Im so sick I could puke! YJ damaged bad. (Great News today)

[YellowJacket!]

I'm about to stroke.  YJ fell over today in a bad storm.  We have to park in a gravel lot and I had her up on the center stand and she sunk into the muck and fell over.  Two nurses I work with picked her back up...in the pouring rain and tried to keep her up but she fell again.  They picked her up once more and stood on both sides of her in the F'n monsoon and held her up until I got out to the lot...about 30 mins.  But, the damage was done. ( can't fault them for trying to do a good deed but it would have been better if they just left her lying on her side)  Both turn signals on the right side are fubarred.  My macs are dented in.  My rear brake lever is bent, my tank is gouged and my YAMAHA emblem which was NOS is now FUBAR.  My throttle elbow is cracked and worst of all....my shark fairing is cracked and scratched up!!!  SHe's also leaking gas but I think its coming from the overflows.  Had to nurse her home all 7 miles.

The thing that pisses me off the most is that I was supposed to leave early today before the rain.  One of the other RT's whined that she didin't want to work in the ICU so I had to stay until 7.  The monsoon started around 6. I had made the comment to her that if I had to drive home in the rain I would be pissed.  I'm madder than a raging nest of killer bees now!

And..to top it all off, I have two exams to take tonight - which is why I was supposed to get off early - and I am in no fram of mind to take them right now.

>:( >:( >:( >:( :o :o :o :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

David

[Tiger]

 :) Shit Dave that's not good!!! However, ALL is repairable/replaceable mate... ;)

I always use the side stand and carry a 3'' dia' plastic disc for the side stand to rest on...

               8).......TIGER....... 8)

[h2olawyer]

David -

Hate to hear stories like that.  Not to be cute, but I do feel your pain.  I know you don't have time or $$ right now, but at least the damaged parts can be fixed / replaced fairly easily.

Get a final list together of what you need as replacements, post it & we can see what everyone has that they can chip in.  I actually might have a couple extra turn signals, but can't promise them yet as I need some for Tractor.

Hopefully, once you get into test mode, you can forget about this for a few hours.

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

What makes me so angry is that the bikers at work have asked and asked for a paved area in the gravel lot for our bikes and administration said they "would look into it".  The latest answer is that they can't show preferential treatment and we "all" have to park on the gravel.  The problem is that its a poorly laid out lot with poor drainage and when it gets wet, nothong will hold a bike up.  I have a carbon fiber puck that sinks enough into the gravel to let my bike fall over even when its dry. (The lot is more like dust than gravel) Thats why I use my centerstand.  Even on dry days, both tires are touching the ground by the time I get off work.  I guess I'll have to carry a 2x4 or 1x4 to set it on now.
My wife is very supportive and feels my pain.  She told me to leave it alone overnight and clean it off tomorrow and reassess the situation - Lucky told me the same thing as well, so two great minds must have some logic to them.
From what I can tell, the shark bore the brunt of the damage.  Its sitting cockeyed and is scratched up very bad and may be cracked as well but is covered with mud.  I'll clean it off.  Since my front signal is mounted to the shark brace, I think thats why its cockeyed but again, its covered with myd - it was sunk down in about 5" of it.  The rear signal is bent around by my license plate - don't know how but it is and the lens looks cracked - again, more muck.  I have another break pedal that I painted black.  Its straight and I can use it.  The glass to the shark popped out but did not break - thank God!  My newly painted tank is scuffed up pretty bad and the yamaha emblem was peeled over itself by the fairing but looks like it can be gently and slowly bent back into place.  I think the paint is what hurts the most.  I was so darn proud of it.
Got an 88 on the psych test and thanks to Coil, I got the question about Cognitive Dissonance correct.  ;D  The rest of the 74 questions really taxed my mind.

David

[h2olawyer]

Get an insurance appraisal & bill your employer.  If they aren't going to provide adequate parking, then they should be held responsible for any damages their inaction caused.   ;)

This is in no way meant to be used as legal advice.  It is merely a bit of humor - although somewhat serious.  You could ask them to help with the cost of getting the paint fixed.  Never hurts to ask.

H₂O

[Night Vision]

sheesh... I've had mine fall over on pavement and sustained less damage... sorry about your mishap. hope it gets nursed back into shape soon...

[inanecathode]

Jesus dude thats tough, on the new paint no less!
I'd probably do what h2o suggested, and bill your employer. Cars dont fall over when you park them on gravel, equality has no place when you're talking about motorcycles versus cars as far as parking is concerned.
I bet you they wont cover the damage, but if you make a big enough stink maybe they'll pave it for the other motorcyclists in the future! Think of YJ as a two wheeled martyr of sorts  :-\

Good job on your test tho dude  ;) :)

[YellowJacket!]

Thanks inane and everyone else.  Me and the other riders at work are a pretty close group.  I'm gonna quietly rally the troops and we will approach the administration as a group and in a mature manner and request a better parking soution for our bikes.

David

[don_vanecek]

Dave the pride you have in your bike has always showed in your posts, what a bummer for you. I will go out and kiss the concrete I get to park mine although I was sure sweating it when a front came though about three weeks ago and the V was caught out in the work parking lot-thank you Lord for not blowing it over!

[Blake]

if a 4x8 sheet of plywood magically appeared you think they would move it?

or better yet get the group to come..put a couple sheets of plywood down, then cover it with the gravel! 

[YellowJacket!]

