Texan
Rollie Reincarnated
I am an inexperienced asstard and do not deserve to ride fast bikes. I bought this beautiful new ZX14 a month ago and have really been enjoying this bike. But I got a ticket 2 weeks ago and have been taking it easy on the populated roads. Today I decided to forget the stress of work and go on the back roads and enjoy some adrenaline. Stupid ******* mistake.
I was riding on completely unpopulated Texas ranch roads that see 2-3 pickups a day at most.
30 minutes into the ride, I crossed a cattle guard that was recently covered with some fresh green ivy from the rain. I was riding straight up at about 50 mph in 3rd gear when I crossed it. The bike bobbled and instantly I pitched over the left side. Here is the play by play recount:
"oh ****, I am sliding." Face down grinding my helmet into the asphault with the clear shield giving me an awesome view from 2" above the pavement
"oh ****, I am rolling" barrel role 2-3 times limp as a doll
"oh ****, I am sliding again" more view of the pavement
"****, I am rolling again. I am not supposed to roll, I am supposed to slide"
Then silence. Face down. I looked over my right shoulder and saw the bike coming to rest about 50 feet further than me. It had slid the whole way on the left slide.
"****, ****, double ****. If ****** up my ******* bike. I am the biggest asstard in existence." I pulled myself up and started to walk over to the bike. On the way, my viewpoint shifted. "Oh, ****. Am I okay? I looked around at my parts and everything seemed to be in order. My left shoulder was aching, but nothing seemed broken. No skin was missing.
The bike was not running, but I turned the key off. I turned around and heaved it up on two wheels and put down the stand. I took off my helmet and sat next to my less than 1000 mile bike and lamented my stupid action. Then I felt faint.
"Are you okay?" A teenage couple on a 4 wheeler looked at me from the other side of the deer fence. "yes, I am, I think." "Its a good thing you were wearing your helmet" the guy said. "Yes, it is. I have kevlar pants and armoured jacket as well." I said. "Did you mess up your bike?" he asked. "Yes. Yes I did." I said. "We live up the road if you need help. Do you have a cellphone?", he said.
That's when the dark cloud descended. "Holy ****. My wife is going to ******* kill me."
I picked up my bike, started it up and rode another hundred miles to finish my ride. I am a man and no GD cattle guard is going to stop me from enjoying my ride.
Gear report:
I was wearing Joe Rocket mesh jacket and Joe Rocket Kevlar jeans with kneepads. My helmet is a Shoei RF1000. I was in full gear as I always am and I thank Jesus for that. Otherwise, it would have been a bloody mess - probably death. I exited the bike at 50mph and all I have is a bruised shoulder. (okay, maybe it's more than bruised, but advil and a sling are good enough.)
By the way, thank God this is a Japanese bike and not a German one. Tally of damage, around $700. Remarkably good for such a high speed getoff.
The bike slid about 100 feet. Half on asphault and half into the dirt shoulder
Joe Rocket Mesh Jacket with armour. I think the shoulder armour could be a bit bigger.
Joe Rocket Kevlar Jeans with knee pads
Shoei RF-1000 Helmet
Motoboss leather gloves
This happened though the jacket and through my t-shirt. It's abrasion from the jacket lining. I hit hard on this shoulder.
I was riding on completely unpopulated Texas ranch roads that see 2-3 pickups a day at most.
30 minutes into the ride, I crossed a cattle guard that was recently covered with some fresh green ivy from the rain. I was riding straight up at about 50 mph in 3rd gear when I crossed it. The bike bobbled and instantly I pitched over the left side. Here is the play by play recount:
"oh ****, I am sliding." Face down grinding my helmet into the asphault with the clear shield giving me an awesome view from 2" above the pavement
"oh ****, I am rolling" barrel role 2-3 times limp as a doll
"oh ****, I am sliding again" more view of the pavement
"****, I am rolling again. I am not supposed to roll, I am supposed to slide"
Then silence. Face down. I looked over my right shoulder and saw the bike coming to rest about 50 feet further than me. It had slid the whole way on the left slide.
"****, ****, double ****. If ****** up my ******* bike. I am the biggest asstard in existence." I pulled myself up and started to walk over to the bike. On the way, my viewpoint shifted. "Oh, ****. Am I okay? I looked around at my parts and everything seemed to be in order. My left shoulder was aching, but nothing seemed broken. No skin was missing.
The bike was not running, but I turned the key off. I turned around and heaved it up on two wheels and put down the stand. I took off my helmet and sat next to my less than 1000 mile bike and lamented my stupid action. Then I felt faint.
"Are you okay?" A teenage couple on a 4 wheeler looked at me from the other side of the deer fence. "yes, I am, I think." "Its a good thing you were wearing your helmet" the guy said. "Yes, it is. I have kevlar pants and armoured jacket as well." I said. "Did you mess up your bike?" he asked. "Yes. Yes I did." I said. "We live up the road if you need help. Do you have a cellphone?", he said.
That's when the dark cloud descended. "Holy ****. My wife is going to ******* kill me."
I picked up my bike, started it up and rode another hundred miles to finish my ride. I am a man and no GD cattle guard is going to stop me from enjoying my ride.
Gear report:
I was wearing Joe Rocket mesh jacket and Joe Rocket Kevlar jeans with kneepads. My helmet is a Shoei RF1000. I was in full gear as I always am and I thank Jesus for that. Otherwise, it would have been a bloody mess - probably death. I exited the bike at 50mph and all I have is a bruised shoulder. (okay, maybe it's more than bruised, but advil and a sling are good enough.)
By the way, thank God this is a Japanese bike and not a German one. Tally of damage, around $700. Remarkably good for such a high speed getoff.
The bike slid about 100 feet. Half on asphault and half into the dirt shoulder
Joe Rocket Mesh Jacket with armour. I think the shoulder armour could be a bit bigger.
Joe Rocket Kevlar Jeans with knee pads
Shoei RF-1000 Helmet
Motoboss leather gloves
This happened though the jacket and through my t-shirt. It's abrasion from the jacket lining. I hit hard on this shoulder.