Its time to go.... UNSANE!

[Unsane]

Well, after a little over 14 months, its time for me to leave the GS500 fraternity - whilst I am only days away from getting my open license and purchasing a ZX14, my 500 died an untimely death yesterday and I wanted to share (what will probably be) my last story with you all...

The route was set for a ride from Sydney to Mudgee, then back down through Sofala to Bathurst - anyone who knows these roads will know they are a challenging ride and virtually police-free (we didn't see any!). Anyhow, heading down the tight turns into Sofala I tipped in to a nice right-hander and found myself drifting wide on some loose gravel. The drift turned into a lowside and i slid with it straight into the armco mount at about 45kph. Bang.

Bike Damage List:

• Front wheel cracked & tyre burst
• Shocks bent in so fa the tyre is hard on the sump
• All fairings damaged/destroyed
• Both sides of the engine grind
• Exhaust grind & bent
• Right rearset twisted out

Unsane Damage List

• Sore hip, shoulder & wrists - thats all

So how did I escape what was potentially a fatal accident? Wearing the proper gear. See below...

The corner, the slide, the stop.


Lifted it up off the road to find this


Nice bend in the front forks


Bent & twisted all in one go - now thats skill


Heads, shoulders, hands & toes








So with that, I would like to give a final piece of unfiltered opinionated advice - if you ride a motorcycle wearing any of the following: sneakers, loafers, jeans, t-shirts, shorts and no gloves then you are a complete f&%king idiot with no sense of personal safety and if you think you are a top rider and "this would never happen to me" then all the best, I wont be visiting you in hospital when you come unstuck. The pics of gouges in my helmet, scratches on the shoulder armor of the jacket, rips in the carbon fibre hand plate and the nasty boot grind tell more than words ever could.



Plus if you live and ride in a country where helmets are not mandatory then consider the policy a form population control - it helps weed out the ones too stupid to realize a helment will save your life and realistically, if the human race is going to continue evolving, its probably best that you aren't contributing to the gene pool. If I weren't wearing a helmet then you wouldn't be reading this.

Well thats it for now - all my leftover shaZam! will be posted up here shortly for quick sale... engine, speedo/tech, blinkers, etc

[Twisted]

Sorry to hear dude. Lucky you got to pull some gear of and sell it before you binned her. Hope you were insured. What happened to the TLR I thought you said you were getting? Take it easy on the ZX14. It won't be as forgiving as the GS.

[Unsane]

Yep was insured  I also ripped off the Koso dash before it was trucked away - but its sold already!
The TLR was bought as a project (which is already underway) but one of my mates is in love with it - sold already 
For sure I will be taking my time getting to know the 14 - having a week off work to have a love-in

[slipperymongoose]

It's sad to see you go and in such an abrupt way too, glad your mostly ok though good luck and maybe will run into each other one day. 

[codajastal]

I am glad you're ok. No need to leave the forum just because the bikes gone? You're always good for info

[bubba zanetti]

Sorry to hear dude. Lucky you got to pull some gear of and sell it before you binned her. Hope you were insured. What happened to the TLR I thought you said you were getting? Take it easy on the ZX14. It won't be as forgiving as the GS.

Why won't the 14 be as forgiving? Just because a bike is more powerful, doesn't mean it's more difficult to ride. Usually it's the opposite.

[slipperymongoose]

I think he might have been referring to the sheer amount of power you have at your disposal in your right hand and how quick it probably comes on compared to the GS

[bubba zanetti]

The throttle works in both directions, just cause you have that amount of power doesn't mean you have to use it all in one go. you learn more from riding a modern powerful bike than you do riding an under powered, ill handling piece of rubbish.

[codajastal]

The throttle works in both directions, just cause you have that amount of power doesn't mean you have to use it all in one go. you learn more from riding a modern powerful bike than you do riding an under powered, ill handling piece of rubbish.

Ummm have to disagree there, I learnt to ride on one of those "under powered, ill handling piece of rubbish" and it was the best thing I ever did. I learnt more control and ability from that than I ever did on the more powerful bikes I have owned.

