Topic: had a little run in with a cage yesterday...

[78CB750CAFE]

I was making a left into a plaza with the green arrow, and a cager blew through in the shoulder.
He woulda got me good but I was quick acting and luckily just did a full bike torque check and bled my front brake, so I was able to pull a quick stop and evasive maneuver.
I laid her down on the right side into said cages driver side and did no damage aside from breaking off the very tip of the front brake lever, and a little nick in the rhino liner on my tank because the tank ended up 2 lanes away (that sh!t is tough!).
after the firemen, ambulance, and cop ordeal I rode the bike 5 miles home, feeling OK...
2 hours later, not so much.
quick trip to ER, and I am now vicodin-ed out in a knee immobilizer for about a week.
guess I am not doing the 1/8 mile drags tomorrow 

Be careful out there boys and girls, it seems like it's just a matter of time before we all go through this, and a well prepped bike, good gear and a straight and focused head can make all the difference between a minor inconvenience like I had and your loved ones making funeral arrangements.

(If this makes no sense, I blame the Vicodin....) 

[Gordon]

Glad to hear you're mostly okay!  Hopefully that knee heals up quickly.

[Industrial Cafe]

glad to hear you're ok man.
 your post made sense

I've been trying to teach my wife how to navigate her cage when she's around bikes, so she's not "that guy"
she didn't understand why you don't roll forward a foot or two at a stop sign when there's a bike turning left in front of you.
that makes me nervous when I'm the one on the bike.

[78CB750CAFE]

thanks guys

I came out of this the best I could have hoped for.

IC- I have been on the same mission training my wife to "drive right" around bikes, and I think this incident finally drove the lesson home, so to speak. She met me at the accident site and followed me home just in case #$%* happened and when we got home she had a dozen questions about how to drive around bikes, and then posted some big thing on her facebook page about it and got over 100 comments and tips from other people (one friend of hers told her to get rid of the bike while I was at the hospital ). She even voluntarily put one of the "watch for motorcycles" bumper stickers I have on her car with the kids before she picked me up from the hospital.
 
Anyone have a spare brake lever floating around?

[cb650]

We have a couple intersections close by that even with a red lite and a yield sign right turns are made as fast as they can. 

[333]

We've been missing you around here.  Sorry to hear about this.  I'm glad you're okay.  I'm about to be away until Wednesday, but give me a call if you need anything after that.



He had better not have hurt that headlight switch.

[BeSeeingYou]

It's amazing how the adrenalin kicks in and can mask injuries for a short time.  I had an accident many years ago that resulted in cracked bones but did not realize it till hours later.  Glad you came out of it in one piece.

[azuredesign]

Glad you're OK, hope you keep reacting as quickly for many years to come.
Ben

[manjisann]

Sorry to hear about the knee but glad you are ok!

I've been thinking about this a lot lately as I seem to read about more and more of these wrecks where the biker intentionally lays the bike down to avoid hitting the car, thus avoiding a more serious injury. Here's my question, how do you initiate the lay down so you control how it goes down? Do you lock up the rear break in the turn so the back tire slides out from under you? I'm assuming this isn't something that can really be practiced other than knowing how much pressure it takes to make said lockup?

Thanks guys, some day I hope stories like this are just history and not every day things. But like world peace, it's great to dream about but probably won't happen.


Brandon

[74cb750]

You're ok, that's the main thing.

Saw 2 bike accidents this past week. Both times guys were ok, but one
guy that passed me totaled his 2010 Kawasaki Z7? Zoom-spalt.
He blamed the road conditions, but really, when you're going 75-90 in
a 35mph zone you best have the skills.
peace,
michel

[Trevor from Warragul]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately as I seem to read about more and more of these wrecks where the biker intentionally lays the bike down to avoid hitting the car, thus avoiding a more serious injury

I'm sorry, but anyone who says they "deliberately laid the bike down" is talking pure and utter bull!  This can usually be interpreted as "I panicked, stomped on the rear brake, the tire slid out and the bike fell over".  Rubber has more grip than metal!  If you want to pull up quickly, you keep the rubber in contact with the road.  The correct technique is to brake hard without locking up the wheel, and if you're skilful enough you release and steer around the object.

