View Full Version : Not the Best way to Go Down


NDspd
March 10th, 2012, 05:04 PM
Well guys, I have to fess up, it finally happened to me. I had my first accident on a motorcycle. Luckily, it wasn't on my ninja, but unfortunately it was on a 2008 Suzuki GSXR-1000.

The owner (lets say Bob) says that I can ride his bike for a little bit. So I get one start her up and get going. Ok, before the crash this was the best bike I've ridden so far (lots of mods to the bike). But after 5 laps I figure I would take it easy and cruise just a little. As I come up to a tight 90 degree turn, I causally go around it at 30mph. Without any warning the rear wheel just went out from underneath me, it slid, while I slide and tumbled 4-5 times.

I did the internal check (any broken bones, nervous injuries, etc.), I figured I was good, so i got up, took off my helmet, ran to the bike, and turned it off. I then dead lifted the bike up, put down the stand and began my assessment of what happened and what went wrong.

So the owner and I agreed not to claim it on insurance and I would pay out of pocket. $1,800 in damage is what we estimated.

Gear wise my leather jacket is torn a bit, it needs some repair, my Shoei Helmet visor is scratched, my pants are trashed and my SP-2 A* gloves are done for. My new SMX-5 boots did awesome and were hardly touched. I will say though all of my gear performed wonderfully and saved my skin. I have no scratches, no bruises, just a twisted right ankle.

I've learned my lesson and I will not be riding anyone else's bike for now on. I just glad I'm here to tell the story. Pics and video coming later.

nickjpass
March 10th, 2012, 05:09 PM
Hmmm....glad you're okay!

CC Cowboy
March 10th, 2012, 05:13 PM
Well guys, I have to fess up, it finally happened to me. I had my first accident on a motorcycle. Luckily, it wasn't on my ninja, but unfortunately it was on a 2008 Suzuki GSXR-1000.

The owner (lets say Bob) says that I can ride his bike for a little bit. So I get one start her up and get going. Ok, before the crash this was the best bike I've ridden so far (lots of mods to the bike). But after 5 laps I figure I would take it easy and cruise just a little. As I come up to a tight 90 degree turn, I causally go around it at 30mph. Without any warning the rear wheel just went out from underneath me, it slid, while I slide and tumbled 4-5 times.

.

This is not typical on a GSXR1000. You usually have to add throttle for this to happen. Your front tire could go out during braking or something alien but your rear stepping out in a turn usually needs power added.

leed
March 10th, 2012, 05:15 PM
Sounds like a pretty decent way :p You came out alright so no problems there. I'm always pretty nervous riding other peoples bikes for this reason, but it is what it is!

Alex
March 10th, 2012, 05:17 PM
Glad you're OK.

Sure sounds like Bob learned a lesson as well :)

NDspd
March 10th, 2012, 05:29 PM
Lol...CC Cowboy yeah it struck me weirdly as well. I was not accelerating or slowing down, I was at a constant throttle position and speed.

All I can think of is sand on the road.

CC Cowboy
March 10th, 2012, 05:36 PM
Lol...CC Cowboy yeah it struck me weirdly as well. I was not accelerating or slowing down, I was at a constant throttle position and speed.

All I can think of is sand on the road.

Or maybe butter, peanutbutter, or the worst, nutella.

CC Cowboy
March 10th, 2012, 05:39 PM
Lol...CC Cowboy yeah it struck me weirdly as well. I was not accelerating or slowing down, I was at a constant throttle position and speed.

All I can think of is sand on the road.

Or maybe butter, peanutbutter, or the worst, nutella.

I think sand would have still washed out the front first. Any tread on the rear tire? Usually there is an abundant amount everywhere but the center strip.

It sucks crashing (especially someone else's bike , which I never do). You must have liked that 1000 feel though (before the mishap).

NDspd
March 10th, 2012, 06:51 PM
CC Cowboy I'm just gonna say it was sand, no reason to lose too much sleep over it.

Yeah the 1000 was freaking awesome, for the 4-5 laps I was doing good. It felt weird on the curves, so I took it slow. But when I go on to a long straight I opened it up. I think I hit 146mph in 4th gear, getting power wheelies as I change gear.

CC Cowboy
March 10th, 2012, 06:58 PM
Sometimes going slow is harder. Especially when the bike is heavier. You need to hang off more and ride it like a dirt bike.

