[deerchser]

My wife had her first get off on her Gladius the other day. She was riding at a spot that is a bit of a funnel, and the intersection of 2 hiways. The truck in front of her slammed on his breaks due to the traffic stopped for the light. My wife panicked and grabbed all the break she had. With the newly laid pavement there was little traction to be had. She locked up both sides, did the tank slap and down she went. Luckily she didnt hit anything but the road. She has some bumps and bruises but nothing is broken. All her gear did its job as it was designed. As for the bike, thats a little different story. Right front lower fork tube is bent, right foot peg broke off, windscreen is trashed and there is a few other scratches. The bike fired right up when we got it to my buddies place and everything there seems fine.

Heather asked when I could get the parts and have her bike back on the road, she still wants to ride a bunch this summer. :thumbup:

Gear:

Shoie helmet: worked flawlessly. Heather said she could tell when her head would hit the ground, but didnt have any pain from it at all.

Speed & Strength jacket and gloves: not much more than a scuff on either of them.

Fieldsheer pants: Light scuff on the right knee.

I will post pics when I get a chance tonight.

 

[larry0071]

I'm glad she is not injured. My wife is getting her permit... I am a bit scared of this. Good luck, I'll pray for safe riding for all of our families!

 

[Jimm]

Glad she's okay. My wife prefers to ride behind me. Pulse rate always goes up when she's not in the mirrors.

 

[greywolf]

Two things.

1. Practice hard braking from about 20mph until the proper reactions are built into muscle memory.

2. ABS brakes.

 

[jokermtb]

That S+S gear is really well put together! Glad she's OK, that's one tuff lady! - sounds like she got caught in a pickle with the jar lid on - ouch!

Two things.

1. Practice hard braking from about 20mph until the proper reactions are built into muscle memory.

2. ABS brakes.

Nuther reason why conventional Strom brakes are 20th century ABS! Kinda redundant on an ABS VStrom.....

 

[SittingDuck]

Now there's a girl with a good attitude! I hope my wife reacts like that if she drops her bike (we're going to look at an xl-250 tonight).

+1 to ABS: yesterday, with the sun at my back and all the vibration from the speed I was riding at (160+km/h), I hadn't realised that the lineup in front of me was stopped (brake lights weren't lit, so maybe they were rolling, but at a walking pace). I grabbed both brakes with less than 200 metres to come to a stop. I had never braked that hard on any bike, and I think the ABS kicked in a few times. Side note: the stom brakes do suck; my bike lost speed rapidly at first, but then almost felt like it was speeding up again. It isn't until I started gearing down that I was able to keep decelerating hard.
I stopped with my rear wheel in the air and a couple of car lengths to spare. The bike smelled a bit weird after that (strangely enough, it smelled of coolant; maybe that's what my pads smell like when they're burning up, or maybe the coolant tank leaked onto the engine while I was standing on the front wheel).

I assume you've tried her gladius; how did you like it? (I'm thinking of getting one for wifey, with ABS of course, either that or a versys for myself and giving her the wee).

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Glad she avoided serious injury. I'm very familiar with how scary it is to have your wife hit the ground. Gear makes a huge difference. Happy it helped her in this unfortunate situation.

All the best to your wife for quick healing.

 

[rconti]

I grabbed both brakes with less than 200 metres to come to a stop. I had never braked that hard on any bike, and I think the ABS kicked in a few times. Side note: the stom brakes do suck; my bike lost speed rapidly at first, but then almost felt like it was speeding up again. It isn't until I started gearing down that I was able to keep decelerating hard.
I stopped with my rear wheel in the air and a couple of car lengths to spare.

That *is* the ABS cycling, where you feel like you have no brakes at all.

Do yourself a favor and install EBC HH pads, yesterday.

I just did it over the weekend and it feels like a whole new bike. It actually stops now. And when the ABS kicks in, instead of freewheeling, you still get a decent amount of deceleration.

Obviously your downshifting had nothing to do with the deceleration-- if your rear wheel was in the air, that was all front brake.

 

[V-Tom]

I'm glad she's okay, and happy she wants to get up again!

..Tom

 

[andreas]

Heather asked when I could get the parts and have her bike back on the road, she still wants to ride a bunch this summer. :thumbup:
.

Glad to read she's fine, my wife had the same attitude. :thumbup:

 

[sempervee]

Glad she is OK, what a nightmare it could have been.

I remember when I had my S/O learning to ride and how concerned I was for her.

* Now years later she does track days and makes fun of cruisers and I try to keep up !! LOL!! Last time we got pulled over for speeding the officer started laughing when we took off our full face helmets and he saw 2 old folks. . .

 

[enumclaw]

Sure glad to hear she's okay too! Good attitude to get back on the horse as well. :thumbup:

 

[BigMan73]

Two things.

