I'm in the club!

BAZININJA · September 19th, 2014, 08:45 AM

I've been a RiderCoach for five years. I taught out of town last weekend for the community college that has a red 2010 Special Edition in the fleet. I got to play on it when they first got it, and that's when I fell in love with NINJAs! They have two ranges and usually it's at the other one, but, low and behold, when I opened the trailer, there it was!!! Temps were below normal and approaching freezing at night. So I rolled it out and started it while I set the range (the other four bikes were FI). Plans were to work inside for an hour or so to give it a chance to warm up outside. I finished setting cones and saw that the NINJA had stalled. So I restarted it and decided to run it for a couple laps before heading in. By now my whole class has shown up and decided to head over to where I was instead of going inside. I hop on the bike, head up the short side of the range, shift to second, look left toward the long side, then *WHAM*, down I went.

I hopped up right away, shut the bike down, looked at where I was and had a guess immediately. Sure enough, I started moving my foot across the pavement and there it was: a patch of ice. It had been dewy that morning and it was in the shade. By now my students have come to my aid and I said, "Boy, this sure inspires confidence, huh?" Then it became a Learning Moment where we talked about surface hazards and cold weather and then learned how to pick up a bike. Even though I was doing my best to make light of it, I wanted to DIE. Casualties included a scraped knee, a hole in my brand new flannel-lined jeans (it was the second day I had worn them), small tears in my leather jacket, scraped some hide off the toes of my leather hiking boot, and a bent shifter. One student had a crow bar and a glove so I got the shifter bent back well enough to be functional. So we went into class to work and, boy, were they tuned into slick surface hazards!! I guess as long as somebody-including me-- learns from it, it's not all bad. I should've thought about the cold/shade/potential ice combo but failed to do so, so it was my fault. Ironically, my low side nearly three years ago on my Honda was on a cool day. That one seemed to go in slow motion; this one was just BOOM, NOW. I was probably going about the same speed, maybe a little faster on the street, but not much, because I was making a left turn from a stop.

So now I'm in the I Crashed A Bike In Front Of My Students Club!

csmith12 · September 19th, 2014, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC-Lori

So now I'm in the I Crashed A Bike In Front Of My Students Club!

Bummer, I don't wanna be a part of this club but glad your good.

flitecontrol · September 19th, 2014, 08:49 AM

Glad you came out of it relatively unscathed, and wisely used it as a teaching moment!

fry1024 · September 19th, 2014, 09:46 AM

Look at the bright side, you really got the students attention (i'm sure that will stick with them for a long long time)...

AND...

it wasn't your bike.

Seriously though, that sucks but it sounds like you owned it and made it work for you.

snot · September 19th, 2014, 01:13 PM

Glad your OK.
Some students learn by example, and I bet one day it saves one of them. This is the only time I know of a crash had so many positives.

BAZININJA · September 19th, 2014, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csmith12

Bummer, I don't wanna be a part of this club but glad your good.

Believe me, I didn't either!

#511??? I'm clear down here at 138297!

What do you think of the new curriculum? Iowa starts it next year; we're already doing new classroom stuff at some RERPs if they've run out of old student handbooks.

csmith12 · September 19th, 2014, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC-Lori

Believe me, I didn't either!

#511??? I'm clear down here at 138297!

What do you think of the new curriculum? Iowa starts it next year; we're already doing new classroom stuff at some RERPs if they've run out of old student handbooks.

#511 is my race number

From what I heard, the new stuff should go over ok. I still need to review my coach packet, I am running so late... with all the stuff I have been doing this year, it's been on my desk for 2 months now. lol I should be on the schedule in Apr. then I will be able to comment with direct experience.

NevadaWolf · September 19th, 2014, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC-Lori

So now I'm in the I Crashed A Bike In Front Of My Students Club!

No no no no no.... The way that should have been handled was...

Drop bike.
Realize students are watching

"So, I bet you all think I just wrecked, huh? Nope! I knew that you all would be out here this morning, so wanted to take the opportunity to show you how hazards on a bike can come in the most unexpected ways. That patch of black ice there would have melted by the time we got out here, so in order to demonstrate how you have to pay attention to everything at all times, I intentionally took the bike over that patch. Never get complacent.