Whiskey
March 10th, 2012, 07:26 PM
Not the worst way to go down either, you slid after the bike... It'd have been a lot less fun if it followed you

Jono
March 10th, 2012, 07:38 PM
Wow glad you are alright. I would feel absolutely terrible crashing someone else's bike. It was bad enough crashing my bike but I think the feeling of damaging someone else's bike would just be worse. Hope y'all are cool. I would be pissed if I let someone try out my bike and they lowsided. And this is why NOBODY but me rides my bike.

You live and learn! Stay safe out there!

NDspd
March 10th, 2012, 08:42 PM
Wow glad you are alright. I would feel absolutely terrible crashing someone else's bike. It was bad enough crashing my bike but I think the feeling of damaging someone else's bike would just be worse. Hope y'all are cool. I would be pissed if I let someone try out my bike and they lowsided. And this is why NOBODY but me rides my bike.

You live and learn! Stay safe out there!

Thanks man...it was terrible, more of an ego killer than anything.

The guy was understanding, and disappointed, but not about to rip me a new one.

NDspd
March 10th, 2012, 09:08 PM
Here's a video of the bike I unfortunately crashed :(
kLYsxhgDwsY

Here are some of the pics of my gear after the accident:

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/93/img0124nm.jpg

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/7678/img0122ty.jpg

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/7844/img0120yb.jpg

^^^Teknic Chicane Leather Jacket

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/9524/img0130gfl.jpg

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/7849/img0129jih.jpg

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/310/img0127u.jpg

^^^Alpinestars SP-2 leather gloves

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/4317/img0125iw.jpg

^^^Shoei RF1100

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/4797/screenshot20120310at105.jpg

^^^Icon denim pants

CZroe
March 10th, 2012, 09:44 PM
"Treat your bike like your toothbrush" should be amended to add "and don't use other people's toothbrushes" :D

This is not typical on a GSXR1000. You usually have to add throttle for this to happen. Your front tire could go out during braking or something alien but your rear stepping out in a turn usually needs power added.
Perhaps he was just used to how flickable the Ninjette was and thought the Gixxer could take it too?

NDspd
March 10th, 2012, 10:25 PM
"Treat your bike like your toothbrush" should be amended to add "and don't use other people's toothbrushes" :D


Perhaps he was just used to how flickable the Ninjette was and thought the Gixxer could take it too?

You've got good points on both...maybe I had too much lean angle and then took it into some sand...I have no clue...no need to fret, I have other things to think about.

CZroe
March 11th, 2012, 12:50 AM
You've got good points on both...maybe I had too much lean angle and then took it into some sand...I have no clue...no need to fret, I have other things to think about.

Heal up! I wasn't serious about the flicking thing. :) Pros can lean those Gixxer thou's as much as anything but sand or something will throw it out. :)

akima
March 11th, 2012, 01:57 AM
Glad you're ok NDspd. I guess this is one benefit of track riding: you just had a 30MPH lowside and you came out of it with just a twisted ankle and a dent in your wallet. It could have been so much worse on the street. Other vehicles, lamp posts, walls, pedestrians.

I bet you had some fun before you went down.

* wonders what accelerating hard up to 146MPH feels like * :)

Look at that video you linked, it seems mostly like left-side fairing, handlebar and peg damage. Little bit on the tank too. If it crashed on the right side it would have been worse I think: you've got that nice carbon fibre exhaust that would have been destroyed.

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 08:43 AM
akima yeah in a way being on a track/country road is almost no traffic.

That damn bike was riding like it was on rails, turning it felt almost totally different, countersteering and throttle control were super apparent. When I get my 600, I'll take it out to this track after a racing event has taken place, they always sweep the track before an event. But there you have a 2 mile track with wide turns, chicanes, etc. There is also a 6 acre parking lot with nothing on it, just open space.

Anyways, I got the bike into 3rd as I took the final turn onto the straight, I slightly opened it up to get it around to its power band, straightened out and let it go. I didn't go full throttle, but I'd say 3/4, it was like I just smacked a 3 ton fighting Bull's @$$. I went from 30 around the corner to 100 in a blink of an eye, changed gear, back on throttle...all the way up to 6th gear. I was pulling power wheelies on 3rd and 4th gear for about 2 seconds each. The only thing I could hear was the screaming exhaust, the wind didn't even bother me. I can also see why racers have those humps on their jackets, they really freaking work!!!

