Close encounters of a woolly kind

[slofox]

Had a sheep on the road this morning - came out of the side of the road in the fog. Was too close to stop so tried evasion - partly successful - got by it without binning although we did make some contact. The bike bounced sideways but recovered itself without a hint of distress. The sheep seemed to survive - was gone by the time I had stopped and looked back...

BUT. It must be at least sore 'cause the rear brake pedal was quite bent back on itself. Now I am fretting about the friggin' sheep. You know the stuff..."I shoulda gone looking for it - Maybe it was down - You shoulda done better'n that..etc etc etc"

The back brake was almost jammed on but was just clear so I got home OK. No back brake available though...even though it is not the dominant brake, 'tis funny how you miss it when it's not there...

So. I figure the pedal is fucked. Doubt it would straighten from there without breaking. Anybody got any hints for a straightening attempt? May as well try - if it breaks it is no less useable than it is now...oh and if you have a spare you wanna sell, let me know. I have a WTB ad in the trading section...

[vifferman]

Oh dear!
I had a boss a few years ago who had his little finger on his right hand missing - he hit a sheep on his farm bike, and got his finger a little mangled (I think crunched by the brake lever). It had a bad nerve spasm in hospital, so they decided to amputate it.

Anyway - dunno what your brake pedal's made from, but I've straightened the one on the VFR twice. Take it off, stick it in a vice, and give it plenty of heat. I used a 2400W heatgun on "Hi", but a gas torch of some kind would be better. Get a large persuader (I used a 12" crescent wrench) and lean on it. Repeat until it's straight enough, then douse in cold water and refit.

I've used the same method with clutch and brake levers and the gear lever.

EDIT: You can also do it in place on the bike, if there's nothing that could be damaged by the heat, and wherever the bend is works better as far as straightening goes if it's still on the bike. On the VFR, it was only the end of the brake pedal that was bent, so I left it on.
With the gear lever, I was actually bending it rather than straightening it, as the stupid VFR doesn't have an incrementally adjustable lever, so the only way to get the position right for me so I don't fudge gear changes was to bend it down a bit.

[slofox]

Pedal is alloy VM...

[YellowDog]

Well at least you would have had a soft landing!

Just bend the brake pedal back without heating it up.

They are designed to be bent and should not snap

[slofox]

Well at least you would have had a soft landing!

Just bend the brake pedal back without heating it up.

They are designed to be bent and should not snap

I'll have a go tomorrow when I have a day off...

The man that sells the spares said it would break...funnily enough

[KiwiGs]

Congrats on your skill and luck sir!
I collected a sheep a while back, and wasn't quite so skillful/lucky as you.
In fact to be honest I am one of those bikers that is costing the ACC so much,
Two joint reconstructions, eight weeks off work and a whole lot of physio.
Not to mention the poor bike
The bastard sheep got up and run off as well.......

[slofox]

Congrats on your skill and luck sir!
I collected a sheep a while back, and wasn't quite so skillful/lucky as you.
In fact to be honest I am one of those bikers that is costing the ACC so much,
Two joint reconstructions, eight weeks off work and a whole lot of physio.
Not to mention the poor bike
The bastard sheep got up and run off as well.......

It was ALL skill mate - no luck involved at all...

I continue to be impressed with the unflappability of the SVS - I have had four "episodes" now where the thing has stayed upright when many bikes I have owned would've fallen over...

1. Loose metal in a corner - just a little sideways shimmy and carries on up the road.
2. Diesel spill - as above - a sideways shimmy and carries on regardless.
3. Bump and tankslapper - self corrected and just pootled onwards.
4. Today's sheep - a little hop to the side and again, self corrected.

Gotta admire the design engineering that went into this bike.

[JohnC]

I collected a sheep on hw22 some years ago.
It killed both the bike and the sheep.
I had to take care of the sheep myself.
Not one of my finest moments but the thing was standing there on the road side with it's guts all tucked up an blood poring from it mouth,,so.
My moneys on the brake pedal breaking if it's alloy,although I'd still try the heat thing anyway.
Just by very carefull,you can't see the heat in alloy like you can steel.
It tends to go from "I wonder if it's hot enough yet" to a couple of blobs of ex pedal on the shed floor,,,,,,,or 3rd degree burns.


Just an after thought,,,,if it does straighten out,,,but then breaks during use at later date,,,,

[slofox]

My moneys on the brake pedal breaking if it's alloy,although I'd still try the heat thing anyway.
Just by very carefull,you can't see the heat in alloy like you can steel.
It tends to go from "I wonder if it's hot enough yet" to a couple of blobs of ex pedal on the shed floor,,,,,,,or 3rd degree burns.


Just an after thought,,,,if it does straighten out,,,but then breaks during use at later date,,,,

My thoughts entirely...

[Shadows]

Now I am fretting about the friggin' sheep. You know the stuff..."I shoulda gone looking for it - Maybe it was down - You shoulda done better'n that..etc etc etc"

You're joking, right?

The fucking stupid land maggot could have killed you and you're worried that it might be hurt?

I wouldn't give it another thought.

[kevfromcoro]

I had one run out on me once
was on the side of the road.. heard me coming .. and ran straight out in front of the bike...
just clipped its chops..
stupid dam things they are
just another hazzard for us riders

[CookMySock]

I had to take care of the sheep myself.

SWEET REVENGE!!!!!

Steve

[vifferman]

I collected a sheep on hw22 some years ago.
My moneys on the brake pedal breaking if it's alloy,although I'd still try the heat thing anyway.
Just by very carefull,you can't see the heat in alloy like you can steel.
It tends to go from "I wonder if it's hot enough yet" to a couple of blobs of ex pedal on the shed floor,,,,,,,or 3rd degree burns.
Just an after thought,,,,if it does straighten out,,,but then breaks during use at later date,,,,

My thoughts entirely...

Like I said, I've straightened my (alloy) brake pedal twice - once when I bought the bike, and then again after dropping it at standstill, and I've bent the (alloy) gear lever three times. For both I used the heat gun, and got it as hot as I could, which made it a little more malleable than doing it cold. A bit more heat would've been good, but it worked OK. I just took it easy and reheated it between each little bit of bendage.

I've had the bike 5 years now since the first pedal straightening, and it hasn't fallen off yet, despite being re-bent and re-straightened.
Same with the gear lever - it's been used daily for years and years and hasn't broken yet.

Do you think I should replace them both, because they could fall off at any time? Will you pay for new ones for me?

[JohnC]

Like I said, I've straightened my (alloy) brake pedal twice - once when I bought the bike, and then again after dropping it at standstill, and I've bent the (alloy) gear lever three times. For both I used the heat gun, and got it as hot as I could, which made it a little more malleable than doing it cold. A bit more heat would've been good, but it worked OK. I just took it easy and reheated it between each little bit of bendage.

I've had the bike 5 years now since the first pedal straightening, and it hasn't fallen off yet, despite being re-bent and re-straightened.
Same with the gear lever - it's been used daily for years and years and hasn't broken yet.

Do you think I should replace them both, because they could fall off at any time? Will you pay for new ones for me?

You do what ever you like,I was talking about my own ideas on the matter,,along with the warning that it may not be the best idea..
So,what ever you have or havn't done is just bright an dandy,,,but it doesn't mean anybody else shouldn't post their own opinion.

[vifferman]

You do what ever you like,I was talking about my own ideas on the matter.
What ever you have or havn't done is just bright an dandy,,,but it doesn't mean anybody else shouldn't post their own opinion.

Plus, I think your a liar anyway.

You think my what is a liar?