Tarmac surfing for beginners...

[Paul]

Hi folks,

This will be short, since I'm typing with just my left hand at the moment...

Saturday afternoon, I was proceeding in a northerly direction up the M6, just past Keele services. Traffic was a bit stop start, and according to my trusty GPS I was travelling at around 60mph in the middle lane when the car in front braked hard. I slammed on my brakes, and the next thing I know, I'm sliding solo (i.e. without the bike) along the road. As I started to slow, I could see my formerly beautiful S barral rolling along about 20 yards ahead of me. B*gger.

My initial thought was that I had locked the front wheel and gone down. Sometime after the accident, it occured to me that I was travelling in a straight line and had no recollection of the bike falling. I went from panic braking to sliding along the road in what seemed like an instant. I now think that a car behind me hasn't braked, has hit me and knocked me off, but obviously this theory only occurs to me after I've manhandled the bike onto the hard shoulder (great stuff, adrenalin!) and told the passing motorists that I'm OK, so they have buggered off...

Luckily I had the panniers and tank bag on the bike, which took the brunt of the impact and subsequent rolling and sliding. The left hand cylinder head cover has worn through and the wing mirrors, screen and left hand front indicator are well worn, but other than that, it looks pretty good. I struggled to get the bike into neutral though, so I suspect that the engine & gearbox were not so happy with their tumbling experience.

I was wearing my Rukka jacket and trousers, which held up remarkably well. The outer shell has worn through at the contact points with the road, but not damaged the armour or the inner shell. No road rash or abbrasions received from areas protected by the Rukka gear. My Sidi Black rain Evo's were slightly less impressive... They wore through at one point on my left foot and I've lost the top layer of skin on a patch about the size of a 5p piece... Slight marking on my crash helmet but no major visible damage. Obviously none of the kit is fit to wear again and I didn't include it in my motorcycle insurance... has anyone had any joy claiming damaged kit on their home contents insurance?

As I waited an hour and a half for the Carole Nash recovery truck, my wife and kids passed in the car, and stopped to see the damage. We started the "oh you really should stop riding motorcycles" discussion at the side of the road, but I refused to be drawn into that at the time. That's one to look forward to on Wednesday when she returns from her mothers...

As I was riding back home in the recovery truck, my right wrist started to feel a bit sore. I went to A&E on Sunday morning and discovered a crack in one of the bones in my little finger and another suspected fracture in a bone in my wrist. I now have a plaster on my right arm, from my fingers to my elbow... Other tha that, I think I got off very lightly and am pleased that my "all the gear all of the time" approach has worked well for me.

So, does anyone want to buy some slightly ventilated panniers? and a re-profiled carbon front indicator cover? I'm waiting for the insurance assessors to come and collect the bike to decide if it's economically repairable or not. This could be the excuse I need to sidegrade to an F800S. Every cloud ...etc..

Cheers,

Paul

[Boxadog 2000]

Oh Bollocks!

Glad that you are ok

Bob

[Jason M]

Paul mate - sorry to hear that. What a complete b'stard. It's difficult to assess isn't it. If you were hit from behind by a car then in one way you're even luckier not to be hurt I guess, not that that is any consolation. Hard to see how you wouldn't remember loosing the front and it surely must have been sent sideways somehow for it to roll?

Hope you recover soon anyhow - and if someone hit you and drove off then I hope that fate deals them something in return.

And if you're bike is knackered then I know someone interested in the wreck

Jason

[winger]

Christ Paul lucky day e'h!!!!,reg number of who punted you off??

Just laugh it off,easy to say i know,i did most of my introductions to the tarmac some years ago,but the exsperience will be a good'un for your bikeing CV!!!.

Kit wise, stuff can be bought off e-bay at the right money,depending on how you get on with insurance,the mafia have aquired a large amount of stock(spares) in case of the said situation,what will tip the balance of the insurance?? the alloy frame that everthing hangs on,on the front their 300 quid on the own,but can even russell one of those up!!!.

Chris

[ianc53]

Paul

Glad you're OK, that's the important thing. All the rest is just stuff and can be replaced. Is the rear sub frame still attached? Good luck with dealing with all the various people in trying to get mobile again. Hope you have all your reasons well reheased for Wednesday.

Cheers

Ian

[andrew s]

Hi Paul,

Sorry to hear your bad news, but very pleased that you are alright, apart from the wrist.

