| Author | Message | ||
     Rocketsprink |
Well, it could have been worse. All in all, walked away with a slightly damaged bike and a mild Concussion, which didn't bug me too much. Hell, Griz and I ran the Dragon the following nite. WOW is it different when it's pitch black out there! I'll be starting a Thread over on the Tale Section tomorrow with more pics and stories. Enjoy these for now! Jason (Ugriz) points out the "scene" to the wives  Griz standing where he ended up to avoid me!  3rd Eye mirrors make great bar end sliders!  So do Buells Helmets. Got a nice Suomy as a replacement!  The fork and swing arm sliders did their job perfectly. WELL worth the $$ Get ya some!!   Rear brake lever took a hit, but just scuffed.  Thank God for Leather/Armour Gloves!  The knee slider is scuffed in a weird spot as well.  Like I said, could have been worse. It's a rather slow speed corner. There is no doubt in my mind that the oil was dumped intentionally. WAY TOO MUCH oil to be coming from a car/truck and too perfect a placement. Not too long after I went down, a Road King dumped, and that bike ended up A LOT Worse than mine. Stopped at Smoky Mountain H-D/Buell, got a new front brake lever (had it in stock!!!), and went from there. I did learn a few things too. I will NEVER again ride without a helmet. It just isn't worth it. I'd rather sweat like a pig and smell like one than have my head split open. I also will wear leather a lot more often. Had I been wearing mesh.... man it makes me sick thinking about it. Also, I think the best thing was taking the rest of the day off from riding (happened at 10:30am) resting, and then running the Dragon at night!! Talk about concentration!! I was back to dragging the knees by Friday! | ||
| Chainsaw |
Sorry to read (and see) about the crash. Glad you were able to walk away from it. | ||
| Gomo |
Sorry to read (and see) about the crash. Glad you were able to walk away from it. Ditto! | ||
| Stou |
Wow! we can really see the utility of the swing arm and fork sliders. I put that on my list. You where lucky in your bad luck, not too much damage to you and your bike. Take care! | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Yeah, man. He was shook up pretty good. That mirror took most of the damage(other than the helmet), and fell off a couple days later. He kept riding through the week, what a trooper. And I learned alot from everyone there; thanks all. Glad to meet good people! | ||
| Rocketsprink |
The sliders are IMHO, the FIRST mod anyone should do. Man, I can't tell you how happy I was to have them on. WELL, WELL worth the money. | ||
| Rocketsprink |
Thanks Tank. It was good to meet you and everyone one else as well. HAVE to do it again! The trip, not the crash thing!  | ||
| Imaposer |
tell me more about the sliders.  | ||
| Coolice |
Rocco glad your ok. Looks likes you have a trophy case helmet too! My gear looks similar to yours, I was knocked out too, but had broken bones.... Yep I agree about the gear, rode with CJ and Fiery today in full leather and it was warm, it makes me cringe when I see someone in tanktop,shorts, and sandals, no helmet. I know its a free country......but when ya go down..... | ||
| Imeazy |
Darn, that's a shame. It's hard to believe that someone would intentionally try to harm another just out to have some fun. Good to hear you are alright! Those sliders definately look like a wise purchase. | ||
| Frausty12r |
You dress for the crash not the ride. There are two types of riders, those who've been down, and yup, those who are going down. Glad to see you're alright man, all that cosmetic damage can be fixed... science hasn't quite figured out how to do a brain transplant. | ||
| Rocketsprink |
Sliders. Check on American Sport Bike or Dark Horse Moto, which are both sponsors here. Like I said, they along with my knee slider and helmet saved the side of the bike.  Hard to tell from the pic, but the jacket took a good scraping as well. Only minor scuffs. Didn't get through the leather at all. Although I still can figure out how the hell I ground down the snaps way up by my neck. | ||
| Ingemar |
Glad to hear your oke. Take it easy out there. It's not worth it IMO. | ||
| Bomber |
phew -- glad you're OK sir -- also glad the scoot came out in good shape EZ -- the purpose of the oil dumping is likely not to have fun -- some of the locals round that neck of the woods don't appreciate the bikers, and are attempting to discourage them -- the same trick happens most every year, at least once, and had fatal consequnces a few years ago that I know of -- | ||
| Daves |
Glad you are ok Rocco. Other than the get off it sounds like you had a great trip. The axle sliders are a great idea(thanks Keith) I have them in stock if you need some replacements. Let me know. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Any links to discussion of who might have put the oil down? | ||
| Imeazy |
Bomber - I understand it is done to ruin someone's day, maybe life. Just can't believe that anyone could do this intentionally, like it or not it is a public road correct. Sad to see. Bad examples for human beings, let alone Americans! | ||
| Bomber |
