A personal example of how full gear can save your ass!

[the chi]

Originally Posted by Trip

Come to the dark side, get a dual sport.

Then I get to worry about trees. I want to, I really do, but money is a factor. I'm aiming for a track day in March, see how I feel about stuff then.

I'd like something like Ebbs has, since I know I cant afford the BMW currently, butI'd definitely need it shortened.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by the chi

Then I get to worry about trees. I want to, I really do, but money is a factor. I'm aiming for a track day in March, see how I feel about stuff then.

I'd like something like Ebbs has, since I know I cant afford the BMW currently, butI'd definitely need it shortened.

Eh, I would go with something more highway worthy where you are at. Something you can use on street and enjoy.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Trip

Come to the GAY side, get a dual sport.

Fixed it for ya...

[DLIT]

I would never get a dual sport. The Ducati Diabel or a Goldwing.

[the chi]

And see I would LOVE to just venture off a street and down some random dirt trail just to see where it goes...

[fasternyou929]

Originally Posted by DLIT

A buddy of mine that picked the bike up said there was some gravel by my bike's sliding marks. The kind of gravel that falls from a gravel truck. I think I said that earlier in the thread. And you can take it as bragging, I look at it as I'm very experienced.

I understand where you're coming from though, but sometimes tires aren't to blame for wrecks? Are you kidding me? What's one of the first things you here at the morning meetings at track days? "Make sure your tires are warm." There was no inputs being made from me at the time. I wasn't trail-braking, counter-steering, shifting my body...nothing. I'm not afraid to admit it if I fucked up, but nothing I was doing at the time seemed like I would be the main cause.

I could say I fucked up...but how? And what lessons can I learn when I don't know how I fucked up? I'm thinking it was a combination of things at this point. Cold-ish tires, improper suspension set up and maybe there was gravel. I wouldn't mind saying I fucked up but I wasn't doing anything different or special than I usually do. I guess you could say I fucked up by hauling that much ass on the street to begin with. Tiny mistakes multiply even more at higher speeds.

I'm honestly still baffled by it, so I'm doing what I think is best for me at this point.

I must've missed the part about the gravel... certainly doesn't take much of that to ruin your whole day. As far as bragging v. experience, I guess it's just personality differences. I know a lot of experienced riders, and none of them started a conversation about their crash with "my limits are higher than most". As someone that knows neither you personally nor your riding abilities, I thought it cames across as unnecessary and just wanted to point it out to you.

I wasn't implying tires can't cause wrecks, but unless you lived a half mile down the road from the crash (doesn't appear to be anything for miles in either direction), it seems a pretty odd place for a "cold tire" incident. Seems you should have been riding at a good clip for a while at that point, that's all. One of the most aggravating crashes I had in '09 was a low-side at VIR because I just couldn't figure out WTF I did wrong. Like you, I just wanted to understand why. The only conclusion I could come to was I must have put too much weight on the clip-ons during that lap. It was toward the end of the 2nd day riding there, each day over 105 degrees. It took me weeks of over-analyzing everything about it to draw that conclusion, so I understand where you're coming from.

Good luck with it, and I hope you find a way to continue enjoying your bike.

[Mr Lefty]

Originally Posted by the chi

Then I get to worry about trees. I want to, I really do, but money is a factor. I'm aiming for a track day in March, see how I feel about stuff then.

I'd like something like Ebbs has, since I know I cant afford the BMW currently, butI'd definitely need it shortened.

actually the BMW F650GS used are running around 5k... that's what I'm looking for next... will do 90+ gets 50+mpg more comfortable...

[derf]

Originally Posted by the chi

I'd like something like Ebbs has, since I know I cant afford the BMW currently, butI'd definitely need it shortened.

My KLR actually lets me get the balls of my feet on the ground, you might be able to touch a toe

[racedoll]

Originally Posted by the chi

I'd like something like Ebbs has, since I know I cant afford the BMW currently, butI'd definitely need it shortened.

Good luck with that. Hubby just got a DRZ and I can't even touch well enough to sit it upright (off the kick stand)... I think I'm your height or a little taller (5'5"). He can barely touch but with his weight he compresses the suspension enough that he can. I don't think it moved when I got on.

[pickle.of.doom]

I heard the real reason for the off was that DLIT slipped on a pile of DLIT's ego that was layin' mid corner