• Can't post after logging to the forum for the first time... Try Again - If you can't post in the forum, sign out of both the membership site and the forum and log in again. Make sure your COG membership is active and your browser allow cookies. If you still can't post, contact the COG IT guy at IT@Concours.org.
  • IF YOU GET 404 ERROR: This may be due to using a link in a post from prior to the web migration. Content was brought over from the old forum as is, but the links may be in error. If the link contains "cog-online.org" it is an old link and will not work.

Close calls

capnkirk

capnkirk

Guest
Guest
They always say (whoever they are) that when you ride a motorcycle it's not a matter of "if" but "when." What are your close call stories, and if you can, share what you did to avoid catastrophe.

I've had four incidents that I've walked away from:

1995, Spokane, WA - Honda GL500 Silverwing: I was stopped at a traffic light and the guy rolling up behind wasn't paying enough attention and crashed into me. Thankfully I saw him approaching in my mirrors, realized he wasn't stopping fast enough, and was able to jump up and to the left right in time. No injury, and the bike was mostly okay.

2004, Albany, OR - Honda VTX1300: I got tapped and knocked over in a parking lot. Again, I saw it coming and was able to step off the bike.

2014, just outside of Bakersfield, CA - Yamaha FJR1300: I was on a state highway doing about 65 around a right-sweeping bend and rolled up on a large object in the road. I went around the object to the left but went too far, obliterated one of the plastic 1/10-mile markers, and drifted into the gravel, dangerously close to the barrier. I thought for sure I was going down but managed to keep it together, slow down, and come to a stop. That was far scarier than getting rear-ended.

2016, Oakland, CA - Triumph Trophy SE 1200: This may be hard to describe. At most freeway off-ramps there's a small zone between the road you were on and where the ramp curves off, and usually it's just blacktop with paint stripes delineating the road and ramp. Early one morning (still dark) I took a wrong exit and thought that I could just sweep across that zone and back onto the freeway, but it turned out that zone wasn't flat pavement - it was all curbed off and the empty space was filled with rocks and brush. I banked left to "sweep across," banged up and over the curb that I didn't know was there, bounced my way over all the rocks and crap, over the curb on the other side and into the breakdown lane of the freeway I was originally on. Once again I somehow managed to stay upright, though I had to stop, let the adrenaline rush fade, and catch my breath.

I really should have crashed that last time, but didn't, and I really hope that was the last of it.

Edit: added motorcycles to the descriptions.
 
Ok, I'll share.  I doubt there is a guy on this forum who does not have several of his own stories.

Was raining and I was following an 18 wheeler.  It was of course throwing off a tremendous amount of dirty road mist.    I backed off some but was not looking forward to following this guy.  So I finally see an opening and start to pass him.  I was about even with him when I applied a full handful of throttle to get by him.  Bad move, as the rear tire broke loose and I started to fishtail dangerously close to the rig.  Almost went down.  Thankfully, I stayed up.  So moral of story, respect the Connies power on wet roads.

Steve
 
SATXRIDER said:
So moral of story, respect the Connies power on wet roads.

Steve
Click to expand...

Amen to that. I won't ride in the rain on purpose, but if I get caught in it, I go into Granny Mode.
 
June 1982 Lewiston Id. I was chasing my friend down the grade at about 100mph on my 2 week old V45 Sabre with it loaded up with a tank bag, saddlebags and camping gear. When I was coming out of the last sweeping right I got hit in the side by a huge gust of wind. My handlebars were a blur and all I could was try to hang on and try to dampen the death wobble. :-\ I managed to ride it out and made it to Effie's where I sat on the curb for 10 minutes before I went in for a burger and a beer.
 
Capn' Kirk said:
Kelly E said:
...at about 100mph on my 2 week old V45 Sabre.
Click to expand...

Break in period? What break in period?  ;D

Man, that must have been scary. Pucker Factor: 100
Click to expand...

