Laid my BABY down in GMR

[adri99an]

I too have fallen victim to GMR....I guess after riding there 2 years one of these days it was going to get me and it did....

I was coming around a nice sweeping turn....good lean...butt cheek off head low....ok line....but caught some gravel and dirt towards the end of the turn....low sided....I believe I might have been doing 40-45mph....looking back that might've been too fast for this turn.....I rolled a few times...hiting my helmet along the pavement.....

In the end....I got a few scrapes....and some bruised ribs.....I had to get my ribs x-rayed because of the intense pain when I breathed in and out.....

So now what? Do I report it to the insurance and pay the 500 deductible or get all new fairings that the left side needs? ANy suggestions from those that have been down this road? The bike runs fine...started right up---bent clutch--ez fix but the fairings are tore up.....

[pedaltothemetal]

Not you too Adrian!
Glad you're OK!

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by adri99an

I too have fallen victim to GMR....I guess after riding there 2 years one of these days it was going to get me and it did....

I was coming around a nice sweeping turn....good lean...butt cheek off head low....ok line....but caught some gravel and dirt towards the end of the turn....low sided....I believe I might have been doing 40-45mph....looking back that might've been too fast for this turn.....I rolled a few times...hiting my helmet along the pavement.....

In the end....I got a few scrapes....and some bruised ribs.....I had to get my ribs x-rayed because of the intense pain when I breathed in and out.....

So now what? Do I report it to the insurance and pay the 500 deductible or get all new fairings that the left side needs? ANy suggestions from those that have been down this road? The bike runs fine...started right up---bent clutch--ez fix but the fairings are tore up.....

It didn't get you, you got you.

Caught some gravel and dirt? I ride and see this stuff all the time and I don't go down. Learn to ride before you hurt yourself. I'm so tired of you idiots crashing. If you don't know how to handle these situations GO SLOWER! What are you looking at/for when you go around a corner? You should always be looking for conditions and obsticles and know how to avoid them.

So now what? Go stand in the corner and put a dunce hat on until you learn your lesson before you kill yourself.

[Kurosaki]

fix it yourself.

keep your eyes on ebay and the forums.


If it's not bad, find a local paint shop and see how much it will cost to shoot the scratched pieces. or just live with it.

If you claim it, you will probably regret it.

Post pics of your bike and that will help decide if you should claim it or not.

But I would mostly say don't do it.


I brought my bike back from

This













To this






I scored a lot of deals off ebay and forums by waiting and pouncing when I saw them.

Cost a lot less than what insurance will get back from you over the course of your raised premiums from your claim. When your insurance goes up, you will wish you fixed it yourself. Even if it takes a few months.

Plus you will become very familiar with working on your bike, which is a very good thing as well.

[adri99an]

Pics from the damage....my bike has a new name:

DR. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde--being that one side is perfect and the other is horrid.

[matteblack]

I agree with previous posters, don't claim it.

I claimed damage from a lowside on mine (exactly like yours) and they totalled it because of the fairing damage and replacement parts/labor. No major parts were damaged and it rides straight. I got it back on the road for about $300. I do have to replace a few more dinged up parts and get the bike inspected to get the salvage off of the title.

If I did it again, I would not report it.

Matt

[adri99an]

Nice Joeseph......I guess I will have to wait around....looks good

CC Cowboy--I forgot about a-holes like you on this forum...it's people like you that make others not want to post....

[Kurosaki]

Originally Posted by adri99an

Pics from the damage....my bike has a new name:

DR. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde--being that one side is perfect and the other is horrid.

DO NOT REPORT THAT TO INSURANCE.

That is not too bad at all.

[ninja250]

Not you too!
You feel like your got your ass handed to ya by the football team?
Sorry to hear it brother. I'm on my phone so can't see pics but when I get to a pc I'll check it out.
Like always if you need a mechanic I just about know this bike inside out by now besides the engine guts so if you need help let me know!
Patch it up and fix it with cheapcycleparts.Com and eBay. You'll be solid again in no time.
Don't feel bad man it got me hard too. Lol we're a couple lucky bastids. See you in the hills where we belong.
Posted via Mobile Device

[jcgirl]

So sorry to hear. Glad your not hurt. At least you get to buy a new helmet.

