Newbie down NOW WITH PICTURES - SV650.org

13-07-05, 03:59 PM

On Monday evening I was traveling home from my sisters house which is about an hours ride away on some very good "biking" roads. I was about 10 mins from home going through a slow series of twisties doing about 50-55 mph. On the last right hander (I hate right handers) I felt that I was not going to make it and pulled on the brakes to try and scrub off some more speed. The result was a low speed highside as I hit a patch of gravel at the side of the road. Luckily there was a gravel driveway right at that part of the bend and I was thrown off the bike (landing on my left hip/arm) and slid for about 3m.

Initially I managed to get to my feet but after a few minutes I could not walk on my left leg. I called the wife and she came to collect me from the crash scene and the people who lived at the house there wheeled the bike into there garden.

We arrived at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary at 9.15pm and did not get seen until 1.30am

After an x-ray the radiographer said that there was a small 'line' on my pelvis that she was concerned about and would bring to the doctors attention. On further examination by the doctors they felt that there was no fracture to my pelvis (as they would not have been able to move my left leg like they had been) but they felt that there was severe internal bruising.

I put this spill down to 2 things. My lack of experience and my fear of right hand bends

. I know that had I just had bigger balls at the time I should have just counter steered slightly more and it would have probably gone round the bend fine. My fear of right handers comes from the unnatural feeling I get from leaning my body into the path of oncoming vehicles.

The bike has been picked up by my insurance company's recovery agents for this area and I am waiting to hear what they are saying about it. From what I can remember (I was very shaken and speaking jibberish at the time) it is only cosmetic damage. Top fairing, mirror, gear lever, peg, side panels, clutch lever, bar end.

I am currently signed off my work for a week and hopefully I will be up and about in the next day or 2. I can get around just now but have to use a dining chair as a zimmer frame

Oh and my lid is trashed (along with my 2 week old dark visor) my Alpinestars gloves and trousers have a couple of scuffs as does my jacket along with the poppers at the back needing replacing. boots are ok. I am sooo glad I spent the extra few quid on decent gear that's for sure.

This will not put me off riding but it does make me want to get some sort of extra training to build confidence/experience.

13-07-05, 04:04 PM

Sounds like you've learnt an important lesson the hard way.
If you're going too fast while in a corner, then you're going too fast; there's nothing more you can do about it other than try and get the bike round.
I've learnt it and got lucky. It can still sometimes take a conscious effort to not reach for the brakes if I realise that I've gone in too hot, though I think I'm now alot more cautious than I used to be.
Slow in, fast out is how I like it.

Anyway, glad you didn't suffer too badly.

13-07-05, 04:14 PM

glad to hear you're alright.

Dont worry about it, i think we've all been there, or at least very very close to being there.

I know i had a very close shave when i was getting to grips with my sv by doing the very same thing.

Sounds like you've learnt from it, which is only a positive thing.

13-07-05, 04:33 PM

Bad luck, not a nice feeling is it? Experience counts for a lot and the irony is that you would most likely have made the bend if you'd not hauled on the anchors and instead counter-steered heavily and focused on the exit point. It's all a learning curve, some things you get away with, others you don't. Could have been an awful lot worse, hope you get body and bike sorted quickly

.

.

13-07-05, 04:58 PM

Jonboy, your right about focusing on the exit point as the thing that really stuck in my mind was that I might hit the stone wall at the end of the driveway.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I had a video camera strapped to my tank at the time so as soon as I get hold of something to play the tape on I should see where I went wrong.

fizzwheel · 13-07-05, 05:10 PM

Sorry to hear about your off, glad you are relatively OK, hope you get back on the road soon

13-07-05, 05:52 PM

bad luck dude. It sounds like you already know what you did wrong and have accepted the error as yours which is the first step to getting it right next time.

13-07-05, 05:53 PM

unlucky

13-07-05, 06:34 PM

Bad luck mate.
Sounds like you will learn from it tho.

13-07-05, 07:12 PM

Bad luck, get better soon.

I feel uncomfortable in right handers unless they are roundabouts. the reason behind this seems to be the camber in the road. Most roads will camber out to the kerb so when on a left hander the road tends to bank slightly to your advantage, but on a right hander it goes away from you towards the kerb, this tends to give an unsettling feeling like you are going downhill while turning. Roundabouts tend to camber into the centre where the drains are.

