Well it finally happened...

[anacron]

4 months of no issues and I finally laid the bike down on Redwood rd. Bike has some cosmetic issues and the tail is sort of messed up. Gear saved the hell out of me. A sore left ankle and big toe but otherwise injury free.

I laid the bike down... got back up and rode 10 miles home. Details to follow once I've processed the crash. Bike and I are mechanically sound and doing well (as well as we can in the circumstances).

I target fixated and didn't have enough time to brake.

[csmith12]

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by anacron

...........Gear saved the hell out of me. A sore left ankle and big toe but otherwise injury free..........Bike and I are mechanically sound and doing well...........

[CycleCam303]

Dude that sucks. If you need any help ping me. I got a truck and all that.

[rasta]

Ah man I'm sorry to hear that, I was on Redwood today

[anacron]

Originally Posted by rasta

Ah man I'm sorry to hear that, I was on Redwood today

Yup... I saw you man. Why you no wave (just kidding)
I was the black ninja with a red jacket flying up and down on redwood doing laps. Pretty sure we passed each other a couple of times.

@CycleCam303

Thanks for the offer; much appreciated. The bike looks to be in good mechanical condition. I need to double check the steering alignment b/c it feels a little loose and "jiggly". The tail is pretty banged up (there's a bolt that broke off) and some scratches on the left hand side.

I believe this was the corner I crashed on:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=redwo...54.28,,0,11.83

[anacron]

Do you guys know if insurance will cover bike repairs?

I have full coverage from State Farm and was trying to figure out if this comes under comprehensive coverage.

[Alex]

It's your collision insurance that covers motorcycle accidents. Comprehensive is for things like fire, a tree falling on it, or if it was stolen.

[anacron]

Originally Posted by Alex

It's your collision insurance that covers motorcycle accidents. Comprehensive is for things like fire, a tree falling on it, or if it was stolen.

I suppose collision with the ground count?

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by anacron

Do you guys know if insurance will cover bike repairs?

I have full coverage from State Farm and was trying to figure out if this comes under comprehensive coverage.

I think it falls under collision. You can claim it but it will count against your record so do it only if it's really bad.

Edit: damn too slow

[kirk595x]

Sorry to hear that. Glad your ok!

[CycleCam303]

Hmm I see. There is a memorial near that corner. I think that specific one.

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/...e-montoya-rip/

Those are the faster corners on redwood with solid bumps. My supermoto mentor actually kinda grilled me about taking you up that road because its a place where you can get bitten hard. It's pretty easy to push really hard on that road. I feel kinda bad because I didn't get a chance to give you tips for that section because I was on cop patrol.

Lots of people crash on that road. I'm not sure if you can explain your crash but it would be interesting to read what you think happened. I knew you had a target fixation response but that happens when a rider feels they aren't going to make a corner.

[anacron]

@CycleCam303

Definitely not your fault man! My gut was telling me it might be a bad day to ride redwood and I ignored it.

Let me re-trace the crash along with my day out on Redwood:

I had my break-in service this morning @ Diablo Kawasaki. Got the bike back at noon and it was running great. I come home, have lunch and tell myself that I'm not going to ride today (Saturday) since I have a BARF ride tomorrow (Sunday).

I went against that decision after lunch and decided to head down to Redwood via Grizzly, Skyline, Pinehurst.

Quick aside: I've made some recent posts about the stock rearsets and how I felt really uncomfortable leaning the bike with those. I'm currently waiting on vortex rearsets. This may have played a part in me being uncomfortable with lean angel.

I enter Redwood (heading towards Castro Valley), feeling pretty good and my rhythm is good. I'm setting up for the corners ahead of time and carrying good corner speed. Overall the descent was fine.

I turn around and head back up Redwood. I start having difficulties with the corners - why? - because the awesome, tight right handers are now evil, tight left handers. I'm immediately out of sync with the road and end up having to brake while cornering since the bends tighten near the apex. I notice this happening with most left handers and finally I hit the crash corner.

