Akima in a Ditch

akima · September 28th, 2011, 09:59 AM

Yep. Sadly I am starting a thread in this area of the forum. Me and my motorcycle are ok though.

Here's what happened....

The Event

Around 12:30 I was feeling a bit tense and cooped up having been inside for most the day, so I decided to head out for a ride in the surrounding countryside. I put on all my gear (like a good girl!) and stepped out of the house to find the sun out and the sky; a clear and cloudless blue.

I headed off on my Ninjette and immediately started feeling chilled and calm. I found a set of great roads in a direction I hadn't ridden in before.

After a while I felt that it was a good time to turn back. I stopped in this little village, turned the bike around and headed back. I was heading home on the same roads that I came in on, so I figured it would be ok to up the pace a lil bit as I was more familiar with the turns.

The third corner I came to is an incredibly tight, not incredibly grippy 90 degree turn:

Beginning of turn:
the turn - shot 1.jpg
(You can see it veers off to the left.)

Turn continues...
the turn - shot 2.jpg

Turn continues...
the turn - shot 3.jpg

Turn continues...
the turn - shot 4.jpg

Ideally I'd be riding off into the distance after that turn, but in reality I ended up in this ditch:
the ditch.jpg
Their is a lamp post to the right of that sign with only about a 2 meter gap between it and the sign. I could of hit either on of them, but ended up going through the middle. That could have been expensive.

I think this tyre mark on the road was created by me:
tyre mark.jpg

Having landed in the ditch I quickly became aware of my trapped leg and noticed a liquid collecting under the fairings, so I panicked and yanked my leg out. (lots of thoughts of a trapped motorcyclist being burnt were going through my head). My leg came out quite easily. The engine was off, but I flicked the emergency cut-out anyway. I stripped my helmet, gloves and jacket off and moved them away from the bike. It wasn't too difficult getting the bike upright (this gal has strong legs!), but I couldn't get it out of the ditch, so I waited...

The first person to stop was a girl around my age. She didn't look that strong and also looked quite dressed up, so we both knew that the two of us wouldn't be able to get it out. I encouraged her to leave, but she waited until someone else turned up (which was very considerate of her). A husband and wife pulled up next. They got straight out and started helping to move it. Finally 1 more guy got out of his car and joined us. It took all four of us, but we got it out. We realised after it was out of the ditch, that the bike was in gear and the back wheel hadn't been rolling. I'm hoping we didn't damage the engine by forcing it. I figure it should be ok, because it shouldn't be any more force than if I was engine breaking... right?

The bike didn't start so I called break down recovery.

We waited:
poorly ninjette.jpg

I spent an hour on the side of the road doing yoga, dancing, laughing at my failure, thinking about what I did wrong and gradually dehydrating before the break down recovery guy arrived.

He slipped it into neutral and started it on his first attempt!! I thought Ninjettes started in gear so long as the kick stand is up and the clutch depressed? I guess not! Embarrassing

I couldn't ride it straight away though because of this: (spot the problem!)
shifter.jpg

The mechanic (who himself is a rider: owns a tuned up, 1000CC Ducati) told me off for calling my motorcycle "her" when apparently I should be calling the bike an "it"

However!! Directly after he told me off, he picked up the bike off its stand and my girl let out this extremely human sounding squeal - it sounded like "she was in pain" <-- his words! I heard her do it early on after the crash too! We both looked at each other and I gave him a "I told you so stare"

He straightened out the shifter just enough to make it possible for me to awkwardly ride home... which I did.

Bike Damage

Only the left side of the bike took any force.

The fairings were scratched a bit, but nothing too bad.

The shift lever was bent, but the rest of that mechanism looks ok.

The left indicator popped off. I think I should be able to clip it back on again.

Other than that, just miscellaneous patches of dirt and scratches.

Rider Damage

Bruised ego. I thought I was immune from this silly crashing business... apparently not!

Stingy nettle stings.

No loss of confidence. I actually feel like I've come out of that a better rider.

The Cause of the Incident

Definite rider error.

I think the speed I was going would have been ok with a more confident more experienced rider.

When I leant into the turn I felt the bike loose traction a little bit. I did the classic fear reaction and target fixated on where I didn't want to be, I straightened up the bike and slammed on the front break before ending up in the ditch. I didn't enter the ditch that quickly.

What I think, I should have done was stay on the throttle, set my glare towards where I wanted to go and continued the turn. I did go onto the wrong side of the road, but after that happened I could have easily completed the turn and got back onto my side of the road if I had just stayed in the game and looked toward where I wanted to go.

Lesson learned, and I came out of it ok.

greg737 · September 28th, 2011, 10:02 AM

Quote:

stepped out of the house to find the sun out and the sky; a clear and cloudless blue.

