I need some help after my first crash! Can't figure out what went wrong.
First, I did a search on the forum and used Google as well but found nothing to describe the problem I had last Thursday. Bottom line--my 08 with 2,800 miles on it just seemed to take off during normal first gear roll-on while turning right at a slight uphill grade resulting in being thrown from bike.
I can't explain what happened in logical terms. I commute 80 miles a day to the tune of 11,000 or 12,000 miles per year. I have looged miles over much of Europe and the US including all kinds of weather and road conditions. Just switched to FJR (2,800 miles) after many years on BMW 1150 RT.
This was a clear and cool morning in northern Virginia. I backed the bike out of the garage and got the rear tire wet in one small spot from the dew on the grass. I pulled away normally and went about 200 feet to a stop sign. I rolled into the gas from the stop sign (uphill and to the right) just as I have done many times before and the bike felt like it was just going to fall over (immedately). I recall giving it a little gas then I recall it reving extremely high and "crossing up" which I would describe as maybe a tank slap with the bars jumping to the left. My left hand is the size of a baseball and has this nice circular bruise all the way around the thumb and index finger (inside and out) suggesting the bar did kick back pretty good. Next image I have is coming off the bike (came off the back and to the left) as it pitched from the right to the left. The bike landed on its left side facing the opposite (downhill) direction and I ended up above the bike facing uphill.
My first thought was that I just caught the small wet area on the tire causing it to slip (the initial feeling I had) and then I added to the problem and loss of traction by adding throttle. But I can't for the life of me believe that I grabbed a wrist full of throttle that left a black streak about 8 feet long! All this occured within 30 feet of the stop sign. I also can't believe that a small damp spot on my tire would cause this kind of traction loss--been in too many wet situations with no issues for that to be the case.
Did I just experience a "normal off" and maybe hung onto the throttle as I was coming off causing it to rev? Could this have been one of those well documented FI "stumbles" and resulting surge? Is there any computer on the bike that would have recorded an error in the bikes systems if there was an issue (like on cars)?
RESULTS: Me--Fractured elbow, brusied right ribs (upper), left forearm rash, left thumb swollen. Wearing full jacket and pants with armour in both (Aerostich and Dainese), gloves and Shoei....thank God! Bike--everything on the left side is scratched and left bag and footpeg are broken clean off. Bag collapsed into muffler denting it as well.
Thanks in advance for any insights you may have.
BCB
First, I did a search on the forum and used Google as well but found nothing to describe the problem I had last Thursday. Bottom line--my 08 with 2,800 miles on it just seemed to take off during normal first gear roll-on while turning right at a slight uphill grade resulting in being thrown from bike.
I can't explain what happened in logical terms. I commute 80 miles a day to the tune of 11,000 or 12,000 miles per year. I have looged miles over much of Europe and the US including all kinds of weather and road conditions. Just switched to FJR (2,800 miles) after many years on BMW 1150 RT.
This was a clear and cool morning in northern Virginia. I backed the bike out of the garage and got the rear tire wet in one small spot from the dew on the grass. I pulled away normally and went about 200 feet to a stop sign. I rolled into the gas from the stop sign (uphill and to the right) just as I have done many times before and the bike felt like it was just going to fall over (immedately). I recall giving it a little gas then I recall it reving extremely high and "crossing up" which I would describe as maybe a tank slap with the bars jumping to the left. My left hand is the size of a baseball and has this nice circular bruise all the way around the thumb and index finger (inside and out) suggesting the bar did kick back pretty good. Next image I have is coming off the bike (came off the back and to the left) as it pitched from the right to the left. The bike landed on its left side facing the opposite (downhill) direction and I ended up above the bike facing uphill.
My first thought was that I just caught the small wet area on the tire causing it to slip (the initial feeling I had) and then I added to the problem and loss of traction by adding throttle. But I can't for the life of me believe that I grabbed a wrist full of throttle that left a black streak about 8 feet long! All this occured within 30 feet of the stop sign. I also can't believe that a small damp spot on my tire would cause this kind of traction loss--been in too many wet situations with no issues for that to be the case.
Did I just experience a "normal off" and maybe hung onto the throttle as I was coming off causing it to rev? Could this have been one of those well documented FI "stumbles" and resulting surge? Is there any computer on the bike that would have recorded an error in the bikes systems if there was an issue (like on cars)?
RESULTS: Me--Fractured elbow, brusied right ribs (upper), left forearm rash, left thumb swollen. Wearing full jacket and pants with armour in both (Aerostich and Dainese), gloves and Shoei....thank God! Bike--everything on the left side is scratched and left bag and footpeg are broken clean off. Bag collapsed into muffler denting it as well.
Thanks in advance for any insights you may have.
BCB