If you look on the map, the crash corner is right after a nice right hand sweeper (which as you can tell, I absolutely love). My corner speed for the right hander is good, as is the straight away leading to the crash corner.

I brake + downshift to 4th and begin rolling on throttle. I get near the apex and the bend tightens. My discomfort with greater left lean angle gets the better of me and I straighten + front brake. I run out of real estate and I high-side into the gravel. The bike lands on its left side and on my left foot. I land on my left side and end up on my back sliding a few feet on my back.

Here's the kicker... I was doing LAPS on Redwood for 2 whole hours and fate decides to throw me under on my way back home.

Looking at my foot at the moment and how swollen it is, it may be a broken toe (if not, foot).

I think the main take away here is state of mind. It was a mental block that stopped me from leaning into the left hander - why? - because double yellows are invisible barriers and too much lean might put you in on-coming traffic. I think my brain is fairly well tuned for racing - because in a race situation the cliff face is your barrier and not the yellow. It was an overcorrection to that "race mindset" that stopped me from leaning more and resulted in the target fixation and crash. The toe dragging incident from previous runs through Redwood only added to that lean angle discomfort.

Why do I like right handers?
Its because I can cut the corner and know without a shadow of a doubt that I can always lean more.

[subxero]

"I cant turn left"

[anacron]

Originally Posted by subxero

"I cant turn left"

Genius! Can't believe I didn't think of that.

I'm sure me doing laps on Redwood had nothing, whatsoever, to do with me realizing that fact and wanting to practice my left turns in order to get better at them...

The fact that I crashed on the way back home instead of the during the 3rd or 4th lap should immediately point to the fact that I mostly likely push my body too much and lost concentration. I should have hydrated before heading out too, but C'est la vie.

[anacron]

Some damage pics. The tail took the biggest hit and is, understandably, pretty messed up.

Might have an alignment issue for the front wheel and the left blinker relay is messed up. The front left blinker doesn't flash (its just constantly on) and the rear left blinker doesn't work at all.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by anacron

I'm sure me doing laps on Redwood had nothing, whatsoever, to do with me realizing that fact and wanting to practice my left turns in order to get better at them...

The fact that I crashed on the way back home instead of the during the 3rd or 4th lap should immediately point to the fact that I mostly likely push my body too much and lost concentration. I should have hydrated before heading out too, but C'est la vie.

There's much that you should be learning from this, but it's not coming through in your posts. You've been riding your first motorcycle for 4 months, and have already significantly damaged it by crashing in the twisties at the 600 mile mark. Your bike is now worth about $1000 less than it was 2 days ago. You're talking about running laps on Redwood and trying to go faster to push yourself. You're talking about dragging your foot and worrying about body position to continue to go faster on the street. You've posted about the 300 not being fast enough, and wanting to have a more powerful bike to keep it interesting.

None of these are judgments, they are just what you've shared here. If I were you, I'd take a step back to think about if you're going about this the right way. Your choices in gear were quite good, which means that when you did hit the ground, you were fortunate enough to have minor injuries. But it's only luck that kept you and your bike from either hitting something or getting hit by something much more damaging on the way down. There's always going to be some risk in this, but you're shooting for an unavoidable crash every couple hundred thousand miles. Not an avoidable crash every 600. (Rojo would probably say that you're shooting for never, ever, ever crashing on the street, and honestly he's probably right).

Good luck, and please think about what your real goals are here. If it's not there already, put the "not crashing" goal to the top of the list over just about everything else, and think about it every time you swing a leg over the bike.

[CycleCam303]

Does the tail end look off, as in bent? There's no removable sub frame on these things so bending it back is the only option. But you'd have to remove the fairings to really check.

Doesn't look super bad.

I tease about doing laps and the redwood tt guys because most of those riders treat that road and their "crew" like some high school ricer car club. Every weekend they do laps up there.

