| Author | Message | ||
     Bradj |
Saturday: A sunny day in the Ozark foothills, but a little cool. I'm riding the XB9SL in and around my hometown of Clarksville. She's very new...still in break-in and I'm learning how to handle the additional 40 HP I've acquired. I'm taking one of my favorite local routes and pass by the Highway 21 Grocery, formerly know as the Redlick Mountain Store, and notice a couple of yellow sportbikes parked in front...the trellis frame of one gives away its Italian heritage. I turn around, pull in, and recognize a Ducati 748, a Monster, and a Hayabusa. My yellow Lightning joins what has become an impromptu gathering of exotic bikes at the Redlick Store. One couple is on the Busa and the Ducs belong to the other couple. They are all in their late 40's or early 50's and are from Oklahoma City. We have a nice chat about the Buell, the Ducs, the weather, the local roads, etc. while a local kid I know from the hardware store walks up...wide eyed at the assemblage of unusual bikes. On the other side of the parking lot, a guy dressed in hunter orange and carrying a rifle is getting into a pickup.... Sunday: The forecast is calling for sunny skies and temps in the mid 60's. After hitting the Chinese buffet with the wife before the hordes of hungry Christians arrive after church, I take off on what will be the longest trek on a motorcycle to date...a 50-60 mile trip up into the Ozarks on Highways 21, 16, and 43 through the picturesque Boxley Valley to Ponca. Ponca is a very small community popular with Buffalo National River canoists. There is a post office, a bed and breakfast, a store, an Elk education Center, and a couple of canoe rental places. The trip is fantastic. Traffic is virtually non-existent and the pavement is dry and in good shape. I'm learning to trust the lean, choosing entry windows, picking lines, rolling on the throttle and feeling the Buell grab the pavement. I never get above 55-60 and don't push the curves more than 5 mph above the recommended speed. This isn't about how fast I can get to Ponca or getting an adrenaline rush from pressing the envelope. I am learning to ride. I have no illusions about my skill level. I am only beginning to understand the awesome capability of the Buell on this type of road. After about an hour and a half I arrive in Ponca. I am ready for a break and pull in to the single pump station / store. It has a gravel parking lot. No problem...just do your turning and braking before you hit the gravel. Several people in the parking lot stare a me as I pull in...I'm thinking to myself that they have probably never seen a Buell before. I stop and notice that I might be blocking a truck, so I decide to move the bike back a bit. The parking lot is sloped down toward the store. I'm 5'10" with relatively short legs. I did recall reading online about how common it is for newbies to drop a bike in such circumstances.... It is a cliche' but bad things do seem to happen in slow motion. I realized that my feet were not solid enough to push the bike backwards up the small incline. My legs are extended pretty fully on the bike. There is a small depression underneath my right foot. The bike starts to fall. By the time my right foot hits the ground the bike's momentum is taking it over and I can't get enough grip or enough leg underneath to stop it. I recall looking around after I got myself clear... you know they way you do when you trip and fall...to see if anyone saw you. My eyes met those of a bearded man walking across the lot. He didn't say a word, but his eyes said, "You poor fool." Another man helped me pick the bike up, commenting, "That's a brand new bike, aint it?" At least I had the presence of mind to make sure the kickstand was down so it didn't fall to the other side. Damage assessment: The first thing I notice is part of the right foot peg laying in the gravel. It had broken off, leaving only one or two inches of peg on the bike. The first thing through my head is How the hell am I going to ride 60 miles home through the mountains like that? I also notice that the brake lever has an almost stylistic bend to it. I am relieved to see that the brake appears to be working. Other than a few scratches on the exhaust I can surprisingly find no other damage. I know I'm going to get home one way or the other. If necessary, I can call the wife to hook up the trailer and come get me, but she is attending the Johnson County [horse] Riding Club's end of year banquet. One of those moments of insights ensued... I wonder if one of the rear foot pegs will fit on the front? Thank you, Erik. Using no tools, I was able to move the right rear peg to the front so I could ride the 60 miles home. My right leg was a couple inches higher than the left and it was hard to get on the rear brake, but it worked. As if to add insult to injury, the small spring loaded ball bearing that is used to hold the rear peg in detent got away from me and fell into some weeds. The people at the store were kind enough to bring me a magnet to use, but the magnet never picked it up. A woman came out of the store and told me I could move the decorative rocks if it would help me find the lost part. Perhaps another rider taking a break at the Ponca store will someday glance downward and spot a pea sized shiney metallic ball in the gravel or the weeds in front of the door and will have a lucky charm. When I went in the store to get a Diet Coke, pay for the two dollars of gas I had gotten, and throw away the busted foot peg, the guy running the place assured me that I was not the first one to drop a bike in the gravel at their front door. "Just the other day a guy riding a full dress Harley hit that gravel and laid it down about where you are parked." I really wasn't mad about dropping the bike. I was having such a good day and the people at the store were just so nice about the whole thing, I couldn't be angry. I was a little distracted on the way home, so I slowed down a bit and reminded myself that there is no such thing as a "passive rider" on a motorcycle on a curvey mountain two lane. It wasn't long before I was planning lines through curves and trying to pick the best acceleration point for the smoothest exit. It was a wonderful weekend. | ||
| Henrik |
Nice story Brad. Thanks. And don't worry, we all have tip-over stories like that  . Glad it wasn't a terribly expensive one for you. Ride safe Henrik | ||
| Blake |
