Modern Vespa

I was headed from Torrance up to Cheviot Hills for a work related party. Was headed north on Inglewood Avenue to catch La Cienega northbound,

I started my left turn on El Segundo and sailed into the turn pretty as you can be while I hoped the sportbike guy at the light appreciated my grace and skill. Then the front wheel started a two foot slide across very uncooperative smooth steel manhole cover and, upon hitting asphalt again, once again remembered where it was supposed to be taking the bike, to fairly disasterous consequences.

Went down on left side. Damaged the windscreen which probably saved the front of the bike somewhat by absorbing most of the impact and only giving way as the bike stopped sliding. Fender guard on front fender is pretty scrapped up, but not the fender, and leg guard chrome trim will need replacing.

The drop and slide did damage the left rear cowl which will need some body work and paint, and new cheapy rear cowl protectors which for $69 did an admirable job of protecting the bike. Thanks ScooterWorks for both front and rear guards. They don't look all that strong, but they really did help.

As for me, I will need a new visor for my full face helmet. That's right, went down on my face. Amazingly, only the visor took the blow and it is easy to replace. Both knees are scuffed and bruised, and I had strap-on knee and shin protectors with me, under the seat of course where every scooter rider should hide them because they are so uncool. The cop who stopped briefly to check on me thought that the knee guards under the seat was pretty funny.

Was wearing my armoured textile jacket and remember thinking as I felt my left shoulder hit the pavement, "Good move!". Still got a scuff on the left elbow as that sleeve seems to have caught on something causing the armor to ride up my arm, thus exposing my elbow to the punishing impact.

I don't know, I did hit the brakes, front and back, lightly as I went into the turn. I think my biggest sin was trying to look cool for the sport bike guy while I failed to pay attention to the roadway surface. But it was a warm and wonderful day, and I looked so cool........

I figure $600+ dollars of damage. Amazingly, other that the dinged cowl, it will be mostly trim that I can take off for now and replace as deals come around. The bike itself is solid and I rode it home with no apparent issues.

One lucky dude with no one to blame but himself again.

Now, I gotta go wash the blood off.

Oh, yeah, damn, I ripped my new Dockers.

Life is so tough.

(I am just a little pissed at myself)

Thankfully you're OK! Your experience validates my full face helmet and armored jacket on hot days here in San Antonio when I'm very tempted to go without them. Thanks for the post.

It could have been a lot worst...I am so glad you were properly geared and not too banged up. Scooter we can fix...our bodies...separate issue.

BTW...isn't it amazing how you can recant the string of events and the thoughts that go thru your mind as you are in that rather harrowing experience.

My "older brother" actually asked my son (his nephew) to recant what he was thinking as a van which was making left turn and stopped which he hit the hood and sailed over the hood....

"Were you thinking sh_t! or f__k????"

Son, "f__k!"

Brother, "Wow! Mus 'ta been pretty bad!!!"

They seem to communicate rather well...

Get well soon!

Part of riding is learning to assess the road up ahead and what to avoid. I remember the first time I hit some big cracks in the pavement and caught some air. Scared the beejeebies out of me.

Now I constantly scan the road ahead for potholes, debris, and heat expanded cracks in the pavement and move to avoid them. When I turn, I always focus on where I am heading, well in advance of the turn.

Be thankful and learn from this lesson. Its not too bad and riding is worth a wounded ego. It happens to all of us.

Glad to hear you're OK. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled at that intersection since I live in Torrance. Anyways, I would recommend getting a new helmet, it might seem like the damage was entirely to your visor but it's very possible that the interior of the helmet was damaged in the crash as well. Those helmets are designed for one crash and one crash only, I wouldn't risk it, but that's just me.

Super glad you are ok. Glad you were wearing gear. My husband is cruising for a nasty fall and just won't wear gear. It's hot here in Spokane, but out I go in long pants, full shoes, helmet and my light armour jacket. He: T shirt, vans and shorts and a brain cap. I don't know what to say to him because he doesn't listen. I get hot but if I connect with asphalt, I want to be as protected as possible. I'll show him this...

lyne

I have three bikes. I went down on the 2006 GT which is my daily rider. Probably would not have happened on the MP3 with the extra rubber on the ground. Possibly, I have gotten to used to the extra rubber and got careless with my two wheeler.

But it's not the first time I have gone down.

Two years ago in a sweeping curve leading to a stoplight the kid behind me wasn't paying attention and rear ended me on my P200 when I slowed for the red light. Ended up with a really nice P out of the crash, but began to realize, we dont't fully control what comes at us out there.

