agreed... I may be new to bikes, but when it comes to cars (which I race) an accident could always have been prevented if some behavior was done differently, placing total blame on something technically out of control will inhibit your ability to learn from an accident, which will prevent modification of your future driving to prevent the same type of accident.

It does seem like you have/are learning from this experience though, so don't take the above as a lecture

Sorry about the bird... I just bought one and can't wait to put a few thousand miles on her in the next few weeks.

Since you have both I might as well ask, does the bird feel huge compared to the f4? I've ridden an f4i and a busa and after getting off the busa all I could think is how big and heavy it was, I'm hoping the bird does not give this same type of feeling.

 

Yes, it's good I have a second bike and I'm probably less bummed out now (even though I'm very bummed out) than if it were my only bike. I don't have a car license nor car so all I have are my bikes. I did the whole 'from ground up' with my F4 and it looks pretty much spot on as I want it to look. The Bird won't go through the same route (the F4 was yellow when I bought it) because it is already the right color. All it need was a bubble screen, the luggage + racks and some black paint on all non black parts. There was very little 'customization' I was planning to do and the bike itself in terms of engine and performance would stay 100 % stock.

 

I always take the inside lanes on those roundabouts (when there are cars) and I probably would have been fine if I was in the inside line, even if I fell. Reason being is that it wouldn't have hit that curb.

Anyway, I went through that turn at a speed you would when it as raining. I have a LOT of rain riding experience and I didn't go in hotter than I should. I was just cruising home. I can't only blame the tires but it did something I didn't expect, lose grip in a non 'perfect' road condition. I expect to feel a lot more confident with tires I know once I get it running. From what I've read about the tires they are fine in straight lines and in perfectly dry weather (even though they are listed as sport touring tires) but they don't like turns and they don't like damp roads and especially wet roads.

It wasn't raining when I fell but there might have been a very slight trickle just before getting to that roundabout. The weather in the Netherlands is super random (sub-tropical) but the road wasn't wet. A witness said she thought that that particular lane looked a bit greasy (nothing wet, but there were dark stains).

Anyway, yes I've learned my lesson. Go with what you trust and know.

Regarding the Bird's weight. Yes it's a heavy bike but (as many review mention) the weight disappears once you move. I've done most of my time on the Bird with a passenger and it has enough grunt to not notice there is someone on the back.

I live in a city and I don't like riding it around town ( a lot of tight turns and stoplights) because that's when you notice the weight and heavy clutch. I took it on a 380 mile day trip the day after I got it and I went to Germany (with passenger) and it was perfect and effortless. So in conclusion, as long as you keep moving the weight isn't that much of an issue. I haven't done it yet but most bird owners do the 6mm shim mod for better handling.

I don't notice it with a passenger but when on it alone it handles quite slow. My bird also came with the vfr clip ons and I am going to do the Buell footpeg mod before my trip. It's a great bike and you'll probably enjoy the **** out of it.

 

They were brand new and already on the bike when I got them. I scrubbed them in on the way home.

 

My other ride is a stock F4 (other than a carbon slipon) and Michelin Road 2 tires... They are great tires but I wouldn't call them supersport super sticky tires (although they have very nice grip in any condition). I can't blame JUST the tires but they aren't really confidence inspiring. I had felt some slipping and saw some weird wear on the tires but I thought it was just the extra weight and torque of the Bird. Even though I wasn't even close to gunning it at all. Re-reading up on the tires it seems that many other people have experience the exact same things I have (on American, Dutch and UK websites). I assume I will feel a noticeable difference once I put some Road 2 or 3's on the bird.

I had actually come across the tires some time before and I knew they were ****. However, this was some time ago and I had forgotten about it. I saw that the tires were Bridgestone when I picked up the bike but it just didn't connect. I was so excited about the bird that I didn't remember about reading about the much earlier.

Anyway, it happened. I've had my first crash and it wasn't that bad. I'm not scared to ride and the repairs don't seem to be super expensive, although more than I have at the moment. All my money went into preparing for the trip. The 'expensive' bit's seem to be the subframe, front wheel and fairings. I'm Googling a bunch of places to see where I can get each item for a good price and if I can't get some cheap fairings I'll repair the ones I have now (although the upper fairing is really smashed up) well enough to hold up on my trip. I am glad that the Bird isn't as rare here as in the US and parts aren't in abundance but I can probably find what I need.

It's a shame that replacing the tires will probably mean I can't upgrade the springs to progressive Hyperpro spring but that will have to wait. Perhaps I'll just do the rear shock spring for now because it's quite cheap.

 

Yes and no. I had Dunlop Roadsmart tires and the front tire would push hard to the outside of the turn. I never wrecked, but made my @h0le pucker. I switched my front tire to the Q2's and not once have I had that problem since. Nice and grippy.

I am not saying the possibility of operator error isn't there. But a sloppy front tire will change everything.

 

Ohh yes!

 

Hmmm I'd be going with truck/lorry diesel residue on the rotary / roundabout !

Last week I came up on a rotary right after a small shower, cocked my head sideways
to see a 10 foot patch of pinkish greenish blueish purplish sheen or film on the
road surface , just barely noticed in time and got away with it. Tell ya sometimes
Truckers overfill and don't tighten down the tanks ........ next thing one of us finds
ourselves going azz over elbows because of it.

I think this is what got you man ......glad your are a walkaway from it.

 

Just took off the stator cover and it seems to be fine. Awesome. I saw a cheap one (scrapes ,no cracks) which I'll get and see if she fires right up. One question though; since it was on its side for a few seconds (I went for the kill switch but I don't think it was still running) is there anything I should look out for before firing her up?

The subframe is ever so slightly bent on the left side near the passenger peg, is it possible to hammer it back to shape (if there are no cracks in the welds)?

 

Sorry to hear of the crash; glad you're okay!

Yes, I think you can straighten the subframe (assuming you have a way to hold & block it where you need to to get it straight again). Aluminum will bend and bend back, though that weakens it _much_ faster than it weakens steel. If it's just a slight 'tweak,' then I'd probably try straightening it, if it was me. If I didn't like how it looked afterwards, or how it felt while I was straightening it, then I'd pitch it. Good luck!