It was broke in three days after I picked it up. :great: It was one of my highest Pucker Factor incidents so far. :)
 
Oh deer! Was riding my GL1500 to work on morning running about 50 down a 2 lane windy I live on and about 2 miles after leaving my house I see two deer pop out and over a fence on the right side, when I say see I mean I see them in time to know I am in trouble. I did not have enough space to slow down no matter what but the first deer was gonna clear me it was the 2nd deer that was trailing behind, I decided I did not want to head on the deer so I throttled into it and made the deer hit me. Turned out to be the right choice, it wobbled me enough to kill the bike, I think the bank angle sensor jolted enough to think the bike got layed over so it shut off. I slowly pulled to the side and turned the key off and kickstand down to walk around and survey the damage, could not see much since it was still zero dark thirty but the deer was nowhere to be seen and the bike appeared ok so got back on and headed off to work. Only minor damage and lost a plastic side cover and some trim molding, on the way home I found the cove but not the trim?

Fast forward a year and a half 2014 on the way home same road running 70 at about 4PM plenty of daylight into a right hand sweeper, I am checking the curve for debris on the inside looking down and not up and as I start to come out of the curve there is a deer that has magically appeared about 3 feet in front of me. Did not even have time to hit the brakes, bike went down left and right I got thrown and rolled about 30 yards or more and finally managed to get flat and slid another 10 before going into the ditch. Luckily I did not end up in a fire ant bed, and I did a quick assessment moving slowly arms then legs then head and finally sat up, all seemed ok so got up and some ladies had stopped and called the LEO's and ambulance. I walked over to the bike turned the radio off got my keys out and my phone, called my wife and told her so she was on the way, then I started picking up fenders and plastics and putting them in a pile by the bike. A buddy happened by in his truck so he pulled in front of me and dropped the tailgate for me to sit on while I had a smoke. Cops show up and ambulance and wife all at the same time, I just want to have the tow truck come get the bike and take it to the house, but wife says no get in ambulance, guess the look on my face told her I was actually hurt more than the minor road rash on my hand (no gloves on that day). Good news is the cops said my buddy could load up the deer since my bike was a 93 and it was opening day for primitive weapons  :D love a cop with a sense of humor. Bad news was had 2 broken ribs, and by the time I got to the hospital and the adrenalin wore off I was starting to feel that.

Other than those I have had a few back wheel lock ups with some minor fishtailing, once on dry road to miss a deer on the connie (we have too many deer where i live) and just a few days ago in a fresh rain with some mud on the road where I needed to drop speed for a car that decided to turn off at the last second, they almost went in the ditch trying to make their turn, and I had to brake very hard to avoid that jackazz.
 
I've been on sport bikes for 27 years and do track days and at the beginning rode like every road was a track.....until.....
Anyways, I DON'T DO CLOSE CALLS....I go all the way! LOL
1 bad aciident, 1 (I consider) not too bad.
I would tell you the injuries, but some wonder why I still ride after I tell them the list...mostly non-riders. lol
 
Warwgn said:
Oh deer!
Click to expand...

Pesky deer. Primitive weapons!  :)

Forgot all about the time a few years ago I was riding up to Oregon from CA and a deer leapt out onto I5. It was close enough to me I could hear its hooves clacking on the blacktop. Had I been at that spot one second sooner there would have been a collision.
 
June 1982, later on the same day as the death wobble incident we were down into Oregon and I was leading. I came around a nice right hand sweeper going about 50mph and standing sideways in the middle of the road was a big ass bull. :-\ Luckily there was time to honk the horn and at the last second the bull ran off the road and up the hill. Shortly after that I decided it was to to find a place to camp. :truce:
 
2013..The night before I was to leave for the National in Idaho Falls I found the final on my C14 was leaking. A quick call to the dealer in Idaho Falls pretty much told me they didn't want anything to do with it. So out to borrow a motorcycle. A friend let me borrow his Harley. Nice ride. 

Made for long trek's the highway. I met up with friends for the ride to the Nationals. Second day we where in the mountains and not going exceptionally fast but I wanted to slow a bit for a up coming curve. My mistake was I got on the rear brake which locked up. (I should have just down shifted.) Before I realized what was really happening the rear decided to pass the front. I ended up going for the ditch backwards which was guarded by a guard rail.  Had I been on the C14, there would have not been a reason to slow down.

