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Classic bite by gravel

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    Classic bite by gravel

    My darling and I were toodling around the countryside today. Beautiful weather around 70 and blue blue blue skies. Went from a known road to an unknown road and sure enough at some point there came a fork in the road. A wide fork, lots of open space in the middle. And as I was weighing my options about which fork to take down went the bike. I suppose we skidded twenty feet or so on my faceshield. Watching the gravel an inch from my eye was a sight I'll not quickly forget.

    Once I was free of the bike, I rolled a time or two and jumped to my feet. My instinct I guess is to remove my helmet because that's what I did right away. My wife was standing by the side of the road now, examining her knees. A pickup truck stopped, and the guy got out, asked if we were okay, and I think I said we were. He helped me pick the bike up, asked if I needed a phone or a ride. I said Let me see if it starts up. It started up, there were no fluids obviously flowing out, though it left two or three spots of oil.

    By this time the resident of the nearest house had walked over and was consoling my wife who cries easily. The woman invited us into her home and put some nice big bandaids on my wife's right hand and wrist which had sustained a little bit of roadrash.

    We each have the tiniest abrasions on our right knees and will probably bruise. We don't think her helmet hit the road, and we were both wearing armored jackets.

    We stayed on the woman's porch for about half an hour. She is accustomed to people having accidents at that fork in the road, and always walks out to see if the people need assistance.

    We were about 15 miles from home, and a brief inspection of the bike indicated it would probably ride okay. The woman gave us her phone number after we declined her offer to follow us home. I phoned her when we did arrive home safely.

    Right engine guard took the brunt of the slide.
    Right front turn signal busted.
    Right rear view mirror did not break but either it or the handlebars themselves got wonky.
    Headlight dented and scuffed.
    Lost an engine fin when the right engine guard hit it.

    The seat came off in the fall, and the right side... whatever you call that little loop of metal that holds the seat in place, it was squished, but I was able to lever it back into shape.

    I don't know how I walked away with just a scrape on my knee.
    I'll want to see a chiropractor cuz I'm certain I twisted my back good.






    (click -->here<-- for the highest resolution of the skid)

    I was thinking "Man, what a bad day, to go down on the bike with my wife" but then I'm thinking "Man, what a great day. My wife and I walked away from a motorcycle accident, and were even able to ride home."

    Hallelujah is what I say.
    Wear your helmet and armor.
    "I have come to believe that all life is precious." -- Eastman, TWD6.4

    1999 Triumph Legend 900 TT





    #2
    Amen Reverend. Any go down you walk or ride away from is a good outcome!
    sigpic2002 KLR650 Ugly but fun!
    2001 KLR650 too pretty to get dirty

    Life is a balancing act, enjoy every day, "later" will come sooner than you think. Denying yourself joy now betting you will have health and money to enjoy life later is a bad bet.

    Where I've been Riding


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      #3
      Out of a clear blue sky......
      It's a numbers game.
      Why does gravel get swept to the worst possible places?
      Glad you are both well.
      97 R1100R
      Previous
      80 GS850G, 79 Z400B, 85 R100RT, 80 Z650D, 76 CB200

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        #4
        Tricky-looking gravel, too. At first glance you'd think it was solid road.
        ---- Dave
        79 GS850N - Might be a trike soon.
        80 GS850T Single HIF38 S.U. SH775, Tow bar, Pantera II. Gnarly workhorse & daily driver.
        79 XS650SE - Pragmatic Ratter - goes better than a manky old twin should.
        92 XJ900F - Fairly Stock, for now.

        Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

        Comment


          #5
          Ewwww......

          Good that no serious injury.

          Originally posted by kerrfunk View Post
          ............................................... A wide fork, lots of open space in the middle.

          ...Hallelujah is what I say.
          Wear your helmet and armor.
          Let me guess "open space in middle" is where you went down, and where most traffic doesnt go, so the loose gravel accumulates there.

          Yah, just those scrapes on faceshield/ chinbar would have been some serious injurys with less of a helmet.

          Had 850G for 14 years. Now have GK since 2005.
          GK at IndyMotoGP Suzuki Display... ... GK on GSResources Page ... ... Euro Trash Ego Machine .. ..3 mo'cykls.... update 2 mocykl


          Comment


            #6
            Glad you are both good...