EZ -- full agreement, sir -- sad to see anywhere | ||
| CJXB |
Nice pics rocco, glad to know you're okay !! CJ  | ||
| Wardog3187 |
Crashing sucks but glad to hear that you're okay. | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Looks like you were right at the border. Which direction were you heading? If I remember correctly, that's the spot that has the change in surfaces. The Tennessee side is nice and smooth while the NC side is a little rough and "grooved". A big kudos to Griz for not getting into bigger trouble. There's not much room for error on the sides. I remember getting over the white line on one turn. Serious pucker factor!!! | ||
| Rocketsprink |
Heading North from the "Crossroads" into Tenn. The crappy road conditions on the North Carolina side made it that much harder to see. It stuck out like a sore thumb on the Tennessee side. No official word on whether it was dumped on purpose, but there's no doubt in my mind that it was. 2 guys were arrested earlier this year with a 55 gallon drum in the back of a truck laying down a nice oil slick. A-holes! What I can't understand is that unless that road is there, there is no reason to visit , thus less $$$$ coming in and then higher taxes. I think their 10% tax is high enough already. Won't stop me from taking more trips to the area. I'm not going to let some losers scare me away! Plans are in the works for next year already. Thinking first couple weeks in June. Thanks for the well wishes, and hope I never crash again.....but I'm not counting on it. Have to say that I'm very impressed with the way the bike came away from the crash. It really surprised me that the damage was that minimal. But I'm happy about that. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Darn, that's a shame. It's hard to believe that someone would intentionally try to harm another just out to have some fun. We have a simlilar problem here, in an area that we like to frequent....nothing out there...eventually the OLD(70s)man was cought bu police, dumping sand and gravel in a BLIND corner... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You dress for the crash not the ride. There are two types of riders, those who've been down, and yup, those who are going down. Them as my boss(who rides) liek sto say then there are the fools who crash more than once, and done have the sense not to ride(he was refering to me), He has since taken to shaving his head, blaming me for giving him gray hairs, and causeing him to go bald...A joke for the most part... Anyway, I wanted to head down with ya'll, but Like tank said family comes first..and I had a chance to see my daughter, so...BUT I did get to meet a few great guys I will be riding with when I move back to new england in the spring... Glad you are good to go.... As far as the mesh, I was wearing mine when I went down last time...the jacket took a heck of a beating...BUT, it did its job...if I hadnt ended up in the ditch, and slid further down the road, it might have been different...but...I am good... I will buy another, even if I only use it for back and forth to work...I will from now on use my leather ANY time I think I am gonna do more than just ride to work or..well, you get the idea... Again, glad you are okay.... Chase | ||
| Jb2 |
Rocco, glad to hear you are okay. That is a nasty section there on US129 where the pavement changes from good(TN) to bad(NC). There is a picture of you riding in the rain posted on "KILLBOYdotCOM's" main page but it's hard to tell if it's pre or post crash? Ron and Nancy of "tailofthedragondotcom" made no mention of any new oilings but they have happened in the past and the perps were caught. Put them kind of folks in the same fire pit as the ones who stole Chip Ellis's rig I say. | ||
| Frausty12r |
Them as my boss(who rides) liek sto say then there are the fools who crash more than once, and done have the sense not to ride(he was refering to me), He has since taken to shaving his head, blaming me for giving him gray hairs, and causeing him to go bald...A joke for the most part... I guess you can put me in the same group Chase, if I go down, I go down. I'll keep getting up until the day I can't. (which I hope is a VERY VERY long time from now) Rick_A and I were talking the other night, and he mentioned something about pro racers say you have to crash about 20 or so times before you get good at it. *grin* I guess you could say theres in fact a fourth group, those who go down, and then sell the bike. WTF? Why buy one, when you know it's a HIGH possibility, or perhaps inevitable you're gonna go down.. then when it happens.. you sell off? Never wanted to ride in the first place. -Ryan} | ||
| Rick_a |
For sure man, I practice annually  | ||
| Skyguy |
If you ride you WILL crash sooner or later. If you play hard you will crash more often. Dress for the get-off at all times. Something few people ever mention is that when playing only play hard in turns that won't lead to a fatal freefall off the side of the mountain. We had a kid lay down his R-1 a few weeks ago on Hwy 18 and he would have been fine had it not been for the 150ft. freefal after he went over the guardrail..... |
