New FJR Owner: What happens when you lowside/washout?

[Jay in Ohio]

I didn't figure this would get the attention I'd like on the new member board...

Over my years of motorcycling I've been pretty fortunate that I haven't yet hit the deck. I've washed out the front wheel on a few tar strips, sewer covers, and some dry cement mix sprinkled on the road in the shade of a tree (THAT was hairy), hit a piece of firewood, hit a dog (tall dog, low speed), diesel fuel on an on ramp... but I usually give myself that safety margin. So far, it has been just enough.

For anyone that has been beyond that margin on their FJR, what happened?

How did the bike react?

What input did you use/try?

My worst fear is getting comfortable on the bike, throwing it into a turn, loading the suspension, and having the front tire just go straight (still a little gun shy - and would hate to scuff up an unblemished FJR).

Thanks,

J

PS - I am a mountain biker, so riding loose is no biggie on a light bike. 640# is not light to me.

PPS - the bike came with a Conti-Motion front tire that I'm not too sure about (but it's not even 1/2 gone). I think I want an Avon Storm 2. Opinions?

 

[HotRodZilla]

You will fall down and go boom.

Now seriously? These bikes handle very well for their size. Unfortunately if you low side, you will prolly be up one second and sliding down the road the next. However, unless something just totally screws your traction, the FJR is very predictable and will give you plenty of warning.

Example: I bought the bike on a Friday afternoon and put almost 600 miles on it before I got home. On Tuesday, I was riding out to hang out with my dad. I took a favorite road but had to get in the freeway for the last 10 miles. The on ramp was covered with a fine dust. As I leaned, I felt the whole bike sliding. I didn't panick and let off the throttle enough to let the rear end hook up. Then gassed it and was gone.

Cougar9000 was on his way home from a meet in NC and was riding through a rainstorm in Kentucky. He crossed over some kind of tar snake lane line and tumbled at 70mph down the road.

They are just like every other two wheeled vehicle. Learn your comfort level and don't push harder than you think you should. You won't know the limit until you cross it...Then it's usually too late.

 

[SoCalFJR1300]

Give yourself time to get used to the bike.

Maybe go to a large parking lot that's part empty and practice some maneuvers and turns and get a feel for it.

BTW......You're a mountain biker living in OHIO?? That has to be rough!!! LOL

 

[mcatrophy]

Not a "typical" low-side, but you can read about an experience of mine here.

Basically, I went down so quickly I didn't have time to do anything to save it, but I did learn a lesson about respecting the machine I ride.

 

[Benhur]

hi there...

the only advice i can give you is what i did...

go to a parking lot and do slow speed manoeuvres till you are comfy on the bike. then start doing emergency braking till you feel the abs kicking in....

that made me feel happy about the bike and how it would behave. Also I know now that whenever i feel the abs pulsate, then I am too close to the safety limit so I slow down.

the FJR is a plenty fast bike, but it is like a mercedes AMG sports car....I feel it is designed to be driven fast but smooth...so gentle/wise application of controls gives better results than a lot of throttle snapping/hard braking.

The other thing i do (and my wife has realized this now ) is that whenever I want to act like an idiot, i take the panniers off....i feel it changes the character of the bike somwehat

R.

 

[Ignacio]

For anyone that has been beyond that margin on their FJR, what happened?
How did the bike react?

What input did you use/try?

Lots of scary things I couldn't digest at the time and somehow magically survived with a scuff on the back of my boot....so I went into a parking lot and practiced, practiced, and practiced some more. I suggest doing it out of order and go to the parking lot part first....so you don't have to experience the first part.

and/or

Go buy a light dirtbike and motocross gear, lowside on it, learn from it, go back to riding the FJR....it's the same just a whole lot heavier.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Stand the bike up and scrub off speed as quick as possilble.

Problem solved.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Jay,

You said you're Clevelandish...well I'm in Brunswick. Let me know when you want to go riding...I can show you some fun roads to practice on.

Joe

 

[amboman]

+1 for practice, practice and practice. Only yesterday my wife and I went down to the local motorcycle school practice area and we both practiced on the basic handling course. My wife put her new FZ6R through its paces and I thought why not.

Figure 8's on an FJR just get the pulse racing.

 

[Geezer]

All The Gear All The Time. If you are prepared for the worst then you have a very good chance of walking away from a crash.

The same goes for the bike. A pair of sliders can make the difference between riding home on the bike or in a tow truck.

 

[xcsp]

Over my years of motorcycling I've been pretty fortunate that I haven't yet hit the deck. I've washed out the front wheel on a few tar strips, sewer covers, and some dry cement mix sprinkled on the road in the shade of a tree (THAT was hairy), hit a piece of firewood, hit a dog (tall dog, low speed), diesel fuel on an on ramp... but I usually give myself that safety margin. So far, it has been just enough.

Look where you want to go, don't fixate on those items that you mention above. That helps alot.

I've noticed the Bridgestones on my '14 do not like tar snakes, previous bike with Michelins seemed much better.

 

[Jay in Ohio]

Thanks all.

I have been considering frame sliders.

I went to the parking lot during the test ride. I was impressed at how snappy the bike was. Not like my old FZR, but still surprisingly maneuverable.

