Layed it down, lessons learned - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

cyclerider · 06-21-2005, 03:02 PM

Hello all,

First post newbie here. I just bought a new C50 a month ago after not riding for about five years. After a few rides around town, I went to the mountains of N.C. I was following another rider and started mimicking his riding style by leaning into the turns aggressively and sticking out my knees a bit into the turns. Approaching one turn, I took my left hand off the grip to wave to a couple of buddies on the side of the road and turned my head to make eye contact with them. When I turned my head back around, I was right into my next turn, I lost control and layed it down. Luckily I was not hurt too bad, although a month later, my knee and ankle are still sore. The bike had minor damage. I am replacing the front fender which got split, and the headlight rim and bracket which got bent out of shape. Some lessons I learned...
1. Priority focus on the road - not on waving
2. Wear protective gear (I was wearing only jeans, running shoes, t-shirt)
3. Don't take on too much too soon.
4. Take MSF course for returning riders.
5. Ride the C50 like a cruiser, not a racer.

One final note...I have to say, that motorcycle riders share an amazing camaraderie. Immediately after my fall, I had all kinds of help making sure I was ok, and helping me and my bike back on our feet.

**Trapper** · 06-21-2005, 03:06 PM

glad you're ok. Glad you learned some lessons. Glad to have you here. Welcome.

Scourge · 06-21-2005, 03:09 PM

Sometimes those hard lessons are the best teachers, particularly the ones that you live through. Glad to hear you're alright. I can see by your list that you are ready to take it more seriously. One other suggestion would be to get the book Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. It was recommended to me by many, many others on this site, and I gotta tell ya that it has a LOAD of valuable info in it. Good luck man.

oh yeah, and

cyclerider · 06-21-2005, 03:16 PM

Thanks for the welcome, and the book reference. I will check it out.

SuzukiGirl1 · 06-21-2005, 03:41 PM

Welcome! Glad that it wasn't a more costly lesson for you!

I had to chuckle though when I pictured you trying to get a knee out on the cruiser!!

ChicsterMG · 06-21-2005, 11:09 PM

Glad you're ok and sorry you had to learn the hard way.

QuacktheDuck · 06-22-2005, 01:14 AM

woah...glad your ok there dude. As much as I wave and nod to others on the road, if i'm leaned in a turn, sorry if i seem like a jerk fellow rider but i gotta focus haha, ill wave next time on a straight. Since you apparently seem to be ok after this, how's the bike looking?

cyclerider · 06-22-2005, 07:41 AM

I'm still waiting for parts from the dealer. It's been four/five weeks now, and I'm still waiting for the headlight rim to come in. Without it, I can't mount the headlight, so I haven't ridden since the incident, and I'm starting to get bummed out. I wonder if parts would come in quicker if I ordered through one of the online retailers instead of from the dealer??? Sorry I have no pic to post. The only damage that will be visible once I have the headlight rim replaced, will be minor scratches on the gas tank. The tank emblem was scraped up, but I ordered a replacement. I've read the posts on how to remove the emblem (fishing line, WD-40), but what kind of glue should I use to put on the new one?

Thanks all again for your replies.

cyclerider · 06-22-2005, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzukiGirl1

Welcome! Glad that it wasn't a more costly lesson for you!

I had to chuckle though when I pictured you trying to get a knee out on the cruiser!!

Yes, I realize now my stupidity, and I'm sure it looked funny sticking the knee out. Thanks for the welcome.

gerry2153 · 06-22-2005, 04:13 PM

I'm thinking the boards are gonna scrape before your knee gets close...

c50tiger · 06-22-2005, 08:40 PM

Greenville, eh? I was born in Anderson, my father's family was mostly from around Pacolet. Glad to see another Carolinian join the ranks here

What part of NC were you riding in?

Looks like you learned your lessons without too much damage to yourself or your bike... beats the alternative.

rappidrabbit · 06-22-2005, 11:43 PM

c50tiger how close are you to haleyville, alabama??

c50tiger · 06-23-2005, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rappidrabbit

c50tiger how close are you to haleyville, alabama??

depending on traffic... probably a bit short of 3 hours. Haleyville's about an hour and change north of Tuscaloosa, and I'm a bit under an hour and a half southish of Tuscaloosa.

Hayneville, on the other hand, is only about half an hour away

rappidrabbit · 06-24-2005, 02:12 AM

my grandparents are from haleyville...

cyclerider · 06-24-2005, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c50tiger

Greenville, eh? I was born in Anderson, my father's family was mostly from around Pacolet. Glad to see another Carolinian join the ranks here

What part of NC were you riding in?

Looks like you learned your lessons without too much damage to yourself or your bike... beats the alternative.

Actually I was still in SC but close to the NC state-line. I was riding up Caesars' Head State Park Located 16 miles south of Brevard NC on US-276 at the NC-SC state line, and 5 miles north of where US-276 splits from SC-11.

c50tiger · 06-24-2005, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rappidrabbit

my grandparents are from haleyville...

