Hello. I don't get on forums too often, but after my second year of riding a motorcycle, I laid my bike down for the first time. I don't really consider what happened a wreck because it wasn't too bad, but it did hurt.
Here's what happened. I have always had some intermittent trouble with the charging system on the bike. I went home for lunch last Thursday and I wanted to ride it back, but the gauges weren't working all the time, so I knew the charging system wasn't working. I drove my truck back to work, and it was a rough day because I work in IT and the phones in our Charlotte office weren't working. I tried most of the day to fix it. Long, technical story. It was the same day the Giants killed the Panthers. I'm an Eagles fan, so that wasn't good news. lol
When I got home from work, I took it for a spin. I didn't have to jump start it, so I was hoping maybe it was just a loose connection on the gauges. No such luck though. I was reving it it up a little to give it a chance to get back home, and I got my speed up a little too high. I went into a 20mph right turn that wasn't quite 90 degrees. I went left of center, and I got back to the right as quick as I could. No cars were coming. I did it a little too quick, and the edge of the road was coming up. It was a country road, so the pavement had a little drop off, followed by a little dirt, then grass that went down into a ditch. To top it off, the ground was just a little wet due to a small shower earlier.
My main concern was that I did not want to hit the pavement. I had a polo shirt, jeans, and my helmet. I am glad I wore it because after I got my license, I started to slack off a little. I didn't want to cut back to the left and just barely go off the road, which I think would have caused me to lay it down in the road. I went into the dirt, then quickly to the grass and got sucked right into the ditch. My pants and shirt were a little bloody and had a few holes after the accident, but thankfully my head was fine.
I don't know if I did the right thing, but I feel pretty fortunate. My 2004 Katana 600 was a little dirty, and had a few scratches, but nothing was broken. I got a ride back home, brought my truck to jump it, ride the bike back, and walked the 3 miles back to get my truck. I was pretty lucky.
Also, I have to say thanks the guy that gave me a ride home. His name was Matt, and he said he used to ride before he had an accident about 10 years ago. So, if you know a guy like that who lives just east of Columbus, Ohio, tell him thanks again.
Here's what happened. I have always had some intermittent trouble with the charging system on the bike. I went home for lunch last Thursday and I wanted to ride it back, but the gauges weren't working all the time, so I knew the charging system wasn't working. I drove my truck back to work, and it was a rough day because I work in IT and the phones in our Charlotte office weren't working. I tried most of the day to fix it. Long, technical story. It was the same day the Giants killed the Panthers. I'm an Eagles fan, so that wasn't good news. lol
When I got home from work, I took it for a spin. I didn't have to jump start it, so I was hoping maybe it was just a loose connection on the gauges. No such luck though. I was reving it it up a little to give it a chance to get back home, and I got my speed up a little too high. I went into a 20mph right turn that wasn't quite 90 degrees. I went left of center, and I got back to the right as quick as I could. No cars were coming. I did it a little too quick, and the edge of the road was coming up. It was a country road, so the pavement had a little drop off, followed by a little dirt, then grass that went down into a ditch. To top it off, the ground was just a little wet due to a small shower earlier.
My main concern was that I did not want to hit the pavement. I had a polo shirt, jeans, and my helmet. I am glad I wore it because after I got my license, I started to slack off a little. I didn't want to cut back to the left and just barely go off the road, which I think would have caused me to lay it down in the road. I went into the dirt, then quickly to the grass and got sucked right into the ditch. My pants and shirt were a little bloody and had a few holes after the accident, but thankfully my head was fine.
I don't know if I did the right thing, but I feel pretty fortunate. My 2004 Katana 600 was a little dirty, and had a few scratches, but nothing was broken. I got a ride back home, brought my truck to jump it, ride the bike back, and walked the 3 miles back to get my truck. I was pretty lucky.
Also, I have to say thanks the guy that gave me a ride home. His name was Matt, and he said he used to ride before he had an accident about 10 years ago. So, if you know a guy like that who lives just east of Columbus, Ohio, tell him thanks again.
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