The bike got hurt but was still able to be ridden. Not pretty but still went down the road with broken mirror and windshield. The only injury I ended up with was a slightly bruised foot, a now well used jacket and a small spot of paint missing from the helmet. I entered the modified bike contest but didn't win.

I got home and my friend and I sat down in front of the computer with my credit card and ordered parts. Since the HD had done the exact same thing to him, he sold the HD and bought a Can Am Spider. His wife likes the Spider and I got thanked for crashing the Harley.....go figure.  Also when I got home another friend said I could have borrowed his Busa. I wish I could have tried that one out instead. At least I would have been able to keep up with the group when they were passing cars but wouldn't have had comfort and a stereo. 
 
TimR said:
My mistake was I got on the rear brake which locked up.
Click to expand...

I had that happen to me on my V Star. I was headed out of San Francisco from work, and on the Bay Bridge a bus that was mostly ahead of me started to drift into my lane so I hit the brakes to fall back and stay clear. The rear end locked up and there was a brief moment of scary fishtailing. My bike previous to the V Star was an FJR1300 with ABS, so it makes sense how easily the Star locked up.

Lessons, all of them.
 
Few years ago, buzzing along on a V XII about 70 in cruise. Topped a hill and lo and behold, there a Texas Resident Criter right in the middle of my Oklahoma Lane. Whacked dead square in the center. Pieces of Armadillo everywhere! I wobbled real bad, then got back under control as the speed dropped. I spit upholtery for a day or two after.  --JD
 
2010 Suzuki SV 650. I was riding a very familiar road near dark in a light rain. On a straight away I gave some throttle and I didn't think it was too much at that time. What happened next is why I like traction control on the connie and have a healthy fear of tar strips. While riding directly on top of a wet tar strip the rear wheel broke free, slid to one side of the strip, regained a bit of traction, slid to the other of the strip and repeated. The feel was somewhat like a death wobble but with the back end hopping side to side. I had a death grip on the handlebars and even if it occurred to me to grab the clutch or to throttle down I was too paralyzed with fear to do it. I remember resigning myself to the inevitability of a crash and somehow I didn't. I rode home slowly, laundered my shorts and realized there is a thing or two about riding I just learned.
 
I was riding with my GL1200A and had just got on the highway, just getting up to speed - maybe 60mph in a 70 zone.
As I crested the small rise in the highway there was a deer that had just stepped into my lane and then stopped.
This was about 100 ft in front of me - so even going only 60, it didn't give me much time to do anything. I aimed (drifted really)
towards the rear end of the animal and just clipped it's rear legs. I was amazed that I didn't go down and just caught a glimpse
of the deer bolting across the highway.  I have to believe it's leg(s) were broken and must have died later.

After getting the bike home I noticed deer hair in the fender area and a cracked fairing piece and some missing vents.
Then I found out how hard it was to get parts on an over 30 year old bike. That's when I decided if I ever had an
accident with that bike - it would be that last time because parts were becoming non existent for it.

And I did end up having an accident with it again.
It was soon before the 2016 National and I did a big post on that titled - My sad sad news about the National.

I did end up selling the crashed bike - it was still rideable - for $150 - So the next owner had his work cut out for him
as I will assume he also found out how hard getting parts was going to be.  Oh well.
 
I had passed the BRC in October and had a GZ250 in a storage unit for the winter, but it got real warm in January and the snow melted.  I took the bike out for a mid-day practice run, winding my way west towards NYC with no route in mind.  At the Whitestone Expressway I turned north then decided local roads & coffee could be had if I took Linden Ave.  The exit had a pitcher's mound worth of sand blocking the entire lane halfway down.  The front wheel bogged & wobbled but I made it through.  Lesson: winter road hazards are more than just snow & ice.
  Next year I got a Boulevard C50.  Took my only riding vacation so far, an overnight near Binghamton and some roadside geology sightseeing.  It rained like heck but let up the 2nd day as I came home via I-80.  It was 2 lanes of heavy traffic, maybe 50 mph getting out of PA.  I was in the right lane when the car in front of me straddled a chunk of concrete sidewalk near the middle.  I wasn't in the wheel track & got pucker factor swerving to avoid it.  Still feel guilty about not stopping to try to kick it off the road, but that has its own risks.
 
