Hi-Side starting out at 75 MPH

[pilot]

Well, overall I can say it was a fun ride this past Sunday:). I rode out with a great group of riders. We traveled westbound in the general direction of Steamboat Springs. On the return ride things didn't fair so well.

While traveling eastbound on State 134 over Gore Pass I had to take evasive maneuvers.

The turn: uphill, right-hander, off-camber at the top 1/3rd and there was sand in between the wheel tracks. Not heavy but enough to create an issue for the uninitiated (knew of this sand as I had been on this road three times earlier this year).

The pace: Quick, er, very quick. Spacing between bikes was, for the most part, good enough to keep the en eye on the action ahead without having to ride up each others tails.

Traffic: Very light, but there just happened to be a cruiser coming in the opposite direction.

My friend, in front of me, (as he later noted) fixated on two things… the sand and the cruiser. Now the sand in itself was not that bad. But, it was the first sand to be seen on this stretch of road. The cruiser was having a hard time with the turn and his footboards were touching down (remember, this is an off-camber turn, so it makes it easy for the inside gear to touch down. Especially if one is off the gas, not keeping the body’s centerline inside the bikes and on the brakes, as it appeared the cruiser was).

Suddenly, my buddy in front crossed over the yellow line and just behind the cruiser (lucky for him there was no oncoming traffic). Traveling behind him I had a good line and was well set in the left wheel track. My body position was correct and I was on the gas keeping the suspension in the sweet spot.

I was looking through the turn and watching the action in my periphial vision. As my buddy started to regain control he cut back across the yellow and into my line. He had nearly reduced his speed by half and my approach speed was now double his.

I had a hard choice to make and make it fast indeed. I had two options: one, to t-bone him at around a 35 MPH closing speed or, two, go to his left. There was no oncoming traffic so I chose the lesser of two evils. Trust me, If there had been a car coming the other way I would have got hard on the brakes, counter steered more into the turn and hoped for the best if I had hit him.

I had a split second to do the following:

I immediately pushed hard on the left grip while at the same time rolling on a bit more throttle. As soon as the bike was upright I moved my body back to neutral and squeezed my knees hard on the tank.

Next, I rolled off the throttle while at the same time inversely applying the brakes. I only had about 30 feet of pavement to get hard on the brakes without overdoing it and ending up in a tank slap.

Now the edge of the paved road ended and I was traveling over forest access road 11 which just so happened to intersect 134 at that turn. At this time I stood up moto-cross style and kept my weight on the balls of my feet and my hands firmly but ams relaxed on the grips. The bike, all 675 pounds of it, was now pretending it was a Dakar. Well, the little bit of dirt road I was on soon ended and there was a drainage ditch (swale) on the far side. I immediately compressed my body to ride through the ditch. At this time I’m guessing I was doing about 60 MPH! Somehow I managed to make it through the ditch but I did feel my forks bottom out on the other side.

Next, the bike and I un-weighted off the suspension and I had no braking whatsoever for about 20 feet. When gravity took effect I cranked hard on the rear brake to let the tire start to dig in. I realized that if the front were to lock up I would pitch over going way too fast and there was a stand of aspens looming ahead. Luckily for me, I had a bit of a clear path through the trees and I did my best to steer right of the first stand of sticks.

A low hanging branch was blocking my view and as my helmet passed through I saw what looked to be a 10 inch diameter aspen in my direct path. I knew that my closing speed was so great that if I were to hit it head-on that me and the bike would be in bad shape. By now my speed was down to 30 to 35, I’m guessing.

All that training I’ve been taking (Lee Parks- Total Control, Fast Freddie, Ricky Orlando, discussions with friend and fellow riders, not to mention several books, movies and countless miles) continued to act upon me. Some call it muscle memory or “go with what you know”. I didn’t want to do the following but I had no choice.

I pushed hard on the right grip while at the same time punching on the front brake. This immediately caused the bike to dive out from under me. As soon as it started to fold away and friction made it do that fast, I let go of the handle bars, pulled my arms up and across my chest, tucked my helmet’s chin bar tight into my chest, pulled my legs up into the cannonball position and went for a high-side ride.

I saw the words Kawasaki on my tank drop out from under me and out of the corner of my left eye the dusty bark of the aspen flew by. As soon as my forward momentum decreased and gravity won I sank toward the ground my feet snagged into the dirt and rocks and I must have tumbled end-over-end 3 to six times. I came to rest on my ass still tucked into the fetal position.

