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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Crash /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1112643028 Message started by Red_Wine on 04/04/05 at 12:30:28 |
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Title: Crash Post by Red_Wine on 04/04/05 at 12:30:28 Hi fellas, I just want to share my last crash; some idiot cagers skipped a stop sign (claimed he did not see me, since some trees by the curb obstructed his vision) I saw the guy stop before the sig, but then he kept going, panicked in the middle of the intersection and stopped BANG!!!, I could slow down, but not fully stop so I hit his front fender at an angle, flew a few feet. I got a bruised ankle as only personal damage; bike got left-side turn signals smashed, bent left footpeg and gear lever, nothing major or hard to fix. The problem is that I think the forks are bent, since when braking, the bike tends to drift sideways. Does it mean bent forks? I cann't see if the handlebars are bent or not (I guess they are, but not sure). Any info would be appreciated. Take care, RW |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by PerrydaSavage on 04/04/05 at 14:21:21 Whoa R.W.!! :o Sorry to hear of your accident amigo :( I hope that you are OK and that your beloved Savage can be fixed in short order ... Take care amigo ... get well and Ride Safe. |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Paladin on 04/04/05 at 15:02:20 Crash = bad. Able to write about it = good. I'm a dunce with fixing bikes, but if it ends up you need new forks you can look into the extend front end that HogHunter has -- either for yourself, or for another and you buy their stock forks. |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by thehoghunter on 04/04/05 at 15:11:06 Glad you were able to 'walk' away from your accident - as far as the front forks - I can't tell you if that means they are screwed or not. My guess is that they are. As far as the extended forks from Seegercycle - that uses the original lower portion of the forks so if those are messed up you wouldn't want to spend all that $$$ for something that would not work anyway. That also lets you know that I can't get you the complete set of forks, but if the uppers would help you out, let me know. Anything above the fork oil seal I should have sitting around somewhere. |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Ed_L. on 04/04/05 at 15:40:02 Red, sorry to hear about your crash and am glad to hear you didn't get hurt any worse. I read somewhere that the front end of a Savage can get knocked out of alinement without bending anything. Try loosening the front axle bolt and the bolts on the triple tree. Bounce it a couple of times and tighten it back up. If the handle bars look bent check the bolts in the risers, I've found that they bend first. Ed L. |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Mr 650 on 04/04/05 at 15:46:19 Man! I hate it.>:( Glad you are OK. I would say dude owes you whatever it takes to put it right. |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Greg_650 on 04/04/05 at 15:57:40 Red_Wine wrote:
Whoa....it sure is good that you walked away with just these minor damages. The forks can be twisted in the triple trees, and you can usually see if there is a little twist by just trying to "eyeball" them. You can straighten them after loosening the lower tree clamps on the tubes. Best bet would be to take it to a shop and have it looked at since it seems that the expense should be paid for by the cager. Good deal that you were able to walk and ride away from this one.... |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Savage_Rob on 04/04/05 at 20:30:41 When you can walk away that easily, it's a good day. I'm glad to hear that's the case. |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Red_Wine on 04/05/05 at 08:34:43 Thanks for all the support and ideas, fellow riders :) As an update to the fork issue, my mechanic said that the forks and tripple tree did not look bent, at least, at "eye ball". ;D However, he will check that with his "magic" trick, he would lay a parallel set of tubes and measure the forks from various angles and see... :o Once I get a final word on the forks, I'll see what Hoghunter's upper end can do for me. The handlegbars were bent, but not much and we "bent" them in the opposite direction with a long pipe and a couple of big "pushes", they seem to be quite even now. While breaking, most of the "drift" has gone after the "pushes", so if the forks are bent, then it should be by not much. Whew!!! He said he could straight them up with a "press" he's got. I wonder if "pressing" the forks straight is doable and worth it. Right now, I'm riding the bike to see if I can detect any "drift" or something, as well as any handling issues that may have appeared