1. Practice hard braking from about 20mph until the proper reactions are built into muscle memory.

2. ABS brakes.

I was thinking the exact same things, but was afraid to start an ABS riot here.
That's exactly why I got ABS, not because I'm experienced and wise, but because I know I'm not. I know and remember what locking and asphalt feels like, even though it was many years ago.

As for the pads recommended here - In the next maintenance, I plan to upgrade to the same brake pads as you (GreyWolf). Read your recommendations in other threads.

 

[Axelwik]

My girlfriend just had her first get off (slow speed), but she was more embarrassed than anything else. Twisted her ankle. Broke the mirror and clutch lever on her Ninja 650R. She's looking forward to getting back on the bike once its fixed.

 

[nobie381]

Happy to hear all is well with the wife, sorry for the bike.

Just having to watch my wife hit her brakes hard gets the blood pumping. I think more than then I have to slam on my brakes today because a cage decided turning right was the wrong move and needed to cut me off so he could move over two lanes to the left.
I think my hear twill stop when I see her hit her brakes and than hit the ground, but we always wear all of our gear so that is a plus. And we took the MSF coarse together so I know she learned the proper way.

I think all riders should have to take the MSF course, I think it has saved us a few times already.

 

[Attackturtle]

I went to a slow speed class recently. Scariest thing I have ever seen was the emergency braking test. I probably saw 10 close calls with the occasional disaster. I don't know if it was just my group or not but I found new respect for ABS that day. Felt like cheating.

 

[SittingDuck]

That *is* the ABS cycling, where you feel like you have no brakes at all.

Do yourself a favor and install EBC HH pads, yesterday.

I just did it over the weekend and it feels like a whole new bike. It actually stops now. And when the ABS kicks in, instead of freewheeling, you still get a decent amount of deceleration.

Obviously your downshifting had nothing to do with the deceleration-- if your rear wheel was in the air, that was all front brake.

A) The feeling of no brakes wasn't the ABS cycling (I know what that feels like, and the ABS wasn't cycling at that point); it was the brake pads burning up.
B) I have EBC HH pads.
C) The wheel was only in the air at the end, The engine did contribute significantly to the braking; the pads were smoking by the time I was stopped, and hot pads don't brake too well as everyone knows (unless it's a racing compound).

Thanks for the input, but you were working under false assumptions.

 

[Scruit]

Now there's a girl with a good attitude! I hope my wife reacts like that if she drops her bike (we're going to look at an xl-250 tonight).

+1 to ABS: yesterday, with the sun at my back and all the vibration from the speed I was riding at (160+km/h), I hadn't realised that the lineup in front of me was stopped (brake lights weren't lit, so maybe they were rolling, but at a walking pace). I grabbed both brakes with less than 200 metres to come to a stop. I had never braked that hard on any bike, and I think the ABS kicked in a few times. Side note: the stom brakes do suck; my bike lost speed rapidly at first, but then almost felt like it was speeding up again. It isn't until I started gearing down that I was able to keep decelerating hard.
I stopped with my rear wheel in the air and a couple of car lengths to spare. The bike smelled a bit weird after that (strangely enough, it smelled of coolant; maybe that's what my pads smell like when they're burning up, or maybe the coolant tank leaked onto the engine while I was standing on the front wheel).

I assume you've tried her gladius; how did you like it? (I'm thinking of getting one for wifey, with ABS of course, either that or a versys for myself and giving her the wee).

100mph? Not surprised the brakes weren't happy. I've been on a track in my cage and panic stopping from 100-0 will leave the pads smoking on that too.

I practice braking and swerving regularly on my '11 and I can panic stop from 60-0 3 or 4 times on our street with no noticeable fade or after effects.

 

[deerchser]

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I wasnt riding with her at the time. I was working and got a phone call from a gal that stopped to help. Not a call I ever want to get again. ABS, I would have gotten the ABS model but I didnt know the Gladius was advailable in ABS. That will be on her next bike for sure.

Two things.

1. Practice hard braking from about 20mph until the proper reactions are built into muscle memory.

2. ABS brakes.

Agreed. Practice is the best thing you can do and she will be once I get the bike together again.

I assume you've tried her gladius; how did you like it? (I'm thinking of getting one for wifey, with ABS of course, either that or a versys for myself and giving her the wee).

I like her bike, although it feels like I have to cram myself onto it. Corners like a knife and stops well for non-abs.

I think all riders should have to take the MSF course, I think it has saved us a few times already.

We took the course together a few summers again so she does have a good foundation. She just needs more practice at slow speeds and hard breaking. Gonna have to take GW's advice and work on it.

 

[bmrchk]

That must have been a horrible few minutes, I'm glad she's ok and that she has such a good attitude! Tell your wife she rocks!

+1 on ABS, it's saved my bacon a time or two.