I almost laid down my Gixxer 1000 today! - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

researchjeep · 10-24-2006, 11:21 PM

I rode the bike to work today because it was supposed to get up close to 60F and sunny. I left the house around 6:20am and it was 27F and dark.

Long story short I left work around 4:15pm and the temp only made it up to 44F. Well about two blocks from work I was entering the left turn lane with a green arrow when I noticed a new Audi with out of state plates stopped in the lane next to me that goes straight. I make it a habit of watching the head movements of the occupants of most of the cars around me especially ones that can do the stupid and effect me. Well this elderly gentleman must have been a well trained little puppy because the woman in the passenger seat pointed left and without hesitation he cranked her hard over to the left right in front of me.

Well as most of you know Cold Sportbike tires and cold pavement really dont get along all that well. I leaned on the brakes pretty hard and it felt like I was on ice. I think I momentarily locked both front and back tires. I know for sure I locked the back because the rear started to come around.

This is the first time I have slid this new bike and I have to say it really wasnt all that scary, it felt really controlable. I wouldnt really call what happened a full pucker

it was more of a quarter or half pucker

I didnt even need to change my shorts afterwards.

The thing that gets me is the guy never looked or acknowledged I was there and I know he new I was there after it happened. I was close enough to his side window that I could count the gray hairs coming out of his ears.

So be careful out there and watch those cagers like hawks. I saw this one coming and it was still close. If I had been a squid and not paying attention the outcome could have been a whole lot different.