What could I have done better

[Phil57]

As posted I crashed on Monday on the flat top. It was 4 lane rush hour and speed was 65 mph. Traffic was merging on from the right so I moved to the fast lane with a exit lane still to my left. I moved my feet to the pegs and had my hand on the brake. The car merging from the right moved to the slow lane  and suddenly came across my front to catch the exit on the left. I hit the brakes front and rear and the bike went to a sever wobble. I don't remember what happened next until I was trying to get up off the road. What caused the wabbel I know most of the braking is from the front did I hit the rear to hard to early? This is not leaving my head right now and I need to understand it better. Any advice would be appreateted. Note this was all a split sec

[shooter64]

Nobody can say they could have done better. You hit the brakes, missed getting crushed by the car. Good job. You are still here to tell about it. We all know it can happen.

[tank_post142]

shooter is right on. but you'll find more pressure on the rear brake will keep the bike straight. use the frt brake for stopping.

[Former BMW Guy]

Don't know about the wobble....warped front rotors perhaps?
The only thing I would have done differently is to downshift at least two gears and utilized engine braking. Yes, can be done even in a panic situation. A good habit to get in to.
Glad you're OK

JP

[sandy]

You don't say how many miles are on the bike. When you are putting it back together, look at the rear shock bushings. If you're over 100K, it might be stearing neck bearings. Tire pressures?

[Big Rig]

Phil,


You came out alive...banged up sure but still on the right side of the green stuff. When I had my accident, I asked my self the same sort of questions...

Becuase there are just too many variables your answer should always be I SURVIVED to ride another day.

Heal quick and buy back the valk...if you can work with your agent, try to convince him to let you keep the bike without totaling it.

[cookiedough]

Just be thankful as others say you are hear to tell the story.  Downshifting is good for engine braking, but don't do what I did and go from 5th to 2nd at around guessing 45-50 mph and let out the clutch.  I think 3rd gear would've been just fine, but 2nd not good.  The back end got a little squirrley and skidded the back end a tad sideways when I let out the clutch. 

I've learned to be a tad more careful after seeing a head on crash out my backyard truck vs. mid-sized car and the remnants of what was left.  Very heads up on your part avoiding hitting any other car or stationary object on the road. Live to ride another day.

[Willow]

I don't believe down shifting in a panic situation can be done or can be helpful.  The Valkyrie brake will lock up the rear wheel.  You can't get more braking than that.  The danger with a rear brake in a panic is not under braking but over braking.

It sounds from your description like you were too much on the rear and not enough on the front, but all that is guessing from a sketchy description.

Practice hard stops.  You came out of this one alive and relatively well.  

Don't spend a lot of time with second guessing.  

[FloridaValkRyder]

I don't believe down shifting in a panic situation can be done or can be helpful.  The Valkyrie brake will lock up the rear wheel.  You can't get more braking than that.  The danger with a rear brake in a panic is not under braking but over braking.

It sounds from your description like you were too much on the rear and not enough on the front, but all that is guessing from a sketchy description.

Practice hard stops.  You came out of this one alive and relatively well. 

Don't spend a lot of time with second guessing. 

Can't give better advice than that..practice, practice, practice.

[Oss]

yes you can go down while riding straight ahead just with the front brake  I did it  oil on road
feet never left the highway pegs


The truth is you are alive to ride another day

If it makes you feel better to think you went down because of your error then so be it but let it go and practice your stopping

wouldnt hurt to check your front brakes and the brake lines if lots of miles on em

Heal well and get that Valk back on the road  

[RainMaker]

Sometimes, you can do everything well and they still get you.

All any of us can do is ride like "they" are all trying to kill us and avoid potentially dangerous situations to the best of our ability.

Rejoice that you are alive and stop kicking yourself.  Heal quickly and listen to the doctors. And when you get cleared by the doc, get right back in the saddle.

That's what I did after my extremely similar accident 70k miles ago.

[Phil57]

I know that this was not my fault and I tend to beat my self p a bit when something like this happens. The brakes and fluid front and back where new and in excellent working order so not te issue. I have to much time on my hands so just working things out in my head out loud. Thanks for listening and for the input.

