These crash bars just paid for themselves...

[stevef]

I got home from work around 2:30 on Saturday and it was really turning out to be a nice day; bright, sunny skies, temps in the mid to upper 30’s, a nice day for February. And besides, I’ve got Gerbings, what more do I need? Hell, there’s a new bike in the garage just calling my name.

So I go in and gear up, warm up the bike, turn on the iPod and head out to put some nice, easy break-in miles on the new GS. The GeeSter. Gotta take it easy near my house, there’s a fair amount of sand on the road. I head down to the hairpin, nice and easy, first gear around the sand filled corners…okay, I’m through and onto rte 58 south. Nice road, no sand, maybe a little salt residue, but the recent rains have pretty much washed the sand away from the major roads. I’m just going to head south and ride around the reservoir. A nice, little 30 mile loop and then maybe over to Cliff’s BMW to socialize.

Man, the bike feels great. I really am likin’ this GS. Good seating position, very smooth, no buzziness at all. Much different than the older twins (IMHO). I turn onto 136 and head over to Redding Rd. I ride up past the CC, the bike feels great. I’m takin’ it nice and easy, just breakin’ her in, and watchin’ for the sand and ice (of which there is very little). I’ve got some nice, mellow tunes on the iPod, and the Gerbings are just as warm as can be. Man, this is great. I turn North onto Valley Forge and am getting really comfortable. I’m in a groove now. Nice, windy road, great twisties in the summer. But I’m just takin’ it easy. I head into the esses by the bridge feeling really good. I lean left onto the bridge, remember, easy now, bridges freeze faster than the road. I come across the bridge and I’m leaning to the right, heading around that sharp right hander. The bike is feeling great, really smooth. I start leaning, give her a little gas as I exit the turn and BAM! the back wheel goes out…fuck… next thing I know, I’m sliding on my ass and my elbow as the bike separates away in a shower of sparks…fuck…really strong smell of metal grinding on asphalt…shit!...heart is pounding…adrenalin is starting to kick in…the bike slides into the oncoming lane with me closely behind...we finally come to a stop on the other side of the road with the bike facing the opposite direction…shit…gotta turn off the bike!...fuckin’ iPod is still playing…this is no time for mellow music…I gotta find the kill switch! I finally turn the bike off…I rip off my helmet and gloves…rip out the earphones…holy fucking shit!...what just happened?...adrenalin is really pumping now…gotta get the bike out of the road…I go over and pick it up…shit, that was way easier than I thought it was gonna be…roll it to the side…put down the side stand…whew...stop and breathe…okay, your going to be okay…calm down…check out the bike…sitting on it when some asswipe on a bicycle rides by…” hey, buddy, don’t forget your helmet!”…asshole…wow, nice grind mark on the crash bars…mirrors loose, but not broken…okay, check everything else...the right hand guard has a small crack, but nothing major…no other damage anywhere…except maybe my heart…whew…that was close.

I gather up my stuff and put on my helmet and gloves. No music this time. I head home a little slower, a little more cautious, and a little more humble.

Ya know; I really like this bike. If this had been my KGT, there would have been thousands of dollars worth of plastic all over the road. As it is, there’s really nothing wrong that some good epoxy and a little primer won’t fix. Even at that, the crash bars did their job even if I don’t touch up the scrape. Hey, maybe I’ll leave it. Aren’t GS’s supposed to look a little scarred and gnarly? Shit, this ones lookin’ pretty effin good. I think I’m gonna like this bike.

[Gravity]

If the bike is down on it's right side, I put the side stand down before I pick up the bike. That way, once up, I can lean it over to the stand. Ask me how I know.

Gravity

[stevef]

That is a very good suggestion. Mine was down on it's right side, and I damn near know how you know...!

[falcon31]

Safe to guess these were the OEM crash bars?

[stevef]

They're the Hepco-Becker engine guards. They did their job, and other than some scrapes on the one side, they're fine. I checked all of the mounting points and can't find any damage.

[Julio de Torremolinos]

H&B are just great.

And oce thay have been scratched, just :

http://www.gstrail.es/foro/showthread.php?t=5323

(It´s in spanish, but plenty of pictures and real cost included.)

[Gemara]

Originally Posted by Julio de Torremolinos

H&B are just great.

And oce thay have been scratched, just :

http://www.gstrail.es/foro/showthread.php?t=5323

(It´s in spanish, but plenty of pictures and real cost included.)

Why didn't they remove the bars to fix them, with no need to cover the whole bike in papers?

Good that stevef is ok!

[w261w261]

Steve, I live just over a mile from where you crashed. You've probably been by there many times since. For some reason, it stays damp there longer than almost any other place on the road. Coming across the bridge, the water running down the rocks is ice waaaay into spring. And the road just after the bridge has an almost permanent greasiness to it. On my bike, I'm always coasting around the corner, and in my car (fwd), I enjoy the major pushing that takes the front end out as I accelerate away from the bridge (you have to wait a sec though, as the sight lines are tight).

A couple of things about this ride: just before the bridge (heading north), you pass where the fellow has been working on the old house for 10 years (things seem to have stopped for awhile, unfortunately). That strip is a haven for fishermen during the season, and for young people swimming in the summer. Coming around the right turn before the straight by the house, I have more than once encountered people standing in the road. It's not a place to work on your cornering technique. Also, once clear of the bridge, up past the spillway, there is a semi-obscure road on the left (Davis Hill). The sight line for someone turning out of the road is back over their right shoulder, and, judging by the number of people that have pulled out in front of me there, seems to be too much effort to make, so they just go.

Right before the house across from the dam, coming up hill, is favorite deer crossing, I imagine to get a drink of water from the spillway. It's OK sightline-wise northbound, but a surprise southbound.

I know this is an old post, but I thought I would throw something out on it anyway. I'm trying to decide on whether to get a GS or an RT for a cross-country trip this summer, but will start a new thread on that.

Happy New Year 2009 everyone.

Hal