How to Crash an FJR

[James Burleigh]

At the request of some of the members I've re-posted on YouTube my FJR crash video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJbFCpSZ1dw (Not sure how long I'll keep it up.*)

This crash is explained and discussed on this forum thread: "Man, don't know if I can watch a second time!"

And the crash is the basis for this threead: Will the SNELL cert. get you killed?

JB

*My usual comment to my wife on Sunday mornings.

P.S. The other video referenced by thread writers in the "watch" thread linked above, where there is reference to being a crazy sonumabitch is no longer available on YouTube. My other FJR vid on YouTube is new, practicing Keith Code's TOTW-II techniques of identifying a turning point, turning quickly (flicking), picking one line thru the turn, and getting on the gas as quickly as possible--all in anticipation of a Pridmore CLASS track school next month.

 

[falcon]

Thanks for sharing this and having the helpful discussion in the other thread. I had a similar get-off in gravel when I was learning to ride and I spend a LOT of time looking at surface conditions and estimating available traction...but man that came outta nowhere! Good lesson and reminder.

 

[James Burleigh]

...but man that came outta nowhere! Good lesson and reminder.

I suppose I already said it in the original thread, but the striking (no pun intended--ouch! :blink: ) thing about this crash was its suddeness. You will note that I didn't even have time to say "Sh*t!" It was like I was cold-cocked.

Also surprising was the violence of the crash, which I liken to some powerful person's grabbing under both my tires and shoving them up into the air all at once.

You wanna bet I've developed a whole new sight for road surface?

Thanks for the words. It's why I put the vid back up. It's tough to subject yourself to surgical scrutiny by experienced riders who tell you you should have known better. But I think it's helpful for others to see.

JB

 

[Warpdrv]

Sorry about your crash.... its hard for another fjr owner to watch...

But, just glad you came out OK...

Nothin but a bummer....

 

[TheAxeman]

I had seen your video on the other thread and this morning I passed a road crew laying some more of those torched down shiny white arrows on the road to make it "safer" for cagers who are in the turning lane. My first thought was how many bikers are going to have to go down before some sharp NYC or LA attorney sues the snot out of the municipality, the marking company, the paint/vinyl manufacturer, etc....for making a hazardous product? How difficult would it be to make it non-skid? When its paint I see them dusting the markings with reflective material why can't they additionally add something to offer traction? How many times have you driven up to a stop light and inadvertantly put your foot down on that slippery shit. It seems to me its time for somebody to get pissed off enough about it to get them to make a change. Right after you posted your video, I was at an intersection where a guy on a Wing tapped his front brake and went down exactly the same way you did. In his case, they carted him away in the ambulance and they threw all the bits and pieces of his shiny new Wing onto a flatbed....

Now wait for the flood of responses telling me to take responsiblity for my own actions....

 

[James Burleigh]

Now wait for the flood of responses telling me to take responsiblity for my own actions....

You won't get that from me, but you know that. I am revisiting the issue and planning to submit a claim to the property owner, followed by a potential law suit so that this gets addressed. A baby step toward what you are saying. Also, a person who is an attorney for the state transportation agency (Caltrans) has requested a copy of my vid on CD (going out this week) so he can use it in training videos for maintenance crews to understand the repercussions of their actions. More baby steps....

Thanks for your comments.

JB

 

[Toecutter]

(Not sure how long I'll keep it up.*)
*My usual comment to my wife on Sunday mornings.

Uh, isn't that HER job?

Maybe ExSkiBum can weigh in on the merit of a class action suit against those who paint bike traps onto the roadway.

I'm just thanking my lucky stars that you came along when you did, with your tale of woe and info on the actual safetyness (is that a word? If not, I claim it as mine) of ultralight/ultra strong helmets. It's too bad you had to suffer a brain injury in order to gain enlightenment, but at least you walked away. Now go get paid for your pain & suffering!

I'll be ordering my cheapo helmet Monday from my favorite local dealer. Group buy, anyone?

 

[James Burleigh]

I had seen your video on the other thread and this morning I passed a road crew laying some more of those torched down shiny white arrows on the road

I'm not going to say the white stripes are safe even when wet, 'cause they're not. But as a reminder, what made me go down like a cheap whore was the algae build up on the arrow caused by continually running water across it.

JB

 

[James Burleigh]

(Not sure how long I'll keep it up.*)
*My usual comment to my wife on Sunday mornings.

Uh, isn't that HER job?

After visiting the pharmacy recently for the first time, it's now the job of the pharmaceutical companies. But to keep this line of discussion within the bounds of the FJR Forum, how shall I say it...?

I know: When my bike had fewer miles on it, the frame was more rigid and the bike could go a lot longer before it ran out of gas. It's like it went from a long-distance touring bike to a drag racer--it got to where it came on strong at first, but then petered out rather quickly. Just ask my wife.

In fact, it got to the point where all I'd ever do is go riding by myself, which you all know can be a lot of fun too.

But with this new gas additive I got, well, the performance is much better, and best of all my wife likes to go for a ride with me more often now.

JB

 

[BobbyBlue]

OUUUCHH !! Sorry Brudda, that truly sux, you are well and thats what really counts. I see from your HST quote you are a man of substance sir !!! Again my condolences...another sausage machine maybe ?!!!

