[Cemoto]

My wife and I were out today. And, after a few hours and a belly full of ice cream, she just wanted to go home, so I took a shortcut on backroads to cut across and avoid the traffic.
Well after traveling about five miles down one of those backroads, we came to a road closed sign. I rethought other ways to get home, but this was the best and shortest so decided to see what was behind the sign. After all the Vstrom IS an adventure tourer. A little ways beyond the sign we saw why the road was closed. With all the rain/hurricanes we have had lately there was water all over the road and the pond had flooded the road completely for around 80 yards. There was a father and his young son wading in it and it was up to the father’s knees. He was off to the side though, so I felt it was not as deep at the crown of the road. The urge beckoned me. He was making gestures as to how deep it was and then waved me on. It IS an adventure tourer I told myself again, and hit the gas. 1st then 2nd to keep momentum, while sitting down and riding the yellow line of the crown.

Well as the road went a little further, it got deeper, so deep it was almost up to the bottom of the gas tank and my boots were fully submerged. A solid sheet of water was cascading OVER the windshield and OVER my helmet and getting my wife wet. I could not see, and my mouth was full of water. It was as if I was plunging in with a submarine. I held my line and kept the throttle on. I think the bike may have hiccupped once, but it kept going right up and out the other side. There were some people out in their yard on the other side when I came up, and out the woman had a look of WTF? I beeped the horn twice and on we went on to try to dry off, I did not want to stop the bike. The motor was pretty much submerged; hope I didn’t mess anything up.

If I had realized how deep it got I would have stood up, but I also did not want my timid wife to panic.

We haven't laughed so hard in a long time!

I told her, “I bet that kid is telling his dad he wants a motorcycle!”

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

If I had realized how deep it got I would have stood up, but I also did not want my timid wife to panic.

I would not call her timid.

You should go back and get some pictures from those bathers.

 

[Illinois]

No guts no glory, it IS an Adventure Tourer. :thumbup:

 

[K1W1]

To me this is a tale of stupidity which fortunately has a happy ending.
You should never ride through flowing flood water where you have not thoroughly tested the entire length of the ride on foot beforehand. What would have happened if the road surface had washed away and there was a 10 foot deep hole half way across the road or debris all over the surface?
From the sounds of the OPs description he was riding way too fast. Water coming over the screen? That's lunacy for somebody who professes no experience.
The OP should reflect very, very carefully on his actions here in not only endangering his own life but also that of his wife and anybody who would have tried to rescue him.
A Strom is an Adventure bike but Adventure bikes ridden by inexperienced twits acting irresponsibly are simply a potential danger to all concerned.

 

[Fyrman]

Bah... where's the fun in that.

Give 'er til you see God, I say! :thumbup:

 

[ockerstrom]

POND.......

Still water across the road [hence father and child wading knee deep in it].

Second biggest risk here seems to be dropping and totally submerging the Strom.

Biggest risk would be that the Wife would most likely have BEATEN the sh!t out of him.

I think he was very *brave :jawdrop: and extremely lucky he has a wife with a sense of humour and adventure. :thumbup:

Personally I would have probably walked it first [but I'm cautious] and would have used first gear.

Pity no one got a video of it though huh? :green_lol:


*insert your own choice of appropriate word here :biggrinjester:

 

[AceRider]

A Strom is an Adventure bike but Adventure bikes ridden by inexperienced twits acting irresponsibly are simply a potential danger to all concerned.

Dont think riding experience necessarily has much to do with it. If u cant see, u dont know what the danger is, regardless of your skills and experiences, - yes, Cemoto, u should have walked first, esp with wife on board. You are lucky indeed.

Perception to danger is an important skills to polish.

Adventure are about taking calculated risks and minimising risks and not blind faith.

 

[Cemoto]

Kiwi - you are absolutely right.

Next time I will ask the spotter who was gesturing how deep it was and waving me on for his credentials before attempting such a feat.

Now please excuse me while I package up my ISDT medal and send it back to the FIM.

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

POND.......
I think he was very *brave :jawdrop: and extremely lucky he has a wife with a sense of humour and adventure. :thumbup:

She's a real trooper.

I think K1W1 might have overracted but that's almost a redundancy.

 

[notacop]

The nay sayers sound like my Mom before she died at 99, "Did you see what almost could have happened?"
The guy said, he had spotters, the fellow and his son playing in the water.
The story obviously had a happy ending. Why read doom and gloom into it?
All together now, lets frett and wring our hands in angst. Oh, oh, oh!

 

[EC90T]

I've done lots of water crossings on two wheels. I've done at least 4 this year on my Vee. I have a set of guidelines before crossing:

1) A way of judging the depth of the water. It usually involves fence posts.

2) Little to no current. The water needs to be pretty darn calm. Any ripples more than a couple of inches tall tells of troubles. The only exclusion to this is if I can see the bottom and know how rocky it is, or what's causing the ripples.

3) Riding as slow as possible and still maintain balance. This is usually 1st gear and just above idle.

4) Stand up on the pegs to have the best view of what's going on.

5) If the stream bed consists of moss covered rocks, then find another crossing. This is about the same as riding on ice and will almost always end up with a bike down in the water and virtually no way of picking it up.

 

[Tollster]

Thats a good one and a hell of a wife ya have,once ya commit there is no going back, ya did good

 

[BillZ]

My first and only water crossing didn't go this well, go job!

 

[kick]

Good for the OP and his SO! Having fun and living large and living to brag about it. If I stopped and examined everything I had to ride through I'd never get anywhere. Besides, everyone missed the best part: they pigged out on ice cream 1st! I like anyone who likes ice cream.

 

[happypuppy]

You made it across and have a great memory of a exciting event. All is well that ends well as the saying goes.


Sent from my Motorcycle iPad app

 

[Forrest39]

I would have loved to see this on youtube. There is a video of a guy trying to make it under a flooded bridge on a vstrom and does a Jacques Cousteau.
Yeah you probably shouldn't-a-dunnit, but what the hell. I'm glad you and your pax made it and had a good laugh!
Cheers! -Kevin

 

[Stoopy]

Let's not overlook the contribution of the ice cream sugar rush which no doubt assisted the bravado and energy required to accomplish this remarkable nautical feat!

:thumbup:

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

I would have loved to see this on youtube.

Crap, how about IMAX 3D?

 

[cbrxxcess]

Crap, how about IMAX 3D?

Lol kiwi could cover his eyes in the more frightening and poor planned parts. Water crossings are a great time. Nothing quite like the ah hell just go for it as you crank it up just before you hit the water.

 

[agentmulder]

I've done lots of water crossings on two wheels. I've done at least 4 this year on my Vee. I have a set of guidelines before crossing:

1) A way of judging the depth of the water. It usually involves fence posts.

2) Little to no current. The water needs to be pretty darn calm. Any ripples more than a couple of inches tall tells of troubles. The only exclusion to this is if I can see the bottom and know how rocky it is, or what's causing the ripples.

3) Riding as slow as possible and still maintain balance. This is usually 1st gear and just above idle.

4) Stand up on the pegs to have the best view of what's going on.

5) If the stream bed consists of moss covered rocks, then find another crossing. This is about the same as riding on ice and will almost always end up with a bike down in the water and virtually no way of picking it up.

Thanks for the water crossing tips! Maybe now I can convince my girlfriend that some water crossings are OK.