13-07-05, 03:59 PM	#1
Glynmitch Guest Posts: n/a	Newbie down NOW WITH PICTURES On Monday evening I was traveling home from my sisters house which is about an hours ride away on some very good "biking" roads. I was about 10 mins from home going through a slow series of twisties doing about 50-55 mph. On the last right hander (I hate right handers) I felt that I was not going to make it and pulled on the brakes to try and scrub off some more speed. The result was a low speed highside as I hit a patch of gravel at the side of the road. Luckily there was a gravel driveway right at that part of the bend and I was thrown off the bike (landing on my left hip/arm) and slid for about 3m. Initially I managed to get to my feet but after a few minutes I could not walk on my left leg. I called the wife and she came to collect me from the crash scene and the people who lived at the house there wheeled the bike into there garden. We arrived at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary at 9.15pm and did not get seen until 1.30am After an x-ray the radiographer said that there was a small 'line' on my pelvis that she was concerned about and would bring to the doctors attention. On further examination by the doctors they felt that there was no fracture to my pelvis (as they would not have been able to move my left leg like they had been) but they felt that there was severe internal bruising. I put this spill down to 2 things. My lack of experience and my fear of right hand bends . I know that had I just had bigger balls at the time I should have just counter steered slightly more and it would have probably gone round the bend fine. My fear of right handers comes from the unnatural feeling I get from leaning my body into the path of oncoming vehicles. The bike has been picked up by my insurance company's recovery agents for this area and I am waiting to hear what they are saying about it. From what I can remember (I was very shaken and speaking jibberish at the time) it is only cosmetic damage. Top fairing, mirror, gear lever, peg, side panels, clutch lever, bar end. I am currently signed off my work for a week and hopefully I will be up and about in the next day or 2. I can get around just now but have to use a dining chair as a zimmer frame Oh and my lid is trashed (along with my 2 week old dark visor) my Alpinestars gloves and trousers have a couple of scuffs as does my jacket along with the poppers at the back needing replacing. boots are ok. I am sooo glad I spent the extra few quid on decent gear that's for sure. This will not put me off riding but it does make me want to get some sort of extra training to build confidence/experience.

13-07-05, 05:10 PM	#6
fizzwheel Super Moderator Mega Poster Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Somerset Posts: 3,614	Sorry to hear about your off, glad you are relatively OK, hope you get back on the road soon __________________ Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over. K5 GSXR 750 Anniversary Edition

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13-07-05, 04:04 PM	#2
Carsick Guest Posts: n/a	Sounds like you've learnt an important lesson the hard way. If you're going too fast while in a corner, then you're going too fast; there's nothing more you can do about it other than try and get the bike round. I've learnt it and got lucky. It can still sometimes take a conscious effort to not reach for the brakes if I realise that I've gone in too hot, though I think I'm now alot more cautious than I used to be. Slow in, fast out is how I like it. Anyway, glad you didn't suffer too badly.

13-07-05, 04:14 PM	#3
Anonymous Guest Posts: n/a	glad to hear you're alright. Dont worry about it, i think we've all been there, or at least very very close to being there. I know i had a very close shave when i was getting to grips with my sv by doing the very same thing. Sounds like you've learnt from it, which is only a positive thing.

13-07-05, 04:33 PM	#4
jonboy Guest Posts: n/a	Bad luck, not a nice feeling is it? Experience counts for a lot and the irony is that you would most likely have made the bend if you'd not hauled on the anchors and instead counter-steered heavily and focused on the exit point. It's all a learning curve, some things you get away with, others you don't. Could have been an awful lot worse, hope you get body and bike sorted quickly . .

13-07-05, 04:58 PM	#5
Glynmitch Guest Posts: n/a	Jonboy, your right about focusing on the exit point as the thing that really stuck in my mind was that I might hit the stone wall at the end of the driveway. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I had a video camera strapped to my tank at the time so as soon as I get hold of something to play the tape on I should see where I went wrong.

13-07-05, 05:52 PM	#7
chutz Guest Posts: n/a	bad luck dude. It sounds like you already know what you did wrong and have accepted the error as yours which is the first step to getting it right next time.

13-07-05, 06:34 PM	#9
WelshWop Guest Posts: n/a	Bad luck mate. Sounds like you will learn from it tho.

13-07-05, 07:12 PM	#10
Mikey G Guest Posts: n/a	Bad luck, get better soon. I feel uncomfortable in right handers unless they are roundabouts. the reason behind this seems to be the camber in the road. Most roads will camber out to the kerb so when on a left hander the road tends to bank slightly to your advantage, but on a right hander it goes away from you towards the kerb, this tends to give an unsettling feeling like you are going downhill while turning. Roundabouts tend to camber into the centre where the drains are.