 
Last year me and my riding buddies were headed home from our annual trip to West Virginia, and I was leading the group on State Highway 29, a forested two-lane road through the mountains. We were cooking along at 70 or better in the middle of a left-hand sweeper.  It was blind due to all of the trees and the hillside. All of a sudden, into view comes a silver minivan going the other way, the driver’s side wheels on the yellow line. The driver’s side front wheel is halfway up in the fender the guy was heeled over so hard in the corner. I was  CERTAIN he was coming across the line into my lane to smash me. We were on each other so fast I had no time to react and nowhere to go but off the road on the right-hand side into the trees anyway. Luckily, he stayed on the yellow line, but the two guys behind me crapped their pants too thinking he wasn’t going to make the corner either. Sometimes I’m thankful that by the time your brain really has time to process what’s going on the event is already over, because sometimes I think if I had time to think about some of these things I would react and do something dumb out of instinct that would make matters worse.
 
I was following behind a car on a perfect day not worried about much and not on high alert due to weather and the escort.  I was not to close and that was good.  The car managed to straddle a 4x4 post 4+ feet long barely clearing between his wheels and under his car.  By the time I saw it I had 40 feet or so while going 45 mph to decide if I should try and swerve and miss it, going down for sure if I failed to clear the end of it, or try to square up and hit it str8 on and hope the bike hops it.  What would you do?
 
About 2 years ago the NYC bike show was on a really warm saturday in December and I took the connie.  I was on I-495 westbound in the slow lane when I faced a very similar choice.  It was a piece of aluminum extrusion, looked like a door jamb about 8 feet long, maybe the size of a 2 by 4 at most, maybe a 1 by 2, but it was diagonal in the middle of the lane.  At Nassau county traffic density I couldn't swerve or brake, IMHO, so I got up on the pegs, stiffened my grips, and maybe did a pre-jump like you see skiers doing, letting my legs become shock absorbers without getting off the pegs.  I wasn't sure if it was going to have an edge-trap effect when it hit, but I just took the bump.  It didn't bounce up to hit the bike between the wheels.  I think I got some air under both tires at once.  The handlebars jerked some and after my very brief flight I had a mini-tank-slapper, that is, a series of excessive over-corrective inputs that damped out in 5 or 6 wiggles.  God bless the geometry on that bike!
I'd like to get some handlebar risers, I think I have the original 87s, but since that stunt I'm not sure the extra comfort will improve my chances of handling that kind of incident.
 
Smithr1, I would probably have tried to hop that 4x4 too.  45 mph is about 66 feet per second, maybe there was time to brake and then release for the impact if you had your decision made with 40 feet left.
As a rule I don't react at all to panic situations in fear of making things worse than they already are.
 
I've had several close calls, but one that REALLY got my attention was when I was following an 18-wheeler too closely, and he straddled and passed over a big chunk of retread that had come off the tire of another truck.  By the time I saw it coming underneath his rear trailer axle, it was too late to react any way but to say to myself "Oh, F%&#!!"  The Connie and I together weigh right about 900 pounds and we went straight up about 6 inches or so (seemed like 6 feet), and straight back down, forks and shock bottomed out, and just by dumb luck the wheels were straight, and nothing happened.  All at between 70 - 75 MPH.  :motonoises:

Lesson:  NEVER tailgate anything.
 