            Both times we crashed, I was most upset that the wife was with me...
            I've gone down alone, but when you have someone else with you, it is much worse.
            Bob T. ~~ Play the GSR weekly photo game: Pic of Week Game
            '83 GS1100E ~ '24 Triumph Speed 400 ~ '01 TRIUMPH TT600 ~ '67 HONDA CUB

            Comment


              #7
              about the picture: Did this occur left to right? The left 1/3rd is tire(s?) sliding, and the center and right is metal parts sliding...?


              You tell wife, "wait, I have to get picture to post on the forum...." ...?

              Had 850G for 14 years. Now have GK since 2005.
              GK at IndyMotoGP Suzuki Display... ... GK on GSResources Page ... ... Euro Trash Ego Machine .. ..3 mo'cykls.... update 2 mocykl


              Comment


                #8
                Glad you are (mostly) OK! Wow...
                Bikes:

                1980 GS1000 restomod
                2006 GSXR 750

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Redman View Post
                  Let me guess "open space in middle" is where you went down, and where most traffic doesnt go, so the loose gravel accumulates there.
                  Exactly. I'd like to think that if I had such an intersection right next to my house, I'd keep it gravel-free, but who are we kidding. I would get some signage or roadmarkage up, though, give a stranger a warning.

                  Originally posted by Redman View Post
                  Yah, just those scrapes on faceshield/ chinbar would have been some serious injurys with less of a helmet.
                  Right? Goodness. My wife wears a 3/4 with a faceshield. Open chin. We agree that I cushioned any impact she had.

                  Originally posted by Redman View Post
                  about the picture: Did this occur left to right? The left 1/3rd is tire(s?) sliding, and the center and right is metal parts sliding...?
                  Yes. You can see where the front tire was no longer in contact with the road and where the engine guard really took over. I suppose it's the engine guard that saved my leg, too. I wonder if the lowermost of the three skids was the seat? or me?

                  Originally posted by Redman View Post
                  You tell wife, "wait, I have to get picture to post on the forum...." ...?
                  She knew. She asked if you guys would be upset with me, and I said, "Naw, everybody's been down. We tell our stories. I'll let you know what they say."
                  "I have come to believe that all life is precious." -- Eastman, TWD6.4

                  1999 Triumph Legend 900 TT




                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Baatfam View Post
                    Glad you are both good...

                    Both times we crashed, I was most upset that the wife was with me...
                    I've gone down alone, but when you have someone else with you, it is much worse.
                    I've had the same accident before, a dozen years ago, different location, solo. This one seemed more intense, perhaps because my wife was with me. The kind strangers (both accidents, actually) are really heartwarming.
                    "I have come to believe that all life is precious." -- Eastman, TWD6.4

                    1999 Triumph Legend 900 TT




                    Comment


                      #11
                      Glad you and the mrs. walked away Padre. That gravel’s nasty stuff. Your helmet did its job.
                      Rich
                      1982 GS 750TZ
                      2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

                      BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
                      Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Rich82GS750TZ View Post
                        Glad you and the mrs. walked away Padre. That gravel’s nasty stuff. Your helmet did its job.
                        Yeah, I keep looking at that helmet. It did its job, alright.

                        It's a 2018. Mrs. Funk said "all you need to do is replace the faceshield" but I don't know. I told her you generally wear a helmet for one accident.

                        I may shop around. Especially if the collective wisdom here says so.
                        "I have come to believe that all life is precious." -- Eastman, TWD6.4

                        1999 Triumph Legend 900 TT




                        Comment


                          #13
                          I would. That’s a souvenir now. Cycle gear usually has great sales. Especially last year’s models/colors.
                          Rich
                          1982 GS 750TZ
                          2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

                          BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
                          Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

                          Comment


                            #14
                            That'll buff out!
                            1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                            2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Agreed on replacing the helmet now - you just don’t know what really happened inside the shell so you’re better off getting a new one

                              I really don’t understand why people can’t clean that stuff up. I rode through one back road yesterday on the way home where a good inch thick of gravel was out in the road from the edge. I understand their vehicles and the weather can push it out but it really does make it hazardous for others
                              Last edited by cowboyup3371; 09-06-2020, 07:22 AM.
                              sigpic
                              Cowboy Up or Quit. - Run Free Lou and Rest in Peace

                              1981 GS550T - My First
                              1981 GS550L - My Eldest Daughter's
                              2007 GSF1250SA Bandit - My touring bike

                              Sit tall in the saddle Hold your head up high
                              Keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky and live like you ain't afraid to die
                              and don't be scared, just enjoy your ride - Chris Ledoux, "The Ride"

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