Why did I come off

[GavinH]

Hi,

just over 2 weeks ago, i came off my Buddy 170i while turning left. I was travelling no more then 15 mph when the front wheel went from underneath me, and I went down quickly. Breaking a bone in my foot.
So the problem is, I can't explain why it happended. I am interested in peoples thoughts, as this has a reluctance to climb on board again.

There was some debris in the vacinity why may have contributed.

G

[TVB]

Sorry to hear about your injury; I hope it heals quickly.

The debris you mention seems like a likely culprit. If there's loose dirt/sand/grit on the pavement that can cause your wheel to slip in a turn. I've skidded on such stuff several times, the worst being some wet leaves. I've become extra careful looking for that sort of thing when I make turns.

[jrsjr]

Sorry to hear about your crash. And your broken foot. I know that can't be a lot of fun. I would appreciate it if you would post this event in our "Who's Crashed" thread. One of the questions Eric asks is whether you've taken the MSF course. In the basic (and advanced) MSF courses, they teach you the kind of skills you need to avoid crashes like yours.

It is possible to ride hard on the streets, but scooters are peculiar beasts when they are heeled over into a turn. Before you heel over into a turn you should be looking ahead and picking your safe line through the turn and doing your braking. As you come into the turn you should be off the brakes and transitioning back onto the gas to ride through the safe line you've chosen through the turn.

Using the front brake while you are heeled over (even touching the front brake a little bit by accident) is begging for trouble for two reasons. If the front tire is on a sketchy surface, it will slip out from under the bike. As you've discovered, it's like tipping a chair over on a slick floor and having somebody kick the chair out from under you. You're down on the ground almost instantly. The other reason not to use the front brake while you are leaned over in a turn is that the bike will try to stand up and go "straight." If you are going around a left hand turn, that will cause you to go off the road to the right. If you are going around a right-hand turn, that will cause you to go left into oncoming traffic.

Again, sorry about your crash and your broken foot. I hope you will consider taking the MSF courses and continuing to develop your riding skills until all this cornering stuff is second nature.

[TroutBum]

Definitely look ahead. Unlike a car you have only two wheels touching the road and very little of it at that. All it takes is a single pebble to create enough instability between the tire and the solid pavement to put you at risk of taking a spill.

[opposable_thumbs]

The tar snakes in the road get VERY squishy when hot. My front tire can easily move around unexpectedly.

[CROSSBOLT]

It does not take much sand or gravel on a paved corner to act like ball bearings between the tire and the road and WIPE-OUT!!

Karl

[GavinH]

Everybody, much appreciate the comments and advice. I think I will do the MSF course. I guess its possible a had a bit of pressure on the front break, and that the debris was a factor. I will definately pick my line better in the future.

[JHScoot]

So the problem is, I can't explain why it happended.
G

two wheels and physics

why does it happen? like it did to you? idk....because it happens. like the old Rush song says....

practice more, don't be scared. happens to a lot of us at first. even the broken stuff. look at it as getting it out of the way right off the bat

you will know if riding is for you or not. a broken foot sure can be discouraging for the beginner, but you can't really figure out the fall if all seemed well. could be simple inexperience

and of course two wheels and the laws pf physics. what can happen will happen, etc. if not to you, to someone else. its just the odds at work. so we gotta do what we can to minimize those odds for ourselves

[bbg.will]

I've had that happen a few times on my dirtbike... It happens when i grab too much front brake in a turn... braking + debris = quick trip to the ground... Sorry to hear you got hurt...