The importance of well mounted saddlebags...

SO - August 14th I set off from Chicago to my friend's lakehouse in MI - the first leg on my adventure to Western New York for my best friends wedding in which I was a bridesmaid. I've visited this lakehouse several times throughout the summer but haven't done anything with real distance yet - so I hadnt used my saddle bags all season. I was greedy when ordering them so they were always a little large but they managed well enough last year - I put some extra holes in the top part so I could lace them to sit up higher and thought they looked pretty good! I thought wrong.

I woke up early so I could beat traffic getting out of the city and the air was so beautiful - even going over the skybridge in the Gary factory smog felt fresh and lovely. But then I got off the highway onto rt12 and started hitting bumps. It occurred to me to stop and check on my saddlebags but I just was having so much fun riding I kept thinking - just a little further then I'll stop for gas and check it out. I didn't make it. All of a sudden I had a bad feeling. Maybe it was the smell of burning plastic or maybe it was a glimpse of smoke in my mirror but when I took a good look behind me there was no doubt - I was on fire. I pulled over asap and looked back - YUP. FIRE! It wasn't huge yet but panicking I tried to pull off the bag right there and lost my balance and sent the bike toppling onto its side. UHOH. Gas spills. Gas catches fire. Engine fire. Tank fire. SHIT SHIT SHIT. WAIT - I"M ON MY WAY TO A WEDDING. MY BRIDESMAID DRESS IS ON THAT BIKE! So in a moment of heroism - I yank my bags from the burning bike and toss them as far away as possible. Then after a few desperate moments of pretending hitting the flames with my jacket is going to put it out - I sit back and watch her burn. A man had stopped to watch the racket but wasn't much help. He couldn't even tell me where I was when I called the fire department. It took them long enough to get there - the police showed up first and watched it burn with me. When they got there they put her out and took her away.


http://64.19.142.12/farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4899641472_841c0515af_z.jpg


http://64.19.142.13/farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4899641916_151f74c206_z.jpg


The police took me to a local restaurant called "Eggs on your face" and there I sat for two hours - clutching my burnt bags desperately - waiting to be picked up. She was my first bike. She was my baby. She was dead and it was all my fault. I definitely went through the stages of grief on this one.

Here is where I give progressive props. They were really good to me throughout the claims process and 3 weeks later I had a check in hand that was a good fair price with very little hassle. I recommend them to anyone and definitely insured my new baby with em!

I was about ready to move up anyway and I got a more appropriate bike out of the exchange but I did have to suffer a lot of heartache and 3weeks of riding season lost for it. Twas a lesson well learned - The guys at my shop have already discussed fire retardant bags and an extinguisher mount for my new girl. HAH!

Wow! Glad you didn't go up in smoke. Thanks for sharing the story; hopefully, you can laugh about it now.

pics don't work

That well and truly sucks, my condolences.

I have also had luggage fires, fortunately, with less dire consequences. It's an ugly, unhappy lesson in luggage security. I finally gave up on soft luggage and spent the big bux on hard luggage. It's waterproof, too. They will also have problems if you don't get them properly mounted, as I discovered.

How was the dress, BTW?

glad you are alright !

Good read.

Ouch! That's kinda lame. I'd write an angry letter to the luggage company, they're somewhat partially to blame. What kind of bike is that, a rebel? Kinda hard to tell. I like how the ADV sticker and surrounding chrome is seemingly untouched.

it looks like a Savage 650.
Just never new Suzuki made a "Dark" version.

Wow. very sorry to hear, but glad you got away ok, that's what matters, the bike will be replaced. Live and learn, ride safe.

Glad you're OK.

Lots of burned cordura stories, but this is one of the best.

Did the dress survive?

Did you make the wedding?

Pics of the bridesmaids.

I always put a piece of sheetmetal between soft bags and the bike. I did melt a rok strap last year. Exhaust blast was 4 inches away.

That really, really sucks. I can imagine how helpless you must have felt watching your poor bike burn up. I'm glad you were not hurt.



Oh and,

:huh

Maybe they should discuss some brackets to keep the bags out of the wheel.

(Glad you are OK)

Glad you are ok!

and ... pics of the bridesmaids?


But more importantly, pics of the new ride?!?!?!

p.s. EXCELLENT pictures. Thanks for having the presence of mind to photo-document the experience.

Stop Drop and Roll. Two out of three ain't bad.

Glad you're okay.

LMAO
ok but really, sorry for the unfortunate circumstances....perfect time for that c-40 bobber project...

Awesome thread. I'm glad you were not hurt. I too would be curious to hear what bike you got to replace this one.

I know what you mean about Progressive. They are friggin' awesome when it comes to claims. As long as they don't drop me, I'm never switching.

I was in Morristown TN and stopped to check out a motorcycle salvage shop. They had a Harley in there that had been purposely torched ( the story is that the PO had burned down his garage hoping to collect the insurance money ) . These guys bought the bike, put on a new seat, replaced the wiring, tires, and other assorted rubber pieces and it fired right up. They left it in its charred state andnow its the shop's run-around bike and the ultimate rat-bike.

Actually, down here in Florida, there's a guy who comes to the local bike night on a burnt up Harley. We call it a C-harley. Get it? Char? Ah, no.

Anyhow, guy's house burnt down, and he still had the title to the bike. Sold it to the guy who's riding it around now for very cheap, did some very minor work to it (wiring, some carb work, new lines, etc) and it apparently runs as well as it ran before it got lit up. He of course keeps it in its burnt state.

Glad you're alright.

I disagree. Mount the appropriate luggage in an appropriate fashion and it'll work just fine. A luggage company cannot be held liable for what you do with their product.

Unless it spontaneously combusted.

That out to buff right out. New seat you're good to go. I bet you had the best story about getting to the wedding though.

I had a savage 650 as my second bike, liked it real well.