redelk
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posted July 13, 2002 11:11 PM
Bad Karma Or Just Coincidence?
I'm normally not that superstitious, but if I see a penny on the ground during a stop while on a ride, I pick it up. Not that I really even believe in the old saying, Find a penny and pick it up and all day long, you'll have good luck.. Then again, why take a chance, right?
Well, while riding with two of my buddies, we stopped so they could check their tire pressure. As we were getting ready to leave, I saw THREE pennies near the air hose. Not that it I thought it was some kind of "sign", but as I was picking one of them up, I suggested to my buddies that they pick one up too.
They didn't think very much of it and since they had already got on their bikes, they didn't want to mess with a couple of dumb ole pennies. They were ready to go. "Oh well. Suit yourselves.", I thought. I just picked up one of the pennies and put in my tank back.
About half way through the ride, the picture on the left happened. 64 in a 45. He was lucky, The cop could have written him up for a 64 in a 35, since the 45, 40 and 35 signs are within a block of each other.
About two-thirds of way, the picture on the right happened. My other buddy came into a 35 MPH chicane a little too hot. What sucked was that there was a small drop away downhill right as you approached it. It was enough to lighten up his suspension and cause his brakes to lock up, sending him across the center line and off into a 5'+ ditch.
Fortunately, there was no oncoming traffic and there was no trees or a fence close to where he ran into the ditch. What the picture doesn't show is that the hose was broke off the front brake reservoir. Since my truck is still in the shop (I normally have it hooked up to my trailer as a "rescue vehicle", everytime I ride), and we couldn't get a hold of anyone to come and get his bike... he ended up riding it back home.
It was about a 110 mile trip back. We just taped up what we could and took off what couldn't be taped and we thought it might fall off. His wrist was sore and his helmet (and head) took a slight hit. Still, he was able to make it back, so we hope he'll be okay. We'll be checking on him in the morning.
So, what do ya'll think? Should they have picked up the pennies?
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
   
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BFLY
Expert Class
Posts: 188
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posted July 13, 2002 11:51 PM
STRANGE SHITS BEEN HAPPEN THIS YEAR FOR SURE. WERD
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beansbaxter
Needs a life
Posts: 5911
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posted July 13, 2002 11:57 PM
Good luck comes also with owning a 12...
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12RPilot
Pro
Posts: 1094
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posted July 14, 2002 04:31 AM
I'm with you, Sherm. I always pick up pennies. I feel it's bad karma not to. Kinda like telling Fate that you're just too rich to stoop over. Just the excuse Fate needs to say "Oh Yeah?". Did you ask them what they thought after the fact?
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If you aren't an AMA member, you're part of the problem.
NESBA #209
http://www.bikepics.com/members/12rpilot/04zx10r/
 
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Scooter
Zone Head
Posts: 899
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posted July 14, 2002 05:59 AM
After that I'd be picking up the other two pennies for next time.
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"Growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional."
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redelk
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posted July 14, 2002 09:14 AM
I was actually afraid to
I thought picking up the other two would be greedy (that would be Bart) and might negate the luck of picking up just one.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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TedG
Moderator
Posts: 8222
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posted July 14, 2002 09:38 AM
Luck is no substitute for not riding over ones head. Plain and simple. Knowing how to read the road and approching corners with due caution will work so much better than luck any day. Now as far as getting tagged by the meter mollie, he should have picked up the penny, how could it have hurt, at the very least they would be a pennie richer.
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Ted
2000 Green ZX12 sold
The fast color!!
Green 2005 ZX10R
2009 Concours Black ABS
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redelk
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posted July 14, 2002 08:23 PM
So right Ted...
It didn't help that it was a new ("used") bike for him. He'd just traded in his SV650 for it. The two are as different as day and night. Hell, I rode it just prior to his bale off and I've concluded that those 600 are "death machines". Way too light (great braking when one is not half airborne), ultra flickable and so free rev'ing, I found myself doin' a buck ten surprisingly faster then I would have thought.
