Should've taken my 4x4 really

[stinkwheel]

But no. I was pig-headed enough and hate driving cars enough to take the VFR, transpennine from Cumbria to Yorkshire to see the girlfriend for new year, despite knowing there was a high chance of fairly serious snow.

Coming home tonight over the A66, was doing pretty well. Couldn't see much because of spray from a wagon up ahead all over my visor.

Got as far as Bowes cross, pootling at a pretty conservative 50mph on a clear, black dual carriageway with a light scattering of snow in the overtaking lane.

Next news, I find myself riding on 2" of heavily rutted but fresh snow. It went one way, then the other way then the front started to slide, at which point I decided to head directly for the ground by the shortest possible route before the decision was made for me via a longer route.

Slid quite a respectable distance given my fairly low speed, the bike carried on ahead of me throwing a fair shower of sparks up, looked almost decorative in the dark amongst the cloud of powdery snow.

Got myself picked up to find a guy standing there. He'd been behind me in his car, the front and back of which decided to change ends when he hit said snow. He'd stopped first by virtue of ploughing into a drift at the side of the road.

He helped me up with the bike, another bloke helped him shove his car out while I was making sure all my body parts were still attached.

I was uninjured. He was fine and his car was undamaged so I thanked him for his help and let him carry on his way (I figure the fewer people standing about on a stretch of dual carriageway with zero grip, the better).

Anyway. Got the bike started after working out the clutch switch is bust so the starter only works in neutral.

Surprisingly little damage. Mirror, LH side plastic and nose plastic. I'll probably patch them up for now. Slightly bent gearshift lever and a scuffed bar end being the only other damage.

On the plus side, it appears to have fixed the earthing fault I had on my instrument lights.

How could this crash have been avoided? Very easily, see title. The road conditions were 100% totally inappropriate for riding a sportsbike on and I shouldn't have been there.

Pictures of damage and paint diagram below:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/DSCN0415.png
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/DSCN0416.png
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/DSCN0417.png
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/DSCN0418.png
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/snowy.png
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[swiftb]

Bad times. Glad your ok and the bike got off lightly. Still amazes me why people choose to use a bike in the snow/ice etc. Even if it was my only mode of transport id be taking a bus or taxi in these conditions. Take the 4x4 next time

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Lucky man. Shame the bikes scuffed up stinkwheel.
Did your gear holdout?


Pat
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Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
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[stinkwheel]

[Darth]

Gutted for you Has been driving me insane having my bike stuck under the cover for the past two weeks, driving the freelander for all journeys but threads like this make me realise i am probably doing the right thing. Well that and my fiancee telling me i'm not allowed to go out til we see a bit of a thaw!
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Harold_Shand wrote: I suppose it's like anything, you get your fingers burned when you start out, you learn from it and eventually become a complete arsehole about the whole thing.

[G]

Doesn't seem like the car did much better grip wise! And span off rather than staying on the road, giving more danger of hitting road side furniture, vehicles coming the other way etc.

[Paulington]

Love the paint diagram. .

Glad you are okay.
____________________
"Four wheels move the body, two wheels move the soul."
Current Vehicles: '89 Kawasaki KDX200, '99 Yamaha XV535, '00 Honda ST1100 Pan-European, '08 Suzuki GSX-R1000, '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GS4 2.0 TDCi, '15 BMW 1 Series 116d Sport Turbo.
CBT: 27/08/08. Theory: 04/09/09. Module 1: 16/09/09. Module 2: 01/10/09.

[Ariel Badger]

Glad you are OK Stinkey, are you sure it was not a spot of fictional diesel that fetched you off?
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[doggone]

The snow is bad enough here near Whitby.
At Tan Hill near Stainmore they only just got dug out.
https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8438314.stm
Mind they keep the A66 as good as humanly possible.
When there's 2 or 3 feet of dry snow the slightest wind has it blowing across the road a foot deep in minutes.

[MaybeGuy]

sliding across ice and snow is fun
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[Alexio]

[Blue_SV650S]

[Mystery]

unlucky about the off but it could have been worse if you had slide into a barrier and smashed it up more, saying that the condetions are this bad i've still seen a few bikes out and about still
____________________
Carbon knuckles assure you maximum protect against debris and unfortunate accidents or if someone cuts you off, their side mirror.Mopeds are like chubby chicks.. they are really fun to ride until you're friends catch you on one

[kawashima]

Sorry to hear that... But I'm glad you weren't hurt.
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own:2020 Serow 250
owned: 2012 YB125SP, 2008 TDM900, 2005 W650, 2002 LS125R, 2002 CB400SF, NS50F, C50 / Trip to UK(2009), Hokkaido touring(2013)

[MarJay]

[G]

[stinkwheel]

Classic problem I've seen with cars that run into snowdrifts is them overheating due to all the snow totally blocking the radiator grille. Worth checking if this ever happens.

Oh, and I suspect that being a Honda is the only reason I was able to get back on the thing and ride it again .
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Flip]

Why do you not have crash bungs Mr Wheel?

(I'm glad you're OK).

[stinkwheel]

[Towton 1461]

It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet VFR

Sorry!

Pleased to hear you made it home safely in the end, though.
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This post is sponsored by QUILLIES LOZENGES. Suck QUILLIES for fast throat relief!

[chart06]

i agree about 4x4 idea 100%, i rode from northwest to southwest 2 days ago and i couldnt stop thinking why im not in the car especially when my back wheel went for a holiday ar 45 mph on motorway but then i remembered i wanted a sportsbike all my life thats why i sold my car and got a bike. Glad ur safe tho, mybe get a stunt cage im thinking bout buying one.