Gravel Devil ate my 07

[fjrshanta]

What pants were you wearing, and how did they hold up?

I was wearing the Tourmaster venture "air" pants over jeans and they were only scuffed on the sitting part. I still cant understand how they came out so good but I think they are still usable. I have doubts about an impact with the knee pad section of them because they have never fit well in that area and the knee pads seem to move around too much. I might replace them with a better fitting pant if anyone has any recommendations .

 

[Karmak]

Made me sick looking at it. Sorry , but thank goodness you're not hurt. I can't tell what kind of sliders you had on-it looks like one of them took quite a hit.

 

[CODan]

I was wearing the Tourmaster venture "air" pants over jeans and they were only scuffed on the sitting part. I still cant understand how they came out so good but I think they are still usable. I have doubts about an impact with the knee pad section of them because they have never fit well in that area and the knee pads seem to move around too much. I might replace them with a better fitting pant if anyone has any recommendations .

It's interesting how well your textile gear held up.

Glad you're in 1 piece too.

 

[Docholiday]

Sorry to hear about the bike but glad that you are safe. Had a similar run in with gravel a few years back. Slammed me to the ground before I knew what was happening. ATGATT is where it's at.

 

[MCML]

Sorry about the machinery but that's minor.

Fortunately, my only gravel get off was at almost zero mph. Of course, I then stupidly tried to lift the bike by myself. Not the thing to do if one already has back problems.

Happy to hear that you are okay, though, obviously, keep your sensors tuned to what you body is telling you.

 

[AdrianNKY]

GAH!

Glad you're ok bud. Sucks about the bike but glad about you!

 

[fjrshanta]

Made me sick looking at it. Sorry , but thank goodness you're not hurt. I can't tell what kind of sliders you had on-it looks like one of them took quite a hit.

The sliders I purchased on eBay new for $22. The brand name was T-rex. If the left side slider had stayed on maybe the damage would have been minimal. I had noticed the day before the accident that that slider had cracked on the bottom near the mounting bolt. I thought to myself that I better replace that one soon. I think it was my fault when putting it on. Possibly not enough spacers between the Delrin and the frame caused it.

 

[fjrshanta]

Sorry to hear about the bike but glad that you are safe. Had a similar run in with gravel a few years back. Slammed me to the ground before I knew what was happening. ATGATT is where it's at.

I had exactly the same feeling. I didn't even know it had happened until I had almost stopped sliding. :dntknw:

 

[weekend rider]

Glad ypur ok. Anything can happen at a moments motice with out knowing it is going to happen

Your damage appears to be minor :looking:

 

[dcarver]

Yup, the sound of plastic, metal and body heating the roadway.

Hate that sound..

Glad your ok..

 

[airboss]

Glad you escaped, sorry about the bike, but as others said it can be repaired. the Gravel Devil almost got my VFR yesterday, lucky I was able to get it back without crashing. Went back to look at the turn, it looked like a spill from a truck, just some pea gravel at the apex of the turn no other loose gravel anywhere else on the road.

 

[raclow]

Sorry to hear about this. Glad you are OK.

Good luck getting the bike put back together.

 

[Fred W]

I'm sorry about your accident and the resulting slide. I'm at ATTGATT guy, too and I'm very glad that you're in the club!
Can you describe your lane position when the the slide began? I tend to try to ride in the car "wheel tracks" as they are generally more clear of gravel.

Your photos show less gravel than we normally see on a "trashed" corner in the SE. What is the lesson for us? How could the slide have been prevented?

Thanks for the feedback and good luck on your repairs.

The corner was a right hander and I had started the turn close to the center line and aimed toward the inside car "wheel track" at the apex. As I approached the apex I believe I was slightly out of the car "wheel track" right where the gravel gets pushed from the car tires. The gravel was unnoticeable because it was the same color as the road and very small (it didn't leave a shadow on the road).

Sorry to hear about the get-off and attendant bike carnage. Glad you're OK though.

Would you mind telling us a little more detail about how you went down on the gravel? I couldn't even see any gravel in your still pictures so I can understand how you wouldn't while riding. Did the front end wash out or did the rear let loose? I'm thinking the rear maybe slid out resulting in the subsequent high side and bike flipping. Is that right?

I guess maybe the takeaway is to ride the outside wheel track in your lane all the way through the corner in questionable road surfaces (possible loose stuff) rather than late apexing and crossing the center of the travel lane on a lean.

