| Author | Message | ||
     Themalks |
Well, here we go. I went joyriding today with a buddy down a nice 2-lane country road... trees, bridges, fields... you get the picture. It was really nice. Then comes what everyone dreads, a mountain biker tries to make it across the street in front of me without looking. I had the right of way, and two choices: 1) Hit him head on and probably crush him. 2) lay the bike down and hope for the best. I should have run him over... I dropped the bike on it's left side and luckily, it slid right in between a parked car and a boulder into some nice soft grass. The guy on the mountain bike stopped long enough to ask if I was ok, then took off as fast as he could. I guess he didn't want to have to pay for the damages. My riding partner came back shortly after and we couldn't find him. He took off back into the woods along the bike trail. What a nice guy. Now for the good part, and I know it could have been worse, I bent the handlebars on the left side slightly. The left front and rear turn signals were busted off. My shifter was ripped clean off (amazing that there was no damage to my footpegs). And the left side of my tank was scraped pretty bad. I had just gotten my new jacket and gloves in the mail... boy did those come in handy. I'm still waiting on my boots and pants. My helmet took a nice scrap on the side, my left knee is nice and bloody, my hands are cramped up, but nothing broken. The jacket and gloves took the brunt of the damage so I'm thankful for that. I was able to pick her up no problem, and she was able to run. She was stuck in 4th so I rode it (thank God for torque) to a nearby Harley shop. The guys there were good to go. They were able to throw on a sportster shifter for me so I could at least ride it home. I have to kick it up to shift down, and heel kick it back to shift up... but it's rideable. Anyway, I am very thankful that I didn't seriously hurt anyone, least of all myself. I'm guessing I should be able to sand down the tank and get it repainted. I found some new signals and a new shifter. Any advice or ideas are more than welcome right now. Here's what I found so far: Shifters: http://store.sporttwin.com/product_info.php?cPath=49&products_id=188 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35565&item=455 8289589&rd=1 American Sport Bike has a bunch of signals (Cat eye, Polished Aluminum, and a set of Kellermans). They also have ONE stock mirror left. I'd love to get the bar mirrors, but I don't know if I can afford them yet. Have to asess the rest of the damage. Dave is mailing me a Forcewinder, should have that next week. Might have to call you up again for some of these parts if you have them bud. Ugh. Here's a shot of the damage:  | ||
| Jlnance |
Hey Dave, I'm glad you're ok and the bike is mostly ok. It sucks to have the guy run off and leave you like that. At least you managed to hit the grass.  | ||
| Seth |
I figure the guy ran off 'cuz he didn't want to end up as damaged as the bike. I'm sorry to hear about your accident, crashing sucks. It's good to hear that your riding gear did it's job, imagine if you weren't wearing it! | ||
| Impulse_101 |
You did good and the guy on the bike is a jerk. He should be thanking God today that he's not attached to your bike or life support. At the very least he should have offered to help pay for the damages. JT | ||
| Themalks |
Hmm, I thought I attached the picture. Here it is:  | ||
| Oldog |
sorry to hear about the incident, glad you are all right. The guy on the bicycle got a freebie yesterday. I hope he learned some thing, just think if it had been a car he would be in the hospital today. You can fix the bike and perhaps "adjust" it to your tastes. It took a lot of courage to do what you did, thanks for sharing. | ||
| Azbueller |
I would have made a bug splatter on the fly screen!!! | ||
| Reepicheep |
Been there done that, same side of the cyclone. I never did replace the bars, mine were not bent quite that bad. I really liked the Banke "little bit backsets" and shifter on my Cyclone. Very expensive, but very nice looking. The only modification to the Cyclone that my wife ever noticed. I really liked the Napolean bar ends on the M2 as well, though I went with the 3rd eye mountian bike mirros on the new 9sx. Not quite as nice, but easy to get and dirt cheap. I might have a factory mirror and signal sitting in the garage in the "old Buell box"... next to the "new and improved Buell box" (no kidding, that is what they are labelled). I can look if you want 'em. As for the stopping and accident avoidance part, I got burned the same way. I think it is a flaw in the way the MSF class teaches. I understand why they do it that way, but I think experienced riders can do better. They teach (rightly) that the bike will ALWAYS stop faster wheels down. A sliding bike is slowing like 1/2 to 1/3 as well as a bike with good tires hard on the front brake. It is never an advantage to "lay it down". What also teach (which is also right) that you should separate your actions. If you need to turn, turn, if you need to brake, brake. Don't mix the two. There is a third option though, that they don't (to my knowledge) teach. I understand, as it would be really hard to teach and needs both an experienced rider and a very well made motorcycle to work. But if you have those two things, I think it is worth practicing. Basically, it is practicing "extreme braking then transition instantly to a hard evasive maneuver". I have practiced this in a parking lot... it was difficult on the M2, but very doable on the XB9SX. It showed me clearly more then anything else just how incredible the XB platform is for handling. Anyway, the drill I set up was to speed up to 30 or 40 mph, do a panic stop (when the rear tire is effectively unweighted but not coming up more then an inch or so) down to 10 or 15 mph, then release the brakes and instantly transition into a full hard evasive maneuver, basically a simulated lane change or hard U turn. On the M2, this was dammed difficult. By the time the suspension had settled down enough to feel safe with the hard evasive maneuver, the bike had covered enough ground that I might as well have just come to a stop. On the 9sx, the only limit to the speed of the transition seemed to be my brain saying "this bike can't possibly be working this well". I have used the maneuver a couple times since, though it has not yet been necessary to do it super aggressively on the street. I picked this excercise because doing it effectively would have avoided 2 of my three accidents (the third of which I never quite managed to actually fall over during, but it was stupid enough that I am treating it like I did). I bring it up because it sounds like the exact maneuver might have kept you upright as well. The only time I "expect" to lowside is if I *know* I am going down anyway, I pick a nice hole in the trees with that is a perfectly straight line that gives as much tarmac as possible in front of me, do one of those 1" back wheel up stoppies for the full length of the road I have available, knowing that the moment the front rubber leaves the clean pavement the front will tuck and I will be sliding. Let me know if you want me to go part hunting... | ||
