1st Minor Spill...

[jthiessen]

So I had my first spill today. It was very minor thankfully. Was slowing to a stop at a left turn, found some sand and the bike slipped out. No traffic. Picked the bike up. No one was hurt. Thank Gord.

Now, there was some minor damage to the bike. My shifter has been bent up. I spilled some fuel (where would that have come out of?). My handle bars may have been bent slightly, but I am not sure. and the bars put a small dent in my tank.

I am pissed, but it could've been worse.

My question is, when one does have one of these spills is there a once over that I should do on my bike to make sure there is no more damage that I found?

 

[jthiessen]

What is the metal like in the shifter? Can I bend it back or are they prone to snapping?

 

[16VGTIDave]

Good to hear you are okay! I've been told that there are 2 kinds of riders: those that have put a bike down, and those who will. Getting back on and riding away is psychologically important. I put my bike down twice a week ago. Once in mud that had a layer of ice under it, the second time on ice. Also no major damage, thanks to my engine guard. I then rode another 200km that day.

Fuel can spill from the gas cap and carbs. Check the levers, mirrors, signals, exhaust, anything that sticks out and may have contacted the ground. The shift lever is fairly strong, but since it is chrome plated it is brittle and susceptible to cracking. Heat will make it easy to straighten, but will blue the chrome. If it isn't bent much, I'd be inclined to gently straighten it. You will have to bend it slightly past where you want it to finally rest.

 

[OleDoc]

Glad you're ok

 

[ScottLuke]

Good to hear you're okay and no cars were around. Fuel probably overflowed out of the carburetor hoses.

 

[BBS360]

Bikes can be fixed, riders not as easily.

They don't look great but I've been wondering about adding frame sliders to protect the bike from damage in a spill.

 

[Rambo814]

Glad to hear you're alright, fella. I bent my shift lever before I ever rode the bike. I was never around bikes and when I was taking it off the trailer I brought it home on, it fell over. Twice. Anyways, I put some heat to it and bent it back close. It does blue a little but I've had no other affects.

 

[xschris]

Glad your alright

 

[Lou Ranger]

Glad to hear you are okay. My first year, I went down at 5 kph crossing the little triangle of sand and pea gravel that collects at a "T" street. Bent the shift lever so hard it took a gouge out of the engine casing. But it bent back okay.

Last year, when I crashed, the right side of the bars got bent down, in and backward.

I was able to pull them back into shape in three stages per the photos:

 

[Scorpio1963]

I had a minor spill when I first started riding my xs,my front brakes got hot and locked up.i jumps off the bike before it fell on me.only minnow damage like a broken rear turn signal and bent the shift lever.Fuel spilled out of the carbs also.This happened on gravel so my knees got a few minor chunks of skin removed.

Glad your ok things could have been much worse.