Again, training took over and although I wanted to jump up I began to methodically do things step by step. I looked around with my eyes, not my head, to see where I was. Then I began to “feel” my body. Nothing felt out of place. I started to wiggle my toes and fingers and then move my arms and legs a bit. No issues. Then I checked my neck and back. Once I felt I was in order (this all took about five seconds) I looked over my right shoulder to see what was going on with the other bikes.

They were coming to rest and kickstands were dropping down fast. I looked at their faces and they (three riders) were all bug-eyed:shocked:. I guess it was kind of a shock to see what had just happened. I then looked back at my poor bike. There she was upside-down covered in dirt, rocks and weeds—just barely resting with her nose cowling against that aspen:(.

We got her back up on her feet and pushed her through a ditch and back up on the road. The rest was the usual stuff, check the mechanicals and get her up and running for the ride back, some 125 miles, to Denver.


How did it feel you may wonder? Well, first off I felt very comfortable through the whole thing. Hell, I may have been laughing and yelling WOOHOO under my visor. No, my life didn’t flash before my eyes. My eyes were too busy assessing the situation. It all happened soooo fast. My guess is that it all too about six seconds from beginning to full stop. But it was in Techincolor!

Training and safety gear paid off big time. Not to mention the ruggedness of my big-ass ride. Thanks Kawasaki for making it a tank.

The end result: some cracked plastic, a broken mirror stem and sore shoulder.

You might think, man, that was one hell of a day and glad to be done with it. At least I did. But, nooooo, not to be had. Later, on the way home at I-70 and the
Empire exit one of the other riders in our group went down and his bike got run over by a car. But, my friends, that is another story.

I guess I’ll end up with this thought for you. Next time you’re wondering what you should spend your money on, that cool gizmo, or rider training, go with the latter.

Regards,
Pilot



P.S. pics to follow

[Kendo]

WOW.... Glad you are ok !!!

[Ricky]

Wow.. that's a hell of a story!! Glad to hear everyone's ok :)

[pilot]

Lunch at Mango's in Red Cliff


http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18301040144.jpg

Where you can just see my tires start to bite in. Speed maybe 70. Notice that somebody painted the word "SLOW" on the road.

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411237.jpg

Time to ride moto-style! about 60 mph.

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411262.jpg

Through the ditch and into the woods! 40 MPH

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411260.jpg

[pilot]

Damn branch blocking my view. Uh OH! Is that a tree on the other side!?!
http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411259.jpg

Can you say "High-Side Time!" 30+ MPH
http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411268.jpg

Just barely a nick in Mother Nature. (wipes sweat off brow)

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411242.jpg

Somehow I managed to plant some flowers on my rear caliper???

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411346.jpg

[pilot]

And the winner is! US! We didn't die! My buddy holding my mirror in his hand. You can see my windscreen cracked in half.

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411296.jpg

Lots of cracked plastic. Bummer.

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411333.jpg

Later that day....

http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18300411957.jpg

But, that is another story.

[Kendo]

WOW ....

another good note is .... Always wear your gear... !!

[Nick_Ninja]

Sounds nervous. Glad you, and the bike, are OK :up:

[Cars-R-Coffins]

If it wasn't so hot that day I would've been riding with you guys. WOW... better to read about the wrecks than to see such things. I'm glad to hear that at least you are okay.

[konichd]

Glad to hear your OK and communicating your experience with others. Definately a good read!

Was it just me or did everyone have a near miss this past weekend? :dunno:

[ChefQ]

DAMN!!! Pilot I am glad you are alright. When you PMed me I was thinking how can I get out of the two hours of work I have to go on this ride. In a selfish sort of way I am glad I went to work. Hope all heals fast.

Q

[PhotoMotard]

Pilot,

Did you "use" your helmet?

Glad you are ok. I can imagine.

Robb

[dm_gsxr]

Man that sort of sucks. I mean that you did a great job using your training and skills to absolutely minimize what could have been much worse and of course that you went down.

I'd wanted to go to the Total Control class last week but didn't think I could wrangle the bucks. I'll be saving the pennies though. Sounds like a good class to take.

Thanks again for the ride. It was an excellent day over all.

Carl

[ZX Rider]

Anybody can crash while turning, try doing it while going strait, like me.J/K
Pilot, I'm glad you are OK. Sunday turned out to be horrible day.
I wanna thank Pilot, Terra, Rick and Patrick for all your help.
You guys are great.

