Akima in a Ditch

[dale-j]

Originally Posted by akima

Hiya Steve. So I took the right-side cover off just now and gave the air cleaner, element ( the spongy-thing) a quick look. The right hand side of it looks pristine and clean, but about 1 quarter of the left hand side looks wet and is a slightly darker colour. I'm guessing that's the oil you predicted might be there. There is also a very small amount of debris on the left side; tiny bits of leaves and things - I picked the big bits out. Do you think I need to follow the manual air-cleaner element cleaning procedure, or do you think, based on my description, that it's ok to be left as-is?

Thanks!

You can just pick the bits out or blow it off with compressed air, and squeeze any excess oil out of it (I put a paper towel over mine and press)... the oil won't hurt it unless it's soggy and blocking air flow, as that's what helps trap the dirt. If it's dirty or gritty then it calls for a full cleaning.

[akima]

Originally Posted by dale-j

You can just pick the bits out or blow it off with compressed air, and squeeze any excess oil out of it (I put a paper towel over mine and press)... the oil won't hurt it unless it's soggy and blocking air flow, as that's what helps trap the dirt. If it's dirty or gritty then it calls for a full cleaning.

Thanks for the advice

[greatwhiteninja]

at least your bike isnt covered in spikes :0

[akima]

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by akima

...I told him that I saw a liquid collecting in the fairings when the bike was on its side.

Are there any disadvantages to fuel injection?

None really - except cost maybe.

How fast were you going into the curve?

On the brake issue, its OK to hit the brakes prior to a curve so that you enter it slower, but once you are in the curve you need to leave them alone. Once the rears break loose in a curve, its like riding on ice.

But I don't blame you entirely. I didn't see any chevron signs marking the curve in your pictures. I don't know about the UK, but they are required in the US. It would have been nice to know the curve was that tight before you wiped out in it.

Look under the mid section of your bike near the kick stand to see if there are any tubes hanging down. I have never seen a FI Ninja so I wouldn't know. My pregen has them so he's a boy. If yours doesn't, she's a girl.

[bonbon76]

I did this same thing, well almost when I first got my bike/license and the first time I ever rode with someone else. The on ramp going onto the highway seemed to go forever and was pretty sharp (Well at least I thought so for a beginner). I def was NOT looking where I wanted to go and almost went straight into the guard rail. Thank goodness I snapped out on it and was fine after that. I think I learned my lesson then cus it never happened again after that. Now I LOVE those sharp, going on forever, turns


Glad you came out of it ok!!

[akima]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

None really - except cost maybe.

How fast were you going into the curve?

On the brake issue, its OK to hit the brakes prior to a curve so that you enter it slower, but once you are in the curve you need to leave them alone. Once the rears break loose in a curve, its like riding on ice.

But I don't blame you entirely. I didn't see any chevron signs marking the curve in your pictures. I don't know about the UK, but they are required in the US. It would have been nice to know the curve was that tight before you wiped out in it.

Look under the mid section of your bike near the kick stand to see if there are any tubes hanging down. I have never seen a FI Ninja so I wouldn't know. My pregen has them so he's a boy. If yours doesn't, she's a girl.

I guess I was going 20MPH. There should have been chevron signs (most tight corners have them here), but that wouldn't have helped me. I already knew how tight the corner was because I had taken it only 5 minutes before while on the way into the village. The corner was even tighter on the way home because I was on the inside of it (we drive/ride on the left here). I blame me entirely, but I'm glad you spared me some blame!

Oh... and those hanging tubes; they're fallopian tubes, used in the birthing process of baby Ninjettes. My bike's a girl!

(I didn't actually check for the presence of those tubes. I wouldn't know how to spot them: there are lots of tubes, wires and pipes under those fairings!)

