White paint and Rainy days - (also I'm sick of crashing)

[Matariki]

Well, I just got back from the hospital after my crash. :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

I ended up skidding on that son of bitch white paint that they use for roads and now my right knee is shredded, I've torn some of the muscles in my shoulders (rotor cuffs) and pulled my Achilles heel. I got off light... of course naturally after crashing I cried like the little bitch I am, more likely due to terrible anxiety I suffer with.

The cops and doctors said that It was fortunate that I was wearing my padded motorcycle jacket. I found myself loling at myself in the hospital and I found it even more hilarious that I crashed outside of a church. Fail.
Lucky for me though I didn't crash into the car that was about to take the turn at the intersection.

What can I learn from this? And of course how do I prevent skidding on the dreaded white paint on crappy, rainy days?

(No, getting a car or giving up riding are not options) <_<

Chances are that this thread is probably going to come back and bite me in the ass... :(

[Ocean1]

Bugger. Hope they gave you drugs.


What can I learn from this? And of course how do I prevent skidding on the dreaded white paint on crappy, rainy days?(

You're asking, that's a very good start.

You can learn to take lines that avoid white lines, (or anything else smooth) when it's wet.

You can also find a nice greasy field and spend a bit of time provoking slithers so you can learn what they feel like and how to give yourself the best chance to get it back under control. Best wait a while for that, though.

Rest. Heal.

[That looks like fun]

Remeber that stupid road campaign they used to run "drive to the conditions when they change decrease you speed". Well thats about it in a nut shell. :facepalm:
Watch that shoulder, 5 months and mine is still giving me grief from a rotor cuff injury so be gentle with it. :love:
Now go get back on that bike :yes:

[bogan]

Sorry to hear about the accident, hopefully you'll make a full recovery and have no nagging knee pains etc. The best way to avoid slipping on wet white lines it to avoid the lines completely. If you have to cross them, ease up on the brakes/power, and no abrupt direction changes.

My first (and only) road off was on an oily spot just after it started raining, in some ways lucky to have it a low speed, get all the learning without any permanent damage.

[steve_t]

Sorry to hear about your off, Hottie. Did you lock the front wheel, or lose the front or rear wheel sideways? What pants were you wearing?
As Bogan said, it's just about avoiding sudden changes in speed or direction over those slippery bastards.
Hope you heal quickly and well, and have heaps of awesome drugs :yes:

[skinman]

bad luck coming off
what tires do you have?
they can make a huge difference esp the front, also be gentle on brakes on the slippery stuff,again esp the front as it can be easy to lock it up.
I have done it too when I had a 250, broke my thumb.

[Matariki]

What happened was that I locked the front wheel and the rear wheel slid out from underneath me. All because I forgot to slow down enough to make the turn safely.

I ended up landing on my shoulder and scrapping my knee across the ground. I was wearing jeans at the time, but after this incident I'm buying proper motorcycle pants. I was given some Voltaren and Panadol at the hospital, both me and the doctor agree on the damage was mostly soft tissue, thankfully there were no fractures. Although there is some concern because I've had my right knee operated on in the past so the speicalists are rechecking the scans. My knee feels a bit loose but I'm able to get around on it.

[Matariki]

what tires do you have?


I'm not sure, but I'm getting them changed. They suck on both gravel and wet roads.

[baptist]

Glad you are ok :yes: heal well.

[rustic101]

Well, I just got back from the hospital after my crash. :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

What can I learn from this? And of course how do I prevent skidding on the dreaded white paint on crappy, rainy days?

Chances are that this thread is probably going to come back and bite me in the ass... :(

Get yourself a copy of this and have a read while you are resting:

Police riders' handbook to better motorcycling - Motorcycle road craft

P.S pleased you're walking about albeit a bit stiff...

[Gremlin]

- Avoid the lines... they are slippery
- In the wet be gentle and smooth in all your motions, avoid violent actions as it upsets the bike and puts more strain on tyres and suspension
- Losing the front, well, you normally find out about it when its way too late, however, being smooth and not locking the front will assist. If cornering, and being smooth, and you lose the front, and its not suspension, tyres etc, then there isn't really anything you can do (been there before)
- Use the gravel riding to learn how to control the rear sliding, as its much more manageable than the front sliding

[The Baron]

Hi HK
Very sorry to read this.
Take it easy for a bit and recover at your own speed.
Best wishes.

