A couple buddies and I decided to take what may be the last nice Sunday and go riding. All was well, then we hit a sharp blind right corner a little too quick. I led us into the curve, started to head a little too close to the center line for comfort, but when I tried to cut back I saw my buddy out of my mirror dump it, turned my head a bit and saw him sliding for me! Had no real choice but to keep going into the other lane to avoid him taking me out. Felt his front tire hit my rear, but didn't affect anything for me, just kept going into the grass off road, he slid at least 85 ft until he hit gravel and it stopped him. Parked mine and ran back to him, no injuries. His jacket saved his arm, tore the jacket up but barely a mark on his elbow. Could have been much worse, just thank God that there was no on coming traffic, like I said blind curve.

We all rode away, his slider took a lot of it, saved the plastics mostly, but pushed in a bit so they look warped. His lower plastic is rashed to hell, but that and his jacket are the worst. He was riding his Ducati 749s and me on my 954rr, other guy on a Zx6r was bringing up the rear, saw it all unfold, though for sure I was gonna get taken out by our sliding buddy.

 

Wow...you are right. Could have been worst. So what jacket namebrand he was wearing? Sounds like the jacket did the job to protect his arm from horrific damage. How about his pants?

Glad everyone walked away...plastic is replaceable, not skin.

 

Ducati jacket, really not sure if they actually made it or if it's another make, only markings I've ever seen are Ducati on the arms. Wrangler jeans, didn't even tear them. There was a blue mark on the pavement where his jeans we're being dragged across the road when his foot was pinned under the bike, good 20 ft long, and not a rip in them.

 

glad you're alright.


remember spacing

 

Why was he that close to you? This is why I ride by myself.

 

Believe or not, most accidents happens during group riding. Why is that? That is what I notice....it is the urge to show off, the need to keep up beyond comfort zone? Guess it's natural to try harder when riding in groups or with couple of friends...

 

I don't know, can't control how close someone gets when they are behind me. I think he learned his lesson, was real shaken up after it and kept apologizing for almost taking me down with him. I had no urge to show off, just out for a ride. He has always been the type to try and show off a bit, think I'll let others ride out front and I'll bring up the back of the pack from now on.

 

The showing off part was not towards anyone exz5string...I was just i.e such situation. When group riding...the pressure to keep up is much more than normal. Glad everyone is okay..ride another day.

(for instance, if your friend really does take you down...his insurance should cover your material damage & bodily injury does it not?) just wondering?

 

well... there is also one thing that is important to remember

when you're heading into a corner, as you brake (as you'd imagine), you go slower and slower. as this guy hits the deck, you're still slowing down, which is why he almost took you out. as you kept slowing down, he wasn't slowing down anymore, he was sliding. its not that he was right up your ***, its because of the physics of braking into a corner.

you see it happen all the time in racing, the guy following almost hits the guy in front because the first guy is still on the brakes, whereas the following guy only has friction slowing him down.

look at this video. if you fast forward to 2:50, you'll see rea (3rd rider) who is trailing guintoli and sykes (the bikes in front). look what happens. the first two riders are slowing down much quicker because they're braking and rea goes sliding and almost runs into them.

SBK 2011 Nurburgring RACE 2: RAIN FLOOD STORM, FALLS AND RACE STOPPED, DILUVIO UNIVERSALE E CADUTE - YouTube





that's why when you ride in a group, its especially important to keep HUGE distance once the pace goes up or the road gets twisty.