Originally Posted by bonbon76

I did this same thing, well almost when I first got my bike/license and the first time I ever rode with someone else. The on ramp going onto the highway seemed to go forever and was pretty sharp (Well at least I thought so for a beginner). I def was NOT looking where I wanted to go and almost went straight into the guard rail. Thank goodness I snapped out on it and was fine after that. I think I learned my lesson then cus it never happened again after that. Now I LOVE those sharp, going on forever, turns


Glad you came out of it ok!!

Thanks.

I think we were both lucky to have learnt from such non-destructive experiences. It was like a little wake up call.

I actually hit a similarly unexpectedly tight corner only a week after my off-road accident. I figure I must have a guardian angel or something, because only a few seconds before I hit that corner I suddenly had this thought that I haven't been looked through my turns during this ride. Then suddenly I'm in the corner going faster than comfortable but I just stared straight through it and trusted the bike to carry me through. It went fine. Raised my heart rate by a few beats though

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by akima

I guess I was going 20MPH. ...

Oh... and those hanging tubes; they're fallopian tubes, used in the birthing process of baby Ninjettes. My bike's a girl!

(I didn't actually check for the presence of those tubes. I wouldn't know how to spot them: there are lots of tubes, wires and pipes under those fairings!)

Well 20 mph doesn't seem all that fast. That would only cause a slight lean with a sharp turn like that. I hate to say it, but you may be right about who is to blame.

I saw some trees in the photos. Is there any chance you slipped on some leaves? To a motorcycle, leaves are like grease.

No, the tubes are hanging down under the frame if its a boy bike. They are not under the fairings or within the frame. If all the tubing is internal it means its a girl Ninja. I would post a photo of my Ninja's phallus, but it would probably be against the forum rules - and possibly illegal considering that my Ninja is only 5 years old.

Those Ninja shifters are practically disposable. Seems like they get all bent up with even the smallest of accidents. I saw a replacement that had a folding shifter peg. If you have to buy a new one, maybe look into that. Whatever you do, don't try to bend it back on the bike. Take it off and fix it in a vice if you must.

[akima]

Originally Posted by n4mwd

Well 20 mph doesn't seem all that fast. That would only cause a slight lean with a sharp turn like that. I hate to say it, but you may be right about who is to blame.

I saw some trees in the photos. Is there any chance you slipped on some leaves? To a motorcycle, leaves are like grease.

No, the tubes are hanging down under the frame if its a boy bike. They are not under the fairings or within the frame. If all the tubing is internal it means its a girl Ninja. I would post a photo of my Ninja's phallus, but it would probably be against the forum rules - and possibly illegal considering that my Ninja is only 5 years old.

Those Ninja shifters are practically disposable. Seems like they get all bent up with even the smallest of accidents. I saw a replacement that had a folding shifter peg. If you have to buy a new one, maybe look into that. Whatever you do, don't try to bend it back on the bike. Take it off and fix it in a vice if you must.

I wasn't going fast. There was a thin layer of loose debris on the ground in the turn.

lol @ your Ninja phallus.

As for bending the shifter back on the back... that's exactly what the call out mechanic did :O He only bent it far enough that I could get home. There doesn't seem to be any unwanted horizontal play in the shifter, so I don't think it caused damage.

[aShifty]

sounds amazingly similar.

[psych0hans]

Hey akima, glad to know you're ok... As far as dancing in full gear goes... How can we forget our very own Ethioknight...

[Miles_Prower]

The stingy nestles part of this reminds me of the time wayyy back in the days when I rode bicycles 24/7. I was leaving my friends and heading to the dentist, riding through the grass when I hit a big rock (the sucker came out of nowhere), my bike went flying, and I ended up in a thorny bush. Needless to say I missed my dentist appointment as I picked about 50 thorns out of my skin..cuz I was a squid at the time and did not wear gear lol.

[Stingray1000]

Akima is a what??? LOL j/k Sorry to hear it hun!

[akima]

This happened a while ago now, anyone whose reading this. It's always good to be reminded that I can unintentionally dismount from my motorcycle when I do things wrong.