is there something wrong with me or my bike?

[clydeflouride]

Evening all. First time poster. Just looking for a sounding board really.

Had my licence / sv650s for 7 months now and laid it down in the ice outside my office entrance last week. About 20mph on its right side.

I would think more a result of poor judgement (riding in minus 4) than inability to ride properly. The bike was dead upright and just hit the deck.

Needs a little fixing, fairing damage, indicator, bent rear brake lever. But im taking this as an opportunity to add led mirrors, flush indicators and various other treats for the bike/me.

The only issue is, I feel like a stranger to the bike now. I feel wobbly and lacking in confidence. I wonder if this is nerves or an actual mechanical problem. I love riding and I love my sv but I feel very disjointed from it. Almost like it's let me down. Ridiculous I know.

Any thoughts? Should I take it in? I thought maybe the rear brake was sticking but the light doesn't come on and it seems eeasy enough to push. The forks don't look bent or damaged although the very edge at the bottom is scraped along with the edge of the front wheel.

I should note I don't have a car so I ride nearly everyday and have never really had an issue with rain or moderately bad weather.

[maviczap]

Its quite normal to feel this after a fall

Get your light fixed, especially if its the brake light.

[Bibio]

its only natural that you should feel a bit wobbly after a fall, it wont last long and you will be back in the swing again soon. seasoned bikers dont use their pride and joy in the winter and instead buy a cheep hack to do the job.

dont bother with upgrading the broken parts just replace like for like and get the bike fixed as its still winter and you might do the same again.

[clydeflouride]

Cheers. The light actually operates correctly, which I guess means my brakes aren't sticking. thanks for the warm welcome. I imagine 0 or below is when most bikers decide to leave it in the garage?

[Jayneflakes]

We have all been there, the feeling of fear after a fall is natural because you have a new understanding of the processes involved and even if this is not a fully concious thought, you will still be processing it and trying not to repeat it.

I had a really horrible crash while racing my mountain bike down hill several years ago, the accident left me in hospital and with a bike that was bent in the middle. Once I was recovered and had sorted the bike, I went out for a ride and had a melt down because I was too afraid to ride. It took some time to over come this but in the end I was a better rider because I was less carefree and chose my lines better. Experience never comes easy!

Black ice will always be a danger for the rider, you will have no grip, no control and even trying to stop on it will lead to a slide. Maybe it is the time to consider taking the bus?

[Red ones]

I dropped my mountain bike on ice a couple of weeks ago. (I have huge amounts of cycling experience) it shook my confidence on the SV for the week (and I have about 250,000 miles experience on them too)

It reminds you how hard Tarmac is.

[clydeflouride]

I guess it's natural. I was concerned I might have knackered something on the bike but probably it's me being on edge that's making the bike feel odd! I guess I'll get it up on the ABBA stand and give it a good look over at the weekend as I wont be riding if it's icy.

[Red ones]

Doesn't take much to make you worry.
I had two new tyres fitted this morning, and I've been riding like a wuss all day because I'm not used to it wanting to fall in to corners!

[clydeflouride]

What did you go for? I'm on the originals 4.5k miles. Thinking of changing in a month or 2. Metzeler 7rrs look good to me

[Matt-EUC]

Pilot road 4 is the best tyre I've ever had, give it a go.

As far as bad weather riding goes, if the road is white, go back to bed. If not, carry on as normal.

[NTECUK]

M7RR are sports tyres that work incredibly in the wet.
P4 will last a bit longer.

[clydeflouride]

Not too fussed about getting huge mileage. TThanks, does it noticeably change the handling getting some quality rubber?

[NTECUK]

Any new rubber is good. You loose the V or U profile with use.
Tyre's are a very personal thing.
The M7 were proceeded by the M5, had them on the Daytona. Looking forward to the uprated M7, they did 4,000 miles

[clydeflouride]

4k miles will do me!

On a side note I had a lift into work today and my mum managed to skid her BMW 1 series on the same stretch of tarmac outside my office about half a car length.

Made me realise that if with 4 tyres, presumably ABS and Traction Control you can still skid easily I must have had next to no chance on 2 wheels!

