Topic: Ride to work goes bad

[Nidhoggr]

So I'm riding to work this afternoon. All is fine and normal. A nice 60 degree sunny day. I'm taking a curve I've taken ton of times before. Around the curve I spot a car halfway in my lane. I swerve over to avoid it and nail a pothole with my rear tire and hear a loud KATHUNK. This is followed by the sound a playing card makes in bike spokes (that grinding chick chick chick sound).

The bike stays up and I'm thinking "oh #$%*. I crushed the exhaust". Well I pull over in a nearby seminary college parking lot and park. I hop off and run to the back. Exhaust is fine but my custom license plate and headlight somehow caught the tire and bent up under the seat. 

I bend the bracket out from under the seat and notice it also either crushed my bulbs or ripped them out. I make a few "I'm running late" calls and what happens next....? Campus security or some such parks next to me.  I begin getting the "what are you doing here" speech. After a few minutes of this I bid farewell to the (turned out to be) nice guy who wished me a safe ride.

I ride the few minutes back home and park. So now instead of enjoying the nice weather and the ride I'm at work with my wifes Highlander. Great day Eh?

[Duke McDukiedook]

Could have been much, much worse- does that brighten the day a little?

[Nidhoggr]

Oh I know. I kept saying that the whole pissed of ride home and drive to work lol.

[TwoTired]

Were these self-inflicted cafe/bobber/etc. modifications?

Glad you're ok.

Cheers,

[Nidhoggr]

Were these self-inflicted cafe/bobber/etc. modifications?

Glad you're ok.

Cheers,

It was more of an oldschool style brake light. Hard to explain.

[TwoTired]

Were these self-inflicted cafe/bobber/etc. modifications?

Glad you're ok.

Cheers,

It was more of an oldschool style brake light. Hard to explain.

Then think of it as a learning experience as what not to do for the next design iteration, or where improvements need to be applied.
What if it had happened on a long trip?

I'm guessing you don't approve of the stock tail light arrangement.  But, I can tell you that I never lost or damaged one of those hitting a bump! (or a curb for that matter). 

Sounds like you have a new opportunity for improvement!!  What can be more fun than fixing things!

Cheers, 

[333]

I'd say it was a good day, considering what happened and the rubber side stayed down.  You live to ride another day.

[Nidhoggr]

True 333.

And th license plate is what snagged. It got yanked under. The brake light wasnt the issue lol.

[TwoTired]

And th license plate is what snagged. It got yanked under. The brake light wasnt the issue lol.

Crushed bulbs?

[tramp]

but you did enjoy the ride for a while

[Nidhoggr]

The license plate snagged the tire. The tire pulled the plate which is mounted on a bracket just below the tail light under the seat. 

From there what I assume to have happened is the tire pulled the brakelight cover OFF and ripped/crushed the bulbs.

[xedge4lifex]

HAHA i did the same thing with my bike today, had my girlfriend on the back rear tire hit a pothole and got that crunch. stock springs will let you down everyday

[TwoTired]

stock springs will let you down everyday

No sir.  But, relying on limited suspension ravel will. 

Cheers,

[Nidhoggr]

And another oh-so-lovely development....

So a previously fixed problem (rear left turn signal) is now not working.  I checked the wiring in the headlight (which fixed it last time), checked the bulb, check4ed the wiring under the seat, checked the wiring that connects to the bulb.  I'm pretty sure the relay is working too. Freaking pain in the ass.  This bike was a huge pain in the ass from the day I got it.  SO MUCH MORE was wrong with it.  Bike was 800 bucks and cost 2100 to fix up.  Worth it though. It's a great bike now but it's still got some kinks.

[754]

Take a shock like yours and remove the spring.. now instal that and check clearances.. and add 3/4 inch.

 You can make a quick set of struts for checking once  you know the length..

 Do it right & only once.....