A couple of days ago I was returning from riding in western North Carolina and was in Northern NJ as it was the most expedient way to get home. Normally I avoid those roads but I'm on a plane to Jacksonville for 3 weeks of work in a couple of days and just needed to get home.
I was on 287 doing 70-75 in the middle lane when a car in the right hand lane cut in front of me to pass. He waited to long and was really close so I throttled back. As I did. I saw something in the road, it was the size and shape of about 3-4 packs of playing cards taped together. I tried to lean hard to the right but the front tire clipped it. A millisecond later I heard the loudest bang I've heard in 40 years of riding. The rear tire may or may not have lost contact, but I don't know as the impact sent my helmet and shoulders over the windshield and I was busy trying to find my seat again.
I glided to the right, but there was no breakdown lane, just about 30 inches from the white line to the edge of the pavement. I did a rolling inspection of my front tire and it seemed as though the suspension was fine. The rear seemed to have air, so I decided to get out of there as I was getting buzzed by 18 wheelers about 18 inches from me. I figured even if one of the tires was toast I could probably find a better spot to pull over.
I hit the throttle and instantly knew where the bike was hit. It sounded like 3 straight pipe Harleys chained together. Man, I had the bike apart a few weeks ago doing forks, stem head bearings, wheel bearings, and while the fairings and all that was off I cleaned up the exhaust system, and patted myself on the back that it was still solid.
It took a while, and though loud, I made it about an hour later to a service plaza on 87. I first checked the tires very slowly and surprisingly the were ok. There was a scuff on the sidewall of the front where I had glanced of the debris but otherwise they were fine. Next I checked the flange where the collector connects to the pipe, it was solid. Forward down pipes, ditto. Put the bike on the center stand and stuck my head under with a flashlight to look at the collector.
Houston, we have a problem.
I took me a few very loud hours to get to the hotel where I was staying, but luckily there was a Wally World down the road. After checking in, and yes, all the employees heard me arrive. I ran over and found something called Steel Stick, an epoxy/steel putty. It was only rated to 300F, but it just had to work for 425 miles. The hole was the size of a golf ball, so I wasn't sure it would work, but had to try something. It was the consistency of play dough when mixed so I used half to fill the hole, then made a thinner piece to give more surface area and better adhesion. I guess it worked as the bikes in the driveway and only my TBR can annoys the neighbors, not an open exhaust :+)
Sitting around later that evening after applying the Steel Stick, It dawned on me I had passed around 20-25 18 wheelers loaded with huge steel beams and about the same number with large pre stressed concrete structures. I'm pretty sure given the force of the impact and the damage done it was a bit of steel that just fell off some truck. So maybe it was best if it took out the collector as if it had hit my foot or leg, it could have been a real life changer. I wear TCX racing boots and leather armored riding pants as result of a bad crash 12 years ago, but I doubt they would have been much good in this instance.
Well, that's it for now, I'm off to Classifieds, hat in hand, to see if there is a spare 4th gen collector gathering dust on the Board.
Be safe out there.
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