Wipeout!

skotot · Post by **skotot** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:27 pm

Well, I had a little spill on Wednesday night. I rode from my house down to my campus for a supplemental study group for a math test like a good student. The scooter/motorcycle parking by the building it was in is terrible. They took a car space on the end of the row and painted four perpendicular lines for scooters to go into, so you have to turn 180 to get into the spot. What's worse is that the road randomly turns gravel for about ten feet right where you have to turn around. Well I'm turning right 180 degrees to get into the parking space and I'm looking down and to the side to make sure I'm not hitting a hole or something. I look up after a second and a bicycle cuts across in front of me and freaks me out, so I hit the brakes. I guess one locked up because it started to skid, so I leaned to the left to straighten up. I wound up over compensating and flopped over to the left.

Now, this is where I just am flat out stupid. The Buddy is laying on her left side, still running. Now, I know I should hit the kill switch. But I am kinda shook up and I wanted to look nonchalant in front of the few people that were watching. I reach down and left the Buddy up by the handle. The RIGHT handle. Well, it gets to be about 60 degrees up before the engine revs from the handle twisting, and it takes off out of my hands and it crashes again with me just standing there. Smooooooth.

I went to the doctor just to make sure nothing got chipped when the scoot fell on my leg. I probably have the most mild case of road rash in the history of humans, too. Still can't walk without gimping around though. The Buddy miraculously survived without a scratch! Both my mirrors are kinda loose though...

The bicycle guy took off. I probably would have too. It wasn't his fault, and probably didn't want to get yelled at by a crazy bearded guy saying it was.

Becktastic · Post by **Becktastic** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:20 pm

Oh man that sucks. At least you and your bud are in decent condition. I probably should have gone to the doc after my spill. It's been a month now and my knee still hurts when I touch it with much pressure or walk/hike on it for very long. Buddies are pretty tough, my girl has a couple scrapes, but they aren't very noticeable.

LisaLisa · Post by **LisaLisa** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:25 pm

WOW! No scratches on the Buddy!
You are the luckiest person in the world!

Get better and get riding soon!

Alix B · Post by **Alix B** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:58 pm

Sorry but happy you are both ok.

Always, step, away from the bike. Make sure you are really ok. Let the adrenalin die down a bit.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:09 am

Sorry to hear about your small dump. Glad it wasn't worse. You should post on the "who's crashed" string for the enlightenment of the others.

Your story got me thinking. Most crashes by newer riders seem to involve transitions from pavement to a loose surface or entering a corner too fast. Then the rider brakes and/or aggressively swerves and down they go.

newslinky · Post by **newslinky** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:31 am

+1 to the glad you are both unhurt and sorry to hear about your crash.

skotot · Post by **skotot** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 5:42 pm

That doesn't sound good, Becktastic. I didn;t go to the doctor six years ago when I hurt my foot playing basketball, and now I have permanent ligament damage and limp around when the weather is just right. Don't let that happen to you!

Being the stubborn person I am, I was back on the Buddy the next morning, although I couldn't [and still can't] put my left leg down at stops. I even revisited the scene of the accident and parked in my intended space on Friday.

Becktastic · Post by **Becktastic** » Sat Oct 04, 2008 6:12 pm

Yeah, but I'm afraid they'll tell me to stop doing things I really like

skywalker · Post by **skywalker** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 1:24 am

skotot,
Sorry to hear about your wipeout. Thank goodness that your not hurt, to bad, and your buddy is not all messed up.
I think I have seen you riding around town, NIU. I was working around Augusta Ave and College Ave for a couple of weeks, two weeks ago. I seen you a few times riding your buddy. I was trying to see if it was a 50 or a 125, but now I know it's a 50.

MrNatural · Post by **MrNatural** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 2:08 am

Had a knucklehead mishap myself a couple wks ago. I was at a local lake to go for a run and knew it was going to be dark by the time I got back so I decided to lock up Buddy (for the first time all yr). Well I wasn't close enough to anything to lock it to so I just threaded the cable thru the front wheel and snapped it closed.

I get back to the scoot, towel off, change shirt, insert key, and........ drive away. Or at least attempt to. I ended up pulling the cable thru the fork about 2-3x before I stop.

Oh, the worst actually was I'm about 5mi from home and the lock where the key fits had gotten scraped on the road so I can't get the key in to unlock it!!! I'm thinking, ok it'll be about an hour walk/run home. Drive back w/hacksaw to cut cable. Drive scooter home. Get on bicycle, ride ?BACK to car, load bike in car, drive home and bang my head against the wall. FORTUNATELY I had a couple tools and after about 20min of jabbing/poking at the lock I finally got the key in. Off I went but had to have the speedo cable replaced.

skotot · Post by **skotot** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 5:15 pm

Becktastic, I had to be told to stop playing guitar all summer while I went to physical therapy to get my right rotator cuff back in shape [had tendinitis and I couldn't move it very far without it hurting]. Long story short, it's worth giving up something you love doing [and in this case, my job too] to get yourself fixed up or else you won't be able to do what you love for much longer.