[towneh]

sorry to hear of your encounter with fixed objects. your training and gear were the key factors in your survival. there are many damaged trees at Deal's Gap. glad that you could drive away from this one.
--cheers--
bus_henry

[sky_blue]

Holy crap. After that narrative, I was picturing a much larger space.:shocked: Glad you're OK Pilot. Damn.

[rybo]

Was it just me or did everyone have a near miss this past weekend? :dunno:

I did not have a near miss this past weekend.

Pilot, glad you're OK. I've been on the board for a number of years now and cannot remember a year where there were more crashes. It's been a bad year that way and we all need to keep our awareness up and try to avoid falling down. Riding = good crashing = bad.

s

[pilot]

WOW ....

another good note is .... Always wear your gear... !!10-4


Sounds nervous. Glad you, and the bike, are OK :up:I still gotta get the plastic fusser out and start the repair process. I'll let my Zed know that your Zed sends the best. BTW, if you hear some strange noises around your bike tonight pay no attention. Just parts gremlins out looking for plastic. Ha.


If it wasn't so hot that day I would've been riding with you guys. WOW... better to read about the wrecks than to see such things. I'm glad to hear that at least you are okay.Trust me, I'd rather it not happen to anybody. But, I had to play the hand I was dealt.


Glad to hear your OK and communicating your experience with others. Definately a good read!

Was it just me or did everyone have a near miss this past weekend? :dunno:Thanks Dave. I didn't post up right away because I wanted to think about what to say and how to say it. So many of these posts, about "hay rides" turn sour. Also, I've spoken with several people at dealerships and have been hearing that there were quite a few accidents and tickets this weekend.


DAMN!!! Pilot I am glad you are alright. When you PMed me I was thinking how can I get out of the two hours of work I have to go on this ride. In a selfish sort of way I am glad I went to work. Hope all heals fast.

QQ, it would have been good to have you there. Right now, I'd like to crack the kinks out of my neck but I'm afraid if I give it the usual twist my head will pop off:shocked:.


Pilot,

Did you "use" your helmet?

Glad you are ok. I can imagine.

RobbNo scrapes on the lid. I think I did manage to hit a rock with my shoulder though.


Man that sort of sucks. I mean that you did a great job using your training and skills to absolutely minimize what could have been much worse and of course that you went down.

I'd wanted to go to the Total Control class last week but didn't think I could wrangle the bucks. I'll be saving the pennies though. Sounds like a good class to take.

Thanks again for the ride. It was an excellent day over all.

CarlBTW, one of the other riders (who has taken TC) commented on how good your body pre-positioning was as you set up your corners. You'll be a natural fit in the course.


Anybody can crash while turning, try doing it while going strait, like me.J/K
Pilot, I'm glad you are OK. Sunday turned out to be horrible day.
I wanna thank Pilot, Terra, Rick and Patrick for all your help.
You guys are great.I think that any less of a man would have munched it under that SUV. It looked as if you ripped up asphalt with your hands coming to a stop. S- you've had one hell of an interesting life. Good getting to know you at the DOT yard. And thanks to Patrick for driving up to pick up 10R after AAA dropped the ball.


sorry to hear of your encounter with fixed objects. your training and gear were the key factors in your survival. there are many damaged trees at Deal's Gap. glad that you could drive away from this one.
--cheers--
bus_henry I think I'll go back and nail up the broken parts of my bike to that aspen, LOL.


Holy crap. After that narrative, I was picturing a much larger space.:shocked: Glad you're OK Pilot. Damn.Yep, I covered some ground pretty fast.


I did not have a near miss this past weekend.

Pilot, glad you're OK. I've been on the board for a number of years now and cannot remember a year where there were more crashes. It's been a bad year that way and we all need to keep our awareness up and try to avoid falling down. Riding = good crashing = bad.

sAbsolutely Scott--lots of bungles this weekend. No wonder NHTSA is delving so heavily into safety and training. Companies like T3RG (rider training here in Denver) are making good headway on new programs and getting tons of riders properly trained. I believe last year that they trained over 4,000 students in Colorado. I'd like to thank Colleen, Steve and all their instructors for the important work they do.

[SixnChange]

whow Pilot!! I know that corner cuz I grew up not 30 miles from there--they just repaved it...
Glad you made it out ok!! helluva story!:shocked:

[Kendo]

The things that I learned in the Total Control Class and applying them on the street has helped me on several incidents and the one that I remember the most was the that save my life..... I will share it sometime... I wont hijack this thread.... :)

[98rc46]

Glad both you and ZX Rider made it through with just minor injuries (yeah - the gear really pays off). Nice riding with people that do what ever they can not to take out another rider.

