Here is Don's second post.
Dr Don
Re: Don's Offs
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2010, 06:19:42 PM »
Finally got it fired up and by then the grader driver had walked off up the road to his machine.
I had no sooner started off again when this BRITZ van appears coming down the hill. This old guy just keeps coming, expecting me to somehow just vanish off the road. he stops about 5 metres in front of me with his LH wheel about 1 metre from the BIG-drop edge of the road, and won't go any further towards the edge (really, he appeared to have NO idea how wide his van WASN'T).
So I moved as close as I dared to the inner edge again, and he thought he could get past. As soon as his front wheels were past me, he pulled the front of the van to my side, and his rear end just trailed across and pushed me into the ditch AGAIN. He stopped and helped push me out, put a rock behind my rear wheel, and then left.
Result, left leg of jeans shredded, and grazed left knee.
With great difficulty, I once again un-flooded the motor, and rode on to tell the grader driver about the latest happening.
I then started out to go further up the hill, and rounded the bend to go just out of sight of the grader drive, and the bike just would not stop going around the bend, and I crashed in the middle of the road in another big pile of dust.
What I had not understood was when the guy pushed me off the road, it had set the handlebars about 20 degrees off, and my mind just would not steer the bike where it needed to go.
I walked back around the bend, and the driver once again assisted me to get the bike upright, and put another rock behind the wheel.
I eventually started the motor AGAIN, and very quickly learned to put 20 degrees of LH steering onto the bars to go straight ahead.
After about 1 km slow riding there was a passing bay, and I pulled in to find a tree to do some quick re-alignment of the front end.
I forgot to mention there was about ONE passing bay per kilometre of this road.
The rest of the trip to Bill's place was without incident - about 150km.
For anyone going on the Barry Way there IS petrol at the Seldom Seen Roadhouse, but it's about $1-40/litre. Still, if you do need it, what's the price you won't buy at?
Roadwork on a single lane road is not without its dangers and not to be taken lightly.
After Bill patched me up I rode the 280km to home the next day, and now I don't do any kneeling for about a week - Charlie, I KNOW how you felt after your get-off. Skin off a shin and off my left elbow, too.
I put the kick-start bike away, and the electric-leg of my Kwaka is GREAT. (the right knee suffered most so kick start is not very pleasant).
I will put up Don's 3rd post next.
Gene
Dr Don
Re: Don's Offs
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2010, 06:19:42 PM »
Finally got it fired up and by then the grader driver had walked off up the road to his machine.
I had no sooner started off again when this BRITZ van appears coming down the hill. This old guy just keeps coming, expecting me to somehow just vanish off the road. he stops about 5 metres in front of me with his LH wheel about 1 metre from the BIG-drop edge of the road, and won't go any further towards the edge (really, he appeared to have NO idea how wide his van WASN'T).
So I moved as close as I dared to the inner edge again, and he thought he could get past. As soon as his front wheels were past me, he pulled the front of the van to my side, and his rear end just trailed across and pushed me into the ditch AGAIN. He stopped and helped push me out, put a rock behind my rear wheel, and then left.
Result, left leg of jeans shredded, and grazed left knee.
With great difficulty, I once again un-flooded the motor, and rode on to tell the grader driver about the latest happening.
I then started out to go further up the hill, and rounded the bend to go just out of sight of the grader drive, and the bike just would not stop going around the bend, and I crashed in the middle of the road in another big pile of dust.
What I had not understood was when the guy pushed me off the road, it had set the handlebars about 20 degrees off, and my mind just would not steer the bike where it needed to go.
I walked back around the bend, and the driver once again assisted me to get the bike upright, and put another rock behind the wheel.
I eventually started the motor AGAIN, and very quickly learned to put 20 degrees of LH steering onto the bars to go straight ahead.
After about 1 km slow riding there was a passing bay, and I pulled in to find a tree to do some quick re-alignment of the front end.
I forgot to mention there was about ONE passing bay per kilometre of this road.
The rest of the trip to Bill's place was without incident - about 150km.
For anyone going on the Barry Way there IS petrol at the Seldom Seen Roadhouse, but it's about $1-40/litre. Still, if you do need it, what's the price you won't buy at?
Roadwork on a single lane road is not without its dangers and not to be taken lightly.
After Bill patched me up I rode the 280km to home the next day, and now I don't do any kneeling for about a week - Charlie, I KNOW how you felt after your get-off. Skin off a shin and off my left elbow, too.
I put the kick-start bike away, and the electric-leg of my Kwaka is GREAT. (the right knee suffered most so kick start is not very pleasant).
I will put up Don's 3rd post next.
Gene