Skywalker! DeKalb?! I thought that I was the only Buddy owner in this town since Genuine Dealers are so far away. What do you usually ride around on? I haven't seen your Buddy... Also, did you catch the scooter article in NIU's paper last week? I was upset about the liberal use of the word "moped", but I think that was my Buddy [or yours?] that they drew.

I am always afraid of pulling away with my disc lock still on, even with the orange cord on my handlebar. Seems waaay too easy to do something like that. Hopefully nothing was damaged too badly other than the chain.

Becktastic · Post by **Becktastic** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 5:59 pm

skotot wrote:Becktastic, I had to be told to stop playing guitar all summer while I went to physical therapy to get my right rotator cuff back in shape [had tendinitis and I couldn't move it very far without it hurting]. Long story short, it's worth giving up something you love doing [and in this case, my job too] to get yourself fixed up or else you won't be able to do what you love for much longer.

I am always afraid of pulling away with my disc lock still on, even with the orange cord on my handlebar. Seems waaay too easy to do something like that. Hopefully nothing was damaged too badly other than the chain.

I've been taking it pretty easy on myself...but I always go backpacking in the summer, so my knee better be ready by then...

Going to a doctor, do they really do anything aside from telling you to take it easy and wait it out? A friend suggested joint supplements...

And about driving with your lock on, I started to the other day. My Xena lock seems to be getting quiet and less sensitive. I got on, started her up and took a couple steps to back up and I hear a little "chirp!" and I knew I left the lock on. I jumped off and flung her on the kick stand and -then- it started going off. At least I'm not the only one having blonde moments...

skywalker · Post by **skywalker** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 6:25 pm

skotot wrote:Becktastic, I had to be told to stop playing guitar all summer while I went to physical therapy to get my right rotator cuff back in shape [had tendinitis and I couldn't move it very far without it hurting]. Long story short, it's worth giving up something you love doing [and in this case, my job too] to get yourself fixed up or else you won't be able to do what you love for much longer.

Skywalker! DeKalb?! I thought that I was the only Buddy owner in this town since Genuine Dealers are so far away. What do you usually ride around on? I haven't seen your Buddy... Also, did you catch the scooter article in NIU's paper last week? I was upset about the liberal use of the word "moped", but I think that was my Buddy [or yours?] that they drew.

I am always afraid of pulling away with my disc lock still on, even with the orange cord on my handlebar. Seems waaay too easy to do something like that. Hopefully nothing was damaged too badly other than the chain.

No I did not read that article, but they were most likely talking about your Buddy as I have not riden mine that much in Dekalb. I live about 2 miles south of DeKalb and have only ridden it twice into town. We have another house in Lake Geneva and last weekend rode about 50 miles around Lake Geneva and Lake Como. I seen two Buddies parked together at Pot Belly's in Lake Geneva last weekend.
My Buddy has only 125 miles on it. I bought it with 22 miles on it used. If you every need anything or need your buddy taken up to the dealer in Lake Geneva let me know, as I have a truck and enclosed trailer for hauling them around. This summer we would go up to Lake Geneva just about every weekend. I wish I would of bought mine early in the year, as I have only had mine for about a month, and know with the weather gettting colder. Might not ride it as much. I think we might be heading back up to Lake Geneva this coming weekend to do some more riding.

Becktastic · Post by **Becktastic** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:13 pm

skywalker wrote: My Buddy has only 125 miles on it. I bought it with 22 miles on it used.

Why would someone sell a Buddy after just 22 miles?! o_O

skywalker · Post by **skywalker** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:30 pm

Becktastic wrote:
skywalker wrote: My Buddy has only 125 miles on it. I bought it with 22 miles on it used.
Why would someone sell a Buddy after just 22 miles?! o_O

Becktastic, They won it at some salon. They had it for a year and never used it. I bought it off ebay. I was the only bidder $1201.00. I thought I got a pretty deal. I had to drive to Cleveland, 6 hours each way to pick it up, but still worth every penny I paid for it.

Becktastic · Post by **Becktastic** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:41 pm

skywalker wrote:Becktastic, They won it at some salon. They had it for a year and never used it. I bought it off ebay. I was the only bidder $1201.00. I thought I got a pretty deal. I had to drive to Cleveland, 6 hours each way to pick it up, but still worth every penny I paid for it.

Heck yeah! That's a steal on a practically new Buddy

skywalker · Post by **skywalker** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 7:51 pm

I wanted a Buddy 125. But I put a bid on this 50 thinking no way would I get it. Well I got it. I am still looking for a 125. I almost bought a 125 yesterday but it was way to far away. I would like to try a 125 just to see and feel the difference between the 50.

skotot · Post by **skotot** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:45 pm

I'm wanting to sell my Buddy 50 next season and upgrade to an International. I don't like having to push the poor gal so hard all the time. Plus, it would be nice to be able to go on Peace Road... And thanks for your offer. I might have to take you up on that sometime. I rode the Buddy to Rockford for my checkup on country roads and the two hour trip pissed a lot of people on the road off. And that dealership knew absolutely NOTHING about how to service the Buddy [literally asked me what they were supposed to do other than change the oil on my 50cc....]. So I think I'll be taking her up to MAC where I bought her from now on. Hopefully I won't need to before I sell to upgrade =)