Author Topic: Idiot driver wrecks another good Guzzi (Read 7365 times)

xander18 · « **on:** July 07, 2016, 03:20:42 PM »

Well that didn't last long. The cherry 1997 California I picked up in April and rode back from VT may have met an early demise. A woman pulled out in front of me, didn't even have time to hit the brakes. I flew over the handlebars and outside of some good bumps and bruises I'm okay. Thankful for my helmet and leather. But it looks like the frame is tweaked, though I'm not pulling the bike apart to measure it until I get in touch with insurance.

The motorcycle was still running when I picked myself up off the pavement! As you can see, her car is pretty f***ed and my bike took the hit like a champ.

twowings · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2016, 03:25:57 PM »

Hate to hear it but GLAD you are mostly ok! Made a mess of both vehicles...

Testarossa · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2016, 03:27:03 PM »

Wow, that was some hit. Look what it did to the car!

Glad you didn't lose your right leg in that one . . .

Idontwantapickle · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2016, 03:29:23 PM »

Holy Crap! I'm glad you're still in one piece!
Don't fret over the Guzzi just yet, Let the healing happen for a bit. I will say that the frame is probably (hopefully) not bent, the Tonti is very strong and your wheel did not break the front of the engine.
Sorry that happened though. Pretty bike.

Hunter

oldbike54 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2016, 03:29:57 PM »

OH MY !

Dusty

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2016, 04:14:16 PM »

wow, glad your still with us!
most likely the lower steering neck has been ovalized from that hit, right where the lower race sits in the neck.. BTDT.. it can be repaired by a good welder..

I have an EV fork that would fit. I think I have a header pipe too..

Curtis Harper · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2016, 04:19:09 PM »

Man that stinks, been there before. If the frame is bent try and locate a GMD computrack center. Closest to you may be Chicago. But if you can find one they do a great job at frame straightening. And if you need anything parts wise, we do have one we are parting out with a good set of front forks. (Sorry to sound like a vulture)

Johncolleary · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2016, 04:47:34 PM »

OUCH!!!!

xander18 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2016, 04:56:50 PM »

Hey guys,

Thanks all for the well wishes. It does look like I should be getting fitted for a peg leg but I was airborne pretty much immediately. The accident actually happened about a week and a half ago and I'm feeling almost 100% now.

I'm suspicious about the frame because the tank is dented front and rear. I'll take the tank off and inspect the headstock closely. Though this just popped up on CL:

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mpo/5620925417.html

A 95 Cali frame for $200! Looks like in a few weeks I'll either be buying up some parts (Harper's, you guys were gonna be my first call!) or selling some.

-Xander

RANDM · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2016, 05:02:19 PM »

Like they say - easier to fix a Bike than a Bod. Sorry it
happened, glad your ticketty boo.

Maurie

Fuzzy · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2016, 05:06:59 PM »

Yikes! Total PITA. Hope you get back on the horse soon.

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2016, 05:41:08 PM »

caLL THE GUY WITH THE FRAME AD and see if he has a fork and wheel?

Arizona Wayne · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2016, 05:45:41 PM »

Bent frame = insurance totals MC.

Now if you can buy a straight frame and want to put it on your bikes parts to get a running bike again, after your ins. tells you what they will pay you for the value of your wrecked bike, ask them how much they are bid by a salvage yard for said bike. If those 2 prices make sense to you keep your totaled bike and use the extra $ lns. Co. gives you for totaled bike and buy a good used frame, then make a good bike whole again. Only cost then is all your labor making a complete bike again.

I'm surprised you managed to escape the bike before it got wedged into the car.

BadAce · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2016, 05:50:11 PM »

Had to look closer at that pic of car, with a Guzzi as a front bumper. Guess the accident inverstigation was an easy one! Good for you , you got out fairly unscathed.

Cam3512 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2016, 05:56:25 PM »

Glad you made it out almost unscathed.

DOOM on the bonehead drivers with their head up their arse.

pebra · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2016, 06:07:46 PM »

Wow, that must have been quite a bump!
You really had bad luck, but fortunately you're a lucky guy! That could have been nasty.
Hope you'll be back up on a Guzzi again soon!

lucydad · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2016, 06:49:33 PM »

Great Caesar's ghost! You must have flown like Superman.

