I've been riding with my friend Jeff since he started riding back last fall. He's a noob but is very responsible. I do have to wait up on him quite a bit but don't mind. Thanks to Jeff being responsible he learned the true value of gear today. We started up a mountain with myself in the lead. I gunned it up the mountain pretty hard and came to a long straight of way at the top. I slowed down and reached the end of the straight and pulled over, still no Jeff. Soon I saw a car coming and I knew that something was wrong. I headed back down the mountain expecting the worst. When I found him he had already gotten the bike back up and was just pretty much pissed off that his bike was scratched up. His left wrist is swollen from sticking his hand out to break the fall but that is his only injury. His jacket and riding pants had holes in them. His helmet and gloves were scuffed up significantly, but he walked away and that's what is important. Had he not been wearing gear I think that it is safe to say that his injuries would have been a lot worse. He learned another lesson today as well. The reason he wrecked was because he was running out of gas, as he was making a left curve the engine sputtered and died right at the apex of the curve, his rear wheel locked and he low sided. I'm betting that he fills his tank before our next ride.
Running out of gas will not cause the rear wheel to lock up. He had some other mechanical issue, or there was a different cause for the crash.
I hope his scaphoid isn't broken. He should make sure to have it x-rayed. If the x-ray comes up clear and it is still hurting in a couple weeks, get another x-ray, they can take a while to show up if a small fracture.
Glad to hear your buddy is ok. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif)
One thing though. I had a similar result after a lowside on black ice about 5 yrs ago, swollen left wrist, negative x-rays. About a week later, it wasn't any better. Went to a specialist and got an MRI, discovered that one of the three tendons in there had torn.
I give the Doc credit, he told me flat out "I've fixed these before and no one's ever thanked me for it." I passed on the operation and never regretted it.
Not trying to be negative or alarmist, just make sure your bud goes to see the Doc if the swelling doesn't go down in a day or two.
Gap Trash, Apr 20 2008, 08:57 PMI've been riding with my friend Jeff since he started riding back last fall. He's a noob but is very responsible. I do have to wait up on him quite a bit but don't mind. Thanks to Jeff being responsible he learned the true value of gear today. We started up a mountain with myself in the lead. I gunned it up the mountain pretty hard and came to a long straight of way at the top. I slowed down and reached the end of the straight and pulled over, still no Jeff. Soon I saw a car coming and I knew that something was wrong. I headed back down the mountain expecting the worst. When I found him he had already gotten the bike back up and was just pretty much pissed off that his bike was scratched up. His left wrist is swollen from sticking his hand out to break the fall but that is his only injury. His jacket and riding pants had holes in them. His helmet and gloves were scuffed up significantly, but he walked away and that's what is important. Had he not been wearing gear I think that it is safe to say that his injuries would have been a lot worse. He learned another lesson today as well. The reason he wrecked was because he was running out of gas, as he was making a left curve the engine sputtered and died right at the apex of the curve, his rear wheel locked and he low sided. I'm betting that he fills his tank before our next ride.
That's the truth, Brother. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)
Been there, done that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
jeremy556, Apr 20 2008, 08:04 PMRunning out of gas will not cause the rear wheel to lock up. He had some other mechanical issue, or there was a different cause for the crash.
I hope his scaphoid isn't broken. He should make sure to have it x-rayed. If the x-ray comes up clear and it is still hurting in a couple weeks, get another x-ray, they can take a while to show up if a small fracture.
He told me that the engine died and the rear wheel locked up. The bike was sitting on the center stand when I got there but he had not tried to start it. I started it and it ran for a few seconds very roughly and died and would not restart, I switched it to reserve and it started and ran fine. It would make sense to me that if you are goig down the road and the motor cuts off and the bike is in gear the rear tire is having to turn the engine over and that could make the tire loose traction. I'm not trying to argue with you Jeremy, that just made sense to me.
Try it. Hit your kill switch, or turn the ignition off while you are riding down the road. Even in 1st gear, if you are sitting on the bike and it is moving the wheel will not lock up unless you are on wet pavement or gravel.
I have never ran out of gas but in a random act of stupidity after passing a car instead of upshifting I just closed the throttle in 3rd gear about 10,000 rpm's THE REAR TIRE GOT REAL SQUIRLEY ON ME.. so it is possible running out of gas can do it..