It's not that laps are all bad. Seat time is seat time. I can't deny that I'm a faster better rider just from riding a lot of street. Practice makes perfect right? It's that pushing a little harder and making inevitable mistakes that sucks with doing laps. Even I go a lot faster after doing a scout lap on redwood.

I do find it weird that you don't like lefts. They aren't blind so you can really hang it out. My tires always wear more on the left side.

[Panda]

Rights are scary when they are blind. Deer, ducks, squirrels, a pickup that decided to run itself half way off the road, stopped cars etc. are all things I've come across on blind right hand turns.

[anacron]

Yeah, agreed. This was a risk that I thought about for a long time and figured it was worth taking at least once. I've ticked that box - unfortunately I crashed in the process but I found my limit and weaknesses on the bike (without serious injury). Next time, I'll take it to the track and mellow down on the street.

A quick correction though... yes, I said that it would be nice to have some more power but I also said (in the same post) that I have no plans to upgrade any time soon. Conversational nuances don't translate well on forum posts - which might account for the perception of me being rash and out of control.

Trust me... I have no desire to throw away my PhD or aspirations of getting into academia and research.

As for the bike, well it sucks that its worth less money now because of the damages, but like any vehicle it was a money pit from the get go. I'm young and in school so any loss on a 6k Ninja would be amortized over a career, so I'm not really worried about the money. However, it does suck that I messed up something that's very dear to me...

[anacron]

Originally Posted by CycleCam303

I do find it weird that you don't like lefts. They aren't blind so you can really hang it out. My tires always wear more on the left side.

It was that toe dragging incident. It was my left toe that was dragging when under the shift lever and I haven't felt comfortable with lefts since. Also, I think tiredness and hydration were also a factor. If you remember, I got really tired on our first ride out and I think I did one too many laps given my physical and mental state (the freeway rides to/from Walnut Creek took their toll too).

Basically, I should have stuck with my gut and stayed at home yesterday.

Looking at the 3rd pic, it looks like the left hand side tabs popped out which is why the tail doesn't line up with the seat. 2nd pic shows the bolt which holds the tail in-line with the seat also snapped. So, I think this is mainly an issue with tabs popping out and the missing bolt.

[subxero]

Originally Posted by anacron

Genius! Can't believe I didn't think of that.

I'm sure me doing laps on Redwood had nothing, whatsoever, to do with me realizing that fact and wanting to practice my left turns in order to get better at them...

The fact that I crashed on the way back home instead of the during the 3rd or 4th lap should immediately point to the fact that I mostly likely push my body too much and lost concentration. I should have hydrated before heading out too, but C'est la vie.

don't be mad bro, didn't mean anything by it. Just quoting a classic

[anacron]

Originally Posted by subxero

don't be mad bro, didn't mean anything by it. Just quoting a classic

Ah... super overreaction on my part. Totally went over my head

Should have figured it out after seeing the Dodgeball quote in you signature

[Panda]

Originally Posted by anacron

Basically, I should have stuck with my gut and stayed at home yesterday.

This doesn't seem like bad luck or inopportune timing or something your gut could have saved.

[anacron]

Originally Posted by Panda

This doesn't seem like bad luck or inopportune timing or something your gut could have saved.

Certainly nothing related to luck. It was bad decision making. First of all, I should've just stayed at home when I first decided to stay at home. Second, I shouldn't have gone for the extra lap at the end.

I should have erred on the side of caution and pulled the plug sooner than I did. However, I didn't and taxed myself too much mentally/physically, let my left-turn anxiety take the better of me and switched off at the wrong moment. I kept alluding to "crashing on the ride home" over and over again in the my previous posts because I truly felt that I was in control of that corner. I mean, I did it 4 times before crashing but felt really tired and dehydrated on the way home.

As Cam mentioned its a fairly easy corner to take at speed.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by anacron

Next time, I'll take it to the track and mellow down on the street.

That is where you "really" learn to go fast.