Hollywood has a lot to answer for..

[jtb]

Glad you're OK.  Take it easy on the knee for a while.  I think the brake levers are still available from Honda, and not too expensive.

[tramp]

i agree
keeping the bike up and maneuverable is the only way to go
unless your going under a semi

[super pasty white guy]

Actually, I didn't read it that the lay down was deliberate, just what happened post evasive maneuver...

Glad to hear your ok.  The drivers around here are complete idiots.

spwg

[manjisann]

so I was able to pull a quick stop and evasive maneuver.
I laid her down on the right side into said cages driver side and did no damage aside from breaking off the very tip of the front

Actually, I didn't read it that the lay down was deliberate, just what happened post evasive maneuver...

If I misread this then I apologize to the OP, obviously I took it to mean the lay down was done in an effort to avoid serious injury. I've read a few news stories that said the lay down was an attempt to avoid the vehicle, obviously they could be misprinting what was said. If no one is laying the bike down intentionaly then it answers my question. Thanks all for the clarification!

Brandon

[Operator]

Morini, I would have to disagree, I have intentionally laid my bike down. I started to hydroplane on a wet road in a corner and my choices were

1. Lay the bike down and hope for the best
2. Stay with it and likely slide out of the corner into a post and cable guardrail followed by thick forest

I chose option 1. and walked away sore as hell....bike written off

I have been on two wheels since I was 6 yrs old and know how to handle a bike.

Sometimes it is the only option, and sometimes it is inexperience. I will say that I believe every rider should take a rider safety course to learn these skills. That is how it is in many European countries and their accident ratio is way lower than Canada for example

[manjisann]

Sometimes it is the only option, and sometimes it is inexperience. I will say that I believe every rider should take a rider safety course to learn these skills. That is how it is in many European countries and their accident ratio is way lower than Canada for example

I took an MSF course last year to get my lisence. I remember emergency maneuvers, emergency brakeing, but no emergency bike dishing  Is it just start a turn and lock up back wheel?


Brandon

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yeah, you don't know, laydown could be the best option sometimes- depends on the circumstances.

[Operator]

I think it would be a more expensive course if they were teaching how to lay a bike down "softly". For some unknown reason the emphasis is on keeping the bike upright.

That said, mine was a 84 VF1000, there is no such thing as laying 600lbs of metal travelling at 75-80kph down "softly"

[78CB750CAFE]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately as I seem to read about more and more of these wrecks where the biker intentionally lays the bike down to avoid hitting the car, thus avoiding a more serious injury

I'm sorry, but anyone who says they "deliberately laid the bike down" is talking pure and utter bull!  This can usually be interpreted as "I panicked, stomped on the rear brake, the tire slid out and the bike fell over".  Rubber has more grip than metal!  If you want to pull up quickly, you keep the rubber in contact with the road.  The correct technique is to brake hard without locking up the wheel, and if you're skilful enough you release and steer around the object.

Hollywood has a lot to answer for..

dude, whatever... I am sure you would have pulled some other masterful last second maneuver in the split second I had to react. My brakes never locked up, I avoided a collision with a car doing aprox 35-40 mph heading straight for me by changing course from a leaned in left turn to a hard right while decelerating fast making a roughly 180 degree change in direction so as to side impact dudes car instead of becoming his hood ornament.
yes rubber has better traction than metal... The only metal that made contact with the ground was my bar end and the tip of my brake lever, both probably at the time I climbed out from under the bike and punched a dent in said drivers door.

[Industrial Cafe]

LOL

[rostosky750]

You cant blame the vicodin,its obvious you havent taken enough.....try more, but dont drink alcohol cos they dont mix unless you are an expert vicodin consumer.....

[74cb750]

You cant blame the vicodin,its obvious you havent taken enough.....try more, but dont drink alcohol cos they dont mix unless you are an expert vicodin consumer....
Very funny!

[CaféElite]

Glad to hear your ok for the most part.. I really dig this bike so it would have been a shame to see it damaged.

I have a spare brake lever from a 75ish CB550, if this works let me know and I will ship it out.