Unceremoniously off!

[sheeny (Al)]

I'm a little stiff and sore this arvo. {insert Billy Connolly accent here} I had a wee off on the bike today.

I took the GS for a ride down to Bungonia for the day. Took a little detour through Golspie and Crookwell on the way down for a little bit of dirt and a change of scenery from the Goulburn Road.

The plan was to come back up the Range Trail... well... that plan didn't last long! Just turning off Lang's Rd onto Goker Fire Trail, and the surface was a bit greasy. No problem. Take it steady, keep upright and relax...

WHUMP! Without warning, not even time to dab, I was rudely disconnected from my music and slapped down on my back in the mud! Initially I was most indignant about this. Like being king hit when they haven't done a thoroughly good job of it, and I fired up ready to retaliate... well, I was a bit short of any other culprits!

I switched the bike off, and picked my tank bag up out of the mud and put them safely off the side of the track. Had a good look around... good! No body witnessed it...

Now lets pick this thing up... uh oh! I tried several times using the back to the bike method that's supposed to be the go with such big bikes... couldn't do it. I started to wish someone was around to witness it now... Eventually, I got it up though, facing the bike with both hands on the RH handlebar. It only weighs 250+ kgs (had a full tank of fuel from Goulburn as well). I was very careful to protect my back and used my legs to lift.

The bike was all OK. Mirrors pointing like Marty Feldman, but I did that trying to lift it.

After I regrouped, I decided discretion was the better part of valour. My front tyre has about 4mm of tread left. Obviously that wasn't enough for the conditions here, and there are several places on the Goker and Range trails that could be just as bad. My back was also hurting a bit from the impact, so I opted to go back to the tar and go home that way, with my tail between my legs.

Now that I'm home, my back is still a little sore around the kidneys, but my knees are quite sore. I think its the weight of lifting the bike, not from any impact in the fall.

Here's a couple of pictures. Nothing special, but they might add flavour to the amusement.

http://www.motowhere.com/maps/route/...ungonia-return



Al.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Yikes, glad you're OK and not /too/ hurt.

H

[sheeny (Al)]

I'm OK... my pride will heal.



Al.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Not good, glad you typing now, this is good news at least.
I just went for my first bike ride in 20 years yesterday and considering a similar bike as yours. I will keep a few things in mind.

[kustard (Simon)]

Glad you were able to get yourself home Al, I reckon a nice bath with some epsom salts will help ease those pains

Reminds me of a semi-embarrassing story from when I was first riding bikes up on my dad's farm. Instead of proper trail bikes we had three postie bikes. They were easy enough to ride about but they were a bit unwieldy in tight spots and well didn't really have any grip at the best of times.

One day I was riding down the main dirt road to get to the neighbours place. The week before the council had dug a new deep trench for drainage purposes next to his driveway and the gravel at the driveway entrance was very very loose. Well you can guess what happened, I hit the gravel at a speed I really shouldn't have been going and the bike slid straight into the new drain. At this point I could only just see out of the drain myself! So I tried for about 20 minutes to try and ride the bike out but wasn't able to move it.

I ended up walking up to the neighbours and as I was knocking on their door, my dad rides up on the bike laughing his head off! He said he was able to gun it and get it out and he and the neighbours had a good laugh about it over a looooong cup of tea. My face was red! The next time we went up to the farm (us kids and mum only used to go up every couple of weeks for the weekends) there was a sign on the trench that my dad has put up with the words "Simon's Drain" on it! It was the cause of much laughter at my expense

[sheeny (Al)]

No worries Malcolm. They are a great bike. If you are just coming back and especially if you haven't ridden a GS before I recommend a couple of DVDs:
http://www.advdesigns.com/bmwgsofriski.html
and have a look on www.globeriders.com for the Adventure Touring Instructional DVD for the bike you are getting.

Al.

[Deeno]

Damn fine bike the GS...You will have to try harder than that to break it!
Spent some time on one during a BMW rally I was covering a few years back. Made for Aussie conditions.

Put my ZX6R into a ditch after running out of road.....and ability years ago and my reaction was very similar, "Geez, I hope no-one saw that"

Good to see you've done no serious damage (and to yourself)

[sheeny (Al)]

Thanks Deeno and Simon.

You get that living on the edge.

It was a surprise to me, I'll tell you! I've ridden through a lot worse than that over the years... I suppose I'd have wheelied or power slid through it on my old XR 600... But realistically, Anakees aren't mud tyres - but if you look closely at the tracks in the last photo the rear tyre (not long off new) was working well. Its just that its the front one that's important...



Al.

[Ric]

Glad to hear you and your bike are both ok. There's nothing worse than those little off's when nothing is damaged except you pride.

There's nothing worse than when you have mates with you and they spend the first ten minutes laughing before giving you a hand.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Originally Posted by sheeny

No worries Malcolm. They are a great bike. If you are just coming back and especially if you haven't ridden a GS before I recommend a couple of DVDs:
http://www.advdesigns.com/bmwgsofriski.html
and have a look on www.globeriders.com for the Adventure Touring Instructional DVD for the bike you are getting.

Al.

Although I cant afford a Beema at the moment, the inspiration made me more definitive on what I will get. great stuff, thanks for the links they are great.

I understand the pride issue, I fell off in similar circumstance when I was about 24 and feels the same. You will get over it, that I am sure.

[taminga16 (Greg)]

Hi Al,
Get some Comfrey Rub for your knees and a riding companion for the rest, in December 2008 I was knocked from my motorcycle (Hit and Run) and left lying in a rapidly filling drain for four hours, out of sight on a very rural road with the bike on top of me, hyperthermia and broken stuff do not go well together.
Best for the recovery.
Greg.

[mozzie (Peter)]

glad to see your alright al...i don't know much about bikes always been a little wary of them but as most of us males in anything we do we must jump up and make shore no one is laughing at us and taking the mickey out of our miss fortunes been in that situation plenty of times..

[sheeny (Al)]

Thanks Greg. That sounds like a nasty experience. Glad you still around. I've known a couple of people who haven't survived hit and runs.

Al.

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by sheeny

The bike was all OK. Mirrors pointing like Marty Feldman, but I did that trying to lift it.Al.

Marty Feldman

Glad you're ok mate.

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by RB

Marty Feldman

Glad you're ok mate.

Am I? Oh, good!



Sense of humour is intact... that's the main thing.



Al.

[RB (Andrew)]

I just could just imagine your mirrors..... "Igore? No it's pronounced I-Gore..."

[sheeny (Al)]

I'm sure no one mentioned Frau Brooker anyway...

Al.

[RB (Andrew)]

{Horses neigh...and......}
...
..
.

[sheeny (Al)]

Classic!

Al.

[WadeH (Wade)]

Glad all is ok. Would that be Bungonia Gorge in the pics? I have a photo of that quarry from about 24 years ago! It hasn't improved.