- This topic has 37 replies, 17 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 2 months ago by Ixecapade.
Bought my first bike today
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November 15, 2009 at 3:55 pm #23333MunchParticipant
I am going to go with answer choice C ) not enough information.
I would tend to disagree with the others based on the simple explanation you gave. First you said you had slowed before entering into the curve. This is a correct thing to do. You didn’t say anything about running out of road, so I would be not be inclined to think you were going to fast for traction. Despite what some popular belief is unless you hit the road immediately after a first rain, theres leaves or debris in the road your not going to out lean the traction in the wet. UNLESS you basically dove so hard that you ran out of tread patch and started running the sidewall. In which case your though of knee being to close would have been more “was that the road that hit my knee” not “Wow it feels close”. Or like someone above mentioned you hit some painted portion.I would be more inclined to think your instincts got a tad spooked, as soon as you thought you were to low in a lean most beginners ( did it myself until I took the same turns over and over to force the reaction out with habit) first instincts are to tap the brake (sport bike riders from what I understand rely a lot on the fronts) to slow up thinking it will allow them to stand the bike up more. That and add in the possibility that you stated of maybe looking down in that moment likely gave you the results you were given.
I ride a cruiser and in the rain …a lot! Enjoy it tremendously to! Folks on here thought I was nuts the first time I did and posted it on here. Many a time I have scraped my floor boards and dove into turns faster then I probably should have in the rain. Luckily I can’t seem to brake traction cause I get into it pretty good. Now I know that street surfaces, paving, has some to do with it but I have yet to see anything other then a cobblestone road, gravel road, painted road, or steel grates and covers give bike tires a hard time with traction.
Trust me in NO WAY do I suggest any one pushing their skills like that. It is likely to catch up to me one day. However, just based off my own experiences I just think it was a little inexperience and natural instinct that got you down. Like Tara stated though, get you some frame sliders and what ever protective pieces there are for sport bikes to help keep the bike in good order so you can learn to ride and not spend a lot of time about worrying over scratch and dents.
November 15, 2009 at 7:06 pm #23337ddollarParticipantI will definitely look in to those frame sliders thanks for the advice. As for what Munch said i am a 100% positive that i didnt tap the break when i felt my knee close to the ground but the more and more i think about it I do think I may have looked down slightly to see how close i was but again it happened so fast I cant even recall it a 100% I am not even sure how fast I was going in to the turn it had to be 20-25mph which i thought was slow enough for the turn i was about to go in to but clearly not.
Went to the doctor today about my shoulder not broken/separated told me just to take it easy the next few days which is good as for the damage to the bike I am bringing it to my mechanic sometime this week he said the damage wasnt to bad so hopefully it wont cost to much.
November 16, 2009 at 3:10 am #23344TaraParticipant25 mph through a turn means you were going plenty fast…Unless you had the whole road clear, you shouldn’t have tried that. But I’m just another newbie like you, so I’m not really speaking from experience.
As for the costs, it may be really high if the mechanic wants to give you brand new fairings. Those things are so overpriced. As for tailights, those can be inexpensive if you shop at the right place.
November 16, 2009 at 1:28 pm #23350ddollarParticipantWell the turn wasnt all that sharp and the whole road was clear but I probably shouldnt have turned so fast, the fairings arent broken i just scratched the paint as for the overall price it shouldnt be to bad my uncle is friends with the guy doing the repairs and he also owns a body shop so the re-painting shouldnt be that bad either.
November 16, 2009 at 2:29 pm #23352TaraParticipantYeah, having mechanic buddies will get you a long way!
December 2, 2009 at 10:21 pm #23586mr.nickParticipantyea man, thats too bad about your spill. Like Eon, i also live in Seattle and have been riding in the rain (im on a 50cc scooter) and it can play tricks on you. a few weeks ago i was turning onto my street in the rain and my front tire slipped out a bit while making the turn. it happened so quick i didnt even have time to react, but the good new was i didnt go down… i think i hit a patch of wet leaves. im almost certain i would have spilled if i had been going any faster/leaning harder. so, its good be really conservative with your riding in wet conditions.
also, i agree with Munch. it could have been for any or many reasons. i do find it pretty amazing that where you point your head or look, the bike will follow… maybe looking down in turns like that really is telling your bike “im going down.”