Great tale Brad! Thanks for sharing. By the way, if I haven't already told you, with respect to where you live... you suck.  | ||
| Shazam |
I concur, that area is prime for the flickin'. I can't wait to get down there again soon. | ||
| Artesian |
I still say you got lucky. My msf instructor had a friend that was riding in the streets of Miami and was at a full stop, and went to take off and at about 5 mph got cut off. The harley two seater fell and the rear passenger with it- the driver landed on two feet, the passenger fell to the ground, hit her head on the curb and died instantly- at less than 5 mph. Some guy had run the 4 way stop making the driver slam to a stop on the 2 day old harley. It's a shame buell's arent too comfortable for you at 5'10" with the low model... | ||
| Bradj |
I assume the passenger wasn't riding a helmet? When I bought the low model, I had this idea that the regular seat would work better for me. I ended up ordering a low seat and put it on today. My legs aren't quite as extended now, and the bike seems to handle better...we'll see. I think I'll repeat my journey this weekend since it is going to be warm. I think I'll park in a different spot this time. | ||
| Dasxb9s |
There are three rules of motorcycling: 1... Never ride beyond your skill level. 2... Everyone falls down. 3... Everyone falls down! sorry to hear about the damage to your new bike. Last winter I took my BMW in for service and was parking is behind the building... which is usually without a soul in site... same kinda thing happened to me... as I had the seat adjustment set too high... I could have yelled "Timber!" as I felt it start over with me unable to a thing. AND... there were about 6 guys back there that day... more than what was in the shop... I had but one fear... I was on the store video system... captured on tape... to be shown to everyone for the next year! I got lucky that day... no video... a $30.00 turn signal was the only damage. I AM PARANOID ABOUT DROPPING MY XB!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Artesian |
Heh, dont feel bad mate, I dropped a 250(thats a 25 pound bike... or feels like it) at the msf course in front of 16 other riders doing uturns... Its a little emberassing, but be glad it was practically parked (not in traffic at 45 mph) and you learned something from it. I got lucky, It wasn't my bike, so I jumped off and watched it spin around under its clutch power :-) | ||
| Bradj |
Last weekend I repeated my journey, returning to the same parking lot...no trouble. I strutted into the store, expecting to find the same people that were there when I dropped the bike. I was going to prove to them that the bike dropping was an isolated incident. Of course, none of the same people were there. As I paid for my drink and the clerk asked me how I was doing, I responded, "I'm a little cold [actually, I was shivering] but doing allot better than the last time I rode here...I dropped my new bike in your parking lot." "That'll be a dollar for the coke, please." I walk over to a rack of souvenir tee-shirts and see a silly ball cap I like. I tell the clerk, "I think I'll take this hat...I need something to cover up my HELMET hair." "That'll be ten dollars, please." "Well.... I guess I'll head back across the mountain...it has warmed up some and it should be a nicer RIDE home. It sure does get cold on a MOTORCYCLE when the wind blows. "Have a nice day, sir." I walked out of store, annoyed that the woman had absolutely no interest in the fact that I was on a new Buell motorcycle and had just completed a journey of great psychological and spiritual significance. As I put my helmet on in the parking lot, I glanced down into the gravel, thinking how neat it would be if I spotted the infamous ball bearing. I know you're thinking: I hope he found it...that would be so cool! Whether I found it or not is a mystery you will just have to live with...sort of like a DVD with alternate endings...you just pick the one you want. The trip home was uneventful, except for when the elderly couple from Missouri decided to suddenly stop in the middle of the road to gaze at the carcass of a dead wolf laying on the double yellow lines... gotta love those zero torsional load brake thingees.  | ||
| Bradj |
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| Kenw |
one time several years ago on my shiny new 98 S3T while leaving a friends house late at night in nov with full winter riding gear, full face helmet on, tank bag packed and extended to full capacity , i took off in first gear with my rotor lock still on and raced into the pavement with the bike on top of me in total darkness. what a putz!!!so there i am pinned in my cumbersome adventurer riding suit from buell zipped up with the neck collar nice and tight, and my full face 500 lb nolan fishbowl helmet on trapped between two parked cars and thinking, ken you are such a dork!!!! everybody falls down thanks for your story, regards, kenw | ||
| Countryx |
Life is funny. It's been almost a year since I dropped the XB9SL in the parking lot at the Ponca store. I sold the Buell to a nice guy from Kansas City and have since owned or tried several bikes. Of all the bikes I've owned and sold or traded, the Buell is the only one I have missed. When I saw the CityX and read about the changes they had made, I was VERY interested. After a demo ride I was VERY hooked. So I've come almost full circle in a year's time. Monday I stopped at the Ponca store and got a Diet Pepsi. I parked the Buell out front near the spot where I lost the ball bearing last November. Every time I am there I spend a few seconds looking for that damn ball bearing, thinking how funny it would be if I spotted it in the gravel after all this time. I still haven't found it, but I'll continue to ride my Buell to the store at Ponca for a drink and a cigar and I'll continue to look for the ball bearing. And if I should find it...I think I'll toss it into the air behind my back so I can start looking for it again.   | ||
| Bomber |
smile -- low spedd dumps are often the most embarrassing -- My girls bought me a pocket knife (I'm addicted to the little things) to comemorate an unplanned landing incident with the inscription . . . "Pave the Planet Pad the Driveway" suffice it to say, good on you for continuing your journey -- ya might want to mount that little ball bearing on your watch fob, for stories to the grandkids someday |
