Gertrude Falls Down and Goes Boom

[GrandpaDenny]

Yikes, slippery roads this morning, not even in the center of the road. I was turning left, and when I started accelerating, there was a slick spot where the intersection started, Gertrude came right out from under me then flipped over on her right side. It was so slick I couldn't walk in that area. Oil and water do NOT mix. I had noticed some slipperiness in that area a week or so ago and thought something was wrong with my rear tire. Nope, just lots of oil on the road.

Anybody got a right mirror for a VXII?

Be careful out there, folks. Oh, BTW... I wear ATGATT so I wasn't even bruised.

[Nails]

Well that's a confidence killer. Glad you didn't get run over or something.

I dropped my GW like that turning right, but I might've had a chunk of ice on the side of the tire. (Had just pushed it out of the snow.) All I know is that it went down pronto, right in the middle of the damn intersection -- a simple intersection I went through every day.

Another time, in the summer, my d/s wiped out taking off from the left-turn lane. I was able to keep it upright (bike just 300 lbs and barely leaned), but we did a slow 180 on a tripod (two wheels and my foot, all sliding). That was just oil and water -- had just started to rain.

I have no idea how to avoid this. Even going slow won't help.

[GrandpaDenny]

Well, we learn (and teach) in MSF and Total Control courses to stay out of the center of the lane when it's just started to rain it's treacherous. But we don't think about where gutters cross intersections. I didn't have a lot of throttle on, as I was expecting some slickness, but she came right out from under me, spun around and flipped. This was at maybe 5 to 10 mph, I had just set off, second vehicle at the light. It was like the inside of a banana peel. slicker than snot on a doorknob.

I went out a little while ago and taped the mirror bracket together for now, kicked the engine and saddlebag guards back into place kinda. Chunk knocked out if the fairing probably from the mirror. I'm picking up some black ABS cement this afternoon. Surprising how hard it is to find here in a big city. Must be against code here or something, got to go out into the suburbs to find it. I don't know why it would be against code when the multipurpose stuff apparently isn't. No plumber here, it's a major victory to successfully plunge a sink or toilet. Ex- electrician, lousy plumber.

[Nails]

stay out of the center of the lane when it's just started to rain

I'm totally hip to that -- don't ride there whether it's raining or not.

Like backhoe utility locating devices, we have a device that reliably locates super-slick spots in intersections. Too bad there isn't a number we can call.

Chunk knocked out if the fairing probably from the mirror.

Hopefully you can hide most of it with that trim piece.

I'm picking up some black ABS cement this afternoon. Surprising how hard it is to find

Definitely a regional thing. I've also had trouble finding it at some places, but every hardware store here carries it. At least we can roll our own, with some acetone and scrap ABS. (If hardware stores still carry acetone.)

[cushman eagle]

GrandpaDenny,I am glad you did not get hurt,and the bike damage was minor

[GrandpaDenny]

Thanks. I discovered today that the windshield is cracked, too, and one piece on the bottom is broken off (but still held in place by the trim and windshield screws). Fairly new windshield, too :( I also discovered some interference between the engine guard and lower fairing, the fairing is way out of position. Well, it ain't gonna fall off between now and when I get some time to work on her. If it does, I know somebody with a couple of extra sets of 2000 gray plastics. Talking him out of them is a different story though LOL. And before anyone asks, no, he doesn't have any left-side saddlebag lids.