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deer_crash: add update about bent forks
author paulo
date Wed, 29 Aug 2018 23:20:59 -0700
parents ff0878207f0e
children 2b010bd970c2
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0:56a1cc4d4a2d 1:042cacd91a90
80 80
81 It didn't have to die. If only I slowed down more. If only it didn't jump. If only it wasn't hiding behind that tree, grazing on some grass, minding its own business. If only I wasn't coming around that tree, cruising along the road, minding my own business. Poor deer was just as innocent as I was, even if I was only partially innocent. I did what I had to do in the spur of the moment, and so did the deer. But because of our actions, there was now a dead dear and a crashed motorcycle laying on the road. 81 It didn't have to die. If only I slowed down more. If only it didn't jump. If only it wasn't hiding behind that tree, grazing on some grass, minding its own business. If only I wasn't coming around that tree, cruising along the road, minding my own business. Poor deer was just as innocent as I was, even if I was only partially innocent. I did what I had to do in the spur of the moment, and so did the deer. But because of our actions, there was now a dead dear and a crashed motorcycle laying on the road.
82 82
83 Seeing my CBR500R laid down also made me sad. I got it almost brand new about 4 months before and have put less than 4000 miles on it at that time. Those aren't a lot of miles for a motorcycle, but those were a lot of miles for me in such a short amount of time, because I've been having so much fun riding it. I was expecting the worst. I've heard stories of how fragile the plastic fairings are on a sportsbike, how prone they are to shattering from even the mildest drops of the bike; from this crash, at a decent speed against a decent-sized object on the road, I was imagining the bike to be a total loss. 83 Seeing my CBR500R laid down also made me sad. I got it almost brand new about 4 months before and have put less than 4000 miles on it at that time. Those aren't a lot of miles for a motorcycle, but those were a lot of miles for me in such a short amount of time, because I've been having so much fun riding it. I was expecting the worst. I've heard stories of how fragile the plastic fairings are on a sportsbike, how prone they are to shattering from even the mildest drops of the bike; from this crash, at a decent speed against a decent-sized object on the road, I was imagining the bike to be a total loss.
84 84
85 I thought of how expensive it was going to be to fix everything that I may just have to buy a new motorcycle to replace it-- but then I'm having doubts whether that would be worth the money if some stupid deer is just going to decide to crash into it again. I was dreading the idea of spending even more money just to get me back to where I was; that of not being to justify the extra expenses; and, finally, of losing the ability to experience the sublime joys of motorcycle riding itself. 85 I thought of how expensive it was going to be to fix everything that I may just have to buy a new motorcycle to replace it-- but then I'm having doubts whether that would be worth the money if some stupid deer is just going to decide to crash into it again. I was dreading the idea of spending even more money just to get me back to where I was; that of not being able to justify the extra expenses; and, finally, of losing the ability to experience the sublime joys of motorcycle riding itself.
86 86
87 But first, I had to bring the bike back upright right away. It was not exactly because I wanted to inspect the damage I couldn't see yet, or that I had to get it out of the way of other vehicles, or some other purely logical reason like that; it was more of an instinct of somehow preventing more damage to the motorcycle by getting it off the ground and onto its own wheels as soon as possible. This actually makes a lot of sense: it could be leaking fluids, or it could be unstable and shift weight and damage another part if left on the ground. But I wasn't thinking of those at the moment. I just felt as if the bike was an injured animal itself; that it must be helped back to its feet as if it might've felt pain and needed assistance. 87 But first, I had to bring the bike back upright right away. It was not exactly because I wanted to inspect the damage I couldn't see yet, or that I had to get it out of the way of other vehicles, or some other purely logical reason like that; it was more of an instinct of somehow preventing more damage to the motorcycle by getting it off the ground and onto its own wheels as soon as possible. This actually makes a lot of sense: it could be leaking fluids, or it could be unstable and shift weight and damage another part if left on the ground. But I wasn't thinking of those at the moment. I just felt as if the bike was an injured animal itself; that it must be helped back to its feet as if it might've felt pain and needed assistance.
88 88
89 The turn signals were blinking as hazard lights. That means the tip-over sensor that cuts the power to the engine must've tripped off and also automatically turned on the hazard lights, because I don't think I did that, even accidentally. 89 The turn signals were blinking as hazard lights. That means the tip-over sensor that cuts the power to the engine must've tripped off and also automatically turned on the hazard lights, because I don't think I did that, even accidentally.
90 90
96 96
97 Actually, I felt exhilarated. I felt completely vindicated for being an ATGATT kind of guy-- all the gear, all the time. When the moment I've been fearing-- and planning-- for finally came, everything worked the way they were supposed to. Fuck yeah. I was walking away from a hard crash on my motorcycle with less injuries than I've had from more embarrassing bicycle accidents. Honestly, I was feeling //invincible//. I would've been ready to crash all over again, right then and there. 97 Actually, I felt exhilarated. I felt completely vindicated for being an ATGATT kind of guy-- all the gear, all the time. When the moment I've been fearing-- and planning-- for finally came, everything worked the way they were supposed to. Fuck yeah. I was walking away from a hard crash on my motorcycle with less injuries than I've had from more embarrassing bicycle accidents. Honestly, I was feeling //invincible//. I would've been ready to crash all over again, right then and there.
