Guys,
I wouldn't ride my GTS without my Stitch. I have tried to ride
without it and it scares the hell out of me now. If you ride a bike
enough you are going to go down. It is just a matter of when and how
hard. I know I'll get flamed...with *I've never gone down*. My
answer is you just don't ride very much or have been extremely lucky.
I have averaged 35,000 to 60,000 miles a year over the last four
years. I also used to be able to say I never been down on my
motorcycle...not counting dirt bikes.
If you expose yourself enough, the odds are going to catch up with
you, and it often has nothing to do with your riding ability or
caution. The last time I went down was 15,000 miles and three months
ago in Canada at 4 AM on a short section of highway detour
construction. I was moving less than the speed limit and cautiously
across a grooved section of highway that was ground down my large
asphalt grinders and covered with broken rocks and pieces of asphalt.
It was six lanes wide, dark, and unmarked for any road hazards. I
slowly moved over to make a right hand turn.
Next, I found my self sliding along on my back, felt the rocks under
me, heard my helmet grinding on the pavement, and periodically
watched my GTS making sparks as it ground along the road rotating in
front of me. It happened so quickly it was like God reached down and
slapped me upside my head. I didn't have any idea of what caused it
as I was sliding. I was initially afraid someone had shot me. When a
friend came back to help and see what happened, neither of us could
figure out what caused it until he tripped over a sharp 4" edge left
by the asphalt cutter running along the start of the inner lane.
Nearly impossible to make out at night being covered with broken
rubble and not marked.
Don't flame back saying you it would not have happened to you because......
My point is the Stitch kept me from becoming raw hamburger as I slide
down the grooved asphalt. I had bloody knuckles on one hand. That
was my only injury other than my pride and scraped up GTS. Knuckles
have healed and the plastic parts just for the GTS just arrived. The
Stitch has a few worn spots but is still intact.
I cringe every time I see any motorcyclist riding in jeans or shorts
and a Tshirt.
Excuse me while I go take my Stitch out of the wash machine and add
the NikWax water proofing to the next cycle and get it ready for
October Fest and hopefully sit on the new model Yamaha's. I don't
ride anywhere without it.
hawke