 

[Pango]

Do you feel the frame sliders reduced the damage? I just purchased some but haven't received them yet. That was only thing that made me consider the ST1300--built-in "drop" protection.

 

[keithaba]

Sorry to hear about the gravel incident. I think this bike is just so heavy, when you hit gravel like that, there isn't much hope of saving it.

On my FZ1 and my Blackbird I've had some incidents where I hit some and the rear slipped, but it grabbed again. On the FJR, when I hit gravel, I was sliding on my ass by the time I realized that anything happened.

If you are looking for pants, try the Fieldshier titanium air. They have nice kneepads, and have buttons above and below the knee to secure them in place so they don't slide around as much. They breath very well. And they did quite well sliding on the concrete at about 65 mph.

 

[Old Michael]

So sorry to hear about this Shawn.

You don't by chance have a pic of the boot that took the slide, do you?

Thank goodness for gear - good gear. I love Tourmaster stuff.

Glad to hear that the bike absorbed most of the damage. It doesn't have nerve endings.

Take care and good luck with the insurance, repairs, etc.

All the best.

 

[chrisflock]

Sorry to hear about the get-off, but it's good to hear you're OK. Looking at the damage pics, it is a testament to your gear that you came out just a little sore.

Here's hoping that your insurance company gets your bike fixed for you soon!

 

[wfooshee]

What pants were you wearing, and how did they hold up?

I was wearing the Tourmaster venture "air" pants over jeans and they were only scuffed on the sitting part. I still cant understand how they came out so good but I think they are still usable. I have doubts about an impact with the knee pad section of them because they have never fit well in that area and the knee pads seem to move around too much. I might replace them with a better fitting pant if anyone has any recommendations .

I had the same pants in my #2 event, 30 mph lowside. I landed on my shoulder, hip, and knee, got a bruise on my hip. I rolled rather than slid. Stitching was torn on the pants on the panel over the knee pad but didn't show until a few days later. That seam is not quite ove the kneepad's pocket, so I had it re-stitched, right through the liner. It was that or tear the liner out and repair it, or replace the pants. Nothing else wrong, and I'm still wearing the pants.

They do tend to go knock-kneed on you. I have a habit of shifting the pads out just after shifting into second for the first time after mounting the bike and starting out.

 

[fjrshanta]

I'm sorry about your accident and the resulting slide. I'm at ATTGATT guy, too and I'm very glad that you're in the club!
Can you describe your lane position when the the slide began? I tend to try to ride in the car "wheel tracks" as they are generally more clear of gravel.

Your photos show less gravel than we normally see on a "trashed" corner in the SE. What is the lesson for us? How could the slide have been prevented?

Thanks for the feedback and good luck on your repairs.

The corner was a right hander and I had started the turn close to the center line and aimed toward the inside car "wheel track" at the apex. As I approached the apex I believe I was slightly out of the car "wheel track" right where the gravel gets pushed from the car tires. The gravel was unnoticeable because it was the same color as the road and very small (it didn't leave a shadow on the road).

Sorry to hear about the get-off and attendant bike carnage. Glad you're OK though.

Would you mind telling us a little more detail about how you went down on the gravel? I couldn't even see any gravel in your still pictures so I can understand how you wouldn't while riding. Did the front end wash out or did the rear let loose? I'm thinking the rear maybe slid out resulting in the subsequent high side and bike flipping. Is that right?

I guess maybe the takeaway is to ride the outside wheel track in your lane all the way through the corner in questionable road surfaces (possible loose stuff) rather than late apexing and crossing the center of the travel lane on a lean.

Both the front and rear tires show indications that they slid equally. I honestly don't remember what happened first. I think the front slid out.

I just got back from taking the bike to the dealer and meeting with the insurance inspector. Got a call from the insurance office about 20 min later saying they found that I was "At-Fault" and the gravel should have been avoidable.?? :blink:

 

[fjrshanta]

Do you feel the frame sliders reduced the damage? I just purchased some but haven't received them yet. That was only thing that made me consider the ST1300--built-in "drop" protection.

Without a doubt!!! The sliders, well, at least the right one SAVED the entire right side of the bike. If I had the left hand slider in good condition, the trip to the dealer and ins. co. may have been avoided altogether!! Get LONG Frankenstein sliders!!!!