Please post about your mishaps here

[99vengeur]

My mishap didn't result in any damage to me or the bike but figured I'd post it none-the-less. Riding this morning, dry roads / good visibility, when I came upon an intersection doing around 40 mph. Oncoming traffic at the stoplight for a left turn. Saw him and didn't think much of it as I had a truck slightly in front of me in the left lane. Needless to say, once the truck cleared the oncoming truck's line, he turned and cut me off. I immediately went to downshift / full brakes. Unfortunately this led me into a rear-wheel skid which I had only practiced in the MSF class last year at around 20mph. Needless to say it's a bit different at 40 plus but I rode it out and came off the breaks as soon as I could. Ended up missing the tailgate of the truck by about a foot or so.

Definitely could have been a lot worse and my hat's off to the instructors of the MSF course. I've had people pull out in front of me before but this was the closest I've come to a wreck (knock on wood). I have now decided that all cagers making left turns are evil and should be avoided / given a wide berth. I did manage to track down the driver of the truck and had some really nice things to say to him. He claimed he didn't see me which is totally understandable considering his cell phone was attached to his skull while driving.....

This is one situation that I am overly conscious about....traveling on a four lane road with two lanes of traffic in both directions. If I am in the right lane and there is a vehicle ahead of me in the left lane, I am always looking for oncoming vehicles that are waiting to turn left. If I see one waiting, I either speed up next to the vehicle in the left lane, or I slow down and move to the far left side of my lane. This gives me protection and/or extra visibility so that the car waiting to turn left sees me and doesn't turn into me right after the vehicle in the left lanes clears the intersection.

Situational awareness and preparedness to take action are a biker's best friend (life saver).

 

[Draklore]

yeah ive only been on the bike for a week or so, and people are really awful, it makes me wonder how motorcylce aware i was before??? i really hope i was not as bad as some of the people ive encountered in just my few days! today i pulled into double lane traffic and was in the right lane which was backed up, i slowed to give myself space between the traffic in front of me which had stopped and an elderly F**Kerman behind me decided to switch lanes, though, he did so as if i was not there nearly clipping my rear tire by probably inches! i caught this out of the the corner of my eye, pissed i then pulled out to catch him though gonzalez had sped out obviously realizing hed forgotten his meds... i think a motorcycle awareness class should be mandatory for all drivers! i love people who tell me " i would NEVER get one of those things (motorcycle) Its just something to kill yourself!" yet <They're< the idiots who are going to end up killing ME!

 

[Spunky99]

yeah ive only been on the bike for a week or so, and people are really awful, it makes me wonder how motorcylce aware i was before??? i really hope i was not as bad as some of the people ive encountered in just my few days! today i pulled into double lane traffic and was in the right lane which was backed up, i slowed to give myself space between the traffic in front of me which had stopped and an elderly F**Kerman behind me decided to switch lanes, though, he did so as if i was not there nearly clipping my rear tire by probably inches! i caught this out of the the corner of my eye, pissed i then pulled out to catch him though gonzalez had sped out obviously realizing hed forgotten his meds... i think a motorcycle awareness class should be mandatory for all drivers! i love people who tell me " i would NEVER get one of those things (motorcycle) Its just something to kill yourself!" yet <They're< the idiots who are going to end up killing ME!

I hadn't ridden in 20 years and spent 2 days touring all over Bali on a Yamaha step through 125CC with auto trans. I drove 8 hours a day for a rental fee of $6.00 + $2.00 in gas. The cars and motorcycles were all within a couple of inches of each other there and they all drive like school of fish swimming with total disregard for lanes or rules. The motorcycles pass on the left, right in between and when cars are stopped make 90 degree turns and cross over to other gaps to cram into. I did not see one accident or bad attitude the whole time. If you hit the brake too early, you got one or 2 bikes cut in front of you. Since I had a passenger, I braked early and didn't care. I was within 1 inch of cars as they passed me and moved in front of me and I did the same to them. Once you see how the rest of the world drives and learn to drive the same way, the anger, road rage, fear and competition just vanishes. I'm not dissing anyone here but I have seen far worse driving conditions and they almost never have any accidents or attitude issues. Just a thought!

 

[99vengeur]

Not my mishap...but...

This is not a mishap I had, but one I witnessed on my way to work this morning.

I was sitting at a stop light waiting to turn left. From the right came a guy on a BMW enduro-style motorcycle, wanting to turn left on the green light. The traffic was clear so he came through the intersection. Now, this is an intersection that I ALWAYS proceed through cautiously, because there is a large pile of loose gravel right where all the lanes cross. Apparently, he didn't see the gravel. As the front came through the gravel, he was alright...until the rear hit it and he gassed it. The rear squirmed a bit and he had to put a foot down, but I thought for sure we has going to lay it down right next to me. The look in his eyes was the ominous "OH SH!T I'M GOING DOWN!" He managed to keep it upright and go about his business, but I'm sure a change of clothes was in the very near future.

Ride safe and keep the rubber side down!

 

[dart1963]

Now, this is an intersection that I ALWAYS proceed through cautiously, because there is a large pile of loose gravel right where all the lanes cross. Apparently, he didn't see the gravel.

Where we are, gravel is part of the road.... my eyes are constantly scanning the road surface for even the smallest pile of gravel. It can be a few pieces or a pile (from when people pick up gravel in their pickup trucks and don't cover the load)....
doesn't take much to ruin your day.

 

[MikeN02]

Where we are, gravel is part of the road.... my eyes are constantly scanning the road surface for even the smallest pile of gravel. It can be a few pieces or a pile (from when people pick up gravel in their pickup trucks and don't cover the load)....
doesn't take much to ruin your day.

We scan for oil on the road mostly here...

 

[99vengeur]

We scan for oil on the road mostly here...

Now you have to start looking for it in your water too!! :rant:

 

[Johje Bueas]

The answer is no.

My "friend" down the street asked me to sit on my 3 week old FZ6R. The dumb **** tipped it over. I replaced the bar ends and turn signals as both were jacked up from tipping on the right side.

THE ANSWER IS NO!!! DRUNK PEOPLE CAN NOT EVEN BREATHE NEAR MY BIKE NOW! STEP OFF, PERIOD.

That goes for sober people, too.

Bad karma from old mistakes or just bad judgement. If it's your bike, there is no such thing as too careful or selfish.

 

[JSP]

My "friend" down the street asked me to sit on my 3 week old FZ6R. The dumb **** tipped it over. I replaced the bar ends and turn signals as both were jacked up from tipping on the right side.

THE ANSWER IS NO!!! DRUNK PEOPLE CAN NOT EVEN BREATHE NEAR MY BIKE NOW! STEP OFF, PERIOD.

That goes for sober people, too.

Bad karma from old mistakes or just bad judgement. If it's your bike, there is no such thing as too careful or selfish.

That sucks... i'd make who dropped it pay for it. I'm leary to let anyone sit on my bike. Only way is if you have your own bike and I know you arent stupid

 

[99vengeur]

That sucks... i'd make who dropped it pay for it. I'm leary to let anyone sit on my bike. Only way is if you have your own bike and I know you arent stupid

+1

I don't think I have let anyone sit on my bike without me in the saddle as well.

 

[2w05thletes]

I hope you're not sharing the front saddle at the same time!! That might be quite awkward.

 

[99vengeur]

I hope you're not sharing the front saddle at the same time!! That might be quite awkward.

Or rather thrilling...

 

[geko]

......

Bad karma from old mistakes or just bad judgement. If it's your bike, there is no such thing as too careful or selfish.

A few weeks ago I was down at the coast with my bike and a woman approached me with a small kid and said "remember that party six years ago? here's your son" :justkidding:

Sorry couldn't resist that - actually I didn't know her but she asked if the kid could sit on my bike. I apologetically said he couldn't and the kid burst into tears and they walked away with the kid balling his head off - I felt like a right mean B*stard But at least my bike was alright.

Pete

 

[geko]

Bad crash and why you should wear protective clothes

My partner crashed her XJ6 Diversion last night. She was on the slip road (100-0919-1.jpg) coming down to join the dual carrigeway when for some reason she got herself on to the kerb on the outside of the slip road, went up the kerb onto the grass and into the orange netting which was surrounding some concrete. I was following at about 30MPH and watched her go in.

The orange netting stopped the bike dead and dumped it on it's left side, one of the four rebars holding the netting up finished under the bike and she was thrown off.

She has a dislocated right thumb, possible fracture to her left forearm, brusing to her shoulder, thigh and legs. Otherwise she's okay and in good spirits this morning.

Bike has suffered extensive damage to the fairings, broken mirror, detached crash bung, bent gear shift, dent to the fuel tank, cosmetic damage to the crank cover and other plastic. Haven't tried riding it but think it might have some front end damage to the forks.

Even while I was waiting for the bike to be recovered people where riding past in t-shirts and shorts - if they could see what my partner looks like this morning even having been wearing Kevlar bike jeans, leather jacket, gloves and helmet they might think again.

