It was new for all of about three months - the typical newbie arc of ownership-to-breakership - and the first time I met another "real" motorcyclist who shared the same fate, in the same corner, on the same icy patch -- precipitated by the same guy who was jumping up and down, waving his arms and hollering "Slow Down!!" so we both obligingly hit the brakes and did just that in an unexpected way.
50mph impact scratches. It would only be (too) much later that I began to appreciate dirtbikes, flexible plastic, and lack-of-traction as a condition assumed as "normal."
When I finished bumping and sliding I looked around for Panic-Man - and met him as he struggled to climb up out of the weeds.
Apparently my angle of flight, direction of impact, and subsequent bike-slide was in his exact direction - so after helping cause two other riders to crash he had dived off the edge of the mountain road to avoid the oncoming missile.
Great. I was a bit bruised but unbroken, the handlebars were torqued but the bike rideable - and the fun was over for the day so I had to ride home. Streetbike plastic is damn expensive on a petty administrative-assistant's salary. I would get it fixed back to snuff, and ride the Sierras and have some adventures.
4 comments:
zomg!
Is that a 600 or a 400?
If it's a 6, it's just cool, but if it's a 4, I'm green with frickin' envy!
ZOMG! It's Tam!!! :-) Yay! It was a 6, the 4 was too small for my leg-length and also (mainly) it cost more than I could afford. Hell, despite all the MSF classes and the track-day with Reg Pridmore I could barely ride the 6 with any great proficiency (16-inch front, even with the best Metzlers) though I did get a lot better. I just got better (happier) in the dirt and street on the XR650L. :-)
Ice, oil, a sprinkle of rain are all hell when riding a street bike.
Glad all you got were a few scratches.
Yeah, you lucked out not breaking anything. I went down doing about 45 and separated my shoulder :( I'm not allowed to play with sport bikes any more.
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