> > > Wet Leather : The Gather 99 : Arrival : How Low Will She Go?

10 August 1999



To: WL
From: "Kathy E. Gill" 
Subject: How low will she go?


This message is brought to you in three parts: 
punch line, story, questions. ;-)


Punch Line:
I scraped the right cylinder head cover of the beemer on a turn.


Story:
Sunday morning departure began with a tipover before I even 
pulled away from the campsite .... thank goodness Rachel hadn't 
left yet, so I didn't have to unload to upright (damn she's 
heavy loaded). I then turned down the road to the boat ramp, 
thinking it was the road to the office (had to turn in the 
shower keys). Andy, our camping neighbor with the yellow Triumph, 
provided u-turn assistance in the gravel/dirt parking lot. 
Just as Joanne did at the Gather site due to road blockage. 
[thanks again!]

Fuzzy brain led me to decline Jack's offer to try the Monster ... 
and to rethink taking Ca3 back North to Yreka. Still, after about 
5 miles headed South on 3, I got enough into a groove to realize 
that, yes, I did still remember how to ride. U-Turn City and I 
was headed North.

The twisties going up the mountain came on me before I expected 
them ... and yes, they are way different "going up" than "coming down."

Entered a 180 hairpin that started to climb before exit .... and 
I've never been so horizontal. There was no panic (maybe because 
I was only in 2nd gear?) but I had to stretch my neck to keep 
eyes up and focused on exit. [addendum: by pointing chin UP]

Remainder of the route was uneventful but beautiful and fun. A few 
miles outside of Yreka, I see two bikes on the side of the road and 
pull over. It's MiG and Rob. I relate above story -- and Rob walks 
over to look at the right cylinder head cover. "Hey - you've scraped 
your beemer." [Thanks Rob, I would not have even thought about looking].

Sure enough, when I stop for snack in Yreka - I confirm - big scrape. 
I guess I was pretty far over - but the road rising probably 
contributed just as much to the scrape.


Questions:
The bike was incredibly stable throughout this turn - there was no 
tire slippage and, as mentioned above, no panic on my part, just a 
sense of wonder.

How could I have avoided this? Or, should I wonder/care about it? 
I know that people talk about scraping bits all the time - it just 
hadn't occurred to me that I would be one of them anytime soon.

Returning to the suspension issues raised on Saturday -- I'm assuming 
that one would want the suspension set "properly" (ie not too stiff) 
before attempting this again? <g>

Hopefully, if nothing else, this incident has taught my lizard brain 
to be less fearful of lean. And to trust zee tires.


Crater Lake 



> > > Wet Leather : The Gather 99 : Arrival : How Low Will She Go?