nearly....very nearly....

[Ratty46]

i just came home...i'm sitting here typing in my leathers...

i dunno what to say really, i just had a massive tankslapper and its ablsoutley frightened the living daylights outta me. i went overtake a car and as a drew level with it i think i hit a bump? or something and it went lock to lock i thought i was gonna die,i'm honestly thought "i'm ****ed" i dunno how i stayed on it. i pulled over and phoned a mate in tears.

fuk im still shaking....

any advice on dealing with it, trying not to dwell on it but its a bit hard!

[Berlin]

If you're born to be shot, you'll never be hung! :)

Had a bad one in the late 80's on a VF500FII (16 " front wheel!) that bruised my thumbs so badly I couldn't ride home.

Cheers,
Carl

[Lissa]

I think most of us have had one of those 'I'm gonna die' moments. The fact that you are sitting there typing proves one thing.................you didn't die.

I can't advise how to deal with it, because we all have different ways of coping with things. Apparently, when Pete and I were nearly wiped out by a car losing control and crashing I was heard laughing like a loon................my way of dealing with things.

Maybe it helps that I'm a very firm believer in 'when your numbers up, it's up' Your number wasn't up today, and that's the important thing.

[Ratty46]

thanks, both of ya,

i honestly thought my number was up, i suppose fate thought not.:rolleyes:

i dont think i was laughing!...i remember thinking f*** that was close, all i wanted to do was get off the bike!, wich i did then phoned my mate, hes been riding 17 years, the voice of experience so to speak, he helped calm me down, i think i cried with relief!

its partly my fault,cos i didnt think, i been out all day, not had much sleep last night(not on the booze) i shouldnt have gone out. stupid.. stupid!...:smt013

oh berlin, my mates got an early blade with a 16 inch front wheel,they are very twitchy, he had a slapper after landing a wheelie, he didnt hold that one!

[Lissa]

its partly my fault,cos i didnt think, i been out all day, not had much sleep last night(not on the booze) i shouldnt have gone out. stupid.. stupid!...:smt013

So a lesson learned, maybe, and not the really hard way.:D

We all make mistakes, Hun............people ride when maybe they shouldn't because they're tired or in the wrong frame of mind, lose concentration momentarily, misjudge their speed or their line.................the important thing is to learn from it but not dwell on it. ;)

[Ratty46]

indeed lissa,

oh definetly a lesson learned;) yeah thats what my mate said, dont dwell on it, i made a mistake and i was lucky :smt045

i'm get a good nights sleep and go out tomorrow at some point,rid the fear so to speak.

you probably gathered i've not long passed me test, so a lesson learned.

[Lissa]

indeed lissa,

oh definetly a lesson learned;) yeah thats what my mate said, dont dwell on it, i made a mistake and i was lucky :smt045

i'm get a good nights sleep and go out tomorrow at some point,rid the fear so to speak.

you probably gathered i've not long passed me test, so a lesson learned.

Well, Pete's been riding for 35 years, and he says it doesn't matter how long you've been riding, you can still make mistakes and you never stop learning.

Just post after your ride tomorrow to let us know you're ok, hey?

[ASM-Forever]

You just have to accept that sometimes **** happens!

Sure you might have been able to avoid it if you didn't go for the overtake, better obs etc but you can never live your life inhibited by considering what uncontrolled variables might affect you.

The SV isn't too bad for head-shake/slappers. I definitely feel my R6 is a bit more inclined and that tallies with what i've heard from other owners.

If it really worries you then a steering dampner might be just the trick.

At the end of the day near misses go hand in hand with riding a bike....the fact that it was nothing more than that is exactly what you should focus on.

[melody]

Glad you're ok Ratty. Get a good night's sleep and hope you feel better in the morning.:smt056

[Ratty46]

nope you never stop learning, petes right, and me mate ray he says the same. i will post tomorrow to let ya know, i might pop up the ace.

ASM- i think a damper may help, i am slim built and am as light as a feather, so it is something i'm gonna look into, i did think about before....should have got one!

yeah **** happens...see i am used to having a few near misses while commuting on me scoot, but that slap was really violent, and i was going at speed heading towards a bend,it really sh*t me up. but i do get what ya saying, you are right.

but i'm still here:D

thanks melody, i need the sleep!

[markmoto]

Certainly sounds like a bottom clentcher! if you wanted to significantly reduce or eliminate the risk of another one you could buy a steering damper you can pic a decent one up for around £100. onwards and upwards im also a firm believer in when your numbers up your numbers up! it wasnt your day fella ;-)

[Blue_SV650S]

What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger! 8)

As for tears ... you wuss!! :D

I don't tend to need a hankie after a sphincter threatening moment, just some toilet roll!!! - 'wet wipes' work best I have found!!! :smt003

[Razor]

What a rush! Near death experiences RAWK!!

but only afterwards...

