RT Lowside

smallj · 07-28-2004, 09:11 AM

Last Sunday I was out for a ride in southern indiana with my wife. It rained very lightly for the first hour but cleared up as we headed south. Heading back home we rode back into rain just before some of the best curves in Indiana, they happend to be some of the slickest too.

I eased the RT into the first rght hand corner at about 35-40 MPH. I leaned the bike in and it just kept going, real smooth like. My wife and I were both wearing riding jackets, helmets, gloves, and boots. She wore standard jeans, I had the Kevlar reinforced Draggin jeans. I don't remember much of the slide but I stopped about 10 ft off the side of the road, Andrea stopped right on the edge. I opened my eyes just in time to see the bike roll on to one side about 50 ft further off the road. I wasn't hurt and immediately jumped up and ran to Andrea. She was very shaken up but apart from a bruise on her backside was not injured. A few people stopped and help me pick up the bike which was in suprisingly good shape for having just wrecked at 40MPH and doing at least one flip. It fired right up and sounded pretty good. Exciting times.

We towed the bike to a shop and my dad came down, picked us up and took us out to lunch. He's a swell freaking guy

The bike is probably totaled but that's pretty unimportant. I'm real happy that we were not hurt and I have newfound respect for my already highly respected riding gear.

Here is a picture of the bike back at the dealership. It does not look too bad in the picture, but the rear end is pretty bent up. Might be totaled, I should find out today.

shannonnunley · 07-28-2004, 09:15 AM

no wonder you crashed, you're missing your right passenger peg!

Seriously, glad you and your wife came out with just bumps and bruises. How did your gear fare?

wswartzwel · 07-28-2004, 09:31 AM

Glad you and your wife are OK. If it totals what will you replace it with???

smallj · 07-28-2004, 09:32 AM

The footpeg is missing on purpose, I told her to put her foot down in the corners to hold us up motocross style, I don't think she did, so clearly the wreck is her fault...

The gear held up very well. I was wearing leather gloves with little or no reinforcement. The leather is chewed up a little but still usable. I've got a pair of Alpinestars on order that will handle this sort of thing a little better.

She was wearing a FirstGear Meshtex jacket that took the brunt of the sliding. It's got a little wear on the right sleeve but is still serviceable. We were lucky that it was wet and slick out because her pants had no padding or reinforcement. I think dry roads would have ground up her legs pretty good. I'm going to get her a pair of Draggin Jeans as well. Not nearly as good as leather but much more convenient and pretty good for road riding. I wear mine all the time.

I was wearing a BMW Savanah jacket with CE armor in the elbows and shoulders. The jacket has a little wear on the right sleeve but also did quite well. The draggin jeans protected my legs very well. I think I need a new pair though, I worn these so many times the thighs are getting threadbare. The butt if the jeans where I slid is still in good shape.

We both had ARAI Quatum 4 helmets but it doesn't look like they touched the ground. Hard to tell on mine since I alread have a few marks on the paint.

shannonnunley · 07-28-2004, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by smallj
The footpeg is missing on purpose, I told her to put her foot down in the corners to hold us up motocross style, I don't think she did, so clearly the wreck is her fault...

How do you intend to punish her for this infraction?

smallj · 07-28-2004, 09:44 AM

Replacement? Nothing for a while. I think it will be a while before my wife gets on a bike. She is still planning on taking the riders course in October. She was pretty shaken up.

In the next year or so I will take a few test rides on:
K1200S
R1200GS
R1200S
I would consider trading in the R11S on any of the above. I don't think I can bring myself to ride a K bike. 4-bangers don't do much for me. I hear the GS is quite good 2-up, I really want a new R12S but I don't know if it will be good for 2-up. I really loved the RT, just wish it had a little more power while 2-up. I commuted to work on it quite a bit and the power was fine, but considering all the stuff I've done to the S, it felt a bit anemic. The grand total weight of my wife and myself is about 250 though, so performance does suffer too bad in the weight department. I would also consider a Japanese bike for the 2-up thing but there is nothing I find apealing. I saw a FJR-1300 the other day and it struck me as cheap. The engines a beast for sure but seeing it did not evoke any emotion.

smallj · 07-28-2004, 09:45 AM

Punishment... Leather, lots of leather, handcuffs, and chains. She will beg for mercy...

shannonnunley · 07-28-2004, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by smallj
Punishment... Leather, lots of leather, handcuffs, and chains. She will beg for mercy...

JAS will need to you provide evidence of this in the form of pictures. You can post them here if you like.v

DavidSoine · 07-28-2004, 09:57 AM

Crash durability of these bikes just downright sucks - since they flip after any lowside at speed.

I had a couple lowsides on my old K11LT and just kept riding (with a little refastening of bags).

Good luck getting things back together, both bike-wise and mentally.

Dave

JustAnotherSquid · 07-28-2004, 09:58 AM

Damn smallj, what a way to go down. Glad you and mrsj are OK.

JustAnotherSquid · 07-28-2004, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shannonnunley
JAS will need to you provide evidence of this in the form of pictures. You can post them here if you like.v

smallj, make him trade for the bikini-on-S shots.

Rapid Dog · 07-28-2004, 11:39 AM

Don't count on it being totalled.
Progressive paid out almost 4 large for a few minor scrapes (details if you want'em, e-me) on my bike, no problem.
Gladder for ya, you weren't on a bizzy road.

Flatbutt1 · 07-28-2004, 01:00 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DavidSoine
[B]Crash durability of these bikes just downright sucks - since they flip after any lowside at speed.

I had a couple lowsides on my old K11LT and just kept riding (with a little refastening of bags).

David
Do you believe the jug is responsible for the flip up from a lowside?

repoe3 · 07-29-2004, 05:42 AM

damn, sorry to hear abot the spill...what is that now 3, 4, or 5...sorry bustin' yer balls a bit. no fun with the SO involved either. glad you are both OK. see, now you have gone and scared her away from bikes...

repoe3

Dan Greene · 07-29-2004, 05:53 AM

Glad to hear that you are ok Smallj. I guess the only thing worse than crashing is crashing with the one you love on the back. I did not know that you had an RT. I guess the older I get the more those intrusive RT thoughts keep popping up...especially when I think of a good comfortable two-up bike for touring. Take care.

WINTER1100S · 07-29-2004, 06:43 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by smallj
[B]I wasn't hurt and immediately jumped up and ran to Andrea. She was very shaken up but apart from a bruise on her backside was not injured.[B]

That's what I like to hear. Glad you faired well. What kind of tires were you running on? Think different ones would have improved your grip or was it just a *****ty road condition? Just had the Battlax BT020 installed, hope they grab good. Once again, good to hear you and the misses are o.k.

Tim

smallj · 07-29-2004, 08:16 AM

Repoe, I've been down many more times than I care to tell you... It's been twice on the S (both very low speed and no damage to speak of) and this big one on the RT.

The BT020s on the RT are wonderful ST tires. This was simply me going too fast on very slick roads when rain had just started to fall. My Diablos probably would have done the same thing. The 020s have great traction with no drama. They slide in a very predictable way (just don't lose the front in the rain) and get quite a few miles before wearing out. I had about 5K on this set and they looked good, still good tread depth and profile.

On the S for Indiana I like the 010 front and 020 rear. In WV I like 010's all around. With 2500+miles on the Diablos I am very happy with them as well.

I really liked the RT. I commuted on it quite a bit trying to save the tires on the S. RT is my choice for interstates and long sweepy roads. The S is my choice on anything fast, tight, sweepy, pretty much everything but dirt and the interstate. I enjoyed the RT, but the S is my baby.