Laid the bike down for the first time....

[SampsonNation]

I'll make this simple and short and add pictures later....

I was going to work with all my gear on (minus the knee pads in my Scorpion Deuce pants) and I was taking a jug handle to get onto the main road...

I took it kind of fast, probably like 35ish and it's curbed on both sides.. I thought I was going to go into the curb because I couldn't turn hard enough, so I think I lightly tapped the front break and I just lost it completely, I low sided. The bike just literally fell over... My shoulder just hit the ground and I began sliding on my side/shoulder/forearm. The bike went out in front of me and hit the curb so hard with the front and back tire. The spring compressed all the way that it bent part of my license plate.... I got up and was a little shaken, but picked up the bike and moved it to the other side of the curve.

I have 2 holes on my forearm jacket and a few on the pants. I have no road rash, but I think I bruised a little. Luckily I kept my head up as I was sliding towards the bike and didn't damage my helmet.

I bent the frame slider, broke the mirror off, scratched the 2 brothers exhaust tip, scratched the handlebar end, and there's a pencil line scratch alongside of the black plastic that comes off the side of the headlight. NO faring damage except from the pressure of the frame slider hitting it a little.

I drove the bike home tonight and I felt like it was shaking a little. I could see the headlight bounce up and down a little... I think I may take it in to the dealer to check it out..

All in all, the bike is fine... just a few cosmetic issues, the damaged brake pedal, and the shaking that I noticed. I'm okay physically, just a little sore, it feels like I did a day's worth of the gym or football practice.

Does anyone make handlebar sliders?? By the way, I took my rear spools off... Even if they were there, there wasn't ANY damage to the rear of the bike.


I'm not 100% sure why I fell. I'm guessing it was because I may have tapped the front break in panic? Would anyone know from personal experience?

Now I'm looking for new clothing and spare FZ6R parts....

 

[anson650]

"Tapped the front brake in panic", in panic I have never applied the brakes lightly. I am always surprised at how hard I am applying the brake when I "panic". So I think you might have been too hard on the brake. And did you bring the bike up right? or was it still leaned over? I am glad you are not hurt, also glad you are shaking. If the above is the case, then work on bringing the bike up right as you brake. I thought that was instinctual?
Welcome to the other club.
Good luck,
Anson

 

[txjames]

I'll make this simple and short and add pictures later....

I was going to work with all my gear on (minus the knee pads in my Scorpion Deuce pants) and I was taking a jug handle to get onto the main road...

I took it kind of fast, probably like 35ish and it's curbed on both sides.. I thought I was going to go into the curb because I couldn't turn hard enough, so I think I lightly tapped the front break and I just lost it completely, I low sided. The bike just literally fell over... My shoulder just hit the ground and I began sliding on my side/shoulder/forearm. The bike went out in front of me and hit the curb so hard with the front and back tire. The spring compressed all the way that it bent part of my license plate.... I got up and was a little shaken, but picked up the bike and moved it to the other side of the curve.

I have 2 holes on my forearm jacket and a few on the pants. I have no road rash, but I think I bruised a little. Luckily I kept my head up as I was sliding towards the bike and didn't damage my helmet.

I bent the frame slider, broke the mirror off, scratched the 2 brothers exhaust tip, scratched the handlebar end, and there's a pencil line scratch alongside of the black plastic that comes off the side of the headlight. NO faring damage except from the pressure of the frame slider hitting it a little.

I drove the bike home tonight and I felt like it was shaking a little. I could see the headlight bounce up and down a little... I think I may take it in to the dealer to check it out..

All in all, the bike is fine... just a few cosmetic issues, the damaged brake pedal, and the shaking that I noticed. I'm okay physically, just a little sore, it feels like I did a day's worth of the gym or football practice.

Does anyone make handlebar sliders?? By the way, I took my rear spools off... Even if they were there, there wasn't ANY damage to the rear of the bike.


I'm not 100% sure why I fell. I'm guessing it was because I may have tapped the front break in panic? Would anyone know from personal experience?

Now I'm looking for new clothing and spare FZ6R parts....

Props for your testimony. I hope I have the cajones to do the same when my turn comes <knock> <knock> <knock>.

