C/T saved my ass

man, am i glad i have a car tire on my bike.i was out riding today on a two lane unknown country rd when a curve snuck up on me,had to lock her down and slide into a ditch at about 40-45mph .i managed to keep the bike straight up even going in the ditch to a stop over a cubbered.the C/T slowed me down by 50-75% more than the M/T preventing me from running into a fence.if i had had that m/t still on my bike,the outcome would have been totally different,i would have hit the fence instead of the ditch.if poeple only knew that the C/T is a 100% safer than a motorcycle tire.yea i know,i need to slow down a lil on unknown rds.but,i thought i'd post this helpfull info for the bro's ride safe kenny

I, too, am thankful for the set of circumstances that occurred in order for me to install a car tire on my VTX.

A week ago I exited the highway to make my turn to go to work. It was about 9:30pm, the speed limit is 65. As I crested the top of the off ramp while coasting at about 50-55, my headlamp illuminated two tan silhouettes. One deer smack in the middle of the off ramp, another deer in the grass between the off ramp and the highway.

I just that week had replaced my forward controls with Accutronix and had some issues bleeding the rear brake. A second attempt at bleeding them gave me the "as good as it's gonna get" feeling, yet the brake pedal required much more force than the stock (probably because it's longer).

Back on the off ramp, I grabbed front brake (but was careful not to squeeze too hard), and pounded the back brake (thinking I still may have reduced rear braking ability). The rear locked up for about a 5 count.

Good ol' General Grabber tracked straight during the lockup.

The wail of the Darkside made the deer on the road notice me, and it began to think about where to go. There was no way to predict where it was going to finally decide to run, so as in Nascar, I aimed right for it. I figured it would be gone by the time I got there.

It was. But now the deer in the grass also noticed me and was trying to decide where to run. I finally got slowed down enough by the time I reached the second deer that I could have stopped with it to my left, but decided to treat that one like a chasing dog. I thought it may run right at me to follow the first deer, so I sped up and out of reach.

I have no doubt the Darkside helped me keep the shiny side up. If I would have still had a M/T, I would be telling a story about how I "had" to lay it down.

I owe you one Twin. It's your posts on the subject at the VTXOA (prior to this forums existence) that saved my bike, my skin, and quite possibly prevented my wife from becoming a widow.

glad you made it bro,you gotta love the C/T for saving the bike and the skin.i said that as long as i own this bike,the kumho will be the only tire i run.allthough after today,i will never operate another bike without a C/T on it.M/T's are a thing of the past !!!

I'm glad you two are alright and that the CT helped , but it was the cool heads and right decision at the right time that also save you.
Gve yourself credit , there are somethings out there that you will have to face that won't give you an out and just have to take the better of bad or worse way to go.
you two are good men for telling us about what happened , thank you.
Horse

Now thats what I am talkinng about. 2 excellent "oh shit" situations where yall stayed on and rode them out. I don't know if it's just me but I seem to have a lot of these moments, to the point that I don't even get excited anymore. I just look at it like it is all part of the riding experience. Key words being "riding experience" not the bail off the bike experience. I have learned that the bike will always let ya know when you are getting off. Okay enough of my preaching.

YALL DID GREAT RIDING THEM OUT and thanks for sharing

See you out there
Smokey

85V-TWIN wrote:man, am i glad i have a car tire on my bike.i was out riding today on a two lane unknown country rd when a curve snuck up on me,had to lock her down and slide into a ditch at about 40-45mph .i managed to keep the bike straight up even going in the ditch to a stop over a cubbered.the C/T slowed me down by 50-75% more than the M/T preventing me from running into a fence.if i had had that m/t still on my bike,the outcome would have been totally different,i would have hit the fence instead of the ditch.if poeple only knew that the C/T is a 100% safer than a motorcycle tire.yea i know,i need to slow down a lil on unknown rds.but,i thought i'd post this helpfull info for the bro's ride safe kenny

A corner snuck up on you, you drove into a ditch and praise the CT for saving you?! Are you serious?!

Maybe if you had a MC tire on your bike you could have simply pulled on the bar and smoothly leaned the bike over, driving around the curve instead of having to run off the road into a ditch.

Anyone that rides a cycle knows that the rear brakes are rarely used for emergency stopping. They offer about 30% of the stopping power compared to the front brake. Emergency braking is done mainly with the front brake.

Not trying to be an a$$ here but if when riding a motorcycle... corners "sneak up on you" and you have to "ride off the road into a ditch"... maybe you shouldn't be riding a motorcycle at all? Stick with 4 wheels for your familes sake, if not for you own.

You guys are funny! :bom:

I would think it better to keep my mouth shut than talk about something YOU EVIDENTLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.People might think you stupid but that would be better than opening your mouth and removing all doubt. right back at ya RIDE SAFE Larry S.

I can say for sure that a corner has never "snuck up on me" to the point that I had to drive my cycle into a ditch... with a MC tire affixed to my bike.