Originally Posted by anacron

Trust me... I have no desire to throw away my PhD or aspirations of getting into academia and research.

What's this? Tell me more. That's my goal in life as well. Well... I did it for 5yrs (college teacher) but will go back to it when I "grow up".

Originally Posted by anacron

However, it does suck that I messed up something that's very dear to me...

Your male, it will not be the last time this happens.

[anacron]

Originally Posted by csmith12

What's this? Tell me more. That's my goal in life as well. Well... I did it for 5yrs (college teacher) but will go back to it when I "grow up".

Doing my PhD in computer science at Berkeley right now. At least trying to while managing an addiction problem with riding a motorcycle

Guess I'm going cold turkey until my foot heals and the bike's fixed.

Originally Posted by csmith12

Your male, it will not be the last time this happens.

LOL!

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by anacron

Why do I like right handers?
Its because I can cut the corner and know without a shadow of a doubt that I can always lean more.

Not here in eastern TN, people put their mailboxes waaaaay too close to the road especially in rural areas. I just about whacked my head into one not long ago by taking the inside track on a right. I was riding shotgun with my buddy in his pickup and he whacked one with his right-side mirror, so it's not just me (he was centered in his lane). In that case, the mailbox door was open. That would be one helluva thing to take in the teeth.

[rasta]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Not here in eastern TN, people put their mailboxes waaaaay too close to the road especially in rural areas. I just about whacked my head into one not long ago by taking the inside track on a right. I was riding shotgun with my buddy in his pickup and he whacked one with his right-side mirror, so it's not just me (he was centered in his lane). In that case, the mailbox door was open. That would be one helluva thing to take in the teeth.

Owe....that's why we wear full face lol

[anacron]

@Thorgrim

Yeah, I've bicycled through narrow roads like that in New Jersey. Pretty scary trying to get as close to the curb as possible when cars are trying to pass and trying to avoid those pesky mailboxes.

Don't even get me started on times when the mailman is making his/her rounds and you're trying to avoid that USPS mail van as well...

[anacron]

Doctor's report:

Two fractures on my left, big toe and a dislocated second toe. No, pins or surgery required and for the most part I got off scott-free.

Plans for the bike:

Rearsets and Shogun frame sliders came in today. Will be ordering ASV fold-away levers, woodcraft clip-ons and fender eliminator kit soon. As I mentioned above, I think this is the right time for me to take aggressive riding to the track so I'm setting the bike up for that... Do you guys have any other suggestions for making this thing a track-ready machine that's still street legal?

Sent out damage pics to the dealership to assess the cost of repairs - I think they'll reply by asking me to bring the bike in so... yeah.

[rasta]

Originally Posted by anacron

Doctor's report:

Two fractures on my left, big toe and a dislocated second toe. No, pins or surgery required and for the most part I got off scott-free.

Plans for the bike:

Rearsets and Shogun frame sliders came in today. Will be ordering ASV fold-away levers, woodcraft clip-ons and fender eliminator kit soon. As I mentioned above, I think this is the right time for me to take aggressive riding to the track so I'm setting the bike up for that... Do you guys have any other suggestions for making this thing a track-ready machine that's still street legal?

Sent out damage pics to the dealership to assess the cost of repairs - I think they'll reply by asking me to bring the bike in so... yeah.

Sorry to hear man, speedy recovery

What kind of boots were you wearing?

[anacron]

Originally Posted by rasta

Sorry to hear man, speedy recovery

What kind of boots were you wearing?

Thanks! Really happy about the 1 month recovery and relative tameness of the injury.

Alpinestars SMX-5. The bike fell on my left foot with all the force on the toes (on my back with feet pointing up and bike comes crashing down).

Pretty sure anything less, say sneakers, and my entire foot would have been mangled...

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by anacron

Doctor's report:

Two fractures on my left, big toe and a dislocated second toe. No, pins or surgery required........

I am very sorry, Adi, and wish you a full recovery.

