This could be the end

[xs11lover]

OK, I've got nothing to do but sit here so i'm posting some old pics of my bikes from years gone by until i can get the password for the other camera.
my first xs11 in the background and my first project in the front.

and the rest I saved pics of.

[xs11lover]

[Wildkat]

You have done some really amazing bikes, Garrett.

You know, restoring bikes is great rehab.


Keepin the positives going for you

[motoman]

Even though modifying these ole' 11s isn't my choice to see, those two single rider seat modded XS11's have ALWAYS been of my two favorite XS1100's.

[TopCatGr58]

Even though modifying these ole' 11s isn't my choice to see, those two single rider seat modded XS11's have ALWAYS been of my two favorite XS1100's.

DITTO!!

After seeing these photos, another thought came to mind! You mentioned about PM'ing KAT...and I'm sure you remember what happened to JOHN many years ago just in his neighborhood....running down the block with his KickStand still down, then tried to take left hand turn, and Wooomp, there it was! You didn't mention about taking any kind of turn when you left the restaurant, but if you had forgotten to put the sidestand up, and then took a swerve to the left, might have caught/hit it and threw the back wheel out?? JAT?

I would think if it was the final drive that you would have heard some serious WHINING noises before it grenaded.

I almost DON'T want you to post the WRECK photos!

[Bonz]

My post is to give you confidence to get back on the bike when the time comes. What I'm going to share below I haven't shared before and when I look at it, it was nothing that involves anyone but myself. Your situation unless something else is revealed, was something totally outside of your control. It did not involve another driver or rider. To me, if it's me or my machine I can come to grips quickly with riding another day.

Full disclosure: if it was another person's fault that could very well cast a different light on it for me.

I had an unexpected and "unexplained" get off about a month ago. I was taking the Yamaha Vision 550 I have been getting up and running for a ride. At about 50 mph, 40 miles into a shake-down ride after getting the carbs dialed in and maintenance done, I rolled out of the throttle and took my hands off the bars to sit up and stretch as I am a rather tall fellow, the bike went into an instant head shake.

Put my hands back on the bars, no problem, and everything seemed to be just fine. I touched the front brake after it had seemed to stabilize to slow down a bit and the front tire skidded and tucked. I went straight down at 50 miles an hour on the left side. Happened so fast I couldn't even contemplate what was going on.

I ended up with a quarter size hole through my Sliders Kevlar lined jeans on my left knee with a small bit of road rash on said knee and that was it. The Tourmaster Transition III jacket was road rashed good on the left arm and side, with my leather gauntlet deerskin gloves having a pin head size hole worn through on the pinkie finger. Helmet never touched the road, kept myself on my side sliding feet first. I had a good bruise on my left hip where I hit and slid however ATGATT let me get up, walk over to the bike, lift it up and ride the bike home. The bike needed a new left side foot peg, a new center stand and that was it. $25 in parts off eBay. Ground down the left side exhaust tip just a bit, but amazingly looks nothing like it took a 50 mph slide down the road.

I went back the next day and looked over the scene. There was about a 30 foot skidmark from the front tire. Best I can tell is the front end had stopped headshaking however old tires were on the bike and there was tar repair on the road where the skidmark started. The way the skidmark appeared it looked like it had started to skid and slide to the right and then came back left which caused me to go down on the left side. The headshake may have not been totally gone even though my hands on the bars made it feel like it was. Old tires, with even a slight amount of headshake that my hands were controlling could make a tire skid in retrospect.

-FIRST, Dumb as all heck for me to take my hands off the bars, to the extent it was a "new to me" motorcycle. I have NO one or nothing to blame but myself for that decision.

-The Vision 550 has a known light front end with a 45/55 front/rear distribution, with my height and rear-ward seating position the front end would be even lighter with me sitting upright and stretching my arms.

-Previous owner put a nice stainless line on the front single disc, and it is very sensitive.

-I have heard that single disc brakes cause a bit of torque reaction and can upset a front end.

-Old tires were still on the bike and we're absolutely past their "born on date" for being serviceable. That was a poor decision on my part and should have put the new tires sitting in the garage on it before taking it for a few initial rides.

Based on that I would say the headshake was not completely stopped even though it felt like it was to me, the old tires had little grip and I should have stayed the heck off the front brake which has a stainless line and is very touchy operating a single disc.

Anyway, I haven't shared that as I am am embarrassed.

I hope it helps for me to share so others can learn or be informed from it.

I have been back on the bikes since. I've ridden the ZRX a number of times and did an Easter ride up to my in-laws on the XS1100 of about 180 miles round trip. I would have ridden in the car with the family, with a big guy like me it's a tight fit in the car with the full family home for the holiday. I also have had the vision 550 out for a couple of shorter rides after putting on the new tires.

I learned a lot, it humbled me, and I know it sounds vain of me, I am so glad I was on a $375 fix-er up bike and not the pristine 80SG or the ZRX1200.

Whatever you do, myself and everyone else here will respect and admire you for deciding to ride or not ride.

[Bergman16]

Love that Ruby Red SG! Glad that you're okay, and thank you for sharing this.

Steve

[donebysunday]

LOVE your 11s

can see by your work you love them too.
Thanks for sharing !

[Old Red]

I am sure glad you are able to tell us about your crash. I hope that in time that you will be able to sort all of this out. Praying you will have a fast recovery. You have really been blessed to have so many awesome bikes and sure you will have more.

[xs11lover]

Yeah TopCat that is posable, I have let the kickstand down at times...it wasn't a sharp bend in the road at all but it was to the left..as far as I remember from going back and looking after the fact...it was up hill. I'll have to take a look at the bottom of the stand next time i'm home. It always folded up in the past.

[xs11lover]

ok here are the pics from that day. on a side note I finally got some beautiful pearl white paint work done on my side covers for this bike...lol. They were drying in my driveway at home, Looks like I won't need them now. I think it was my third try.
The GSXR1000 belongs to my girlfriend, we don't need to talk about that. lol
I've taken it out and ran it for all it's worth but I'm not man enough for that one.
It's funny how a woman can hold all the power in the world at her finger tips and choose not to use it.....

[Wildkat]

You wouldn't remember John's accident since it was in 2005 before you joined but yeah, the kickstands normally spring up. Every now and then though...
John's hit at a point where it stuck in the pavement. There was a pretty good groove in the road where it stuck and dragged, just before he hit the parked truck and got thrown in the road.
One broken back and ten weeks later, he was back home and working on the bike.

Now, get better so you can get back on the bikes.
Keep the kickstand up.


Really glad you're not any worse, Dude
That's some scary stuff

[xs11lover]

Jack said the bars were bent down into the tank there when he went to get it.

[xs11lover]

right there in that dirty stone spot to the right is where I hit. There were some marks on the rocks, it was more of a hill up than the pic shows.

Reverse view. Note there are a lot of scrapes in the pavement.

Yup, they cut my clothes and my leather right off there on the berm of the road. Right there is where I laid.

[xs11lover]