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05-24-2010, 8:29 PM socalGTOpilot Joined on 03-03-2010 Bakersfield, CA Posts 42 Went down yesterday Cliffs notes: lowside, ATGATT the $$ are worth it I had a lowside on my GL yesterday...I'm ok, mainly just soreness and a sprained right foot/ankle.  I was out on a twisty backroad and coming through the apex hit some dirt that covered the majority of my lane.  I went down on the right side and slid probably 30 feet or so feet first on my stomach.  Well I picked the bike up and got out of the road then started the inspections... Knowing that adrenaline can mask pain I chilled out for a moment, checked for a cell signal (none) then gave myself a pat down, and finding only pain in my right foot and a couple bumps I turned to the bike.  It turns out that a windjammer fairing will keep the engine case from touching the ground, which I thought was pretty nifty...the worst damage is at the forks, they are either bent or moved in their clamps as they are visibly skewed and the bike has a right turning tendency.  Other than that, the fairing got its edge knocked around but looks ok overall.  The right side header is scratched pretty good as it made contact in line with the fairing.  The brake pedal is fubar, though I bent it out enough that it works a little before hitting the exhaust.  The right rear turn signal looks a little bent, but didn't break, and the tip of the right muffler scratched lightly. Since I was out in the hills and couldn't call anyone (turns out no one was around anyways) to come pick me up in my truck I had to ride out, which was a challenge with the bikes steering jacked up.  The bottom line is my gear saved my skin, the few hundred bucks was money well spent, and shopping for gear is more fun than the hospital.  I'll start the repairs after my foot stops hurting, I hope I get it fixed soon because the weather here is only getting better! 82 GL500-long gone 04 Pontiac GTO 99 Dodge Cummins 69 Chevelle 4dr post    Report

05-24-2010, 8:46 PM NightBiker07 Joined on 04-20-2009 Toledo, OH Posts 506 Re: Went down yesterday At least your OK :) i want crash bars for my bike to protect the motor and my tank. looks like the pants did there job too! 80 CX 500 2000 CR 250 DIRT BIKE!!!!!!!!!!    Report

05-26-2010, 5:26 AM mikeinpittsburgh Joined on 03-03-2006 Pittsburgh, PA Posts 436 Re: Went down yesterday Happy to hear you are ok. Hope the forks are just tweaked and not bent. mikeinpittsburgh 1983 GL650I 2000 K1200LT    Report

05-26-2010, 6:42 AM gopher Joined on 11-06-2008 Sk.Ca. Age 56 Posts 608 Re: Went down yesterday  This is a beautiful pic Pilot. I can only imagine what the same view would be if you hadn't been wearing the leathers.    Do you have a theory how the concentrated abrasion happened to the middle of your thigh? I would have thought the rub would be on a projection - like a knee or outside of hip. 1981 GL500I    Report

05-26-2010, 7:34 AM WayneDW Joined on 07-28-2006 Minneapolis Posts 1,655 Re: Went down yesterday wow, thanks for the pictorial. I gotta get me some riding pants. Let's be careful out there.... Wayne 1983 GL650 Silverwing Interstate WWW.fossilapostles.com    Report

05-26-2010, 7:50 AM bri-guy-ga Joined on 06-04-2008 Powder Springs, GA Posts 702 Re: Went down yesterday Nice to see you were able to walk away.  Imagine if you were a Harley guy in a leather vest and shorts?  What brand pants and jacket were those?  Might as well give some props to crash tested gear. 1982 GL500i (currently being rebuilt from ground up) NO! Try not. Do or do not do. There is no try - Yoda    Report

05-26-2010, 7:50 AM Graywolfs02 Joined on 09-08-2007 Coon Rapids Minnesota Posts 593 Re: Went down yesterday  gopher wrote:  This is a beautiful pic Pilot. I can only imagine what the same view would be if you hadn't been wearing the leathers.    Do you have a theory how the concentrated abrasion happened to the middle of your thigh? I would have thought the rub would be on a projection - like a knee or outside of hip. Gopher.... Perhaps he had keys or some change in his pocket???? Glad to hear he is okay!!! Greg 1982 GL 500I "Red" (Wing) 1978 CX 500 Now at a new home Minnesota Ride Safe, Ride Fast, Ride Far    Report

05-26-2010, 7:59 AM dccoleman Joined on 04-01-2007 Rochester, MN USA Posts 418 Re: Went down yesterday  WayneDW wrote: . . . I gotta get me some riding pants. . . . My thoughts exactly. I wear a jacket and helmet all the time, but haven't sprung for the pants yet.  Now this image is burned into my mind until I do. *********************** 1979 CX500 Deluxe 1983 GL650I    Report