[ivantate]

Would the damper off the SV thou fit?? havent got my bikes together so cant check.

[Razor]

The SV650 doesn't need a damper.

[fizzwheel]

I've had loads of minor head shakes, theres one bit of road that will provoke the SV every time if I'm hard on the throttle.

Best thing to do, is to do nothing IMHO, just relax the grip on the bars a little, try and stay relaxed, keep the throttle constant and dont brake either.

Normally the bike will sort itself out, I found before that throttling off or braking just put extra load on the front suspension which just made things worse.

Just relax and ride it out

[Ceri JC]

Look on the bright side, 6 months from now, the fear will have subsided and you'll have a good story to tell in the pub. ;)

[Blue_SV650S]

I've had loads of minor head shakes, theres one bit of road that will provoke the SV every time if I'm hard on the throttle.

Best thing to do, is to do nothing IMHO, just relax the grip on the bars a little, try and stay relaxed, keep the throttle constant and don't brake either.

Normally the bike will sort itself out, I found before that throttling off or braking just put extra load on the front suspension which just made things worse.

Just relax and ride it out

If you have a slapper that is long enough in duration to actively think 'humm what shall I do here??' ... you are in a world of poo already, so you are probably in the process of 'getting off' as it is!! :D

[stuartyboy]

Fit a steering damper mate. Glad you're ok though.

[diamond]

Just forget about it, it may have been the first but it probably won't be the last. We all have these moments just learn from it and move on, you can't let it put you off.

[Ratty46]

hey all

went out today with a mate just going through essex and hertfordshire,not going nuts just a nice smooth ride, felt fine,had a couple of twitchy moments,nothing major,shed the fear now and i can laugh about it:smt045

thanks for the replies all,your a good bunch!:D:smt045

still might get a damper cos i weigh sod all and can see it happening again....
in the meantime i'm being very carefull!

oh n i definetly cried with relief!!:oops:

[Ratty]

Would be worth checking the bike set up as well. You shouldn't be getting violent slappers on a K4. Double check you tyre pressures with a quality gauge and make sure the rear isn't badlly squared off. Check your pre loads are not too high for your light weight. If the last owner was a porker and carried pillions, the rear may be jacked up for max and you'll have incorrect sag. Has the rear been jacked with after market bones? You don't want quick steering until your well used to the bike.

Good luck.. Cool name by the way.

Ratty

[Ratty46]

Would be worth checking the bike set up as well. You shouldn't be getting violent slappers on a K4. Double check you tyre pressures with a quality gauge and make sure the rear isn't badlly squared off. Check your pre loads are not too high for your light weight. If the last owner was a porker and carried pillions, the rear may be jacked up for max and you'll have incorrect sag. Has the rear been jacked with after market bones? You don't want quick steering until your well used to the bike.

Good luck.. Cool name by the way.

Ratty

good point ratty,

my mate said to check the tyre pressure, the rear definetly isnt squared off, and im pretty sure the rear shock is stock, i'll get the suspension checked or have a go myself? i can see where your coming from with the quick steering.
from what i can remeber i think it was a bump i hit,possible a cats eye.

cheers for the advice fella...damn cool name aye:cool:

[Lissa]

Good to read that you're feeling happier now, Ratty:D

[jambo]

good point ratty,

my mate said to check the tyre pressure, the rear definetly isnt squared off, and im pretty sure the rear shock is stock, i'll get the suspension checked or have a go myself? i can see where your coming from with the quick steering.
from what i can remeber i think it was a bump i hit,possible a cats eye.

cheers for the advice fella...damn cool name aye:cool:

Set the preload to what it came out of the factory with and work from there, or take the time out to measure and set it correctly for you. Search on "Static sag" or "Setting Preload" should bring up some useful guides.

Glad you're ok mate, Keep the bike in good nick and you shouldn't need a steering damper

jambo

[Alpinestarhero]

A large bump, coupled with accelaration and some force through the handlebars will induce such an event.

Anyway, you survived - SV's are pretty stable normally, so this was probably a one off event. But if you want peice of mind, fit a steering damper, i think Hypero (sp?) do one that stiffens up the more force is put through it, so riding through town is easy (little force) but catches slappers (lotsa force)

Matt

[Ratty46]

feeling much better now lissa, thanks:)

cheers jambo, i'll do some searches and have a crack at it.

aplinestarshero-

i've alreay looked at them;) look good dont tho and they take the out teh hassle of setting them,i might get one undecided yet, yeah it will be a one fof down that road,never again!:rolleyes: