So, I crashed my bike...

[El motociclista]

...which it seems a lot of folks have been doing lately. But unlike most others' incidents this was wholly my fault.

I'm okay. I came out pretty much unscathed, luckily. I was in some canyons and went into a curve too fast. Once I realized this I hit the brakes, locked the rear wheel as I ride into a dirt turn-out on the side of the road, release the brakes and apply them again as I'm riding on all kinds of rocks and dirt. I thought for a moment I'd be able to keep it up but I hit some mean rocks that were sending the rear wheel squirling in all directions. It felt like I was gonna get high-sided the way the bike was bucking side to side but before I know it I'm laying the bike down on the left side where it and I slide to a stop right at the beginning of a hill on the shoulder of the road.
I get up. I'm okay. No pain, no blood. I have absolutely ALL my gear on, even my fancy-smancy racing boots. It saved my skin big time. I'm not sure how fast I was going when I ultimately laid it down but I would think somewhere between 20-30 but I really don't know for sure. There was very little time or asphalt for me to slow down from my initial speed of about 50 or so.
I was riding really carefully up to that point. I got a little careless and excited going into this particular curve (tight left-hander followed immediately by a tight R-hander) and it didn't help that I was following my friend who was riding a bit faster on his SV650. I was in too high a gear as well so I didn't get any help from engine braking as I tried to slow down for the turn. It all happened so fast. I didn't feel very comfortable during most of the ride as my rear tire felt squirly during curves b/c the rear shock is shaZam!. It's like a pogo stick. It made me very hesitant to lean the bike because it just did not feel well planted at all and would feel like it was squirming when leaned over at speed. Therefore, when I realized I was coming in too hot in the turn, I didn't even think to try leaning it as hard as I could to try and possible make the turn cause I thought for sure that would lead to a certain high-speed low-side into the opposing lane. No thanks. There was hardly any traffic but I didn't want to take any chances along a blind turn. I really don't feel I would've made the turn even if I leaned that thing to the edge but maybe I could've, don't know, won't ever know.

I banged the bike up a bit and will need new handlebars, headlight, footpeg, and some other stuff.  I tore a very small hole in my leather jacket and my textile pants got a little shredded. I scraped up the faceshield on my helmet as well. Better that than my face. I was able to ride it home, even w/o the shifter side foot peg, slightly bent handlebars, and scrapes across my faceshield  = ). It's got a nice new big dent in the tank where the handlebars smacked it.
My friend helped me lift the bike up and drove behind me all the way home to make sure everything was alright.

Here are some pics of the bike after the crash:

http://s307.photobucket.com/albums/nn308/aroar/GS%20Wreck/?albumview=slideshow

On to repair the bike...


Aaron

[TheTazZ]

That sucks.
Good to hear you're still in one piece though!

[Jay_wolf]

Another +1  for wearing full gear , glad ur safe dude

[pandy]

Another +1  for wearing full gear , glad ur safe dude

+1, too! 

[shuluke]

Hey man, glad to hear your doing well. I will be shipping today or tomorrow morning.

[reminor]

Glad you are ok. Wear all the gear all the time folks!

I guess having those engine quards pays off after all..

Will you be replacing your helmet? If you banged it even once you'd better. So they say.

[El motociclista]

Hey, thanks everyone. I appreciate the kind words.

Glad you are ok. Wear all the gear all the time folks!

I guess having those engine quards pays off after all..

Will you be replacing your helmet? If you banged it even once you'd better. So they say.

Yeah, I just recently put the case guards on too. The left guard actually was slightly bent  at the upper mounting tab in the crash and I'm debating whether or not to replace it. I imagine if it goes down again on that side that it will snap off and my crankcase could sustain damage.
I'm not going to replace the helmet b/c it sustained only abrasive damage. I never made a hard impact with my head in the accident. It scraped the ground a bit but that's it. I do need a new face shield though.

To all the others that have gone down lately, hope you're doing good and healing up nicely. It can't be stressed enough, wearing all the gear all the time is imperative. It can't protect you from violent impacts but does against those mean, unfriendly surfaces you might on some occassion find yourselves sliding along, either uneventfully b/c you have (ALL your) gear, or screaming in horror and pain as your skin is taken from you. Oooh, nasty...

[toyopete]

Hello El,

you have exactly the same bike as I have, same colour too, sorry you smashed it but you came out alright, be carreful next time trying to follow a SV650 might not be a good idea,
since that bike get's way lower before touching ground with the pegs.
don't worry changing helmets, hit the other side next time

take care!

[rblevins]

Good to hear you are in one peice, I need to invest in riding gear soon...I normally ride in jeans, a small jacket, gloves and always with the helmet.

As for the helmet, I have my Shoei from 94 that's been on the pavment once while a friend wrecked my bike and hit by the bike once while I was in it. Still trust it since there are no cracks, just a few nics and scars.

[beRto]

As for the helmet, I have my Shoei from 94 that's been on the pavment once while a friend wrecked my bike and hit by the bike once while I was in it. Still trust it since there are no cracks, just a few nics and scars.

The shell isn't the part you need to worry about. Most of the protection comes from the foam inside the helmet - it crushes on impact to protect your head. Damage to the foam often cannot be seen from the outside. In your case, I would either send the helmet to Shoei for an inspection (I'm pretty sure it is free), or replace the helmet. Actually, since the helmet is almost 15 years old (!), I'd just replace it.

[frankieG]

glad you are ok...were you looking where you were going or where u wanted to go?  your bike will go where you are looking so if you look toward the ditch that is where you are going to go.  may sound silly but it is true.  i learned this when i first took racing school in the 80's and it has kept me from crashing both on and off the track.