98 98
99 A park ranger was there within minutes, asking me if I was okay. Again, I said I felt fine, except for the soreness on my left foot. 99 A park ranger was there within minutes, asking me if I was okay. Again, I said I felt fine, except for the soreness on my left foot.
100 100
101 For a while, a new dangerous situation took place. Cars were stopping or slowing down suddenly when they went around that curve and saw the accident scene. Whether they were gawking at the dead deer, gawking at me or bike, asking me if I needed help, or just really not seeing what's going on in front of them until the last second, a half dozen or so cars almost rear-ended each other and almost caused another crash. 101 For a while, a new dangerous situation took place. Cars were stopping or slowing down suddenly when they went around that curve and saw the accident scene. Whether they were gawking at the dead deer, gawking at me or the bike, asking me if I needed help, or just really not seeing what's going on in front of them until the last second, a half dozen or so cars almost rear-ended each other and almost caused another crash.
102 102
103 Throughout this time, I was pacing around to inspect the damage to me and the bike. Amazingly, we were both almost completely fine. 103 Throughout this time, I was pacing around to inspect the damage to me and the bike. Amazingly, we were both almost completely fine.
104 104
105 My left elbow took the brunt of the fall. I had small abrasions from the inside of the jacket. I was wearing tight-fitting spandex arm sleeves, and in the part where my elbow hit the jacket's elbow armor, the spandex arm sleeve and the jacket arm sleeve's inner liner actually fused together from the friction burn. The rest of the spandex arm sleeve, towards my wrist, was also torn up, but probably //not// from friction burn with the jacket. Judging from the dirt-colored discoloration, I think that part of my arm actually slid out of the jacket arm sleeve and dragged on the ground directly. 105 My left elbow took the brunt of the fall. I had small abrasions from the inside of the jacket. I was wearing tight-fitting spandex arm sleeves, and in the part where my elbow hit the jacket's elbow armor, the spandex arm sleeve and the jacket arm sleeve's inner liner actually fused together from the friction burn. The rest of the spandex arm sleeve, towards my wrist, was also torn up, but probably //not// from friction burn with the jacket. Judging from the dirt-colored discoloration, I think that part of my arm actually slid out of the jacket arm sleeve and dragged on the ground directly.
106 106
118 118
119 //(Damage to leather overpants. The actual damage was on the non-leather part on the inside left of the leg, which was designed to be breathable mesh. But I didn't feel anything on that part of my leg, either during the crash or afterwards, so I don't know how this even happened.)// 119 //(Damage to leather overpants. The actual damage was on the non-leather part on the inside left of the leg, which was designed to be breathable mesh. But I didn't feel anything on that part of my leg, either during the crash or afterwards, so I don't know how this even happened.)//
120 120
121 [10.jpg] 121 [10.jpg]
122 122
123 //(Damage to leather jacket. The decorative piping is torn up, but the leather on the sleeve itself does not rip. I also only took a picture of the left sleeve, because I thought that's the side I fell and slid on and thought the damage is limited there, but later on I'd notice similar scuffs on the right sleeve. Weird.)// 123 //(Damage to leather jacket. The decorative piping is torn up, but the leather on the sleeve itself did not rip. I also only took a picture of the left sleeve, because I thought that's the side I fell and slid on and thought the damage is limited there, but later on I'd notice similar scuffs on the right sleeve. Weird.)//
124 124
125 [13.jpg] 125 [13.jpg]
126 126
127 //(Damage to the inner arm sleeve I was wearing. The elbow hole is from where the friction burn from the inside of the jacket actually fused the jacket liner with the inner arm sleeve, while the forearm looks like it got pulled out from the jacket sleeve and slid on the road directly.)// 127 //(Damage to the inner arm sleeve I was wearing. The elbow hole is from where the friction burn from the inside of the jacket actually fused the jacket liner with the inner arm sleeve, while the forearm looks like it got pulled out from the jacket sleeve and slid on the road directly.)//
128 128
147 //(Nasty looking bruise on my left heel after I got home and took off my boot. Surprising, because I thought the heel area of my boots were pretty well protected. Not serious at all, and I was even luckier that the bruise did not affect movement much, because it was on the side rather than the bottom of the heel. What didn't show up is a sore area on the inside part of the bone just above my ankle.)// 147 //(Nasty looking bruise on my left heel after I got home and took off my boot. Surprising, because I thought the heel area of my boots were pretty well protected. Not serious at all, and I was even luckier that the bruise did not affect movement much, because it was on the side rather than the bottom of the heel. What didn't show up is a sore area on the inside part of the bone just above my ankle.)//
148 148
149 [34.jpg] 149 [34.jpg]
150 150
151 //(The extent of the road rash I got on my left arm. Very minor. They're so faint that I didn't even think it would scab over, but they did. It also looks like my waist or hips hit something directly, between the jacket and the overpants, judging by the marks on my shirt.)// 151 //(The extent of the road rash I got on my left arm. Very minor. They're so faint that I didn't even think it would scab over, but they did. It also looks like my waist or hips hit something directly, between the jacket and the overpants, judging by the marks on my shirt.)//
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153 [fork.jpg]
154
155 //(**Update, 2018-08-29:** Wow. I brought the bike to the shop to fix leaking front fork seals recently, and it turns out they've been bent inwards-- most probably from when I hit the deer more than two years ago. I didn't feel any difference in handling throughout this time and the fairing did a very good job of hiding the bend, so I had no idea.)//