Crashed Testy Dummy

[SammyTheSnake]

I was giving a friend (Hannah) a lift home this evening when I saw something on the road which I thought was some kind of dry powder, just as I was slowing for a tightish right hander at about 20 (estimated). Unfortunately it turned out to be quite slimy and I low-sided. I had to watch my bike making pretty orange sparks on the road ahead of me as I slid to an ignoble halt on my behind.

All's well with myself and my passenger, we have a couple of bruises and grazes between us, but the bike's a different matter. I'm guessing it's about £500-700's worth of damage (assuming I do all the fitting myself) though I've not had a chance to have a look at it in good lighting. I'm missing two foot pegs, an indicator and a wing mirror, the exhaust is ground somewhat, the bodywork's mostly OK, but there's quite a lot ground off where it sticks out. My trousers proved to be worth the money I paid for them, but won't do much good a second time. The handlebars are bent quite significantly. I started the engine up and got lots of smoke, so I decided against trying to limp home.

Another motorcyclist (who we'd overtaken not long previously) offered to give us both a lift home, one at a time, and I opted to let Hannah go first (second mistake of the evening). She eventually called me to say he'd got to the nearest pub after lots of wobbling and breaking down (5 stops to fiddle with various things wrong with the bike, apparently!) and decided he'd rather have another couple of pints then go home than come and get me. Eventually, another friend gave us both lifts home, and my bike's sitting on the pavement next to a slimy bit of road just outside coventry.

What do I learn from this experience? Never assume you've read the surface right, I guess. On the other hand, I doubt I would've made it around the corner at anything over 10mph, possibly even less...

I'll probably break the bike and sell it as parts, rather than try to repair it. Poor old Zach.

Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny

[James]

Sorry to hear about this, hope all turns out alright. Always good to post up experiences bad and good so we can all learn from each other.

[vonhosen]

Glad to hear you are both OK.

[jont]

Oh dear - glad you're both okay. Your sig has said for a while you were looking to change the bike, but I guess not through that sort of excuse

[7db]

Sorry to hear that, Sammy. I hope you and Hannah are feeling ok soon and the damage isn't as bad as you first thought.

[PeteG]

Sorry ot hear that, Sammy. As you say, your clothing did the job... and your bike can be replaced.

Hope you get sorted soon.

[Nigel]

Sorry to hear about that Sammy, at least you & Hannah are ok.

What was the gunge ?

[Advanced Roadcraft]

Sammy...sounds like it might have been 'Safecote' (sic). Had the local authority been out gritting? See here: http://www.safecote.com/

If it was, claim from the local council...this stuff is dangerous to those of us on two wheels. (Might even produce a 'moment' to those in cars if it's on a 'nasty' bend.)

Glad that you and your pillion are OK, though.

Best, B

[nuster100]

Glad you are ok. Thats the main thing.

It goes to show that no matter how good you are, you can still get caught out.

You going for another bike or a car?

Jay

[Advanced Roadcraft]

Sammy: you have PM

[SammyTheSnake]

Sammy...sounds like it might have been 'Safecote' (sic). Had the local authority been out gritting? See here: http://www.safecote.com/

If it was, claim from the local council...this stuff is dangerous to those of us on two wheels.

If it was any form of attempt to increase grip over ice, it was an almost complete failure. It wasn't quite as slippy as ice, but it was a *lot* slippier than salted roads. Besides which, it was overcast and about +5 celcius last night, so ice just wasn't a concern.

I *think* it was intended to soak up some kind of spill, but they didn't put enough down so it ended up being mulchy. I picked up a few grains from the edge of the road where it was still crunchy, it looks like really light gravel, but it crunches if you stand on it.

I have no qualms saying that this stuff (whatever it is) was pretty much the sole cause of the off. The only question is whether it's worse than whatever was under it, which could've been oil...

I'll go back and take some photos of the scene and get some more samples of the stuff. I'll also talk to CAB and see what they say about it. If I can get a few hundred quid towards repairing the damage / replacing the bike, I'd be up for that.

Anyone know much about how to sell parts if you break a bike?

Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny

[Advanced Roadcraft]

Anyone know much about how to sell parts if you break a bike?

eBay is quickest and easiest ('Buyer Collects' for the big, heavy bits); mebbe not the absolute top prices but it does make life easy.

Is there a Diversion list-server with a For Sale Forum?

[Angus]

Anyone know much about how to sell parts if you break a bike?

Try ebay - but if your insurance was fully comp, the insurance company will want it if it's a write off (though you may be able to buy it back to repair/break).

[Big Err]

Sammy...sounds like it might have been 'Safecote' (sic). Had the local authority been out gritting? See here: http://www.safecote.com/

If it was, claim from the local council...this stuff is dangerous to those of us on two wheels. (Might even produce a 'moment' to those in cars if it's on a 'nasty' bend.)

I've not heard of any problems with safecote up here, although I don't think it's widely used (yet). I know since about 1992 we did trials with 'wetted' salt - stops it bouncing off dry roads, but it appeared to cause as much problems as it solved - not road problems but problems with the spreading equipment.

From the description I suspect Sammy is right, it could have been 'absorbent pellets' as used for clearing spillages. I suspect who ever treated the road could have been more prudent by erecting slippery road signs until the spillage was completely cleared.

Eric.

[Advanced Roadcraft]

I've not heard of any problems with safecote up here, although I don't think it's widely used (yet). Eric.

Eric: there's been quite a bit about the (alleged!) perils of Safecote on the BMW Club site. See here http://forum.bmw-club.org.uk/viewtopic. ... highlight= if interested.

Best, B