When you say you didn't think you could turn hard enough, you wear leaning the bike, right? More lean? Can you take a picture of the turn for reference?

Have you done the MSF course? Yeah... don't get on the brake with the bike leaned or the forks turned. I would say, since you weren't sure if you did or not, make sure you aren't covering the brake in a turn. Your response once committed should be more lean. The bike can do it.

Keith Codes Twist of the Wrist II (updated version of TotW I)... Codes talks about the mistakes riders make like improper throttle control and what to do about it.

Sorry for your accident. Hope you repair and heal quickly.

 

[txjames]

P.S. I joined the "other" club during the MSF course... was covering the brake, forks turned, front wheel locked and over I went. Managed to somehow go straight from sitting on the bike to stumbling on my feet and put my hand down to stay up. Next day I was sore, but that was a great lesson and glad I learned it at 12 MPH and not 35.

 

[SampsonNation]

I was about where the GREEN car is (LAST car in jug handle) or right around there. I slid INTO the curb preventing me from going into the on-ramp lane.



I don't remember much.. I just remember I was leaning and the bike just completely fell over further past where I was already leaning. I really wish I knew if i tapped the break or not, I thought I might have. I just remember I was going too quickly and couldn't straighten up to break.. so I'm assuming I tried straightening up a little and braked a little and then tried to continue to lean. A bit of half and half in a split seconds notice... I was afraid of hitting the other curb and going flying into the other lane haha.

Yes, I took the MSF course.

 

[b_who]

Good to here ur fine. Did ur front tire wash out? Cuz if it did then probally u getting on the front brake caused u lowside.
Could of bin a lot worse, i knew a guy in my riding group who slid out at 20 but his bike hit the curb tank 1st, the engine got trashed and impact just destoyed the internals of it. His bike got written off as a total too so be thankfull ur tires took most of the impact, havve the dealer check your tires too because it sounds like it was one hell of an impact.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[SampsonNation]

The rear tire slid out from underneath me and then my shoulder went completely down and I was sliding on my side. I was still leaning when this happened so I didn't fall from a completely upright position. I'm wondering if I turned too sharply and didn't give it enough gas. I'm sure I rolled off the throttle... I wonder if that contributed to it?

Yes, I thought I was fine till I hit the curb. I saw myself sliding into the curb and thought I'd just lightly tap it. The impact was higher than expected, but my legs and joints seems to be fine, just a little sore.

 

[Mr Citrus]

glad to hear you're ok.

 

[txjames]

The rear tire slid out from underneath me and then my shoulder went completely down and I was sliding on my side. I was still leaning when this happened so I didn't fall from a completely upright position. I'm wondering if I turned too sharply and didn't give it enough gas. I'm sure I rolled off the throttle... I wonder if that contributed to it?

Yes, I thought I was fine till I hit the curb. I saw myself sliding into the curb and thought I'd just lightly tap it. The impact was higher than expected, but my legs and joints seems to be fine, just a little sore.

Rear tire slid out = tire lost traction (I know... I'm Mr. Obvious). I doubt the cause was braking unless you were trail braking (with the rear). Did you quickly get off the gas? I would guess you cut the throttle thinking you were too fast. You need 60% of the weight on the rear tire for ideal traction in your turn, and to do that you've got to roll on the throttle evenly, smoothly, and constantly. If you haven't shed your speed before entering the turn, remember the bike can make the turn. It is the rider who decides it can't, and panics with cutting the throttle, or to a lesser degree, rolls back or makes a panic steering correction.

Hopefully, my brain can remember that when the time comes.

 

[BrueThru]

I was about where the GREEN car is (LAST car in jug handle) or right around there. I slid INTO the curb preventing me from going into the on-ramp lane.

Thanks for taking the time to pull the image from Google. :thumbup:

Gives a better perspective of your situation.

