One trashed ST1300. One rider with a sore right knee and a bad case of grumpiness. One careless driving charge (no, not me) and an insurance claim pending. Bugger!
The day started well enough, albeit a bit blustery with the rising nor’wester. Mrs H’s mother is staying with us for a week, and Mrs H decided to take her on a road trip around the North Island, including a visit to the Mystery Creek Fieldays, where I would meet up with them and travel back with them in the c.a.r.
So today the gals set off in the car and I followed shortly afterwards on the bike, catching and passing them just after Silverstream. The plan was to have lunch in Greytown. They would then head on to Napier and I would ride home.
Just after the Te Marua golf course the RAV4 I was following caught up to a Landcruiser pulling a trailer. At the passing lane after the Twin Lakes lookout the RAV4 pulls out to pass and I go with him.
Just as we’re past the Landcruiser, the RAV4’s reversing lights come on. I think “Those are reversing lights.” Next I think “Fuck, he’s stopped!” He had. Hard on the brakes, front wheel locks, I ease off that and get hard on the rear as well. Too late. Clunk, into the back of the RAV4 I go.
I didn’t look that closely at the RAV but I noted some paint damage, but nothing else too obvious. The ST1300, however, is a different story. The nose is trashed, and I suspect, after helping the attending Police Officer and the tow truck driver roll the ST onto the back of the recovery truck, that something in the steering may be a bit bent. The wheel went largely under the RAV’s “bumper”, with the headlight and the rest of the bike that immediately follows it taking most of the damage.
The knees on my armoured pants are a bit chewed and my right knee, which was OK for about the first half hour, is really starting to seize up and ache. Thank god for good gear and armour!
Slutted? Why yes. I should have been taking more care. And it’s only since Easter Thursday and 4,000km of riding since I got the ST back after our last “off”.
I was worried about the old guy driving the RAV. He looked decidedly seedy and I was worried about his heart. His wife said it was the first time he’d driven an automatic. He’d changed into second to overtake and when he’d flipped the stick to go back into D, he went all the way to R.
The cop says this guy will more than likely face a careless driving charge. And he has admitted fault (I have a handful of witness who back up my version of events anyway), so the insurance claim will be on him. I actually feel a bit sorry for him.
I am cross on so many levels.
Mostly for scaring the shit out of Mrs H and her mum as they drove up the Kaitokes and saw a big red bike spread all over State Highway 2. Not a great way to get their holiday off to a positive start. I was up and around straight away, and had to beat off a couple of well-intentioned women who wanted to take my helmet off (the helmet is just fine, as are the helpful women).
Tomorrow, bureaucracy and, I suspect, more of the sore knee.
Thanks to Richard Palmer and Shirley for stopping to see how I was. I’m grumpier now, thanks Richard!
Reply With Quote
bit the same way as OAB had to check the date once I started reading 
the insurance company is going to love you 
Yup
Originally Posted by Hitcher
Bookmarks