Author Topic: It takes one pothole to ruin your evening. (Read 5458 times)

thepittsburghguzzi · « **on:** April 01, 2018, 11:42:32 AM »

It finally happened

It was pretty dark out, and the car in front of me swerved to avoid this bike-eating pothole. I dove ride into it and nearly flipped over the bars. I don’t know how I managed to stay on. 311 and the police seemed pretty bored with me and my concern, as Pittsburgh is absolutely riddled with potholes and they are flooded with claims and lawsuits.

What a bummer.

twowings · « **Reply #1 on:** April 01, 2018, 12:01:47 PM »

Yikes! You eastern fellas gotta be tough...

stevet · « **Reply #2 on:** April 01, 2018, 01:00:30 PM »

Ouch! Sorry to see this.

Lesson learned- with limited visibility, drop back a few more seconds so you are better prepared to avoid problems.

Steve.

oldbike54 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 01, 2018, 01:13:40 PM »

Yikes !

Dusty

JJ · « **Reply #4 on:** April 01, 2018, 01:48:07 PM »

You are "very, very lucky..." Things could have been much worse and a LOT uglier! Just replace the rims and move on...that's all you can do...

ohiorider · « **Reply #5 on:** April 01, 2018, 02:01:20 PM »

The Burgh! I worked there for 5 years. The company I worked for was multinational, and maintained a huge fleet of company cars. Mine was a nice 1982 Buick Century in 1983 and 84.

All the sales guys were told to be prepared to take one of the fleet managers with them for a few hours during the day. Fleet was convinced we were in cahoots with a local garage or two, and expensing bogus repairs and splitting the take with the garage.

Where fleet cars in other cities usually expensed tune ups and oil changes, in Pittsburgh, we reported issues like blown shock absorbers, bent control arms, blown tires, etc.

After spending a few days in Pittsburgh traveling with us, Fleet found out that the car damage was real, and they weren't getting ripped off.

Road condition aside, I enjoyed living and working in Pittsburgh. Had to love the accent, too. I overheard a gentleman describing his lost luggage to an airline clerk. "It's brawn, with wills on it."

Sorry about your bike damage, but glad to hear you stayed on board.

Bob

john fish · « **Reply #6 on:** April 01, 2018, 02:38:12 PM »

Bad down here near Morgantown, too. Took a ride to a local brewpub and it was like a slalom course.

Sasquatch Jim · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2018, 02:46:06 PM »

The advice is, Do not ride through potholes. It can make you need a dentist.

John A · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2018, 04:28:36 PM »

I can empathize, It was Texas Turnips fault too. He told me that Gun Barrel, Texas was a interesting town to ride through so I made it a point to do that on a trip to the Italy, Texas rally in 1999 on my new Bassa. coming out of town accelerating briskly I hit the biggest pothole I could hit. Bent both wheels, not to the point of yours, still rideable which was good since I was 1500 miles from home. The speedometer got deformed and quit. I still ride the bike after fixing the front wheel and replacing the rear and speedo. tough bikes, you'll get yours fixed, hopefully with some financial help from insurance and motor on

ohiorider · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2018, 05:25:23 PM »

Don't you hate when you hit one of those monster potholes?

The last big one I hit (actually not a pothole, but a very poorly done joint where pavement had been removed.) I hit it on my beloved K1100RS. It didn't appear to bend the wheel, but the forks felt like they'd locked up, and it broke one of the saddle bag mount support bolts to the point where the bag was about to break loose from the bike. This was in PA, several years ago, riding from the Pgh area north along the road that parallels the Allegheny River. It was simply thoughtless, shoddy work by PENDOT.

I'll be the first to admit that PA doesn't hold the patent on bad roads, but ...

pressureangle · « **Reply #10 on:** April 01, 2018, 07:55:20 PM »

Yinz's roads are as bad as Detroit's. It's the salt wooter.

Lannis · « **Reply #11 on:** April 01, 2018, 08:07:15 PM »

Good piece of riding to stay upright and in control ... ! I hate when something "appears" in front of you that a car or truck straddled ... pothole, a piece of 4 x 4, cinder block. Even if you're riding carefully, sometimes you can't dodge it ...

Lannis

Gliderjohn · « **Reply #12 on:** April 01, 2018, 08:41:52 PM »

Riding the T-3 at about 55mph on a poorly maintained paved two lane with wife onboard. Missed seeing what turned out to be a small but sharp shouldered and deep pothole. We hit hard and both of us cleared air but the bike stayed composed and no wheel damage. Didn't mind the weight of those Borrani wheels after that.
GliderJohn

ohiorider · « **Reply #13 on:** April 01, 2018, 08:45:53 PM »

Quote from: pressureangle on April 01, 2018, 07:55:20 PM

Yinz's roads are as bad as Detroit's. It's the salt wooter.

Love it!

Bob

john fish · « **Reply #14 on:** April 02, 2018, 05:02:04 AM »

Yeah, PA needs to redd up the roads, an' at'.

Kev m · « **Reply #15 on:** April 02, 2018, 06:16:36 AM »

Some years back I managed to do that on an otherwise nice twisty PA road alongside the Brandywine Creek.

But it was on Jenn's Duc, front aluminum Brembo wheel.

Insurance cut me a check for something like $1300.

I found used take off and only needed to change spacer size.

cookiemech · « **Reply #16 on:** April 02, 2018, 06:23:52 AM »

Quote from: john fish on April 02, 2018, 05:02:04 AM

Yeah, PA needs to redd up the roads, an' at'.

