My abused GS

[marc]

This has not been a very good year for my poor, abused '05 GS. In April it was struck by a deer. The bike didn't go down, but the strike was strong enough to bend the crash bars back into the valve cover.



In August I put the bike on its right side in the dirt. I was going a bit too slow and didn't have enough momentum to make it through a wet spot on the road and up the channel made by the water. The rear end gave way.



And Sunday, on the way back from a camping trip in Sequoia National Park I had problems with water, again. There was a short stretch, maybe 5 feet wide, where water crosses the road. It was only an inch deep, if that, but it's probably been wet (and extra slippery) all summer long. Normally it is dry this time of year. Anway, I aimed for what looked like clean concrete and though I was going slow enough. Nope. The bike got sideways in the water and the rear hooked up once I cleared the wet concrete and hit asphalt. I thought I was going down on the left side, then I thought I'd saved it, and finally wound up going down on the right. Alas, the asphalt was pretty rough and my right pannier got caught in a depression. It's not quite square (or water tight) any more:



This crash also drove the right crash bar into the valve cover, causing a very minor ding. Now it matches the left side.

Later this week when it gets a bit cooler in the garage I'll attack the hepco-becker bars and the zega pannier with a big hammer.

The GS crashes well. Once we got the bike out of the center of the road I only had to re-adjust both mirrors before continuing on our way. Oh, and my crash warned the following riders.

[Quanto12]

Since you only talk about the bike,I take it that you're OK! Well now the bike has a little more caracter!!!

[marc]

Oh yeah... The only damage that's occurred to my body is the slight muscle strain I get whenever I have to pick the pig up. Hasn't been any damage to riding gear, either.