It was a setup! In England you should have been immediately suspicious.

Alex · September 28th, 2011, 10:06 AM

Glad you're OK! Based on what you've written, I agree with your assessment. Unless someone gets the entry speed wildly wrong, odds are just pointing the bike where you want it to go, looking where you want to go, and applying enough steering input will get the bike safely through just about any corner. Nailing the brakes during the turn, standing the bike up and then trying to still make the turn, are both more likely to take the bike off the side of the road. Hopefully, and luckily in this case, it ends up landing on something relatively soft.

Alex · September 28th, 2011, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg737

It was a setup! In England you should have been immediately suspicious.

massacremasses · September 28th, 2011, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg737

It was a setup! In England you should have been immediately suspicious.

I agree! Sabotage!

glad you're ok!

akima · September 28th, 2011, 10:18 AM

Oh... forgot to mention... I'm pretty sure my protective boots saved me from a bad injury. My ankle and foot were momentarily being twisted and crushed under the bike!

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg737

It was a setup! In England you should have been immediately suspicious.

lol, true! It's just started getting really cold out, but today, there was this summer-like sunshine, blue-skies and heat that lured me outside... to my DOOM!!!

HKr1 · September 28th, 2011, 10:18 AM

Bummer..... Good to hear your OK.

rockNroll · September 28th, 2011, 10:24 AM

Glad you're ok!
At least it didn't start raining.

Mr.E · September 28th, 2011, 10:26 AM

Lol. I enjoyed the read, but not the situation. Glad to hear you're ok though and that the bike is alive. Perhaps it didnt start up right away for you because the engine was flooded? If I've read right, usually when it's flooded it wont start up, so having it up right for a while let the engine drain. But, I know nothing.

I like how you had a "bruised ego" yet still danced and did yoga on the side of the road while you waited. Lol. You should've done it in full gear while people passed. I found myself dancing in full gear the other day at Mcdonalds with a bunch of friends in the parking lot. Needless to say, there were looks, but it was fun lol.

But like I said, glad your ok, and glad to see the bike will live to see another day x-)

Honko · September 28th, 2011, 11:15 AM

I'm glad you were able to split the gap between the two more horrible outcomes of the sign post or lamp pole

. Hopefully your bike is back in tip-top shape soon.

akima · September 28th, 2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.E

Lol. I enjoyed the read, but not the situation. Glad to hear you're ok though and that the bike is alive. Perhaps it didnt start up right away for you because the engine was flooded? If I've read right, usually when it's flooded it wont start up, so having it up right for a while let the engine drain. But, I know nothing.

I like how you had a "bruised ego" yet still danced and did yoga on the side of the road while you waited. Lol. You should've done it in full gear while people passed. I found myself dancing in full gear the other day at Mcdonalds with a bunch of friends in the parking lot. Needless to say, there were looks, but it was fun lol.

But like I said, glad your ok, and glad to see the bike will live to see another day x-)

Thanks.

As for the not starting. I think it might have been flooded. I just went outside to see if I could start it in gear (with the stand up and the clutch disengaged). It started!

Strangely the bike starts much more easily in neutral than it does in 1st gear. Any thoughts on why that might be? I'm taking her into the garage tomorrow anyway - I can ask them too.

Alex · September 28th, 2011, 11:22 AM

Even with the clutch pulled in, there is still some friction between the engine and the rear wheel when the bike is in gear. With the bike in neutral, there should be no connection at all from the drivetrain to the rear wheel. If all is working as it should, the difference should be quite minor, and there shouldn't be much drag. But - perhaps it could cause the bike to appear to start somewhat easier in neutral.

Have you cast your vote in our infamous sticky thread poll yet?

akima · September 28th, 2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Even with the clutch pulled in, there is still some friction between the engine and the rear wheel when the bike is in gear. With the bike in neutral, there should be no connection at all from the drivetrain to the rear wheel. If all is working as it should, the difference should be quite minor, and there shouldn't be much drag. But - perhaps it could cause the bike to appear to start somewhat easier in neutral.

Have you cast your vote in our infamous sticky thread poll yet?

I can't picture what you just said in my mind, but I have quite an incomplete mental picture of how the bike works. I'll probably understand better in the future. Thanks for your input though. I know you're pretty clued up with your mechanics; especially so compared to me

As for the poll: I already filled it out a while ago: I choose "I've never dropped it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it."

Alex · September 28th, 2011, 11:37 AM

Pulling in the clutch lever releases much of the pressure that is holding the clutch plates together. That's what separates the engine from the rear wheel, right? But - it doesn't release 100% of the pressure, and there is still some friction between the clutch plates that means that the engine is still somewhat, however slightly, connected to the rear wheel when the bike is in gear. Even with the clutch lever pulled in.

