Broken collar bone ... 6 weeks off riding season

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:39 am

The 900 runs great after going through the engine, carbs, brakes, chain and sprockets, and a new front tire. The problem is I only got to the end of my driveway before I hit the pavement. Crying or Very sad

It seems my brand new Metzler was coated with some kind of undetectable preservative or something and the front end washed out on me as soon as I leaned to turn onto the road. The tire didn't even attempt to grab...no warning....nothing.

I walked away with just a broken claivical .... fractured in two places. Talking to the instructor at my daughter's karate dojo I found out that the same thing happened to a friend of his last week. Same kind of tire, same dealer. He didn't make it out of the parking lot. Evil or Very Mad

My bike isn't too bad but to add insult to injury, I picked it up to get it out of the street, sat down on it, and blacked out from the pain falling over on the other side of the bike. Now I need both mirrors, both levers, repair and repaint the fairing, the left turn signal, and replace the alternator and ignition covers.

Worst of it is six more weeks off riding season, can't play guitar, still have to work (desk job), and it's damn difficult to wipe my arse with my left hand. Confused

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:58 am

Hey Skid,
I just sat down and read your post - to say that I feel bad for you would be an understatement! I got Metzlers on my 900 a few months ago and they told me three times before I rode away to take it Real easy for the first 50 miles or so because of the factory coating, so I took it REAL easy for about 150 miles because they had me all paranoid!
Anyway, hope things look up and you get the parts you need without too much pain. There's some good folks on this site who will help you out. As for the clavicle and wiping yer arse, you might be on your own....
Take care.

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:11 am

That coating could also be excess lube used to make the new tire slip enough to pop on the beads when first inflated. Or it could be a lube used to help tire come out of tire mold when made. The bike shop here grabs everybody that walks out with a newly mounted tire and tells them to sign
what in effect is a waiver stating that you are aware that you will not so much as lean the bike over until tire is scuffed in really good, about 100 miles. They've had hell with people dumping bikes with new tires on them.

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:15 pm

is there a way to jack up the bike and scuff the tires a bit before you ride??

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:17 pm

In 30 years of riding and numerous new tires I've never had anyone warn me about taking it easy until the tire is scuffed. It's partly due to the smooth asfault driveway too. I was only goin between 5 and 10 MPH when the front end skated out from under me, not like I was scraping the pegs through some twisties. To feel the tire you wouldn't guess there was anythinng on it.

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:34 pm

Really sorry to hear this Skid.........man does that suck!

I've used Metlzers before, and never had anything like that happen.

I don't think I could wipe my ass with my left hand, but maybe I should practice just in case. Shocked

Just heal up quick, and get your bike fixed. Next set of tires......try the Sport Demons, they really are quite good, in a lot of ways. Cool

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:50 pm

Skid wrote:

In 30 years of riding and numerous new tires I've never had anyone warn me about taking it easy until the tire is scuffed. It's partly due to the smooth asfault driveway too. I was only goin between 5 and 10 MPH when the front end skated out from under me, not like I was scraping the pegs through some twisties. To feel the tire you wouldn't guess there was anythinng on it.

Sorry tp hear this! Heal fast.
That was an unusually slippery tire, from your description of the event.
Every time I've bought tires, the shop has warned me. Maybe I look like I need it. Embarassed

This spring I had a new front and took it very easy and watched where the shiney had worn off. I gradually went deeper and deeper up the sides til the coating was gone.

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:51 pm

Skid wrote:

My bike isn't too bad but to add insult to injury, I picked it up to get it out of the street, sat down on it, and blacked out from the pain falling over on the other side of the bike

Ouch - sorry to hear that.

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 1:20 pm

That is mold release compound. It primarily keeps the h-butyl rubber bladder from sticking to the h-butyl innerliner in the press (they are formed by inflating a bladder inside the green carcass to smash it into the mold, for those who might have wondered). It is about as slick a substance and mankind can generate. I can't drive the forktruck with it on my hands (rubber wheel and controls). Some tires come out wetter than others.

+1 on the get wells, and such. Here's hoping there will be plenty of summer left for you beerchug

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:26 pm

Hey Skid, I am real sorry to hear about your incedent.
I have seen it happen too many times at work. Was it Dunlop tires?

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 3:03 pm

Hi Skid
I hope you & your bike heal fast,I`m going to post a topic on this issue

DanimalOXO7

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:34 pm

I spent several months in rehab after tearing a rotator and having the deltoid muscles cut to fix the rotator. Nothing like having your arm straped to your side for 12 weeks before its okay to RIP it loose again.

I can feel your frustration. On the bright side, you would be amazed what you can learn to do left handed. I will leave out the gory details for the faint of heart, but personal hygene gets to be very high on the list of creative solutions. It can be done.

Good luck, it will get better.

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:38 pm

fasterspider wrote:

Hey Skid, I am real sorry to hear about your incedent.
I have seen it happen too many times at work. Was it Dunlop tires?

Nope, Metzler. It's funny how I never heard of this until it happened to me. Now everyone I talk to either has had a similar problem with new tires or knows someone that did. I usually buy Kenda Challengers but decided to check out the Metzlers this time. Maybe I should have stuck with the tried and tru Kendas.

I found everything to fix the bike except the alternator cover. Painting the fairing will be a problem too since I don't have any more paint for it and the stuff is pretty expensive and time consuming to paint. I'm sure the paint won't get done until this fall.

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:02 pm

never mind riding ...the ass wiping thing is more of a pain......especially in my case since I seem to crap 5 times a day.........good luck with that...... Very Happy

....hope the humour speeds your healing

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:34 pm

I broke my clavicle about 18 years ago falling off my bicycle. I was in my 30s then and it took about 4 or 5 weeks before I could lean on the handlebars again. I'd hate to see how long it would take for me to heal now! Do the physical therapy they give you--it really helps.

