Can't afford to ford a ford

[bonio]

Microroad. Drops down to a ford. 

First thought - that could be nasty and slippery. Second thought - far too narrow to turn, just keep it smooth - what could go possibly wrong?

Half way through, the back wheel slides away to the left and the bike's about to down to the right, then suddenly the back is out and gripping and now we heading off towards the earth bank on the right hand side and I am just about believing I might be able to save it when *sputter* the engine stalls at the effort of climbing the bank and it's left hand side down we go onto the soggy cobbles. Thonk.  

The air vest fired, but didn't stop my bum from hitting the floor. Kind, kind lady behind in the car help me pick the bike up, explaining that it's always slippery there when she goes through on her horse.  The front left indicator, which is set into the handlebar guard, is cracked, and will need replacing, at fancy Italian prices.  But the rest of the bikes's ok. Crash bung is scraped, but it's done it's job in keeping the the bike off the floor.

 

Do I need to change the crash bung too? Looks ok to me.

 

Lesson: no more fords. Can't afford it.

[Stu]

 Bugger! 

 

I had something similar when I came across a ford! road was too narrow and steep to turn around so I had no choice but to chance it! 

 

Luckily I made it unscathed although you could feel the slimy algae under the tyres as I crossed! 

[fullscreenaging]

@bonio  gutted for you 

 

If the bung looks ok then I wouldn’t bother replacing unless you can’t live with the visible damage. 
 

Would you tackle the situation a different way if I was unavoidable again?

 

i.e. Would you go through slower/faster. Get your boots wet by keeping feet down. Get your boots wet by trying to scrape the algae off to make a line for your tyres (thinking outside the box here) Higher revs. 
 

Your hindsight may one day help someone else out. Including me. 

I’ve encountered a ford 3 times in the past but have been able to avoid them…well the 1st one in a fashion. I had my wife on the back and bottled it on the approach. I stopped and lost balance and dropped the bike (very very slowly as I was more concerned about my wife) That did my back right in. The road was wide enough to turn around.

The second, I had room to turn around by getting off the bike and doing a 5 point turn. I nearly killed myself though. If the gradient had been any steeper I wouldn’t have managed it! 
The 3rd was a really wide one but luckily the was a foot bridge over it, so I used it. My mate shot through on his GS  had trail/enduro tyres on so maybe they made a difference??

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2021 by fullscreenaging

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

That's a bummer. Nasty situation to find yourself faced with. I would leave the crash bung as wearing its battle scares with pride. Some makes you can get replacement heads, Puig for example.

[NeilM]

@bonio Geoff. You silly bugger.

Glad you're ok mate.

 

[bonio]

@fullscreenaging Don't know what the answer is. No "Ford" sign, because this is Suffolk. The footbridge was more risky than the road. Perhaps I should have called the RAC and got them to tow me out ? 

The road wasn't crazy steep; I might have got the bike round in an 11 point turn and lots of huffing and heaving. 

[TimR]

Decent Crash bungs manufacturers fixings are designed to bend ( ie the bolts ) under impact to reduce the impact into frame and mountings, so i would investigate that aspect at least so in the event of another unscheduled dismount the protection is at 100% efficiency.

[Gerontious]

Me neither.

[Bender]

Glad you escaped with minor damage, was the vest a corded attached to the bike job or does it have to go off to be re set? 

 

[bonio]

@Bender Corded jobbie. The replacement's just arrived from Sportsbikeshop.

[Bender]

2 hours ago, bonio said:

@Bender Corded jobbie. The replacement's just arrived from Sportsbikeshop.

When system is it? 

[bonio]

It's a Helite Airvest