If the transmission is in neutral, whether the clutch lever is pulled in or not, there is almost no friction (still not none, but almost none) between the engine and the rear wheel.

jamesio · September 28th, 2011, 11:42 AM

Noooooo not my ninjette nurse!

Is it my turn to play doctor now?

This is wierd...me and you both ended up in ditches!

I'm glad you are ok!

You're bike looks like it barely took any damage, and good job going between the signs and not into one!

akima · September 28th, 2011, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Pulling in the clutch lever releases much of the pressure that is holding the clutch plates together. That's what separates the engine from the rear wheel, right? But - it doesn't release 100% of the pressure, and there is still some friction between the clutch plates that means that the engine is still somewhat, however slightly, connected to the rear wheel when the bike is in gear. Even with the clutch lever pulled in.

If the transmission is in neutral, whether the clutch lever is pulled in or not, there is almost no friction (still not none, but almost none) between the engine and the rear wheel.

Ah! That makes perfect sense now. I always imagined the clutch lever completely disconnecting the plates. TY

The bike is struggling to start more than usual whether in gear or in neutral. I'll ask at the garage tomorrow what they think is the cause.

akima · September 28th, 2011, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesio

Noooooo not my ninjette nurse!

Is it my turn to play doctor now?

This is wierd...me and you both ended up in ditches!

I'm glad you are ok!

You're bike looks like it barely took any damage, and good job going between the signs and not into one!

Hiya Doc

Yep: is weird! I think the common denominator might be that we are both too excitable when it comes to corners and that excitement somewhat overrides our ability to think clearly about what we're doing

I think it was fluke and stupidity that caused me to miss the signs. For some reason my panicked mind was worried about and target fixating on the soft, padded ditch. If my mind was more sensible it would have been worried about and target fixated on the solid wooden pole (which would have destroyed my Ninjette). Saved by my stupidity.

I think the word "accident" probably fits it better than "crash". By the time I was on the verge I had scraped off most of the speed. All that was left was a little bit of momentum, a frightened rider and a ditch

I bumped to a stop and then the bike and me dropped to the left. It felt like it all happened very quickly, but I don't think it was that fast. Time is supposed to slow down damnit!!

akima · September 28th, 2011, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducducgooseit

Bike

You

Back at it again

I was pretty lucky. Lots of the crashes in this forum are much worse. I guess the corner being as tight as it was actually helped me out - it meant that even in a worse case scenario where I got no breaking in, the crash wouldn't have been that bad, as I had shaved off a lot of speed to prepare for that corner (clearly not enough!). That was a scary looking wooden post that I shot by though!

CThunder-blue · September 28th, 2011, 03:13 PM

I've been in the same situation. I went down, but unlike you, it wasn't in a nice ditch. I'm glad you're ok though

WhiteRice · September 28th, 2011, 03:20 PM

I'm glad your body and spirit are no worse for wear.

Fix up and ride on!

the big mike · September 28th, 2011, 03:28 PM

I lowsided my bike last week and it wouldn't start either. Only 5 minutes later I tried it again and it fired up without any problem, just like your bike did. I think the bike just needs some time to let all of the fluids sink to their right position again.

itsa250bro · September 29th, 2011, 08:08 AM

Akima - so sorry to hear about this but, I'm glad to hear you and the bike are mostly OK.

The best part (of a bad situation) is that it sounds like you figured out exactly what you did wrong - so hopefully, this is a 1-time learning experience.

I'm really curious about the tire marks on the road though - I can't figure out what caused them - do you think the rear wheel locked up? Do you think you were turning sharp enough to leave tire marks?

akima · September 29th, 2011, 10:22 AM

Thanks for the good wishes from everyone who posted. I can only hope that if ever any of you crash [again?] you're as lucky as I was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsa250bro

Akima - so sorry to hear about this but, I'm glad to hear you and the bike are mostly OK.

The best part (of a bad situation) is that it sounds like you figured out exactly what you did wrong - so hopefully, this is a 1-time learning experience.

I'm really curious about the tire marks on the road though - I can't figure out what caused them - do you think the rear wheel locked up? Do you think you were turning sharp enough to leave tire marks?

I don't plan on doing the same thing again - the main things I've come away with from that accident are:
* Look where you want to go.
* Don't target fixate on where you don't want to go.
* You're still a noobie! Don't try and ride like you're experienced.

I knew all of that stuff before, but I haven't been tested until yesterday.

I want to go to a track day so I can get a better feel of my bike's physics while in a safe[r] environment. I want to be sure in my mind about what happens when I do various motions.