Well, I took her out and hosed her down and fortunately, after all the grime was removed, the damage isn't as bad as I first thought.  Still enough to get my panties in a wad - um, boxers, and of course require some blood sweat and tears...and money, to repair.

1. Fairing - Deep gouges and cracked. Can be repaired though.

2. Chrash Bars - Bent into my coolant down tubes.  Will have to figure out a way to straighten them out.  Coolant tubes seem ok.

3. Tank - Doesnt look straight and won't straighten out.  Will have to remove and check.  YAMAHA emblem is no longer "cherry" but can be salvaged.  Gouge in tank is more cosmetic and can be wet sanded down as well as the deep scuff from the fairing hiting it.  Small dent from the Throttle guide.

4. Throttle guide is cracked - I have another one.

5. WIndscreen is cracked in two places. Will have to be replaced.  Hello, bikescreen.com...wanna sell me another one at a discount?

6. New right side mirror is all scuffed up.  Will try to sand.

7. MAC's look like crap.  Scratched up really bad but can be sanded and repainted.

8. Turn signals.  Front lens is cracked and housing is broken.  Have a lens but need a housing.  Anyone have one? 
    Rear turn signal is badly bent - tab on frame, but not damaged.  Signal housing is just scratched up.  Can be sanded out.

9. My new front brake lever looks like crap.  Will have to straighten it out and repaint it.

10. Oil filter cover is gouged up. Have a new NOS one I've been wiating to put on anyway.  Need to change oil too.

One interesting note is that the "Appliance paint" that I painted my forks and calipers with stood up to everything great.  The front wheel and fork was burried in the gravel but showed no signs of damage.  The only part that was painted with appliance paint that was scratched was my right peg mount.  Looks like a big stone got it but it should be easy to touch up..

Kevins "Shorty" turn signal stalks are tough buggers.  Pretty much held my bike up and did not break.

David

[QBS]

Should you and the other bike parkers decide to approach mngt. about better parking surfaces, use the argument that your group is trying to do the right thing by riding mc's to work and save the environment.  The least they could is support your efforts and encourage others to ride as well. 

[joevacc]

That's a total be-oche Dave.  Glad you were not on it when it went down.

I am a side stand kinda guy also and I have had one of these for years...


This guy ED, Actually invented these things years ago and the have been copied by many.
http://www.woodstock-ny.com/allynair/

May YJ get well soon,

jv

[YellowJacket!]

Thanks JV for the info.  I have a 2 x 3 carbon fiber plate for my sidestand but the gravel is so loose that it doesn't hold the bike up.  It still sinks right in.  I got in the habit of using my center stand for that reason.  On many occasions, the bike sunk into the gravel until the tires were firmly seated on the ground!  :o   Makes getting it off the center stand a fun process.  Start bike, put in gear and drive forward.
In any event, the wind was blowing so hard that the bike blew over onto its right side.  Ouch.
As far as management goes, we have approached them as individuals and have al made many of the same points.  I'm going to try to organize a group to approach management with a formal request and plan to make a point about the fuel savings.  Many of the riders have chosen to ride their bikes because they have to drive long distances and it is a fianacial decision otherwise they would have to find a job closer to home.
The hospital also sponsors a fundraiser ride twice a year.  It would be terrible if no one showed up to the next ride.  :o   ::)   :-X

David

[h2olawyer]

Glad the damage isn't quite as serious as first thought.  Still sucks, though.

I wonder if those 12x12 concrete pavers would work in place of your carbon fiber pad?  That may give you enough surface area to keep from sinking in to the ground & still use your side stand.  It may take 2 of them stacked if they tend to sink, but it could be an inexpensive option.

When you approach management with group options / proposals, keep it positive & see if you can come up with mutual solutions.  If they see you are willing to take on some of the effort, they will be more likely to help fix the problem.  Save the "or else" stuff as final bargaining power & even then, use it with care!   ;D  (I'm sure that would be your plan, but thought it should be stated anyway.)

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

Thanks for the advice H2O.  Well taken.

On the lighter side of things, I think my starting gremlin may have been killed in the event.  YJ starts easier than ever now.
Funeral tonight at 7pm EST.

David

[vadasz1]

See Dave, all you needed to fix that starter problem was a little Tennesse mud.  Maybe you should bottle the stuff and sell it on Flea-bay. ;D :P ;D

[don_vanecek]

So, makes me wonder, if sinking in mud was not a problem, how high a wind can there be without blowing a bike over or when the weather man says winds of such and such are approaching at what point should you get out to parking lot and find some place to shelter the V?

[YellowJacket!]

Several large trees were knocked over in and around Knoxville yesterday.  The parking lot is off a long road off the interstate.  Its a straight shot westward down the interstate, which is the direction that many storms come from.  They usually hit Lucky before they hit me.  Anyway, when the storms approach from the west, particularly the bad afternoon T-storms, the wind in the parking lot can be quite strong.  There is also two large hills n either side of the road which seems to funnel the wind even more.
I think there is a physics problem somewhere in the statement don made but Im studying thermodynamics now and that was two chapters ago.  I'm braindead.  Something about mass and velocity.  I thing Bernoulli's principal factors in there too.
Anyone want to do the math and find out how hard the wind has to blow to knock a Vision over?  Brian? Kwells?

David

[Brian Moffet]

When it's in soft gravel?  Probably not very...  Other than that, a wind of around 120 or so will probably  *lift* the bike and hover it...  I think I read someplace that the terminal velocity of most motorcycles is around 120...

Brian