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.
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.