As for the skid. I guessed it was mine, but it might not have been. It follows my trajectory. I wasn't going that fast though - 20 to 30 MPH. It really is a tight corner. I felt the bike loose traction as I was going around the turn. I don't think I started breaking until I brought the bike upright, so I don't think those tire marks were left by me breaking. Basically: you tell me!

LOL: today my arms and legs are so sore! I don't think they were bashed hard. I think they're sore because I got a rush of adrenalin directly after I landed in the ditch which gave me the strength to muscle the bike upright. Normally I wouldn't be able to do that. So today it feels like I spent the whole of yesterday lifting weights.

RaZeDaHeLL · September 29th, 2011, 06:37 PM

Aw, I'm so sorry to hear about your crash! What happened to you sounds almost exactly like what happened to me while out riding with my sister in Jersey. I was on unfamiliar roads and hit a downward curve too fast. I was warned about the curve but did not expect it to be that bad and couldn't see what was coming because of trees blocking my view. I was actually able to straighten the bike out and slam the breaks. Luckily there was nobody behind me. I was THIS close to ending up in the ditch and wrecking my sisters bike.

The things I learned from this are exactly like the things you learned. When you find yourself in this situation look where you want the bike to go, don't fixate on anything. I fixated on the ditch and found myself heading straight into it. I was lucky that time, it taught me a lesson I will never forget.

Also it taught me to be careful on unfamiliar roads

I hope that you're not badly hurt and your bike has minimum damage. Sounds like all that stuff can be easily replaced. You live, you learn. That's a part of life.

RaZeDaHeLL · September 29th, 2011, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CThunder-blue

I've been in the same situation. I went down, but unlike you, it wasn't in a nice ditch. I'm glad you're ok though

Yea, I think landing in a ditch is a hell of a lot better than landing on concrete or smacking into a guardrail. That would have been horrible.

Snake · September 29th, 2011, 07:29 PM

Sorry to hear about the crash but am glad that both you and the bike are ok.

Jiggles · September 29th, 2011, 09:44 PM

Who needs protective gear when you have free healthcare!?

Glad to hear your ok

Firehorse · September 29th, 2011, 10:26 PM

Thank goodness you're okay! And the bike is too by the sounds of things. A small price to pay for all you've learned - and helped remind us newbies! When I saw that skid mark, all I could think of was a truck coming the other lane, made my stomach go kind of queasy.

On the bright side, you've learned about the clutch too

Mine won't start in gear OR with the kickstand down. Probably a good thing for a newbie like me.
Glad to hear you danced. We all gotta do it sometimes and thank the bike gods for every ride :-)

For you:

Link to original page on YouTube.

reaubideux · September 30th, 2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akima

I couldn't ride it straight away though because of this: (spot the problem!)

Well... yeah...

Kickstand is down.

Glad you're okay and the bike is relatively okay as well.

ninja250 · September 30th, 2011, 07:58 AM

Glad you made it out OK.
Looks like a nice fluffy place to crash, minus the poles to the left and right.

Nice Shifter Taco.

akima · September 30th, 2011, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninja250

Glad you made it out OK.
Looks like a nice fluffy place to crash, minus the poles to the left and right.

Nice Shifter Taco.

Thanks! I bet if I searched around the surrounding area for ideal places to crash, that spot would be in my top 10. Maybe I have a guardian angel watching over me?!

I've had the shifter straightened now. It's still a bit bent, but it works fine so I'm happy.

dale-j · October 4th, 2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akima

The bike is struggling to start more than usual whether in gear or in neutral. I'll ask at the garage tomorrow what they think is the cause.

A few likely causes of this, some of which you might check on your own:

1) crashing is hard on batteries. If you haven't jarred and jolted it enough to dislodge a lead plate in the battery and lead to a short, you still may have had the bike on its side for long enough that battery acid drained out of it via the vent hose and has left the plates partially exposed. Filling with acid is not NORMALLY recommended when fluid loss is due to evaporation, but in this case if it's low you should find some undiluted electrolyte (dealer or battery shop) and top it up. If the battery has a dislodged or damaged plate leading to an internal short, it will simply need to be replaced.

2) the carburetors can drain fuel into the engine oil in some cases when the bike is lying on its side. In addition to wrecking the lubricating ability of the oil the higher sump level can lead to running issues, breather overflow and oily air filter. High sump level (excess crank windage and pumping losses) and oily air filter will both cause hard starting and poor running. You can check the oil level and smell to make sure there is no fuel in the oil - it will smell like gas and the level will be over the full line if this is the case. Changing the oil and cleaning the air filter (if it's excessively oily) will fix this.

