I went down today

[ConanLloyd]

I'll start by saying that I'm ok and only slightly banged up, now here's the story:

It had rained previously, but was not raining at the time.  The streets were at that kinda wet stage.  I was doing about 35 - 40 heading south on 355 into Rockville on my way to work in Bethesda.  I was coming up on the intersection of Viers Mill road which is a large and strange intersection.  My lane bends to the left as it goes up a small hill.  As I was in the curve and approaching the intersection, I saw the car in front of me light up it's brake lights  so I started to brake.

WHAM! I'm on the ground sliding towards the curb.

After I slid and rolled to a stop, I got myself out of the lane and sat by the bike while getting my gloves and helmet off.  A couple of people stopped including the lady behind me.  I reassured them that I was ok and did not need an ambulance.  I stood the bike up and moved it to the sidewalk and continued to check it and myself out.

My gear consisted of:

• HJC AC11 Full Face Helmet
• Joe Rocket Hard Drive textile jacket
• Joe Rocket Ballistic 4.0 textile overpants
• Teknic racing golves
• Regular hiking boots as I haven't bought riding boots yet, a fact soon to be remedied[/list:u]Total damage to me is a slight rash on my left elbow from the inside of the jacket, good sized impact bruise on my left hip, slight tweak of my left ankle and a stage 3 ego adjustment.
  
  My Gear fared well and protected me excellently.  There are 2 small wear marks on the pants.  You can't tell the jacket hit the ground and I never hit my head, so the helmet is fine.
  
  Damage to the bike is relatively minor.  I snapped the left mirror bracket off, rashed the side plate and rear grab bar and dented the  gas tank when the bike slid into the curb.  I was able to restart her and ride her the rest of the way to work.
  
  I'm pretty sure I did a newbie stunt and grabbed too much front brake causing the low-side.  Since I was in a shallow turn on slightly wet streets, it didn't take much to put me down.  Lessons learned are to go easy on the brake and ATGATT!!
  
  If you'll excuse me, I'm going to buy boots now.
  
  ~Conan
  
  
  Left thigh pocket of the pants.
  
  
  Right knee(side) of the pants.
  
  
  Left mirror mount.
  
  
  Curb shaped dent in left side of the tank.
  
  
  Cracked the speedo housing.
  
  .
  Left side plate.
  
  
  Mirror bungied down and small rash on grab bar.  I have no idea how the grab bar got rashed.

[se7enty7]

Glad to hear you're okay!!!

[pixelmonkey]

glad to hear you're ok!

looks like you will be hitting up some people with the bikes being parted out now!

same accident happed to me when i was 13... too much front brake after washing the bike. *the road rash on my left forearm will never let me forget that one.

chris<pixelmonkey>

[The Buddha]

You need a srinath special... the case guards. Yea I am Busy pluggin all the left overs... so I can start making new ones if I get laid off... and yea hoping to get $$ to live instead of being tied up in exhausts, and case guards and handlebars too... but in your case... I believe you get the idea even wihtout the plug   ....
Cool.
Srinath.

[ConanLloyd]

I'm thinking of the case guards, but I need the new tank first.  If I have any $$ left, I'll hit you up for them.  Do you take PayPal?

[skrap1r0n]

Ouch on the tank...

[bcutrufelli]

sorry to hear about that glad your okay

[sanityfree]

Good to hear you're ok! i can tell you how the grab bar got rashed.

Judging from the mutilation of the tank, I'd say the bike slid into the curb tank first. After the tank hit and came to a sudden and complete stop, the rest of the bike slid forward, smacking the grab rail into the curb as well.

My grab rail is scuffed up too, from boots and rings and crates and stuff. I want to get a luggage rack...

[Ed_in_Az]

Glad you're OK too. No crash is good, but when you can get up and ride away, that's terrific.

[TheGoodGuy]

sorry to hear about the crash. riding after teh first rain is always dangerous. Anycase im glad you got away scot free.

I think you might have to replace the mirror perch, thats definately broken. The tank could use some bondo, but it would be probably best to replace it.

[jiggersplat]

yikes.  that is a bad intersection to go down in.  glad you didn't get run over!  good luck getting her back together and lemme know if you need any help.

[John Bates]

Arghhh!!  Don't like the looks and feel of that.  Hope you get well soon.

I've been riding in the rain here for a couple weeks now.  Hope my BT45s keep me vertical.

[scratch]

Glad you're allright. You survived!

Wet conditions will bring out the mistakes that we make in our riding. By riding in the rain we learn to be smooth, which directly transfers to our riding smooth in the dry, as well.

Did you put your weight on the outside peg? I learned in Doc Wong's riding clinic this weekend, to weight the outside peg and keep the bike as verticle as possible while going around turns.

[Roadstergal]

Ouch!    But walking away is good, and riding away is better.  Glad you're OK.

[cozy]

That suxxx man, but it could be worse, and at least GS parts are relativley cheap. Now aren't you glad you don't have a fairing?
Good luck puttin' it back together!

[juggernaught]

Glad yer ok....!!!  I ride in the rain all the time and have had some close calls but wearing good protection is always a smart move..!!!

Good luck and keep the rubber side down..!!!