Have2BeFree
It's My Bike!
I am begging the spelling/grammar police to give me a free pass on this one as I am typing with one hand.
I had a bad day on Thursday that only got worse.......got up late, bike problems (TPS I think), cell phone died and then..........
I went for a ride with JJP XX and another friend of ours named John. JJP let me borrow his '04 VFR because my bike wasn't running well. I have ridden the VFR a couple of times before and its a totally different animal from my FZ but I like it.
We had dinner at a roadside stand and then decided to continue the ride with John leading, me following, then JJP. All was good until John fairly abruptly tapped his brakes and disappeared around a corner. Its a very diificult turn to describe but i will give it my best shot. It was a right turn but the road turned back on itself making it a greater than 90 degree turn, it flared out in the other direction to connect with the road I was travelling down, it was an upsloping hill with at least a 25% grade AND it was tilted to the left. Of course I couldn't see any of this until I had slowed down and was into the turn and then I realized that I needed to downshift into first (could probably have done it in 2d or 3rd with FZ). I downshifted, let out the clutch, gave it gas and heard the engine rev....it took a second or two to realize that i was in neutral and at that point I lost all my forward momentum and was actually in danger of rolling backward and I hit the brakes, this is when i started to get that sinking feeling.......i knew it was going to be an awesome victory to find that sweet spot where the clutch/throttle meet to get it going again and i was afraid of launching the bike. Victory was not mine to be had........the next thing i knew i was in a losing battle with a 460 pound bike that wanted to fall to the left. I cleared the bike and put my arm out to break my fall, came down on my left arm/elbow and hip (again!). The VFR didn't fair too bad, frame slider did its job; bent the clutch lever and a few scratches. I did go to the ER and fortunately nothing apprears broken but i have a "deep muscle and soft tissue contusion" and the swelling is pinching the nerve - ouch! I am in a splint and sling and hydrocodone is my new best friend :thumbup: I have an appt for a followup with an orthopedic dr on monday.
Lesson learned:
1. It hurts more to crash someone elses bike
2. If you ever have the slightest doubt about a turn - keep going sraight and find an alternate route or in this case turn around and take it from another angle.
3. I will say it again for everyone - ATGATT because my jacket had armor I DIDN'T shatter my elbow. My gloves, riding pants and boots all saved me from further injury as well.
Honestly, going down on the track hurt a lot less!
I had a bad day on Thursday that only got worse.......got up late, bike problems (TPS I think), cell phone died and then..........
I went for a ride with JJP XX and another friend of ours named John. JJP let me borrow his '04 VFR because my bike wasn't running well. I have ridden the VFR a couple of times before and its a totally different animal from my FZ but I like it.
We had dinner at a roadside stand and then decided to continue the ride with John leading, me following, then JJP. All was good until John fairly abruptly tapped his brakes and disappeared around a corner. Its a very diificult turn to describe but i will give it my best shot. It was a right turn but the road turned back on itself making it a greater than 90 degree turn, it flared out in the other direction to connect with the road I was travelling down, it was an upsloping hill with at least a 25% grade AND it was tilted to the left. Of course I couldn't see any of this until I had slowed down and was into the turn and then I realized that I needed to downshift into first (could probably have done it in 2d or 3rd with FZ). I downshifted, let out the clutch, gave it gas and heard the engine rev....it took a second or two to realize that i was in neutral and at that point I lost all my forward momentum and was actually in danger of rolling backward and I hit the brakes, this is when i started to get that sinking feeling.......i knew it was going to be an awesome victory to find that sweet spot where the clutch/throttle meet to get it going again and i was afraid of launching the bike. Victory was not mine to be had........the next thing i knew i was in a losing battle with a 460 pound bike that wanted to fall to the left. I cleared the bike and put my arm out to break my fall, came down on my left arm/elbow and hip (again!). The VFR didn't fair too bad, frame slider did its job; bent the clutch lever and a few scratches. I did go to the ER and fortunately nothing apprears broken but i have a "deep muscle and soft tissue contusion" and the swelling is pinching the nerve - ouch! I am in a splint and sling and hydrocodone is my new best friend :thumbup: I have an appt for a followup with an orthopedic dr on monday.Lesson learned:
1. It hurts more to crash someone elses bike
2. If you ever have the slightest doubt about a turn - keep going sraight and find an alternate route or in this case turn around and take it from another angle.
3. I will say it again for everyone - ATGATT because my jacket had armor I DIDN'T shatter my elbow. My gloves, riding pants and boots all saved me from further injury as well.
Honestly, going down on the track hurt a lot less!