3) the jolt and lying on its side can cause your float needle valves to stick and lead to hard starting and boggy rich running when the fuel bowls overfill. Sometimes this leads to fuel puddling under the bike, sometimes it leads to gas getting into the oil and the symptoms in #2 above, sometimes it is just hard to start and runs poorly at idle and low throttle openings. Carb removal, disassembly, cleaning and reinstallation should fix it. Of course you could always add a jet kit while you're in there (evil grin).... sometimes a sharp (but not hard) tap with a hammer and a piece of wooden dowel against the carb float bowl can set them back right (but be careful).

All in, a good thing that you're not hurt badly. This is all minor stuff....

Steve

akima · October 5th, 2011, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dale-j

A few likely causes of this, some of which you might check on your own:

1) crashing is hard on batteries. If you haven't jarred and jolted it enough to dislodge a lead plate in the battery and lead to a short, you still may have had the bike on its side for long enough that battery acid drained out of it via the vent hose and has left the plates partially exposed. Filling with acid is not NORMALLY recommended when fluid loss is due to evaporation, but in this case if it's low you should find some undiluted electrolyte (dealer or battery shop) and top it up. If the battery has a dislodged or damaged plate leading to an internal short, it will simply need to be replaced.

2) the carburetors can drain fuel into the engine oil in some cases when the bike is lying on its side. In addition to wrecking the lubricating ability of the oil the higher sump level can lead to running issues, breather overflow and oily air filter. High sump level (excess crank windage and pumping losses) and oily air filter will both cause hard starting and poor running. You can check the oil level and smell to make sure there is no fuel in the oil - it will smell like gas and the level will be over the full line if this is the case. Changing the oil and cleaning the air filter (if it's excessively oily) will fix this.

3) the jolt and lying on its side can cause your float needle valves to stick and lead to hard starting and boggy rich running when the fuel bowls overfill. Sometimes this leads to fuel puddling under the bike, sometimes it leads to gas getting into the oil and the symptoms in #2 above, sometimes it is just hard to start and runs poorly at idle and low throttle openings. Carb removal, disassembly, cleaning and reinstallation should fix it. Of course you could always add a jet kit while you're in there (evil grin).... sometimes a sharp (but not hard) tap with a hammer and a piece of wooden dowel against the carb float bowl can set them back right (but be careful).

All in, a good thing that you're not hurt badly. This is all minor stuff....

Steve

Thanks for taking the time to tell me about those potential issues.

I'm wondering if point #2 and #3 apply to my bike. My bike is fuel injected and in those two points you were mentioning carburetors.

I'll have a look at the battery.

dale-j · October 5th, 2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akima

Thanks for taking the time to tell me about those potential issues.

I'm wondering if point #2 and #3 apply to my bike. My bike is fuel injected and in those two points you were mentioning carburetors.

I'll have a look at the battery.

Lucky you. We only get carbs here, and that (not-so-little) difference will mean that there will not be a fuel system issue with either overflow or floats.

That said, being on its side may still have allowed some oil to exit the crankcase breather and to foul the air filter so in addition to the battery (it's in the same area) a quick check of the air filter might be in order.

akima · October 5th, 2011, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dale-j

Lucky you. We only get carbs here, and that (not-so-little) difference will mean that there will not be a fuel system issue with either overflow or floats.

That said, being on its side may still have allowed some oil to exit the crankcase breather and to foul the air filter so in addition to the battery (it's in the same area) a quick check of the air filter might be in order.

Ah, excellent. I will definitely check the air filter then. Thanks for the tip. I'm surprised the guy at the Kawi shop didn't check it when he was doing the other minor repairs I asked for. 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?

dale-j · October 5th, 2011, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akima

Are there any disadvantages to fuel injection?

It's expensive, and some people don't like the way it shuts off completely when closing the throttle at higher rpm, so that reapplication of the throttle leads to a lurch (also referred to as snatchiness). For the most part, it's a dramatic improvement though and it is much more tolerant of people who ride their bikes only occasionally, as there is no fuel bowl or small jets to gum up. Tuning can be done electronically (Power Commander) as opposed to needing to pull the carbs to change jets, and the system will automatically compensate for elevation and temperature in a way that carbs just can't.

All in, I really like the fuel injection on my Moto Guzzi and if they offered a fuel injected 250r in Canada we'd have one.

akima · October 5th, 2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dale-j

It's expensive, and some people don't like the way it shuts off completely when closing the throttle at higher rpm, so that reapplication of the throttle leads to a lurch (also referred to as snatchiness). For the most part, it's a dramatic improvement though and it is much more tolerant of people who ride their bikes only occasionally, as there is no fuel bowl or small jets to gum up. Tuning can be done electronically (Power Commander) as opposed to needing to pull the carbs to change jets, and the system will automatically compensate for elevation and temperature in a way that carbs just can't.

