[ChrisR1982Edin]

Well... I had my first ever major bike crash today... it wasnt all that major.. but it could have been...

I was riding into work and as I was passing a petrol station (National speed limit road) I saw 2 cars coming down the slip road out of the petrol station.. I slowed down a little "Anticipating the idiot" and when i saw the front car slow down and motion me past I accelerated.. at that the car behind pulled out to overtake... I honked my horn and slammed on my brakes... but it was too late... I had to swerve out to the side to avoid ending up underneath his car.... but he kept coming out and he rammed the into the front side of my bike... he hit me with such force I was shot onto the other side of the road into an oncoming truck... I had nowhere to go but into the side of the road on the wrong side of the road (if that makes sense...) then after I had passed the truck I shot back onto the correct side of the road and motioned him to pull over. At first he was shouting at me and blaming me for going to fast.. then after I explained that my mum was a lawyer and that the legalities were that I was on the main road and he was driving onto the road from a side road and so I had priority and if he didnt believe me I would call the police and they would confirm.. he immediately looked scared... he then apologized and said he didnt see me.. and accepted complete liability for it. I followed him to his insurance company and exchanged details. I then rode to my mechanic to have my bike checked over. Even tho I hadnt hit the floor there was damage to the side of the bike, and as I have a VTR1000 SP2 my bike has side mounted radiators... so as he hit me with such force I guessed there may be damage to them..

Anyways.. I took my bike into my mechanic and he stripped the fairing... luckilly no damage.. the side radiator is bent a little.. barely noticeable infact.. the most of the damage was to the plastics.. the side fairing is cracked so needs replaced, the front fairing is also cracked, as the front fairing bends round to the side aswell so it was cracked so the whole thing needs replaced. Not only that but my indicator was hanging off and the casing cracked, funnily enough the indicator still worked!! hahahaha Honda eh? Built to take it!! Also there was brake fluid all over the cockpit area and the front forks and side of the fairing.. my side clipon was hit so hard it had been moved out of position and bent round... but it wasnt damaged so just lossened the bolt and moved it back.

My whole bike was hosed down with water to get rid of as much of the brake fluid as possible and then wiped clean with kitchen roll.

The quote for repair is 1230 Euros (Including VAT).. thats around...

1,230.00 EUR = 879.33 GBP
Rate = 0.7149 (inv 1.3988)

That sounds like ALOT of damage... but it isnt really.. side fairing, front fairing, side indicator, and front wheel arch... thats all.. no radiator leakage and the brake fluid chamber is ok so doesnt need replaced... it was just knocked.

and luckily as its below 1500 Euros I will receive the cost back in cash. So my mechanic has ordered the parts.

I was shouting and angry at first... then after I calmed down I started shaking a little... iv just eaten a pork roast sandwich and had a budweiser so im fine now... still.. bit of a fright..

Not put me off riding tho.. my boss said I could have the day off.. bah.. i got work to catch up on so making the most of it as he isnt giving me extra work to do so I can catch up now.

Piccys

Damage to his car
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/4...2007001su8.jpg

This is where my handebar was crushed into the tank, not damaged, wiped clean with a bit of water luckilly.
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/2...2007002fu6.jpg

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/4...2007003pa9.jpg

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/3...2007004ng2.jpg

[Twincam]

Woah, im glad you are ok. Could have been a lot worse.

Honda is built to last, well 99% of the time

[ChrisR1982Edin]

Cheers mate

I couldnt help but laugh that the indicator still worked! It was hanging off!!! hahahaha it still needs replaced tho because the plastic housing area is bust... but the electrics were in tact.. and so was the bulb!!! hahahahahaa the orange cover bit over the bulb had broken off but the bulb was fine.. and the screw that goes from the fairing into the indicator housing had been torn out damaging both sides... nasty...

[Twincam]

I think its a 10mm bolt that screws into the small plastic covers on the inside of the fairings - mine got ripped out too (and worked)

Now that you will need to source some indicators, i think you should go for after market parts e.g. LED ones as they should be around about the same price and also are brighter (you may need a resistor pack if they are flashing too fast - over here its a rule that they need to flash at a certain speed)

Take care and let us know how you get on

[CBR929RE]

sounds like it could have gotten really ugly with that oncoming truck.

[ChrisR1982Edin]

Insurance company says they will only pay to restore the bike to how it was... they wont pay for after market parts, even if they are cheaper than the stock ones. If I had aftermarket ones on it at the time of the crash then thats different. But as it was all stock they will only replace the stock items.

While I was coming into work today as I drove past the same place I had the accident I noticed a huge black tyre mark on the ground from where I had at first braked and then where I was shot onto the other side of the road. Nice big fat black line LMAO

and to think.. I just stuck a new set of tyres on her a month ago...

[marbs]

not good to hear, but glad ure ok.. sounds like it could of been alot worse

[willy1440]

terrible

[ChrisR1982Edin]

Well.. latest news... I was given 950 Euros cash for the damage repairs... not enough to replace all the panels... HOWEVER I spoke to a panel beater/painter and he said he will repair all the cracks like brand new and give me the Colin Edwards Castrol Honda Race Rep paint scheme for 1,000 Euros... so all I have to do is pay an extra 50 Euros for my custom paint job!! YES!!!

He has had my bike a few days now and I expect to get my bike back in a few weeks with a spanky paint job I will post the pics when I get my bike back

Its snowing at the moment.... not the best biking weather atm.. but I want my bike back

[Twincam]

Im glad you are getting what you wanted - shame you had to crash before hand.

Hope your ok now,

Take care

[skwyd]

Glad to hear you weren't injured, and dont forget to post pics when she is all done!

