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Bummer...it would be good to know how it happened so that you truly learn from the experience. I always worry when I "don't know" cuz it could happen again.
I agree with the front brake comments. No one (not ABATE, not my H.O.G. group)...no one ever explained to me how on the heavier bikes engaging the front brake could create such unbelievable, uncontrollable momentum. That's how I laid mine down..twice. But both times at home trying to park it.
BTW, I also agree with comments about the youngins attention span. Here's pic of my granddaughter wearing her leathers and ready to ride. Last year, after about a 15 mile ride (out of 30), she actually fell asleep!!! I had to yell at her to wake up as I held onto her hands for dear life. She might not have fallen off, but since she wasn't strapped on, I was taking no chances.
Sorry to hear about your bike. Did you take it to Conrads? Despite the temps, you might have hit some black ice.
Yes, she's at Conrad's getting the once over from the guys there, waiting for the insurance guy to come look at it and write that check. Went down just around the corner from there, was able to ride it the short distance to their service door. For the other posters, I am pretty sure that I was not on the front brake and I do remember hearing the floorboard scrape, but that is not an unheard of thing, I do that almost on a regular basis. I am dying to get it back to go out again, though. Even thought I dropped her, that little taste of the ride, gives me the itch to ride some more.
I agree with the front brake comments. No one (not ABATE, not my H.O.G. group)...no one ever explained to me how on the heavier bikes engaging the front brake could create such unbelievable, uncontrollable momentum. That's how I laid mine down..twice. But both times at home trying to park it.
When you lean a bike, centrifugal force actually wants to stand the bike straight up. If you use your front brake you will counter act the centrifugal force (gyroscope effect) and gravity will take over. The slower the turn, the less centrifugal force there is against the direction of the lean. If there are no other factors, you will not drop a bike from leaning to far unless you are going to slow.
I'm trying to piece this one together in my mind. The idea of leaning too far makes me think you'd scrape your floorboards long before you were over enough to wipe out, and that floorboard scrape should bounce you back up if you hit a steep lean into a curve with some speed.
Did you feel any loss of traction before going down?
Yeah, I'm trying to piece it together myself. Not to call anyone out, but so I can learn yet another thing to NOT do myself!
I too have gently laid my bike down on it's side twice by grabbing the front brake. Luckily for me though, both times were at extremely slow speeds. Both times, I "man handled" that bike with all my strength to gently lay it down. No damage at all (thanks to the engine guard), but I now keep my hand away from that front brake if I'm going slow.
Glad to hear your OK! Good news is this warm up is only temp and the bike will be at the dealer with more snow on the ground so you won't miss it as much as if it were June
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