My first off...

[bunglehaze]

Tonight I had the pleasure of witnessing my first lowside slide on my bike

I waited to accept delivery of a bike for my mate and had to give the seller a lift back home to the other side of Sheffield, on the way back I stuck to the main roads and had no problems, a real smooth ride which he commented on being very good. However on the way back I thought I would take a short cut through a few country backroads, I kept the speed under NSL and had no problem until I came to a dark woodland area with a sweeping but sharp right bend.

As I got to the bend something didnt feel right so I slowed a little and then saw something run out in front of me right on the bend itself, I tried to slow up and realised I was not slowing down, mud gravel and leaves were not helping me much. Anyway I tried to turn in a bit more but realised I was already in a slide so there was no real point so I tried to trim off as much speed as possible and aimed the bike at the nearest dirt/grass verge (unffortunately there was a tree at the top of it)

I let the bike slide up nearly sideways and let go of the machine before I went under it and managed to throw myself clear, the bike hit the dirt and it slowed enough for it to just touch the tree as a final brake. As I threw myself onto the road 2 cars coming the other way just carried on as I picked myself up and tried to get the bike up and out of dangers way ( I cannot believe no-one stopped though)

I am a fairly big bloke so getting the ZZR back up was no real problem and I only had mild nerves (I knew I handled it as safely as I could, consequently I only bruised my right elbow) got the bike up realised it was not starting so checked it over, killswitch had engaged so I took it off and started the bike up again with no problem.

I tried to get on and ride off but I couldn't put my right foot down I noticed the hangar for the peg and rear brake was snapped so I elected to try a short run to the nearest lit area and see how I got on, as it happens the bike ran fine although the speedo does not work now. I managed to prop my foot up and ride back home for the last 4 miles taking it steady and only using front brake (hillstarts are interesting using this method) As it happens I got back ok, just a little bashed and unhappy about whatever damage I have done to the bike (too dark to see until morning)

Now I have the lovely job of fixing her up and getting straight back on again, I will be going back to the same corner though to show myself it was just an unfortunate error.

Bloody nightmare but at least I am ok, I think I did handle it as best a I could in the circumstances but what would you have all done to perhaps stay on...

cheers

leigh
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[P4LERIDER]

sounds like you handled it well mate. It's all too easy to just freeze, lock up, tense up & make things worse for yourself & the bike too.

Gutted about the damage to the bike, is it just the rearset that's damaged or has it snapped the whole unit off the frame?

Did you mention you were picking it up for a mate too? what a fucker mate!! Unlucky.

How old is the bike? There may be a chance you could pick up replacaements from a breakers..? Is it the 600 or bigger?

[bunglehaze]

Thanks bud, I dont actually feel a prat so I must have done alright - plus im still here - which is nice!

The bike was actually mine, my faithful ZZR600 E1 I get my mates bike parked up after taking delivery for him but as I am not insured on it I rode the seller back on my own bike

It is the bit where the rear brake pedal and footrest are - not sure of the actual part name ( one of you can hopefully help me with that bit though ) but it has snapped right next to the allen bolts connecting it to the frame (I think) . I need to find a local breaker and see if anyone has one in stock, there is a little damage to th front mudguard too which I may be able to just plastic glue back in place - apart from that I cant see the full extent as yet

cheers

leigh
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Motorcycle Products Reviews and News
06 - ZZR600 > 07 - ZX6R J1 > 08 - ZX6R J2 > 09 - ZX636 A1P > 11 - ZX10R C1H

[wilbur]

I agree it sounds as though you did all you could.

Sometimes you end up in a situation where you KNOW it is all going TU and your brain goes into overdrive. That life flashing past you eyes routine is a bit different on a bike. You sorta think "FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK TREESHDITCHDEATHCARPRAMOHBOLLOCKSGETOFFNOWGREASEFUCKINGLORRIESTHIS ISGOINGTOHURTPLEASELETTHEBIKEBEOKOUCHOHFUCKINGOUCHPLEASEDONOTRUNMEOVER.

In about a fifteenth of a second.

[bunglehaze]

Funny that... its pretty much what I was able to come up with in the fraction of a second I had to make a decision what to do.

The thing I find amazing is that your mind really speeds up in situations like this and gives you what seems to be matrix bullet time to make those split second decisions.

Today I will be checking out the damage - not looking forward to this...

cheers

leigh
____________________
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Motorcycle Products Reviews and News
06 - ZZR600 > 07 - ZX6R J1 > 08 - ZX6R J2 > 09 - ZX636 A1P > 11 - ZX10R C1H

[mrtEE]

[bunglehaze]

I wasn't going all that fast in the first place, possibly 30 max before entering the corner - I get what you mean though if I had been even slower I would not have had to react in the first place (perhaps...)

cheers

leigh
____________________
https://bikechatter.net
Motorcycle Products Reviews and News
06 - ZZR600 > 07 - ZX6R J1 > 08 - ZX6R J2 > 09 - ZX636 A1P > 11 - ZX10R C1H

[bunglehaze]

Well folks the damage is as follows...

Chip off the top fairing and screen although with a new top fairing it will hide the screen chip, I will hopefully be riding back to the scene of the crash in a bit though to see if I can recover the missing chunk and plastic glue it.

Couple of cracks in my front mudguard - plastic glue them back together

speedo cable has come out of its place, I think a new one may be required although it looks fixable.

right hand rider footpeg hanger plate has snapped next to the join, new one required.

All in all to get back on the road I just need to get the speedo and hanger plate sorted so all is not so bad...

cheers

leigh
____________________
https://bikechatter.net
Motorcycle Products Reviews and News
06 - ZZR600 > 07 - ZX6R J1 > 08 - ZX6R J2 > 09 - ZX636 A1P > 11 - ZX10R C1H