Got to plug the Total Control class as well (the vision and line selection drills sure helped me with that corner). Hopefully more people will take the class so the Denver area can get the higher level TC classes as well.

Rick

[dm_gsxr]

BTW, one of the other riders (who has taken TC) commented on how good your body pre-positioning was as you set up your corners. You'll be a natural fit in the course.

Well thanks :) I wish folks would just come on up. I'm not shy and will yak about bikes all day. I'm always looking to improve and anyone who happens to be more experienced and can provide any adjustment advice would be welcome. Sometimes I ask stupid questions (heck, sometimes after asking I whack _myself_ in the back of the head :) ) but it's because I want to know something and don't have enough knowledge to even ask the right question.

Anyway, it's good that you guys are ok. Gear and training win out every time :)

Carl

[Sully]

Whew.... good reading..:up: .... Glad you made it through Pilot :)

[King Nothing]

Glad you're ok, Pilot. My Zed sends her regards.

[Kristian]

Hope you're feeling better..

Ironically, I ride slower with groups and faster alone.

[daemon]

just saw this pilot.
man i'm glad you are still here and not hurt seriously.

rider training sounds like a good thing.
i'll ping you later about it.

[Nick_Ninja]

I still gotta get the plastic fusser out and start the repair process. I'll let my Zed know that your Zed sends the best. BTW, if you hear some strange noises around your bike tonight pay no attention. Just parts gremlins out looking for plastic. Ha.


My bike lives next to my dog ---------------- Harley.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/Nick_Ninja/CodeViolation008Medium.jpg

You can say something nice to Harley when you perform your midnight raid. He'll still most likely snatch your Kahunas when you least expect it :D

Oh, when he does this he'll whisper in your ear ----------------- "Must have been PILOT ERROR, huh?" :twisted:

[Crashdaddy]

Pilot

Glad you made out OK. Like I told you the other day, I see more carnage during a motocross track day than you guys experience on a scenic ride through the mountains.

Maybe since your "well seasoned" Kawi is hurt, you should think about stepping up to a Buell Blast? :bananna:

I must have put your knee back in place, right? Don't worry about payment. That's what friends are for.

Dean

[mushin_man39]

Why didn't you slow down when you saw your "buddy" in trouble instead of holding your, "sweet line?"

[Mecha Hayai]

Where's the sand in the pics?

[Ghost Rider]

Glad you're OK Pilot.
If I can be of any help,let me know.

Nat

[Terra]

Why didn't you slow down when you saw your "buddy" in trouble instead of holding your, "sweet line?"I would say for a few reasons:
1) All this happened in a split second
2) His chassis and suspension were committed (properly for the curve - but not excessive)
3) In that split second, he had to make a choice on how to upset the dynamics of the bike to make avoidance maneuvers on a lead bike that had become somewhat unpredictable

Anyone that can ride a 675 lb sport machine, the way Pilot does, gets major kudos in my book... Yes, we were riding a good pace, and everyone was pretty much in tune with each other - going with the flow...

In my opinion, the best riders, are not the ones that can ride fast, or can ride wheelies for miles - but rather the true skill is to be found when unexpected problems happen and how one handles those decisions in milliseconds... True skill is when you DON'T think, but rather just DO - for whatever the unexpected situation is and lives to tell about it another day...


Was it just me or did everyone have a near miss this past weekend?Pilot, (and the other story for another day), weren't the only ones to have a problem that day...


The cruiser was having a hard time with the turn and his footboards were touching downThat cruiser just wasn't having a good day I guess...

I am not sure how far up front I was when I broke away from the pack, but
I hit a 2nd turn with sand/gravel, and as Pilot, my line was committed... Doubly so since I was riding two up... I was coming around a somewhat tight (but long) right hander, and found myself rolling right into the middle of sand and gravel... I backed off the throttle a bit to shift my line towards the outside of the gravel... Unfortunately, I still hit enough sand that it sent us sideways (both front and rear tire) and to counteract that, I had to run wide (to prevent a high-side) and cross the yellow line which was no problem as there were no cars coming (if there was a car coming, I would have done it differently by not crossing the yellow line, but at a much higher risk of pissing off the chassis/suspension)... However there was a cruiser coming, which was a safe distance away, but I sure did get an eye full of him/her flashing their brights at me on and off... Little did this cruiser know that he/she was going to find themselves in a spot of trouble as well, after (I assume) cussing me out and thinking why do they sell sport bikes to idiots like that...

