i_am_the_koi
Be Here Now
Yup, finally happened, a legit motorcycle crash.
75k of riding under my belt, and I went down 5 miles from my home, on a relaxing cruise with my dad. He on his '82 GS450, me on my Concours 1000. :facepalm
It was on a road that I literally learned to drive and ride on, and have put so many laps on it growing up that I know the turns by heart. :facepalm
It happened on a turn that I know, that I have actually crashed a car on and been inside other cars that have crashed, and that I was, in my mind, prepared for. :facepalm
Anywho, luckily my only injury was my pride, so I wanted to add the BARF salt and really learn from my mistakes.
As I said, I had gone out with my dad for a quick loop around one of our favorite roads. Dry Creek Road in Napa is a great loop for a quick 30 minute ride and something I have done hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of times. I can visualize pretty much every turn in succession, and feel it is my "home track". It has also been a place that has taught me to not treat it like the track and now I ride it more to warm up the bike and get out of the house for a short ride. I save my red mist for one spot on the entire road, and only because it is a jump if you hit it just right. :laughing
This particular turn is a downhill left hander into a short and tight right hand turn, still downhill. It is always in the shade (though it's funny that google-car caught it the one day it evidently gets the right angle of sun) and is usually coated with red sand to help with any frost that sticks around. The mountain gives it a good consistent coating of water so you can usually count the corner to be slick to some extent.
Linky - https://goo.gl/maps/KLCMHv8sZrp - Linky
Following dad on his 450 there is no real reason to go fast, so I was enjoying a putt behind him and watched as he entered the turn. I was off the gas or at minimal input, in 2nd gear, knowing the tight turn and probably slick nature. I was probably 50 feet behind him entering the turn and so he was already making the right as I was making the left. As i got towards the end of the left I heard him say "woah" over the intercom and let off the gas and gave it some rear brake not knowing why he was saying woah.
As soon as I did, the rear tire locked up and the rear stepped out to my left. I let off the brake and reapplied even more gingerly thinking that I had been heavy footed. It again, locked up and stepped out but this time it went to full lock and I sat there sliding for what seemed like eternity before falling down. I remember thinking, "shit I'm actually crashing" before I hit the ground.
I remember trying to hold onto the bike as it slid away and was amazed at how strongly it pulled from my hands.
I remember watching my tank bag slide across the ground and was disappointed that the magnets didn't hold longer.
I remember laying back and telling myself not to try and stand or roll until I was done sliding.
I remember watching the hill side approach and hoping that it was going to be gentle.
***BOOP***
That was it? That was my first crash? I stood up disappointed. My gear, muddy, looked fine. I walked over to my bike and it looked pretty ok as well on it's side. THAT WAS IT!!??? My first crash, a boop, not a bang??!??! I then realized my bike was probably on, nope, I evidently hit the kill switch as it slid because it was off. THAT WAS IT??? I don't know why but this is what I kept saying.
I tried getting my dad on the intercom but had turned it off with my shoulder in the slide. I motioned to him as he pulled up that I was ok and lifted my bike up.
Overall, minimal damage. It slid mostly on the hard bag so the one side got lots of scratches. So much so that it ground a hole into the corner of the bag. There was minimal contact on the front body fairing but a pretty good scratch that was the main point of contact. No cracks in the fairings that weren't already there but I think one might be a little larger. No broken mirrors, mounts, signals, handles, controls, nothing.
As I inspected the scene and took some pictures a car pulled up. Two kids out for a ride. He ask if we're ok and then says, "I just crashed on my way through the other way 5 minutes ago, you can see where I hit the dirt"...
Sure enough, 4 feet behind my marks were fresh dirt and marks like a car had banked it off the hill.
The tradition of teenagers, parent's cars, and dry creek road continues.
I walked up the hill wanting to see where I slid and for how long. The ground wasn't just wet, it was almost coated in a green algae and was slicker than shit.
My first slide looked to be about 6-10 feet.
Second slide was longer, 15-20 feet I'd guess and went from rear end lock to full sideways slide very quickly.
