RE: Slipsliding away

["Clive Liddell" <cliddell@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Kevin,
Thanks for sharing.

A similar incident here:  I had finished a brake service on my R850R and
went for a ride just at dusk to check it all out.   Now on this (familiar)
piece of road they had done tarmac resurfacing work that day and had left
all that fine black dust all over, of course completely invisible to me at
that twilight time...  Yes, as I turned onto that road (fortunately at a
very resonable speed), like you, the bike and I were "slipsliding away" in a
millisecond. 

Of course I just had my "working on bikes" clothes on and I recall thinking
how "protective" the cylinders were when my foot and leg were NOT trapped
under the bike - the only damage to me was a bruised shin on the "untrapped"
side where my leg must have swung forward onto the cylinder.

I (and a friend) have made a bracket to accomodate the BMW RT rack on the R
bike so I can use my Top Box on either bike and this box took a blow which
knocked it right off and there were the obligitory scuff marks on the
underside on the cylinder head cover and that was about it.  Top Box clipped
right back on as firm as ever and my cotton trousers were doing an excellent
job of mopping any blood oozing from scratches to the "under" leg and I was
on my way again...   Those cylinders again - great help in lifting the bike
back up ;>)

Comments:  I have felt cold tyre "movement" on frosty mornings and IMO its
more controllable especially when you learn to expect it in the first few km
but unexpected sand/fine grit puts you down very quickly!!

Regards
Clive Liddell
Pietermaritzburg
South Africa
R850R
R1100RT