[Twisted]

Sorry to hear dude. Lucky you got to pull some gear of and sell it before you binned her. Hope you were insured. What happened to the TLR I thought you said you were getting? Take it easy on the ZX14. It won't be as forgiving as the GS.

Why won't the 14 be as forgiving? Just because a bike is more powerful, doesn't mean it's more difficult to ride. Usually it's the opposite.

Did I say anything about difficult? Yes the throttle does work both ways but if you come out of a corner and try to accelerate on the ZX14 as you did on the GS then you will find yourself in a whole lot of trouble. A new bike takes getting used to especially when you are going form a 40HP twin to a 170hp motorcycle.

[Twisted]

you learn more from riding a modern powerful bike than you do riding an under powered, ill handling piece of rubbish.

And that is your opinion.  I think you will have a lot of people disagree with you on that. For some reason I don't see the ZX14 on the LAMS list? 

[BaltimoreGS]

The throttle works in both directions, just cause you have that amount of power doesn't mean you have to use it all in one go. you learn more from riding a modern powerful bike than you do riding an under powered, ill handling piece of rubbish.

Ummm have to disagree there, I learnt to ride on one of those "under powered, ill handling piece of rubbish" and it was the best thing I ever did. I learnt more control and ability from that than I ever did on the more powerful bikes I have owned.

Can we agree to disagree on this and just be glad that the OP wasn't seriously injured     Both of you have valid points.  A GS5 is great to learn on due to the lack of insane power.  It is not intimidating for a newbie so he can learn the basics.  On the negative side, the lack of power can lead you to develop bad habits like giving it full throttle coming out of a turn.  The GS may not break the rear wheel loose but a 1,000cc sport bike definitely will.  Throttle control is a big bike skill that can't be fully learned on a GS.  When you go over a bump and twist the throttle by accident you may never notice on a GS but being choppy on the throttle with a big bike can and will lead to problems.  So in summary:  You are both right.  Now one of you Aussie's go buy the OP a beer   

-Jessie

[Twisted]

I would if there wasn't 1,000kms between us  It would be a bit flat by the time I got there.

[Unsane]

Farkinjeezus - i go out for a few hours and look what happens 

I can agree with both sides here - I was so comfortable with the GS500's engine power I could just wring its neck everywhere I went. The time I have spent on big bikes has always been a lesson in self control and testicular fortitude but I'm glad I learnt on the 500. The 14 will take some discipline but I have really outgrown the 500 and its time to move on.

For me, the GS500 did handle like poo because of my size and weight, the limitations of stock suspension under the sheer flogging it received - sure I could have fitted bigger springs and R6 shock and so forth, but in the end it was my learning bike - only having 40 horses on tap makes learning roadcraft, clutch control, balance and steering are much easier.

Whilst I respect the decisions made by the government to introduce LAMS, rider training and education go a lot further than limiting power. Many LAMS bikes will still pull 170kph+ and any idiot with $150 who can do 4 hours of competency training & a piss easy multi-choice can ride one.

[Toogoofy317]

Now please don't think I'm being a jerk or anything of the such. I'm glad your okay. But, how many miles do you have under your belt if you are just now getting ready to "open license"? This is the time that typically is most dangerous for riders (this statistic was given in my MSF class but if you want I'm sure I can pull up a study on it  ) because as you said you were " so comfortable with the Gs500's engine power I could wring its neck everywhere" aka you know just enough to get yourself killed. There is a really good reason a ZX14 is not in the introductory LAMS line up in all honesty what makes you think your not going to get to comfortable with it and do the same thing maybe this time with a different outcome?

For me it is hard to make logical sense of this I couldn't handle a gs500 so let me get a bike with what 3 times the power and probably twice the weight and see what happens. That to me is like husbands who give their wives suburbans and excursions on the road because they aren't good drivers. Oh goodie give them bigger more powerful vehicles so they can (in this case) kill someone else. Or grandpa who has decreased cognitive function an expensive shiny sports car.

Again, glad your alright. ATGATT works you've proved it again. But, please sit down and have an honest discussion with yourself on your next choice of bike.