How much would your premiums go up by if you claimed it? If possible to fix your bike for not too much, that might be the better route. I'm not sure about down there, but up here it takes 6 years for your premiums to back down after an At-Fault accident. Good luck man.

Oh, and try not to feel too personally attacked. It's important for all of us to learn from each others and our own mistakes. People are going to pick apart your crash, it's gonna suck. But hopefully we can keep this from happening again to someone else. Try to think of us noobs, every piece of critique helps us. So thanks for having the guts to post this anyways.

[ninja250]

We'll have to get a ninja LA crash club going At this rate.
Posted via Mobile Device

[cnichols79us]

Sorry to hear Adrian... Glad your ok.

[kkim]

I'm with CC.

[curlyredhead]

I'm a noob to riding so any honest sharing of information is much appreciated. It seems this group is mostly supportive even when you fess up to a crash. Just be safe and thank you for letting all of us learn from your situation.

[littledog]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

... GO SLOWER! ....

You sir must be a Crazy Crazy Cowboy to suggest such a thing....


Oh, but seriously, adri99an, glad and hope, that you are ok.

[adri99an]

Matt- I hear what you are saying....thanks for the advice.....where'd you get your fairings?

KC--we need to get our So Cal Crash Club together....I will take you up on that offer for HELP.....when do you have time??? It's people like you that make this forum great.....

My wife's joke about my bike is...."Oh....those scratches will buff right out."

[DEXSPEED]

Constructive criticism is always welcome but let's avoid not to offend with demeaning words.addrian were you wearing your icon vest armor?did it help protecting you?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Momaru]

d'oh! Sorry to hear/see this Adrian. Looks like the rough early spring continues. Glad it's just cosmetic work on the bike and not too bad on you either. How'd your rib X-ray come out, anything broken?

Agree on the 'don't claim it' though. The fairings did their job and ate the damage for your frame & engine. That $500 deductible will get you a new front and side fairing, so insurance would only likely pay out another $300-500, plus shop labor, both of which they'd reclaim in boosted premiums, as other people have said. It'll suck having to keep looking at a bruised bike and take your baby apart, but you'll feel 5x better once she's back to tip-top knowing you fixed her up instead of just handing her over to strangers.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure about 20% of those scratches would pretty much disappear with sufficient buffing, but the cracked fairings will be a pain to fix and never quite the same even afterwards. Cheapcycleparts.com and kawasakipartsnation.com are the 2 cheapest OEM parts suppliers I've seen. They tend to take their time shipping out, but the savings are usually worth the wait.

May wanna check your front fairing stay brackets. Mine were tweaked a bit when I dropped my bike shortly after buying it; didn't even notice until I was stripping it for installation of the new parts.

From the pics, I might suggest a tougher jacket if you choose to replace that one; seems like it didn't fare so well.

[ninja250]

They tend to take their time shipping out, but the savings are usually worth the wait

Ditto. Lil slow (max week and a half or so) but they are a few bucks cheaper in the long run.

Adrian I can help ya out no problem dude. We need to remove your fairings and inspect for any more damage elsewhere before you order parts. I can help you out with oil and stuff too. Find a place to park your bike for one afternoon where I can set some tools without upsetting anyone and give me a call a few days before you're ready for me. I'll ride my beater down there. Make sure your machine is still good to go and nothing knocked loose.

check your PM.

[laraider]

oh my, sorry to hear that adrian, glad that you are okay.

[Verus Cidere]

Sorry you took a fall man! Glad to hear you're ok. As far as the bike goes, consider paying for the repair a reminder to be more careful. Also, thank you for reminding me to keep the GP on the track. I need to find a track day myself, rather than taking fun corners too quickly.

On another note, why so much hostility everybody? That's the easiest way to get someone to ignore what you have to say. CC and Kim are right, there is something to be said for going slower until you know your bike top-to bottom (or are on a track, where that sort of thing is meant to be done), but calling someone an idiot for a mistake they're already paying for is pouring salt in an already sore wound for no reason, and will more likely push them away than properly advise them. If nothing else, I appreciate all the threads like this because they help me remember to be careful and to watch out for these things. We're all human here, and we all make mistakes. I don't see why we can't support people and help them learn. There are always going to be people crashing on this forum, especially considering the amount of growth we've had since I started. Let's try to keep up the "friendliest forum" reputation we have. I take pride in that, and it is the #1 thing that worries me about getting a bigger bike. I want to have friendly people to confide in, to be scrutinized and corrected, but not made to feel bad about my mistakes.

