Had my first off yesterday

[Davemc37]

Someone ran out into my path on Wednesday morning and I managed to shave a little speed off and hit them side on rather than full on. He went flying off to the side and my bike went down and slid for a bit.

They have admitted it’s their fault and will pay for the bike to get fixed up and thankfully there no real damage to either of us other than a few minor aches and scratches.

So what have I learned.

1 despite 15000 miles of London driving in the lastly year or so my accident happened early in the morning when the roads were pretty empty it was one of the least likely scenarios for a crash I’ll ever be in.

2. My armoured jeans and the shoulder and elbow pads in my jacket saved me a lot of lost flesh. As did proper boots. It’s a pain putting all the stuff on but I think it made a huge difference even at 30mph or less. Also be careful when picking your bike back up as the Adrenalin rush allows you to lift something in the moment that your muscles may regret later.

3. My stock exhaust is quiet, and I’m thinking now it’s too quiet. I’m not a fan of some unnecessarily loud cans but I think it’s time to trade up. If anyone has any brands they like for under £200 please let me know.

Safe riding everyone
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born again biker with a mere 23 year gap between bikes.

[pepperami]

He admitted it was his fault and he will pay for repairs?
Did anyone else witness him saying that?

Were you able to verify his details?


It’s a shitty thing but trust nobody where money is concerned.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Davemc37]

I’m quite lucky who ran out.

He admitted it was his fault, there were witnesses and I have witness contact details, and the guy gave me his work email and has responded via it. He has a very good job with a high profile firm and he has done nothing so far to cause me any doubts. Seems like a model smidsy so far.
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born again biker with a mere 23 year gap between bikes.

[talkToTheHat]

[ADSrox0r]

Or Delkevic, cheap and noisy reasonably well made.
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Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[BTTD]

I was going to recommend Quill for the exhaust, but I just googled them and it looks like most of the range is £200 to £300. Guess it's been a few years since I bought one.

[Riejufixing]

[DrDonnyBrago]

I don't particularly agree that loud cans save lives, however if you want a cheap can anyway then I paid £180 for two bolt on SV1000 cans. Powertech exhausts, they have an ebay store but I bought via phone when they were at motorcycle live and got show discount.

They are pretty well made, not as nice as a set of scorpions or yoshis etc but they are about half the price. They are very loud without the baffles, but I suspect anything unbaffled would be very loud on a litre twin. Baffled they are a good balance between quite and asbo.

[owl]

[Riejufixing]

[BusterGonads]

[ART-ADS]

loud pipes 100% save lives, my bike is definitely on the obnoxious end of the loud spectrum, but when I'm filtering the bimbo in a white SUV will stop plastering war paint on her face in the rear view mirror and get the fuck out of the way
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98' RZ50, 92' H100S2, 03' VT125, 59' Jubilee 250, 05' varadero chop,

[inline4]

[ThatDippyTwat]

Another shout for Delkevic. Cheap, but decent enough. Plenty loud with baffle in, obnoxiously loud without it.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[redeem ouzzer]

[M.C]

[ThatDippyTwat]

You get noticed a fair bit more if you rev bomb and use your horn, more than just your horn. Pity a lot of kids think their 125's motor will be heard inside a cage, irrespective of can. You have a horn, fucking use it.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[talkToTheHat]

Be aware that horn use can cause drivers to panic brake before they look for a hazard.

Worse when I've been approaching a junction and seen a car preparing to emerge but my view of the driver has been obstructed by parked cars, horn use has been interpreted as vehicle behind getting peeved and caused driver to pull out.

But on both my bikesafe and ERS the attitude of instructors was to use horn when you don't think you have been seen and the use is likely to provide useful information and cause other drivers to take appropriate action.

vehicle abou to pull out? consider horn

vehicle pulling out and alrady in your path and you need to evade? don't use horn, if they brake now you have less room for an evasion
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Bandit. does. everything.

[M.C]

[andym]

[owl]

It's possible it's just placebo, but filtering through London traffic I have noticed on a louder bike cars do tend to move over and out of the way. Especially when it's tight as they don't want their mirrors knocked or clipped, they generally hear me long before the actually see me.
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Observation is the greatest source of wisdom.

[M.C]