I went down
Road Captain
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 505
Likes: 2
Glad everyone's ok - it is a nightmare even to think of going down with a passenger on the back, especially the kids or wife. It's like when I do scuba with my 14 year old - you have to take every precaution.
Just one question - how much front brake were you using? On my Dyna it is easy to lock the back - even 2 up but the real stopping power comes out the front brakes so I give about 80% front and 20% to the back (and put the front into action first). On my Road King its the other way round - the rear is less lockable and goes on first and I put 40% to the back and only 60% to the front. That gives me a lot more control and cuts stopping distances so reducing the number of situations where a crisis reaction gets used.
Just one question - how much front brake were you using? On my Dyna it is easy to lock the back - even 2 up but the real stopping power comes out the front brakes so I give about 80% front and 20% to the back (and put the front into action first). On my Road King its the other way round - the rear is less lockable and goes on first and I put 40% to the back and only 60% to the front. That gives me a lot more control and cuts stopping distances so reducing the number of situations where a crisis reaction gets used.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: Baytona Beach Florida
1) so glad you and son are OK.That is the most important.
2) take care of that roadrash.I got a secondary infection from it once.Keep it clean with a lot of neo-sporin on it
3) when ya get back on the road, practice stops using the front brake as your primary brake.coming from a sportbike background ,remember the front brake is your friend.
2) take care of that roadrash.I got a secondary infection from it once.Keep it clean with a lot of neo-sporin on it
3) when ya get back on the road, practice stops using the front brake as your primary brake.coming from a sportbike background ,remember the front brake is your friend.
Thread Starter
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Advanced
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Glad everyone's ok - it is a nightmare even to think of going down with a passenger on the back, especially the kids or wife. It's like when I do scuba with my 14 year old - you have to take every precaution.
Just one question - how much front brake were you using? On my Dyna it is easy to lock the back - even 2 up but the real stopping power comes out the front brakes so I give about 80% front and 20% to the back (and put the front into action first). On my Road King its the other way round - the rear is less lockable and goes on first and I put 40% to the back and only 60% to the front. That gives me a lot more control and cuts stopping distances so reducing the number of situations where a crisis reaction gets used.
Just one question - how much front brake were you using? On my Dyna it is easy to lock the back - even 2 up but the real stopping power comes out the front brakes so I give about 80% front and 20% to the back (and put the front into action first). On my Road King its the other way round - the rear is less lockable and goes on first and I put 40% to the back and only 60% to the front. That gives me a lot more control and cuts stopping distances so reducing the number of situations where a crisis reaction gets used.
not sure. in normal situations I brake more with the front brakes. But i have for the most part always use both brakes when stopping. when i panic i guess i over did the rear. also I haven't had the bike long. just a few weeks. maybe not knowing the bike well had hurt me too.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,380
Likes: 1
From: ,,
It was awesome...
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 304
Likes: 1
From: Washington State
This is exactly why I sold my highway pegs, I only had them on for a week and could see they were an accident waiting to happen, I have to have my foot next to the brake.
Glad you both are OK
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Why were you wearing only a t-shirt when you were riding? A long-sleeve shirt will at least help A LITTLE if you go down, but a leather jacket should be worn all of the time.
I see a lot of young hipsters wearing shorts, flip-flops, and "blade" sunglasses on their hot GXR's etc.. and always wonder how they will feel when the inevitable happens, having to go down due to an idiot driver in a car.
Were you both wearing helmets (hopefully the kid was!)?
Live and learn!!
I see a lot of young hipsters wearing shorts, flip-flops, and "blade" sunglasses on their hot GXR's etc.. and always wonder how they will feel when the inevitable happens, having to go down due to an idiot driver in a car.
Were you both wearing helmets (hopefully the kid was!)?
Live and learn!!
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 3
From: Oklahoma City, OK
+1 on the highway peg comments…. I watched a guy in my group on a poker run almost lose it in the rain using his highway pegs going around twisty wet roads…. I don’t understand why people insist on using them anywhere but out on the highway where they are intended to be used.
Then again I’m not really a big fan of forwards or crazy ape hangers cuz they look to me like they both hamper control and I’m not on board with using the tiniest turn signals you can find either. I have to cop to pulling my reflectors, but seems to me that you want people to know when you’re turning on a bike.
Glad to hear that all turned out well in this case tho!
Then again I’m not really a big fan of forwards or crazy ape hangers cuz they look to me like they both hamper control and I’m not on board with using the tiniest turn signals you can find either. I have to cop to pulling my reflectors, but seems to me that you want people to know when you’re turning on a bike.
Glad to hear that all turned out well in this case tho!
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,042
Likes: 0
From: Brunswick, MD
Sat. afternoon with my 10 year old son on the back seat we went down. We was cruzing up to a intersection with my feet on the highway pegs runnin about 40 mph green light on when out of no where an ambulance with lights flashing came around the cars and started entering the intersection in front of me. I panic and pushed the brakes to hard locking up the rear tire and we went down. it all happen so fast. while laying in the middle of the intersection i turn to my son and ask if he was all right. he was. he had fell on me most of the way. My bike was lay on my leg and me and him together couldn't lift it enough to get my leg out. fuel was leaking out from the gas tank. a few minuites later the two ambulance guys and two other men came running and got the bike up off my leg. I was wearing boots, blue jeans and a T- shirt. I got road rash pretty bad on my left fore arm and elbow. but nothing seem broken though. I refuse medical treatment and made some road side repairs to my dyna and me and my son rode it home. a few hour later my knee started swelling real bad and got to hurting so I went to the hospital and had knee x-ray. it wasn't broken. I clean my road rash myself.
I don't blame the ambulance driver. I blame myself for the accident. I wasn't cautious approching the intersection. I over brake causing the rear wheel to lock up. two days later I feel like I just rode a bull for 8 sec. every part of my body ackes. I think God that my son didn't get hurt and that I or the bike didn't get beat up to bad either. lesson learn.
I don't blame the ambulance driver. I blame myself for the accident. I wasn't cautious approching the intersection. I over brake causing the rear wheel to lock up. two days later I feel like I just rode a bull for 8 sec. every part of my body ackes. I think God that my son didn't get hurt and that I or the bike didn't get beat up to bad either. lesson learn.
I am so very glad you 2 are OK.... Take care of yourselves and be safe!!!
Peace, Naz