| Chasespeed |
If you need a shifter, I have my factory one sitting in the garage, in a box... lemme know, its the boomerang one, but.... it works, just didnt like it.... Chase | ||
| Court |
tank - damaged or just scraped? | ||
| Koz5150 |
I was at Hal's Friday and they had a complete 2002 M2 shifter Kit in a sidewalk sale discount box. I think they were asking for around $80, but probably will negotiate the price. | ||
| Themalks |
Tank was just scraped up, not damaged (no cracks). If Chase can get me that shifter, and the threads match up, we're golden. Thanks for the offer Koz, I 'll have to see what I get from Chase. Also, PM coming your way Koz. I'm going to pick up some sander stuff this week and start the sanding on the tank. You guys on BWB are the best. I'd be lost without this place. (Message edited by themalks on June 27, 2005) | ||
| Themalks |
Reep, thanks for the advice. I was always taught the same as you say. In this particular situation though, I couldn't have stopped in time to avoid pummeling the guy. I actually swerved enough to miss him and bail. I couldn't swerve and brake. I guess experience (this one included) and time on the bike will help next time. I'll keep your advice in mind. And yes, I'm definitely part hunting. Right now, it looks like I'm good for a mirror and shifter. I think I'm going to buy some new signal lights from Al's site for the front and rear. I'm not so sure about my bars, it's ever so slightly bent back towards me, barely noticeable, but noticeable by me. I just might eventually look for another one. | ||
| Buelliedan |
If you need signals and a stock mirror let me know. I can hook you up cheap. ddunn@satx.rr.com | ||
| Bomber |
I got a mirror (I think I even know where it is!) lemme know if ya want it, but those bike mirrors mentioned about are pretty darned good, and cheap too, if that's what ya want to try -- glad you're OK, bud | ||
| Djkaplan |
My shifter was ripped clean off This is why I don't like the 2001-2 shifter - it's too susceptible to lowside damage. The old "boomerang" shifter will just break the toe-peg off. You still have the up-and-over-linkage (which uses a stock XL shifter, btw) to kick the bike into gear. With a bushing upgrade, the older shifter is just as precise as as the newer shifter. | ||
| Djkaplan |
"I had the right of way, and two choices: 1) Hit him head on and probably crush him. 2) lay the bike down and hope for the best." I was confronted with the same situation once, except it was a small dog that ran out in the road and I had a passenger on the back. I had to make a split second decision - I chose the former and ran over the dog, killing it instantly. To this day, I know I made the right decision. Had I been confronted by a bicyclist, I'm not so sure I wouldn't make the same choice and let fate take it from there. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Everything shoudl match up, the only difference betweent the X1 and M2 'kit' is the X1 has the provision(in the updates linkage), for the lower fairing(which I dont have)..... So. You shoudl have some sort of rubber bushing between the stock peg and the frame, remove that bushing, and the big shifter shoudl go right in... The splines and all are the same... Chase | ||
| Ryker77 |
Thats when the old lady pulled out if front of me. I just grab the front brake so damn hard that I tore my TFCC! I knew that legally I would have to HIT her car for it to be her fault. Had I attempted to do some facny evasive manauver and miss her car I would still have had too much speed and would have probably wrecked and then it would have be MY FAULT. So my moto is to ride safe, dress safley, and if I have to wreck make DAMN sure its not my fault! ---- If I would have been riding with you I would have chased that punk down through the woods! or at the very least found out where he was parked at and waited for him | ||
| Denfromphilly |
Sorry to hear about your crash, that really sucks! I had an old lady (about 70 with handicap plates) cut me off and make a left turn in my path while on my gold wing. I grabbed the brakes locked up the front tire and dropped the bike. She stopped and then she gunned it and took off. I wrestled my bike onto it's wheels, no damage (GW's have serious roll bars), started it after a bit of cranking and took off after her. She was at an intersection and I rolled up next to her and gave her my dirtiest look and she gave me the finger and took off through the red light without looking. Hopefully with the way she drives she won't be a hazard for long... I have the stock mirrors from my 99X1 if you want them. No charge, if you could pay for shipping I would appreciate it. Glad to hear you are still on two wheels...Den | ||
| Djkaplan |
"I have the stock mirrors from my 99X1 if you want them. No charge, if you could pay for shipping I would appreciate it." I have a stock front and rear turn signal from my 2000 M2. You can have them if you want - same deal. | ||
| Themalks |
Denis & Dan, thanks much brothers! I PM'd you my mailing information, just let me know how to pay. Chase has my shifter covered as well. I've also emailed Digginmutant (sp?) for his bars, so I might be all set. I just have to either sand out and repaint my tank or keep my eyes open for a black or gray one. I can't even begin to thank you guys for helping me out. I just hope I can return the favor someday. | ||
| Djkaplan |
If you downdate(?) to the boomerang shifter from an older model, you'll need the shift rod and little rod ends that go with it. You already have the shift shaft lever (the shift lever from a Sportster), but it's always good to have an extra one because it breaks very easily. The old boomerang shifter is really sloppy unless you replace the nylon bushing with a sintered brass one. |
