KoroJ's Blog

I'm a bit of a waffler and thought this Blog thing might be right up my alley because I've never kept a diary but do find it interesting to look back sometimes.... Anyway this happened yesterday (17 May 07) but I just got round to doing 'the blog thing'.


!!?%#@!! Broke my right mirror and scuffed the right mirror cover and right pannier this morning! !!?%#@!!

I was riding down my driveway (steepish) and about to turn right down the road when a prick in a ute came down from my left, but on my side of the road. Didn’t see him coming due to the ecology and his position (hugging the shrubbery) and had no where to go but stop dead….right where my feet can’t touch the ground.

Two problems here…There was nothing to hold the bike up so it fell over (taking me with it) and….there was nothing there for the wings to rest on so it landed on the mirror and the bag. I ended up rolling down the road and the f…… c…. (frightful chap) just drove off without so much as a pause. The least he could have done was help me to pick it up because I couldn’t and had to get Ann out. So I’m !!?%#@!! Pissed Off.

I am amazed that the bag didn’t shatter, collapse, or crack. Just a few scuffs, mainly on the black. Also, the mirror shield took pretty much a side on impact but did as it was supposed to and flew off, just getting a few bad scuffs on the end. Mirrors don’t like holding the bike up though.

I’m obviously getting old and doddery and must be getting closer to having to trade down to a GN250. Bugger, that’ll make it harder doing the Grand Challenge Four Points and Southern Cross, but it will make it easier for Ken to keep up through the Awakino Gorge.

He reckoned a DR650 would be a better option as he has the ST and a DR (but he came off his DR and hurt his ribs) so I replied that “I’d love a DR650 but I might hurt my back, or ribs, or pride or something…….hey, I’m doing that now…why not. An excuse…I need an excuse.”

He also recommended I leave the bags off but basically I keep them on because I just about always have something in them and they’re real handy when you get anywhere and can lock the helmet and other gear away. In the mornings I have my gym bag in the top box and work satchel in one side and after the gym the teknik pants go in the other side.

It was interesting reading on the ST site though how a lot of riders found an improvement in handling/performance with the bags off. I wouldn’t have thought you’d notice.