Now, a lesson on picking a bike back up...."

snot · September 19th, 2014, 06:18 PM

@NevadaWolf

that would be a great cover.

BTW thanks for the complement on my bike.

September 19th, 2014, 08:45 AM	#1
BAZININJA ninjette.org member Name: Lori Location: Missouri Ozarks Join Date: Aug 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2018 NINJA 650 ABS KRT Posts: 37	I'm in the club! I've been a RiderCoach for five years. I taught out of town last weekend for the community college that has a red 2010 Special Edition in the fleet. I got to play on it when they first got it, and that's when I fell in love with NINJAs! They have two ranges and usually it's at the other one, but, low and behold, when I opened the trailer, there it was!!! Temps were below normal and approaching freezing at night. So I rolled it out and started it while I set the range (the other four bikes were FI). Plans were to work inside for an hour or so to give it a chance to warm up outside. I finished setting cones and saw that the NINJA had stalled. So I restarted it and decided to run it for a couple laps before heading in. By now my whole class has shown up and decided to head over to where I was instead of going inside. I hop on the bike, head up the short side of the range, shift to second, look left toward the long side, then WHAM, down I went. I hopped up right away, shut the bike down, looked at where I was and had a guess immediately. Sure enough, I started moving my foot across the pavement and there it was: a patch of ice. It had been dewy that morning and it was in the shade. By now my students have come to my aid and I said, "Boy, this sure inspires confidence, huh?" Then it became a Learning Moment where we talked about surface hazards and cold weather and then learned how to pick up a bike. Even though I was doing my best to make light of it, I wanted to DIE. Casualties included a scraped knee, a hole in my brand new flannel-lined jeans (it was the second day I had worn them), small tears in my leather jacket, scraped some hide off the toes of my leather hiking boot, and a bent shifter. One student had a crow bar and a glove so I got the shifter bent back well enough to be functional. So we went into class to work and, boy, were they tuned into slick surface hazards!! I guess as long as somebody-including me-- learns from it, it's not all bad. I should've thought about the cold/shade/potential ice combo but failed to do so, so it was my fault. Ironically, my low side nearly three years ago on my Honda was on a cool day. That one seemed to go in slow motion; this one was just BOOM, NOW. I was probably going about the same speed, maybe a little faster on the street, but not much, because I was making a left turn from a stop. So now I'm in the I Crashed A Bike In Front Of My Students Club! __________________________________________________ Lori, RiderCoach since 2010 2018 NINJA 650 ABS KRT "Sheldon" BRING THE ZX25R TO THE USA!!!!!!!

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September 19th, 2014, 08:49 AM	#3
flitecontrol ninjette.org guru Name: Lee Location: Monroe, LA Join Date: Feb 2014 Motorcycle(s): Rebel 250s, Ninja 250s VN750s (currently nine total) Posts: 465	Glad you came out of it relatively unscathed, and wisely used it as a teaching moment!

September 19th, 2014, 09:46 AM	#4
fry1024 ninjette.org guru Name: Jason Location: WV Join Date: Apr 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 650R & 2007 Buell Blast Posts: 323	Look at the bright side, you really got the students attention (i'm sure that will stick with them for a long long time)... AND... it wasn't your bike. Seriously though, that sucks but it sounds like you owned it and made it work for you.

September 19th, 2014, 01:13 PM	#5
snot sammich maker Name: snot Location: West Ohio - in the kitchen Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 white 300, 09 KLX 250 SF, 09 thunder blue 250(traded) Posts: A lot. MOTM - Apr '15	Glad your OK. Some students learn by example, and I bet one day it saves one of them. This is the only time I know of a crash had so many positives.

September 19th, 2014, 06:18 PM	#9
snot sammich maker Name: snot Location: West Ohio - in the kitchen Join Date: Feb 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2013 white 300, 09 KLX 250 SF, 09 thunder blue 250(traded) Posts: A lot. MOTM - Apr '15	@NevadaWolf that would be a great cover. BTW thanks for the complement on my bike.