Safe Speed Forums

repiV might well be SLIGHTLY full of it, but I think we all were a month after a test pass. Personally I think there MIGHT be more to the tank slapper he suffered than just rider error - powering on in a corner in the wet might well cause the back end to step out but not to fishtail like he describes, and the initial step out under hard acceleration like that is usually violent enough to send the unaware rider down. It might well have been rider error, but it also might well be mechanical fault - I wouldn't put it past a hire company to have mixed radials and crossplys for instance, or have badly adjusted / messed with / damaged suspension.

The most important thing is that he's here and he's discussing what happened with more experienced riders. I'm still learning and I've been on the road 4 years. Give the guy a brake FFS - he's been riding for a month in London and he's still here, that's gotta be worth SOMETHING.

Sounds to me like repiV hit a bit of oil/deisel/white line/manhole cover on cold tyres and rather than backing off just kept the throttle on or the swerving was causing the throttle to be jerked on and off thus causing the pendulum effect.

Loss of grip on the rear in wet or damp conditions is invariably attributed to too much throttle and not enough grip. Times to be aware of the lack of grip on road surfaces are when icy, when gritted, when wet and especially when wet after a long dry spell as the oils in the road leech out and sit on the water causing a skid pan.

Glad to hear that you are ok repiV but I think you know you were lucky. I suggest that you now think about when and where you give it the beans to ensure you continue to enjoy your rides.

Possibly because wet roads are usually greasy roads.

Your accident was entirely preventable, but really you just need more experience.

I suggest you buy a less powerful bike. Walk before you run.

As I've already said, I didn't lose grip. I was riding fairly cautiously and I've ridden much harder in far worse weather without any issues whatsoever.
The only time I've ever lost grip since passing my test was today when the back end was sliding around slightly on the Bandit at sub-20mph...I really don't need to get a less powerful bike.

Well your front wheel didn't suddenly decide to disobey the laws of physics. If it wasn't a loss of grip, then I'd guess the back wheel was pushing the front wheel faster than it wanted to go.

If you've ridden in worse weather without issues, I'd say that Lady Luck finally called in your debt. I hate to be pedantic but if you don't understand what happened, then you can't say you don't need a less powerful bike. I suggest you ask for advice on some biking forums.

If the tire isn't perfectly aligned with your current direction of travel, the caster built into the front end's geometry will try and cause it to line up. Usually though, it will go too far in correcting things. Your handlebars will go to the right, then to the left, and so on. Eventually, the oscillation will die out on its own, unless we interfere.

Ok, but why would the ground not be there? Picture yourself exiting a turn on a powerful motorcycle like an R1. As you near the end of the turn, you are starting to stand the bike up and you are rolling on the throttle progressively harder. If you are accelerating hard enough, the front end will pick up and wheelie. If the bike was not perfectly upright, then you still would have had some turning input in the bars. Now with the front end off the ground, the ground can no longer push back. The bars are now turned further inward just as you pull in the clutch to perform an upshift. The front end sets back down on the road, immediately forcing the front tire to try and line back up with your actual direction of travel. A tankslapper ensues.

Sorry for the late reply...

So I'm going to receive something else through the post? I haven't received anything from them so far. Bear in mind it's a courtesy bike arranged through a non-fault accident support company (which I crashed later on that day - not my week at all, so I have a different courtesy bike with a different reg no. now) so them getting my address will not be a straightforward process.

hi repiV is this you http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=21386



you really have had a rough time in your 2 months of driving

Which surprised me actually because I'd really nailed it away from the lights and I hadn't expected the following traffic to catch up that quickly

As a coach driver this statement is frightening, I am regularly 'nailed' around speed cameras, people are using the vehicle as a shield against the camera. I always have a braking space ahead which so far has prevented disaster as vehicles dive back into lane.