Tom H · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2016, 10:48:45 PM »

Um..WOW. Glad to hear your OK!!

Tom

LowRyter · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2016, 11:17:50 PM »

wow. glad you're not seriously hurt.

Hope you feel 100% soon.

Muzz · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2016, 12:39:00 AM »

OUCH. Glad to hear you are ok.

Hope your bike problems get sorted too.

azguzzirep · « **Reply #20 on:** July 08, 2016, 08:00:35 AM »

Owa! Was the car in the right lane turning into the parking lot as you were passing on the left, hidden from her view?

Tom

Lannis · « **Reply #21 on:** July 08, 2016, 08:17:52 AM »

Quote from: azguzzirep on July 08, 2016, 08:00:35 AM

Owa! Was the car in the right lane turning into the parking lot as you were passing on the left, hidden from her view?

Tom

I'm guessing that the car made a left turn out of the parking lot across the path of the Guzzi, the rider swerved left trying to avoid it and hit the grill of the partially-turned car. I'm not a forensic technician, however, nor do I play one on TV.

This sort of crash is almost impossible to avoid once the blind, incompetent car driver initiates the move .... I hate those.

Lannis

lucky phil · « **Reply #22 on:** July 08, 2016, 06:50:32 PM »

The bike doesnt look too bad to me, might well be a set of fork legs a crash bar and r/h header pipe. Looks like all that plastic on the car took the sting out of it for the Guzzi.
Ciao

toaster404 · « **Reply #23 on:** July 09, 2016, 07:25:44 AM »

motion camouflage

I have to wonder whether a single headlight contributes

regardless, most incidents I've been in involve motion camouflage

look right through you

waving or weaving helps

glad this one didn't turn out to have big injuries

xander18 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 09, 2016, 11:48:11 AM »

Quote from: Lannis on July 08, 2016, 08:17:52 AM

I'm guessing that the car made a left turn out of the parking lot across the path of the Guzzi, the rider swerved left trying to avoid it and hit the grill of the partially-turned car. I'm not a forensic technician, however, nor do I play one on TV.

This sort of crash is almost impossible to avoid once the blind, incompetent car driver initiates the move .... I hate those.

Lannis

Lannis, yep almost exactly what happened. I was already over in the left turn lane so I was still moving at 40-45 mph. The driver was slipping out through a gap in the stopped traffic in the non-turning lanes so I didn't see the car until the hood was a few feet in front of me. Meanwhile, the driver was looking north to prepare to make their turn.

Of course, I've thought through the accident to see if lessons can be gleaned. As always, being more observant, riding slower, and avoiding traffic could have helped, in theory at least. But it doesn't seem like there were any obvious deficiencies in my skill. And I just don't know if I would enjoy motorcycling if I did it in abject terror all the time.

Lannis · « **Reply #25 on:** July 09, 2016, 11:52:03 AM »

Quote from: xander18 on July 09, 2016, 11:48:11 AM

Lannis, yep almost exactly what happened. I was already over in the left turn lane so I was still moving at 40-45 mph. The driver was slipping out through a gap in the stopped traffic in the non-turning lanes so I didn't see the car until the hood was a few feet in front of me. Meanwhile, the driver was looking north to prepare to make their turn.

Of course, I've thought through the accident to see if lessons can be gleaned. As always, being more observant, riding slower, and avoiding traffic could have helped, in theory at least. But it doesn't seem like there were any obvious deficiencies in my skill. And I just don't know if I would enjoy motorcycling if I did it in abject terror all the time.

Normally I'm not in abject terror on a bike, but in that situation, I AM like an antelope at a Serengeti watering-hole - watching, slowing, moving, head up, head down, covering the brakes. Cars can come from anywhere, and will, but if they pull out quick enough, they'll get you no matter what you do ... Glad you came out OK ....

Lannis

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Author Topic: Idiot driver wrecks another good Guzzi (Read 7365 times)

twowings

oldbike54

Fuzzy

BadAce

lucydad