This is kind of a crash analysis/general GSXR question post.
So this morning I’m riding into work totally ATGATT (Boy Capris, Motocross Gloves, Dianese Back Protector, A* Shoes – with low cut socks, 07 Laguna GP T-shirt, and my Haga replica helmet – who is Haga anyway?) on my 08 GSXR 1000 (this is my first bike, kinda slow so I’m thinking about adding NOS or a turbo). I must admit that I was a little excited this morning because I just attached some new pucks to my boy capris (I used duct tape to attach them… does anyone have any better suggestions?) and I was hoping to break them in.
Before I continue with the crash analysis part of the story I have a couple of questions that I don’t want to forget to ask.
1. What do you guys use to get the shiny stuff off of the edge of your tires?
2. My rear tire has a huge flat spot down the center – I heard that this can be caused by the muffler bearing… is that true? If so can I get one from Pep Boys?
3. What brand of gloves are best for punching mirrors off of cars when lane splitting?
Okay back to the drama…
I forgot where I was in telling the story so I’ll just start from the freeway… I’m cruising down the 101 lane splitting between the slow lane and the lane next to it (doin about 90 with my feet on the passenger pegs so I am aerodynamic). I usually do this cuz the cops are watching the car pool lane and like I said I’m in hurry to get to the 84 so I can break in my new knee pucks. So I’m getting kind of pissed because cars keep merging on to the freeway and they keep pulling into me!! And, get this, they sometimes even honk at me and give me the finger (which is why I asked the question above about the gloves
). So I get to the 84 and I am all pissed off cuz of the crazy cagers. I read the posts earlier this week about Motostrano, I’ve never been there and I don’t know anyone has been there, but I trust everything negative posted on BARF so I flip them off as I go by (and had a failed attempt at a wheelie). Which is another area that I have a question. I think the failed wheelie was cuz my gearing is too tall. I am running a 13 tooth front sprocket in the front and a 52 in the rear but it is still too tall… any suggestions on gearing?
So I finally get to the turny part of the 84 about to get my drag-on so I go through my mental check list
1. Feet off of passenger pegs – CHECK
2. GSXR in A setting – CHECK
3. Knee Pucks still taped on and ready to drag – CHECK
4. Accelerate up to Knee Drag speed - CHECK
5. Look for cops in mirrors – CHECK
As I am looking back for the cops I notice like 5 cars totally tailgating me! They must be the GP guys in rental cars to be keeping up with me (pretty sure I saw Rossi’s fro). So now I am totally pissed – again! I pick it up a little more but I can’t shake um
I keep them behind me all of the way up to Alices then I flip them off as they go by for tailgating (there should be a law against that!).
I haven’t accomplished my mission yet so I head up Skyline (and I need to get to work). As I take off I have another failed wheelie attempt (maybe it’s the fuel I’m running… switching to VP next week). Cutting ahead to the drama… now I am about 2/3 of the way to the 92 when this guy passes me. He is riding an SV650 (what a girl) and riding like a maniac. He is taking the corners way to fast (probably going about 60). Doesn’t he know that most accidents are in corners? So I use the Gixxer magic and stay on him until I can pass. We hit a long straight and I open it up… I used a little too much gixxer magic and the bike now wheelies! I panic and set it down hard, change gears and it does it again! This keeps happening but I make the pass (pretty clean I might add). But now I am heading way to fast into the next corner (it is labeled as a 35 and I am doing about 70). I totally hit the brakes harder then I have ever hit them before… there must have been some oil on the road because the front totally locked up! Now my baby is sliding… once I stop sliding I get up and notice that the guy on the SV has stopped too. He asks me if I am okay but I am totally pissed cuz he was riding like a maniac so I flip him off!!! He then, get this, takes off without helping me lift my bike!!! So I finally get to work and go over my damage… I was shocked to see how much road rash I got! Now I’m going to have to get a new back protector cuz the Dianese obviously sucks! So I’m pretty sure I know why I crashed… I must have damaged my steering head bearings with the wheelies as I was passing the SV (it couldn’t have been target fixation because I did that once and now I am over it).
Well I hope that noobs learn from this… always check your steering head bearings before you ride (anyone know the torque spec for my steering head bearings?).
Yes I’m totally kidding… I just read one too many bad posts and had WAY too much coffee this morning (and I’m jealous that I am not at the GP today).