[yungatart]

- Avoid the lines... they are slippery
- In the wet be gentle and smooth in all your motions, avoid violent actions as it upsets the bike and puts more strain on tyres and suspension
- Losing the front, well, you normally find out about it when its way too late, however, being smooth and not locking the front will assist. If cornering, and being smooth, and you lose the front, and its not suspension, tyres etc, then there isn't really anything you can do (been there before)
- Use the gravel riding to learn how to control the rear sliding, as its much more manageable than the front sliding

What he said...and get yourself a mentor.
Learning the hard way is painful and unnecessary.

[sinfull]

Bugger. Hope they gave you drugs.



You're asking, that's a very good start.

You can learn to take lines that avoid white lines, (or anything else smooth) when it's wet.

You can also find a nice greasy field and spend a bit of time provoking slithers so you can learn what they feel like and how to give yourself the best chance to get it back under control. Best wait a while for that, though.

Rest. Heal.

Wot he said

Oh and the pants? horse, bolted, etc

[Nasty]

What happened was that I locked the front wheel and the rear wheel slid out from underneath me. All because I forgot to slow down enough to make the turn safely.

All said below is good. But one thing to remember is that if you have not slowed down enough to take a corner - especially if there are lines and rain etc - DON"T take the corner. There is almost always another turn you can make further up the road, there are very few places where there is only one way. If that is the only way - then go up, u-turn safely and do it that way.

[Usarka]

Do your braking where there is the best grip. For example if you do have to go over the white lines try braking a little harder/earlier before the white lines then cruise over them and then braking again once your back on the black stuff.

If you do have to brake when your on the white lines be smooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth. Are you using correct braking technique (progressively squeezing rather than "grabbing a handful")?


My other question is what mix of front and rear brakes are you using?

On a sports bike you should be braking kind around 75%front 25% back in the dry. A more balanced figure applies in the wet or slippy surfaces to try to prevent losing the front end. I don't know the figures for a cruiser but you use the back brake much more than a sports bike (anyone??).

Someone more knowledgeable (or stupider) than me may come along and poo poo those figures. There are many who argue rear brakes are worthless on a sportsbike (which I disagree with especially for road riding). My suggestion get some books or tuition or something and read up on good braking technique..... There may even be a thread or two worth reading in here....

[Ronin]

PM me and we can look at doing some slow speed practise on different surfaces. If you have an idea of what your bike will do in any given circumstance then you are much better prepared.

[javawocky]

Get ride of the GN - get a sports bike.

[MSTRS]

Painted lines in the wet...
Being smooth, not braking (hard), more rear brake than front, not crossing when leaning - all good advice

Tyres...GNs prolly don't have great tyres, but when on wet road markings or tar snakes or areas where chip is gone - there are no good tyres. Learning to avoid those parts of the road is your best bet. Practice lines (or changing lines) until you don't need to think about it.

Note: paint is easy to spot, wet or dry. Tar snakes/bleed/no chip is not...but on familiar roads you should remember the places to avoid.

[davebullet]

It happens all so quickly, don't beat yourself up if you cannot remember what happened. It may come back to you (as you probably know, your mind's defensive mechanism is to block out the pain and bad experience to protect you).

Plenty of good advice above. The other thing I'll add is the need to relax in adverse conditions. Not so you are flopping about on the bike, but you don't want to be so rigid (esp. in your arms) where any road bumps will transfer to your body and cause you (unintentionally) to put movement through the bars (changing direction) and putting extra demands for grip on your tyres.

Make sure your new gear has good armour. Not stuff that wanders about but sits snuggly over your joints. Are you replacing the helmet as well?

[BMWST?]

my rules for riding in the wet....try to avoid riding over anything thats SHINEY..that implies it s very smooth...smooth = less friction.If you must ride over them keep the bike as upright as possible and do not have throttle brake or turning inputs.Manhole covers,metal expansion joint strips,are a couple of other hazards to watch out for.

[Usarka]

my rules for riding in the wet....try to avoid riding over anything thats SHINEY..that implies it s very smooth...smooth = less friction.If you must ride over them keep the bike as upright as possible and do not have throttle brake or turning inputs.Manhole covers,metal expansion joint strips,are a couple of other hazards to watch out for.