Spoken like a true former Pittsburgher!

thepittsburghguzzi · « **Reply #17 on:** April 02, 2018, 08:59:32 AM »

Aye! The only thing I’m having trouble debating is whether accepting a check would be worth my insurance premiums increasing? How did that pan out in your situation?

Quote from: Kev m on April 02, 2018, 06:16:36 AM

Some years back I managed to do that on an otherwise nice twisty PA road alongside the Brandywine Creek.

But it was on Jenn's Duc, front aluminum Brembo wheel.

Insurance cut me a check for something like $1300.

I found used take off and only needed to change spacer size.

thepittsburghguzzi · « **Reply #18 on:** April 02, 2018, 09:01:03 AM »

After my initial rage subsided, I felt pretty lucky. The bike rides fine (not that I’ll get to enjoy it today, PA got some more spring snow) and the forks don’t seem to be bent. Lesson learned, indeed.

Kev m · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2018, 09:02:38 AM »

Quote from: thepittsburghguzzi on April 02, 2018, 08:59:32 AM

Aye! The only thing I�m having trouble debating is whether accepting a check would be worth my insurance premiums increasing? How did that pan out in your situation?

Long time Progressive customer before and after that.

No change.

Less than $400/year comprehensive on 4 bikes.

Mr Pootle · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2018, 10:34:09 AM »

Over here we gave up maintaining the roads properly in the 1980s. Repairs are just cosmetic now.

rodekyll · « **Reply #21 on:** April 02, 2018, 02:20:31 PM »

Two days after getting the EV'l TWIN (CONVERTed EV) running I was in a PA rainstorm and ran over an invisible angle iron in the road, bending both rims and breaking the tires. I'm not going to tell the story here. I'm just mentioning it because it was the only time I've had wrinkles in both rims at the same time, and it happened in Pennsylvania.

thepittsburghguzzi · « **Reply #22 on:** April 02, 2018, 05:37:07 PM »

Update:
I also shared my story on a Facebook group of western PA Moto riders, and it tends to be primarily occupied by Harley riders and the like. The difference in attitude between this post and that one is mind blowing.

I was met with criticism, told I should learn how to ride, that if I’m riding a bike right now I’m nuts. According to one of them, I’m irrational and impatient for having the bike out. They said “swerve around it next time”. What a bunch of jackasses.

twowings · « **Reply #23 on:** April 02, 2018, 06:09:45 PM »

That's because we're all adults here...

john fish · « **Reply #24 on:** April 02, 2018, 08:04:34 PM »

Quote from: thepittsburghguzzi on April 02, 2018, 05:37:07 PM

Update:
I also shared my story on a Facebook group of western PA Moto riders, and it tends to be primarily occupied by Harley riders and the like. The difference in attitude between this post and that one is mind blowing.

I was met with criticism, told I should learn how to ride, that if I�m riding a bike right now I�m nuts. According to one of them, I�m irrational and impatient for having the bike out. They said �swerve around it next time�. What a bunch of jackasses.

Sorry to hear that, Paul. Lots of jagoffs out there.

When you coming down to ride WV again? You'll have to give my V11 Sport a try next time.

cookiemech · « **Reply #25 on:** April 03, 2018, 06:25:07 AM »

Quote from: thepittsburghguzzi on April 02, 2018, 05:37:07 PM

Update:
I also shared my story on a Facebook group of western PA Moto riders, and it tends to be primarily occupied by Harley riders and the like. The difference in attitude between this post and that one is mind blowing.

I was met with criticism, told I should learn how to ride, that if I�m riding a bike right now I�m nuts. According to one of them, I�m irrational and impatient for having the bike out. They said �swerve around it next time�. What a bunch of jackasses.

Idiots. This is why for most of my riding career I avoided H-D; then I realized that I am not defined by what I ride.

Yeah, I don't ride my Harleys in the winter. Way too much chrome, and it rusts.

I just "irrationally" ride my old BMW all winter. Except for ice and snow.

Good for you, riding your Guzzi every chance you can!

TimmyTheHog · « **Reply #26 on:** April 03, 2018, 11:59:41 AM »

damn...shitty deal man!

Here by my place is full of semi-trucks fully loaded all sort of things...gravel, bolders, building material...so roads are always chewed up within a week after they spend a freaking week repaving it.

So when I took my bike back from storage, wife was wondering why did I snaked way all the way home....

Yesterday, I showed her your pictures, and she gets it...

Sheepdog · « **Reply #27 on:** April 03, 2018, 12:09:37 PM »

It seems that there is a grassroots effort to transform Portland, OR potholes into pot holes. They ARE a great deal easier to see...

rodekyll · « **Reply #28 on:** April 03, 2018, 01:02:22 PM »

Quote from: Sheepdog on April 03, 2018, 12:09:37 PM

It seems that there is a grassroots effort to transform Portland, OR potholes into pot holes. They ARE a great deal easier to see...

There was a house down the street in Olympia we called the pot hole. It wasn't photoshopped though.

pressureangle · « **Reply #29 on:** April 03, 2018, 07:54:16 PM »

Quote from: twowings on April 02, 2018, 06:09:45 PM

That's because we're all adults here...

BRO YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME

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Author Topic: It takes one pothole to ruin your evening. (Read 5458 times)

twowings

oldbike54

twowings