I ride a Vulcan S 650 and have had several close calls.  I was driving home from work trying to beat the rain.  I was going to turn right.  There are two right hand turn lanes.  I was on the outside right turn lane and inside right turn lane was a car.  We are both turning right and it's already raining.  Without even looking she starts getting into my lane.  Thankfully, I didn't go down.  I did wobble a bit as I'm leaning into my turn, the road is wet and it's raining.  Another time, I was riding home on the highway, again trying to out run the rain, I lost.  It was a torrential downpour and it was very hard for me to see.  The next exit was one mile away.  But I had a guardian angel.  It was a truck driver.  He was behind and he was on both lanes blocking traffic!  He was far from me so I felt safe.  Once I signaled that I was getting exiting, he got on the right lane and traffic was able to go through.  I've had close calls due to drivers not paying any attention.

Irene
 
I would like to add Close Critter Calls as a sub category. Living in a rural area; it is not unusual to see wild life. Have been close to big animals way too many times. My co-rider will never forget the time a turkey flew between our helmets once. She could have snagged a feather without much of a stretch. We had an eagle fly right above our heads as we crossed the Hudson river and I mean right above our heads as it took evasive action to avoid us.
 
Had a similar "turkey encounter" near Vogle State park, not far from where the Run With The Wolf Rally takes place. We were coming to the intersection with US 129 and a hen turkey flushed off the shoulder across in front of us on the C-10. Missed us by "that much...." Good up close view of a hen turkey's belly, though... ;D
 
April, 2017- I decided I was going to leave the Tampa area and ride my hayabusa to Georgia state and then ride back south through the scenic A1A road. I left the house at around 6AM and by 4PM I was back down by Ormond beach, so I decided I was jumping back on the main highway and heading home to try and make it by dawn. I take I95 South and then jump on the lovely I4 West(rated one of the deadliest in America as of recent studies). Going through orlando the traffic was heavy, but flowing at 55MPH or so. All of a sudden, everyone slammed on their brakes and I clamped on to my brake lever and the rear was almost in the air. I see the van In front of me and get ready for impact, but the lady driver sees that she is about to hit the Mini Cooper in front of her and decides to shoot for the median. It was blessing she did because that gave me more room to shed speed before hitting something. I stopped inches away from the cooper’s rear bumper and the van to my left and and just looking at the lady in the van through her passenger window while shaking our heads. That’s the first time I felt good about spending the money on that Brembo master cylinder. I’m sure if I would’ve had the stock master cylinder, I would’ve taken an ambulance ride or worse.
 
ron203 said:
Had a similar "turkey encounter" near Vogle State park, not far from where the Run With The Wolf Rally takes place. We were coming to the intersection with US 129 and a hen turkey flushed off the shoulder across in front of us on the C-10. Missed us by "that much...." Good up close view of a hen turkey's belly, though... ;D
Click to expand...

Jorge and I were out east in Finger Lakes, New York when a bird hit the side of my helmet and dislodged the visor.  We were on his C-10.  I couldn't get the visor back on so he stopped at a winery and I fixed the visor.  Since we were in the winery, we did stop and tour the place and bought a case of wine.  They mailed to us.

We've had several close calls with animals.

Irene
 
Did the wine have a "bird" theme? Such as Ghosthawk Wines or Falcon chardonnay? Not so lucky to stop but sounds like a good place for a quick repair.
 
Trolling around the Forum, hardly able to contain myself with Spring in the air and salt still on the roads with yet another Nor'easter coming, this is one of the first threads I spotted. These stories, while terrifying, reminded me of my own terrifying past situations. SO - all these combined motivated me to sign up for the local MSF Advanced Rider course. At only $165, it's likely the cheapest insurance to be had. Looking forward to safer riding and less terror....the last thing I want to be is a terrorist (sic).
 
Diz said:
Did the wine have a "bird" theme? Such as Ghosthawk Wines or Falcon chardonnay? Not so lucky to stop but sounds like a good place for a quick repair.
Click to expand...