All in, I really like the fuel injection on my Moto Guzzi and if they offered a fuel injected 250r in Canada we'd have one.

I heard someone talking about how jump starting a few injected bike could be dodgy. Is there any sense in that statement?

rusninja · October 5th, 2011, 11:00 AM

wth happened to the motorcycle rule no crashing!

dale-j · October 5th, 2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akima

I heard someone talking about how jump starting a few injected bike could be dodgy. Is there any sense in that statement?

I hope not. Just jump started the Guzzi on the weekend because I left the grip heaters on (oops...) and didn't notice any issues.

I suppose if you were trying to 'bump' (push) start a bike instead of using jumper cables, that you might need a bit more left in the battery though, to run the fuel pump ... normal bikes still need to run the CDI, coils and spark plugs to do this though so I don't think it's a really material difference.

akima · October 9th, 2011, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dale-j

Lucky you. We only get carbs here, and that (not-so-little) difference will mean that there will not be a fuel system issue with either overflow or floats.

That said, being on its side may still have allowed some oil to exit the crankcase breather and to foul the air filter so in addition to the battery (it's in the same area) a quick check of the air filter might be in order.

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!

September 28th, 2011, 09:59 AM	#1
akima Nooblet Name: Akima Location: England Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250R FI Posts: A lot. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '13	Akima in a Ditch Yep. Sadly I am starting a thread in this area of the forum. Me and my motorcycle are ok though. Here's what happened.... The Event Around 12:30 I was feeling a bit tense and cooped up having been inside for most the day, so I decided to head out for a ride in the surrounding countryside. I put on all my gear (like a good girl!) and stepped out of the house to find the sun out and the sky; a clear and cloudless blue. I headed off on my Ninjette and immediately started feeling chilled and calm. I found a set of great roads in a direction I hadn't ridden in before. After a while I felt that it was a good time to turn back. I stopped in this little village, turned the bike around and headed back. I was heading home on the same roads that I came in on, so I figured it would be ok to up the pace a lil bit as I was more familiar with the turns. The third corner I came to is an incredibly tight, not incredibly grippy 90 degree turn: Beginning of turn: the turn - shot 1.jpg (You can see it veers off to the left.) Turn continues... the turn - shot 2.jpg Turn continues... the turn - shot 3.jpg Turn continues... the turn - shot 4.jpg Ideally I'd be riding off into the distance after that turn, but in reality I ended up in this ditch: the ditch.jpg Their is a lamp post to the right of that sign with only about a 2 meter gap between it and the sign. I could of hit either on of them, but ended up going through the middle. That could have been expensive. I think this tyre mark on the road was created by me: tyre mark.jpg Having landed in the ditch I quickly became aware of my trapped leg and noticed a liquid collecting under the fairings, so I panicked and yanked my leg out. (lots of thoughts of a trapped motorcyclist being burnt were going through my head). My leg came out quite easily. The engine was off, but I flicked the emergency cut-out anyway. I stripped my helmet, gloves and jacket off and moved them away from the bike. It wasn't too difficult getting the bike upright (this gal has strong legs!), but I couldn't get it out of the ditch, so I waited... The first person to stop was a girl around my age. She didn't look that strong and also looked quite dressed up, so we both knew that the two of us wouldn't be able to get it out. I encouraged her to leave, but she waited until someone else turned up (which was very considerate of her). A husband and wife pulled up next. They got straight out and started helping to move it. Finally 1 more guy got out of his car and joined us. It took all four of us, but we got it out. We realised after it was out of the ditch, that the bike was in gear and the back wheel hadn't been rolling. I'm hoping we didn't damage the engine by forcing it. I figure it should be ok, because it shouldn't be any more force than if I was engine breaking... right? The bike didn't start so I called break down recovery. We waited: poorly ninjette.jpg I spent an hour on the side of the road doing yoga, dancing, laughing at my failure, thinking about what I did wrong and gradually dehydrating before the break down recovery guy arrived. He slipped it into neutral and started it on his first attempt!! I thought Ninjettes started in gear so long as the kick stand is up and the clutch depressed? I guess not! Embarrassing I couldn't ride it straight away though because of this: (spot the problem!) shifter.jpg The mechanic (who himself is a rider: owns a tuned up, 1000CC Ducati) told me off for calling my motorcycle "her" when apparently I should be calling the bike an "it" However!! Directly after he told me off, he picked up the bike off its stand and my girl let out this extremely human sounding squeal - it sounded like "she was in pain" <-- his words! I heard her do it early on after the crash too! We both looked at each other and I gave him a "I told you so stare" He straightened out the shifter just enough to make it possible for me to awkwardly ride home... which I did. Bike Damage Only the left side of the bike took any force. The fairings were scratched a bit, but nothing too bad. The shift lever was bent, but the rest of that mechanism looks ok. The left indicator popped off. I think I should be able to clip it back on again. Other than that, just miscellaneous patches of dirt and scratches. Rider Damage Bruised ego. I thought I was immune from this silly crashing business... apparently not! Stingy nettle stings. No loss of confidence. I actually feel like I've come out of that a better rider. The Cause of the Incident Definite rider error. I think the speed I was going would have been ok with a more confident more experienced rider. When I leant into the turn I felt the bike loose traction a little bit. I did the classic fear reaction and target fixated on where I didn't want to be, I straightened up the bike and slammed on the front break before ending up in the ditch. I didn't enter the ditch that quickly. What I think, I should have done was stay on the throttle, set my glare towards where I wanted to go and continued the turn. I did go onto the wrong side of the road, but after that happened I could have easily completed the turn and got back onto my side of the road if I had just stayed in the game and looked toward where I wanted to go. Lesson learned, and I came out of it ok.

