Thanks to Victory Engineering…
JSP
Posted 2009-07-13 11:12 PM (#38681)
Subject: Thanks to Victory Engineering…


Cruiser

Posts: 226
on the edge of Los Angeles

Do Not Try This!

 

This is not a pretty picture but the outcome is better than expected…

(Not  Proud but want to explain that I feel fortunate I did this on a Vision)

 

I have had my Vision for over a year and 24,000 + miles.  It’s been my daily driver and weekend cruiser.  I have gone around, avoided and otherwise circumvented the onslaught of misc. road hazards associated with riding in canyons that have rock slides on a fairly regular basis.

Well this time I was not so fortunate in having the ability to miss another one.

Same road as before steep hillsides and drop off’s. It’s daybreak and jack rabbits crossing my path abound. I focus on a something to the side of the road and look back in time to see a small mellon sized rock crossing my path. Well I think I had about .500 sec to do something.

 

I did what I could to avoid without getting into a drastic lean/ turn on my down hill run @ 50 mph. (Hill on side, drop off other side) In other words I hit this rock with the edge of my front tire and  caught air!

The bike did not really change its path or attitude and I can say while the Oh !@#$’s were going thru my mind I did not ever feel that I was not in control!

When the bike landed I had an immediate vibration / shimmy and knew I had bent the rim.  I was thinking if its only bent I could ride it back home but in all actuality it was all the way flat…  I was able to stop easily and thank goodness I had my AAA card with MC towing on it.

 

New rim and tire are on the way…

 

 

I do recall a post about a year back where someone had overtaken some sort of plywood or sheetrock and went into the weeds with a positive outcome and I reflect on that as this is another instance of fortune.

 

Many folks are in disbelief that I was not on the ground. I am thankful that is true.

 

This bike is may have kept me from some otherwise unfortunate outcome.

 

Ride Safe and Ride often!

 

JSP…

 

 

 





(Bent.jpg)



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radioteacher
Posted 2009-07-13 11:57 PM (#38685 - in reply to #38681)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Victory Engineering…


Visionary

Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX		Wow! Good riding on your part. I have heard too many stories about front tire flats taking riders out. It is nice to know that between your skills as a daily rider and the Vision, you can stay up and ride it out.

As they state at the MSF course I took "Do not dump the bike." It is better to ride it out whatever the problem. A bike will stop the rider faster then a rider on pavement plus a bike on pavement.
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pollolittle
Posted 2009-07-14 8:15 AM (#38694 - in reply to #38681)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Victory Engineering…


Visionary

Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN		JSP - What a ride!!! That must have been some kind of impact to bend a rim that far. That much bend, and sheer force in one spot and I'm surprised the forks didn't bend, at least a little. OOOOOWWWwweeeeeeeeee!!! How high did you get? Were you looking a trucker in the eye, high? Or, was it jacked up truck, high? Or, was it so high, that you were in fear of sucking a Goose into the intake and shutting your flight down? Inquiring minds want to know. When it landed, were there guys with lit sticks showing you where to land?

I don't doubt you or have disbelief, you hit something that hard and bend a rim like that, I'm thinking you probably should have cleared that with the Air Tower, SongFan is this true?

Yes, you remember correctly, twas I who encountered said sheetrock and plywood on the side of the road. It was a pile of it and, I too, am pretty sure I got a little air going 60 plus over it. It cost me all of my tires with multitude of leaks and finishing nails in them. I rode it like a dirt bike and managed to get back on the pavement still rolling 60.

Those tires are apparently very stiff. I have flattened the rear and rode two up before heading back to the house after 5 miles. The bike just seems to transmit a little bit of wiggliness in the rear while cornering, then settles out while going straight.
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elvis441
Posted 2009-07-14 8:39 AM (#38695 - in reply to #38681)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Victory Engineering…


Cruiser

Posts: 170
Houston, TX		Good to hear you're ok and the damage was minimal.
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JSP
Posted 2009-07-14 9:04 AM (#38696 - in reply to #38681)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Victory Engineering…


Cruiser

Posts: 226
on the edge of Los Angeles		Ok Polo I knew that was you surfing the drywall. I am not planning on entering into the X games with the Vision but I did experience a vertical departure from the roadway.
I think that if I were going slower and still hit the same way I may have been less fortunate. Good ol Gyroscopics at work helping to keep the bike up!
New rim is spendy so I upgraded. to what I think is the stock 09 pollished style. I thought about a 21 but then I would lose some of the travel that is there to combat these situations... ( No I dont want to test it again!)
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varyder
Posted 2009-07-14 9:16 AM (#38698 - in reply to #38696)
Subject: Re: Thanks to Victory Engineering…


Visionary

Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA		Great job JSP of piloting the Vision through such adveristy. The straight flight path and keeping your cool under pressure allowed the Vision to do what it does best. Glad you're okay and thanks for sharing. Just another reminder to not forget what we love to do also has its hazards.

Edited by varyder 2009-07-14 9:16 AM
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