End rant.

[miks]

Glad to know you're alright mate. Luckily the bike didn't fall on the right hand side with the exhaust and all. As for the damage report, how did the left clip-on, left rear set, and shifter go?

I agree with everyone else, fix it ya'self. Ebay and forums like this will be your best hunting grounds. Good luck with the repairs, and hoping you heal up quickly.

Oh, and what were you wearing if you don't mind me asking and how did they hold up?

[sixer]

Yo Ade sorry to hear and see the pics_ best luck to you -
Posted via Mobile Device

[talldrink]

Originally Posted by Verus Cidere

Sorry you took a fall man! Glad to hear you're ok. As far as the bike goes, consider paying for the repair a reminder to be more careful. Also, thank you for reminding me to keep the GP on the track. I need to find a track day myself, rather than taking fun corners too quickly.

On another note, why so much hostility everybody? That's the easiest way to get someone to ignore what you have to say. CC and Kim are right, there is something to be said for going slower until you know your bike top-to bottom (or are on a track, where that sort of thing is meant to be done), but calling someone an idiot for a mistake they're already paying for is pouring salt in an already sore wound for no reason, and will more likely push them away than properly advise them. If nothing else, I appreciate all the threads like this because they help me remember to be careful and to watch out for these things. We're all human here, and we all make mistakes. I don't see why we can't support people and help them learn. There are always going to be people crashing on this forum, especially considering the amount of growth we've had since I started. Let's try to keep up the "friendliest forum" reputation we have. I take pride in that, and it is the #1 thing that worries me about getting a bigger bike. I want to have friendly people to confide in, to be scrutinized and corrected, but not made to feel bad about my mistakes.

End rant.

[Banzai]

Replace the helmet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[adri99an]

Thanks for all the POSITIVE feedback---I will get to all your questions later---as I have to get to work this morning....

KC-you are a true Ninjette ryder....backing a fellow ryder up and not talking trash like some...

to be continued.....

[addy126]

Accept the damage as a result of your riding.... and something you pay for when you push the envelope which is something we all do from time to time. It's just the nature of the beast and the more expensive part of this hobby. Don't claim it on the insurance, just dig deep for the cash and fix it all. I've seen alot of people selling off fairings and such in here for pretty decent prices recently... just the better way to go.

[matteblack]

Originally Posted by adri99an

Matt- I hear what you are saying....thanks for the advice.....where'd you get your fairings?

I haven't replaced them yet. My left bar was tweaked, left mirror, turn signal, etc. That stuff added up $$ quick. I would love to find the cheapest source for the fairings if anyone knows.

Matt

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

It didn't get you, you got you.

Caught some gravel and dirt? I ride and see this stuff all the time and I don't go down. Learn to ride before you hurt yourself. I'm so tired of you idiots crashing. If you don't know how to handle these situations GO SLOWER! What are you looking at/for when you go around a corner? You should always be looking for conditions and obsticles and know how to avoid them.

So now what? Go stand in the corner and put a dunce hat on until you learn your lesson before you kill yourself.

Adrian, this was not only directed at you but was for the benefit of the entire forum.

Originally Posted by adri99an

Nice Joeseph......I guess I will have to wait around....looks good

CC Cowboy--I forgot about a-holes like you on this forum...it's people like you that make others not want to post....

That's for the compliment. I do have an image to maintain (sometimes the facts are hard to swallow).

[Zombiphone]

Wow, I can't believe your turn signal is still intact

Really sorry to hear that, but glad you're alright. That is one crazy road, for sure. At least since the damage is largely cosmetic, even if it takes a while to fix it, you can still ride it while you wait. I've kind of started to become a bit accustomed to my bike's road rash. Could be worse.

