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My first one!

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fuzz
World Chat Champion



Joined: 24 Mar 2004
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PostPosted: 14:28 - 22 Jun 2004    Post subject: My first one! Reply with quote

Riding to work this morning, I decided to take a different route. I reached a known and particularly nasty corner a little too fast and ended up running wide on the exit into the oncoming traffic. First reaction, front brake, and in doing so lost the front end. The bike went one way, I went the other and now I'm left with a £250 repair bill, 2 scrapped knees and hurt pride. Sad

Had there have been no oncoming traffic, I would have been fine. Would I have been better usin the rear brake, or would the back end have gone just the same and maybe have been worse?

The worst thing is, the right hand side fairing was damaged when I bought it, but it's the left side that took the impact Mad Sods Law again!
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dandit
Nearly there...



Joined: 04 May 2004
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PostPosted: 14:30 - 22 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote

its easy to say but dont panic you proberly could of made it quite easy if you didnt panic
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WHAT DO YOU MEAN 100 MPH THATS IMPOSSIBLE I STILL HAD 3 GEARS TO GO OFFICER. Currently riding a naked cbr 600 and driving a 52 plate 2litre tdci mondeo
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G
The Voice of Reason



Joined: 02 Feb 2002
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PostPosted: 14:36 - 22 Jun 2004    Post subject: Re: My first one! Reply with quote

Were the roads wet?

Whatever it's not a good idea to use the front brake while leant over until you know quite well how a bike 'feels'.

In 97% of situatuions where people panic brake... if you can use the brake then you also have a lot more grip left to lean. The tyre couldn't take it this time, but it would be much more likely to be able to lean further.

Unless bits of your bike are already on the ground then the bike will always be able to lean more if it can handle any braking. The braking 'steals' more of the traction than leaning more would do.

Gentle rear brake can help, but it's probably best just to lean.

The main problem is overcoming your 'survival reaction' that links braking to safety.

Got leathers / knee sliders?
If not get some Smile... then go to a local empty roundabout and practice getting your knee down. This should give you and idea of how far you can lean and will give you confidence to lean a lot more.

Also, if you're not aware of countersteering, then do a search on here.
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sv_cath
Could Be A Chat Bot



Joined: 19 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: 14:50 - 22 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can /normally/ lean the bike over further without worrying about losing the front end so if you manage to avoid panicking, you should be able to make the corner.
Also, have you been taught about 'target fixation'? Basically, if you look at the tree you don't want to hit, chances are you'll hit it. If you look through the corner that you want to go round, you'll stand a better chance of making it.
Hope your knees get well soon!
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badlydamaged
Spanner Monkey



Joined: 29 Apr 2004
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PostPosted: 15:31 - 22 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ouch, glad to here you are more or less OK and the bike isn't too bad.
____________________
My bike: 1988 Kawasaki KH100 Status: Polluting Devon with two stroke smog and noise pollution!
"Its not your engine size that matters!, It's what you do with it that counts" Very Happy
Add me to MSN if you want! badlydamaged@hotmail.com.
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Frost
World Chat Champion



Joined: 26 May 2004
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PostPosted: 16:05 - 22 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cant blame you really. its instinct:

"uh-oh! running wide because i am going too fast" *brake*

rear brake does help the bike to scrub off speed and turn in, however braking hard will lock the rear and get you in trouble.

chances are you could have got around by backing off the throttle completly (engine breaking) and tipping it in further. Logically thats obvious, but at the time its understandable for that to be the last thing on your mind.

try going round a roundabout a few times as fast as you can, find the limits of the turn of the bike. in future at least you will have more confidence to turn it in more when things look grim.
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fuzz
World Chat Champion



Joined: 24 Mar 2004
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PostPosted: 18:39 - 22 Jun 2004    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the responses Thumbs Up . Once the bikes patched up I'll go out and try the roundabout thing, oh, and maybe fit crash bungs!

I don't think I panicked, but as I've only been riding about 5 weeks, I think it's just lack of experience.

We all have to fall off sometime, right?

Cheers...
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