My first serious crash: typically common scenario. What next?

[Caleb]

" I slowed down a little, then figured he probably saw me."

There's the problem... "I slowed down a little."
Had you sped up to 150kph you would have gone straight past him

[240]

I looked long and hard at the abs option for my bike last year. In the end I went for no abs as most of my riding is in the dry.
The bikes owners handbook warns that abs brakes do take longer to stop in the dry but better in the wet so it's up to you to decide when you do most of your riding.

[scracha]

ABS seems to be quite a point of debate, I had no idea! So what should the professional rider without ABS be capable of, knowing exactly how much front brake to apply without locking it up? I've been able to recover from briefly locked front wheels before, (my old firestorm had wonderfully sensitive front brakes) but in this scenario it happened so quick that the bike was down before I knew it.
I'm not advocating ABS as a magical solution for bad riding of course, but I think that in my scenario it may have helped me maneuver around him rather then laying the bike on its side. I wish it were possible to install aftermarket ABS units on the front brake.

To all the self rightous peeps. After about 13 years and hundreds of thousands of kays trouble-free riding in Europe, I had a very similar off (also with an uninsured sporadically unemployed arsehole) a few years back in small town NZ...you see them, you close the throttle, you scrub 20k off your speed, they look straight at you, you think you've been spotted, you start to go back on the gas, their wheels start circulating and you think "how the fuck did he not see me with my headlight on and luminous yellow fucking vest?".

At least you had the experience to slow down when you saw him.....you might be 6ft under had you not.

Anyone who thinks they're experienced enough to not lock up a bike when something large and metal unexpectedly appears in front of them is dreaming. Experience only helps you keep it upright and unlock quicker. ABS is the shiz in REAL LIFE.

[actungbaby]

Hi dude

well i thought add i think was the better that ur bike did go down as that was idea years go to drop your bike on purpose so you whoudint hit the car and fly off i know i done the latter , but yeah i chouldint imagine having the nerve to lay bike down

you did alot better than me i didnt even get my hands to the brakes happened so fast one minute was all good I saw the car and thought whats worst he do is a u turn little did i know was car park and insteed a uturn he drive right in front of me ,next hit side the car at 70kph
dam that was big impact luckly i and my pillion where trown of the car mind you just remeber getting of my butt after nothing esle

Was bad experice but did least teach me to always think worst the drive can do and plan what to do next

But as i brought your vfr 750 you chould at least thrown you body underneth to protect it only kidding a bike just a machine

Hey guys, thanks heaps for all the advice!

Quick background- I do have a few years of riding experience and defensive riding courses under my belt- I DO believe in training and riding as safely as possible. Riding without insurance was probably stupid on my part, something I won't do again.

I'm just in the process of trying to get a quote on the bike's value / damage so I have financial paperwork for the guy. He's an electrician, so hopefully not unemployed at the moment. Busiest time of the year for mechanics!


ABS seems to be quite a point of debate, I had no idea! So what should the professional rider without ABS be capable of, knowing exactly how much front brake to apply without locking it up? I've been able to recover from briefly locked front wheels before, (my old firestorm had wonderfully sensitive front brakes) but in this scenario it happened so quick that the bike was down before I knew it.
I'm not advocating ABS as a magical solution for bad riding of course, but I think that in my scenario it may have helped me maneuver around him rather then laying the bike on its side. I wish it were possible to install aftermarket ABS units on the front brake.

[Grantman_]

yeah, the 'you should have been more careful' regurgitators in this thread slow down to say 20k's in 100k zones every time they go past stationary vehicles waiting at intersections, driveways and other entrances. Furthermore, they find it necessary to come to a complete stop on the open road, innumerable times, as they put their online criticisms into practice. They know only a complete stop, before the vehicle, will save them from a sudden move to t-bone.

[actungbaby]

yes i have to agree as trying to brake when your got just seconds to do it at least didnt frezze i say well done mate

and as i just brought his old bike and been same sitwation as young man and i didnt even have time to touch my brakes let alone lock them up ... itno side old dudes solid old car at 70kph bike was trashed i was okay

Got say i choose abs if had the choice no doubt , i still dont know to this day weather i frozze or was just to little time to react i have thought about alot since that day and was like 27 years ago.

if was 18 again and had abs first bike at least i whould just pulled on front with little fear locking up whould be bonus

i remember another time dog ran out in front me and jamed on back break locked it up not sure why i didnt
grab the front as well i know what u surposed to do but really think in panic stop u need to have it as second nature

just my thoughts though i have done riding training after my acident i enjoyed it alot was practicle
training with instructor so never to old to learn or too expericed either

To all the self rightous peeps. After about 13 years and hundreds of thousands of kays trouble-free riding in Europe, I had a very similar off (also with an uninsured sporadically unemployed arsehole) a few years back in small town NZ...you see them, you close the throttle, you scrub 20k off your speed, they look straight at you, you think you've been spotted, you start to go back on the gas, their wheels start circulating and you think "how the fuck did he not see me with my headlight on and luminous yellow fucking vest?".

At least you had the experience to slow down when you saw him.....you might be 6ft under had you not.

Anyone who thinks they're experienced enough to not lock up a bike when something large and metal unexpectedly appears in front of them is dreaming. Experience only helps you keep it upright and unlock quicker. ABS is the shiz in REAL LIFE.

[kewwig]

I love the ABS on my Bandit 1250, but 4 weeks ago I came around a gentle bend and instantly hit the deck at around 40ks, followed by the rider behind me, on a 200m long slick of diesel or oil. Dry road, lovely day and the slick was almost completely invisible. Not even time for an "oh shit I am gonna crash" - just straight down. A mate a couple of bikes back said it was weird to see 2 bikes just fall sideways

I took photos at the time and other than a slightly lighter strip, it just wasn't visible. A wet road would have had the telltale rainbow. No amount of ABS will help a lateral slide, but it's great for panic stops