Gotta love that 80s tech...

[Brian Moffet]

When I rode in this morning, as I usually do, I am always on the lookout for people trying to run me over.  So when I managed to make it into work I was happy.  I was not expecting the aluminum gate that I drive through (after scanning my work badge) to come down on me and my vision...

Apparently, the gate came down early.  I was stopped after it hit me within about a foot because of braking.  It had caught in the area between the left mirror and the fairing and was slight wedged there.  It was also bent at the hinge.  I carefully lifted the bar, and scooted the out from under it and pulled over.  I looked the bike over and couldn't see any problems. I rode to my parking space, and there I went through checks on the turn signals, lights, etc...

I got a call from security after I got to my office asking if I was okay (manager calling rather than the gate person) and I said I was.  He said to make sure the bike was okay.  I just went down and checked, and it appears that the only thing that happened is that I have a slight mark on the windscreen, (my patina has been cleaned there).

They had to replace the gate, I had bent it out at a good angle...

Tank-like early 80s tech...

Brian

[YellowJacket!]

Your'e luck they care about you...I'm not having such a nice experience.
Glad you and your bike are ok!

David

[h2olawyer]

Ah yes - the days before full computer design.  Of course, the farther back you go, the more overdesigned / overbuilt things were.  Dad has a story about the 1928 REO car his parents owned.  He watched it get hit in a hailstorm near Big Rapids, MI in the early 30s.  He said the large hailstones (1" - 2" diameter) would bounce about 20 feet off the hood & roof.  Left no dings or dents anyplace on the car.  The Model T that was parked next to it had a small ding or two, but the leather roof was shredded.  He got caught in Denver in a similar hailstorm with his 79 Olds.  That thing required a couple thousand dollars in body work.

I got hammered by a hailstorm in Ft. Collins in 1979.  Those hailstones were amazing - grapefruits & softballs (but decidedly NOT soft) falling from the sky.  My 69 mustang had 6 deep dents & both the windshield & rear window were broken. 

H₂O