Gravel Devil ate my 07

[fjrshanta]

Well, I have to add my name to those who have succumbed to the evil gravel devil.

Last week while having a wonderful ride on a rural mountain road, I found myself sliding on the ground and watching my beautiful FJR flipping in front of me. It slid on the right side and then flipped over and slid on the left where it finally ended up.

During my slide ride, I realized that I was not feeling any pain. I got up after sliding for about 60 to 80 feet to find I had no damage to my body, just a sore right arm. I have to give huge kudos to my protective gear that really saved me. My “TOURMASTER TRANSITION 2 JACKET” took all the damage and allowed me to pick up my bike and limp it home. My ALPINE STAR boot was caught under the right side of the bike as I fell and slid and my foot hasn’t even been sore!

The greatest pain of the crash is realizing I won’t be able to ride the bike until the dealer and insurance company can put it back together and that “I” hurt the bike. I have inspected it and I believe the damage to be only cosmetic with the exception of the front fairing stay being bent.

I am a firm believer in “All The Gear All The Time” as stated by another forum member. Protect yourself so you will be able to ride tomorrow.

P.S. My sympathy to those mourning the recent loss of Tim "twowheelnut" Bates.

Shawn (fjrshanta)

Crash Photos;

Clicky:

https://s287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/F...ta/FJR%20Crash/

 

[jmdaniel]

Glad you are with us to write about it! :clapping:

 

[Kaelaria]

Man...

Never a good feeling - so glad you are not seriously hurt!! The bike will be reapaired good as new, in the grand scheme it's just a machine.

 

[kaitsdad]

Shawn,

Glad you're ok. ATGATT for a reason.

And remember, it's just a bike, and can be fixed.

Stay Safe !

 

[madmike2]

Shawn...The first worse part is sliding on the ground thinking, "Stupid...stupid...stupid!" :dribble:

Though your ego is in tatters your body is whole. That's a good thing!

The second worse thing might be the increase in your insurance rates.

 

[wfooshee]

Looks like it landed pretty hard on the left, with the slider and footpeg broken. Did it sling the GPS, too, or did you remove that later?

Nothing like whacking both sides, trashing ALL the plastic, huh? BTDT. My gravel lowside slid on the left, but the bike went under the Armco to take care of the right-side plastic.

Glad you're OK, hope your bike (and gear) is covered, 'cause that's some expensive bits you got there.

 

[fjrshanta]

Looks like it landed pretty hard on the left, with the slider and footpeg broken. Did it sling the GPS, too, or did you remove that later?
Nothing like whacking both sides, trashing ALL the plastic, huh? BTDT. My gravel lowside slid on the left, but the bike went under the Armco to take care of the right-side plastic.

Glad you're OK, hope your bike (and gear) is covered, 'cause that's some expensive bits you got there.

Its funny you mention the GPS. It ended up way down the road and had some scratches on it but, I plugged it in and WOW it worked. The neat thing is when I zoomed the map where I crashed, the bread crumb trail showed the bike going side to side and then a LONG straight line where the bike and I slid!

When I first joined the forum, I posted my custom GPS adapter and it's strength was perhaps in question. It managed to allow the GPS to be ejected without being damaged itself and is still fully functional!!

 

[TriggerT]

Another happy ATGATT customer. OK, maybe not happy, but happier than you might have been. Sorry to hear about the bike, but that is what insurance is for.

 

[TCMike]

Damn gravel..... bites most of us at one point or another. Glad your ok. I got real squirelly on some once, but managed to stay up-right . Thought I was a gonner for a few seconds though.

 

[S76]

Glad your OK.

I dread the day when it's my turn to make this kind of post. I know it's coming, but the suspense of "when" is killing me......................

Maybe I should have worded that better. :eh-smiley:

 

[Toecutter]

That blows!

ATGATT worked again!

Glad you're OK. What road is that? Any more details? (Speed, approach path, etc...)

 

[fjrshanta]

Glad your OK.
I dread the day when it's my turn to make this kind of post. I know it's coming, but the suspense of "when" is killing me......................

Maybe I should have worded that better. :eh-smiley:

I can see your apprehension about going down. If I may, it seems as though most riders will have some negative incident. I am starting to see that both the accident and the knowledge of it may BOTH be good things.

1; If riding were completely safe, every moron on the road would on a motorcycle and not in a cage. This allows those of us who ride to live a little bit and stay in somewhat an elite group. That distinction makes me smile when I pass a cage driver with an angry face on his way to work while, under my helmet I am just glad to BE alive and enjoying it on my motorcycle.

2; Don,t let the "what if or when" get to you! Relax and enjoy the fact that you are LIVING by riding!!

 

[fjrshanta]

That blows!
ATGATT worked again!

Glad you're OK. What road is that? Any more details? (Speed, approach path, etc...)

It was on Mines rd. just south of Livermore about 8mi. I had started on hwy 130 in San Jose and was going north back to Livermore. The ride to that point was PERFECT! The speed at the time the GPS came off of the bike it recorded 43mph and I think that is about correct. The corner is posted at 35mph and the approach path was textbook according the book "Total Control by Lee Parks" and to my memory :mellow: .

 

[gasportrider]

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.

 

[NoCage]

Sorry about your get-off... that tupperware be expensive. It's nice to walk away without breaking yourself. There are Internet dealers that carry parts that are WAY lower than regular shops in case you fix it yourself.

 

[ctfjr]

sorry about your get-off but the good news is that you are ok. Insurance can fix everything else!

 

[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).

 

[CODan]

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

 

[eeksnake]

Bummer about the get off. Good to hear that only your ego got trashed.

Hopefully, you'll be back riding the feejer in no time.