No bird theme but very tasty winel.  :)
 
It was about 5pm early June 2015, our 9th day on the road averaging 500 miles a day. We (Brother & I) had been droning on freeway around Chicago, IL heading East rush hour traffic picking up. We had been riding since 8am and wanted to get as far east as a groaning bellies would allow before stopping for dinner. He was leading at 5-10 mph over posted limit. We were casually passing slower traffic all day, verbal call outs on any potential dangers, at this point in the day we usually didnt talk much, just enjoying the ride and keeping our heads on a swivel through the moderately heavy traffic (4 lane freeway). Brother flicks on his blinker steers into the fast lane, i follow suite and he YELLs out "CAR! CAR!" after quickly checking mirrors again i see nothing, looking forward see nothing out of place or any hazards He screams again "CAR! CAR!" i reply "Where?! What are you talking about i dont see anything" I check my left side mirror again and in the blind spot mirror i see the front right corner of a silver BMW inches from my left side saddle bag. I immediately move right and check lane is clear for lane change. Brother said that BMW had to be exceeding 120 MPH cause it was at least a mile back when he switched lanes. After i had changed lanes the BMW merged back into the fast lane from the emergency lane up beside me. I motioned to him best i could "I did not see you" with hand signals as i was slowing way down trying to regain my composure and slow my heart rate focusing on traffic at hand so i didn't get into an accident trying to recover from the close call. Then the BMW decided he would avenge the close call by swerving into me trying to hit me. The first couple times he swerved toward me leaving six feet or more in between us. Then he came directly toward me within inches trying to hit me and i slowed down and pulled off the road stopping to get off the bike. He accelerated and took off.
Unbelievable. It was totally my fault cutting him off not thoroughly checking prior to changing lanes. But for him to go all "Road Rage" was certainly a first and two close calls back to back had me rattled for the rest of the day.
 
    Well this story is probably ten years or so old now, and I have told it numerous times over the years. Rather than type out a version. I decided to do a search and copy and paste one of my close calls. IIRC, this took place Approximately September 2007. So here is my close call tale.


Cap'n Bob said:
    Well, I've told this story a few times before. But it is kind of interesting. Back a few years ago, my buddy and I were on our annual trip into the Vermont-New Hampshire area in September. Well this year we had the ride of our like on Rt112 (the Kancamagus highway). We had zero traffic in front of us (well the few we encountered came at perfect passing times). So we were really running along at a fast pace. (Of course we never broke the speed limit!  ::)  )
    Well after a good distance of fun, we back it down to a slower pace. As we go around the next downhill turn that goes into another turn. I see a car coming out of the turn in my lane. Well I'm in serious trouble. I can't go into his lane in case he swerves back. I can't go off the shoulder, because it drops off into the rock cliffs. And I obviously can't stay in my lane.
So I grab my brakes for all their worth. (All the brake practicing in the world was not going to save me today) So I would have kissed my butt goodbye if I could reach. But the one thing I had running in the back of my mind was that my 2008 C14 has ABS. So as the brakes vibrated like being on the rumble strips and I kept on the brakes (nose diving and all). The ABS allowed me to maintain somewhat control of the bike. So I aimed for just on the outside of the white line between the line and the drop off of the road edge. Luckily the car swerves just as I was going by him. I ran around that turn between the white line and the drop off. And by the miracle of God, I made it.
    I was very rattled and extremely mad. So I slowed for a bit, and then headed straight for my hotel in North Conway. I made my buddy lead because I was not in a safe mind and should have parked the bike. (I wouldn't lead the next day either)  Anyway my buddy told me that he was sure he was calling my wife with very bad news. He was behind me enough that he managed to slow and might have gotten out of the jam. So he said he thought for sure that I was a goner.
    So two days later we continue our trip to Stowe Vermont. Of course it poured the whole way. And it's probably close to 200 miles up there. So we get to the hotel and decide to hit the hot tub. We meet this nice couple from England who were on holiday. We get talking bikes. My buddy had a mint 67 Triumph. As we discussed it, I said that I was always preferred the BSA. Well this nice English gent said he felt the same way. So we have a nice conversation.
      Well the talk turns to travel. I mention how I want to go to the UK or Australia. But I'm afraid that I would ride on the wrong side of the road. We he says, yes it very easy for that to happen. Just a few days ago, they had pulled out of a pull off and he said that they were on the wrong side of the road and just never realized it. He said he came around a turn, and a couple of motorbikes were in his lane. He went on to say that they just were not swerving back in their lane. Then he realized that it was he who was in the wrong lane. He said that he swerved and just missed the gent by inches. He pulled over up the road and was terrible shaken. The thought that he had almost killed two people was overwhelming him.
    I hear this story and I ask him. This didn't happen to be on RT112 between Lincoln and Conway, was it? He say, yes it just happened to be. So I look at him and ask: Are you driving a black Charger by chance. Well his face kind of went blank. He said that was you gentlemen? He said, you must have some awful this you want to say to me. But here’s the funny part. I wasn't mad. I was relieved that I now knew why this happened. And my fears came true for these nice folks. You may think I'm crazy, but I forgave him and felt better having the closure knowing why.
    Well the next morning, he brought me a BSA pin that he had worn for years (he use to ride them). He wanted me to have it. I accepted it and have it to this day. It was a token of a new friendship with folks that I will probably never see again. Yet we were brought together in the strange scenario. But what are the odds of meeting the same people, days later, hundreds of miles away? Kind of funny, wouldn't you say.
      Anyway, I will say without a doubt. ABS saved my life that day. I cannot preach the merits of having them enough. But here's another weird scenario. I had a bad wreck on my C10 a couple of years earlier. I high sided after the rear wheel locked on me. (Yes I was ignorant and thought I was better than ABS could be) But the day came where I still managed to lock the rear in a slide through gavel. When I hit the pavement again, everything went dark. My permeant injuries will always remind me how ignorant I was in my thinking that I was better than ABS. I found out the hard way that I wasn't. All the practicing was pretty much for nothing that day.
      Now again, the funny part. I can't help but wonder if God let me wreck that day on purpose. Had I not been medevac’d out that day. There's a good chance I would not have bought that Concours14 ABS. I probably would have been riding my beautiful Red 2003 Concours C10 in New Hampshire that day. And I would now be dead! It's funny how some things turn out.  ;)
Click to expand...