I have to also give my passenger major kudos, because in that split second, she felt both tires slide, and she did the right thing by making a micro adjustment that allowed me to shift my weight properly to counteract the sideways forces... However, she did tell me later that her heart did skip a beat though...

Overall, we all take the same chances when we ride, and sometimes it does not matter if you ride *slow* (the cruiser found that out the hard way) or **fast** - crap IS going to happen when you LEAST expect it... I honestly believe that when you ride a motorcycle, it is not a question of IF, but rather WHEN you are going to find yourself in a bad situation and potentially go down... It is at that singular moment, when you can truly assess your riding skills and ability in how you deal with the flood of information coming into your mind in milliseconds and hopefully avoid an unwelcome outcome...

All four riders that found themselves in trouble that day, can now reflect on our individual situations and learn from it... I would say that both Pilot and myself, would not (and could not) deviate from what we had to do (Major props to Pilot crashing the way he WANTED to)... The other two riders will need to reflect deeply in what they did, and hopefully their own experiences will better prepare them in the future for when "shit happens"... What separated Pilot and myself, from the other two riders that encountered problems, was that we did not *panic*, but rather embraced the situation for what it was and rode the storm out...

--
Terra

[dm_gsxr]

The first two clips from Sunday's ride.

The first one is from the turn on 93 to 40 and runs up until just the other side of Evergreen. A warm up ride.

It's about 10 minutes and 30 megs in size.

http://www.schelin.org/20070701/20070701.Evergreen.wmv

The second one is from Evergreen on down to Starbucks. It's a bit more spirited.

It's about 10 minutes and 30 megs in size.

http://www.schelin.org/20070701/20070701.Starbucks.wmv

Camera Notes:

1. I have the Sony zoomed a little so people are actually a bit farther away than it looks in the video.

2. It's a little shaky as always. Sorry, that's the way it goes for now. I'm trying to find a way to stabilize it but the bike is set up a tad stiff and the road's a little bumpy.

3. Due to it being a tape drive (DV), if I accelerate a bit much, the recording head tends to move away from the tape and it pixelates. Hazards of having a tape based camera I guess :)

I have one more video to snag of the run up and down the mountain (rt 6 I believe). I also have a few little clips of various bits that I may pull out of the days ride and I recorded the first hour of the ride on 70 if you're interested :D

Enjoy.

Carl

[pilot]

whow Pilot!! I know that corner cuz I grew up not 30 miles from there--they just repaved it...
Glad you made it out ok!! helluva story!:shocked:Certainly a nice road, very smooth.


The things that I learned in the Total Control Class and applying them on the street has helped me on several incidents and the one that I remember the most was the that save my life..... I will share it sometime... I wont hijack this thread.... Please post that one up!


Glad both you and ZX Rider made it through with just minor injuries (yeah - the gear really pays off). Nice riding with people that do what ever they can not to take out another rider.

Got to plug the Total Control class as well (the vision and line selection drills sure helped me with that corner). Hopefully more people will take the class so the Denver area can get the higher level TC classes as well.

RickThe more training the better. Glad to have you in the class Rick.


Well thanks I wish folks would just come on up. I'm not shy and will yak about bikes all day. I'm always looking to improve and anyone who happens to be more experienced and can provide any adjustment advice would be welcome. Sometimes I ask stupid questions (heck, sometimes after asking I whack _myself_ in the back of the head :) ) but it's because I want to know something and don't have enough knowledge to even ask the right question.

Anyway, it's good that you guys are ok. Gear and training win out every time :)

CarlCarl, I've enjoyed every chat with you. Except the one were you kept stealing all the syrup at breakfast after the Red Cross training, ha!


Whew.... good reading..:up: .... Glad you made it through Pilot :)Thanks Sully.

[pilot]

Glad you're ok, Pilot. My Zed sends her regards.Regards are well taken. Thanks.


Hope you're feeling better..

Ironically, I ride slower with groups and faster alone.Just a few aches.


just saw this pilot.
man i'm glad you are still here and not hurt seriously.

rider training sounds like a good thing.
i'll ping you later about it.Sounds good. There should be several classes up and coming.


My bike lives next to my dog ---------------- Harley.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/Nick_Ninja/CodeViolation008Medium.jpg

You can say something nice to Harley when you perform your midnight raid. He'll still most likely snatch your Kahunas when you least expect it :D

Oh, when he does this he'll whisper in your ear ----------------- "Must have been PILOT ERROR, huh?" :twisted:We all have our little buddies...
http://img2.putfile.com/main/7/18514053917.jpg

[pilot]

Pilot

Glad you made out OK. Like I told you the other day, I see more carnage during a motocross track day than you guys experience on a scenic ride through the mountains.