This is definitely a good reminder for me to cool it on public roads as well. No matter how much fun they may be, playing in the mountains is much akin to playing in abandoned construction sites when you're little. I'm just glad that with all of these crashes as of late it's just been bikes and personal pride taking the brunt of the damage. Live and learn, I suppose.

So, uh... on a side note, I take it you're out for Saturday? Or do you want to make that a nice, easy ride?

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Zombiphone

Wow, I can't believe your turn signal is still intact



This is definitely a good reminder for me to cool it on public roads as well. No matter how much fun they may be, playing in the mountains is much akin to playing in abandoned construction sites when you're little. I'm just glad that with all of these crashes as of late it's just been bikes and personal pride taking the brunt of the damage. Live and learn, I suppose.

So, uh... on a side note, I take it you're out for Saturday? Or do you want to make that a nice, easy ride?

Good pun!

[TmP]

Would be nice to know what the result would have been with frame sliders...
Anyone got pics of a scenario like this?

[TrueFaith]

CC is right. There are far too many people blasting through corners on their Ninjas lately who aren't prepared for what they may unexpectedly encounter in that turn. More people seem fixated in getting their knee down in a corner than getting through the corner safely. Why are you even trying to drag a knee on the street? Gravel and sand are everywhere this time of year. If you want to practice hanging off, do it at a track.
Every week for the next 5 or 6 months we're going to see posts by riders who lost it on gravel in a turn. Most of them will have been going too fast or not paying attention to road conditions because they were too busy concentrating on something else. I guarantee you're not going to look cool if you go down in a turn because you were going too fast for road conditions. Some people can adjust when things get hairy in a turn, but the vast majorty can't or don't have the riding experience to avoid crashing when the situation changes dramatically.
CC was riding ahead of me when I went down on gravel 2 years ago. He saw the swath of gravel, shifted his weight to the inside and rode through it. I came up behind him, didn't see it until too late and crashed. While I may have been going the speed limit for the road, for that corner littered with gravel even the speed limit was way too fast.
The difference between crashing and not here was one of riding experience and skill. CC had it, I didn't. I can guarantee you he didn't get to be as good a rider as he is by trying to drag his knee on the street. As long as I've known him his #1 suggestion to riders like this is to take it to the track. If you're trying to drop a knee on a public road before you've done it on a track you're just asking for trouble.
If anything, the testosterone level of some of the riders on this forum has increased since I became a member here and it's a disturbing trend. I'm seeing more crashing happening earlier in the season than ever before and more disregard for the basics of safe motorcycling with every post. Safety should always be the first priority and some of these riders need to dial it down a bit when they are on public roads or they will inevitably pay the price.

[ninja250]

More people seem fixated in getting their knee down in a corner than getting through the corner safely. Why are you even trying to drag a knee on the street? Gravel and sand are everywhere this time of year. If you want to practice hanging off, do it at a track.

Adrian doesn't drag, so I guess I'll bend over for that one.

I found a good place to practice is in the desert, in the open, near the track as well.
Just bring a couple "homies" to scrape you up in case you "eat it".

We are all still on this weekend, crashed bikes or not.

[pedaltothemetal]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

CC was riding ahead of me when I went down on gravel 2 years ago. He saw the swath of gravel, shifted his weight to the inside and rode through it. I came up behind him, didn't see it until too late and crashed. While I may have been going the speed limit for the road, for that corner littered with gravel even the speed limit was way too fast.

Rule number whatever!
Don't follow too close. You have to see the whole turn so you
can prepare to ride the safest line. CC shifed his body weight to cut
to the area of least gravel. If you kept your distance, you most like would
have made it thru too!