September 28th, 2011, 10:24 AM	#8
rockNroll . Name: rock Location: greenville, south carolina Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): black Posts: A lot.	Glad you're ok! At least it didn't start raining. __________________________________________________ Always get a second opinion because most of these people are makin' this stuff up

September 28th, 2011, 11:22 AM	#12
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Even with the clutch pulled in, there is still some friction between the engine and the rear wheel when the bike is in gear. With the bike in neutral, there should be no connection at all from the drivetrain to the rear wheel. If all is working as it should, the difference should be quite minor, and there shouldn't be much drag. But - perhaps it could cause the bike to appear to start somewhat easier in neutral. Have you cast your vote in our infamous sticky thread poll yet? __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

September 28th, 2011, 11:37 AM	#14
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Pulling in the clutch lever releases much of the pressure that is holding the clutch plates together. That's what separates the engine from the rear wheel, right? But - it doesn't release 100% of the pressure, and there is still some friction between the clutch plates that means that the engine is still somewhat, however slightly, connected to the rear wheel when the bike is in gear. Even with the clutch lever pulled in. If the transmission is in neutral, whether the clutch lever is pulled in or not, there is almost no friction (still not none, but almost none) between the engine and the rear wheel. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

September 28th, 2011, 11:42 AM	#15
jamesio ninjette.org guru Name: Moe Location: Earth Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): None Posts: 424	Noooooo not my ninjette nurse! Is it my turn to play doctor now? This is wierd...me and you both ended up in ditches! I'm glad you are ok! You're bike looks like it barely took any damage, and good job going between the signs and not into one! __________________________________________________ '09 Ninja 250R SE TB Slip-On l Puig DB l Pazzos l Pro-Grips

September 28th, 2011, 10:06 AM	#3
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Glad you're OK! Based on what you've written, I agree with your assessment. Unless someone gets the entry speed wildly wrong, odds are just pointing the bike where you want it to go, looking where you want to go, and applying enough steering input will get the bike safely through just about any corner. Nailing the brakes during the turn, standing the bike up and then trying to still make the turn, are both more likely to take the bike off the side of the road. Hopefully, and luckily in this case, it ends up landing on something relatively soft. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

September 28th, 2011, 10:18 AM	#7
HKr1 IC2(SW) Name: Kerry Location: Pensacola Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: A lot.	Bummer..... Good to hear your OK.

September 28th, 2011, 10:26 AM	#9
Mr.E That rider dude. Name: Eric Location: Orlando, Fl. Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 White Ninja 250 SE. Posts: A lot.	Lol. I enjoyed the read, but not the situation. Glad to hear you're ok though and that the bike is alive. Perhaps it didnt start up right away for you because the engine was flooded? If I've read right, usually when it's flooded it wont start up, so having it up right for a while let the engine drain. But, I know nothing. I like how you had a "bruised ego" yet still danced and did yoga on the side of the road while you waited. Lol. You should've done it in full gear while people passed. I found myself dancing in full gear the other day at Mcdonalds with a bunch of friends in the parking lot. Needless to say, there were looks, but it was fun lol. But like I said, glad your ok, and glad to see the bike will live to see another day x-)

September 28th, 2011, 11:15 AM	#10
Honko ninjette.org sage Name: Hyon Location: Northern Virginia Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Green SE Posts: 574	I'm glad you were able to split the gap between the two more horrible outcomes of the sign post or lamp pole . Hopefully your bike is back in tip-top shape soon.

