So, why did I crash?

[skydivr]

Since nobody apparently is reading the Barber thread, I am posting my crash on Saturday on my Gixxer in a new thread to elicit a response. Below is the video. I was running in I; temp was about 48 (cold); 30/30 tire pressure on a 3 year old set of OEM BT015's with quite a bit of tread left.

Tucked the front in the infamous turn 5. I know I hit the turn early and was still decellerating. Irony is that I had a brand spanking new set of tires in my truck for this bike but hated to replace them with so much tread remaining on the old tires...now wishing I'd done it. Minor damage mostly to my ego. Leathers WORK.

The crash is in the turn after I pass the other rider, on the second lap around near the end. I'll be back again in Nashville next month - with new tires!

 

[BenWoj42]

Karma?

Thats a joke if noone can see that.

Im interested to know now also!

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

I did see the video, but just don't see what may have gone wrong. Too my untrained eye, it looks like the tires just let go.

I understand leathers work, how did they fare after the get off. Any pics?

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

To throw the questions back your way, do you feel you learned anything from the experience?

I have a serious case of track time envy at this point and any info would be great.

 

[lucky-dog]

I thought you were doing pretty good! I am no expert but would like to also know what happen..Glad your ok.

 

[Mr Brown]

I couldn't see an obvious reason for the dismount, but I did notice you weren't winding the motor out very high, and you don't blip the throttle on your downshifts. Were you not comfortable with the bike/track/situation? Lack of concentration maybe?
In any event, I'm glad you are none the worse for it, sorry I couldn't be more help.....

 

[teddypenn]

wish i could offer some ideas to ya. sure looks like you were having some fun before the fall though. makes me wanna hurry up and get in some track days!

 

[aussiekeeper]

Tires are 3 years old, how many times have they been heat cycled? Looks like they may have been "chrisped" or unpredictable from too many heat cycles. They were not what you were used to................

 

[Jayhawk]

There seems to be a strange chattering on decel...you can hear it and the bike sort of jumps up and down. Track? Tire? Wind/camera?

 

[skydivr]

Leathers are a little scuffed up but now they just have a little 'personality' - remember, chicks dig scars....

I didn't touch the gas or brake when it let go...i think it was a combination of factors:

1. Cold track
2. OLD tires; and not tires known for being all that good on the track yet they should have been old
3. I took the turn too early, so was still decellerating when I should have had a little maintenance throttle to put a little more weight on the rear tire.
4. Hands - not sure if i was light enough on the bars (let the bike ride it out) and maybe that contributed.

I rode that same turn several times on my Busa with new Dunlop Q2;s on at a much higher speed and more lean, they stuck like glue never felt unsafe on them - although I will admit that i backed off a BUNCH the rest of the weekend...

 

[Dr E]

Looking at your speed, RPM and position it looks as though you were not on enough throttle and instead of driving the bike through the corner you were drifting and the mass of the bike overcame the coefficient of friction on your front tire and pushed it out from under you. Not seeing your tires, I am not lead to believe that it was the condition of them that was to blame.

 

[BY1Wheel]

Tires are 3 years old, how many times have they been heat cycled? Looks like they may have been "chrisped" or unpredictable from too many heat cycles. They were not what you were used to................

I was gonna say that!!!!!

Heat cycles! get use to that word if your doing track days. I know it sucks replacing tires with plenty of tread left on them but I replace mine every year and should do it sooner.

 

[skydivr]

Here are pics of the front tire I just took.

 

[skydivr]

Looking at your speed, RPM and position it looks as though you were not on enough throttle and instead of driving the bike through the corner you were drifting and the mass of the bike overcame the coefficient of friction on your front tire and pushed it out from under you. Not seeing your tires, I am not lead to believe that it was the condition of them that was to blame.

I agree Dr E; I think it was me. First time I ever put my bike down like that. If I hadn't cut the turn too early, I'd have already been on the throttle and the weight would have been more distributed to the back tire. Although having that new set of tires on MIGHT have been just enough to overcome my riding error....

Not heat cycles - these tires are the OEM tires that come on the bike 3 years ago; the original owner hadn't even gotten them scuffed up much yet, I was just wanting to burn them down a little before putting better ones on...

 

[JINKSTER]

"I know I hit the turn early and was still decellerating."

pretty much says it all right there...if i ain't done braking and ready to start wicking on the power just as (bettter yet "just before") i turn into the corner entrance point?..the bikes still in a "Weight Forward Condition"...which now means that the chassis will be in a constant transition of relieving the weight forward to weight rearward all while in a state of ever-changing lean angles...not good.

didn't seem to be the tires fault to me...at least the front seemed to "grab and tuck" just dandy...plenty of traction there...to much in fact..as the front should be gett'in lighter and lighter from the moment of turn-in...under power.

filed under: "Operator Error"

jmho & L8R, Bill.

 

[Flicka]

Sorry to hear about our crash, Keith. Glad to hear you're okay though. My guess is tires would be the main factor. Maybe age plus tread compound type? I'm no expert on that.

You said you didn't touch the brake or gas when it let go... Coasting through a corner is a very uneasy feeling for me. I seem to have much better control over the bike if I go directly from pre-corner braking right back into the gas. Not necessarily enough gas to accelerate, but at least enough to maintain a constant speed until it's time to accelerate out of the corner. I don't have any professional training, but that seems to work well for me.

Since the 1000 is your track bike, are you going to go with a more track-friendly tire for the new ones?

 

[BusaWhipped]

I don't think the tires caused it. Doubtful the new tires would have prevented it. I have a second set of rims, 1 for the track and one for the street. That way you can put the new tires on at the track and put the older ones on for the street. Another expense that comes along for the track habit.

Not being able to see what your hands were doing makes it tough to guess at what caused it.

 

[dk55belair]

I think I saw Carl Edwards tap you on the rear going into that curve.

 

[UncleSteve]

i don't like the look of the tires.

 

[Payne]

Here is what my buddy said (he was there, full yellow R1)

He lost the front. I don't think he was going to fast, only about 50. He was slowing down, and he wasn't on the line, he was wide.

The track was cold, I'm sure his tires were warm, but the track was probably warmer on the racing line. Who knows the shape of his tires either.