[Justdrew]

My planned expedition to FNQ came to sudden and painful end when I got spat off on the Mowbray bridge. Another tourist decided to pull up in the middle of the bridge just as the rest of the traffic was accelerating. I locked up the front end and got spat down the road at about 90kmph. The bike was still rideable but things weren't all that good. I did get to visit the Mossman hospital built in the 1930s by a Spanish architect and now heritage listed, and the staff were very good to me. ( silly old bugger) I can read minds. The wee was loaded onto the ute as it was a bit bent and we headed home.

So with both knees missing a bit of skin and the wee needing some surgery I will try to grt the ride done as soon as possible, I hope the insurance company I'm with doesn't stuff around.

My next wee will have ABS I think!

 

[windinhair]

Drew,sounds as though are ok,bad luck mate,just the wrong place wrong time ay,the damage to the strom seems superficial only yes,take care mate,let us know in a few days how you are going btw I think you could bolt the sensors and electrics for ABS on the bike for under a large.

 

[OneOff]

Ouch, our worst secret fear realised, the one we try not to think about. :thumbdown:

At least you are ok Drew, glad it's not worse. The bike is all fixable, a bit of bog and paint on the cowling, some new blinkers and an aftermarket exhaust and she's good to go.

First RodC, and now Drew, I'm starting to think this motorcycling caper might occasionally be a bit dicey.

Take care out there everybody,
Pete.

 

[windinhair]

Pete,my sentiments although I cannot imagine life without the scoot,you know sometimes before a ride I get a feeling like I used to get before a footy game [many years ago] expectation,adrenalin type thing,I don't think it is a bad thing as I settle into the ride quickly and maybe it helps re focus etc,dunno.I used to be so bring it on lets go.

 

[AstroBob]

All the preparation in the world can't protect you from someone elses stupidity :furious: Glad you're safe JD and the bike is fixable :thumbsup:

Hope to read your FNQ ride report soon.

:cheers2:
BOB

 

[ockerstrom]

Damn Drew, sorry to see this post mate.

Good that your injuries are relatively minor.

We never really know what each day will bring us.

 

[scrivens]

Sorry to hear that Drew and hope you and the bike get back on the road ASAP. I'd guess an insurance assessment of about $3K for repairs on that. With the scraped knees, were you wearing kevlar pants?

Must have been the day for it - my Wee decided to go to sleep today while we were playing in the dirt. Fairly hard fall, but no real damage to me or it as the engine bars, pannier racks and armoured gear took the brunt. I couldn't lift the bike though - it was lying across a slope with the tank on the downside and very hard to get a grip on anything. I was about to spin it round on the peg to get the tank up-slope when a passing DR650 rider helped me lift it. (I occasionally lay the bike over on the flat to clean out the mud underside and never have any probs picking it up.)

And of course I forgot to take any pics, despite the camera being in the tank bag.

 

[AceRider]

Drew,

a 90km/hr get-off sound pretty serious - i wish u a quick recovery.

Your bike, without the usual crash bar and other crap, actually looks remarkably well for such a hi-speed get off

Just a reminder for us all to be alert and expect the unexpected and yes ABS would have helped to keep you upright and, if there's enough distance to the back of that car, stopped in time. Then you would have to worry about if there's any vehicle which might run into the back of you. Such is the hazard of riding in traffic.

aaron

 

[mikeyoda]

Glad your ok, and keeping the faith.
Bike are just that, Bikes and they can be repaired changed whatever.

Your ok thats all that matters.

Regards
Mike

 

[p38arover]

Glad you are OK, Drew.

I wonder if ABS would have helped or hindered, e.g., allowed you to ride up the bum of the stopped car?

Are crashbars the next farkle?

 

[wacko-ocker]

glade your Ok
ABS may not have been much good with that knobbie front trie
not saying a more road oriantated trie would have help you, but its a gamble we take
gives you time to plan more into your trip:thumbup:

 

[Justdrew]

The other bits!

Gloves saved hands. They took a fair hiding.

Jacket did a great job although it is pretty stuffed now.

Helmet got wrecked as well.

My head was the main thing the doctor was concerned about. The poor nurse took one look at my eyes and thought I had major problems, I have a lazy eye that wanders over to one side all the time she thought I had severe concussion.
My boots got scuffed up a bit, had these since 1979.

My Kevlar jeans however wee in my bag and the ones I was wearing well they're r##ted.
My daughters are looking after me, one a nurse doing the bandaging and one a pharmacist dealing out the drugs.

 

[Ozzy Strom]

Big Ouch , An off at 90KMH could have been a lot worse , glad your ok , stupid:thumbdown: car driver, what was he stopping in the middle of the bridge for , to take photos.:furious:

 

[mudrat]

What they all said

In all seriousness, glad to here that your OK :thumbup:

 

[Justdrew]

Bridge Crocodiles and Tourists

Big Ouch , An off at 90KMH could have been a lot worse , glad your ok , stupid:thumbdown: car driver, what was he stopping in the middle of the bridge for , to take photos.:furious:

Apparently there was three car pile up last week on the same bridge, people(tourist bus) pulling up looking for crocodiles on the mudbanks.

