Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Follow-up to the Vulture Impact

Hey friends,

Wanted to post a quick follow-up to the previous post.  While my Arai helmet certainly saved me from much worse injury, I have been feeling pretty poorly since the impact.  Today I was quite dizzy at work, and finally went to the doctor.  I was told that I have a concussion, based on the symptoms that I'm exhibiting.

So I guess I wanted to make it clear that while helmets are extremely important, they aren't 100% guaranteed to protect from impacts.  I want to reiterate though, ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET!

And of course this is my opinion (and I stick by it) and you may disagree, but...full-face helmet or don't ride!  I won't ride in any other type of helmet, period.  Dot or not, those half helmets and such are useless IMO.

Anyways, stay safe everyone.  I'll be getting a new helmet this weekend, maybe a Bell Star if it fits well. We shall see!

- Pandabear

Monday, August 10, 2015

Arai Vector 2 Crash Test

Hey friends,

Well, ok, not really a crash (fortunately!), but I hit a massive bird today on the way home.  I'm pretty sure it was a vulture.  I was coming around a bend at about 45mph and I saw this big bird sitting on the side of the road.  The whole thing happened in a few seconds, I saw it, I started squeezing the brakes, I thought it was going to fly up into my face, it did, and BAM!  Felt like getting hit by a brick.  The darn thing ricocheted off my headlights and windscreen (nasty smear, yuck), and as I tried to duck below it, it clipped the back of my helmet and ripped it apart.

There was blood everywhere, fortunately not mine.  I stayed upright, but it gave me a heck of a headache! On a side note, I pulled over for a little bit and tried to calm down and tend to my head.  I was passed by several cars, none stopped.  People aren't as nice here as out in the country area where I previously was living.
Poor Helmet. Stupid Bird!!

I didn't think there was any damage at first, but after looking in my mirror at a stop, I saw feathers sticking out everywhere.  I reached back and was fussing with the feathers and then felt jagged edges and loose parts.  I pulled off plastic and my heart sank for sure.  When I got home, I finally saw the extent of the damage.  I'm not sure if the shell has been compromised, but I don't think I'll risk it.

First a flat tire. Then an egging. Now a busted helmet.
I sure have some bad luck...

But on a side note, this is why you should always wear a helmet!

- Pandabear

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Don't get egg-ed on!

Hey friends,

Yesterday I was a bit peeved.  I went out to my bike to ride to work and noticed something weird splattered on my seat.  I tried to wipe it off but it didn't really do anything, so I said whatever!  When I turned to put my key in the ignition, I noticed that someone egged my bike!!! ARGH!

The solitary egg hit my handlebar and clutch lever and splattered ALL OVER.  The fairings, tank, the back of the bulb of the high beam, all down the forks....it was plastered.  I was so shocked and angry, and it seems that my bike was the only target on the street.

Just ranting about how petty people can be.  This is such a cowardly act, and if people do it "for fun," that's just pathetic.  It's starting to make me wonder if the flat tire I got just two weeks ago was vandalism too.

Fortunately, once I came back from work, the hose made short work of cleaning the egg off.  However, it was an unpleasant ride to and from work with the smell of omelette wafting in my face.  I don't like eggs!

I've gotten over it and I've put the bike on the spool stand on my driveway now.  Hopefully no one touches my bike again.

Anyone else have their car or bike egged?  Did you catch them?

- Pandabear