I've been a licensed MC rider since I was 17. I'm 42 now. I've owned everything from a honda 50cc ruckus scooter to a 1300cc suzuki hayabusa. I've never ran a CT and I've never found myself needing to drive into a ditch.

Lets see I have been building and riding bikes and scooters sinse I was 12 I have had curves sneak up on me to the point of the breaking traction on the mc tires didnt hit the ditch luckily, have also hit curves to hot with with ct difference is it didn't loose traction like mc tire ,was a lot more stable in all conditions.Not trying to convince you to try ct but think you should experience something before you start talking about it ,good or bad.Oh yeah I will turn 60 next month god willing. You will be welcome on this board but try to have experience before you discuss with someone that has more.RIDE SAFE Larry

D0N wrote:I can say for sure that a corner has never "snuck up on me" to the point that I had to drive my cycle into a ditch... with a MC tire affixed to my bike.

I've been a licensed MC rider since I was 17. I'm 42 now. I've owned everything from a honda 50cc ruckus scooter to a 1300cc suzuki hayabusa. I've never ran a CT and I've never found myself needing to drive into a ditch.

I don't think you know too much myself. You have never gotten into a situation that caused you to end up where you didn't think exiting or entering a turn..riding into a curve you didn't expect????? ....you my friend have NEVER RIDDEN a motorcycle. Much less a Hayabusa!...... How's that....if you can have an opinion...I can too!

.................bobby


.

Oh! Yea! "DON"!!!! If brains was leather...you couldn't saddle a tick.


...........bobby

linuxbren wrote:

I owe you one Twin. It's your posts on the subject at the VTXOA (prior to this forums existence) that saved my bike, my skin, and quite possibly prevented my wife from becoming a widow.

Your story was thanks enough!..... Have a blessed day!


..............bobby

.

D0N wrote:

85V-TWIN wrote:man, am i glad i have a car tire on my bike.i was out riding today on a two lane unknown country rd when a curve snuck up on me,had to lock her down and slide into a ditch at about 40-45mph .i managed to keep the bike straight up even going in the ditch to a stop over a cubbered.the C/T slowed me down by 50-75% more than the M/T preventing me from running into a fence.if i had had that m/t still on my bike,the outcome would have been totally different,i would have hit the fence instead of the ditch.if poeple only knew that the C/T is a 100% safer than a motorcycle tire.yea i know,i need to slow down a lil on unknown rds.but,i thought i'd post this helpfull info for the bro's ride safe kenny

A corner snuck up on you, you drove into a ditch and praise the CT for saving you?! Are you serious?!

Maybe if you had a MC tire on your bike you could have simply pulled on the bar and smoothly leaned the bike over, driving around the curve instead of having to run off the road into a ditch.

Anyone that rides a cycle knows that the rear brakes are rarely used for emergency stopping. They offer about 30% of the stopping power compared to the front brake. Emergency braking is done mainly with the front brake.

Not trying to be an a$$ here but if when riding a motorcycle... corners "sneak up on you" and you have to "ride off the road into a ditch"... maybe you shouldn't be riding a motorcycle at all? Stick with 4 wheels for your familes sake, if not for you own.

You guys are funny! :bom:

my question is mr don,is why are you on the darkside forum when your still riding on the LIGHTSIDE and the way the curve was with no warning signs,i guarantee you would have hit the ditch too.the curve was so sharp that there was no way i could have leaned the bike and made it.for a split second,i thought about it and realized there was no way i was going to be able to make it with or without a C/T.so instead,i chose to ride it out and save the bike from damages.and when i say the C/T saved my bike and my ass,i mean exactly that.i think maybe you need to get some more experience in maturity and riding before you can understand that everyone who rides will sooner or later wind up in an unexpected moment.ride safe. kenny
EDIT; 1 more thing bro,i wouldnt advise you to use your front brake only in an emergency situation.unless of course you want to be like superman.i dont know how you came up with 30% braking on the back tire alone,with the car tire,i would say its more like 75% ,at least on my bike

As an ex NewYorker ,western NY, if you have never had a corner sneak on you then I congratulate you as a very rear person in that respect, you don't push yourself or the bike, very good, a person has to know his limitations . You know boys and their toys, I'm still trying to find mine, some of us will die in the attempt but so be it, I will live my life the way I see fit. As I can see from your 3 or 4 posts, I doubt you ride a MC, your too timid and too old, so your ability should be to stick to your own 2 cents and drive your cager for your own safty, your mentality fits it.

Doug

D0N wrote:I can say for sure that a corner has never "snuck up on me" to the point that I had to drive my cycle into a ditch... with a MC tire affixed to my bike.

I've been a licensed MC rider since I was 17. I'm 42 now. I've owned everything from a honda 50cc ruckus scooter to a 1300cc suzuki hayabusa. I've never ran a CT and I've never found myself needing to drive into a ditch.

Actually DON , I don't think that you are more then 17 and that you are just here to make trouble, so please leave.