Down it Went !!!

[Arbey Canuck]

Booo hooo hooo ... last night I dropped my bike!!!

I pulled out of the underground last night at about 6:45pm to snow covered roads. The side road to the main street was slippery but fine. However when I got on the main street that takes me down to the major highway ... wow ... still bumper to bumper and just a skating rink. It was cold enough that all the traffic did not melt anything down ... it was actually all black ice with powdered snow on top. Had I been able to get rolling and cruise down to the highway I probably would of been fine. But all the traffic and all the stop and go was a nightmare. Every stop and every start (no matter how sedate) had my back wheel kicking out to the right. I was riding with both feet on the ground (as much foot as I can get down anyways) and using front brake and clutch to control the back wheel kicking. Anytime the front brake was applied or anytime the throttle was applied ... if drive train engaged ... total kicking out ... it was that slippery. Pulling in the clutch was the only relief ... to stop the back wheel from spinning. Well finally about 3 blocks down ... a momentary lapse of not pulling the clutch in quick enough ... had my back wheel out to far. I held on for what seemed like an eternity ... but with zero traction on my left foot ... to continue holding ... this baby was going down!!!! To avoid any 'Razorbak' scenarios ... i.e. getting pinned ... I bailed!!!!!

Now here's when things start to get ridiculous!!!! I couldn't get the damn bike back up!!! As I would start to lift it up ... the front tire would give and it would slip back down. Good grief I must have tried 10 times ... and all I did was push the damn bike about 15 feet. Meanwhile all 3 lanes are stopped ... including a bus right behind me ... the sidewalks are full of pedestrians walking and staring ... and no one is doing a damn thing to help!!!! By now I've pushed my bike out of the middle lane and into the 3rd lane ... and traffic in the other lanes just start rolling again. While my bike is still down ... traffic in the 3rd lane is now trying to go around me. Finally ... if you can believe it ... a young lady maybe 18 come forward and asks if she can help. I simply said "you bet & thanks"!!! I had her put her foot against my front wheel so I could prop my bike up ... that's all it took.

Once up ... it was really only then that I realized how many onlookers there were ... and though pissed / embarrassed / sweating like a pig (the whole nine yards) ... I did the Shrek thing ... waved my hands to the crowd saying ... thank you thank you ... I'm back Thursday!!! Anyways I decided to head back to the underground and do the public transport thing. It was just as slippy get back but I made it without suffering further incident.

Did only a quick review of the bike last night ... only minor damage ... cylinder guard cracked (I don't have crash bars) but it did the job ... small dent in the exhaust near the cat (must be from the center stand) and it took a little bit to get my system case open ... as it was locked but partly off it's hinges. It seems to be working fine.

It snowing right now ... I'm wondering if I'll get my bike home tonight????

[Rad]

Originally posted by Arbey Canuck
Booo hooo hooo ... last night I dropped my bike!!!

The important thing is that you are ok.

I know this is a Calif guy talking but I think you must be packing a really big set of stones if you even think about riding in traffic in those types of conditions.

I sail and ocean Kayak. Sometimes the most important safety decision you can make is knowing when not to go and stay on shore. The same is true for bikes.

Glad your ok

[Gyromaniac]

Originally posted by Arbey Canuck
I realized how many onlookers there were ... and though pissed / embarrassed / sweating like a pig (the whole nine yards) ... I did the Shrek thing ... waved my hands to the crowd saying ... thank you thank you ... I'm back Thursday!!!

Charge admission. It'll cover a set of traction devices and crash bars.
:ssmile
We're all glad you're OK!!

[John Fallon]

glad you are okay
had my snow experience 8 dec 01
only damage was to the cylinder guard
the only one to see me go down was a cop that was right in front of me.
he had to help me turn the bike in the right dirtection before i was off again.
never made it home with the bike had to park it and retreve it the next morining.
here are some pics of the morning.
http://photos.yahoo.com/ejfbmw

[Baldy]

Too funny!!!! I've definitely gotta remember your Shrek-like recovery and put it to good use sometime.

You remind me of a Motorcycle Online story called Thermally Stupid. An excerpt:

So far we managed running tires without studs because there wasn't enough ice or snow to justify using them -- rocks and frozen dirt would have destroyed them in no time. Rob soon finds himself guiding a KDX 200 down a hill that turns out to be much more than he bargained for. The slope is much too steep for the conditions and he quickly slides out of control and crashes. Reluctantly, we follow his lead and manage to slide down, toboggan style, out of control past trees and rocks to safety. Then it hits us. How are we going to get back up this hill? Oops.

[four-up]

Glad that I'm not alone in winter commuting endeavors. Also glad you and your bike survived the ordeal. Curious what kind of tires you were using and if it even mattered on the ice/fresh snow surface. My street in Park City, UT is that way for 3 to 4 months of the year. I put on Cont. TKC-80s and it made a huge difference except on freshly frozen puddles.

[Marc]

Arbey,

Gald you made it OK. Just imagine if one of the cars around you couldn't stop and slid into you. Ugly.

Baldy - great story. I'm glad there are others out there willing to try something so foolhardy as this - and survive to write about it! I just love reading about crazy adventures such as this...all from the comfort of my office!

Marc

[freaking RT]

what a story!!!

glad there is only minor damage to the bike and ego!!:):

as I age gracefully, one of the reasons I shy away from getting another dirt/dual sport bike is I would be too tempted to ride!! BTDT !! :lol1

[fish]

Well done, Arbey Shrek! (I love that movie). Glad no lasting injuries to you or the bike.

[drholm]

Arbey, looks like its time to bolt on those outrigger skis! Glad you came out healthy and laughing.

[Global Rider]

As Yosemite Sam would say "That'll learn ya".

As long as you are OK though. Take it from someone that has driven to and from work daily in some serious snow, get a lighter bike and more dirt oriented tires. I did the snow, freezing rain and ice thing many years ago.

[Killen]

Arbey.....it was for the love of motorcycling that you had the event in the first place. Glad to hear you weren't hurt...maybe a little ego. But my hat is off to you that you attempted the feat.

It's amazing how many people just don't know what to do...just stand around and watch...DAH! Glad they all don't ride or we would really have problems.

Good luck keeping the rubber-side down.

Turkeyman

[mongo]

WoW great adventure.......

I am glad you discovered gravity on ice for the rest of us.

That seems to be a good physics lesson also when it came time to up right the bike!

Good thing your not hurt !!!!

[Gerg]

Originally posted by Arbey Canuck
Booo hooo hooo ... last night I dropped my bike!!!

<>

It snowing right now ... I'm wondering if I'll get my bike home tonight????

Arbey, Glad you're Ok. Like others here I think you've got some real stones there! Hell. I'm bitching about the fog

Maybe it's time to invest in some of them snow/ice racing tires. The ones with the 3/4" long spikes. The ones you can use as meat a tenderizer in the off season

Ride safe,
Greg

[fish]