Anyways enough blabbering, the frame slider did it's job, but yeah it's going to take a good chunk out of my wallet. Thanks for the support guys!!

akima
March 11th, 2012, 09:40 AM
I can also see why racers have those humps on their jackets, they really freaking work!!!

What does it do?

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 09:49 AM
akima If you think of Aerodynamics, any sphere (your helmet) when wind is forced against it creates a low pressure vacuum on the opposite side, otherwise know as drag. What the hump does is occupy the space where that drag would happen, reducing drag. Thus, when you reduce drag you increase stability of the helmet and your speed. Here's what Motogp has to say:

Of course the riders’ leathers also have to work perfectly in tandem with the helmets to stabilise the head, so the ‘humped’ back protectors the race outfits carry fit snugly against the helmets allowing air to glide over them aerodynamically when the riders are in the customary hunched riding position. When stood upright and off their racing machinery the back hump built into the back of the leathers can clearly be seen, but they are also fairly flexible to allow movement and bending of the back - in the right direction.

Catch my drift? I can draw a picture to illustrate what they are talking about?

Jono
March 11th, 2012, 09:58 AM
So the owner and I agreed not to claim it on insurance and I would pay out of pocket. $1,800 in damage is what we estimated.

Here's a video of the bike I unfortunately crashed :(
kLYsxhgDwsY


I would be surprised if it all that damage only costs $1,800 to repair. :eek:

CC Cowboy
March 11th, 2012, 10:32 AM
Jeremy, were you at Roebling or on the street?

Are you and the owner of the 1000 the same weight and height? It sounds like the suspension is set up for a completely different size rider. If a bike is set up correctly you shouldn't be doing power wheelies at all. You should be able to be full on and still in complete control (maybe some tire spin but no wheelies).

I wonder if you went in to a slow turn hard on the brakes which lifted the rear wheel and as you turned in the rear came around. I would think the front would wash out first but I can't see sand hitting the rear and not the front first.

Don't be afraid of a 1000. They can turn as well as a 250 (once you learn how). The acceleration rush is just a bonus.

akima
March 11th, 2012, 10:32 AM
NDspd: that makes sense thanks. I used to think that they were there to stop your head from going back to far in the even you crash... like an exoskeleton to protect your neck.

nickjpass
March 11th, 2012, 12:38 PM
akima you know how when you drive in a convertible, and the air go over, and then twists around the windshield? Well, some cars put a piece of plastic behind the seats, which stops the wind from coming back at you.

Watch this

zHfEMM2O3t8

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 01:13 PM
I would be surprised if it all that damage only costs $1,800 to repair. :eek:

It's more like $1,800-$2,500

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 01:15 PM
Jeremy, were you at Roebling or on the street?

Are you and the owner of the 1000 the same weight and height? It sounds like the suspension is set up for a completely different size rider. If a bike is set up correctly you shouldn't be doing power wheelies at all. You should be able to be full on and still in complete control (maybe some tire spin but no wheelies).

I wonder if you went in to a slow turn hard on the brakes which lifted the rear wheel and as you turned in the rear came around. I would think the front would wash out first but I can't see sand hitting the rear and not the front first.

Don't be afraid of a 1000. They can turn as well as a 250 (once you learn how). The acceleration rush is just a bonus.

Nah man, I did all my gear changes and braking before even leaning into the turn. I was borrowing someone else's 1000, so yeah the suspension may have been off. Doing a power wheelie was too fun though.

Jono
March 11th, 2012, 01:17 PM
It's more like $1,800-$2,500

Ouch! I bet that hurts more than the actual crash. :(

EthioKnight
March 11th, 2012, 01:28 PM
Sorry to read about your mishap bro. Learn and live.

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 01:34 PM
Haha, yeah I have to pay for college and take care of this...looks like I'm living on water and bread for the next few months.

csmith12
March 11th, 2012, 02:06 PM
That sucks Jeremy, good luck with everything.

CZroe
March 11th, 2012, 02:40 PM
Consider it a good reason to sell the Ninjette, upgrade to an identical Gixxer Thou' except with value-reducing damage on the opposite side, swap parts to restore this man's bike, and then fix them on yours at your own expense (race fairings?). Unlike most desiring a literbike, at least you'll start with a healthy respect for the bike and a feeling for its, and your, limits.

