Wear Gear, Buy Frame Sliders!!!

[ejworthen]

So, I'm on my way to work Tuesday morning. It's a beautiful morning, in the mid 60's, the sun is shining, just your all around beautiful day. Little did I know it was quickly going to go bad. I'm heading southbound on a local rural but heavily traveled road. I had just turned right on RT29 coming out of Green Lane Park area and would only be on 29 for about a 1/4 mile before turning left on RT63. I'm going straight on 29 at this point and suddenly see a Dodge Dakota emerge from a side street on my left. For a split second I thought he was going to realize I was there and actually stop. Well that didn't happen, I started to brake and swerve to the right. I didn't make it. The right front bumper of the truck made contact with the front fairing of my FJR just below the mirror. Next thing I knew I'm laying on the ground and the bike is sliding away from me. I laid there for a minute trying to keep myself from getting up and ripping the guy a new one. That and I wanted to make sure I was still in one piece. By the time I got up the guy was over to me and apologizing up and down. He kept asking me if I was alright and if I needed an ambulance. I told him I felt fine and thought I was okay. So, the cops come, I check the bike over and find it's rideable, we part ways and I head to work. My ribs start hurting, I go to to the Doctor and get X-rays, all is good other than I'm sore as hell and my bike is a mess. The gear I was wearing really saved my ass. Sidi boots got ground down but did the job. Arai helmet protected my head just fine. Funny thing is there aren't really many scratches on it but my head does hurt a little. I had Icon leg armor on under my cargo pants, it worked great, my pants didn't really rip but I did notice the leg armor was pretty scuffed. I had an Icon leather jacket on that worked great, the elbow armor did exactly what it was supposed to. My Held gloves have a few scratchs on them. Another thing I can't say enough about are my frame sliders. Other than where the truck hit me, my sidebag, and mirror, there was very little external damage to the bike. The frame slider was pretty well ground down though. Don't know what it looks like underneath the plastic yet but I'll find out soon enough.

The slider got pretty gound down but I think it saved a lot of the tupperware.

Bike doesn't look too bad considering I got t-boned.

This is where the truck made contact with the bike.

 

[keithaba]

Holy Shiznit!!!!

That must have been scary as hell seeing a truck coming right at you! One of those life flashes before you eyes situations for sure....

Glad you were geared up, could have been a hell of a lot worse. How fast do you think he was going when he hit you? I'm amazed at how light the damage is. His insurance is going to cover all this, correct?

You will probably feel it even more today, your body took quite an impact.

If you get a chance, can you take some pictures of the gear.

Check the torque on the highway peg bolts. Mine came a little loose after my getoff and leaked a small amount of oil. When I checked them, they were loose from the impact. It's only like 7 foot pounds.

Glad your o.k.

 

[jeremybhm]

Glad your ok. I would consider myself very lucky to get away with that little bit of damage to the bike, given the alernative. I did more damage to mine just dropping it standing still one day before I got sliders.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Holy Crap ej!

Glad you made out with minor stuff considering everything....

 

[Thug]

Glad your going to be ok man....ATGATT is a good moto me thinks?

 

[Fencer]

+1

 

[cougar8000]

WOW, for been T-boned you sure get off easy. Good for you. Surprised to hear your leg is not hurting around the knee considering where the impact was.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

Glad to hear you okay, could have been a lot worse..

 

[Scab]

Good grief! Do we need to start traveling with escort? You are dang lucky to tackle a truck and even come out alive! But with no worse damage than you have...I'd be buying some lottery tickets!

Glad it was no worse!

 

[ejworthen]

All things considered, I feel VERY LUCKY!!! The outcome could have been much worse. I think the low speeds and the fact I was able to at least get out of the way a little bit helped me.

 

[Calimus]

Glad to see you're mostly alright. I just had my own issue with ppl not being able to see but it looks like your bike came out better then mine. Under the plastic should look fine (mine did and it didn't have the bennifit of frame sliders) so I wish ya luck there. I hope the other driver was ticketed.

Like Scab said though, we damn near need escorts. SUV's keep getting bigger and ppl look around them less and less. It's pretty bad when a bike the size of the FJR is hard to see over the hood of an average pickup truck. Make me think twice before walking acrossed a street anymore I tell ya.

Anyway, glad your ok and that the bike is in pretty good shape. If ya need anything, just shout.

 

[2006FJR]

+1

 

[luvtoride]

Wow, just missed your leg. I am glad that you are relatively ok. God luck w/ all. Try to get new gear out of the insurance company... especially the helmet.

Heidi

 

[Geezer]

Good to hear that you were geared up and well prepared. Looks like your farkles took most of the abuse.

 

[TriggerT]

Glad to hear you are OK. LUCKY, LUCKY, LUCKY! Your bike doesn't look much worse than mine did after I put it down at about 5 MPH. ATGATT is a good thing.

 

[FJR919]

Glad to hear the damage to you and the bike was minimal considering you were T-boned. Make sure HIS insurance company does the paying, so there are no subrogation issues that might affect your rates. Did you verify his license and all his paperwork was in order before letting him go on his way? I realize at the time one is so relieved to be relatively intact that it's understandable to forget to do that, but we should all be mindful that if the paperwork is questionable, make sure you call for a cop. A good thing to do in any event, but mandatory if insurance or other paperwork is questionable. Good luck.

 

[Rogue]

Great news you got off as easy as you did!

 

[ejworthen]

Glad to hear the damage to you and the bike was minimal considering you were T-boned. Make sure HIS insurance company does the paying, so there are no subrogation issues that might affect your rates. Did you verify his license and all his paperwork was in order before letting him go on his way? I realize at the time one is so relieved to be relatively intact that it's understandable to forget to do that, but we should all be mindful that if the paperwork is questionable, make sure you call for a cop. A good thing to do in any event, but mandatory if insurance or other paperwork is questionable. Good luck.

Police showed and got all the info. I have a copy of the incident report the cop gave me at the scene.

The guy that hit me actually called me last night to see how I was doing. He apologized again and told me to give him a call should I need anything.

As a side note, we both have the same insurance company.

 

[double_entendre]

Glad to hear the damage to you and the bike was minimal considering you were T-boned. Make sure HIS insurance company does the paying, so there are no subrogation issues that might affect your rates. Did you verify his license and all his paperwork was in order before letting him go on his way? I realize at the time one is so relieved to be relatively intact that it's understandable to forget to do that, but we should all be mindful that if the paperwork is questionable, make sure you call for a cop. A good thing to do in any event, but mandatory if insurance or other paperwork is questionable. Good luck.

Police showed and got all the info. I have a copy of the incident report the cop gave me at the scene.

The guy that hit me actually called me last night to see how I was doing. He apologized again and told me to give him a call should I need anything.

As a side note, we both have the same insurance company.

Wow.

Really happy to hear that you came out OK all in all. Any wreck can be really bad. A t-bone can be awful (1). You're a lucky guy.

I'm impressed that the guy who hit you is being as nice as he is. Being the cynic I am, I wonder if he has ulterior motives, but it could be just that he's actually a decent human being who realizes he made a mistake and hopes that you really do come back out of this at 100%. Lacking reason to doubt him, I guess you give him benefit of the doubt?

My wife is a bodily injury claims adjuster, so if you need some advice or have any questions you'd like to float past an impartial third party, please don't hesitate to PM me.

Rancho

(1) Unless it's bbq'd, treading the line between rare and medium rare, with a baked potato and some bbq'd corn. Then it's great.

"I'm not gay, but I do have a wide stance." :glare: