ThePsuedoMonkey
XS400 Addict
I was all excited to be riding again, and thought I'd take a nice ride up to kzoo. My new saddlebags were working out great, and I'd taken her to WOT several times with 'em. Less than a mile after the on-ramp I start to feel a wobble, and my first thought is to get out of the way of the guy in the car trying to get me to race him. Over the next few seconds or so the wobble gets stronger and stronger and I know the time I have in control is about to expire.
My default instinct gets me to pull the clutch. I knew nothing on the road caused the wobble, so I do my best to damp the steering oscillation while using the rear brake to reduce my speed. The steering was already too strong for me to slow it down, but my momentum is keeping me in the same lane for now, a handful of feet away from mr speedy and his car. Soon enough, the wobble is strong enough to get the steering to lock to either side. My only thought is: bail. I have no idea what (specifically) happened to the bike at this point, but I was able to get in a position to roll lengthwise (as opposed to cartwheels) and that was all I knew for what seemed like an eternity.
When the world slows down enough for me to see, I realize that I'm still in the same lane. Since this was one of the side lanes, I immediately change pitch and get to the shoulder. My adrenaline is soaring so much that I can hardly see straight, but I try to take stock of my surroundings anyway: I'm standing... in the median... facing passers-by who stopped and are beckoning further into the median, who had time to call the police. Everything before that moment was a blur, and I am oblivious to my injuries, my shredded gear, and can just make out the shape of my bike (relatively) safely on the shoulder, about 50 feet ahead of where I stopped. The passers-by help me calm down, and I start to slowly take off my gear. I don't even recognize some of it.
My gear saved most of me: my injuries were mostly road rash and bruises. My helmet saved my head, but not my face: the fiberglass was torn at the joint for the modular piece. My jeans and gloves were just not suited for this, and will be replaced with legitimate gear after the wounds heal. But now I REALLY like my jacket. Picking up the bike today, so we'll see how badly she ended up.
My default instinct gets me to pull the clutch. I knew nothing on the road caused the wobble, so I do my best to damp the steering oscillation while using the rear brake to reduce my speed. The steering was already too strong for me to slow it down, but my momentum is keeping me in the same lane for now, a handful of feet away from mr speedy and his car. Soon enough, the wobble is strong enough to get the steering to lock to either side. My only thought is: bail. I have no idea what (specifically) happened to the bike at this point, but I was able to get in a position to roll lengthwise (as opposed to cartwheels) and that was all I knew for what seemed like an eternity.
When the world slows down enough for me to see, I realize that I'm still in the same lane. Since this was one of the side lanes, I immediately change pitch and get to the shoulder. My adrenaline is soaring so much that I can hardly see straight, but I try to take stock of my surroundings anyway: I'm standing... in the median... facing passers-by who stopped and are beckoning further into the median, who had time to call the police. Everything before that moment was a blur, and I am oblivious to my injuries, my shredded gear, and can just make out the shape of my bike (relatively) safely on the shoulder, about 50 feet ahead of where I stopped. The passers-by help me calm down, and I start to slowly take off my gear. I don't even recognize some of it.
My gear saved most of me: my injuries were mostly road rash and bruises. My helmet saved my head, but not my face: the fiberglass was torn at the joint for the modular piece. My jeans and gloves were just not suited for this, and will be replaced with legitimate gear after the wounds heal. But now I REALLY like my jacket. Picking up the bike today, so we'll see how badly she ended up.
It definitely hit the right saddlebag pretty hard though, just look at the dent in it's frame! Lights and gauges are toast, the bars took a hefty beating as well. I'm not sure what all is good but the wheels, engine, and frame look ok. Putting the cover on her for a while though, as I don't really have the cash to fix everything just yet. Second guessing the idea of saddlebags a little now. Honestly, I'm glad it wasn't my face that took the collision that hit the headlight.