So I take it Hawes is off the cards, but you could always come up for the drink and the excellent company.

You might know already, but did you check the rear sub frame lugs, they do go so easily.

Hope you get on the mend soon, and as everybody has said, bikes can be fixed or replaced.

Andrew

[Ade B]

Glad to hear you are in one piece!

Both my off bike excursions took place in the blinking of an eye, the second off is still something of a mystery as to its cause as like you I was braking hard in a straight line and the next thing I was tumbling hard into the gravel! I decided that it was a combination of shagged tyres, dusty track and something to do with tensing my braking arm in panic and putting uneven pressure on the bars which unsettled an already overloaded front!

Reassuring to hear that your kit held up and it is no mean feat to drag a downed S off the motorway - with a broken wrist!

Hope you mend quick.

Ade

[PBBoxer]

Paul,
The fact you're able to type, on hand or not is a bonus. Motorways and offs dont tend to end up so well.
Really relieved you're ok.

Take care


PB

[bigblackfalco]

Sorry to hear about that Paul. But like all the old wise owls say on here....the main thing is to walk away unscathed. A piece of machinery can be replaced.
At this point I feel the need to share my own recent experience of being forced to dismount abruptly at a roundabout:
Was in Harrow waiting for a suitable space to appear on a roundabout......it's my turn and a clear space appears.....just about to let clutch out and pull onto roundabout.......WALLOP......i'm now looking up at the sky and my bike is 2 lanes across said roundabout.......OOOMMMPPPHHH........as I land back ontop of my fine (very inexpensive japanese steed) not on the seat I hasten to add! I suddenly realise I've been rear ended (oooooohh matron) .Finally manage to turn my head to see which a*sehole is responsible.
Car behind is a BSM driving school car. Bloody learner drivers says I to myself. Walk slowly up to said car and suddenly see that there is only the driver and then come to stunning conclusion that this must be the instructor?!!!! He gets out and apologises profusely. Says his foot slipped off the clutch. I look at his feet and see he's driving in flip flops (!!!!!!) .
Anyway he put his hands up and admitted liability.
Damage to bike was only a broken brake lever which I managed to replace a mile up the road in Hein Gericke 10 minutes later.

But it does wake you up......be careful out there!
Bailey.

[Paul]

Thanks fellas. I agree, I did get off lightly!

I kind of hope that the S is written off though, because I don't know how happy I'd be getting back on this particular pony, knowing about it's solo journey up the road. I'm not personally detered from getting another bike though, assuming of course I can have a rational discussion with Kate about it.

There's also the small matter of the loading on my insurance after this, since there is no other party to catch the blame, although I still theoretically have 7 years protected no claims with Carole Nash. Quite how protected the no claims bonus turns out to be is another matter...

cheers,

Paul

[Jason M]

I kind of hope that the S is written off

Well I could lend you a nice hammer to turn the 'superficial' into 'substantial' if you like

I knew a bloke that had a mate drive a JCB into the side of his car (after the accident ) to 'slightly enhance the damage' in order to get it written off once.

Just one question Paul - where was the car you braked for if the bike went up the road in front of you? Might jog some memories? Personally I have a problem under hard braking in that I usually use too much rear and end up wagging my tail

Jason

[Archie]

Hi Paul

Sorry to hear about your off. If it's any consolation most times I've fallen off (and that's been quite a few), the first thing I've known about it has been sliding down the road.

It happens every so often, and in the main there's no major injuries. The main risk of injury occurs shortly after the accident, on wednesday in your case.

Let me know if there's anything you need fetched or carried - I'm off work at home this week.

Cheers

Alan

[Paul]

Jason,

I haven't got the heart (or nerve) to enhance the damage...

As for the car in front, once it realised the phantom thing it was braking for wasn't there, it pissed off into the sunset, molto pronto.

Cheers,

Paul

[winger]

Out of interest Paul,is this the first time you've been on floor???,

[gus]

Paul
Sorry to hear of your tarmac kissing episode.Glad to hear you are relativley OK though,as has been stated it could have turned out far worse.Good luck with the wife,though i,m sure her initial reaction was down to shock.One thing i hate about motorways is that too many people drive too close and dont pay enough attention to what their doing.Bring back traffic police to the motorways and start nicking people who drive dangerously.
I hope you get everyhing sorted out as quick and painless as possible.
Goodluck and all the best
Gus