[CBR929RE]

sweet I love that paint scheme. you going with the mostly white or green one? post some pics when you get her back.

[ChrisR1982Edin]

I was told by my mechanic that the job is almost finished.. they just have to fix the indicator As soon as I get my bike back i will post pics

In the mean time this is exactly what it SHOULD look like, its the pics I gave to the painter and told him to clone that

Side view
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/2...ikepicshe2.jpg

front view
http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/4...ikepicsse7.jpg

So hopefully he listened and painted it exactly that way But Italians have a tendancy to not do as they are told... they allways add what THEY think would look good.. "seconda mai.. e meglio..." (In my opinion.. its better if..)
LMAO

So hopefully he did it as I told him to

Like I said.. I will post pics when I get her back

[slickwill]

I like that Castrol paint.

[jonathan]

Originally Posted by slickwill

I like that Castrol paint.

I take my words back - pritier than the original Eruo white paint scheme.
A white bike is so sexy.

[ChrisR1982Edin]

Originally Posted by jonathan

I take my words back - pritier than the original Eruo white paint scheme.
A white bike is so sexy.

And a pain in the proverbial to keep clean!!! hahahahaha

Thank god my rims are black!!! If they were white my bike would always look dirty! hahahahaha

My mum likes her bikes.. she went to Africa with friends ont he back of a Honda Africa twin She said she doesnt like the castrol color scheme... she says all the logo's and decals etc just make it look cluttered... she prefers the Euro scheme... simplistic... personally.. i find it a bit plain... Next mod... smoked front screen and then new pipes and a power commander

[ldavis]

glad all is well..

[ChrisR1982Edin]

STILL haven't got my bike back yet from the painter... I was told theend of this week... well.. its Friday... im off to Spain (Barcelona) on Saturday at 5pm so if its not back by then... im not gonna be happy...

Heres some pics of her as she was sitting in my mechanic without her plastics.

http://file041a.bebo.com/13/large/20...573826565l.jpg

http://file041a.bebo.com/13/large/20...573826636l.jpg

http://file041a.bebo.com/13/large/20...573826703l.jpg

http://file041a.bebo.com/13/large/20...573826781l.jpg

http://file041a.bebo.com/13/large/20...573826857l.jpg

http://file039a.bebo.com/11/large/20...573829545l.jpg

http://file039a.bebo.com/11/large/20...573829637l.jpg

[pmlavigne]

Let's get back to the accident. Now that you have had some time to digest this event, what exactly is the lesson here. If you could re-live that moment what would you do different? I'm not suggesting that you were at fault, but should you have been more defensive? Should you have been paying as much attention to the second car-the one that hit you- as you did to the first car-the one that motioned to go ahead? Remember what has been repeated on this forum so many times- that every vehicle on the road is out to get you! There are only two kinds of riders in this world- those who have had close calls or collisions while riding perfectly within the rules, and those that are going to. Give us a post accident de-briefing.

[ChrisR1982Edin]

Hmm.. well.. looking back now I SHOULD have been more aware of the 2nd car... I mean.. YEH I saw it!! I just didn't expect it to pull out and overtake on a sliproad! However like you said "Everyone is out to get you" or as my mum says "Anticipate the idiot!" hahahahahaha So yeh I should have given that car alot more attention than I did, which was none pretty much! Re-live that event? What would I do differently? Well.. On approaching the exit of the sliproad and on seeing the two cars coming down the sliproad I would slow down (as I did before) and pull over to the middle of the road that little bit more, to give me quicker access to the other side of the road SHOULD I NEED IT. Then when the car in front motions me past I would honk my horn rather than flash my lights and then accelerate, tho not as quickly as I did last time. Hopefully that would alert the car behind the first one of my presence.

Looking back on the incident what have I learned? That theres idiots everywhere that don't look where they are going and pay virtually no attention to whats behind them. So when you see a car near you... you should slow down and be alot more cautious.

I must admit... before the accident I did ride a bit faster than I probably should... after the accident my riding has slowed down and I'm more aware of other road users and know to give them plenty space.

Before I past my test I was told by one of my Bosses that your not a REAL biker until you have come off or at least been in a scrape. Until that point you feel invincible to an extent... like... Valentino Rossi... a racing bike rider with skill and speed... truth is you dont have the skill!! You need to have a few bumps and scrapes to learn and get experience.

From now on I am gonna ride with alot more care, and at slower speeds!

[RoooStEr]

Valentino Rossi fell something like 6 times in his first track session. I forget what it is, my friend told me while reading his book.

[skwyd]

what a loser....LOL

[ChrisR1982Edin]

LMFAO

I finally got my bike back from my mechanic after my crash... nice new shiny paint job

So all I have to get now for it is Akrapovic carbon pipes... smoked front screen and a power commander

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8...2170120te1.jpg

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/8...2170120eu8.jpg

http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6...2170120bt6.jpg

for more pics check here
Photo Album

[marius]

I will join you ,i crashed saterday on the track and it whas cause i wasnt thinking went down main straight get a slight right hander that went fine made myself ready for the fast left hander my foot slipped and i think what happened i must have touch the gear lever when i went back on the throttle bike whas just reving by this time i went already into the right hander instead of bringing it up one gear or just leave it and free through the corner i went and did totally the oppisite i kicked it one down,and yip i went high side.yes i am very upset with myself also it whas the last session with only two laps to go.i think i can also blame it on concentration cause we did 7 sessions wait for prices but all the panels are k.o.luckilly no damage to frame or any metal part.kitty litter does work

[slickwill]

Chris, looks great. I'm not a huge fan of replica paint jobs on anything but track bikes but I love that one.

[tiny]

bike looks incredible.

[ChrisR1982Edin]

Thanx

[ldavis]

sweeeeeeet..