Small world, eh?

c50tiger · 06-24-2005, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyclerider

Actually I was still in SC but close to the NC state-line. I was riding up Caesars' Head State Park Located 16 miles south of Brevard NC on US-276 at the NC-SC state line, and 5 miles north of where US-276 splits from SC-11.

Well, there are some nice curves between Lakemont and Ceasar's Head...

My father lives a bit off SC-11 near Tryon..

again, small world

06-21-2005, 03:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
cyclerider Newbie Joined: May 2005 Bike: Boulevard C50 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 7	Layed it down, lessons learned Hello all, First post newbie here. I just bought a new C50 a month ago after not riding for about five years. After a few rides around town, I went to the mountains of N.C. I was following another rider and started mimicking his riding style by leaning into the turns aggressively and sticking out my knees a bit into the turns. Approaching one turn, I took my left hand off the grip to wave to a couple of buddies on the side of the road and turned my head to make eye contact with them. When I turned my head back around, I was right into my next turn, I lost control and layed it down. Luckily I was not hurt too bad, although a month later, my knee and ankle are still sore. The bike had minor damage. I am replacing the front fender which got split, and the headlight rim and bracket which got bent out of shape. Some lessons I learned... 1. Priority focus on the road - not on waving 2. Wear protective gear (I was wearing only jeans, running shoes, t-shirt) 3. Don't take on too much too soon. 4. Take MSF course for returning riders. 5. Ride the C50 like a cruiser, not a racer. One final note...I have to say, that motorcycle riders share an amazing camaraderie. Immediately after my fall, I had all kinds of help making sure I was ok, and helping me and my bike back on our feet.

06-21-2005, 03:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
Trapper Dogs Best Friend(admin) Joined: Jul 2004 Bike: SOLD Location: Moncton NB Canada Posts: 9,192	glad you're ok. Glad you learned some lessons. Glad to have you here. Welcome. __________________ PointFlushRetrieve.com - Bird Dog Blog Motorcycle-Journal.com Blog

06-21-2005, 03:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
Scourge U.B's LoveChild Joined: Apr 2005 Bike: 2002 V-Star 650 Location: Winston Salem, NC Posts: 1,253	Sometimes those hard lessons are the best teachers, particularly the ones that you live through. Glad to hear you're alright. I can see by your list that you are ready to take it more seriously. One other suggestion would be to get the book Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. It was recommended to me by many, many others on this site, and I gotta tell ya that it has a LOAD of valuable info in it. Good luck man. oh yeah, and __________________ I hate rude behavior in a man, won't tolerate it..

06-21-2005, 03:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
SuzukiGirl1 Moderatrix Joined: Mar 2004 Bike: 2004 SV650S Location: St. Paul, MN Posts: 2,700	Welcome! Glad that it wasn't a more costly lesson for you! I had to chuckle though when I pictured you trying to get a knee out on the cruiser!! __________________ SuzukiGirl '04 SV650S, Yellow...lovely!!

06-21-2005, 11:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
ChicsterMG Refrigerator Magnet Test Engineer Joined: May 2005 Bike: Boulevard C50 Location: Afghanistan Posts: 3,508	Glad you're ok and sorry you had to learn the hard way. __________________ Sometimes you need to ask yourself, "WWGD?"...Just be awesome, that's all! GUT-CUT 2007: 177 LBS. 160 LBS.

06-21-2005, 03:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
cyclerider Newbie Joined: May 2005 Bike: Boulevard C50 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 7	Thanks for the welcome, and the book reference. I will check it out.

06-22-2005, 01:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
QuacktheDuck Sprocket Pilot Joined: May 2005 Bike: 2004 FZ6 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 858	woah...glad your ok there dude. As much as I wave and nod to others on the road, if i'm leaned in a turn, sorry if i seem like a jerk fellow rider but i gotta focus haha, ill wave next time on a straight. Since you apparently seem to be ok after this, how's the bike looking?

06-22-2005, 04:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
gerry2153 Where Am I ? Joined: Mar 2005 Bike: 05 C50 Black Location: Salem Oregon Posts: 35	I'm thinking the boards are gonna scrape before your knee gets close...

06-22-2005, 08:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
c50tiger Can Ride And Chew Gum Joined: Aug 2004 Bike: 2005 C50 Location: Selma, Alabama Posts: 2,058	Greenville, eh? I was born in Anderson, my father's family was mostly from around Pacolet. Glad to see another Carolinian join the ranks here What part of NC were you riding in? Looks like you learned your lessons without too much damage to yourself or your bike... beats the alternative. __________________ Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all. - Douglas Adams COGITO EGGO SUM: I think, therefore I am... a waffle

06-22-2005, 11:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
rappidrabbit TurtleWax Taster Joined: Feb 2005 Bike: Suzuki C-50....2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 580	c50tiger how close are you to haleyville, alabama?? __________________ My cat is meaner than yours

06-24-2005, 02:12 AM	#14 (permalink)
rappidrabbit TurtleWax Taster Joined: Feb 2005 Bike: Suzuki C-50....2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 580	my grandparents are from haleyville... __________________ My cat is meaner than yours

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