You can see the scratches from where my bike actually hit the ground here and where I slid into the hillside. The scratches pretty much go right with the bike towards the telephone pole. Right behind that you can see another dirt impression where I hit. About 2 feet behind that you can see where the car banked it. :laughing
You can see better where the bike hit and I hit in this one. The dirt/pine needles helped slow the bike and it never made contact with the pole luckily.
You can see the scratches on the side bag. That corner is where it now has a hole in it.
Scratches on the fairing, not bad at all.
Gear did it's job. I was wearing a pair of BILT vented overpants that I threw on at the last minute over my jeans because I was afraid it was going to be cold. I was wearing a Tourmaster Saber jacket, Sedici gloves, Kali Helmet and BILT Boots. I landed on my right hip area, right where the padding on both the jacket and pants were at. I also had them zipped together which I will always do from now on. The jacket has a small tear in the sleeve at a seam point, it looks to me like it was pulled apart more than it slid on that spot, but it also could have been there before and I didn't notice. Pants are dirty, that's it. No tears, rips, nothing. Boots and gloves had mud on them but that was it.
After getting the bike up, I continued the ride and felt out the bike. Nothing seemed off. The bag it slid on might be a tad more wobbly than before but I'm not sure.
Overall, I was lucky. No oncoming car, I didn't hit the pole or hill harder, the bike is fine for the most part.
But, I want to learn about this one as well to avoid it in the future, or know how to respond when something like this happens.
I know that downhill turns are a weak spot for me and I've asked BARFs advice on getting better at them. Using my core is usually the answer here. Thinking back to it. I was extremely loose on the bike. Again, following dad, not going fast, just out for a cruise, dangerous corner, I wasn't taking the corner seriously and just was putting.
I bet if I had just turned and not worried about braking I would have made it. I only applied the brakes initially because I had my dad say "woah" and instinctually gave it some until I knew why he was saying that. At the point of the slide I was off the brake, and still feel if I had turned I would have made it at that point. But my mind was still in "brake" mode and I applied them again.
I probably should have been on the gas more than 5% or less. Being the corner it was, I've always cruised through it but maybe a gear lower and more gas?
What say you BARF?
75k of riding under my belt, and I went down 5 miles from my home, on a relaxing cruise with my dad. He on his '82 GS450, me on my Concours 1000. :facepalm
It was on a road that I literally learned to drive and ride on, and have put so many laps on it growing up that I know the turns by heart. :facepalm
It happened on a turn that I know, that I have actually crashed a car on and been inside other cars that have crashed, and that I was, in my mind, prepared for. :facepalm
Anywho, luckily my only injury was my pride, so I wanted to add the BARF salt and really learn from my mistakes.
As I said, I had gone out with my dad for a quick loop around one of our favorite roads. Dry Creek Road in Napa is a great loop for a quick 30 minute ride and something I have done hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of times. I can visualize pretty much every turn in succession, and feel it is my "home track". It has also been a place that has taught me to not treat it like the track and now I ride it more to warm up the bike and get out of the house for a short ride. I save my red mist for one spot on the entire road, and only because it is a jump if you hit it just right. :laughing
This particular turn is a downhill left hander into a short and tight right hand turn, still downhill. It is always in the shade (though it's funny that google-car caught it the one day it evidently gets the right angle of sun) and is usually coated with red sand to help with any frost that sticks around. The mountain gives it a good consistent coating of water so you can usually count the corner to be slick to some extent.
Linky - https://goo.gl/maps/KLCMHv8sZrp - Linky
Following dad on his 450 there is no real reason to go fast, so I was enjoying a putt behind him and watched as he entered the turn. I was off the gas or at minimal input, in 2nd gear, knowing the tight turn and probably slick nature. I was probably 50 feet behind him entering the turn and so he was already making the right as I was making the left. As i got towards the end of the left I heard him say "woah" over the intercom and let off the gas and gave it some rear brake not knowing why he was saying woah.
As soon as I did, the rear tire locked up and the rear stepped out to my left. I let off the brake and reapplied even more gingerly thinking that I had been heavy footed. It again, locked up and stepped out but this time it went to full lock and I sat there sliding for what seemed like eternity before falling down. I remember thinking, "shit I'm actually crashing" before I hit the ground.