Maybe since your "well seasoned" Kawi is hurt, you should think about stepping up to a Buell Blast? :bananna:

I must have put your knee back in place, right? Don't worry about payment. That's what friends are for.

DeanBuell Blast--you bastard, ha! Why I'll just hobble on over and... BTW, I gave Colleen the CDs.


Why didn't you slow down when you saw your "buddy" in trouble instead of holding your, "sweet line?"No mention of "sweet line" What was said was, "Suddenly, my buddy in front crossed over the yellow line and just behind the cruiser (lucky for him there was no oncoming traffic). Traveling behind him I had a good line and was well set in the left wheel track. My body position was correct and I was on the gas keeping the suspension in the sweet spot." --unloading the gas in a turn will cause the suspension to sink. That can be a very bad thing to do. Adding on brakes to slow down causes the bike to sink more and stand up. Not too good of an idea to hit the binders in the sandy spots. Better to add a little throttle.



Where's the sand in the pics?It is about 50 feet behind me in the first pic where Rick is pointing out the mark in the road. We were in a blind corner and with traffic coming up we did not feel it was safe to take too many pics on the road.


Glad you're OK Pilot.
If I can be of any help,let me know.

NatThanks Nat. Might need to have you look at my oil cooler.

[pilot]

Good words Terra, good words. And, as always, great riding with you. Not that I'll ever catch you, ha. Good luck in Hastings this weekend. I'm looking to hear the word "podium" when you get back!

[pilot]

Carl,

Thanks for taking and posting up the videos. Yes, I would like to see more if you have the time.

Pilot

[Brian428]

Glad you're ok and were able to ride it back. It's great when you react correctly without having to think it through, then it's always too late. Almost got my bike back together, then I'll have to make the next one.

[InlineSIX24]

Glad everyone is ok. Probably a little more excitement than you were looking for on that ride.

[dapper]

+1

Glad to hear that you're both alright.:)

[mra# 527]

Why didn't you slow down when you saw your "buddy" in trouble instead of holding your, "sweet line?"

I was thinking the same thing.
Also your memory is amazing as all of this was "split second" IE Speeds
times moves ect . I understand the classes and all of that but sometimes
luck is involved no matter how much training you have. IMO

Anyways glad you made it ok.
Going down and making it out is whats important.

[pilot]

I was thinking the same thing.
Also your memory is amazing as all of this was "split second" IE Speeds
times moves ect . I understand the classes and all of that but sometimes
luck is involved no matter how much training you have. IMO

Anyways glad you made it ok.
Going down and making it out is whats important.Better lucky than good anytime. Lucky, Hell Ya! I'm real lucky that I didn't crap in my pants when it all happened. Then again, my leathers are so damn tight that I keep my shit together. Always good to have your shit together. Good thing I knew my shit. Good thing I don't wear tighty whities sans racing stripe, too. No room for that kinda shit in my life. j/k

Glad I made it out, too.

[Bashed]

Well, overall I can say it was a fun ride this past Sunday:). I rode out with a great group of riders. We traveled westbound in the general direction of Steamboat Springs. On the return ride things didn't fair so well.

While traveling eastbound on State 134 over Gore Pass I had to take evasive maneuvers.

The turn: uphill, right-hander, off-camber at the top 1/3rd and there was sand in between the wheel tracks. Not heavy but enough to create an issue for the uninitiated (knew of this sand as I had been on this road three times earlier this year).

The pace: Quick, er, very quick. Spacing between bikes was, for the most part, good enough to keep the en eye on the action ahead without having to ride up each others tails.

Traffic: Very light, but there just happened to be a cruiser coming in the opposite direction.

My friend, in front of me, (as he later noted) fixated on two things… the sand and the cruiser. Now the sand in itself was not that bad. But, it was the first sand to be seen on this stretch of road. The cruiser was having a hard time with the turn and his footboards were touching down (remember, this is an off-camber turn, so it makes it easy for the inside gear to touch down. Especially if one is off the gas, not keeping the body’s centerline inside the bikes and on the brakes, as it appeared the cruiser was).

Suddenly, my buddy in front crossed over the yellow line and just behind the cruiser (lucky for him there was no oncoming traffic). Traveling behind him I had a good line and was well set in the left wheel track. My body position was correct and I was on the gas keeping the suspension in the sweet spot.