It's as if it instills an ill found confidence that would just make you do something you might regret, if you weren't careful. I guess what I'm trying to say is that because of it's small size and NON-"eyeballs in the back of your head" 12R acceleration... one might not give it the respect that ALL bikes deserve.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted July 14, 2002 09:04 PM
A word from the Guilty
Ahem...
Allow one who has his picture in the post to speak a bit.
Superstition being what it is...
20/20 hindsight my friend. My ticket was just waiting to happen. I've been pushing my luck for quite a while and the policeman could have really been a big d!ck about the whole thing. I'll be up for probation (hopefully) when I go to court because I have a clean record (and have been on probation numerous times as well!).
Another superstion a friend of mine heard is that you only pick up pennys if they are heads up. Tails up is bad luck.
And the note on the 600's: The guy on the R6 tends to run regularly at 95-100% leaving little room for error. I don't blame the bike at all. Funny thing is, he had braked too hard into one corner and had his front end wash out earlier in the day. But that didn't deter him from continuing to push harder and harder to see his and his bike's limit.
Actually, my Cow 12 scares the shit out of me, and I have a very healthy respect for the 600.
I run rather hard myself, but I am conscious to leave myself room for error. I try to stay 70-80% with some room for sphincter puckers and decreasing radius turns etc.
If he had been on his trusty SV600 he would have done the exact same thing. One might argue he would not have been carrying the speed he was, but his habit of late braking into blind curves was waiting to catch up with him.
The road we travel is, in my mind, very technical. There are many off camber turns, decreasing radius turns, and small hills right before turns. Late brake (as our friend is want to do often) and a trip to the ditch is your reward.
I think on the whole he was very lucky. Minimal repairs to his bike and he'll be rolling again. He was not injured. The curve that he wrecked didn't have trees...and rather unusual given that we were traveling in the National Forest (many curves have guardrails, big rocks, trees, cliffs etc.).
I was given a bit of leeway by the policeman (who was very polite and pleasant, by the way). And, I *think* that in Arkansas if you are speeding at 25+ the speed limit you are eligable for wreckless driving, jail etc. Given that he's only charging me with 64 in a 45 is rather a bonus. Plus not having to find bail money is nice as well. It's my own damned fault...I just wasn't paying attention and I know better rolling into the small Arkansas towns.
Ah...can't wait to do it again next weekend. It's always an adventure.
Jonathan - Currently on probation in the wonderful state of Arkansas.
'02 ZX12-R
'02 GSX-R 600
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redelk
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posted July 14, 2002 09:48 PM
Okay, I'll take the spankin'...
... since you two guys had to wait on me for most of the day (FYI - they were BOTH riding 600's).
So, not for me personally, but for the rest of the folks on the board and taking in your factual and realistic description of the day's events (which it is), how would you call the accident? Did his 90%+ level catch up with him and for that brief moment, he just got caught being over his head?
I don't mean that as a slam. All of us have visited that point on more then one occasion, so it's not like the folks here (myself included) are taking a "holier then thou" attitude. Hell, even if I did ride at my 90%+ level, ya'll would still be waitin' on me!
The reason I ask is that I believe that the majority of folks here would think that riding on the street (or back highways) at that level would be a tad unwise. I'm not tryin' to put ya in a spot or saying that our friend was wreckless. I'm just wanting your personal opinion on THIS paticular situation.
Now to make it clear for everyone else here, I can attest that the both these guys are skilled riders and "fairly" responsible. WELL! They DO ride sportbikes, so "fairly" is about as good as it gets! Like Harry, Lucky, Ninjaman, Dave, Ballistic (maybe and NOT BFLY!) and the rest of the "Gap Gang", I wouldn't hesitate to ride with these two guys ANYTIME or ANYWHERE. If I could just get them to at least do the speed limit instead of talkin' while we're goin' through the middle of small towns! 
There are a few here (you know who you are!) who also can't resist turning it up a notch or two when it feels like everything is right. The way ALL of us were cookin' on those GREAT, but technical roads that day, I caught myself goin' a tad hot in some spots as well (about 5/10ths for most everybody else here).
What I'm tryin' to say is that it's not meant as an insult, but do you think he just got over his head for a brief moment? I was figuring that since the SV can engine brake so well, that it might have been one of the diffrences between the it and the R6... and that's what bit him. Is this way off base?
