It's not gonna happen to me...

[big ed]

I was a lucky man yesterday on the way into work.  I dumped the bike on an onramp getting onto rt 280 in NJ. 

The onramp was a decreasing radius turn that I do almost every day I commute on the bike. The whole entrance is a bit hairy there because you have the slow lane of a 3 lane highway which ends at that exit…meaning you have people entering the highway, exiting the highway, and merging left all within a small space. That’s why I typically take that corner a little wide, so I can easily see with my left mirror what’s bearing down on me in the slow lane where the onramp straightens out so I can spot an opening to merge.

That worked against me this time.

Going into the turn all was normal, setting up for my typical line through the turn at a nice speed, I noticed a decent amount of sand on the outside edge of the turn, but none in the roadway that I could see.  However, going into the sharpest bit of the corner, my bike kept swinging wider through the turn no matter what I would do…I felt it regain traction and leaned harder/reved the engine more to quickly tighten my turn but it was too late.  I finished the turn a little too wide and went into the sand built up on the side of the road.  The bike drifted into the curb and went down with me flying to the left and it sliding on down the onramp to the right.  So down I go first sliding on my left and then rolling…coming to a stop…muttering Oww to no one in particular and getting up to see what’s going on. Thankfully the guy driving behind me on the entrance ramp saw what was going to happen and stopped when I hit the curb, blocking the traffic coming down the ramp…so it was walk to the bike (there was no running at this point) pick it up and get it out of the road. 

Then the cell phone died while talking to the police, but eventually a guy from the “Blue Knights”-a police motorcycle club in NJ-stopped and helped me out.  Total damage: swelling and (small amount of) roadrash to left elbow, swelling to left hip, and huge hit to ego.  The frameslider is a goner from the crash (but sure did it's job), the left grip has to be replaced, the passenger seat cover has to be replaced, I got 3 small dings to the tank’s paint (from road, blinker knob, and horn button) loose mirror, broken blinker, snapped shifter, and scratches to the front wheel.  It was a sore ride home on the bike.

Mesh jacket (Teknic) and pants (Joe Rocket Phoenix) are done, but they did their jobs.  Same can be said for the Arai helmet. Guess I can be the first to write up a crash test on the jacket in the NYMMC board.  Not exactly an honor I wanted though.
`

[arai_speed]

Sorry to hear that man!  Glad you are ok and that you were wearing all your gear.  Shit happens when we least expect it.

[PizzaMonster]

All things considered it sounds like you got off easy.  (Your body probably won't agree with that for a few days though).  Thankfully you didn't roll into traffic or a guardrail.  Glad to hear that even the mesh gear will save you too.

Hope you get everything back together and back on the road soon.  In the meantime, this stuff will help with the swelling  ...honest....

[somegirl]

Sorry to hear about your crash.  Glad you are relatively OK and didn't get run over though!

Good luck getting your bike fixed up.

[big ed]

Oh, I am counting myself lucky.

As for the bike...I would have to crash as we roll into August.  Good thing I shouldn't need any OEM parts except the shifter and kickstand.

[He Man]

Wow, that must have been scary. I would of been scared of being road meat. But im glad u came out great and the gear worked! How you holding up?

[ArabicaMan]

Wow, between the two of us July wasn't a very happy month: http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=7964.0.  I'm really glad to hear that you're okay, and it sounds like we both owe a note of thanks to our respective safety equipment makers.  I may be a Shoei fan for life!  (Pun intended, by the way.)  It's also interesting that we both immediately thought to diagram and diagnose what went wrong and what we can do to prevent it in the future.  As so many folks have told me, with the right approach, a get-off can make you a much better rider.  I know I won't view certain seemingly benign conditions in quite the same way again.  Cheers to you.

[big ed]

Ahh, it is a sad day for my s2r800...The damage seems to have been a bit mroe drastic than originally thought, though the bruises have healed and the roadrash almost disappeared.

It seems that I bent the forks during the impact and that when the bike landed on it's side, the forks (or triple) smashed against the frame hard enough to bend the bottom tube. The bends to the frame and forks are only really visible when holding a straight edge to them.

So, new forks, new frame, new Rizoma handgrips, new framesliders, etc., and labor = totaled bike.

Now what to do?  I find out Friday what they are going to offer me...then I decide whether to buy it back or upgrade. 

Bad time to have gotten laid off from work...the call of a loud clattering open dry clutch is getting hard to ignore.

[TiNi]

thanks for the update on your bike, sorry to hear it's totalled 
good to hear you're healed up though

[NuTTs]

Glad to hear you´re healing up well.

[Carman]

Glad to hear you're all right

Answer the call of the clatter, you won't regret!!

[GLantern]

Wow biged that is really scary but glad your healing up well!!!  Good to know the gear heldup please do write a review of that jacket whenever you get a chance that would be a great resource for everyone on the board who is baking in leathers.  Sorry bout the bike and i hope your new one is an upgrade

[tommys67]

So, you pulled the trigger on that jacket, too, huh?  Good to know just rash and no "snaps"

Sorry to hear about the bike's prognosis .  Glad you're OK, though!

I think I know where that on-ramp is.  That is a wicked on-ramp.  I've only done it a few times in a cage, but damn!!

BTW - this may be the last thing you're thinking about, but the S2R1000 may be calling your name!!!  Classic Monster styling, cheapest dry clutch...  just sayin'