[Jess Tolbirt]

the only thing i try to keep in mind is that at every exit somebody will dart for it, so look around you at all times,,,

[old2soon]

The Navy pilots i flew with a long time ago had a saying-ANY wreck you can walk away from be a good one. Second guessing yerself solves nuttin. You are breathing-you seem to be functioning now-go with it and thank GOD yer still here. RIDE SAFE.

[Moonshot_1]

Yeah, this will go round and round in your head for a while.
I know I kept reliving my accident and wondered how I could have avoided it. Wasn't much I could do when the guy driving the tractor don't look before he hangs a left and clips me as I go by and had a wobble thing and bam on the ground. But I've wondered what might have happened if I did this or that.

As to your issue, a possibility is that when you saw the car merge into your lane you not only hit the brakes but likely swerved somewhat. Maybe at that moment there was a seam in the road, an imperfection of some kind, that when all combined, just sent things into crazy land.

It's been mentioned in previous post about practicing hard stops.+1 on that.
I practice at some point on virtually every ride. Out on the open road and come to a stop sign with no one around, practice the controlled hard stop. Next time when you absolutely positively have to stop right now, you do it as 2nd nature with confidence and control.

Last year I practiced alot and it save me from eating raw deer meat a half dozen times.
No kidding.

Hope you get back on your feet and the saddle soon.

[Karen]

Since I have a trike, I don't have swing arm bushings, but if the Valks have them please check. I had a terrifying wobble at speed from them on an old 750. Rode it out, slowed gradually and the oscillation stopped, but I remember looking at the pavement and thinking "This is gonna hurt..."

[Pete]

You are asking yourself a healthy question.

Could I have done something different or better? That is OK.

Just do not beat yourself up, if you learn something it will make you a safer rider and that is good to.

Give you bike a real going over to see if it will tell you something.

I would suspect to much rear brake, but that is just a guess.

Ride safe and good luck.

[john]

'' 4 lane rush hour and speed was 65 mph. Traffic was merging ''           
whoa ...
 wrong place ... wrong time     ???

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Sounds to me like you did well in a tough situation. Spots of oil causing varying traction could possibly have caused you wobble combined with the rear tire lockup. Once the front brake has moved most of the weight to the front it doesn't take much rear brake to cause a lockup. Mine will sometimes fishtail under that circumstance and sometimes it won't.

I think you did well in a bad situation. The only thing I would add as has been mentioned is to practice panic stops. I do it pretty often when I'm free of traffic. Don't practice so hard that it gets unsafe but practice. Also, as has been mentioned, hitting an oil soaked spot while hard on the front brake can cause the front end to wash out subjecting you to the extreme violence of a high-side, I imagine it could cause a wobble too.

I witnessed someone close to me high side once on pavement. His body actually appeared to smoke as he was slammed into the pavement. He walked away but was very lucky.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Also, I understand perfectly the need to play it over in your mind wondering what you should have done differently. I've been laid up since 2/17/12 over a leg I broke on the valk in 2008. I've played the broken leg  over a million times in my head. It's just human nature I think.

[Phil57]

Pete I think your right,any time you can reflect on something that has gone wrong and learn from it is good. I sure wish I could get my hands on the bike and get the plans ready to fix her and get it back on the road again. Lots of thoughts going through my head right now even thinking of letting the crashed bike set for now and using the insurance money for a sweet I/S some nice ones out there right now. Good way to end up with 2 bikes.
To make things even harder I'm picking up a new 40' motor home on Monday that I have a lot to learn about. This collar bone and ribs are just frustrating right now. Hopefully Monday I can get this cather out and start towards normal again. I hope I don't get used to it and just piss myself when they take it out. This thing would be great at the bar or a all day ride.
 

[YoungPUP]

You're alive. That means you did it right.  Practice is the key to all of it. Would recommend an experienced rider course when you're mended.

[Jabba]

I can't add anything... except that I think a post action critique is a great thing to subject yourself to.

I try to never ride next to anyone on the highway.  I know it's not always possible.

Glad you're ok.

Jabba

[Ice]

You're alive. That means you did it right.  Practice is the key to all of it. Would recommend an experienced rider course when you're mended.

I agree with YoungPUP, the Advanced MSF course will help immensely, it will also give you the confidence back that you need to get back in the saddle.