My new helmet

[FIVEINCH]

Pic.

High-sided my bike.


Lesson: check tires carefully if dew-point has settled.

[inspiron]

I think the most powerful statement made by that picture is the childs toy in the background...hope you're okay, 5"

[FIVEINCH]

First thoughts through my mind when I saw the outside of the helmet was my two boys.

[FIVEINCH]

more pics.

[FIVEINCH]

More.

[FIVEINCH]

more.

[FIVEINCH]

All in all, it looks like everything did what it was designed to do.

[c50tiger]

Damage sucks... but far better to damage the equipment than yourself. Glad to see you're ok, 5inch

[FIVEINCH]

Thank you, all.

If anyone has any questions, please ask openly, I've been back to the location the bike went down and was able to put together quite a few details.

I would like this to a lesson-learned experience at my expense.... not yours.

[LayinLo]

I'm crying big tears for ya buddy!

[FIVEINCH]

Thanks, man. It's killing me that I can't start stripping it for repairs. So, til my hand heals well enough, I've picked up Halo2!

[St0nkingByte]

Hands good enough to play Halo2 but not good enough to work on the bike? Seriously I'm glad to hear your mostly intact!

OK so I'm a motorcycle newbie what exactly went wrong FIVEINCH? Dew happened and your tires and the road were especially slippery and you wiped out making a turn out of the parking lot? Give me something to add to my dont-do-that list

[FIVEINCH]

Originally Posted by St0nkingByte

Hands good enough to play Halo2 but not good enough to work on the bike? Seriously I'm glad to hear your mostly intact!

OK so I'm a motorcycle newbie what exactly went wrong FIVEINCH? Dew happened and your tires and the road were especially slippery and you wiped out making a turn out of the parking lot? Give me something to add to my dont-do-that list

No problem. The lesson I learned is this:

If you have to wipe your seat off before you mount up, maybe you should REALLY look close at the rest of your bike to see where else the dew may have settled.

I wiped off my seat, buttoned the trunk up, and started the bike. I finished putting my helmet and gloves on then mounted. I noticed the temp wasn't quite where I wanted it to be, so I duck-walked it over to another curb under a lamp in the parking lot. I waited another five minutes (total ten) and proceeded on my way. Keep in mind the contact patch on a motorcycle tire is minimal compared to a cage. I stopped at the stop sign, checked traffic, and attempted my right turn.

Sometime in the turn, my rear tire spun and kicked out (slick concrete, or stop line paint). I intended to ride the bike down for a low-side, but the tire contacted the pavement and bit. I should explain that the intersection transitions from pavement to slick concrete back to pavement. Once the tire bit, the bike immediately flopped over the other side, throwing me over with it. I didn't even have time to let go. I recall riding out the low-side, then face-planting the pavement on the other side. I imagine at some point I twisted the throttle, increasing tire spin and basically wreaking more havoc.

What should I have done to avoid this whole mess? Packed my bike in for winter. But I live in Southern California!

I should have ridden around the parking lot for a little until I was sure my tire was no longer slick. I also should have wiped down my tire to remove excess moisture off the surface.

I should not have leaned so early in my turn, because my tire was wet.

These are all things I will pack into my little brain as lessons learned.

[c50tiger]

Wish it hadn't happened, buddy, but I appreciate your passing your lesson learned on for the rest of us who do have more opportunity to ride year round.

[SDSUsnowboards]

It's amazing how easy it is to drop a bike. Now I'm nervous, I've never given it a second thought tearing out of the parking lot after work at midnight.

I'm glad you mentioned the moist seat. I never wipe it off, I just sit with a wet ass (cuz im young and dumb and dont care) but since it IS wet I guess I got to find a way to warm that rear tire up before going home... hmmm burn outs in the parkinglot? lol.

[FIVEINCH]

Even better would be wipe the tire off and take the long way out of the parking lot with a few wide, easy turns before hitting the the road. Makes the tires last longer.

[Gixxerdale]

Do'h Man! Sad to see your ride busted up! Glad to see you are in one piece though.

SoCal winterize, no way, at least not like our northern members. This may help for our brutal winters around here.

I run Dunlop 208's most of the year. About this time of year I change to Bridgestone 020's. They are a touring tire, a harder compound, not as sticky, but disperse water better than the Dunlops. Since all we usually get is water in the winter they do a great job. Since I only manage 2000 or 2500 miles on 208's I can easily transition to the 020's and I usually get 3000 out of them.

What year is your bike? I've got a complete, lightly scuffed set of 02 1000 body work if it will help you out? Perfect to paint, or use as is, hardly noticeable scuffing.

[FIVEINCH]

I appreciate the offer. Its a 2004 GSX-R600. I've got parts on order, I just have to wait til I turn a screw effectively.

The plastic can wait, it will get welded at the crack, but the scuffs won't slow it down much.

[Gixxerdale]

The scuffs give it true character. It won't be mistaken for a "poser" bike now!

[FIVEINCH]

Might make for a pretty decent reminder: I'll have to look at them every time I mount up.