Love,
Dave
So this morning I’m riding into work totally ATGATT (Boy Capris, Motocross Gloves, Dianese Back Protector, A* Shoes – with low cut socks, 07 Laguna GP T-shirt, and my Haga replica helmet – who is Haga anyway?) on my 08 GSXR 1000 (this is my first bike, kinda slow so I’m thinking about adding NOS or a turbo). I must admit that I was a little excited this morning because I just attached some new pucks to my boy capris (I used duct tape to attach them… does anyone have any better suggestions?) and I was hoping to break them in.
Before I continue with the crash analysis part of the story I have a couple of questions that I don’t want to forget to ask.
1. What do you guys use to get the shiny stuff off of the edge of your tires?
2. My rear tire has a huge flat spot down the center – I heard that this can be caused by the muffler bearing… is that true? If so can I get one from Pep Boys?
3. What brand of gloves are best for punching mirrors off of cars when lane splitting?
Okay back to the drama…
I forgot where I was in telling the story so I’ll just start from the freeway… I’m cruising down the 101 lane splitting between the slow lane and the lane next to it (doin about 90 with my feet on the passenger pegs so I am aerodynamic). I usually do this cuz the cops are watching the car pool lane and like I said I’m in hurry to get to the 84 so I can break in my new knee pucks. So I’m getting kind of pissed because cars keep merging on to the freeway and they keep pulling into me!! And, get this, they sometimes even honk at me and give me the finger (which is why I asked the question above about the gloves
). So I get to the 84 and I am all pissed off cuz of the crazy cagers. I read the posts earlier this week about Motostrano, I’ve never been there and I don’t know anyone has been there, but I trust everything negative posted on BARF so I flip them off as I go by (and had a failed attempt at a wheelie). Which is another area that I have a question. I think the failed wheelie was cuz my gearing is too tall. I am running a 13 tooth front sprocket in the front and a 52 in the rear but it is still too tall… any suggestions on gearing?So I finally get to the turny part of the 84 about to get my drag-on so I go through my mental check list
1. Feet off of passenger pegs – CHECK
2. GSXR in A setting – CHECK
3. Knee Pucks still taped on and ready to drag – CHECK
4. Accelerate up to Knee Drag speed - CHECK
5. Look for cops in mirrors – CHECK
As I am looking back for the cops I notice like 5 cars totally tailgating me! They must be the GP guys in rental cars to be keeping up with me (pretty sure I saw Rossi’s fro). So now I am totally pissed – again! I pick it up a little more but I can’t shake um
I keep them behind me all of the way up to Alices then I flip them off as they go by for tailgating (there should be a law against that!).I haven’t accomplished my mission yet so I head up Skyline (and I need to get to work). As I take off I have another failed wheelie attempt (maybe it’s the fuel I’m running… switching to VP next week). Cutting ahead to the drama… now I am about 2/3 of the way to the 92 when this guy passes me. He is riding an SV650 (what a girl) and riding like a maniac. He is taking the corners way to fast (probably going about 60). Doesn’t he know that most accidents are in corners? So I use the Gixxer magic and stay on him until I can pass. We hit a long straight and I open it up… I used a little too much gixxer magic and the bike now wheelies! I panic and set it down hard, change gears and it does it again! This keeps happening but I make the pass (pretty clean I might add). But now I am heading way to fast into the next corner (it is labeled as a 35 and I am doing about 70). I totally hit the brakes harder then I have ever hit them before… there must have been some oil on the road because the front totally locked up! Now my baby is sliding… once I stop sliding I get up and notice that the guy on the SV has stopped too. He asks me if I am okay but I am totally pissed cuz he was riding like a maniac so I flip him off!!! He then, get this, takes off without helping me lift my bike!!! So I finally get to work and go over my damage… I was shocked to see how much road rash I got! Now I’m going to have to get a new back protector cuz the Dianese obviously sucks! So I’m pretty sure I know why I crashed… I must have damaged my steering head bearings with the wheelies as I was passing the SV (it couldn’t have been target fixation because I did that once and now I am over it).
Well I hope that noobs learn from this… always check your steering head bearings before you ride (anyone know the torque spec for my steering head bearings?).
Yes I’m totally kidding… I just read one too many bad posts and had WAY too much coffee this morning (and I’m jealous that I am not at the GP today).
Love,
Dave
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to the OP!
to everyone else!