after the crush. Nothing serious so far, but I'll keep everyone informed about the outcome of this little "saga". Thanks to all, and watch out for those cagers!!!! >:( RW |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by WD on 04/05/05 at 08:49:13 I've had my Savage hit a couple times. A little old blue hair coming out of a local casino on the Gulf Coast drove right into the rear tire. 2 different Goldwings hit it at 2 seperate runs. Without a doubt is a sickening feeling. Glad you are alright and that your bike sounds okay as well. As for your forks, I puled into the yard one day, hit the brake on the wet lawn, and hit a tree at speed. Forks got "whonky", used the pinch bolt loosening and axle loosening trick, they popped right back to normal. Yours should as well. Good luck, and watch your backside! -WD |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Red_Wine on 04/05/05 at 09:31:49 WD wrote:
Hi WD, I agree with you, it's a disgusting feeling, specially after you spent hours the day before cleaning, shining and waxing your beauty :( I do not understand your "pinch bolt loosening and axle loosening trick"; I do not know what a pinch bolt is. Thanks for the tip, thou. Take care, RW |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Michael on 04/05/05 at 12:42:11 Red Wine; I am glad you are ok, and that your bike suffered little damage. Hope the forks are ok. I pretty much had the same thing happen to me, last summer. A spoiled little rich brat in daddy's SUV....Thank god I had a full face helmet, as my head bounced of the truck. I had slowed down amost to a stop, before the impact, but still quite a thud. The savage suffered a broken winshield, and a scraped front fender. It certainly changed my outlook on city driving. I sometimes now think I am too cautious, to the point of paranoid. Not sure if that is a good thing, or a bad thing. It will take a while to get your confidence back,and you WILL... but never let your guard down...The road is full of fools. Cheers Michael |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Red_Wine on 04/05/05 at 14:42:31 Michael wrote:
Yeah Mike, agree... I just rode the bike a few miles today to check the forks and got scared by a car stopping to close to the curb... :o just pure paranoia... :o I know it will go away, this is my 6th crash in 13 years (good average, eh?) ;D , so I know I'll relax again... 8) until the next one.... :o Forks seemed to be OK, but would probably need more riding time to make a final decision. Take care, RW |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Reelthing on 04/05/05 at 18:55:07 RW, glad to read you and your bike are back on the road and in reasonable shape after a cage encounter - it's good to have some paranoia going for sure here around the rush hours - it's not just more traffic it's more fools - by the way if the bike is still pulling when you brake the Clymer manual states a common cause is worn needle bearings in the swingarm - in your case maybe some light damage in the area? |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by WD on 04/05/05 at 21:05:15 "Pinch bolt loosening"? Look near the axle on the lower ends of the forks. there are a couple of hex head screws that should be backed out a turn or two. Very slightly loosen the axle nut. Loosen the hex head screws in the lower triple tree. Bounce the bike on the front suspension two or three times by pushing forward and hitting the front brake. The forks should realign themselves...if they do, tighten up the bolts and get back to riding, if not, the cage driver owes you a new front suspension, complete. Complete as in from the top of the mirrors to the bottom side of the tire. Only fair. -WD |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Red_Wine on 04/06/05 at 09:00:30 Thanks WD, I'll give that a try on Saturday, right now, I'm pretty busy with the office, and my boss being away on business ;D Regarding the bearings ReelThing is pointing to, I doubt it, but taht is also in the to-be-checked list, thanks. Again, I'll let you know what I find out. Take care, RW |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by babbalou on 04/08/05 at 18:33:38 Glad you're OK. I got smacked by a Chevy truck 6 weeks ago & had to straighten out my right footpeg & glue my right rear turn signal back on. My right shin isn't purple anymore but it's still a little sore when I run. I'm actually considering getting a neon orange hunter's jacket for riding because some cagers are blind. I put reflective tape all over my helmet for night riding. |
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Title: Re: Crash Post by Red_Wine on 04/11/05 at 07:38:53 babbalou wrote:
Thanks Babalou, I did the same to my helmet, and might add a few reflective strips to strategic parts of my Savage... take care, RW |
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