 
SATXRIDER said:
Ok, I'll share.  I doubt there is a guy on this forum who does not have several of his own stories.

Was raining and I was following an 18 wheeler.  It was of course throwing off a tremendous amount of dirty road mist.    I backed off some but was not looking forward to following this guy.  So I finally see an opening and start to pass him.  I was about even with him when I applied a full handful of throttle to get by him.  Bad move, as the rear tire broke loose and I started to fishtail dangerously close to the rig.  Almost went down.  Thankfully, I stayed up.  So moral of story, respect the Connies power on wet roads.

Steve
Click to expand...

Does your bike have traction control ?
 
Several years ago at El Mirage Dry Lakes in California, despite 10 screws in each side of the bead, I spun the rear wheel inside the tire while going approximately 185 mph. The bike which is 8 & 1/2 feet long, twin Z-1 Turbo'd engines immediately began to oscillate. The front wheel stayed straight-ish while the back swung from lock to lock. Have you ever had things go into slow motion? That's where I was, thinking "Get off, no stay on". The first rule in LSR is NEVER voluntarily get off at speed. After riding the bike to a stop and just sitting on it the ambulance driver walked over to see if I was ok. He pointed out that I had a flat tire!
  When we loaded it on the trailer the front and rear were tracking 18 inches off from the tire being rolled over one side of the rim.
At that years awards banquet I was given the "Brown Shorts Award" :mad:
 

Attachments

  • Version 2.jpg
    Version 2.jpg
    32.4 KB · Views: 145
Annual close calls for me. 

In Utah it seem we transition from winter to summer over a two week period.  Every year when we suddenly shoot from 40° to 85°, I re-learn about tar snakes when I take very familiar local roads a bit quicker than I should in warm weather. 

The flip-side to that is that I try to ride year round as long as the temps are in the mid-teens or higher, and as long as the roads are dry.  There is a one block section of road close to work that must have a high water table or some other water source, as water often seems to weep from the concrete median long after we've had any kind of rain or snow.  In the winter, that weeping turns into two or three lanes of ice.  25 miles of "dry" roads mean little when you unexpectedly encounter a 10' patch of ice.  Just like the tar snakes, I have to re-learn this every year when we get our first hard freeze.
 