I was looking through the turn and watching the action in my periphial vision. As my buddy started to regain control he cut back across the yellow and into my line. He had nearly reduced his speed by half and my approach speed was now double his.

I had a hard choice to make and make it fast indeed. I had two options: one, to t-bone him at around a 35 MPH closing speed or, two, go to his left. There was no oncoming traffic so I chose the lesser of two evils. Trust me, If there had been a car coming the other way I would have got hard on the brakes, counter steered more into the turn and hoped for the best if I had hit him.

I had a split second to do the following:

I immediately pushed hard on the left grip while at the same time rolling on a bit more throttle. As soon as the bike was upright I moved my body back to neutral and squeezed my knees hard on the tank.

Next, I rolled off the throttle while at the same time inversely applying the brakes. I only had about 30 feet of pavement to get hard on the brakes without overdoing it and ending up in a tank slap.

Now the edge of the paved road ended and I was traveling over forest access road 11 which just so happened to intersect 134 at that turn. At this time I stood up moto-cross style and kept my weight on the balls of my feet and my hands firmly but ams relaxed on the grips. The bike, all 675 pounds of it, was now pretending it was a Dakar. Well, the little bit of dirt road I was on soon ended and there was a drainage ditch (swale) on the far side. I immediately compressed my body to ride through the ditch. At this time I’m guessing I was doing about 60 MPH! Somehow I managed to make it through the ditch but I did feel my forks bottom out on the other side.

Next, the bike and I un-weighted off the suspension and I had no braking whatsoever for about 20 feet. When gravity took effect I cranked hard on the rear brake to let the tire start to dig in. I realized that if the front were to lock up I would pitch over going way too fast and there was a stand of aspens looming ahead. Luckily for me, I had a bit of a clear path through the trees and I did my best to steer right of the first stand of sticks.

A low hanging branch was blocking my view and as my helmet passed through I saw what looked to be a 10 inch diameter aspen in my direct path. I knew that my closing speed was so great that if I were to hit it head-on that me and the bike would be in bad shape. By now my speed was down to 30 to 35, I’m guessing.

All that training I’ve been taking (Lee Parks- Total Control, Fast Freddie, Ricky Orlando, discussions with friend and fellow riders, not to mention several books, movies and countless miles) continued to act upon me. Some call it muscle memory or “go with what you know”. I didn’t want to do the following but I had no choice.

I pushed hard on the right grip while at the same time punching on the front brake. This immediately caused the bike to dive out from under me. As soon as it started to fold away and friction made it do that fast, I let go of the handle bars, pulled my arms up and across my chest, tucked my helmet’s chin bar tight into my chest, pulled my legs up into the cannonball position and went for a high-side ride.

I saw the words Kawasaki on my tank drop out from under me and out of the corner of my left eye the dusty bark of the aspen flew by. As soon as my forward momentum decreased and gravity won I sank toward the ground my feet snagged into the dirt and rocks and I must have tumbled end-over-end 3 to six times. I came to rest on my ass still tucked into the fetal position.

Again, training took over and although I wanted to jump up I began to methodically do things step by step. I looked around with my eyes, not my head, to see where I was. Then I began to “feel” my body. Nothing felt out of place. I started to wiggle my toes and fingers and then move my arms and legs a bit. No issues. Then I checked my neck and back. Once I felt I was in order (this all took about five seconds) I looked over my right shoulder to see what was going on with the other bikes.

They were coming to rest and kickstands were dropping down fast. I looked at their faces and they (three riders) were all bug-eyed:shocked:. I guess it was kind of a shock to see what had just happened. I then looked back at my poor bike. There she was upside-down covered in dirt, rocks and weeds—just barely resting with her nose cowling against that aspen:(.

We got her back up on her feet and pushed her through a ditch and back up on the road. The rest was the usual stuff, check the mechanicals and get her up and running for the ride back, some 125 miles, to Denver.


How did it feel you may wonder? Well, first off I felt very comfortable through the whole thing. Hell, I may have been laughing and yelling WOOHOO under my visor. No, my life didn’t flash before my eyes. My eyes were too busy assessing the situation. It all happened soooo fast. My guess is that it all too about six seconds from beginning to full stop. But it was in Techincolor!

Training and safety gear paid off big time. Not to mention the ruggedness of my big-ass ride. Thanks Kawasaki for making it a tank.

The end result: some cracked plastic, a broken mirror stem and sore shoulder.