Also, this way, you may be able to finance and better afford this man's repairs.

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 03:04 PM
CZroe haha...dude I have no where near the cash to be looking at buying another bike. The owner is dropping the bike off at my local shop and I am being put in charge in paying for the repairs. THe owner called me to let me know that he just wants the bike to nearly look like what it was before the accident. So that would be the fairings, windshield, frame slider, foot peg and a few other things. Mechanically it is fine, he got it to run for about 10 minutes without any issue.

I'm meeting with him tomorrow at the shop to discuss cost and various other things. But, he seems like a good guy, joking around with me too. I also just found out he's a top notch Drill Sergent in the Army too!!!

CZroe
March 11th, 2012, 03:25 PM
CZroe haha...dude I have no where near the cash to be looking at buying another bike. The owner is dropping the bike off at my local shop and I am being put in charge in paying for the repairs. THe owner called me to let me know that he just wants the bike to nearly look like what it was before the accident. So that would be the fairings, windshield, frame slider, foot peg and a few other things. Mechanically it is fine, he got it to run for about 10 minutes without any issue.

I'm meeting with him tomorrow at the shop to discuss cost and various other things. But, he seems like a good guy, joking around with me too. I also just found out he's a top notch Drill Sergent in the Army too!!!

Yeah, I noticed the military base ID because I knew that GA bikes didn't get inspection stickers and stuff. As far as affordability, all I'm sayin' is that financing a bike lets you make more affordable payments and selling the Ninjette easily covers the down-payment. A GSX-R would be valuable enough to get a secured loan where the finance charges on an unsecured loan of $1,800 would be excessive plus I hear that most banks will not deal with you for loans under $4,000. Finding one with damage on the opposite side will lower the final cost and make it something you can increase the value of before selling by replacing all fairings with possibly cheaper race fairings... cheaper versus matched OEM fairings that you would already have for the dude's damaged bike.

Just thinking about how I might handle it with my $10 an hour job. :D

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 04:06 PM
yeah you can do that...but I don't have a job, I'm too busy being a full time student. Unfortunately, with my school and it's location there are no jobs around. So the only money I make is during my longer breaks.

CZroe
March 11th, 2012, 04:49 PM
yeah you can do that...but I don't have a job, I'm too busy being a full time student. Unfortunately, with my school and it's location there are no jobs around. So the only money I make is during my longer breaks.

Deferred student transportation loan? Where else are you going to get the money?

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 08:42 PM
never heard of that before

CZroe
March 11th, 2012, 08:46 PM
never heard of that before

I'm just saying that payments on student loans are usually deferred until you graduate and get a job. I think transportation is a valid use of a student loan. Perhaps you could convince the lender?

NDspd
March 11th, 2012, 08:53 PM
I only managed to get one little scholarship...I'm not going to talk about my personal life other than motorcycles on this forum. I'm not going to go out and by a bike right now...plain and simple.

CZroe
March 12th, 2012, 02:17 AM
I only managed to get one little scholarship...I'm not going to talk about my personal life other than motorcycles on this forum. I'm not going to go out and by a bike right now...plain and simple.

Just thinking out loud about what I would do, try to do, or look into doing if I were in the situation you describe. Good luck!

NDspd
March 12th, 2012, 03:17 AM
Sorry, I'm a little jumpy lately....College finals....yeah -_-

kavo
March 12th, 2012, 03:32 AM
I'm also a student, although in Australia. A mate offered me to ride his 3 month old CBR1000RR last year, I said no purelye because I knew I could not afford to be in the situation you are currently. Not a real helpful post but hindsight is a wonderful thing

NDspd
March 12th, 2012, 11:20 AM
Yeah good point man, the little kid in me came out before I thought about wth I was going to be stradling.

Mocha Man
March 13th, 2012, 09:59 AM
Haha, yeah I have to pay for college and take care of this...looks like I'm living on water and bread for the next few months.

You mean to say you're in college and not living off of Top Ramen, bread, and water already? :p

NDspd
March 13th, 2012, 10:58 AM
I'm living in the dorms and it is a stupid &%^$#ing requirement that we have to eat at the cafeteria. SO, I'm kind of lucky in a way, but the food most of the time is ****.

csmith12
March 13th, 2012, 11:28 AM
Sorry...


