Down, but not Out

[Guest whart]

Never had an incident in my 4 years, other than a 'body save' of my Ducati on a gravel driveway. A week ago Saturday, I had a harder experience- finishing a 100 mile ride on a gorgeous afternoon, bike running fabulously, not far from home (yeah, i know the stats on that). Pulling up to a stop sign, on fairly level tarmac, braking and downshifting, the front-end slid out from under me to the right, and I met the pavement with my left shoulder. Wearing full gear, as usual, nary a scratch- mild head bonk, so the Arai is now a planter, but couldn't get up. Turned out I had not only dislocated my shoulder, but broken my clavicle. All checked out OK so far, medically and i appear to be healing just fine. The bike was picked up by my local chopper guy, who in turn got it up to the Guzzi dealer. All superficial stuff insofar as the bike is concerned- costly though, since I will replace the front forks due to a brush burn, and my staintune pipe on the left side, in addition to some plastic.

I've always worried about overcooking a turn, or getting smacked by an SUV or errant car driver, but this was just stupid. I didn't see any slippery stuff at the stop sign area, and I never had any problem controlling the bike, or others, when slowing down even more aggressively than i did here, through a combination of braking and downshifting.

So, I am a bit perplexed as to why I lost it- the issue isn't self-flagelation; it's just so I have a better understand of what i did wrong. So far, this bike has been the most predictable i've ridden, and I've had very little trepidation about cornering and leaning. Yet, because my 'incident' occurred while stopping on a level road, i'm not sure I'm as confident now. Anyway, I'm back, hope to be riding soon enough (my strength is not great on my left shoulder, but my mobility improves every day). No moral to this story- just wanted to tell it.

[badmotogoozer]

Ouch!! Sorry to hear about the busted bits, you and bike... A speedy recovery!!

 

Could be anything really. A bit of oil, some spilt diesel sloshed out... Things can be slippery even when they look dry. Quite often I've come to a stop and put my foot down only to have it try to slip out from under me.

 

Rj

[Martin Barrett]

Heal well, Heal quick.

 

Is it clean break, or a green stick. My three year old had a green stick where she fell off a climbing frame. Didn't slow her down too much. Was able to keep the sling on her for a week only because it was too tight to take off. when we went back for an adjustable one she refused to wear it. Was funny when she tried to convince us that her arm was better and when asked to raise her arm she could only get her hand to shoulder hight, but she wouldn't have it that she needed tp wear her sling

 

It's always difficult where you don't know what exactly went wrong

[jrt]

Aw, man- and you just started getting that bike in the shape you wanted. I'm sorry to hear about that- and I'll echo the others- heal well and quickly. Ultimately that's the important thing. Well, that and the drugs they'll give you. Maybe you can be our forum interpreter for BelfastGuzzi.

It is a good idea to find out what went wrong, so it doesn't happen again. When you get up and moving around, go back to the scene and look for radiator fluid- it's hard to see and slicker than goose sh*t.

Best wishes,

J

[Baldini]

Sorry to hear you came off. Get well soon.

 

Stop junctions can be covered in all kinds of crap. Oil & fluids of standing vehicles. What tyres? BT020's mine came with as std weren't the grippiest things....

 

KB

[callison]

What bits did you break on your bike? I have a used set of 2000 V11 Sport Marzocchi fork tubes that were re-valved for Mike Stewart available.