Hey alancorcoran, Look here

[alanmcorcoran]

I got some dead racquetballs and I know where I can get more... Thanks for the tip!

[patrick_777]

Be careful cutting them in half, though, they can be deadly. I suggest using smallish scissors instead of a knife.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

Engine guards They may prevent some scratches on the tank, though if it does get laid down I bet any damage to the brake/clutch levers would be the same.

Yes ..... I totally agree. If you see my post "damage report" where someone reversed into my parked GZ, last week, you'll see that I have a great SPAAN engine guard, & that stopped the tank getting scratched, but the brake lever got broken, the bar ends bent, the engine guard itself got damaged, & the exhaust & box got scratched. I think the main benefit of an engine guard in a lay down is that your leg is not going to be trapped under the bike. That in itself is a mighty good reason for getting one. In England they're known as "crash bars" for that very reason.

[mrlmd1]

Originally Posted by alantf

I think the main benefit of an engine guard in a lay down is that your leg is not going to be trapped under the bike. That in itself is a mighty good reason for getting one. In England they're known as "crash bars" for that very reason.

Right - The main benefit of those guards is to try and protect you (your leg from being squished between the bike and the road) rather than really protecting the bike. It really is a crash protection guard, not really and engine protection guard, altho the engine and tank may secondarily benefit from it.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Also, if I put the bars on, does that mean it can't really fall all the way over?

No. It will still fall over, just not all the way DOWN.

That hopefully does two things: Keeps the upper body of the bike from taking as much damage and keeps the lower body of the rider from being crushed by the weight of the bike, should you end up UNDER it.

It gives you only a TINY head start in the "picking it up" department and probably won't help with that.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

I stopped without really doing the mental "I'm stopping" check list. No skid, front brake only, .......

OK, here's the deal: In a panic stop, there is NO "I'm stopping" check list. It needs to be automatic and instant; at a minimum both brakes. In some respects, a panic stop at low speed is more difficult to control than if you were going faster. I think the odds of falling over (NOT the same as laying it down) in a low speed panic stop are VERY high. This is all the more unfortunate if you are riding a "beast". :biggrin:

I believe this indicates that you need more miles under your belt and/or more practice time in the empty parking lot with the "beast".

[mrlmd1]

Don't forget, in any panic stop, low or high speed, the front wheel has to be steered straight ahead, otherwise, if the wheel is turned to one side when the front brake is applied you are going down in a low side fall. If going slowly, to slow in a curve or tight turn the rear brake should be used. In a slow speed turn applying the front brake will bring the bike down more often than not. This can also happen at higher speeds, that's why you slow down before entering the curve rather than trying to brake and slow if you are too fast when you are in the turn.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

This can also happen at higher speeds, that's why you slow down before entering the curve rather than trying to brake and slow if you are too fast when you are in the turn.

A "prudent" amount of breaking in a curve is not likely to take you down.......but it WILL tend to stand you more upright, greatly increase the radius of your turn and steer you right OFF the outside shoulder.

This is something a road rider needs to practice a bit as it is sometimes necessary to slow down after you have entered a curve and it works MUCH better if you know what to expect.

[alanmcorcoran]

Since my incident, I've had the benefit of re-riding the scene of the crime, twice (once with a passenger) and I think I have a little better idea as to what actually happened. Imagine an almost complete, pretty tight circle of asphalt. Now, break it at one point and lower one end down about 60 feet. That is the on ramp entrance. Now, put a little tiny, fast, green/red............. green/red.............. green/red light at the top that is about two feet off the ground. Divide it so there's two lanes.

Here's the deal - to get up this thing (it's very steep), which is heavily trafficed, I'm in third and I'm on the throttle and I'm leaned over to the right about as far as I can go without scratching the foot rest. I'm in the inside (tightest) lane. When I get to the top. there is a car sitting in the outside lane, stopped, blocking my view of the little light meter. Stopped car gets my attention cause there is only ONE lane after the meter. I notice the light on my side. It's green. Just as I think I will go behind stopped car, stopped car goes, but my light turns red. I'm caught off guard (and off balance.) I probably should have just kept going, but, as I mentioned before, I've got tickets and there are cops EVERYWHERE these days writing as many tickets as they can. So I stopped, probably spent a millisecond trying to get to first out of habit, and then, by the time I got my right foot down I was already leaned over too far to the right. I was fully stopped at this point (no rubber, no slide, no skid [it is up a steep hill after all]), but, I quickly realized, I was not going to be able to keep the bike upright. Even though it's 800 pounds, I am apparently able to "set it down gently" without ripping anything in my back.

[Water Warrior 2]

Just be thankful the Strat has a low center of gravity.