*expletive*

[JHenley17]

I guess it had to get me good just once. Just cleaned it, put my new sticker on, decided to go out and get some gas and tie-down straps. All's going well, on my way back home. Pulling away from a traffic light into a turn where the lanes merge. Look over to make sure the car beside me is going into their correct lane, look back and the truck in front of me decided to brake. Freak. Again. Grab front brake slightly leaned, lowside on the left. All I can see right now is worn, bent slider, scratched tail section, and bent shifter. Rode it 10 miles home without any problems except my toe killing me on shifts. I know I'm going to catch some crap for this, and it's sealed in my mind never to do it again, but no jacket or gloves. Minor road rash, but it hurts like hell and could have easily been avoided. I smashed my big toe, though, and my ankle is sprained, I think. My arm and knee are done bleeding, but weeping that yellow stuff that's so gross. I'm so pissed at myself...

BTW, the slider bent and cracked the spacer, but it doesn't look like any damage to the engine or engine mount. It may have saved a lot, but I'm not really sure that I want one on there any more.

[tx_metabaron]

That sucks,but glad to hear you're OK.
Taking you eyes off the road on a bike,even for a cause as noble as checking your blind spot, is a perilous activity. Your story just reminded me of that...

Get better so you can go back to :ride

[Alex]

Jesus, J! :( This is awful. And no gear?! :thinking

I'm definitely glad you're not more hurt, but I'm cringing on your behalf just hearing about the damage done to you and your bike.

Get well soon buddy, the bike will be okay... hopefully you have insurance.

[JHenley17]

No insurance will be involved... the only expensive damage was a big scratch on the tail, but I can live with that for a while. It will serve as a painful reminder. The little bikini fairing thing is scratched to hell now, but that's just like $45. The only thing I need right now is a new shifter, which shouldn't be too much. Does anyone have that site with the cheaper parts?

And I think my toe and ankle are going to keep me off of it for at least a week. My ankle isn't so bad, but it's noticeable, and my toe is just killer pain with every shift. I was shifting by putting my foot in front of it and pulling with my ankle once I got to the backroads. So sad...

And don't worry. It seems the three times I went without any gear are the three times I either had a scare or went down. When I went down my first night with the bike, I scratched my hands pretty bad because I wasn't using my gloves. Once, I went out for a quick ride just to warm the chain up so I could lube it. I got behind some guy with a junky trailer and a f*cking fold-up chair fell out of it. Then, today. What made me feel worse was some guy on a KLR waved at me, full gear. I felt like a jackass and hoped he didn't notice my arm...

[drew]

Damn, dude, that sucks! :( That is one of my biggest pet peeves when riding or driving, though- people who start to go and then change their mind (when I'm not looking). I rear-ended a woman with my car once when she did that- totally mangled her plastic oldsmobumper, but not a scratch on my truck.

Hope you and your steed get all patched up and back out there soon!

[DarkTint]

Glad you weren't hurt any worse. Hopefully you didn't break any toes!

[rndthought]

Yes. Gald you arn't too bad. Heal quick.

[JHenley17]

Thanks, guys. My toe is swollen like hell, and I can't bend it on its own, but I can bend it with my fingers and it doesn't hurt too bad, so I don't think it's broken. It did get a bit purple above the joint, but it's probably just a little bruise. My ankle is a lot worse today, though. I can barely walk... and I have to move today! ahhhh... I've already resolved to never make any exceptions for gear again, but I need to improve my skills badly... and somehow learn how to react better...

[rfoap]

Thanks, guys. My toe is swollen like hell, and I can't bend it on its own, but I can bend it with my fingers and it doesn't hurt too bad, so I don't think it's broken. It did get a bit purple above the joint, but it's probably just a little bruise. My ankle is a lot worse today, though. I can barely walk... and I have to move today! ahhhh... I've already resolved to never make any exceptions for gear again, but I need to improve my skills badly... and somehow learn how to react better...

While the circumstances weren't the same, I too layed it down own the left and hurt my foot just like you did. Swollen ankle and a toe that hurts like all get out when shifting. My ankle healed, but I was in a boot (got it off yesterday) for a broken big toe for 5.5 weeks. Your big toe is used for balance, etc. and so if it is broken, I would recommend letting it heal correctly or you could have all sorts of issues later on caused by an improperly healed big toe. If it still hurts, get it checked out!

[Seetrout]

Sorry dude.
Get well soon.

[Charleegirl]

ATGATT, takes a few minutes to gear up but can save weeks of healing and no scars!!

[DarkTint]

I've already resolved to never make any exceptions for gear again...

I made that same resolution after my first crash 10 years ago. After suffering major road rash on my right ankle, and suffering through physical therapy where nurses scrubbed the wound with what felt like scotch brite directly on the bone... I haven't ridden without ankle covering boots since.