Dropped it :/
So after three months of spirited summer riding, three track days, recovering slides on the track, getting my knee down, hanging off, and generally thinking I'm not all that bad...
I became a statistic (a boring one, but a statistic.) Turns out all that talk about dropping your bike close to home, running an errand or something, at lowish speed, is correct.
Went out tonight to grab a burger with some friends downtown. Drank nothing but water like a good boy, wore full gear save for jeans, said my goodbyes, pull out of my parking spot, roll on the throttle just a little and... BRAAP! Rear totally wipes out at about 10 mph as I'm turning down the road. I somehow manage to kind of bounce off the ground and stand up, but bike goes spinning down the road on the frame slider in front of the streetcar stop full of people and my friends.
While I knew and acknowledged that cold tires = less traction, I didn't fully appreciate the pencil eraser consistency of a 50 degree F Pirelli diablo corsa rear tire on 50 degree city pavement. I was being easy on the throttle - turns out I should've been applying it with my pinky finger.
At any rate, except for a slightly bruised ass and a more bruised ego no injury (gear!) My arrow slip-on suffered some real abuse on the pavement but was kind enough to make a cool spark show as it slid down the road - I got it on eBay for $150 so I'll live. The frame slider lost 1/4-1/2" but managed to save the controls, the turn signal, the top fairing, etc. I wasn't surprised to see 3 square inches or so of rash on the lower fairing, bummer, but at least the slider stopped it from being totally f**ked and cracked (tolerable until I decide what do about it anyway.) The rear brake pedal is now a question mark but whatever, that's about the cheapest part on the bike.
Too bad though, it was a mint condition bike, not a real scratch on it.
So anyway, a reminder to everyone that cold tires are the devil and that AGATT, or close to it, really is the way to go. My right glove, right boot, and right elbow on my jacket all show they did some work. If I'd been a goon in street clothes I'd be looking at a jacked up hand, road rash on my ankle bone, and perhaps a broken elbow (padded elbow armor was a big one.) As it is I walked away with just a bruise on my ass - if I really had been wearing all my gear (pants) I wouldn't even have that.
WTB Portion Removed - Knight2211
Last edited by Knight2211; 11-06-2012 at 05:21 AM.
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