Pete

 

[99vengeur]

Sorry to hear about the crash! I hope she heals up quickly!

 

[CDN6R]

She was a smart girl to have good gear on. Imagine what she would look like without it.

 

[MikeN02]

Exiting the parking lot after work. Wet Rode + Tires that aren't warmed up... and I'm being honest here I wasn't doing anything stupid/speeding.

My rear started to wobble like hell and before I knew it the bike came alive and everything was wobbling! I was about to go down but I held my own and noticed I was gasing it too so I clutched in and closed the throttle. Didn't go down!

Man was I embarrassed... 3 people or so saw me I'm thinking.

 

[Back To Reality]

I haven't dropped the FZ6R, and I never dropped my last bike (Virago), but I can only say that I've really didn't learn anything about two previous times that I succombed to gravity; once on my Ascot, and then a few years later on my LTD.

I was cruising the Ascot on the property at low speed, maybe second gear. I literally fell over on a small banked turn. Couldn't say why. No damage.

Then the rear tire came around on a low-speed pull out from a gas station on my LTD a few years later. It was midnight dark, so I never saw gravel or oil or whatever left me laying on my back on the highway with the Kaw on it's side. Chipped my elbow, and put some scratches on the bike.

I think what I learned is that complete caution doesn't mean gravity doesn't win sometimes. And I'm a super cautious rider...like RDawg, I ride like everyone will attempt to kill me at any moment. I had to accept the fact riding in Atlanta traffic that putting a safe space between me and the vehicle in front of me means that I am constantly giving up position to those aholes who think it's reasonable to put a car in that spot. It often makes me look like the "slow" one, but I'm allergic to pain and no longer willing to duel when I have the most to lose.

But then today on the way home, two harley riders flew by me at around 20-25 over the limit on my left, then proceeded to cut off several cars in front of me so they could make three lanes over to get the next exit. I maintained speed, and by the time they reached the exit, they were behind me again. Simply stupid...and I wanted to put a sign on my back that said "I'm not like those idiots."

 

[dart1963]

Saved it twice today on a ride... we went on many roads for several hours... my incidents happened 10 minutes into the ride....

The first was my fault, just pushing too hard, came out of a slight left turn, that looked like the road was going to straighten out... as I hit the apex and got on the throttle, I noticed the road ahead was a hard right (mind you, NO curve signs or warnings), top that off with the fact that I would have had no issues, I saw my mistake and got on the brakes well before the hard right, but the road turned into a bumpy mess... a soon as I got on my brakes, the bike starts bouncing violently, not slowing at all and I veered way over into the other lane, I got off the brakes and pushed hard right to get the bike to turn.... saved (I was looking way ahead for oncoming cars, knowing where I was going to wind up).
The next was similar, but I saw the turn well ahead... slowed as I got near, then as I got off the brakes right before the turn, I hit rough road again... then a big a$$ pothole that sent my bike into it's own path on the other lane again... this time just over the yellow though...

No other issues the rest of the day, let's just say, rough, pot holy roads can make the bike ride worse than in the rain.

 

[TigerGenetics]

Noob alert! On my second day of ownership (first bike, this one) I was driving around lower traffic roads just giving myself some more real world practice. I had spent a LONG time riding in circles, starting, stopping, etc.. in a wide open parking lot after the purchase. I had my parents bring a trailer to mount it up and take it back to where I live, which is an hour away and I didn't want to risk anything. Anyway, back to my story....The next day I decided to take a couple back roads with little traffic. Well, I am driving and need to turn around, so I do so in a parking lot. I make the turn around and get to the exit to turn left......that is when things got bad.

I was making turns easily all day the day before and even this day when I was riding, but, for some reason I decided to focus more on my throttle hand and did not look through my turn. I looked straight down, looked up, saw a curb approaching, panicked a little, hit the clutch, eased off the throttle, but did not grab the front brake in time. I hit the curb with the side of my front wheel and went crashing down hard on the right.

Scratched the hell out of the right fairing, bent rear brake lever, scraped the end of the handle bar, scraped the front brake lever, scratched the front fender, scratched the rim, broke off the right turn signal, and I scratched the edge of the front brake rotor, but did not warp it at all.

I myself got a little road rash on my ankle (yes I had pants on), lightly strained my wrist (it was better after 2 days), and bruised my ribs. My jacket suffered no damage and I kept my head off the ground so no helmet damage.

So there's my moment of shame. I hope it will be my last. Be safe everyone.