Went for a ride today with a guy called Kent. We, and our bikes, are both ok but it could have been very different ...

We went over the hill into Kyoto then out north towards the next state, #@%$#!ui ... I was out front; it'd just turned 3pm so I thought perhaps it was time to head back. Right at the border of #@%$#!ui and Kyoto, there's a disused lay-by area so I pulled over at the end of the traffic island and tucked in beside the crash barrier that blocked the exit. I watched some monkeys cavort in the trees while I waited ... when Kent joined me, we took helmets off and started discussing whether to turn around and then ...

... that horrid sound we riders all dread, metal and plastic grinding down the road. We both spun around and discovered a large bike and rider sliding directly at us and our bikes!!! :o

I jumped up onto the crash barrier, Kent tried to pull his bike out the way ... but luckily, the bike hit the curb of the island and bounced away from us at the last second - and kept sliding down the road.

The rider was up and moving by the time we got Kent's bike on it's stand so we jogged down to help move the bike. Thankfully there were no other bikes or cars at all ... the bike slid maybe 200m and came to rest in the middle of the road.

He'd hit a monkey and either locked the front trying to avoid it or just had the front wheel totally knocked out of line - monkey #@%$#! all over the RH fork lower and engine case. Dead monkey on the side of the road gives it away, too ...

Bike looks repairable but wasn't rideable. The rider had leather chaps, jacket, boots, and gloves on so he's not even grazed ... bet he'll feel banged up tomorrow though!

None of us can get a cell signal so we give him a ride down the hill to a rest area and the public phone ...

Man, what a trip seeing a ZR1000 come sliding at you :o amazing what flashes through your head at time like these! Could have gone very wrong 100 different ways ... we came out of very well, I think!

Eddie Lawson replica...?

I miss riding most of the time. Butthen I hear one of these stories and I'm set for a while.
I'm glad every one ended up ok. With exception to the monkey and the bike. I guess it's like hitting a big raccon or dog here. Skunks suck bad when you hit them on a bike.:barf: I have a story I'll share sometime about that!!:shocked2:

No, an older classic 'duck tail' Kawasaki. He'd put a bit of money into it too ... luckily, his titanium headers were untouched!

Mmm, I can understand ... but then, one of my best friend's dad was killed last week just standing at his mail box. Personally, I'd hate to make it to 100 and be like "Man, I wish I'd done this or that ..."

No regrets here. I have riden motorcycles since I was 14 and only stopped due to illness. In a three year period I toured all of the US, Canada including NS&NF, Mexico & Centural America. 73,000 miles on a 4 year old Honda Aspencade. Yeah I traveled on my bike!! Also had a trailer with all my supplies I needed on the road behind me including spare bike parts and mantainance needs.
Just not safe for me any more. So it's all 4 wheels now.

glad the guy is OK and both of you guys to. been there, not going back anytime soon, I hope.
if it wasnt for the gear the guy was wearing, things could have been a lot worse.

It allways amazes me how many times a guy gets to see the $h1t hit the fan. Sometimes it hits you sometimes it misses. Lucky you guys today.