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Well, it happened to me...
I decided to deliver a part to a fellow GSer from Tacoma and use it as a good excuse for riding a beautiful, windy road in NW Oregon. Hwy 47 from 26 to 30 is listed as one of the Oregon Motorcycle routes for good reason.
After handling many miles of very windy roads, I failed to negotiate a pretty easy turn. I'll admit I had been gradually expanding my windy road skills, but this was a very easy turn I simply took for granted. Over the white line on the right hand side into a ditch filled with winter debris, parts of trees, rocks, logs, etc.
As best as I can remember it, the bike bucked me off, I landed on my right shoulder and face, the bike went over me and landed 25 feet ahead of me on the road facing me.
On my initial self check, I was pretty sure I had broken my right arm. I had no feeling in it what-so-ever. Having gone face first into the ditch, I was very thankful for my full face shield, however, my glasses had been flattened into my nose and it was bleeding pretty badly. After sitting for what seemed like 5-10 minutes (it was probably less than a minute), I got up and got my bike back on its wheels with my one good arm, and recovered my tank bag from 25 yards down the road in the opposite lane.
Walked the bike down the road to an open spot at the intersection. No cell service. I was beginning to get some feeling in my right arm so I was pretty sure it hadn't been broken. My nose was bleeding profusely. With no cell signal, I determined I was on my own and needed to take a look at the bike. Windshield was in 3 pieces, mirrors bent back, handle bars slightly bent, broken gauges, broken rear signal, points cover hanging on by one screw.
Got on and tried to start her. Turn, turn, turn. No start. I figured perhaps the carbs were drained while the bike was on its side so I flipped the petcock to prime while I proceeded to straighten the mirrors and remove what was left of the windshield. It had been about 20 minutes at this point and I was getting worried about Hector waiting for me. I really don't like to be late.
With the tools out to remove the windshield I realized that the screwdriver hadn't been replaced in it's bag. Using the key to remove the last screw on the ponts cover seemed the only option. No luck. Adjusted the cover as best as I could and gave the starting another try. No good. Petcock back to reserve. Key back to points cover. Still not working. I'm getting a little frustrated at this point and decide to take a seat on the bike and take a couple minutes to get the bleeding stopped.
Bleeding slowed down it's back to the points cover. One small problem... I just locked the key with the rest of the tools under the seat!! You gotta be f***ing kidding me! Beginning to feel very frustrated at this point and really starting to worry about Hector at the Starbucks in Longview. It had to be 45 minutes or so at this point. I tried for several minutes to get a credit card to force the lock without any success and finally resigned myself to a rock opening. Not my first choice, but I had to get back into the seat. Back on the ground to the points cover, key in hand. About this time Doug and his wife pull up to see if I need anything. My jacket is torn, blood is flowing from my nose, and I'm sitting on the ground trying to remove my broken points cover. Help was great!! I used the screwdriver offered by Doug to remove the points cover and found a broken wire. Spliced the wire and the bike fired right up!! Amazing!
Doug and I talked old Suzukis and bikes for a couple minutes and he was off. So was I. Alot slower because I realize my front brake lever is broken and the exhaust on the right side has been partially crushed into the rear brake pedal. Of course the road just gets twistier!
Arrive at Starbucks 30 minutes late and head home a different route after straightening out the exhaust so the rear brakes are at least useable.
Here are some pictures:
Not much to see here. Bent case guard.
Closer view. You can kind of spy the missing points cover. Dents in tank. Exhaust.
Busted windshield already removed.
You can just see my tire marks headed into the ditch. Stupid mistake.
Lesson here? Don't stop paying attention...EVER!
I decided to deliver a part to a fellow GSer from Tacoma and use it as a good excuse for riding a beautiful, windy road in NW Oregon. Hwy 47 from 26 to 30 is listed as one of the Oregon Motorcycle routes for good reason.
After handling many miles of very windy roads, I failed to negotiate a pretty easy turn. I'll admit I had been gradually expanding my windy road skills, but this was a very easy turn I simply took for granted. Over the white line on the right hand side into a ditch filled with winter debris, parts of trees, rocks, logs, etc.
As best as I can remember it, the bike bucked me off, I landed on my right shoulder and face, the bike went over me and landed 25 feet ahead of me on the road facing me.
On my initial self check, I was pretty sure I had broken my right arm. I had no feeling in it what-so-ever. Having gone face first into the ditch, I was very thankful for my full face shield, however, my glasses had been flattened into my nose and it was bleeding pretty badly. After sitting for what seemed like 5-10 minutes (it was probably less than a minute), I got up and got my bike back on its wheels with my one good arm, and recovered my tank bag from 25 yards down the road in the opposite lane.
Walked the bike down the road to an open spot at the intersection. No cell service. I was beginning to get some feeling in my right arm so I was pretty sure it hadn't been broken. My nose was bleeding profusely. With no cell signal, I determined I was on my own and needed to take a look at the bike. Windshield was in 3 pieces, mirrors bent back, handle bars slightly bent, broken gauges, broken rear signal, points cover hanging on by one screw.
Got on and tried to start her. Turn, turn, turn. No start. I figured perhaps the carbs were drained while the bike was on its side so I flipped the petcock to prime while I proceeded to straighten the mirrors and remove what was left of the windshield. It had been about 20 minutes at this point and I was getting worried about Hector waiting for me. I really don't like to be late.
With the tools out to remove the windshield I realized that the screwdriver hadn't been replaced in it's bag. Using the key to remove the last screw on the ponts cover seemed the only option. No luck. Adjusted the cover as best as I could and gave the starting another try. No good. Petcock back to reserve. Key back to points cover. Still not working. I'm getting a little frustrated at this point and decide to take a seat on the bike and take a couple minutes to get the bleeding stopped.
Bleeding slowed down it's back to the points cover. One small problem... I just locked the key with the rest of the tools under the seat!! You gotta be f***ing kidding me! Beginning to feel very frustrated at this point and really starting to worry about Hector at the Starbucks in Longview. It had to be 45 minutes or so at this point. I tried for several minutes to get a credit card to force the lock without any success and finally resigned myself to a rock opening. Not my first choice, but I had to get back into the seat. Back on the ground to the points cover, key in hand. About this time Doug and his wife pull up to see if I need anything. My jacket is torn, blood is flowing from my nose, and I'm sitting on the ground trying to remove my broken points cover. Help was great!! I used the screwdriver offered by Doug to remove the points cover and found a broken wire. Spliced the wire and the bike fired right up!! Amazing!
Doug and I talked old Suzukis and bikes for a couple minutes and he was off. So was I. Alot slower because I realize my front brake lever is broken and the exhaust on the right side has been partially crushed into the rear brake pedal. Of course the road just gets twistier!
Arrive at Starbucks 30 minutes late and head home a different route after straightening out the exhaust so the rear brakes are at least useable.
Here are some pictures:
Not much to see here. Bent case guard.Closer view. You can kind of spy the missing points cover. Dents in tank. Exhaust.Busted windshield already removed.You can just see my tire marks headed into the ditch. Stupid mistake.Lesson here? Don't stop paying attention...EVER!
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