It's 2:35 A.M. and I just got home from the airport from a trip I left for on 2/3. Pulling up to the house, I knew something was wrong as soon as I saw the rips on my bike cover and the flame mirror sticking out of of one of them, and most of the bottom of the bike was exposed. Brought the luggage upstairs and saw a note from my neighbor saying "There were close to hurricane winds and your bike fell over and was leaning against the curb. A guy down the street named Brian got it upright."

Went into the car and got the spotlight to survey the damage. Still not enough light to see everything, but obvious damage was the right rider peg bent, brake lever bent along with the throttle grip chrome end (minor). A scrape on what I consider the highlight of my bike, the brandywine metal flake paint. Front fender is scraped. Back right signal light stem cracked. Seemed like some fuel spilled out of the tank, as there was a spot on the ground (hope it's not oil from a crack in the case. I usually park the bike between our two cars, backed into the curb and covered tight with a guardian cover, but we needed one of the cars to get to the airport.

I guess it's a crappy homecoming after a wonderful trip to Guatemala. But hey, that's life. Better the bike going down that way, than with me on it. So, I may be looking for some parts soon. I was really looking forward to a ride tomorrow, but I'll be spending my day surveying the total amount of damage. The thing that concerns me the most is the rider peg being bent, and I'm hoping that the rear brake pedal is functional. Have to really take a good look at the handlebars and alignment. Could've been a lot worse if it fell on the left side, snapping the shifter.

I'm going to try to not let it get to me too much tonight since I've been traveling since noon today. I'm wiped. But I do have that "need to know" feeling, if you know what I mean. I'll wake up early and fire it up and start to work on getting the rider peg and brake lever straight.

Not a really good "Welcome home." I need sleep, but it felt good to vent to people who understand.

Hey Joe, sorry about your bike.  Things usually do look better when you are rested and it is actually light enough to see.  Maybe it is not all that bad.

Mike

savagedml wrote on 02/14/09 at 07:17:25:

Thanks Darreell!.
No, I didn't take any of the pics, just really want to see the story and how the bikes look on glossy paper. Much appreciated.

Looked out of my third floor window and saw the fluid pill next to the bike. I'll shoot some pics and find out what I need after I finish some of this fine coffee I brought back from Ciudad Vieja. Guate vids should be posted in the next few days. Gotta get the bike diagnosed first.

Really, with all I've been through with bikes; a blown rod, flat tires, losing rider pegs on the highway, running out of gas, going down twice, cracked solenoid, pushing the bike to a bar a couple of miles away....this isn't that big a deal. By the way, all of those problems were with my old Harley's . The savage has been really good to me   .

Went downstairs with my tools in hand and started tightening stuff. Fuel did leak down the right side of the bike onto the street. Just need to replace the brake lever, or try and straighten it out. Used gaffer tape around the rear signal light stem crack. It's bent, but will stay like that for now. Gas tank is loose, but it's freaking cold as heck here now, so It'll wait until tomorrow. May as well change the spark plug while I'm in there. Everything works, bike fired up after the third try, so I let it warm up and took a blast round town. Felt good

I have to tell you, good neighbors are a blessing. I met the two senior ladies that live downstairs who told me that the bike fell over "four or five times" and they both try to pick it up but couldn't. So, a few other neighbors kept and eye on it and every time it went down, they picked it up. Had I not locked the fork, they would've brought it into their yard. Bad decision locking the fork.

I'm grateful for my good neighbors.

Sorry to hear about your bike. Not what you want to find after a great vacation. Thankfully it wasn't dammaged too bad, and good to hear it wasn't vandals. It would be tough to get even with mother nature.