[rasta]

Originally Posted by anacron

Thanks! Really happy about the 1 month recovery and relative tameness of the injury.

Alpinestars SMX-5. The bike fell on my left foot with all the force on the toes (on my back with feet pointing up and bike comes crashing down).

Pretty sure anything less, say sneakers, and my entire foot would have been mangled...

Nice dude. I actually just bought those...should be coming in the mail tomorrow.

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by anacron

Doctor's report:

Two fractures on my left, big toe and a dislocated second toe. No, pins or surgery required and for the most part I got off scott-free.

Plans for the bike:

Rearsets and Shogun frame sliders came in today. Will be ordering ASV fold-away levers, woodcraft clip-ons and fender eliminator kit soon. As I mentioned above, I think this is the right time for me to take aggressive riding to the track so I'm setting the bike up for that... Do you guys have any other suggestions for making this thing a track-ready machine that's still street legal?

Sent out damage pics to the dealership to assess the cost of repairs - I think they'll reply by asking me to bring the bike in so... yeah.

Track days have relatively little to prep for. Tape over and/or remove lights and mirrors. You can also just pull the fuses. Depends on track day organization. Make sure everything is in good working order. No leaking fluids. New-ish tires. They recommend safety wiring certain things and using water or water with water wetter but it's generally not required. Duct tape down wheel weights. Take a look at the requirements of the track orgs around here. Just off the top of my head, Keigwins, ZoomZoom (Z2), and Pacific Track Time (PTT). To me, dealing the towing the bike seems like a bigger problem than prepping the bike

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by anacron

As I mentioned above, I think this is the right time for me to take aggressive riding to the track ...

Can I get an AMEN from the brothers and the sisters?

Wish I had a track here and enough income to fix what I'd break on one, 'cause I'd be a doofus there. If I could keep from getting run over I just might learn something in a safer environment.

[anacron]

Originally Posted by tfkrocks

Track days have relatively little to prep for. Tape over and/or remove lights and mirrors. You can also just pull the fuses. Depends on track day organization. Make sure everything is in good working order. No leaking fluids. New-ish tires. They recommend safety wiring certain things and using water or water with water wetter but it's generally not required. Duct tape down wheel weights. Take a look at the requirements of the track orgs around here. Just off the top of my head, Keigwins, ZoomZoom (Z2), and Pacific Track Time (PTT). To me, dealing the towing the bike seems like a bigger problem than prepping the bike

Thanks for the tips! Saw your "first trackday" vids- that looks like so much fun!

I'm basically getting together a list of modifications to make to the bike in order to make it a better trackday machine. How did you feel with the clip-ons and rearsets on the rental 250 when going through the corners?

[tfkrocks]

Originally Posted by anacron

Thanks for the tips! Saw your "first trackday" vids- that looks like so much fun!

I'm basically getting together a list of modifications to make to the bike in order to make it a better trackday machine. How did you feel with the clip-ons and rearsets on the rental 250 when going through the corners?

The position definitely feels way more natural for that kind of riding. The bike is much more responsive to handlebar input. The rearsets actually make me feel more comfortable when stopping too since it's higher up and therefore I don't have to reach as far around the bike with my short legs lol. Not that it's important for you or anything.

What have you done to your bike so far? Done anything with the brakes yet?

[anacron]

Originally Posted by tfkrocks

The position definitely feels way more natural for that kind of riding. The bike is much more responsive to handlebar input. The rearsets actually make me feel more comfortable when stopping too since it's higher up and therefore I don't have to reach as far around the bike with my short legs lol. Not that it's important for you or anything.

What have you done to your bike so far? Done anything with the brakes yet?

Haven't bolted anything on just yet, although I have the rearsets, frame sliders in-hand and just ordered woodcraft clip-ons. After my recent accident, I really would like to see better front brakes on my bike... not really sure how to go about it though.

Would this require an overhaul of the entire disc-caliper combination?