Mary

[knowles]

Now please don't think I'm being a jerk or anything of the such. I'm glad your okay. But, how many miles do you have under your belt if you are just now getting ready to "open license"? This is the time that typically is most dangerous for riders (this statistic was given in my MSF class but if you want I'm sure I can pull up a study on it  ) because as you said you were " so comfortable with the Gs500's engine power I could wring its neck everywhere" aka you know just enough to get yourself killed. There is a really good reason a ZX14 is not in the introductory LAMS line up in all honesty what makes you think your not going to get to comfortable with it and do the same thing maybe this time with a different outcome?

For me it is hard to make logical sense of this I couldn't handle a gs500 so let me get a bike with what 3 times the power and probably twice the weight and see what happens. That to me is like husbands who give their wives suburbans and excursions on the road because they aren't good drivers. Oh goodie give them bigger more powerful vehicles so they can (in this case) kill someone else. Or grandpa who has decreased cognitive function an expensive shiny sports car.

Again, glad your alright. ATGATT works you've proved it again. But, please sit down and have an honest discussion with yourself on your next choice of bike.

Mary

I wasn't going to say anything but since you did, that was my thinking also.

[Unsane]

Mary & Knowles - your comments have made me rethink the whole ZX14 thing an you'll be pleased to know I've come to my senses and I'm now going to buy a CB125. 

Seriously though, I've been riding for a few years - several track days - many many many long rides thru the twisties - commuted every day for almost 8 months.

When I first got on the GS500 it felt nice for a learner bike but now its plain boring - thats why I have no issues ringing its neck. This does not mean I ride around at 11,000rpm everywhere I go - it just means that the bike is boring to me and it takes a long time to reach the speeds I am comfortable with - where a faster bike will not be working so hard. Apart from that, I also love the feeling of acceleration that only a bigger engine can provide. It may not be your thing guys but hey, its your choice

I hit a gravel patch mid corner - doesn't matter if i was on a PeeWee50 or a triple turbo Busa... the fact is many riders, new and old, fall victim to environmental hazards and the mode of transport is irrelevant.

Can I suggest reading people's posts rather than reading into people's posts.

[Funderb]

Mary & Knowles - your comments have made me rethink the whole ZX14 thing an you'll be pleased to know I've come to my senses and I'm now going to buy a CB125

HEY! I loved my cb125, and was very sad to see it go. To the new owner.

RIP



AND I'm glad you are ok, though i dont like kawasakis as much, im sure the zx14 will be loads of fun. Be safe, ride fun, and get a new helmet!

[Toogoofy317]

I read your posts fully and as a psych major with less than 15 hours until my bachelor's degree in it am pretty good at reading comprehension at this point. My entire profession is reading into what is not blatantly said. With that aside I'm glad my post made you think. While I don't agree that "a peewee 50" would go down in a corner without some serious inattentativeness  and gross negligence.

I personally know a guy who has gone from a gs500 to a zx14 and even though he says his throttle hand and second brain (you know what I'm talking about guys) are not connected. First day I saw him on the road he did everything I knew he would do and worse more dangerous stuff than before. While I don't personally know you but, your own statements show that you may very well fall victim again to the same thing.
"When I first got on the GS500 it felt nice for a learner bike but now its plain boring - thats why I have no issues ringing its neck. This does not mean I ride around at 11,000rpm everywhere I go - it just means that the bike is boring to me and it takes a long time to reach the speeds I am comfortable with - where a faster bike will not be working so hard. Apart from that, I also love the feeling of acceleration that only a bigger engine can provide"

I'd bet money that you said you were saying I'm getting a 125 just to quash the argument well considered it quashed and I will comment no further get what you want it is only your life and your choices have no bearing on me so have fun and keep the shiny side up on whatever you choose!

I'm going riding beautiful day!

Mary

[mister]

Unsane,

Good to hear you are fine.

With your next bike... and this applies to ANY next bike you get...

Insurance Statistics Show: You are more like to have an off in the first 6 months of ownership and/or first 8,000kms.

Michael