[bambams]

Today I had my first real crash. Low speed (30 kmph) into the curb due to sand in the corner, and target fixation.

It didn't help that I was overwhelmed with anxiety and emotional at the time. I've quit drinking alcohol, and have been on antidepressants for about 9 months. I've just quit smoking cannabis too because combined with antidepressants it is making my too spacey to do my job. I'm on vacation right now having just quit smoking weed. I no longer have quick fixes for my symptoms so it is starting out pretty hard. Anxiety seems through the roof. Doctor described lorazepam as an anti anxiety, but it's a low dose from what could research. If it's helping its much slower to kick in and less effective. But something is better than nothing.

I was distracted. I never should have been on the bike, and I never should have let the sand worry me. If I could have turned, leaned, and accelerated smoothly I would have been riding still. Instead it's parked for now. My wife was right behind me in her car going shopping so naturally she played victim. And now I can ride without getting a hard time from friends and family. They're going to hate on that motorcycle and gear that kept me completely safe, ignoring city crews that aren't cleaning the dangerous debris off the road. Let alone blame my mental health woes, or anybody partially responsible for them. The real cause of the crash gets away scotfree as usual.

I have no intention to stop riding. My bike seems to be in relatively good shape considering. But after rolling up in the curb I think gently highsided. Didn't feel any pain at all yet. Hoped up, told traffic I was fine, got the bike back up. There was the smell of gas. I'm hoping that just fell out of an open port when the engine was tipped over. It took me a minute to hit the key, but I think the automatic kill switches already had it covered.

My right turn signal arm got ripped right off. I haven't even found it yet. The plastics got a good scrape. My main concern is the forks. Looks like they took a nasty scratch too. My concern is they could be bent or something. I'll post again if I learn more. Until I'm sure of the damage I guess I have only 4 wheels. 😭

 

[bambams]

Here's a few more images. A couple of new things found. The rear brake pedal is bent to ****. Also the stock can took a beating because I foolishly had my passenger pegs folded up. You're never too experienced to have a rough day and make a mistake.

 

[bambams]

Oh. Right. I tried to force myself into Mr. Fixit and on the spot with inadequate tools or patience (or business) tried to fix the brake pedal with a hammer and needlepoint vice grips. As you can image I succeeded with flying colours instantly with the FIRST swing of my hammer. Thereby massively increasing the aerodynamics properties of the oil dip stick handle, AND microoptimizing the mass and balance and HANDLING of the ENTIRE motorcycle.

I'm undiagnosed Asperger's and/or perhaps Schizophrenic (P.S. AKA psychosis) and your god only knows what else in your spacetime. I'm diagnosed [clinically] depressed, suicidal, [extreme] anxiety, disruptive sleep patterns, taking 40 mg Citalopram/daily (Earth) (20 mg x 9 months, 40 mg x 4 weeks).

I say that to say...

I'm so fucking glad that I got high tonight even though I'm not allowed to and I promised the world I wouldn't. 🖕😜🖕

15 minutes ago I was very seriously contemplating either suicide or violence. And now I'm stoned. And I feel much better. I even got creative and made some artistic works. They just ended up to be no good. Haha.

 

[someone]

Brake levers are cheap to replace. My exhaust has similar features, but not worth the expense of worrying about. Forks should. be okay, in a fall it is more likely the clamps will have shifted if they seem wrong. Shame about the indicator, but at least you survived okay.

Slow speed crashes may be unspectacular but they can still be bad as they happen instantly, so there is nothing you can do to protect yourself from the full impact of a fall. On separate occasions I shattered my elbow and broke my finger when the nasty stock tyres on my old 125 lost traction and went over so quick I only knew it happened when I was lying in the road. If you have not broken anything you did well.

Sunday was crazy here, I had a nice longer ride planned but when I checked the weather after waking up it was 26 °F / -3 °C to the west of London. Despite the forecast being for e high 50s °F / 15 °C later in the day, I did not fancy the cold and was not going to risk any ice. So I came up with a new shorter plan heading east and leaving later. Clear skies and a bit warmer, and it was so nice to be on the bike.

I have my own mental problems, which includes diagnosed autism, but riding is the one thing I have to help control it. And it has been a very difficult past year having to stay indoors for most of it. So some empty country roads in nicer weather was something I really needed. I always think it is because riding requires concentration, so doing it prevents other thoughts. Mind, I like the physical feeling of motion, so maybe there is some autistic calming thing in the motion too.