[ophic]

I've done similar. Rode 55 miles to work down nice gritted motorways and A roads then splatted it on the turn in to work which wasn't gritted.

On a motorcycle you're constantly judging how much traction you have, and on ice you have none, so your "motorcycling sense" has taken a knock and you'll be unwilling to trust your judgement again. Take it steady and build up your confidence again.

[TamSV]

Just to echo the above, it's fairly natural to lose a bit of confidence after even a minor off. Icy roads are not ideal for gaining that confidence back.

However it's still a good idea to check your bike over if you've dropped it - in fact it's a good idea even if you haven't dropped it. :)

If you feel the brakes are sticking that's worth investigating. The brake light is operated by a switch at the brake levers but most sticking braking problems are related to the brake caliper. This could be accident related or just general maintenance. The fact the brake light isn't on all the time doesn't therefore mean the brakes aren't sticking.

If you have any doubt, get the wheel in the air and give it a spin. If you don't have paddock stands or similar you can get a mate to pull the bike over on its sidestand while you spin the wheel. The front should spin freely, the rear will be slowed by the chain but any dragging or sticking of the brakes should be apparent.

[clydeflouride]

Good idea.

I'll get it on the ABBA stand and give the rear wheel a spin at the weekend. Everything looks fine but I'm not overly technical, I imagine if there was something knackered internally at the front end it would manifest itself at all speeds and conditions rather than when I'm feeling most vulnerable, ie: dark country lanes, tight corners and slow speed manouvering.

I don't feel like I'm going more slowly (or less stable) than usual in the daylight and round my favourite bends.

[KingDerelict]

Many years ago, on a cold and frosty January morning, I remember a work colleague calling me a wuss (or words to that effect) because I had taken the bus, whilst he had ridden in.

I next saw him about a month later, when he had come out of hospital and was able to come back to work with his leg and arm still in plaster. He couldn't ride again for the whole of the following long, dry, warm summer (as I took great delight in reminding him every morning).

I ride to and from work in just about any weather except ice and snow. But some days, I look outside and ask myself, what am I riding for? Is my reward going to be an evening in with Claudia Schiffer and a bowl of Angel Delight? Or just another day at work?

Recently had PR4s fitted to my Street Triple and can confirm they are the grippiest tyres I have ever used by quite a long way - have PR3s on the SV which are good but the PR4s feel like you are Velcro'd to the road.

[clydeflouride]

True True. I feel like riding to work and back is my 'treat' for enduring a day at the office but I suppose that can lead to poor judgement.

Incidently this morning the road which I took a fall on claimed another victim.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-31039644

Might have to take a look at a few more tyre reviews then!

[NTECUK]

I took me 1and 10 minutes to get into work today.
It's max 30 mins on the bike
But if it's below 4'C it's the car

[Moleman]

I I had a friend who is a mechanic and mad on the Lombard rally who went one year on his only mode of transport his xl250 as I remember could have been something else not 100% sure now. Anyway it was snowing all day and he made it two up with his other half down a quiet m1 stopping briefly for shelter under a bridge. Police passed him and came back in their Range Rover amazed at his feet of riding and escorted him to his exit. He made it to back roads from Leicester and had to final stop in a little village about 20 miles or so from home. A nice chap took potty pn him and offered him a cup of tea and his phone to ring me and so I went out in my old swb landy to bring him home there must have been two or three foot of snow and he is without a doubt the best rider I have ever met however he did make mistakes. He bought a yam exup ru 1000 superb bike which I was thinking of buying but he beat me to it, chives it down the road while giving it some beans and crossing a wet white line in the road high sided it but walked ish away with a fractured ankle. Thing is every one drops/comes off at some point if you ride long enough sure will knock your confidence but get back in the saddle and you will soon put it behind you. Sounds to me like you did the right thing I'm sure the SV still loves you so love it back you two will be fine :-)

[NTECUK]

Times I've crashed bikes and ridden in a ambulance when I was 17 broke my foot. Still love the feeling at 52.
Just take your time and it will come back.