Gone fish tailing!

[HungusMaximist]

This morning while riding to work at around ten past eight I lost my rear wheel BIG time at the Orakei Rd, Shore Rd and Upland Rd roundabout while going straight through (no turning involved) as I was heading up to the Greenlane roundabout. One of the things first things I noticed when I went out on the bike was that the road was still relatively wet so I said, 'take it easy boy'.

I was on the inside lane of the roundabout and I must've been in either first or powering on to second when my rear lost it competely and farkk it was weird because I was going straight through. At that moment I was out of the roundabout and the rear gone absolutely nuts , thinking never before have I ever experienced such masive fish tailing (big enough that I recieved a bruise my on lower left inside knee from the bike's frame smashing into me).

So the front also goes a little nutty and I grab the handle bars tightly for life, off the throttle I come and pump the front brakes gently a few times and manage to save the bike from disaster. I don't think I touched the rear brakes at all but everything happened so fucken fast I didn't really know what to make of it.

After that I was shitting my pants but couldn't really stop to recollect as I got to get to work by 8.30 so I solidered on but a little shaken . Funny thing was, there was a car 10 meters behind me which saw the whole thing unfold, probably thinking how the fark did he manage to save himself? I wonder that too...


While on the motorway I managed to collect my thoughs and enlightened myself:

*There was a nice patch of godforsaken oil in the middle of the roundabout and due to the lighting conditions and dampness of the road (everywhere) I just didn't see it

*I powered the blade a bit too much and I should've gently rolled it through

*Always expect oil spills in roundabouts, be more vigilant next time

This is a lesson for all your yahs with roundabouts and Dushy can fully relate to this

[FROSTY:Me]

yup death juice (diesel) and rain--not a nice combination

[Disco Dan]

Glad you saved it.. does not always work out that way...

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...84&postcount=1

[jrandom]

Yup, diesel's a motherfucker, count yourself lucky you didn't hit it while leaned over or while applying the front brake.

I'd love to hear from someone who's ridden out a diesel encounter after actually noticing the shit on the road before they hit it.

Yes, I know that there are those who claim to be able to sniff it at a hundred paces, etc, etc, but I wonder whether anyone has actually detected it, modified their riding, and therefore avoided a bin, or whether the only stories of crossing diesel without falling off are like HM's, here - flukes due to hitting the diesel while upright and brake/throttle neutral.

[HungusMaximist]

Yep, I also love to hear about people's experience in riding out a fish tailing bike. Like what to do when you lose your rear wheel/front wheel big time (pray?).

I am glad it was just riding straight through the roundabout, if I was leaned over that'd be another story.

[Ixion]

I've ridden across diesel after noticing it (too late to go round it). Might have been oil, I don't know how to tell the difference other than smell.

Notice diesel/oil, change course to cross it across as short a distance as possible (ride ACROSS not ALONG it). Throttle off (just enough that you are neither accelerating nor decelerating). No brake, and expect things to get hairy. Loose hands on the bars, stay upright (even if that means riding straight into the gutter) , keep off the brakes, and keep your weight back.

Don't try to fight the slides let the bike sort itself out.

Now diesel on an off camber downhill right hander - that might be too much for anyone.


Edit: If you do encounter slippery stuff on a roundabout hile elaned over, straighten up and do as above, even if it means going down an exit you didn't intend to take. You can alwasy turn round and come back, hardere to do if you are scattered over the road. Oh, and SLOW DOWN at roundabouts they are not the place to show off Rossi-skillz.

[skidMark]

done it myself turning at a set of light at very low speed...low revs slight accelrating through...

WTF i'm sliding on my arse...

[xwhatsit]

Now diesel on an off camber downhill right hander - that might be too much for anyone.

Haha, if you approach the roundabout in question from Orakei Rd, it is indeed preceeded by an off camber downhill right hander However the only time I've seen diesel there (used to ride that road almost every day for a year) was on the other side of the road, the uphill side.

That roundabout is often coated in nasty slippery stuff, especially in winter. What's worse is that the sort of speed you want to take it (if going around it, not straight through) is right between 1st and 2nd gear. In addition, the suburb is full of dozy old valium-soaked rich bints in Bimmers and Audis, who quite frequently seem surprised to see a motorcycle heading for their drivers door on a roundabout. Stopping in an elegant manner in that situation without locking either end requires skill and subtlety I do not possess.

[jrandom]

Like what to do when you lose your rear wheel/front wheel big time (pray?).

Rear wheel, just stay off the brakes and steady on the gas and look where you want to go, the bike will sort itself out.

Front wheel, better hope you have an insurance policy paid up to date and a sympathetic mate with a trailer.

[Squiggles]

Front wheel, better hope you have an insurance policy paid up to date and a sympathetic mate with a trailer.

nah, leg out and motard that shit, have done it on the tl when the front went out on gravel, and the same for a scooter on diesel

*note the above is probably not the recommended method, and i wont be held responsible if you fall off anyway doing the splits *

[Chrislost]

So the front also goes a little nutty and I grab the handle bars tightly for life, off the throttle I come and pump the front brakes gently a few times and manage to save the bike from disaster. I don't think I touched the rear brakes at all but everything happened so fucken fast I didn't really know what to make of it.

DONT do that, jsut relax, if you are tense what the front is doing affects the rear a hell of a lot more,

Were you trying to highside yourself???? at least the back wasnt too far gone and you didnt bail big time!

Huh? you know this puts weight on the front wheel etc etc etc sliiiide bouf?


Congratulations on staying on though, It is a little exiting when fun stuff like this happens to you unexpectedly!

[jrandom]

nah, leg out and motard that shit, have done it on the tl when the front went out on gravel, and the same for a scooter on diesel

TL on gravel? No problem. Scooter on diesel? No problem. GSX1400 on diesel? Broken leg, and you still crash.

[EJK]

Thats was a close one Ewan lol Congratulations on saving the rear slide!

So, rear skidding (locked rear etc) is possibly saveable right? But is there a possible way to save a locked front wheel?

[scracha]

So, rear skidding (locked rear etc) is possibly saveable right? But is there a possible way to save a locked front wheel?

Yeah, come of the front brake and muscle the bastard into pointing roughly straight.

[Cr1MiNaL]

Good save man. Next time buy an R6, if you start to feel like its going to give don't do anything. take ur hands off the bars and hug the tank with both hands instead. She'll sort ya out herself