Although I had completely forgotten about the anxiety and depression that often can occur during the bit where I spend some time off the bike in public places in the middle of my trips. Nothing can be prefect, I guess. Everything has to be ruined somehow.

But drugs are not my thing, apart from my ten prescriptions for my physical health. Even anti-depressants have never worked for me. I did agree to try another one recently, but was suffering bad side-effects from it so had to stop. I am not even a big drinker. When I do drink it is for the flavour, if I drink for the sake of it I very quickly become intolerant of the alcohol, so the only times I get drunk are when it happens by accident.

But I have my bike, and with 60% of adults already had at least one vaccine dose in the U.K. hopefully I will be able to ride it this summer and escape the world for several hours every weekend.

 

[ADIOS600]

Oh. Right. I tried to force myself into Mr. Fixit and on the spot with inadequate tools or patience (or business) tried to fix the brake pedal with a hammer and needlepoint vice grips. As you can image I succeeded with flying colours instantly with the FIRST swing of my hammer. Thereby massively increasing the aerodynamics properties of the oil dip stick handle, AND microoptimizing the mass and balance and HANDLING of the ENTIRE motorcycle.

View attachment 72861

I'm undiagnosed Asperger's and/or perhaps Schizophrenic (P.S. AKA psychosis) and your god only knows what else in your spacetime. I'm diagnosed [clinically] depressed, suicidal, [extreme] anxiety, disruptive sleep patterns, taking 40 mg Citalopram/daily (Earth) (20 mg x 9 months, 40 mg x 4 weeks).

I say that to say...

I'm so fucking glad that I got high tonight even though I'm not allowed to and I promised the world I wouldn't. 🖕😜🖕

15 minutes ago I was very seriously contemplating either suicide or violence. And now I'm stoned. And I feel much better. I even got creative and made some artistic works. They just ended up to be no good. Haha.

Well hang in there cos the only way is up. And sometimes we need to look at life in a different way. It cannot be easy to find a positive, but there is if you look hard enough.

 

[someone]

EXT. A QUIET ROAD JUNCTION

A car stops before the junction and a man steps out and walks forwards

A MAN
Are you okay?

Do you need help with that?​

TEXT: 7 hours earlier


EXT. A BUSY MOTORWAY

A motorcycle is being ridden along a motorway, the rider touches the side of their helmet.

RIDER
Oh no, it has fallen off!​

TEXT: 3 hours earlier

INT. A LONDON FLAT

SOMEONE wakes up, it was the motorcycle rider seen earlier.

SOMEONE
Let's go for a ride!​

A montage shows someone checking the weather, making sandwiches, refilling their chain oiler, loading the top box, and setting off on a ride. The sky is clear and sunny, it is a good day.

 

[someone]

I was riding on the motorway when my music went silent. It does that sometimes, the bluetooth disconnects and you just have to hit play again. Only there was no play to hit, as the unit had come off the helmet.

I used to have a Cardo Scala Rider G3, and it slid down onto a clip that was attached to the helmet. It was quite secure and I cannot see how it could some off accidentally. Unfortunately the battery died, and it is not easily replaceable. For a while I used it via USB with a battery pack in my pocket, but I guess. the stress of the win on the cable eventually saw it damage the socket.

That happened after my dad had just left hospital. I was still visiting him twice a week and on my way up, so I immediately ordered a Cardo Freecom 2+ from Amazon with next day delivery. The next design sits inside the helmet part, with a clip at the front that you just pull outwards to release the unit.

I was always worried about it, and then last year when getting my bike its MOT I was trying a new helmet which has a sun visor slider at the side instead of the top. I was wearing the Freecom though not using it. Stopped at the lights I was trying to find the sun visor control, knocked the clip, and the Freecom fell onto the road. Luckily then I could pick it up and put it in my pocket.

Since then I have been very careful to put my hand nowhere near the clip, the sun visor only needs to be released from the front anyway. So maybe it was the wind, but for whatever reason I was on the M25, so even had I known it had fallen out, a four-lane highway is not somewhere I could have stopped and recovered it anyway.

I decided to carry on with my trip and just pay attention to the G.P.S. screen. I did miss turnings for the roads that parallel the motorway, so ended up staying on that the entire way, though did not miss anything after that.


Later, at one of my destinations I noticed the USB heated grips were no longer on, and trying the power button they did not work. I mentioned when reviewing them that the both-ways-up design of the plug/controller was both clever but probably makes them fragile. I guess that is the case, as if I use them the other way around it does still work. But for how long? It just means I have to use them in the top USB socket with the button facing up, or the button facing down in the bottom one.