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:34 am

thanks for the well wishes guys, it really means a lot!

I got word form the Doc today that I can go back to work Thursday with only one restriction....can't use right arm. Laughing

At least I don't have to sit around bored looking at my bike and just waiting to heal. We're pretty busy at work so 6 to 8 weeks should go by pretty quick.

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 6:44 am

I feel your pain Skid, broke my left clavicle 4/24/05. Do what the doctors say and don`t push it. Take care of yourself, the bike will get fixed soon enough.

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:22 pm

Dude!

I feel for ya! Heal fast...six weeks isn't that long... Rolling Eyes

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 5:17 am

Still need a generator cover to make my bike pretty again. I found all the ohter parts.

Now that I've healed a little I notice some crunchies in the shoulder joint. I hope this goes away. The last thing I want is to need surgery and blow the rest of the riding season.

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 4:12 pm

Skid wrote:

Still need a generator cover to make my bike pretty again. I found all the ohter parts.

Now that I've healed a little I notice some crunchies in the shoulder joint. I hope this goes away. The last thing I want is to need surgery and blow the rest of the riding season.

Mine crunched and popped for a couple years afterward. Didn't hurt though.
Jim

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 4:37 am

being busy at work makes the time go by quick, It's been 10 days and the shoulder is feeling a lot better. Still popping and aches a lot but with more and more range of motion every day. Therapy should be interesting. There's this blond Swiss girl who likes to put her hands on you. Maybe I'll break the other arm when this is over.
I wrote Metzeler about the incident and haven't gotten a reply yet. Just want them to warn people about the potential hazards of brand new tires in hopes of saving someone else from the same thing I'm going through.
It will be a few weeks before the bike will come out of the shed. The first thing I'll do is clean up the front tire. I have already fixed the mirrors, levers, and turn signal. Hope to be riding soon!

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 5:50 am

That is something bad, perhaps, motorcycle tire shops should be asked to run tires, like in a balancing machine, run them on a spinning machine that would take at least 50 miles out of them. It would not cost too much, and it would add safety. I , thanks to God, never fell on a new tire, but yes, remember the jell-O feeling.
You will be back in no time. just take it easy.

Jaime

Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 2:21 pm

Skid,

Sorry about the incident. Broke the collar bone 31 years ago. It's a real inconvenience for such a little bone! But at least for the next few years you will be able to forecast the weather every time it is getting ready to storm. Razz

As I type this I have 9 "FZ-1 induced" stiches in my knee from an incident two weeks ago.

As to the treachery of newly mounted tires. It is well known in most riding circles. Experienced riders should tell others. It is possible sometimes for important "common knowledge" to bypass a riding circle entirely. Looks like that is what happened to you. Too bad. Even a few miles would have helped. I'm always careful for the first few hundred.

Tyson

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 2:41 am

According to Metzler I was supposed to get a brochure explaining the cautions and break-in requirements with my new tire. I think the dealer is going to get an ear full. They also stated that there is no mold release compound used in their processing, however, the tires do have an extremely smooth finish and the surface rubber is not as sticky as the rest of the tire because of the way it's manufactured.
I have to believe it was a combination of the new tire and the fact that I tried to turn on the end of my driveway where the black top is polished due to cars pulling in and out. I've had more traction with bald tires in the rain. In any case I'm healing and aside from a clavicle that sticks out in a lump I should be fine in a few weeks. It feels better every day.

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 5:01 pm

i fell off my laverda while riding with a broken collar bone once. i was upset. scratched the paint on the tank. now my collar bone looks like a pretzel and they are making laverdas again. mickey and silvia said it best. "love is strange" i love those eyetalian bikes

Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2005 11:11 pm

Hey Skid! I work in Painesville and I might be able to come up with a generator cover. I will see when I go into work tomorrow. My bosses sells a lot of parts on e-bay and there is two k's that are being parted out. I do heating & A/C the bike thing is a hobby.

Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:01 am

Beauff wrote:

Hey Skid! I work in Painesville and I might be able to come up with a generator cover. I will see when I go into work tomorrow. My bosses sells a lot of parts on e-bay and there is two k's that are being parted out. I do heating & A/C the bike thing is a hobby.

Rob, thanks for the offer but I found all that I needed and already made arrangements to buy the cover. If things fall through I'll let you know. We should get together for a ride some time. I'm about 10 minutes from Painesville. There's a lot of great country to ride around here.

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:21 am

The shoulder is healing and the F is beconning. I'll have to wait at least 3 more weeks until I try to ride my 900 though. All I see is bikes out on the road and I'm green with envy.
The 900 is back together except for the paint on the fairing. I hope I have the will power to wait it out and not try something stupid.

Hawk Joined: Jun 27, 2003 Posts: 327 Location: nevada

back in the 90's i used to amaturer road race a rz350, for a while. the hot
tire to use were the "comp k" mettzlers. after mounting, i would allways use a green scotch brite with 409 and hot water to remove whatever coating was on the tire. other racers would use kem-tool or contact cleaner. but i was allways afread those chemicals would damage the rubber. never fell down on new tires, but fell on old ones more times than i care to remember. I remember racing one time in the rain on brand new mettzlers, and just "ran away" from every one else.
sorry for your accident. get better, adrian

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:29 am

It's 6 weeks today. Of course it rained most of the day but the weather looks good for riding tomorrow. Now I just have to work with my wimpy right arm to get the strength back. The 900 still needs fine tuned from being disassembled and I can't think of any better way to start therapy then to work on the bike a little. There's always some minor oil leak or something not adjusted right after totally tearing the engine down.