Wiped out and need some advice

[Jorosv]

OK today 13 of may I hit a damn car that stopped ubruptly so that he doesn't hit one crazy hobo that jumped on the street in the middle of the street and then ran away. I hit him with 20 kph which is slow basically crash cage got scratched on one side, tank is a bit bent in the middle from my balls of steel and the forks are slightly bent. Annoyed to hell cause i just bought my wife a new helmet gloves and crap so that she can ride pillion with me and now no bike till forks are fixed.

On a side not I have been riding for 11 years now and have had 3 accidents and ALL THREE DAMN ACCIDENTS are on May 13th!

What do you reckon is best now:
Swap to R6 forks (found 2 impecable condition extremely cheap) but do I need extra crap like brake calipers and spacers ?

Give my slightly bent forks to a metalworker to straghthen them out?

Or just get OEM forks?

 

[greg]

that's unfortunate, I had my accident a year ago too, (and a car accident several years ago on the 10th of may!)

I think you need spacers for the brakes, and the front fender, and probably the wheels

You might be able to get them straightened, it depends how bent they are. If you want r6 forks now might be the time.

 

[lawlberg]

If they're not really bent, just twisted in the triple tree clamps, you can loosen them up and they may come back into alignment, but since you hit something I'd guess that they are bent.

As for straightening, I'd stay as far away from that as possible. When metal bends and is bent back, it weakens significantly, and you'll just be asking for trouble.

If you just swap out the FZ front end for the whole R6 front end, brakes, forks, triple clamps, it'll be easier than messing with spacers and whatnot - plus you get better brakes.

 

[abszero7]

Don't ride on May 13th!!!

Are you going to replace the whole frontfork assembly? or consider it as an option

 

[Jorosv]

Gonna post a photo of the forks now after a small search and seeing really bent ones mine seem like I can fix them by hand.

I will make up my mind this week after seeing some more ideas here but would prolly either go for a full R6 swap or straightening, why the hell are fz6 forks so absurdly expensive is beyond me got quoted for 700 euro for brand new ones and 400 for used.

 

[pookamatic]

What do you reckon is best now

Take May 13th off.

 

[Jorosv]

To be honest I was telling my girl please keep me from riding on may 13th just a week ago and we plainly forgot about it

 

[FinalImpact]

The early R6 or the R6S forks bolt on. You need the axle that goes with them, spacers for the calipers (cheap SS washers) and kit to move the fender $100 USD or less. IMO unless you're needing a new wheel AND have the early calipers - its very cost effective. And the ride quality is NIGHT AND DAY!

 

[Nelly]

If they're not really bent, just twisted in the triple tree clamps, you can loosen them up and they may come back into alignment, but since you hit something I'd guess that they are bent.

As for straightening, I'd stay as far away from that as possible. When metal bends and is bent back, it weakens significantly, and you'll just be asking for trouble.

If you just swap out the FZ front end for the whole R6 front end, brakes, forks, triple clamps, it'll be easier than messing with spacers and whatnot - plus you get better brakes.

This id certainly worth a go, The only thing I would add is once you have loosened the clamps give the bike a bounce with the front brake on. The springs allow the forks to reset. 20kph is pretty slow and the forks are fairly robust. Unless they are obviously bent I would try this. As stated by a few members if your in doubt then replacement is the safest option.

Neil:thumbup:

 

[motojoe122]

To be honest I was telling my girl please keep me from riding on may 13th just a week ago and we plainly forgot about it

PM'd you about the forks.

 

[Motogiro]

On the May 13th thing. I would assert your say in life and ride when you want and figure out what you can do to avoid crashing.

 

[Jorosv]

On the May 13th thing. I would assert your say in life and ride when you want and figure out what you can do to avoid crashing.

Haha well that's my way of thinking but it seems something about this date is off I am neither a supersticious person nor a believer in such things and still 3 times the coincidence in 11 years of riding is ridiculous.

As I gathered a big crowd yesterday it seems everyone agreed that I couldn't avoid the crash it was either this or sliding to the side in oncoming traffic, just annoys the crap out of me that the weather is so good and stuck in my cage now

 

[turbid]

post removed

 

[Motogiro]

Haha well that's my way of thinking but it seems something about this date is off I am neither a supersticious person nor a believer in such things and still 3 times the coincidence in 11 years of riding is ridiculous.

As I gathered a big crowd yesterday it seems everyone agreed that I couldn't avoid the crash it was either this or sliding to the side in oncoming traffic, just annoys the crap out of me that the weather is so good and stuck in my cage now

this may thing is creeping me. We call May the month of disasters. on the eve of mothers day (11th May) a biker died. he skid and got loged under an oncoming car. what is worse is that he was 21; in the prime of his life. RIP

MSF instructers!!! Do you have a special class for the month of May?

I guess if May is the only thing you folks can come up with then, please, by all means, carry on!
Not to be a naysayer or anything but....I'm wondering how many people are effected by this May thing and I hope we make it to June. If there are other things we can do to avoid mishaps in May, I'm wondering if they'll apply in June or the rest of our lives. Maybe a Motorcycle Safety Course just for May?:don'tknow:

It is terrible that a young person at age 21 passed away but some of us old farts still want to ride, eat, sleep, ride some more, eat, sleep, love, ride some more etc, you get the picture. Some times I find myself lodged under a 21 year olds car or bike,doing a repair, and I can tell you that old farts can and do value life as much as 21 year old's and in fact some of us are still 21 but this thing we call time flamed us, shriveled us and left our personality a little crispy around the edges but don't ever believe we value or love life less. Or that we love or are loved less because you would sadly be mistaken.

Please adjust your belief, riding attitude and skills to match the month of May and the rest of your great life!
That is all.