Literally have my new buddy for less than 24hrs and I've already taken a spill. We've had a lot of rain in Baltimore the last few days and it finally cleared up this morning. Will the pavement still slightly damp and the sun bright I thought this would still be a perfect day to ride. I was at a stop sign so i made a complete stop, when i pulled the throttle and made my left turn i skidded on some water and i quickly crashed on my left side dropping the bike. Pretty scratched up and the headlight also popped out but it still works. When I turned the bike back on she sounded fine. I still ended up driving her to work with no issues.
Question: By this being my first scooter, is it worth taking it back to the shop to get it fixed or checked out? Or am i better off getting it repaired and or looked at when I go in for my first 500 check up.
Sorry to hear of you going down. Buddies are pretty hearty machines so if it's working properly, it really depends on if you can live with your scoot looking like that. Me personally, I'd have it fixed asap cos of my OCD with keeping everything I own nice and proper...
I'd fix the light and inspect the brake levers. Fix the body when your more experienced. Did u take an msf course? A great book to read is "proficient motorcycling".
161cc big bore kit, NCY big valve head Hand ported, NCY transmission kit, jetted and tuned. I can port your cylinder head.
I'd have the shop look at it right away. Panels and some parts can take quite a while to get, so you will want to place an order for what is needed. Now, about dropping the bike. Time for some additional riding and safety training. Riding a scooter safely is a skill, and it takes some work to acquire that. The MSF Basic Course is the best way to start, but reading sources such as Proficient Motorcycling is certainly useful. Practice, practice, practice - and beware of overconfidence.
Losing traction on wet pavement like that is a rookie mistake... which is understandable, with you being a rookie and all. Getting right back on the horse is a good strategy, but also consider more training and/or sticking to safer conditions until you get more experience. When I started scooting, I limited myself to daylight, dry roads, and 25-35mph speed limits, and didn't take the proverbial training wheels off and ride at night or in wet conditions or in fast traffic until I knew I'd mastered the basics.
If you have any doubts about the mechanical integrity of the bike, I'd take it in now rather than waiting.
It does happen. Even experienced riders go down in the right (or should I say WRONG) circumstances.
With experience you'll be confident on all kinds of terrain in different conditions, so don't beat yourself up too much.
More practice. If the headlight aim is true, you can possibly wait if you want, but I echo others saying maybe getting it inspected immediately is a good way to go. Peace of mind is worth it.
So long as you're not injured now you've gotten it out of the way!
Sigh.... Ok i guess I'll take her in. Just figured since im new i'll def prob have a few minor spills and or scratches and didnt want to run the chance of throwing $$ down the tube
Drum Pro wrote:They always say it's not IF you'll go down but WHEN. Get back on the horse cowboy. It's worth it....
I second the above. I've been down twice both on Hondas. A '86 Honda Elite 150 the first time. 9 days in the hospital plus 8 days in a rehab center but I started restoring her one day after I got back home. The 17 days total and my lap top by my bedside gave me a lot of time to cruise the Internet and get replacement panels and parts. The second was a '87 Honda Elite Se50 but I was able to walk away from that one. Also spent time on the Internet getting replacement parts and panels. Will there be a 3rd time? Very likely and my luck may indeed run out. But I don't let it deter me. I'm just a LOT more careful and I ride defensively 100% of the time with helmet, eye protection and armored jacket on always. So, yes, definitely get back on that horse cowboy.
Bill in Seattle who will be 81 in 4 short months
'12 170i Italia
scootnerd wrote:Sigh.... Ok i guess I'll take her in. Just figured since im new i'll def prob have a few minor spills and or scratches and didnt want to run the chance of throwing $$ down the tube
More spills aren't inevitable. With care and luck, you could go 10K miles without anything happening. Sure, accidents are more likely than if you were experienced, but there's a lot you can do to avoid them, by being aware of surface conditions, traffic around you, proper turning and braking techniques, etc. It's important to recognize your limitations, but I think it's better to use that understanding to better avoid spills, rather than to expect and accept them.
If you don't want to spend money on cosmetic repairs that you're afraid you'll just wreck again, that's reasonable. You can ask the mechanic to give you a quote for only items that affect safety/performance (with the promise that you'll be back for new shiny parts later).
TVB wrote:More spills aren't inevitable. With care and luck, you could go 10K miles without anything happening.
Well said. I've certainly done several times 10k without an accident, so it is hardly inevitable. I always flinch at these posts labeled "first spill" as if the owner is planning several more in the next month or two. If I honestly thought that is what riding a scooter had in store, I'd take up kit flying.
TVB wrote:More spills aren't inevitable. With care and luck, you could go 10K miles without anything happening.
Well said. I've certainly done several times 10k without an accident, so it is hardly inevitable. I always flinch at these posts labeled "first spill" as if the owner is planning several more in the next month or two. If I honestly thought that is what riding a scooter had in store, I'd take up kit flying.
Pfft. What are you, some kind of careful driver who pays attention to your surroundings? I bet you wear gear and plan, too .
I'm approaching 30k total miles on my 2 wheeled vehicles, and aside from 1 force of nature, spills have been few. Mostly at 0mph closing my gate or moving them around my obstacle course of a lot where we park .
Yes, it's technically a “rookie mistake,” but don't think that only rookies make it or beat yourself up about it.
I did basically the same thing with 2,500 miles, an MSF course, and Proficient Motorcycling under my belt. By no means am I saying that made me a seasoned rider, but I knew better. Didn't help me in the moment though.
That said, I am not in the “crashing is inevitable” camp. I plan on riding until old age without ever crashing. Just in case I'm wrong though, I always dress for the crash
I second Rex-M.
Take the Basic MSF course, you will learn a lot and it will save your life. Shit happens but common sense is king. There is zero offensive driving when operating a motorcycle and you never have the right of way. Never take a chance to shave a few minutes off your commute time. Always rock the gear and that's hi-viz gear. Dress for the crash, not the ride.
Getting right back on the horse is a good strategy, but also consider more training and/or sticking to safer conditions until you get more experience. When I started scooting, I limited myself to daylight, dry roads, and 25-35mph speed limits, and didn't take the proverbial training wheels off and ride at night or in wet conditions or in fast traffic until I knew I'd mastered the basics.
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