I Went Down On The Freeway Today

[1arryb]

On my morning commute on a fine sunny day, I was going about 30mph when traffic suddenly stopped in front of me. I grabbed too much front brake, the tire skidded out on me, and I was down a split second later. I'm new to my Speedmaster and its twin disks are way more powerful than the single disk on my old Honda Shadow. Fortunately, I was wearing full gear and it (mostly) worked. Later inspection showed serious abrasions on both elbows and on the right knee, glove (knuckles) and boot. Inside I was relatively OK, except my right foot got bashed pretty good. I don't think anything's broken. Bike has some scrapes on the tank badge and some chrome bits. Thank Ghu for my case bars.

It was disconcerting that a straight line skid brought the bike down so fast. I suppose this was the accident ABS is supposed to prevent.

UPDATE: Got an X-ray and my big toe was broken. Doesn't hurt too much unless I bump it going up the stairs (ouchouchouchouch!).

 

[Greyfell]

Glad you are OK (mostly )! Far be it from me, a rookie, to suggest a correction to what you are doing, but I bet you spend a little time in a parking lot practicing getting used to your "new" brakes.

 

[1arryb]

Indeed

 

[Rocky]

Glad to hear that it wasn't any worse than it was and you're more or less OK.

 

[hemibee]

Hate to hear when someone going down, especially on a freeway. Thankfully it appears all was minor and hopefully the foot turns out to be minor also.

 

[Qship]

Glad you aren't too bruised up.
Bikes can be fixed.

 

[harper6t]

Glad you are OK, good that your safety gear did its job. Sounds a bit unusual going down so suddenly braking in a straight line.

 

[Baldeagle]

Glad you are relatively Ok,first thing I do on any new to me bike is go somewhere quiet and gently increase brake pressure over and over,however that doesn't help when you panic and suddenly grab too much brake in a sudden reaction.
We can all do these things,After five Goldwings I dropped mine onto a petrol pump after the side stand didn't go forward far enough this week,none of us are perfect and don't beat yourself up about it,get well soon.

 

[DaveM]

It was disconcerting that a straight line skid brought the bike down so fast. I suppose this was the accident ABS is supposed to prevent.

I suppose something like this happens even faster than what ABS can correct for, even on my Speedmaster without ABS the first thing I noticed was how well those front brakes seem to work. Funny we only really see the need for full gear when we see just how much it does protect when you go down, glad you ok and the damage on the bike can be fixed even if that does hurt rather a lot.

 

[Rocky]

My advice would be to practice the braking in a controlled area.
My first reaction when I read your first post was, "Wow, he really must have grabbed a handful."

Heal well and carry on. These things happen. We all have similar stories.

 

[George S.]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I almost went down while practice braking once. It was early 2000s on a new BMW with new to me ABS. After hearing great things about the bike's stopping power, I went to a nearby vacant hotel lot to test it out. I got it up to about 35-40MPH and hit the brakes hard. I did stop just about immediately, and my body got launched forward fast, with me sliding up the nicely waxed gas tank and my face got smashed into the windshield!

 

[Rocky]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I almost went down while practice braking once. It was early 2000s on a new BMW with new to me ABS. After hearing great things about the bike's stopping power, I went to a nearby vacant hotel lot to test it out. I got it up to about 35-40MPH and hit the brakes hard. I did stop just about immediately, and my body got launched forward fast, with me sliding up the nicely waxed gas tank and my face got smashed into the windshield!

yes, you do have to approach practice braking with caution until you know what's going to happen.
Something similar to that happened to me too.

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I almost went down while practice braking once. It was early 2000s on a new BMW with new to me ABS. After hearing great things about the bike's stopping power, I went to a nearby vacant hotel lot to test it out. I got it up to about 35-40MPH and hit the brakes hard. I did stop just about immediately, and my body got launched forward fast, with me sliding up the nicely waxed gas tank and my face got smashed into the windshield!

Did something similar a few years ago on a R1150 GS, parked up to go onto a shop, came out started it up moved forward then suddenly stopped dead. almost hit the windscreen. I forgot about the concrete bollard that was 1 ft away from my front wheel.

 

[Mad On Triumphs]

Larry, glad that you're OK of sorts. Hope you'll soon be back up and running.

 

[keystiger]

Very Sorry to hear of your accident----however as stated above VERY GLAD the outcome was not as bad as it could have been.

Hope you heal up soon.

 

[Siddigger]

We all go down sooner or later. What happened is you put on your front brake on first. In your situation it happened so fast it was instinct. That's what practice in the parking lot helps. Do quick stops. If wheel is cocked or turning sometimes all you can do is use the rear Like leaving when parked. Practice with just the rear alone too. Motorcycle safety courses for area are found on google or your dealership. Beginning to advanced, even one on one on track. I have been ridding for 50 years and took another last year and did a quick stop and almost tipped over that time.The instructor came over and told me what I did.I did no let the throttle go shut completely. Have to rotate palm on grip as applying brake. Just got the bike and to me after 20 bikes the T120 was a hard bike to get used too and a instructor watching helps a lot. Practice starting slow and work up.

 

[hemibee]

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I almost went down while practice braking once. It was early 2000s on a new BMW with new to me ABS. After hearing great things about the bike's stopping power, I went to a nearby vacant hotel lot to test it out. I got it up to about 35-40MPH and hit the brakes hard. I did stop just about immediately, and my body got launched forward fast, with me sliding up the nicely waxed gas tank and my face got smashed into the windshield!

I'm glad I've never done anything like that. . . ducking to try and avoid the lightening bolt that's about to strike me.

The last time I did it was on my Hare Scramble bike on the last lap of a race and dang near drowned my sorry butt. I realized I didn't have enough speed to clear a creek and grabbed both brakes in an attempt to ride down the creek bank the front locked up and I summersaulted over the handlebar and landed in the creek. I think I swallowed the entire volume of the creek before I could get off my back. My feet ended up on the opposite bank and my upper body, from the waist up was submerged.

On the bright side, the witnesses to my get off kept my bike from falling in the creek. I don't know how they stopped the bike from falling in the creek, they were laughing so hard they could barely see straight. I've got such good friends, at least they didn't take pictures of me in the creek.