05-26-2010, 9:12 AM Timothy_D Joined on 04-22-2006 Santa Rosa, CA Posts 1,585 Re: Went down yesterday Glad to hear you're okay. Moral of the story? 1) Never outride your sightlines. 2) A.T.T.G.A.T. CX500 Turbo, GL650I, Two CX650E's, and one Crown Jewel of the CX line- CX650T. Why do I own five CX/GL bikes? Ask an alcoholic why he drinks. Donating Member. Sold: 1981 CX500D, 2- 1982 CX500T's, 1983 CX650C.    Report

05-26-2010, 9:29 AM gopher Joined on 11-06-2008 Sk.Ca. Age 56 Posts 608 Re: Went down yesterday  Timothy_D wrote:     2) A.T.T.G.A.T. This story makes me stutter too Tim.  1981 GL500I    Report

05-26-2010, 11:08 AM Timothy_D Joined on 04-22-2006 Santa Rosa, CA Posts 1,585 Re: Went down yesterday A.T.G.A.T.T. (oy) CX500 Turbo, GL650I, Two CX650E's, and one Crown Jewel of the CX line- CX650T. Why do I own five CX/GL bikes? Ask an alcoholic why he drinks. Donating Member. Sold: 1981 CX500D, 2- 1982 CX500T's, 1983 CX650C.    Report

05-26-2010, 11:31 AM CXSarnia Joined on 01-11-2008 Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Posts 2,623 Re: Went down yesterday you didn't show us a picture of the helmet.... did you hit that too? A slow slide is always a pain - although nothing gets broken (bones) road rash hurts and takes a long time to heal. Can't imagine how bad you would have fared if leather weren't worn. 2009 DN-01 Spakin' New! 1982 CX500 Turbo & Parts bike 1981 SL185 Yamaha Exciter 198? V45 Magna 1979 CX500 Deluxe 1982 CB750K Daily rider September 1999 1982 CX500 Custom - project Originally bought April 1982 safetied and on the road 09/2008    Report

05-26-2010, 12:52 PM socalGTOpilot Joined on 03-03-2010 Bakersfield, CA Posts 42 Re: Went down yesterday Thanks for the kind words guys, the jacket/pants were Hein-Gericke "craig" models.  The pants did about as well as I imagine good jeans would have, but the soft armor in the knee made the initial contact easier.  My knee had a small scrape and minor bruising.  My right forearm got a bit more rashed, but it's already 90% healed. Gopher: the pic you quoted is the right arm of my jacket, but the hole in the pants was a result of car/house keys in the pocket.  The key's plastic head actually got ground down a bit, crazy...  There was abrasion to the upper thigh/hip, but no holes, and it didnt photo well. Sarnia: somehow my helmet stayed off the ground in the initial fall.  As I was sliding on my stomach I was making an effort to keep my head up so the chin bar didnt catch on a pavement crack and snap my neck. 82 GL500-long gone 04 Pontiac GTO 99 Dodge Cummins 69 Chevelle 4dr post    Report

05-26-2010, 1:32 PM rickbert Joined on 01-05-2009 Missouri....60 mis East of KC Posts 1,384 Re: Went down yesterday DAMN ! Thank god for the proper attire is about all you can say isn't it ? WOW. For those of you that DON'T wear it all, all the time, I hope this INSPIRES you !!! Glad to see you survived Socal ! 1982 CX500C...22K miles...owned since 10/08 My age: 45 Bike's name: "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" If you need to contact me personally send an email, I never get my pm's for some reason.    Report

05-26-2010, 2:28 PM kingston73 Joined on 04-19-2008 Bellingham, MA Posts 1,722 Re: Went down yesterday Glad you are ok. Have you been keeping up with the other thread where people are talking about what gear they use or don't use? Something like this makes me cringe when I think how bad it could have been with a tshirt, shorts, and/or no helmet. 1979 cx500D - mostly stock    Report

05-26-2010, 5:45 PM astroguy Joined on 09-24-2009 Kingston Ontario Canada Posts 141 Re: Went down yesterday Well thanks for posting your troubles....it helps to have reminders like this when the weather gets hot. Today we hit 36 degrees Celcius...which is hot! and I broke down and took off my all season riding jacket for a short ride. Felt great but at the same time I felt naked. Like I said thanks for the reminder and I'm glad to hear that you faired out better for the clothing. 1982 GL500I presently. Bikes I've owned.... 1971 Honda CB350 1981 Yamaha 650 Maxim 1982 Yamaha 550 Seca 1982 Yamaha 650 Seca 1981 Honda CX 500 1989 Suzuki 650 Savage. "I'm stuck in the '80s" apparently.    Report

