My trip to Tech West in Prosser

[Auburn]

On my way there this morning in a driving rain. I got to the Tinkham Rd exit (EB I-90) when a semi in the right lane flipped up a piece of metal that was coming at me head high. I thought I was going to have it come through the wind screen. I got on the brakes HARD, thank god for ABS, because it certainly was working. And thank god for my road racing experience, didn't have the rear end in the air, but it was damn close! The piece of metal hit the ground just in front and to the right side of the bike. I heard it clank on the bottom of the bike. Since the overpass was coming up, I pulled off to check it out and to put my rain cover on my tank bag. I looked to the right and saw oil on the ground. Got off the bike (still running) and could see it pouring out the bottom. I shut off the bike. Looked under, but couldn't see where the oil was coming from.

Got out the cell phone and called AAA to pick me up.

Here are the photos of the damage. I also found the metal object that punched my oil pan. It was the end broken off a chain binder that semi trucks use. Oil pan, gasket, header rings are on order. Unfortunately, looks like the parts won't be here for about 10 days. Worst part, is the bike only has 4600 miles on it.

Hopefully there will be another tech weekend, I was really looking forward to it.

 

[TheAxeman]

Fixed it for you.

Wow! You are extremely lucky you didn't getted whacked with that thing!

 

[Auburn]

Thanks! Can you fix the bike that fast...

 

[UweRoss]

Ouch! Based on what it did to the oil pan, I'd be damn thankful it hit the pan as opposed to some body part of yours.

-Uwe-

 

[Toecutter]

Wow! You are extremely lucky you didn't getted whacked with that thing!

I'd a felt whacked if that happened to my bike....

That blows!

 

[twowheelnut]

No chance of recalling the truck? Lettering or logo or sumpin'? He's responsible. Glad you made it through that. Might I suggest All Temp-A-Cheer? Works well on soiled shorts.

 

[radman]

No chance of recalling the truck? Lettering or logo or sumpin'? He's responsible. Glad you made it through that. Might I suggest All Temp-A-Cheer? Works well on soiled shorts.

And TDub does a full load a day. Good thing you caught that, in any case. A motor saved is a motor...ummm..... a motor you can like ride next week.

 

[weekend rider]

I have seen a lot of things come off of trucks never a part of a chain binder.

Luck was on your side as well as the man upstairs. Iwould be

weekend rider

 

[escapefjrtist]

You missed a good time in Prosser. Glad you were able to mostly avoid the chunk-o-steel and then get it pulled over. The combo of oil on the back tire and rain slick roads would have not been pretty.

--G

 

[dabayliner]

Glad your Okay!! You missed a great time.. Sorry about the bike.

 

[dcarver]

Damn. That's a freak event. Good to hear your OK.. sure could have been worse. Next Skyway farkle is a skid plate?

 

[FJR_pig]

Ahh, c'mon. A little chewin' gum and a quart of oil, you're back in business to have the boys and girls at TechWest fix you up!

Seriously, glad it wasn't more serious, that could have been a pavement moment. Take heart in the fact that you're not the only guy within a couple hours of Prosser that didn't get to go. :angry:

 

[Auburn]

Yeah, iwas looking at my dirt bike Sunday and thinking maybe I should make a skid plate for the FJR. The oil pan is a lot more vulnerable than I thought it was now that I got all of the body work removed. The pipes don't block nearly as much as I thought they would.

On the bright side, it has given me a couple of weeks to put on my power system for the radar detector, communication system, future GPS and other electronics. And I can clean up the wiring hack job the Yamaha dealer did to install the factory grip heaters.