I remember trying to hold onto the bike as it slid away and was amazed at how strongly it pulled from my hands.
I remember watching my tank bag slide across the ground and was disappointed that the magnets didn't hold longer.
I remember laying back and telling myself not to try and stand or roll until I was done sliding.
I remember watching the hill side approach and hoping that it was going to be gentle.
***BOOP***
That was it? That was my first crash? I stood up disappointed. My gear, muddy, looked fine. I walked over to my bike and it looked pretty ok as well on it's side. THAT WAS IT!!??? My first crash, a boop, not a bang??!??! I then realized my bike was probably on, nope, I evidently hit the kill switch as it slid because it was off. THAT WAS IT??? I don't know why but this is what I kept saying.
I tried getting my dad on the intercom but had turned it off with my shoulder in the slide. I motioned to him as he pulled up that I was ok and lifted my bike up.
Overall, minimal damage. It slid mostly on the hard bag so the one side got lots of scratches. So much so that it ground a hole into the corner of the bag. There was minimal contact on the front body fairing but a pretty good scratch that was the main point of contact. No cracks in the fairings that weren't already there but I think one might be a little larger. No broken mirrors, mounts, signals, handles, controls, nothing.
As I inspected the scene and took some pictures a car pulled up. Two kids out for a ride. He ask if we're ok and then says, "I just crashed on my way through the other way 5 minutes ago, you can see where I hit the dirt"...
Sure enough, 4 feet behind my marks were fresh dirt and marks like a car had banked it off the hill.
The tradition of teenagers, parent's cars, and dry creek road continues.
I walked up the hill wanting to see where I slid and for how long. The ground wasn't just wet, it was almost coated in a green algae and was slicker than shit.
My first slide looked to be about 6-10 feet.
Second slide was longer, 15-20 feet I'd guess and went from rear end lock to full sideways slide very quickly.
You can see the scratches from where my bike actually hit the ground here and where I slid into the hillside. The scratches pretty much go right with the bike towards the telephone pole. Right behind that you can see another dirt impression where I hit. About 2 feet behind that you can see where the car banked it. :laughing
You can see better where the bike hit and I hit in this one. The dirt/pine needles helped slow the bike and it never made contact with the pole luckily.
You can see the scratches on the side bag. That corner is where it now has a hole in it.
Scratches on the fairing, not bad at all.
Gear did it's job. I was wearing a pair of BILT vented overpants that I threw on at the last minute over my jeans because I was afraid it was going to be cold. I was wearing a Tourmaster Saber jacket, Sedici gloves, Kali Helmet and BILT Boots. I landed on my right hip area, right where the padding on both the jacket and pants were at. I also had them zipped together which I will always do from now on. The jacket has a small tear in the sleeve at a seam point, it looks to me like it was pulled apart more than it slid on that spot, but it also could have been there before and I didn't notice. Pants are dirty, that's it. No tears, rips, nothing. Boots and gloves had mud on them but that was it.
After getting the bike up, I continued the ride and felt out the bike. Nothing seemed off. The bag it slid on might be a tad more wobbly than before but I'm not sure.
Overall, I was lucky. No oncoming car, I didn't hit the pole or hill harder, the bike is fine for the most part.
But, I want to learn about this one as well to avoid it in the future, or know how to respond when something like this happens.
I know that downhill turns are a weak spot for me and I've asked BARFs advice on getting better at them. Using my core is usually the answer here. Thinking back to it. I was extremely loose on the bike. Again, following dad, not going fast, just out for a cruise, dangerous corner, I wasn't taking the corner seriously and just was putting.
I bet if I had just turned and not worried about braking I would have made it. I only applied the brakes initially because I had my dad say "woah" and instinctually gave it some until I knew why he was saying that. At the point of the slide I was off the brake, and still feel if I had turned I would have made it at that point. But my mind was still in "brake" mode and I applied them again.
I probably should have been on the gas more than 5% or less. Being the corner it was, I've always cruised through it but maybe a gear lower and more gas?
What say you BARF?