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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zx12richard
Pro
The Green Monster..
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posted July 15, 2002 07:23 AM
I only pick them up if they are heads up....
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kawachan
Pro
Posts: 1031
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posted July 15, 2002 09:35 AM
They all spend the same way!! Pennies don't care which way they are facing when they are dropped in a piggy bank. He was just in a little over his head and got caught. At least he is not hurt bad.
BTW, I was in LR with my truck yesterday. I started to call you and tell you that I'd be there at CJTR until right after lunch.
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RED NINJAS RULE!!
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redelk
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posted July 15, 2002 10:34 AM
LUNCH?
Hell, I wasn't even awake yet! Spent most of the day working on my old KDX... and finding MORE things wrong with it! ARRRRRGH!
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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kawachan
Pro
Posts: 1031
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posted July 15, 2002 11:42 AM
Damn, Red. I had to be in formation at 0455!! I got up and make it to LR by then. I guess as I get "older", I won't be able to do that, huh?
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RED NINJAS RULE!!
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted July 15, 2002 11:52 AM
Silly is as Silly does
I don't think you were slamming anybody.
I do think that in this particular instance Chance was going way too fast given the conditions. Had he not been carrying the speed he had I don't think he would have spilled.
I don't think it was a function of the bike...he would have been pushing that SV as hard as it would go anyway.
Even on the 'slower' SV he rode faster through the turns with more speed than I on the 'faster' GSX-R did. He would charge much harder through blind curves than I do.
Really, I'm surprised he hadn't knarled the SV.
Agreed, my ticket came from just not paying attention to the road (I had glanced down at the map). Rather unwise anyway.
j
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redelk
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posted July 15, 2002 12:32 PM
I'll debate BOTH OF YOU!
kawachan - it has taken years... no, DECADES to perfect my sleeping habits. Don't you for one minute think by merely growing old will bring you even close to my level of "sleep expertise". As for being in formation at 04:55... that what I pay my taxes for. So YOU will be in formation at 04:55... not me! I salute you (when I wake up).
JW - It's not that easy, you young whipper snapper! Getting a ticket is just about a fact of sportbike life. Depending on the level one violates local traffic laws and how often one does it... you'll get a ticket or at least you'll get pulled over.
Seeing as how we attained speeds in excess of 140 mph (143.8 to be exact) and maintained a speed average that was well over 10 mph above any of the local highways' highest posted limit... we were just temping fate. After all, we know who woke the officer from his afternoon slumber and it wasn't you. You were just next in line.
Imagine what would have happened if I had actually t-boned the cop as he was pulling out. Luckily,I was so far behind, I could actually slow down enough to keep from filling up his rearview mirror.
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There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
-Ernest Hemingway
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LUCKY12
Expert Class
Posts: 198
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posted July 15, 2002 06:38 PM
just remember
gas is on the right, one down five up, a penny doesn't have a fucking thing to do with it. Don't brake until you see elvis.
Now we know the secret on how to get you to lean more in the corners at the gap. Bart, Ninja, Harry, Otis, the others and I will put a penny in each corner so that your happy ass can pick them up and feel lucky all down long. First to the store, bitch! Grazer
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slug
Pro
Out in search of my mind...
Posts: 1433
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posted July 15, 2002 08:03 PM
heh lucky....that'll have a cheapskate on 600 draggin knee too ;P
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted July 16, 2002 07:59 AM
What's to debate?
The guys in my office are putting together a pool to see how long I get to keep my license.
I'm fully aware that I WILL get tickets hauling ass. As I said in my previous posts I was tempting fate - and keep doing it.
I just hope I get past probation before I get stopped again!
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Ballisticzx12r
Zone Head
& Deals Gap Board Member
Posts: 940
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posted July 16, 2002 01:55 PM
RED
Sherm.
First of all I would have picked up all three pennies and if that has anything to do with my beliefs then so be it. MORE FOR ME.
Hopefully this trip you can scrub your tires in first, so you don't have to complain about my tires aren't right.
Smack Stick it's going to be ASS
Bart
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Be fast and Be safe
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