Bobby

 

[vic ray]

Now wait for the flood of responses telling me to take responsiblity for my own actions....

You won't get that from me, but you know that. I am revisiting the issue and planning to submit a claim to the property owner, followed by a potential law suit so that this gets addressed. A baby step toward what you are saying. Also, a person who is an attorney for the state transportation agency (Caltrans) has requested a copy of my vid on CD (going out this week) so he can use it in training videos for maintenance crews to understand the repercussions of their actions. More baby steps....

Thanks for your comments.

JB

And now we wonder why motorcycle insurance or insurance in general costs so much. Here is a prime example. Take responsibility for what you did. You crashed your bike. We all have made mistakes that have cost us. Use this and learn from it, don't make the property owner pay for your mistake. We all face hazards everyday,gravel, dirt, rain ect. Sure the water shouldn't have been there but it was and I think you failed to make the correct adjustments to keep you upright. I can guarentee you this. The next time you come upon a similar situation you will change your approach to the curve. Submit a claim, potential lawsuit, give me a break! Before you file your lawsuit you should remove your thread about how to lift the front wheel.

 

[James Burleigh]

And now we wonder why motorcycle insurance or insurance in general costs so much. Here is a prime example. Take responsibility for what you did. You crashed your bike. We all have made mistakes that have cost us. Use this and learn from it, don't make the property owner pay for your mistake. We all face hazards everyday,gravel, dirt, rain ect. Sure the water shouldn't have been there but it was and I think you failed to make the correct adjustments to keep you upright. I can guarentee you this. The next time you come upon a similar situation you will change your approach to the curve. Submit a claim, potential lawsuit, give me a break! Before you file your lawsuit you should remove your thread about how to lift the front wheel.

Blah blah blah blah....

 

[daviddowns2000]

I'm glad you are OK. Thanks for sharing the vid with us. I've watched it several times and here is my sense of it: At the risk of karma biting me in the ass, I think I would have been hard on the brakes at that first right turn arrow where the pavement looks safe, well before the hazard, when it seems clearly apparent that there was something odd (discolored pavement, water, whatever?...paint...enough danger signals!) at the upcoming intersection that I needed to be very careful about. It doesn't look like you slowed down at all. I think I would have been straight upright and dead slow approaching that area. I'd like to think that, but it is easy to say when it wasn't my ass on the asphalt. Like others have said, I don't think it will happen to you again. Good luck, hope you stay safe from now on.

 

[Bike Effects]

We have all made mistakes, at least I have. When I saw your video with the water and paint on the ground in front of the bike EXPERIENCE told me that it would be an accident in the making and to be avoided at all costs. Experience is a great teacher, although sometimes an unpleasant one. It would be a safe bet that YOU will never get yourself in that position again.

Glad you're OK.

 

[James Burleigh]

I see a lot of posts from people saying they saw it coming based on their experience. I wonder how many would have "seen it coming" if the title weren't How to Crash an FJR? :lol:

 

[painman]

Had a similar experience several years ago while making a left turn in a residential area. My back tire encountered a flatened beer can that had been run over so many times it was the same color as the asphalt and never could have seen it. Luckilly I didn't go down but almost came off the bike and by holding on for dear life I caused the bike to go full throttle, the bike righted itself and produced a wheelie that was totally unintentional. All this on a HD Softtail. Sometimes things are unexpected and the moral is to just learn from it and keep going and thank your lucky stars your still able to ride. But I'm not an attorney. Just my $.02. PM. <><

 

[CDR]

Sorry about your crash.... its hard for another fjr owner to watch...
But, just glad you came out OK...

Nothin but a bummer....

Might be just my opinion, but do ya maybe think that the water and application of front brake had something to do with this - the lesson as has been pointed out is pay attention to the road surface.

p.s. sorry about the crash man

 

[Adomo]

Thanks for re-posting JB, I missed it the first time 'round. Glad you are alright, kinda shocking how quickly that happened though. Being in the northwest, puddles/standing water are a fact of life here and I truly appreciate you sharing your experience with them.

 

[daviddowns2000]

I see a lot of posts from people saying they saw it coming based on their experience. I wonder how many would have "seen it coming" if the title weren't How to Crash an FJR? :lol:

Hard to know, isn't it? I wonder if yours was the only motorcycle to have passed that area, or if maybe there were others who negotiated it safely. Maybe there weren't any others...maybe there were and they all crashed?

Unexpected stuff can get ugly real quick. Here is a link to a video I made last week (my first video attempt):

My video

OK, maybe I AM a video whore, but one part of it seems to be at least a little relevant! Anyway, when I get inside the park, I think it was at about the fourth turn, you will see that there are some palm trees that the maintenace crew put across the road in the middle of the turn. Bastards! I have been there many times before and there have never been any f*&%ing trees across the road, anywhere in the park. Had I been adjusting my underwear or looking at the camera or the speedometer or at the pavement beneath the front wheel or at anything other than what was coming up ahead of me and not slowed down in enough time to go safely around them, this video might be titled "How to crash an SV650". Usually we just have to watch out for alligators!

I did have some qualms about using the video cam in the first place, but it worked out OK...I kept telling myself to take it easy, don't be distracted...it just seems like video cameras and crashes go together more than they should.