 

[DougInKY]

I am glad to hear that you are okay (even if you did loose some skin in the crash). I am a bit sensitive to this sort of thing right now as I did the same thing 3 weeks ago (cars panic breaking in front, down I go). My speed was not as fast (I was only going 40-45kph) but I still was injured (left foot, right hand and I had gear on too). Heal rapidly friend.

My bike was roadworthy again about 2-3 days of the accident as all I needed was a clutch lever (the rest of the damage was cosmetic) just couldn't ride due to my injuries. Got my money from the insurance company yesterday, $3200 U.S. Already ordered bars, skid plate, etc. They will go on in the next couple of weeks.

I have never met you but still am very glad you are here to tell the tale. The riding gear pays off once again. :thumbup:

 

[SuzyVStrom]

Wishing you a speedy recovery, Drew, and glad to see you were wearing gloves and a decent jacket.

At the risk of annoying some people I'm just going to go ahead and say this anyway, because it might save a life. And although in this case it was Drew who crashed the message is for all of us.

This was no accident, bad luck, or chance.

Consider that Drew crashed because he was following too closely and not paying attention to what was going on ahead.

1. Following distance - at least 3 seconds gap
2. Look ahead, like 6-12 cars ahead so you see brake lights and other erratic dipshit driving in time to avoid.

I'm not being holier-than-thou. Had a similar one myself about 25 years ago and I was spewing at the stupid moron who 'caused' it. An older driver listened to my rant then had a quiet word to me about the above. I haven't tail-ended anyone since.

Pretty damn good if we can survive a crash and learn something, or better yet, learn from someone else's mistake.

So far this year (to June 30) there have been eight m'cycle fatalities in SE QLD. Six of those were rider fault, running into the rear of a car, or hitting a parked car.

 

[Justdrew]

Yep!

Wishing you a speedy recovery, Drew, and glad to see you were wearing gloves and a decent jacket.

At the risk of annoying some people I'm just going to go ahead and say this anyway, because it might save a life. And although in this case it was Drew who crashed the message is for all of us.

This was no accident, bad luck, or chance.

Consider that Drew crashed because he was following too closely and not paying attention to what was going on ahead.

1. Following distance - at least 3 seconds gap
2. Look ahead, like 6-12 cars ahead so you see brake lights and other erratic dipshit driving in time to avoid.

All too true but I did have a good gap to the car in front, We'd all just come off the windy section and were picking up speed when the possum towing a camping trailer slowed rapidly to look at crocs on the mudbanks, people don't always use their brakes to slow. I was the last one in the line, if I hadn't locked up the front end I may have been OK or I may have hit the car in front, I have replayed the incident many times in my head. This is my first accident that rates more than a 3 on a scale of 10, the first time I've needed medical/assistance after a bike prang since I started riding in 1971 and the first time I've had to get a bike transported home. Keeping my space is one reason I usually steer clear of group rides where every Tom, Dick or Harry turns up. There is always one goose who wants to blast past to show how fast his sports bike is or how loud his Harley sounds. But in hindsight you're right I must have been too close, too slow to react or just bloody useless.

 

[AceRider]

+1 on suzy Strom has said - keeping enough of distance so u can stop safely is always the responsibility of following driver/rider. There are things u just cant see that the driver in front can see - may be a little child is running across the road or just a inconsiderate tourist, but it's always the responsibility of the following driver to keep distance. Insurance and Police will always blame the following driver if you have a rear-end accident.

Group rides has a tendancy to encourage normally very responsible riders to take risks he/she wouldnt otherwise take. I myself has been guilty of that from time to time. So a group ride should always start with a clear set of rules and catch up stops, so all can group up. The fun of group ride needs to be balanced with responsibility towards other group riders. I participated in a suzuki springwoods friday night ride once or twice and decide to stayed out of it because of the same reason.

 

[ockerstrom]

Having just read Steve's comments [sadly, all to accurate in many cases], I went back to Drew's first post.

I think, based on what Drew said and the photo, several things should be considered.

Drew didn't hit the car in front so safe stopping gap procedure was being followed.

Drew's bike has knobby tires fitted [not great on tar, let alone in a panic situation].

We should all practice "threshold braking" and panic stops to get a feel for the point where the tyres are about to lock.

The outcome could have been different if one [or all] of three things had been different.
More road oriented tyres, ABS brakes, improved rider skills when braking.

We all use different tyres, brake pads and other stuff that suits what we use our bikes for, we need to be as skilled and familiar with our bikes as possible in the format they are set up in.

Out of this incident the blazingly obvious fact is that ATGATT is worth adhering to [and I'm as guilty as anyone of sometimes not putting the riding pants on, or not using proper riding gloves in summer by substituting riggers gloves in their place, I'm always in long pants but it is often not enough when sliding on the bitumen].

And Drew, please-please-please cut the chin strap off that helmet before you dispose of it [I've seen kids picking up old helmets on hard rubbish days to take them home to use on their paddock bikes, not good].