Crashed the Harley

"Mercedes Streeter" (smart) 07/30/2020 at 16:27 • Filed to: crash

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This is something that happened a few weeks ago. I’ll start by saying I’m okay and the Sportster is also okay.

The shorter version is that I was riding to my girlfriend’s place in traffic. A green SUV decided to stop at a green light (texting?) and while I had more than enough room to stop, I used too much force and locked the rear brake. I couldn’t change lanes (other lanes had faster moving traffic) and so just tried to lane split.

Edit: I was using both brakes to what I thought was full power without initiating lock up ...I t wasn’t enough for whatever reason, be it speed, I had more brakes I could have used, or something wrong with the brakes.

I wasn’t successful and the Harley’s crash bar made contact with the edge of the SUV’s bumper. I estimate I was going about 15 mph or so. I got thrown off the Sportster (using the SUV then the ground to break my fall) and it skidded on its right side another 5 feet, dumping fuel and choking the engine out. The crappy helmet I use for the Gambler 500 yeeted itself from the passenger backrest.

I got up, confirmed I wasn’t hurt, then picked up the motorcycle before it could dump more fuel on the ground. Thankfully the other traffic was able to figure out how not to hit me. The light finally turned red.

To my amazement, the Harley was basically undamaged. I lost a turn signal lense, put a scratch on the right side of the crash bar and bent the left side of the crash bar, that’s it. Didn’t even need to use insurance.

The SUV came out worse. Ah, plastic bumpers and crash bars that don’t run the full length of the bumper. It dragged its exhaust home, too.

Admittedly I wasn’t full ATGATT on this ride. I wore a leather jacket, leather gloves, a DOT helmet (the Snell was at home), and jeans. Amusing that the helmet I wasn’t wearing was the one that took damage. The jacket and jeans had scratches, the gloves had a tear. Helmet didn’t make contact with anything. In the end, I got a few bruises.

I’m definitely going to go more “Power Ranger” now. You never know when you’ll have a bad day on two wheels.

To get home I just kicked the crash bar to bend it back a little then taped back on the turn signal lense.

I was cited for failure to reduce speed (which was dropped in a hot minute in court) while the other driver got nothing. Overall, the verdict is I’m not at fault.

I’m absolutely most amazed at how strong the Harley is. Assuming the same events, the Suzuki would have broken into a million pieces, the Buell wouldn’t have protected my legs, the Stella would have been totaled...That crash bar is way more beefy than I thought! I thought it was only really there for when you drop it in a parking lot.

I wish I hadn’t locked up the brake or maybe that I chose to do the split instead of trying to stop, but I’m happy it is a learning experience that wasn’t horrible. I’m even happier that I didn’t just decide to eat SUV tailgate as I see so many riders do. The cop was proud I got out unharmed. Said it’s the first time he’s had a rider deny an ambulance.

Ride safe and gear up, I know I am going to bulk up now.

Michael > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:36

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Don’t worry about it, Matt Levatich did the same thing

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:39

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It’s a real Sportster now!

Glad you’re safe.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:42

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Glad you’re safe and the bike is relatively unscathed! I don’t think I’d go anywhere, even on a scooter in a lot of gear...just too risky if that ONE bad thing happens at random...

lone_liberal > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:42

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I’m glad you, and to a much lesser extent   the bike, came out mostly unscathed! After an accident, even if you weren’t at fault, you always go through it and wonder what you could have done differently but you’re making split- second decisions that are easy to second guess when you have time to think about it . You weren’t seriously hurt so your decision making was fine.

$kaycog > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:43

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So glad you weren’t hurt.  Scary stuff.

XJDano > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:44

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Well here’s non-damaged motorcycle crashes. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:45

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I’ve told this story around here before. A fellow on a cruiser was following me through traffic. When I finally got caught at a red light, I looked in the rearview to check on his status and I could see by the look in his eyes, he wasn’t going to be able to stop. I moved right as I came to a stop and he went sliding between me and the next car. His rear brake was locked and the front was still rolling. He managed to get stopped before sliding into the cross traffic, but just barely. As he backpedaled his bike, I rolled down the window and had a brief conversation with him about the use of the front brake.

I’m sure that they taught you all about the proper use of the front brake in your MSF course. So, I wonder if your brake is under-powered or faulty. It’s something to think about which should be checked.

[Edit] I forgot to say that I’m glad nobody was hurt.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:49

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welp... scratches (and ducttape) add character

glad you got away with it

HoustonRunner > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:51

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Good to hear you are safe.  Distracted driving by the SUV is bad in any situation, but sitting at green lights really riles me up.  Sure, I’ve certainly done it if I’m looking up to the next intersection, or possibly distracted myself by a cool car sighting, but those last a couple of seconds at most.  People sitting at the light to finish a text or “like” just gets me.