They are supposed to be temporary anyway, I just need to contact a Honda dealer to see if the O.E.M. grips can be repaired affordably, and if not see about replacing those with Oxford ones. With temperatures around freezing overnight thet are needed in the morning. But quickly reaching the mid 50s °F / up to 12°C I did not need them at that point anyway. Hopefully as spring becomes summer it can become a next autumn problem anyway.


Later still, I am coming home and at a junction where to turn right (i.e. across traffic because we drive on the left) you have to turn left. But the road lanes separate enough for trees, and there is a connection though them to allow you to U-turn.

I had turned right into that short section of road, my bike was pointing to the right to join the lane, I was looking left to see past the trees for oncoming traffic. And the whole positioning did not like that. I tried to save it but could not, and the bike went over. It was a 1 mph crash with nothing.

The first time I dropped my bike I was able to pick it up, but have never managed since. Maybe because of the added weight of the top box. Get down low with the bike behind you, and use your bum. Nope, does not work anymore.

It was not that busy, and a couple of cars on the main lane went by without stopping, before someone pulled in to a hashed area and came towards me. I was fine, I just could not control the weight of the bike so essentially stepped off as it went down. But he helped me pick it back up. After that there were people wanting to make the same turn did who asked if I was okay, which was nice at least.

The hand guard was out of position, that could be push back, and the mirror was out of position, unsurprisingly. It seemed to only be the riser bolt, and that is why I carry its allen key under the seat, so was able to do my best to reposition that. After that I was able to ride home okay. Other than the scratches to the right hand guard, it seems the only effect were probably some extra scratches and dents on the exhaust and heat shield, the right mirror. It did had no effect on the heated grips.

After I drop I always feel like the bike is just no quite right, but it always is. And today was the same, I had that feeling but there was nothing I could say was actually wrong. Save the mirror positions. I wonder if there is a strange camber to that junction?

Odd day, not sure what tomorrow now. I did have a ride planned as theeather should be as today but with some more cloud. I still want to go out, but without hearing G.P.S. instructions it might not be as easy to do and maybe I need to consider something simpler, or just go out without a plan. Although that is difficult as you at least to pick an area to head to first as around London is not that interesting.

 

[airhead83]

Glad you're alright and didn't damage yourself. Bodies are a little harder to replace and repair than bikes.

 

[someone]

Glad you're alright and didn't damage yourself. Bodies are a little harder to replace and repair than bikes.

Thanks, though on this side of the Atlantic bodies are free to repair but bikes cost money!

I did go out again today. It took a while to feel properly comfortable, not sure if that was me or the bike, but all was okay. In the end I made a new route based on the principle of as few numbered roads as possible, so it would be easy to remember and just follow signs. Which. worked well until halfway through I realized one of the roads was closed in the middle, so had to change that whole section.

One odd experience coming home, at a junction where because of the building you cannot see around it until you turn. The roads was covered in shattered glass! It seemed to be the, ironically, not shattering kind so it was lumps rather than sharp pieces, but I was so busy paying attention to that I did not see where it came from. A shop window, I think.

And not having music to listen to is a completely different experience. So I definitely need a new bluetooth unit! I am just not sure what to get. The Cardo still seems best because of the automatic volume adjustment (louder at speed, quieter in town, exactly what you need) but I do not think I can trust it will not just fall off again. And there is nowhere you can fix a lanyard or similar so at least if it comes off you will not lose it.

 

[CBRianton]

I dont know if someone already started a thread on this topic on this forum. It was very popular on the cbr250r.net forum.

Let us know what you did to your bike today. Mods, trips, maintenance, purchased, traded, etc.

I BOUGHT IT!! So excited to be here,a gentleman bought this for his daughter, she dropped it once, he replaced the cracked fairings but couldn’t get her back on it. It’s still a baby, 200 miles, 2016 and tbh I feel guilty what I paid for it. If someone tells me how to post a picture I will!

 

[airhead83]

Cong

2016 and tbh I feel guilty what I paid for it. If someone tells me how to post a picture I will!

Congrats on the bike. If you paid what they were willing to accept.. there's no reason to feel guilty. For them.. out of sight, out of mind. And more room to park another toy. Good on you for keeping your eyes open and grabbing a bargain.. Don't forget, with only 200 miles, the engine is still in it's break-in stage.. Ride Safe and Enjoy.
P.S. if you don't already have an Owner's Manual... download a free PDF version from Honda Motorsport website... and read through it.

