Well I would not say I got it "right" just yet.
She tried to kill me today, again! Had 2nd NDE! <On this bike anyway>
May move some of this I am about to spew into another blog on safety; so many accidents are avoidable. But then ever since I can remember I’ve always felt like I am being chased by the reaper so I am never sure if any of this matters? <Safety>
NDE 2/27/13 RMLL 1420PST
Here we go. So I was taking the bike out for some WOT runs. Truth is I have no self control. Yeah, it’s like right? Brake in? Around my shop tend s that means soon as it rolls true and nothings falling off HIT IT!
RMLL she had I would guess 5 miles on her at this point. So I checked her out patted her down and started to take a few high speed passes down along the Tacoma water front. Came back to the shop each time checked alignment and tightened bolts. All is well.
The twin round-about we -newly opened new black top- area of the water front is one my favorite places to fly through. They are so much fun! Just really enjoying the day, the sights the sounds; of myself, my ride, my bike. I built it ya’ll know; she’s all me, mine I did that.
The Tacoma water front is as scenic as one reading should imagine. Complete with public fishing pier, hiking trails, the area is parked in but there are restaurants and bars. I enjoy every moment of every expression I note on all passer bys. Oh yes we all notice ourselves being stared at. Hard to deny when you start seeing cameras.
Did I say blast? And sound? Yes, I did. Let me tell take a second to tell you when the rpm gets on by 5K range, those twin pipes I made begin to sing a new song. She sounds like open pipe modified race kart, no longer having a mild mellow put- putting sound of a v-twin. She really roars when @ WOT!
On this last run I heading for the high ground taking a winding road that overlooks said Tacoma water front. Wonderful views of Commencement Bay and Mt Rainer. I was charging @ WOT toward a right handed curve with a guard rail designed to keep cars from potentially dropping a few hundred feet to the water front park below. I always chose the inside track as I’ll have greater margin for error should I over shoot the curve.
Just as I started to throttle back,”BANG!” the bike lurched as she tried to buck me. Must be moving about 40mph at this point the bike entered a high speed wobble! At the same time the engine continued to roar, the throttle was wide open! I had little control it was all I could do to hang on at this point. In full panic mode I began to see my end, the guard rail was closing the yellow line on the blind curve. Would I even make it across the road to meet my end with the guard rail and cliff? And then panic as I thought about my impending evacuation. I could see the fire department and a news crew, not the kind of press any one wants.
Then this voice or pure reason, I heard myself say to me, “TURN THE ENGINE OFF” My thumb reached for the kill switch where there was none! Then I remerged a brief panic and realized, new bike, just test riding, kill switch on engine still – idiot! <Safety Note: Kill swich on bars before test ride>
Somehow I reached down between my legs while in this insane high speed wobble my had found the switch. I got RMLL shut down. Swinging through the curve into the oncoming lane the car had been coming toward on the other side broke hard left and absorbed my now empty lane. Narrowly missing in inches not feet the guard rail and cliff I came finally to a stop.
This NDE was so close a call so real to me. I got off my bike and fell over to my knees, thank full to breath, to smell the air. Yes I am just really enjoying the day, the sights the sounds; of myself, my ride, my bike. I built it ya’ll know; she’s all me, mine! And yes I did that.
NOTE: The cause of this mishap was the pedal side chain was extremely loose, when I throttled back and took up the chain slack it jumped off and jammed between the rear wheel and the frame causing a near catastrophic accident.
Things learned: Move the kill switch to the bars before test riding. Never take a bike out for rides knowing the chain is not like it should be. It’s not ok. A safe experience is all in the details. Do not be in a rush to ride.
IMHO unscathed only because of decades of superbike experience, this stunt would have sent most to the pavement or beyond. And the driver of the car who reacted under control, he had skills too. <his car helped too>