You might think, man, that was one hell of a day and glad to be done with it. At least I did. But, nooooo, not to be had. Later, on the way home at I-70 and the
Empire exit one of the other riders in our group went down and his bike got run over by a car. But, my friends, that is another story.

I guess I’ll end up with this thought for you. Next time you’re wondering what you should spend your money on, that cool gizmo, or rider training, go with the latter.

Regards,
Pilot



P.S. pics to follow

Alot of spin going on here, you should write for a politician.
I am just a simple guy though, I probably would of said.......

I was going to fast, fucked up and wrecked.

Thanks for the laugh.

[pilot]

Alot of spin going on here, you should write for a politician.
I am just a simple guy though, I probably would of said.......

I was going to fast, fucked up and wrecked.

Thanks for the laugh.Thank you for taking the time to read the post. Your candor is noted.

[noskills]

Alot of spin going on here, you should write for a politician.
I am just a simple guy though, I probably would of said.......

I was going to fast, fucked up and wrecked.

Thanks for the laugh.

:spit: Calling em out.

[noskills]

I have to add, I appreciate the fact that you can hold more in your head then... "I was going to fast, fucked up and wrecked". I've seen you ride and I agree with Terra, kudos for riding your ride like you do. Also I applaud you for dedicating yourself to the safest route you could once you were in a bad situation. Sure we can play Monday night quarterback and say... further following distance, quicker braking... blah blah blah. The fact is no one was there but you. I hope you never have any more stories like this, but if you do put them out there. Some people will learn and some won't.

Got the primer on yet? Now let’s put on some more miles before I have to get this recalled tire changed.

[mushin_man39]

So there I was at Hastings, I fucked up and lowsided at over 100+.... Weekend over.

[noskills]

So there I was at Hastings, I fucked up and lowsided at over 100+.... Weekend over.

I like this.
"Fighting on forums is like winning the Special Olympics!"

[leviathin]

hey pilot, glad to hear you are doing okay, its nice to find out that when you have enough experience, and a situation comes your way, your brain jumps in and slows everything down long enough for you to make good decisions. one of these days ill have to make it down there to ride with you guys.

[Sortarican]

"Any landing you can walk away from..." Right?
Glad you're OK.
Let me know if you want any help on the bike.
I'm hopefully going to be shooting paint on some projects soon.
Whadaya think? Black and White cop theme for the Kawi?
(I'd be fun to watch all the cars hard braking as you approached.) :)


.... No, my life didn’t flash before my eyes....
Mine never does either....but strangely enough sometimes other people's do....:dunno:


...Anyone that can ride a 675 lb sport machine, the way Pilot does, gets major kudos in my book...
True that!
I know I have trouble keeping up with him on that two wheeled tank.

[Terra]

Alot of spin going on here, you should write for a politician.
I am just a simple guy though, I probably would of said.......

I was going to fast, fucked up and wrecked.

Thanks for the laugh.Door) Knock Knock
Pilot) Who's There?
Door) Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival_of_the_fittest ]
Pilot) What do you want?
Door) We want a sample of your DNA so we can inject it back into the gene pool!
Pilot) How much is it worth?
Door) -pause- 100 BILLION Dollars
Pilot) I will give it to you for free and take the humanitarian and species advancement tax write offs

Bashed, the best you may be able to open your door to one day is "Domino's Delivery"... :slap:

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

--
Terra

[uberwench]

So there I was at Hastings, I fucked up and lowsided at over 100+.... Weekend over.

Ohno!! Are you OK?

[Terra]

I think I saw that one where a bike went tumbling end-over-end heading through turn #3...

I hope both you and your bike have a FAST recovery... :)

Kudos to the corner workers that helped the crashed riders and cleared out all the downed bikes this weekend and keeping it safe for everyone while enduring the sweltering heat!

--
Terra

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Man! Glad all you guys were alright! Whew! I was with my kids for 2 weeks, or I'd have been on the ride. Glad everyone's ok. Maybe now it's time to step up to a Suzuki!:) (Sorry, couldn't resist.....)

Oh, and I've ridden with both of these guys, and they're both excellent riders, by far better than most I've ever seen. I'll ride with them any day, trust absolutely in their judgement and skills, and know if something bad happens, I can count on them to react as well as humanly possible. Physics is physics, and will not be denied.......

Ride safe brothas.......

[sprtbkbabe]

Can I get that in cliff notes, Pilot...? My speed reading class only taught me to read between the lines :wtf:


No, glad you made it out alive, as Jim Morrison would say