05-26-2010, 6:21 PM Doward Joined on 05-11-2008 Alachua, FL Posts 814 Re: Went down yesterday Glad you came out good! And yeah, now I've DEFINITELY got to get pants! 1978 CX500 motor + 1980 CX500C frame    Report

05-26-2010, 8:17 PM Dennis Joined on 08-20-2009 Manitoba Canada Posts 58 Re: Went down yesterday Glad to hear you are okay Pilot. It looks like the gloves did a pretty good job as well. 81 GL500i    Report

05-26-2010, 9:03 PM socalGTOpilot Joined on 03-03-2010 Bakersfield, CA Posts 42 Re: Went down yesterday Kingston: being out here in CA, hardly a day goes by where I dont see somebody in shorts and sandals riding down the freeway...or better yet, a rider in decent attire and a pillion in shorts and skimpy tops.  Even before I had purpose built gear, I always had on a leather jacket or at least a couple layers under any other coat, just seemed like common sense to me.  I dont know what its like to not sweat while on a motorcycle! Dennis: until sunday, gloves were the one thing I would occasionally leave off.  Lucky I had them on that ride, they were just department store leather gloves, nothing fancy. 82 GL500-long gone 04 Pontiac GTO 99 Dodge Cummins 69 Chevelle 4dr post    Report

05-27-2010, 4:57 PM jayhanig Joined on 08-23-2008 Topsail Beach, NC USA Posts 927 Re: Went down yesterday It does my heart good to see your gear torn up instead of you.  So many others never seem to catch on you should dress for the slide, not for the ride. I won't get on my bike in the driveway without full gear.  The only times I've ever needed my gear was in my driveway or in a parking lot.  You're never completely safe, so you have to do what you can to protect yourself. Obviously you did.  Good show. Jay 82 GL500 Silverwing (naked) Age 55 Dress for the slide.... not for the ride.    Report

05-27-2010, 5:16 PM Stan in Toronto Joined on 06-07-2008 Toronto Ontario Canada Posts 228 Re: Went down yesterday Glad you made it thru as well as you did. I second what Jay says about dressing for the slide. Three weeks ago I had a similar slide with none of the gear right in sight of my house. The wounds are finally turning to scars. I won't do that again. All The Gear All The Time Stan 1984 CX650E - The Black Rider Joined this forum 6 7 8 Took my first breath in 1952    Report

06-13-2010, 4:46 PM Doug Joined on 03-18-2010 Ithaca, NY Posts 41 Re: Went down yesterday socalGTOpilot, Glad you are OK & thanks for sharing the importance of the right gear. I wear just regular pants & sometimes skip gloves. I'm going to get protective pants & I'll never skip the gloves again. I'm going to start a new thread asking for gear advice. Doug 09 Vulcan 900 Classic 83 CX 650 C    Report

06-14-2010, 4:44 AM yooperwing Joined on 02-19-2008 UP of Mich Posts 22 Re: Went down yesterday Glad you came out ok Bud!! Yooperwing 1978 GL1000 1979 CX500 custom    Report

06-24-2010, 12:10 PM jasonh Joined on 06-14-2010 Longmont, CO Posts 78 Re: Went down yesterday Well, this makes me want to get some riding specific pants. I have a proper helmet and jacket, but just wear jeans, decent boots, and some hardware store gloves... The only time I haven't worn gloves was the 45mi trip home from buying the bike...rubbed my hands pretty raw in some spots, so gloves it's been.  Ride without a helmet?  My wife would tie the bike to the jeep and drag it down the road and leave it in a ditch most likely. Glad you're ok. 81 GL500    Report

06-24-2010, 1:09 PM jayhanig Joined on 08-23-2008 Topsail Beach, NC USA Posts 927 Re: Went down yesterday  jasonh wrote: Well, this makes me want to get some riding specific pants. I have a proper helmet and jacket, but just wear jeans, decent boots, and some hardware store gloves... Get yourself either some kevlar lined jeans or cargo pants.  I've got both and although the cargo pants are heavier than my usual kick around cargo pants, they are cooler than the jeans.  Either way, you can find them for around $80 a pair... much less than the cost of a visit to an emergency room. Besides, I'd rather wipe off sweat than blood. Jay 82 GL500 Silverwing (naked) Age 55 Dress for the slide.... not for the ride.    Report

06-27-2010, 9:15 PM raulbajamx Joined on 02-04-2009 San Diego Ca/Tijuana Baja MX Posts 281 Re: Went down yesterday man OOOO man ,,, I've been told i over dress,,,,yep ,that's me ,,,in the summer ,,full dress,,,protective pants,jacket gloves boots,,, sorry you have to remind me what can happen ,,,keep ridding,,, glad you're find,,,,   i think i need training wheels on gl650i    Report

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