Someone must have a theory behind this

[Jambo93]

Hi guys,

Just really looking for some ideas here, because the long and the short of it is that im too scared to get back on my bike.

My Bike is a YBR125

I had a crash about three weeks ago. I was driving along straight, 30mph, I wasn't braking, and I wasn't turning. All of a sudden, the bike just goes straight down without wobbling or skidding. It's almost like the handlebars snap to the right on the way down.

I put it down to ice or oil, but couldnt see any when i walked back to where i went down.

I repaired the broken indicators and bent a footpeg back into position.
At this point i noticed that the handlebars werent quite aligned with the forks.

Exactly the same thing happened on the entrance to the Blackwall Tunnel last Thursday. I was only doing about 35-40mph. Thank god the cars around me saw me go down.

When the police arrived by the side of the road and the guys in the cars back and front were there, they both said they had no idea why i crashed, and that the bike just went over all of a sudden.

I have taken it to PJ Motorcycles this week.

The mechanic there told me the forks are bent, but other than that he has no explanation as to why the bike went down, and asked around.

Someone asked him if I suffered from blackouts.. I know I dont!

He has twisted the forks back into place and generally looked into the bike, and says its in perfect order.


Im just a bit scared to get back on, as its out of my control and what happens if I do that at 60mph?

Has anyone had any previous experience or any possible explanation as to how I rode the bike fine for 2 months then had 2 inexplicable crashes in a week?

Thanks in advance guys.


James

[Andy_Pagin]

[Jambo93]

[Rogerborg]

Bikes don't just fall over by themselves. (In motion, pedants. )

There was something on the road, something wrong with you, or something wrong with the bike.

If you've ruled out the first two, then honestly, I'd change bikes. You'll always be suspicious of it now.
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GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[harscot]

Hi bud, sounds as if you have been just unlucky to come across some oil or derv etc, even though you couldnt see it, it's still possible to pick it up before you spilled..same goes for ice by the way, another point is your tyre pressure's, were your tyres correctly inflated, under or over inflation will make you spill quite easily under the right conditions, at this time of year the road tends to be a bit greasy anyway, also there could be sand and grit on there, as far as your confidence goes, do you have a good mate with a bike who would let you run around an empty car park or such to help you, I'm sure the forum family will come up with other ideas or suggestions...good luck and hope all goes well for you

[mysterious_rider]

How much tread is left on the front? These 125 have stupidly skinny tyres. In the wet they can be lethal. It's gotta be black ice mate. Has to be, I remember a few years ago I went down this hill, round a corner, and about 7 meters of sheet ice on the floor. Obvs I stacked it, sat down for a minute, ten minutes later the whole lot melted.

was it morning time it happned?

[Jambo93]

[Jambo93]

[Mikey3]

and you're sure you didn't hit anything? Pothole, something like that... Nothing which couldn't have got caught up in the memory of the crash because it was so instantaneous?

Mike
____________________
'04 Yamaha WR450F
'99 SV650 Streetfighter Project - mid build
'Motorcycling is about what you do; not about what you own, or how much you spend on it'

[mysterious_rider]

Welcome matey. Could be a bad brand of tyre actually! Reminds me of a time doing a U turn on a monkeybike through a teeeny puddle, frond end gave up =faceplant infront of a lot of people!

Bet you got some nobrander tyre on there!

Do yourself a favour, get yourself a decent make of tyre, right air pressures, and keep and eye out for ice!

Crashes aren't all bad. You learn from them I guess.

[sidewinder]

Possibility it might be the front brake coming on somehow?

[felicity]

[Recluso]

Whilst I couldn't suggest what happened, what I can suggest as someone who also was recently in an 'incident' (although I was entirely to blame and in a nutshell, plowed into the side of a taxi), what I CAN suggest, as the advice passed onto me, is start small.

Quite literally go for a few pootles around the block. Go up and down your road. Find an empty carpark and bimble about to your heart's content.

Your confidence is going to be wobbly. Mine was. You need to feel confident about being out there again. I was fortunate enough that I was able to go out for an hour with an instructor and that in itself was a huge confidence boost.

If you have friends nearby, see if they want to go for a little ride with you. It's enormously reassuring knowing you're not COMPLETELY on your own out there.
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'Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.'
Honda PS125i > Yamaha YBR125 > Yamaha XJ6 Diversion > Yamaha Tracer 900

[metalangel]

[Moxey]

Can sympathize with you on this matter.

Had a few offs back on my own YBR 125 which made little sense to me at the time, coupled with a shit start at cbts made me doubt sticking with bikes altogether.

Looking back most of the incidents can be traced to problems with the bike i.e. dust seals buggered on front caliper led to a few locked front wheels slow puncture on the back tyre which led to a few back wheel lock ups all in all added up to me thinking wtf am I doing wrong?!? (should have put some time into learning some of the mechanics of the bike and so forth but had A levels to do and a bus pass so shelved it for a few months whilst got the important out the way).

Anyway my point is consider mechanical faults of the bike, try riding other bikes if possible to test theories and in the process of that try having fun with it seriously it helps, can remember how much of a laugh I had with mates one night when his bike broke down and another lad had to give him a tow using a stretch of hosepipe to tether it I know dangerous and all that but if you can't laugh at something you end up crying.

& even if it turns out not a bike related fault just something to improve on isn't it.
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Current: 02 FZS 1000 & 91 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Some Bike Pics...
'I was too busy paying attention to pay attention'

[JoeDougieDoug...]

I have come off twice now, I know how much it can shake you up and I know that you don't really want to get back on the bike afterwards, but its the best way to. My personal opinion is that you've just been unlucky... maybe you hit some black ice or hit a slight pothole? Don't let it put you off mate.

[bhinso]

I don't know your bike myself but i can understand how you feel.
I've had a few offs on mine, one when i was doing about 55 and the back tyre inner tube burst (inner tubes in kmx tyres) and got thrown off. After that i was convinced the steering was out etc etc even after getting it checked out a few times.
I think you've probably just been unlucky, in many ways it will make you a safer rider if you get back on the bike since you'll probably be even more aware. I hope you can get back to riding again though.

[P.]

If you want, I'm possibly around Tuesday or one day after work this week. If you want i'll happily come over and give it a quick ride to see if it feels odd. Doesn't matter if I come off, used to it now

[Nick 50]

Whilst you are building confidence to get back on you could strip the front end yourself and check it for yourself.
At least that way you will see with your own eyes everything is as it should be. If you have the money you could change things like fork oil, bearings, brakes etc etc just to give you the peace of mind the bike is fine.

If you are riding with a niggling doubt the bike isn't quite right, it will probably affect your riding whether on a sub-conscious level or even consciously.

[st3v3]

Paddy's offer sounds good, I did check your location but it's pointless..

Can you borrow another bike for a day or 2, see how you manage on another?
____________________
Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[Jambo93]

[P.]

[shereen]

Offer number 2

Im in Woking, Surrey if you fancy a blast on the NC30? She had a new set of Bridgestone 090's 300 miles ago. Nothing gonna bring that one down
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[P.]

[shereen]