Another 1st Off
 

Black cab driver pulls out. I swerve to avoid, road a bit greasy, bike goes down.

No impact, no real damage.

Looks like I'm just another contributer to the stat that says newbies drop bikes.....

Damage - Scuff to the back of the mirror. bar-end, fairing (minor), bent (as in V-shaped rear-brake lever, couple of scuffs to can.

No damage to me (main thing)

Anyone know what the rear-brake leaver on an SV is made of?

I would like to try straightening it (still works as is but is "wierd" due to shortening of distance from pivot point to where pressure is applied, but I am wary if snapping it off.

Any thoughts?

David

It'll probably snap, unfortunately... It's not especially good cast alloy. I bet you a pound it'll snap if you try to do it cold, never tried one with heat though.

Sounds like it could have been worse, though! You're not allowed to kill yourself till after you pay me for those books ;)

Aah..Glad you are okay.

I'll leave the lever as it is myself. Don't take much for them to break as it is. You'll get use to it in no time.

Cheers
Ben

Sorry to hear.

Main thing is you're okay.

Bike can be fixed, replaced etc.


D

Yeah, looking at it again (with a mechanically minded friend I work with) I agree.

Will get them to change it out at 1st service.

Could have been much worse, but then thats why we wear protective gear.

David

Cabbie not stop? :(

It was probably as much my fault as his - I was filtering up the right side of traffic, car I was along side paused to let cabbie out (I think), cabbie started moving, I saw movement and the bike went down - my memory of the event is really crap, cant really remember getting up - and I didn't hit my head.

Cabbie stopped - he and passenger came out -cabbie was concerned that he had hit me, I brushed myself down, checked over the bike (had wheeled it to the side of the road), saw the scuffs, didn't notice the brake lever - said all was ok and we went our own ways.

Liability wise, well probably at least 50-50, as far as to who is to blame - well that would be me, I should never have gotten into that situation.

It HAS knocked my confidence a little bit, but I got back on the bike and rode from Albert Embankment to West Ealing via the A4, so not too badly shaken.

In the end, no harm done to me, the bike is fine except cosmetically (and ebay/here can help with that over time) and I probably have learned a good lesson about my noob-level riding skills.

David

David

Aww yeah I know how you feel. I threw my bike down the road after I'd only been riding a couple of months in a panic brake situation. If I'd not snatched the brake I'd have stoped easily.

The problem is two fold 1) it's tricky to train yourself not to panic and grab the brake, 2) once the front goes you've got very little time to let off the brake before you're on the floor. Dont be too hard on yourself!

You'll learn how quickly you can apply the brake with practice.

Glad you're OK... a broken brake lever can be sorted...

Re: Another 1st Off
 

Glad you're OK :thumbsup:

Cheddar.

Still, better the lever bending than anything that it's attched to, eh?