Wear some gear. Ouch, my knees are hurting right now.

that's exactly why i wear my power rangers getup (as my friends call it) FF helmet, armored textile jacket (which will be replaced with leather when the weather starts cooling down), leather gloves with carbon fiber knuckle protectors, and leg protectors. if i'm goin down it's gonna take a lot of impact to really hurt me

I will take your advice Cheesy and get a new helmet. In the meantime I have a full face Icon which is good, albeit a bit to tight.

Be careful of thinking that the armor will protect you from everything, my left elbow is bleeding despite the armored jacket.

Just saying, expensive gear only goes so far.

oh i know, armor can only do so much, but I figure I'm far better off than if i weren't wearing anything at all. and it sounds like maybe your jacket didn't fit properly if your elbow pad slipped like that.

Glad to hear youre not badly hurt....Be carefull.

Drat! When it happens, it happens fast. Enjoy the ibuprofen. I hope you and the GT are back in form soon.

I'm so glad things weren't worse for you! Heal quickly!

So glad you are ok except for some scuffs. Man...I feel like a dope on these hot days keeping my riding jacket in the closet at home and wearing shorts instead of jeans at least. Then I hear this kind of story......got a wear em

I like your avatar Southbay--what branch?

Was in I Corps. Started South of Chu Lai, ended up in Quang Tri in Feb 71.

Down 3 times. RPG in cargo compartment in May of 70. 19y/o at the time. 8 dead.

Army all the way. More conservative than I should be given what I do.

Love the scoots and love the people. All over the map. Care about each other cause we care about scoots, bikes, wheels in general.

Makes me feel like a kid.

Glad to hear you're OK. Could always be worse. I avoid steel, paint, the drip line and Botts Dots like the plague when I ride if at all possible, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

Hope you and your scoot get sorted quickly, sounds like you were lucky in light of the mishap.

I was in USAF pilot training when Saigon fell so I had the good fortune to miss that one. Welcome home.

Sorry to read about your fall and your injuries.

Great reading though. Really well written.

Yes it could have been worse. Some people here near my work are stealing the man hole covers and selling the iron for cash and that will do some damage if you go into one.

IBKING

That would eat up almost a whole scooter.

Crimes like that really frost me....

Glad to hear you walked away with minor injuries and the most of the gear did it's job... assuming it was in place.

Question, was there something in your coat that would have minimized your injuries?

As an aside, it makes me feel better that I never ride over manholes covers, if at all possible.. wet or dry, textured or smooth.

This reminds me to look where I want to go, not at what I want to avoid. If I do, I will hit it every time (target fixation).

Glad you not too banged up. And, thanks for your service. Two tours off the coast for me. Got some stories. Something for the memoirs my daughter can read after I'm gone from this life.

Manhole covers? I'm sure glad I've spent most of my life riding bicycles. After so much experience, I instinctively know what to avoid on the road and where to look for hazards. As was mentioned, avoid metal, paint, parallel cracks/road seams, and those Botts Dots (on curves). Metal and paint especially if they are wet. Thankfully, it doesn't rain all that often in the basin.

Thanks to all for your expressions of concern.

Am feeling the aches and pains that follow on the next day. Shoulder is sore. Also paying the price for not wearing proper footwear. Left big toe must have hit or got caught on something. Hope I don't loose the nail.

I am trying to figure out what to say to the people I work with. Is going to be hard to hide the slight limp. And I really am embarrassed that I did something so stupid.

Was watching a show the other night in which an elderly fellow was talking about the passing of an 84 year old friend who died in a paragliding accident. "Stupid idiot!" he said. I thought it was kind of humorous. Sure beats the hell out of dying in bed like an old man.

Still, gotta be more careful. Still have lots of riding to do. MP3 only has 4300 miles on it. I want to see how many miles I can put on it before I have to finally give up the keys.

Sorry, late to your thread. That really sucks about your accident. Those changes in road surface can be deadly on a turn, in the dry and even more so in the wet. As well, we have to be cautious and on the look out for gravel and oil as well. I'm glad you're not worse off, when I had a similar accident two years ago I ended up with a fractured rib and bruised pride as well as some loss of confidence. Get your self all healed up and get back on the saddle so you don't lose confidence. Learn from this accident and don't let it happen again to you, move on and keep riding.

Dang Rich, sorry to hear. At least no major injuries.

Tell them shit happens, Then ask them if they would like a ride.

I would make up some story about being mugged by 6 huge guys but I got away with just a few knocks to the head and arm.

When I broke my ankle ( torn ligaments and Achilles tendon) and was in a cast for 4 months, my story was I got jumped by 4 ninjas, but of COURSE I kicked their butts..... Ankle still hurts from the butt kicking though. won't use it as a weapon anymore.