 

[CBRianton]

Cong

Congrats on the bike. If you paid what they were willing to accept.. there's no reason to feel guilty. For them.. out of sight, out of mind. And more room to park another toy. Good on you for keeping your eyes open and grabbing a bargain.. Don't forget, with only 200 miles, the engine is still in it's break-in stage.. Ride Safe and Enjoy.
P.S. if you don't already have an Owner's Manual... download a free PDF version from Honda Motorsport website... and read through it.

Thanks for the support! I actually haven't ridden in about 5 years but I rode for about 5 more before that, not my first bike, my last one was a 2006 ZX6r, so I have been babying it anyway, but what should I limit the RPM's too and for how long until it is broken in? It has the owners manual right inside under the seat! I will give it a read this afternoon while it's too rainy to ride.

 

[CBRianton]

Thanks for the support! I actually haven't ridden in about 5 years but I rode for about 5 more before that, not my first bike, my last one was a 2006 ZX6r, so I have been babying it anyway, but what should I limit the RPM's too and for how long until it is broken in? It has the owners manual right inside under the seat! I will give it a read this afternoon while it's too rainy to ride.

 

[airhead83]

CBR... Break-in methods are as controversial as which motor oils or tires are "best". I always try to stay as close to the Owner's Manual guidelines as possible. Their recommendations are painfully tedious, but I follow them anyway. Since I am seldom able to purchase a new bike, I do my best to take care I don't do something stupid and risk damage.

 

[CBR FOX]

Gave my little sweetheart a good clean

 

[vt500]

Had trouble getting the gas cap back on after filling the tank yesterday. Key and barrel acted like it was sticking a little. 2014 bike.

Once home, squirted small amount of white lithium grease into lock opening and worked the key many times.

Works great now. Gave the steering head lock a dose too for good luck.

 

[CBR FOX]

Finished putting rim tape on

 

[jonreese]

Installed a BrakeAway 7CP02 Cruise Control. This is a more expensive motorcycle cruise control but the instant front brake release was a must have feature. Had to pull the front brake lever and reservoir totally away from the handlebar to wiggle the mounting bracket into place. Didn’t have to disconnect the brake switch wiring though it was a tight fit. Make sure you get the adapter ring set screws adjusted so the ring cap is visually concentric with the grip!

 

[someone]

Yesterday I went for my first big ride since August 26th, 2019. This screengrab does not do justice to how amazing this view was.

Earlier in the day I had stopped at a country park just for a break, had gotten halfway up a hillside, then realized my keys were not in my pocket. The first time I had forgotten to take the keys from my bike. Eek.

It could have been a little warmer, but otherwise it was just to be going on a big ride after so long, and to the Jurassic coast, which is one of my favourite areas to visit even if it is only 185 million years old.

My new bluetooth headset has still not arrived, it is currently in the U.K. awaiting customs clearance, so I had bought a cheap Chinese one as a backup. The sound is not as good as the lost Cardo unit, but it was good enough. The main problem is it is covered in small buttons that it is near impossible to operate while riding. The downward button is volume up and the upward button is volume down. To turn it on you hold the phone button for two seconds, but it had a dedicated power off button. just above the music play/pause. My G.P.S. also cannot reconnect to it, so every-time I have to remove then re-pair it. Still, as an emergency backup or music and directions it seems fine.

The reason I mention it is that I stopped in Weymouth before heading home, and it was a bit windy. So much so that I had thought I should wear an extra layer on my way home, so I put the top on the seat of my bike. Then I emptied my ear plugs onto it, it is always easier to tip them onto the seat to get them out of their small canister. Then woosh, the top flew off the bike and though I saved one ear plug I could not find the other.

One time previously I put the ear plugs in my pocket after getting off the bike only to find one there when I later emptied them inside. I think it fell out when I was outside, but I could not see it anywhere. I had some foam ones which I used to ride home, but they were almost useless. So I bought a cheaper set from a different brand which had good reviews on Amazon to keep under my seat.

My first time using them and, they are probably worse than foam. They just do not plug the ear at all, and I do not need large ear buds so I am not the problem! So a lot of wind nose coming home. Sadly the brand I like is German and used to sell directly through Amazon but are no longer listed. I guess because of Brexit, as before they could stock them in German warehouses or all of Europe, but now anything for the U.K. has to be stocked here. But, even though the colours do not match, I do have two pairs now with one missing so I only need a better spare pair.

 

[CBR FOX]

Went for a 25mile ride and now will need to clean wheels