I also took it to a gravel parking lot and locked the front wheel at low speed a couple times.

I figured the bike has a good amount of inertia - which would probably respond better to smooth inputs as was stated above. However I did notice that if you transition quickly from one side to the other through an S curve, it can be a handful. More practice needed for sure.

Jay,
You said you're Clevelandish...well I'm in Brunswick. Let me know when you want to go riding...I can show you some fun roads to practice on.

Joe

I've been down Abbeyville Rd... still taking it easy. Thanks.

BTW......You're a mountain biker living in OHIO?? That has to be rough!!! LOL

You have no idea how hard it is to get ready for real mountains with only 300 ft. of elevation.

J

 

[Bounce]

ATGATT

High thee to some advanced training that teaches about target fixation and how to avoid it.

Practice

Remember that you can't muscle a 650+ lb bike out of a mess like you can a mountain bike, scooter, or 200 lb bike. There's a point at which trying to force a save can hurt you more than looking for an out.

On a bike of similar weight (or more) than the FJR, I once brute-force saved it from a low side as the front end washed out on some sand that had covered a corner during a recent rain (that whole, assuming the road is clear thing). I did the whole dirt bike "stomp" thing where you don't drag your foot but, instead, stomp down quickly to get it back up. It save the bike but it left me with a 2 day limp later from the muscle strain because the bike was simply too big for those tactics.

The trick is that a low side isn't the out you should be looking for. The moment you go down to avoid a wreck, you've already had a wreck and are out of control. Much better to always keep plenty of reserve available to swerve-then-brake of brake-then-swerve. Public roads aren't tracks and, as such, aren't predictable (so you can't assume anything good is waiting for you around that next blind corner). Always ride like there's a stalled semi waiting to take your head off any time the road goes some place you can't see. Ride accordingly.

Learn that bike bikes need finesse. Learn to us balance instead of strength for most handling options. When you do, you'll soon realize that some people's desire to "flat foot" bikes is not that necessary.

What was the question?

 

[El Toro Joe]

Jay,

Have you considered taking either the BRC-2 or the ARC? See link below...

https://ext.dps.state.oh.us/MotorCycleOhio/Pages/Public/CourseSelection.aspx

 

[drc32-0]

Jay,
Have you considered taking either the BRC-2 or the ARC? See link below...

https://ext.dps.state.oh.us/MotorCycleOhio/Pages/Public/CourseSelection.aspx

I see they have an ARC class in Marietta on August 9,12 seats available,I might have to check that out.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Jay,
Have you considered taking either the BRC-2 or the ARC? See link below...

https://ext.dps.state.oh.us/MotorCycleOhio/Pages/Public/CourseSelection.aspx

I see they have an ARC class in Marietta on August 9,12 seats available,I might have to check that out.

Let me know when you decide Denny...I might join you. I've done the BRC-2/ ERC twice.

 

[Clovis]

Of all the times I've ridden with a GoPro, one time I didn't have it mounted was when I low-slid my first FJR two years ago.

It had rained very heavily 30 minutes or so before and when going down a straight road highway at highway speeds (65-70mph?) my wife and I riding two up ran over some mud that had washed out onto the road way.

The mud was incredibly slick and I went over the first 2 mud patches no problem but the 3rd, the back wheel lost traction. I tried to correct but it was done. The entire road way was like ice... I remember slipping around walking around in my boots looking for anything that had broken off.

The bike was still rideable. Lost the left front foot peg, still had the left wild bill highway peg (just bent). Got back on the bike and my wife and I rode to Durango, CO for the night because I knew Durango had at least 1 or 2 motorcycle shops where I could get a replacement foot peg in the morning.

Insurance ended up totaling out the bike when I filed a claim 2 years later, but after that accident I still put 20,000+ miles on the bike. I like a pretty bike as much as the next guy but as I've aged I've cared less and less about scratches and wear and tear... or "fairings hanging on with zip ties" in this case. The bike still rode just fine, it wasn't just very pretty

My wife and I were both in full leathers. I remember being calm at the time and everything was moving "slowlly". I recall seeing my wife sliding on her butt falling further and further behind as the bike had me pinned and continued to pull me with it down the road. I tried to motion to her not to worry, we would be OK.

Then i saw I was sliding into an oncoming care and I kicked the FJR off me with a quickness.

A low slide (and any crash period) sucks but if you're fully geared up, it's not that bad.

Unless you crash into some fixed object like a car, tree, poll, ect you're just going to slide for a bit and you'll bounce right back up, provided you're in leathers.

 

[rogdeb]

Had our (Me n Deb) low side in Moscow, ID in 2004.

In my case it happened so quickly (and slo-mo at the same time if you can understand that) that the bike was down and sliding before I even knew what was happening. Don't think I could have saved it if I had known.

Just be aware of your own limits --- is what I learned. And to keep my tires out of deep road ruts so the exhaust can doesn't touch down when I'm (we --actually) are leaned in a corner

 

[rogdeb]

..................... you're just going to slide for a bit and you'll bounce right back up, provided you're in leathers.

................... if you're lucky, that is !