, that's even better. I just picked a bad line is all, and there was no margin for error with rain and slick painted lines together.
My hubby biffed even harder two weeks ago; he's rashed REALLY good and dang near dislocated his shoulder. Aren't we a pathetic pair, groaning and limping around the house?! At least the bikes are rideable....
So I biffed for the first time on the Vmax, on the way to Deal's Gap. My good riding suit is in for repairs (not crash related) so I had only my armored mesh jacket and jeans to go with boots and gloves. I had on some borrowed rain gear. I was taking it real easy through the curves on Hwy 28 headed up to Highlands, thinking about every move because it was raining and I've never had this bike in the curves.
Uphill left-hander, didn't go in too hot, on the contrary my line was too conservative and the back tire rolled over the painted yellow center line. SPLAT! In an instant I was sliding on my front and listening to my bike bounce across the pavement into the dirt. I always thought I'd panic when it was my turn to go down, but all the instructions came back somehow: first get out of the road, check yourself, get the bike out of the road. It was pitiful, "chug-chuging" sideways as I scrambled to turn the key off.
I thought I must have crushed my kneecaps, that crap about the pain not hitting till 5 minutes later is bull. Nothing broken, just road rash and really sore knees.
I couldn't get at the handlebars to lift the bike, it was buried in mud. I was digging it out with a flattened beer can when some hottie in a pickup offered to help me lift it, thanks Bubba-the-Redneck, wherever you are!
Once the fuel fed back into the carbs and I got it started, it was about 2 hours to the Gap, as I was all shook up and scared to lean it over, and my knees were just agony.
Of course everybody mobbed the bike with tools and capable hands as soon as I showed up at the Gap, checking out everything important and fixing it up enough to ride. "G" gave me a ride into town for dinner (you rock, thanks so much!) and after a buncha pain meds and many beers it didn't seem so bad. Still got some awesome riding in, and got my groove back. Vmax is fun in the twisties, if it's dry....
So I rashed the left side: Scoop is cut so deep I can't buff it out, looks like some bodywork and paint for it. Rash on mirror stem and front/rear signals, bent up the Supertrapps can and disks. Rashed master cylinder and cap, rashed lever.
The crash guards did their job, it bent waaaay back but it didn't hit the motor, and it saved the case from being cracked or ground through. The left guard is rashed bad. Didn't touch paint or seat or motor.
Gear took a good hit, shreded the rain suit and Joe Rocket gloves came apart at the seams, junk. Ground down the boots and tore up the left sleeve of the jacket but not my left arm. Helmet never touched the ground.
They say any crash you can walk away from is a good one. Well this one left the frame and wheels straight, so I rode away, that's even better. I just picked a bad line is all, and there was no margin for error with rain and slick painted lines together.
My hubby biffed even harder two weeks ago; he's rashed REALLY good and dang near dislocated his shoulder. Aren't we a pathetic pair, groaning and limping around the house?! At least the bikes are rideable....
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