September 28th, 2011, 03:13 PM	#19
CThunder-blue ModMy250.com Name: Tri Location: St, Louis Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R, 2005 R6 Posts: A lot.	I've been in the same situation. I went down, but unlike you, it wasn't in a nice ditch. I'm glad you're ok though __________________________________________________ The www.ModMy250.com guy

September 28th, 2011, 03:20 PM	#20
WhiteRice Kamikaze Squirrel Name: Zach Location: NJ Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 250r Posts: 300	I'm glad your body and spirit are no worse for wear. Fix up and ride on!

September 28th, 2011, 03:28 PM	#21
the big mike ninjette.org sage Name: Michael Location: Belgium Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r, Fazer8 Posts: 580	I lowsided my bike last week and it wouldn't start either. Only 5 minutes later I tried it again and it fired up without any problem, just like your bike did. I think the bike just needs some time to let all of the fluids sink to their right position again. __________________________________________________ I can not be a true player by playing around.

September 29th, 2011, 08:08 AM	#22
itsa250bro ninjette.org member Name: Tommy Location: Flemington, NJ Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250 CP Blue Posts: 149	Akima - so sorry to hear about this but, I'm glad to hear you and the bike are mostly OK. The best part (of a bad situation) is that it sounds like you figured out exactly what you did wrong - so hopefully, this is a 1-time learning experience. I'm really curious about the tire marks on the road though - I can't figure out what caused them - do you think the rear wheel locked up? Do you think you were turning sharp enough to leave tire marks?

September 29th, 2011, 06:37 PM	#24
RaZeDaHeLL The Black Widow Name: Eva Location: Brooklyn, NY Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Ninja 250 Posts: 189	Aw, I'm so sorry to hear about your crash! What happened to you sounds almost exactly like what happened to me while out riding with my sister in Jersey. I was on unfamiliar roads and hit a downward curve too fast. I was warned about the curve but did not expect it to be that bad and couldn't see what was coming because of trees blocking my view. I was actually able to straighten the bike out and slam the breaks. Luckily there was nobody behind me. I was THIS close to ending up in the ditch and wrecking my sisters bike. The things I learned from this are exactly like the things you learned. When you find yourself in this situation look where you want the bike to go, don't fixate on anything. I fixated on the ditch and found myself heading straight into it. I was lucky that time, it taught me a lesson I will never forget. Also it taught me to be careful on unfamiliar roads I hope that you're not badly hurt and your bike has minimum damage. Sounds like all that stuff can be easily replaced. You live, you learn. That's a part of life. __________________________________________________ The Venom List - For All Things Venomous!!!

September 29th, 2011, 07:29 PM	#26
Snake ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much. MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14	Sorry to hear about the crash but am glad that both you and the bike are ok.

September 29th, 2011, 09:44 PM	#27
Jiggles Jigglin' your Jiglets Name: Sean Location: San Jose, Ca Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 K1300S, 2013 Ninja 300, 2011 Ninja 250R, Faster than Unregistered's ninjette Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 1 MOTM - Apr '13	Who needs protective gear when you have free healthcare!? Glad to hear your ok __________________________________________________ If the Ninja 250 doesn't have enough power for you, then you don't know how to ride it. AFM #676 Supersports are for n00bs

September 29th, 2011, 10:26 PM	#28
Firehorse ninjette.org sage Name: Ms.T, Queen of the Night Location: Ontario, Canada Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250 Posts: 938	Thank goodness you're okay! And the bike is too by the sounds of things. A small price to pay for all you've learned - and helped remind us newbies! When I saw that skid mark, all I could think of was a truck coming the other lane, made my stomach go kind of queasy. On the bright side, you've learned about the clutch too Mine won't start in gear OR with the kickstand down. Probably a good thing for a newbie like me. Glad to hear you danced. We all gotta do it sometimes and thank the bike gods for every ride :-) For you: Link to original page on YouTube. Link to original page on YouTube.

September 30th, 2011, 07:58 AM	#30
ninja250 You are sleeping Name: Casey Location: LMFAO!!! Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2 Posts: A lot.	Glad you made it out OK. Looks like a nice fluffy place to crash, minus the poles to the left and right. Nice Shifter Taco. __________________________________________________ <Yeah, it's a 250. LMFAO! Weaksauce

October 5th, 2011, 11:00 AM	#38
rusninja Ninjette wanabe :D Name: Ruslan Location: San Jose Join Date: Apr 2011 Motorcycle(s): white 300 :D Posts: A lot.	wth happened to the motorcycle rule no crashing! __________________________________________________ VROOOM vrooom >.>

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Special vid for Akima	Motofool	Videos	5	May 4th, 2013 02:13 PM
Akima is missing	Jiggles	Off-Topic	9	May 13th, 2012 05:10 AM
akima's car	alex.s	Pictures	7	May 3rd, 2012 07:42 PM