More so if your a new rider n dont catch it quick enough with the clutch or no slipper clutch....
He probably downshifted at the wrong time. Downshifting too early can cause the rear wheel to lock up (especially on a curve.) It happened to me a few years ago and definitely got my attention.
SEBSPEED, Apr 20 2008, 08:24 PMAww, that sucks. Crappy reason for a crash, but glad he's ok. Is he cool with you dusting him all the time?
Yeah he is actually. He acknowledges that I have more experience than he does and therefore I am faster. He doesn't push himself you out of his comfort zone to keep up, and for that I am glad. When he first got his bike he actually came to me and asked if we could ride together because he wanted to learn to ride like me. He's one of the best guys I've ever ridden with, always wanting to get better and always wanting advice and input on what he is doing. Much better than most of the other people that I ride with that think they already know everything.
SEBSPEED, Apr 20 2008, 08:24 PMAww, that sucks. Crappy reason for a crash, but glad he's ok. Is he cool with you dusting him all the time?
Yeah he is actually. He acknowledges that I have more experience than he does and therefore I am faster. He doesn't push himself you out of his comfort zone to keep up, and for that I am glad. When he first got his bike he actually came to me and asked if we could ride together because he wanted to learn to ride like me. He's one of the best guys I've ever ridden with, always wanting to get better and always wanting advice and input on what he is doing. Much better than most of the other people that I ride with that think they already know everything.
Gap Trash, Apr 20 2008, 07:57 PMI've been riding with my friend Jeff since he started riding back last fall. He's a noob but is very responsible. I do have to wait up on him quite a bit but don't mind. Thanks to Jeff being responsible he learned the true value of gear today. We started up a mountain with myself in the lead. I gunned it up the mountain pretty hard and came to a long straight of way at the top. I slowed down and reached the end of the straight and pulled over, still no Jeff. Soon I saw a car coming and I knew that something was wrong. I headed back down the mountain expecting the worst. When I found him he had already gotten the bike back up and was just pretty much pissed off that his bike was scratched up. His left wrist is swollen from sticking his hand out to break the fall but that is his only injury. His jacket and riding pants had holes in them. His helmet and gloves were scuffed up significantly, but he walked away and that's what is important. Had he not been wearing gear I think that it is safe to say that his injuries would have been a lot worse. He learned another lesson today as well. The reason he wrecked was because he was running out of gas, as he was making a left curve the engine sputtered and died right at the apex of the curve, his rear wheel locked and he low sided. I'm betting that he fills his tank before our next ride.
Glad to hear he's mostly OK. Nothing like a little "scare" to make someone take it easy for a little bit. Hopefully he doesn't get gun-shy...and continues to ride. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif)
Glad your buddy wasn't hurt seriously Gap, and had gear on......... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/fing02.gif) .....got a feeling your buddy mighta' pulled the clutch in when it sputtered out of gas and released it.....locked rear wheel............. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)
jeremy556, Apr 20 2008, 07:38 PMTry it. Hit your kill switch, or turn the ignition off while you are riding down the road. Even in 1st gear, if you are sitting on the bike and it is moving the wheel will not lock up unless you are on wet pavement or gravel.
You're correct that it won't lock up the wheel. However, it will switch you to full-on engine braking mode. Its perfectly reasonable that if someone who is leaned over in a turn unexpectedly goes from steady/increasing throttle to engine braking, that they'd lowside. And if I was in the middle of it, I doubt I'd bother to differentiate between that and the rear just locking up.
jeremy556, Apr 20 2008, 07:38 PMTry it. Hit your kill switch, or turn the ignition off while you are riding down the road. Even in 1st gear, if you are sitting on the bike and it is moving the wheel will not lock up unless you are on wet pavement or gravel.
You're correct that it won't lock up the wheel. However, it will switch you to full-on engine braking mode. Its perfectly reasonable that if someone who is leaned over in a turn unexpectedly goes from steady/increasing throttle to engine braking, that they'd lowside. And if I was in the middle of it, I doubt I'd bother to differentiate between that and the rear just locking up.
Yep, you are right. The "locked" rear wheel just stuck in my mind and I wasn't thinking about the rest.
If most of your rear traction is being used up by corning, the rear wheel could certainly lock up in a tight corner...it would only need to lock for a fraction of a second.