Tough going but glad you walked away. :thumbup:

 

[RoadTrip]

Rear tire slid out = tire lost traction (I know... I'm Mr. Obvious). I doubt the cause was braking unless you were trail braking (with the rear). Did you quickly get off the gas? I would guess you cut the throttle thinking you were too fast. You need 60% of the weight on the rear tire for ideal traction in your turn, and to do that you've got to roll on the throttle evenly, smoothly, and constantly. If you haven't shed your speed before entering the turn, remember the bike can make the turn. It is the rider who decides it can't, and panics with cutting the throttle, or to a lesser degree, rolls back or makes a panic steering correction.

Hopefully, my brain can remember that when the time comes.

Yep, like Code says, excessive input upsets the bike more than anything. I am sure everyone here has run wide on decreasing radius turns, and crossed the yellow, but cutting the throttle abruptly makes the bike stand up and run even more wide, or worse the rear can lose traction if you attempt to maintain your line. You can roll off the throttle gently and try and keep your line, just don't cut it, and obviously braking mid corner takes a delicate touch (but it still causes you to run wide).

Don't overthink the crash, just go back and watch Code's Twist of the Wrist II again, and practice fundamentals all the time. I gots 12K under my belt and started weighting the bars again (had some head shake the other day), had to return to fundamentals of light touch, always return to the fundamentals, these are the paradigms you can reference when riding to take the mystery out, use these when you start back up to keep your confidence up.

 

[dekaliber]

I can empathize. Something similar happened to me a while ago and while I didn't lowside, I panicked and ended up running off the road. Thankfully there were no curbs.

Unless you were scraping the pegs, you probably could have leaned the bike a bit more and turned more sharply. Hard to do in a panic situation though!!

I practiced a lot of on ramps one day at a cloverleaf, just getting on and off the highway. Too bad it was only for right turns though.

Anyway, what's important is that you're okay. Here's to getting back on and learning from our mistakes.

 

[madmike]

Rear tire slid out = tire lost traction (I know... I'm Mr. Obvious). I doubt the cause was braking unless you were trail braking (with the rear). Did you quickly get off the gas? I would guess you cut the throttle thinking you were too fast. You need 60% of the weight on the rear tire for ideal traction in your turn, and to do that you've got to roll on the throttle evenly, smoothly, and constantly.

Actually, if he did apply front brake, this could cause the rear to lose traction for the exact reason you stated above. He's in a turn, he needs max traction on both tires. If you apply front brake, the bike then shifts it's weight forward onto the front tire, and in turn shifts weight off of the rear tire. Less weight on the rear tire = less rear tire traction. Rear tire slips out...low side.

 

[oyamyers]

Thanks for sharing, glad you were not hurt badly. Welcome to the club. Now fix the bike and get back out there.

 

[ajskillz13]

I practiced a lot of on ramps one day at a cloverleaf, just getting on and off the highway. Too bad it was only for right turns though.

Try it backwards! :zombie:

 

[txjames]

Actually, if he did apply front brake, this could cause the rear to lose traction for the exact reason you stated above. He's in a turn, he needs max traction on both tires. If you apply front brake, the bike then shifts it's weight forward onto the front tire, and in turn shifts weight off of the rear tire. Less weight on the rear tire = less rear tire traction. Rear tire slips out...low side.

Ya - you're right, just having a hard time picturing any rider hitting the front brake other than an delicate touch in a lean. But, as you said, same result could happen.

 

[KeysRider3]

The combo of a little front brake, a little/lot of rear brake and coming off throttle is a good recipe for a low side, particularly if you were sliding on your side. Glad you were able to walk away. If the front wheel hit the curb hard enough (and it sounds as though it did) your wheel could be out-of-round now. That would cause the up/down motion. you described. If you bent your fork then you'll like pull to one way or another. Thanks for posting your experience so we have the opportunity to think about what we'd do in the same situation!

 

[Bloke]

Target fixation, next time get your ass off of the bike, look where you want to go, gentle throttle control and power around it

Live and learn though good to hear you're alright.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[SampsonNation]

Next time I won't haul ass around a corner lol. I probably was doing 35mph or so... I tried to hug the inside of the corner as best as I could while adding more throttle...

I fell right where the last car is in the jug handle and slid right into the curb you can see in the photo.

Lesson learned... I need track experience too.... I feel like I don't know enough about proper body position.

 

[Fizzer6R]

glad it wasn't too bad!