Darkbrador > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 16:55

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20/20 hindsight, but “ I used too much force and locked the rear brake” raises a flag : proper braking on a motorcycle comes from the front brake, the rear helps to settle down the bike more than anything else.

That’s especially true in the case of a big twin with lots of engine braking, don’t need much to lock the rear and lose control.  

Glad you’re and your bike are ok.

Mercedes Streeter > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/30/2020 at 17:11

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I felt if I had that front brake in any harder it too would have locked up, so you may be onto something about it being weak or faulty. Or maybe I was going faster than I thought and actually didn’t have the space.

Usually I escape scenarios like this with lane changes.

Mercedes Streeter > Darkbrador 07/30/2020 at 17:12

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I used both brakes in this scenario as we were taught in class. Either the front brake is too weak, I had more braking to go before locking it up, or perhaps I was in fact going faster than I thought.

KSUENGINEER > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 17:20

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I am glad you were able to walk away without injuries! Those moments are unforgettable as a motorcyclist.

ATGATT can be so frustrating for a commuter. Though one of the best pieces of equipment I’ve ever bought was an airbag vest (Alpinestars Tech-Air). It gives a bit extra piece of mind. It is expensive, but there are getting cheaper every year. Plus it’s cheaper than a broken collar bone, or worse.

Last year I had a near high-side while commuting to work. Being bucked twice so hard that my shin h it the top of the tank scared the shit out of me. After that I decided to confront my fear and do a track day to better understand the capabilities of my bike. Besides safety gear, this has been the best investment I’ve ever done. Now I currently have about 8 track days under my belt (one in complete down pours). I’ve learned how to “listen” to my tires and recognize sliding, the incredible power of the front brakes, and the amazing amount of grip tires have in the rain.

I would highly suggest to continue to learn. Take an advance MSF course, or a track day if you have the resources to do so (there is an A group rider at my local track that rides a Sportster) . Riding with safer/faster riders helps your skills a ton. Never stop learning.

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 17:21

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I’m glad you’re okay and that everything worked out well in the end, especially the legal side of things (well, most especially that you’re okay and happy with the outcome, but you get what I mean) 

cmill189 - sans Volvo > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 17:25

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Glad you’re okay. Sportster brakes are sad even when new. Couple that with tire choices that range from hard to super hard and you’ve got lack of stopping power. W hen you finally grab enough brake you’ve got lack of road adhesion.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 17:26

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It’s a good idea to test the braking limits on each of your bikes so that you understand what they really are. Find a parking lot and practice emergency stops just like you did in class. Knowing the limits of each bike you ride is  really important to your safety.

Mercedes Streeter > TheRealBicycleBuck 07/30/2020 at 17:44

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I usually do just that when I bring home a new toy, then do it again when winter comes around for whatever bike will be the winter bike. I’ve even emergency stopped the Harley before when someone pulled a way too late left turn and stopped.

How I managed to fuck it all up this time has been constantly on my mind for the past three weeks. Makes me wish I still had my helmet cam.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 18:28

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“I was cited for failure to reduce speed (which was dropped in a hot minute in court) while the other driver got nothing. Overall, the verdict is I’m not at fault.”

You got lucky there. Years ago, I also ran into someone who also idiotically stopped for a green light. And I was deemed to be at fault. The officer struck me as an idiot. The guy claimed the damage to my car, which cost me something like $200 to fix, was “big damage”

I’m glad you didn’t get hurt and the damage was minor.

Manny05x > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 19:43

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Glad you are ok, it could of gone way worst.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Mercedes Streeter 07/30/2020 at 20:48

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Glad you’re okay.

Harleys are built like a brick shithouse. They have to be, or every dentist in the US would total theirs out when rolling out of the dealership.

Anecdotally, a friend of mine laid his Goldwing down (gravel, speed) in a corner and broke his shifter off. The crash bar bent back about 30° and he walked it off. Those things are built to take a beating.

CRider > Darkbrador 07/31/2020 at 04:31

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Cruisers don't transfer weight like most other bikes. They actually need more rear brake bias to get stopped. 

CRider > Mercedes Streeter 07/31/2020 at 04:35

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This is usually when people start thinking a newer bike with ABS wouldn’t be a bad idea. At least the crash bars did their job. 

BJ > Mercedes Streeter 07/31/2020 at 10:04

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Good to hear that you were not hurt. Double-check the straightness of your handlebars, too, if you have not already done so . A minor deflection of the bars can give you a very sore arm or shoulder, and it’s probably not ideal from a vehicle control standpoint either.