Living in dorms/cafeteria requirement = we needed something else to charge for. Why do you care as long as we pay for & shows up for class. Educate us... that is what we are paying for, everything else is optional. Simple....


Carry on

NDspd
March 13th, 2012, 12:52 PM
Yeah man, well put...all of the students here feel the same concerns. It's $46,000 per year here...oh well...enough about money and school, I could go days talking about this.

NDspd
March 31st, 2012, 05:18 AM
Ok, so the damaged bike is in the shop...repair cost: $4,600

CZroe
March 31st, 2012, 05:55 AM
Ok, so the damaged bike is in the shop...repair cost: $4,600

Yikes. Sure you don't want to involve insurance?

etiainen
March 31st, 2012, 07:33 AM
Sorry...


Living in dorms/cafeteria requirement = we needed something else to charge for. Why do you care as long as we pay for & shows up for class. Educate us... that is what we are paying for, everything else is optional. Simple....


Carry on

I KNOW!!!

Had to do that freshman year...never again...never again..

That food was AWFUL:mad:

NDspd
April 1st, 2012, 08:02 PM
Yikes. Sure you don't want to involve insurance?

As much as I want to, insurance rates would go up too much.

Jiggles
April 1st, 2012, 08:27 PM
the little kid in me came out before I thought about wth I was going to be stradling.

Pervert

Kevin2109
April 1st, 2012, 09:47 PM
As much as I want to, insurance rates would go up too much.

No they wont, its a not at fault accident, just claim insurance (Tust me, ive done it a few times now)

And no way you only went down at 35, Ive been down at 60+ and didnt even have that bad of damage

Jono
April 2nd, 2012, 06:13 AM
Insurance will go up even if it wasn't an at fault accident. Well it did for me anyways. This was in my car. I hit a curb at probably 50mph. And the damages were near $5,000. Nobody was involved and a police report was never filed. I just called the insurance folks and told them what happened. Then boom. It now cost me $400 dollars MORE a year to insure my car.

The insurance company isn't going to pay $4,600 dollars worth of repairs and let you get by without highers rates. I am pretty sure your rates will go up some. BUT, to me it is still worth it to claim it. $4,600 dollars is a lot of money. Lets say your rates do go up and you now have to pay like $300 more dollars a year. Well, now your $4,600 will be spread out through 15 years. Much easier to pay for.

That is how I saw it. Plus I couldn't afford to pay that much out of my pocket. It was almost have the cost of my car. And you buy insurance for reasons like this. Why not use it? I am in college also so another reason I don't have much money.

Just my .02 cents!

burningscooter
April 2nd, 2012, 10:21 AM
repair cost 4600$? I would like to think that an insurance company would total out the bike at that cost.

regardless, tough lesson man. This is why i would never ride any one elses bike. hope it all works out and be safe.

NDspd
April 2nd, 2012, 03:33 PM
No they wont, its a not at fault accident, just claim insurance (Tust me, ive done it a few times now)

And no way you only went down at 35, Ive been down at 60+ and didnt even have that bad of damage

Dude, if you read, I think I hit a patch of sand, the road I was on has a really sandy soil. When the wind picks up it collects in certain areas. So I could be going 10 or 80, sand is still your enemy.

repair cost 4600$? I would like to think that an insurance company would total out the bike at that cost.

regardless, tough lesson man. This is why i would never ride any one elses bike. hope it all works out and be safe.

Yeah I learned, payment has already been made, so it's done and taken care of. If they find anything else is broken after the first quote, I'm not gonna cover it. The deal was to get the bike to what it looked like before all of this happened. Mechanically it seemed fine, so that helps.

Kevin2109
April 2nd, 2012, 03:36 PM
Dude, if you read, I think I hit a patch of sand, the road I was on has a really sandy soil. When the wind picks up it collects in certain areas. So I could be going 10 or 80, sand is still your enemy.



I'm not saying you must have been going over 35 thats why you crashed, I'm saying that because of the damage on your bike

NDspd
April 2nd, 2012, 05:40 PM
I'm not saying you must have been going over 35 thats why you crashed, I'm saying that because of the damage on your bike

That's one thing I'm still scratching my head about. The frame slider worked, but I think it was the combination of hitting hard, sliding and then digging into a soft sandy soil.