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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> My first crash and front alignment question...... /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1215537610 Message started by Bleemus on 07/08/08 at 10:20:10 |
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Title: My first crash and front alignment question...... Post by Bleemus on 07/08/08 at 10:20:10 Well, it happened yesterday. Some cell phone talking left turning lady tried to kill me. I was following about three cars doing about 30 mph into a gentle left hand turn. There was a cager wanting to turn left and I was watching her closely as I moved along. I could see she was not looking at me but at a car about 100 yards behind me. I then saw her front left tire turn and start to move forward just as I got close. I swerved sharply to the right and she missed hitting my back tire by inches. Since it was a left curve I wasn't able to swerve back as sharply as I was now on the shoulder. I just decided to very slowly come to a stop on the grass and all was going great with gentle brake pressure until a 4 foot deep drainage ditch appeared before me. I hit the brakes too hard and the bike fell over on it's right side as I did a face plant into the ditch. Sprained my thumb but not too bad. I was wearing a full armor jacket which saved the arm I landed on and if it weren't for the full face helmet I would likely be in plastic surgery right now. A witness stopped and asked if I was alright. He said he was watching the whole thing and his wife screamed when she saw the lady turn at me. The woman who almost tagged me never stopped and the witness said he didn't think to get her license plate figuring she would stop. Since I am ok except for a broken ego due to not being able to negotiate that ditch I had a question regarding my front end. When the bike went into the ditch on it's side the front tire jammed into the far wall of the ditch enough to bend the little stop on the frame that keeps the fork from turning too much with the tabs on the fork bridge preventing it. On closer inspection it appears the front end is out of alignment. When you sit on the bike and square up the handlebars the tire appears to be pointing to the right very slightly. There is nothing, other than the tab on the frame, that appears bent at all. The rotors spins between the pads just fine. Spokes all appears to be tight. Is this something I can get fixed or is it toast? I am thinking the fork bridge clamps slipped a bit and all would be needed would be to loosen them all up and get it tweaked back into shape. Any advice anyone can give me would be appreciated. :'( :'( :'( :'( |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by serowbot on 07/08/08 at 10:36:22 In my dirt bike days I tweaked the front forks a lot. I would just get a buddy to sit on the bike and hold the bars straight, while I stood facing him straddling the front wheel, knees locking the wheel in place, my arms braced on the bars and turn the bars...then when it looks straight, loosen the triple trees and retighten them to release any tension and check the forks for true again. Re-adjust if needed. Maybe you can bend the stop tab back with vise grips? Gently, gently... Good luck, BTW nice save, glad you're o.k. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by T Mack 1 on 07/08/08 at 10:43:51 Ok first, I'm (we're) glad you are alive. Did you go to a doctor to get checked out??? If not do so. Second go to the police and report the incident. color of car, type of car, etc etc. It most likely won't get the person, but....... By chance, did you get the name of the witness (it would help a ton)??? Third, it may be adviseable to report it to your insurance company. It woudl help if you had a police report number to submit. Fourth, take it to a dealer that can check the balance of the front wheel. Also, they might be able to check for bent components. Sometimes the handle bars get shifted and you can "sometimes" fix it. Some times not :( Next some tips....., were you running with High Beams on???? ( in day light it helps a little) If I think the driver might not see me, I wiggle my handlebars/sterring. It's like flashing the lights but you don't have to find the switch. Humans see contrasts and changes, a motorcycle heading at them is just a small dot that is not really flashing and does not have much frontal size so there isn't much to contrast against the scenery. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by flcruzr on 07/08/08 at 10:57:54 Great Save, for yourself that is! Glad to hear your fine, these kind of mishaps just "piss" me off to hear about, because most of the time its due to Careless drivers. Take Care! |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by verslagen1 on 07/08/08 at 11:40:40 1st [smiley=thumbsup.gif] glad you're alright, you've now had your 1st. May it be your last. In any event, she may have caused the accident, but she wasn't involved in it. You choose to run in the ditch to avoid her, certainly the lesser of 2 weevils. You report the accident, get your bike fixed, and your insurance rates go up. Wonderful isn't it. Can't claim her as an uninsured driver if you don't catch her either. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by daweise1 on 07/08/08 at 11:43:57 Been there myself, and hopefully you will look at it like I did..... Mad about the bike, angry at people who fail to care about themselves and me, but the bike can be fixed/replaced ..... Glad I put on the full face helmet and the armor as I could not be replaced and hospitals suck…… :-/ |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by Hard Corps on 07/08/08 at 12:17:58 Glad you made it out in one piece. Sorry to hear about your bike's alignment. At least it's not major damage. I'd take it to a dealer or knowledgeable mechanic to get it checked out. But that's mostly due to my not being very knowledgeable. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by sluggo on 07/08/08 at 12:33:49 cagers,, me included suck... our state just enacted the hands free law. now they got both hands to do some dumbthing whilst driving and talking on the phone. welcome to the "been down" side of riding. been down 6 times never really that serious. well one in japan got nastyl.