January 15, 2010 at 3:42 am #24025Ikenna1ParticipantI am thinking about going to college at the University of Rochester. I live here in California which already has enough problems, but I was wondering how traffic conditions are in New York for riding if I do happen to get a bike freshman year. Would you recommend it over the GS500f and how is the ride when you use the freeway/highway?
January 17, 2010 at 3:13 pm #24051ddollarParticipantHavent posted any updates in awhile, turns out that pain in my shoulder was a partial tear of my labrum in my left shoulder which has really affected my job, I work at a gym as well as my other hobby weightlifting. Anyway i got the bike back the other day and the weather has been unseasonably warm so i rode the last couple of days felt pretty good to get back on. Bike still looks new you cant see the scratches unless your close up to it and it is on the bottom of the fairing, it would have been $400 to get it repainted so I decided not to after spending $300 on the other repairs to the bike. Feel like I am a better rider after the crash and i dont really mind the money lost I just want my shoulder to finally heal its been 2 months doctor said another couple of weeks.
January 17, 2010 at 5:23 pm #24052MunchParticipantGood that your bike up on 2 wheels. Its crazy how things go….
I guess in a ironic way its true what they say “what don’t kill ya will make you stronger” …being that you feel you are a better rider now. Got the first spill out of the way and gives you a better understanding of things. Way to hang in there and saddling back up!January 17, 2010 at 9:30 pm #24054ddollarParticipantYeah i honestly was about 99% sure i was going to sell the bike after the crash and the fact that my mechanic had the bike for about 2 months (long story) really made me hesitant to get back on it, but when i went to go back it up on Thursday the second i saw it i knew i was keeping it and couldnt even remember why i wanted to get rid of it.
So i want a new exhaust I am looking at YoshimuraTRC Slip, Two Brothers Racing V.A.L.E. they are both slip on any of you guys have a preference? They are about $10 different in price at motorcycle superstore so thats not a factor just want the best one. Also i put my bike in the garage till weather gets better in a few months what should i do with the gas should i just drain it out, what is the name of the liquid you throw in the tank that keeps it good throughout the winter i am drawing a blank for some reason.
January 17, 2010 at 9:38 pm #24055JackTradeParticipantSta-bil?
The first time you go down is the hardest time, and you really feel the tug of not continuing riding. When I dropped my bike, I remember that twinge of hesitation about getting on it again.
I wonder how many people have their first spill and never ride again? The woman I bought my Buell from went through something similar…after about a mile riding in traffic, she parked it in her garage and that was it until I bought it from her a year later.
January 17, 2010 at 9:59 pm #24056ddollarParticipantYes that definitely it lol thanks. It would be interesting to see how many people stop riding after there first fall, I imagine the severity of the fall is what would keep the person from getting back on how bad were her injuries after she fell?
January 17, 2010 at 10:30 pm #24057IBA270ParticipantA lot of people simply aren’t meant to ride. Often times dealers, friends, ridercoaches…whoever, tend to tell us that we can learn and we’ll be ok. Unfortunately, many of us who probably shouldn’t be riding end up in an accident and what they knew all along (they shouldn’t be riding) comes rushing out right after the accident.
January 17, 2010 at 10:47 pm #24058TriderParticipantIT IS A 250CC 2005 KAWASAKI NINJA
WHEN I START IT UP IT STARTS GOOD BUT TO START IT I HAVE TO CHOKE IT
IT IDLES REAL HIGH
BUT WHEN I BRING THE CHOKE BACK DOWN TO REGULAR POSITION THE BIKE JUST CUTS OFF
COULD U MAYBE TELL ME WHAT COULD BE WRONG
THANKSJanuary 18, 2010 at 3:12 am #24059eternal05Participant1) Quit with the all-caps. It reads like you’re very angry.
2) Move this into it’s own thread in the “General” section.
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