[talldrink]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

CC is right. There are far too many people blasting through corners on their Ninjas lately who aren't prepared for what they may unexpectedly encounter in that turn. More people seem fixated in getting their knee down in a corner than getting through the corner safely. Why are you even trying to drag a knee on the street? Gravel and sand are everywhere this time of year. If you want to practice hanging off, do it at a track.
Every week for the next 5 or 6 months we're going to see posts by riders who lost it on gravel in a turn. Most of them will have been going too fast or not paying attention to road conditions because they were too busy concentrating on something else. I guarantee you're not going to look cool if you go down in a turn because you were going too fast for road conditions. Some people can adjust when things get hairy in a turn, but the vast majorty can't or don't have the riding experience to avoid crashing when the situation changes dramatically.
CC was riding ahead of me when I went down on gravel 2 years ago. He saw the swath of gravel, shifted his weight to the inside and rode through it. I came up behind him, didn't see it until too late and crashed. While I may have been going the speed limit for the road, for that corner littered with gravel even the speed limit was way too fast.
The difference between crashing and not here was one of riding experience and skill. CC had it, I didn't. I can guarantee you he didn't get to be as good a rider as he is by trying to drag his knee on the street. As long as I've known him his #1 suggestion to riders like this is to take it to the track. If you're trying to drop a knee on a public road before you've done it on a track you're just asking for trouble.
If anything, the testosterone level of some of the riders on this forum has increased since I became a member here and it's a disturbing trend. I'm seeing more crashing happening earlier in the season than ever before and more disregard for the basics of safe motorcycling with every post. Safety should always be the first priority and some of these riders need to dial it down a bit when they are on public roads or they will inevitably pay the price.

I think the inexperience level (influx of new riders) is what you're seeing in this forum. New riders make mistakes. Rarely have I (please correct me if I'm wrong) seen/heard of riders on THIS forum who've had accidents from being squids. Most of the accidents seem to be rider inexperience. I think we, on this forum, are a pretty safe and level-headed bunch and a lot of the accidents are from gravel at this time of the year. After a long winter, everyone is anxious to get out and ride.

I think the older, more experienced riders on this forum could be a little more forgiving in their responses to crash victims.

(this is not directed to CC as I realize he is a premier jokester and most of his posts are laced with sarcasm (all in good fun)).

[empyrean]

Although I feel bad for those of you that have crashed, at least you are learning from your mistakes and sharing them.

It has been a long time since I have been able to get back out on my bike (shoulder surgery, lost income...etc. ect.) I finally can get out, so I try to only go out with other more experienced riders so that I know that there is someone always there for me. I have also learned that I do NOT like to ride in high winds and will keep my bike parked the next time it's as windy out as last Saturday was. The wind at my back is nice. The wind at my side fighting to push me over, not so nice.

However, it seems that the most damage that has been done to my bike has been:
1. Wind knocking her over.
2. Someone trying to park on top of her (while she was parked and I was elsewhere)
3. Me trying to park her in stiletto heels and a bum shoulder that eventually was darn near totally surgically reattached.

I suppose my only suggestion would be to take it easy. Spring is here and it may have been a while since you rode last. I am being as vigilant as I possibly can be and making sure that I know where all the cars are all the time. Heck, cars even pass me while I'm out riding, not the other way around. Always better to be safe than to be sorry.

[diablo250]

Argh! sorry to hear about that Adrian. Get at me if you need any help with the bike-i'd be glad to cruise down with KC and give a hand.

[adri99an]

I'm still in for Saturday Ladies and Gents.....you can't keep me off my mountain....GMR is a place that reminds me of the power we have between our legs (our ninjettes of course) and just because I ate **** Sunday doens't mean I quit riding...it means I take a good hard look at what I didn't do that I needed to do.....

KC and Diablo -after we ride...come over to my house and we'll have a few brews and take my bike apart....thanks for your help and POSITIVE feedback as well as criticism.

[adri99an]

I've been riding for 10+ years and over the past few days I've really been reading and listening to all the POSITIVE comments on this thread.....the biggest thing I've learned is when you lay your bike down it does make you think about the power between our legs (the ninjette of course ladies)

I made a mistake and now am learning about what I did wrong....and I did A LOT WRONG!! What I hate is when a-holes (not directed at CC of course) post like their god's gift to riding......I guess belittling others is their way of making them feel like BIG perfect riders...I don't mind the criticism...but before you shoot your mouth off know all the facts....and one fact for sure is that you don't know me or my experiences as a rider....people make mistakes and sometimes there are times when we cannot avoid what is going to happen...

I didn't come to this forum to argue with a-holes (not directed at CC of course) I came here to learn, listen, meet some people and have a good time. Already- I can say that I have met good people (not directed at CC) who are positive and love to ride as I do.