Including black shiney! I almost learnt that one the hard way - i think it was a section where the top layer of the road had worn away. Poo stains for africa.

[Usarka]

my rules for riding in the wet....try to avoid riding over anything thats SHINEY...

Including black shiney! I almost learnt that one the hard way - i think it was a section where the top layer of the road had worn away. Poo stains for africa.

[george formby]

Ow, heal well!

Avoid any painted lines on the road, manhole covers, tar over banding, areas with very worn or no chip seal & take care at areas where traffic stops & accelerates like junctions, pedestrian crossings, traffic lights etc.
When you have to ride over a negligible surface keep the bike upright as much as possible & be gentle on the brakes & throttle. Give yourself extra time & space to compensate for any potential lack of grip & choose your line early to avoid hazards you see ahead.

[p.dath]

Sounds like you have already figured out what to do differently.

And getting some proper gear as opposed to jeans is good insurance for your body in case you have another off.

It's just a shame that it requires people to feel the agony of having an off before they make the decision to get the better gear. :)


- Avoid the lines... they are slippery
- In the wet be gentle and smooth in all your motions, avoid violent actions as it upsets the bike and puts more strain on tyres and suspension


+1.

[grantnz]

Katman should be along anytime now...

[Newo]

All said below is good. But one thing to remember is that if you have not slowed down enough to take a corner - especially if there are lines and rain etc - DON"T take the corner. There is almost always another turn you can make further up the road, there are very few places where there is only one way. If that is the only way - then go up, u-turn safely and do it that way.

I agree,

However round-abouts are the exception to the rule as I found out. If your going to fast you have no choice but to turn. My conditions were rain after a hot sticky day and oil/petrol/fluids. Was a slow speed off with all the right protective gear and I was glad for wearing it all too.

Hope you recover without any permanent damage and try to work your confidence back up. I found that just from my small off I was very intimidated the next time it rained. Good and bad all the same.

[Nasty]

I agree,

However round-abouts are the exception to the rule as I found out. If your going to fast you have no choice but to turn. My conditions were rain after a hot sticky day and oil/petrol/fluids. Was a slow speed off with all the right protective gear and I was glad for wearing it all too.

Hope you recover without any permanent damage and try to work your confidence back up. I found that just from my small off I was very intimidated the next time it rained. Good and bad all the same.


Ahh roundabouts ... you have no reason to have not slowed down ... if you knew it was there that is ... ;) big part of defensive riding appears to be it is easier to anticipate the known than the unknown ... but also to be complacent.

[porky]

A tip.......

Langlands every second Wed (next ride is the 16th) at 6.30 for 7pm. All levels are welcome and the two old farts that organise it are really decent guys with a heap of experience. Make yourself known and im sure they will give you heaps of support and advice.
(You are looking for a silver ST1300 or a black VTX1800)

[Ascott]

my rules for riding in the wet....try to avoid riding over anything thats SHINEY..that implies it s very smooth...smooth = less friction.If you must ride over them keep the bike as upright as possible and do not have throttle brake or turning inputs.Manhole covers,metal expansion joint strips,are a couple of other hazards to watch out for.
+10000. My Golden rule as well! oh and Usarka shiney is shiney!

[MaxCannon]

The stock GN250 tyres are terrible in the wet. Quality rubber makes a huge difference.
I put Pirelli City Demons on mine and it transformed the bike.

Tips for riding in the wet.

1 - Get your braking done in a straight line
2 - Be smooth. Use gradual inputs on the throttle, steering and brakes.
3 - Look where you want the bike to go.

Pretty much everything you should be doing in the dry too.

[skinman]

[QUOTE=Usarka;1129981500]

My other question is what mix of front and rear brakes are you using?

On a sports bike you should be braking kind around 75%front 25% back in the dry. A more balanced figure applies in the wet or slippy surfaces to try to prevent losing the front end. I don't know the figures for a cruiser but you use the back brake much more than a sports bike (anyone??).

FYI I find that if I need the front brake to loose speed I do it early so I have released the front before leaning as my bike will tend to push if weight is too much on the front. I rely mainly on engine & rear brake in 50k areas except when coming to a complete halt. Twins have tons of engine braking.