\ flirting with number 7 could have happed a couple of times this past weekend. just keep riding that will increase your skill level |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by YonuhAdisi on 07/08/08 at 12:45:58 First and only (so far knock on wood) motorcycle accident I have had was on a little Honda Aero 50 motor scooter. I was about 13 I reckon at the time. I was following my middle brother on his Honda MB5 and it started to rain. My brakes got wet and I couldn't stop. I rear ended my brother, went over the handlebars and the bike came over and landed right on my back. Luckily it was the seat that hit my back and just knocked the air out of me and gave me some road rash. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by Bleemus on 07/08/08 at 12:54:30 Thanks for the replies. While I like doing all my own work this one will probably go to the dealer as I can't see anything obviously wrong. I was wearing a white helmet, a Hi-Viz yellow jacket and my high beams were on. Didn't seem to matter. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/08/08 at 13:27:59 I tweaked the forks on the Guzzi once. Mark a spot on the front edge of the front tire, dead center. Secure a string, not a stretchy string, something like parachute cord, not a nylon kite string, so that it is held on that spot. Go to one handlebar end, then the other & see if its the same distance. Since it cracked the stop, which I wouldnt try to bend back, I expect it has tweaked the forks. If the crash busted the left side stop you will be needing to "adjust" the other way. I loosened the pinch of the lower triple tree on the forks & tried the knees & handlebar approach, but it didnt budge, so I kicked it( the front edge of the front wheel) a couple of times, with the steering up against the steering stop. And that, as they say, Got 'Er Done. Without the string to figure out where the front tire is reltive to the handlebars, tho, it wouldnt have worked. Good luck. Glad you survived it. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by Bleemus on 07/08/08 at 13:32:19 Justin, good idea! I will give that a try. The stop itself is pretty much broken all the way off. Just hanging on by a thread. Wonder if I could just make a new one with JB Weld? Probably need to get a welder to pop a new one on their if I get the forks straightened out. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by vtail on 07/08/08 at 13:37:45 Before you go banging and kicking anything, loosen both tripple clamps (4 bolts total). Then re-tighten. This sometimes straightens the forks since they might have twisted in the clamps. If this does not do it or enough of it, THEN force is necessary ;) |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by verslagen1 on 07/08/08 at 13:44:08 You probably blinded her :o She was thinking to her self 'can't be a m/c, they wear black, must be a ghost, I hate ghosts' |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by photojoe on 07/08/08 at 14:12:05 Glad to hear that you're OK. It's been a while since I've been down, but I still remember that feeling all too well. Freakin $on$ of Bi&^%$# cagers. I feel like I'm in the death lottery. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by Bleemus on 07/08/08 at 14:19:47 6260757D78140 wrote:
Ok, just to be sure before I start tinkering. The four bolts I loosen are the two on the fork bridge clamps and the two big ones on the triple tree at the very top of the fork tubes right? Thanks. :D |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by vtail on 07/09/08 at 16:41:48 Only the bottom tripple clamp pinch bolts. Do not take off the top cap bolts, it holds the spring in. Sometimes also loosening the steering stem nuts helps :) |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by Bleemus on 07/09/08 at 17:28:16 Thanks Vtail. I already tried the bottom clamp bolts and didn't seem to get it all the way back inline. Will try loosening the stem now. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by sockmonkeygirl on 07/10/08 at 15:13:32 Bleemus, congratulations for saving your own ass by being aware and cautious! Around here we have a lawyer that advertises on the radio...he says something like, "..you shouldn't have to go down because of someone elses carelessness. I'm a lawyer, and I've gone down..." Makes me laugh everytime. ;D Well, that's not really here, nor there, I just get sidetracked easily. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by Bleemus on 07/10/08 at 15:56:34 Ha! That is a funny lawyer. Bet his wife is happy! Cheers! |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/10/08 at 23:29:31 I looked at my triple tree today. If your cracked the steering stop, I would look under & see if there are any cracks besides just the steering stop. Might be time for a new part. Just wouldnt do to be in a good sweeper a couple of years from now & that thing let go. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/10/08 at 23:39:12 When I am aware someone is wanting to turn left, & their head & speed & lane position are all clues, I flip high & low beams, trying to make sure they know I am there. I figure its made a few mad, but Im not run over yet, so I dont care. I'd rather be an obnoxious headlight flashing extrovert than an ambulance riding introvert. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by FreeSpirit on 07/11/08 at 00:11:20 342B2D2A3730013101392B276C5E0 wrote:
Good Advice!! (and hey when are you going to post a pic? I'm curious if you look anything like I thought you may....LOL.) |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by sluggo on 07/11/08 at 00:25:44 507E77777F6761120 wrote:
never will. |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by T Mack 1 on 07/11/08 at 07:52:27 192D3A3A0C2F362D362B5F0 wrote:
Good Advice!! (and hey when are you going to post a pic? I'm curious if you look anything like I thought you may....LOL.) [/quote] I saw the newer bike have flash to pass button...... that might be nice...... I wonder if you have the high beams on if it still flashes??? |
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Title: Re: My first crash and front alignment question... Post by David Levi on 07/11/08 at 08:56:07 621B7B57555D07360 wrote:
Good Advice!! (and hey when are you going to post a pic? I'm curious if you look anything like I thought you may....LOL.) [/quote] I saw the newer bike have flash to pass button...... that might be nice...... I wonder if you have the high beams on if it still flashes??? [/quote] The flash to pass button is a godsend. I use it whenever I feel like someone is having a brain fart. As far as the bruised ego, mend it quick. You saved your own butt out there with your quick thinking. I say cheers on some 1st rate maneuvering. |
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