Capn' Kirk said:
2016, Oakland, CA - Triumph Trophy SE 1200: This may be hard to describe. At most freeway off-ramps there's a small zone between the road you were on and where the ramp curves off, and usually it's just blacktop with paint stripes delineating the road and ramp.
Click to expand...
Gore point
 
Do crashes count as close calls if you survive them? My first crash was on highway 33 between Ohai and Maricopa. Used to be able to make the 84 mile ride in an hour. Heading down the mountain toward Ohai one night I dove into a decreasing-radius right-hander way too hot. On the shoulder on the wrong side of the road, leaning hard, when front wheel hit a rut. Laid it down, skidded down the side of the road. Helmet and leathers did their job.
#2 crash: Oncoming old man in a van made a left turn in front of me on a 4-lane street, saw the car beside me in the slow lane but not me, and stopped in my lane, putting up the perfect road block. Left 60 feet of rubber before I hit the side doors on the van at about 30 mph. Helmet saved my head.
#3 crash: Riding at night between Taft and Bakersfield, California, at about 95 mph, when a Black Labrador ran across the road in front of me. Never even saw it coming. One second I was up, cruising, thinking life was a breeze, and then BAM, and I'm sliding down the road behind my Z1-R on its' side. Probably slid 75 yards. Protective gear saved my ass once again.
#4 crash: Riding at night near Mankato, Minnesota, when I went through a road construction area, got on pavement again, and just as I got up to speed I crested a rise to see mounds of dirt, rock, and gravel. Worst injuries of all.
#5 crash: Riding twisty highway 74 near Jasper, Arkansas, on 77 KZ-1000, when I ran it off a decreasing-radius left-hander, crashing into a culvert and boulders. Helmet did it's job.
Some people would question my  sanity for still riding. I don't have the need for speed that I once did, and I use much more caution than in my young-and-dumb days. And I try not to ride at night if I don't have to. I always heard that there are two types of riders, those who have crashed, and those who are about to crash. Helmets and dumb luck are the reason I'm able to recount these events.
 
My latest close call ended up being too close.  I was riding to the gas station before heading to work.  I'm on the right lane already slowing down and had my turn signal one when I get hit from behind as I'm making my turn into the station.  I tried to keep the bike up but not possible.  I go down with the bike on top of me.  Once I got out, the guy who hits me starts yelling at me that it's all my fault.  Can you believe that!  He said I didn't have my turn signal on.  I told him I did.  Thankfully, I had an eye witness.  Once he heard her say that she saw the signal on and that it was still on he decided to change his story.  He then said that I cut him off.  Thankfully, the deputy sheriff didn't believe his story. 

Irene
 
Rico said:
Funsize, glad your okay! Let us know how this turns out.
Click to expand...

I'm still dealing with his insurance company.  They are dragging their feet. I'll be making a phone call this week to see what is the hold up. 

Irene
 
Westbound I-90, heading into tunnels before entering Seattle. Misty day. Wet concrete slab. Routine traffic. I spot an accident that had been cleared to LH shoulder. I am in carpool lane, following a car (very safe distance). When the car, for no apparent reasons, hit brakes to change lanes. I touch front brakes. Little did I know, I was right in the middle of rainwater-coolant-mix left after previous accident. Before I knew it, I was sliding down in my lane on all four, with bike sliding inches in front of me. A day before I had installed engine guard on my Vee. Traffic stopped, all 4 lanes. WASP who was still working earlier accident looked my way, gestured me, " Am I OK?" as I was picking my bike and dragging it to RH shoulder. Traffic still halted. My riding suit was torn around RH elbow, hip and ankle. No blood just bruises. I atribute minimal abrasion to wet concrete, lubricated by Dexcool coolant which I could still smell days after the indecent. RH handlebar weight got scraped, brake lever broke and engine guard got scraped. 
Low siding a bike at 60+mph in tight traffic is unforgettable experience.
I am thankful to all motorists behind me who drove that day on I-90. 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top