First drop :(

[dawinger]

So I dropped my bike for the first time today :( ... near crissy fields

I was looking around for the picnic areas, and when I looked forward the car in front emergency braked.... I was probably going 20-30 mph. I braked and went down on my right side, slide < 5 feet.

My questions were:
1. What did I do wrong (other than not paying full attention to the road ahead).
2. My handlebars feel like they're leaning towards the right slightly, is this DYI fixable?

Thanks!

[Christieland]

Wow. A girlfriend of mine had the same kind of accident about six months ago, but the impact of her hitting the ground shattered her shoulder.

I guess you've just got to pay better attention to what you're doing. Stopping for a second on the side of the road instead of tootling along at 30 mph looking for picnic tables could have saved you the expense and possible danger of crashing.

Also, why do you think the car in front of you was doing an emergency stop? Did a dog jump out in front of it? Was there a mama duck and babies crossing the road? Was the driver, like you, craning his head around looking at addresses or hot chicks walking down the street? These would all be signs that the car in front of you might decide to suddenly slam on the brakes.

Try to pretend that every motorist is actively trying to mess with you. If you think there's no apparent reason for a car around you to behave unpredictably, you're wrong.

Edit: also, I know it sounds boring, but practicing emergency stops helps A LOT. Squeeze the brakes gently at first to settle the front end, then really start to squeeze them harder. On good tires and good pavement there shouldn't be any reason for your bike to go down.

[Port4mance]

Probably grabbed too much front brake and washed the front tire out.

[Mad Gnome]

Yeah - too much front brake, too quickly applied.
Handlebars fixable? Maybe. You can try taking them off (with all the grips and mirrors) place it in a vise and fit a larger pipe over the bent side (pipe is for leverage) Note: you can use a larger pipe wrench too, but you will get less control and will most likely mar the finish and bend in the wrong direction. Bend in small increments and test with a level , 360 degrees around. It's really tough to get the the exact angle again though, as you will need to determine where the impact bent the bars in the fall. I have tried it and it worked but it took a good while to get it right ...
If you are going to go through all of the hassel to take the bars off, just buy new bars and grips and be done with it, they are pretty cheap and your labor will be worth more than they will cost. :2cents
Besides it will give you a chance to trick out that bad mammer jammer- how about some bar end mirrors and black epoxy coating on the new wide/ narrow/ sport bike bar? Note #2: Make a note of the handle bar outside dimension and match to the original before you buy - not all bars are created equal.

[dawinger]

Thanks for the advice guys

[silverbelt]

Originally posted by Christieland

Edit: also, I know it sounds boring, but practicing emergency stops helps A LOT. Squeeze the brakes gently at first to settle the front end, then really start to squeeze them harder.

+1

OP: Easier said then done, I know, but with practice, it will become second nature and next time your better prepared.

Can't tell you how many times I see newbie riders grabbing a handful of front brake by misjudging corner entry speed. Sometimes they make it, sometimes they don't :(

It IS boring to practice emergency braking, but it pays big dividends when you need it :thumbup

[brichter]

Check the bars first.

Most likely, if they feel like they're pointing to the right as you're going straight, that means the fork tubes are twisted in the triple clamps.

To fix that, you need to loosen (not remove) the triple clamp bolts that hold the forks, and hold the wheel straight against a wall or other object, and turn the bars to the left until straight.

Since you're discussing DIY mechanics, you've gotten a manual, right? Don't go near the bike without one, unless you like giving Alan at Sprotbile Dynamics money. ;)

At least he's in your area, not too far to travel if you bugger something up!

[dawinger]

i've been trying to beg off a ex250 manual off here... but no luck haha

maybe i'll bring this one in and stick around for the repairs so i learn a thing or two... recommendations for bike shops in the Santa Rosa area?

Thanks!

[Ironbutt]

Originally posted by dawinger
So I dropped my bike for the first time today :( ... near crissy fields

I was looking around for the picnic areas, and when I looked forward the car in front emergency braked.... I was probably going 20-30 mph. I braked and went down on my right side, slide < 5 feet.

My questions were:
1. What did I do wrong (other than not paying full attention to the road ahead).
2. My handlebars feel like they're leaning towards the right slightly, is this DYI fixable?

Thanks!

You have three choices when the poop hits the fan..

Brake, swerve or acclerate...

Pratice swerving and acclerating in addition to braking.. You can swerve and acclerate faster than brake... Braking is the easy part.. knowing when "not" to brake is the hard part...

and now......... _war storys_


When I lived in Florida I used to commute 65 miles a day.. One almost fatefull dry sunny day; behind me as traffic was slowing up really fast in front... (you know the slinky effect?) I swerved and acclerated out of the way... as the car directly behind me hit the guard rail at 50 miles an hour backwards as the other car behind him, was crashing into him.. I couldn't breath for what seemed like 5 minutes..

Later on the next year, same scenerio, same road, different direction; I'm riding side by side in different lanes with another rider, traffic is light, moving really fast and then BOOM.. it's at a dead stop.. I swerved and gassed.. the Harley next to me didn't, he braked and slowed.. .. He was hit from behind and died from serious head injuries.. Nevermind that the guy who killed the HD rider was high on coke and tried to run.. it could have been me.. I was really late to work that day...

[dawinger]

any recs on a bike shop in the Santa Rosa area with a good rep?... i wanna get it check out this weekend so i can get back on the road :(