So sad to report, 1 less 1st gen VMax in the world.

Fire-medic · Jul 29, 2023

Jerry Klay said:
I can get some help to load it

Jerry Klay · Jul 30, 2023

Fire-medic said:
View attachment 90341

Pics like that give me a sick feeling. I can still remember as a kid and my teen years going to the junk yard and seeing how smashed some of the cars were. Unimaginable people survived some of those crashes.

RedMax · Jul 30, 2023

VMAX_Jon_NC said:
I feel awful to tell everyone this but my 1997 silver VMax is totaled. Of course I'm disappointed for my own sake because I'm out one thrilling motorcycle. But I also feel guilty to the VMax community that I was given one of these special beasts to care for and I let us all down. I assure you I did not destroy the bike willfully or negligently. The old story, a car driver doing something unpredictable and stupid in front of me led me to lock the brakes, get a little crossed up, endure 2 or 3 violent wobbles, and go down. The bike and I slid and tumbled along the road for a little ways. I'll be fine but the bike is done for. It hurts to share this but I thought you guys would want to know. The one good thing I can offer to the community is that I had just installed a Corbin seat, so I have the original in my garage. I replaced it because the upholstery was very bad, but the structure, base, hinge, springs and such is all fine. I'm not selling it or shipping it but I will give it to anyone close enough to come get it. If you want a good seat to reupholster and you're near the Triad area of NC send me a private message and we'll make arrangements.

I to am so sorry to hear about this tragic incident. The important thing is that you are still alive. About 30 years ago while riding my first street bike, a Kawasaki kz 750, I faced a similar situation. A car driver decided to make a last minute left turn right in front of me. I braked hard and and slid, but managed to keep the bike upright. I was hoping to miss the car. If the car driver had turned just a little quicker I would not have collided with the trunk of the car and become airborne. Fortunately for me, I was wearing a Shoei full face helmet, leather chaps, leather jacket, leather boots and gloves. I walked away with only two bruised knee caps. The moral of this and many other such stories, is always wear the right riding gear. Most of the time it will be split seconds to make a decision to stay up on the bike or lay it down. Either way, the right riding gear may save your life. I am sending you positive thoughts for a speedy recovery my VMax riding friend.

Zeus36 · Jul 30, 2023

Woody said:
On the Iowa written test for motorcycle endorsement.
They have a question. That asks, What part of the lane you should ride in?
I'm with you ride in a tire track. Avoiding the oil and other stuff .
That leaks from under cars.
But whoever came up with this obviously never rode a motorcycle. Because they say ride in the middle.I have even brought it to the attention. Of a officer who conducted the riding section of the test.He said he has heard many complaints. And agrees. Yet it's still on the test.

I strongly agree with the muscle memory. I've told more than 1 person.I won't teach them to ride.they should take a course. Designed to teach them things that .I do without thinking .It just come natural. How to lean ,when to brake or gas it.where to ride ,how to negotiate traffic.

They tell you to ride in the middle of your lane to increase your space cushion from other vehicles. It also helps to keep drivers in the same lane from going around you. If you ride to the right, they may try to squeeze past you on the left. If you ride in the left tire track, cars may try to squeeze past you on the right. I've had that happen at a red light where the car was turning right on red. Splitting lanes where I ride is neither legal or illegal. It's not part of the official vehicle code, (there is a governor-signed bill saying CHP may develop "guidelines", but they are not lawmakers) so drivers are used to bikes lane filtering and may be more comfortable moving alongside your motorcycle.

I vary which tire track I'm in depending on traffic conditions and if the center of the lane is clear of grease and oils, I'll also use that. Not much rain here. Opposing traffic will drift over the line and into your lane, especially texters, so the left tire track is more dangerous for hitting another vehicle head on and you'll lose big time. However, due to cars pulling out from the right and into traffic, you are also at risk. I lost a friend that was riding in the right lane, right tire track when a guy in a lowrider pulled out from a bar and stopped with his front in the right tire track. My friend T-boned the car and suffered brain damage. He lasted 6-months in the hospital.

Fire-medic · Jul 30, 2023

Zeus36 said:
They tell you to ride in the middle of your lane to increase your space cushion from other vehicles. It also helps to keep drivers in the same lane from going around you. If you ride to the right, they may try to squeeze past you on the left. If you ride in the left tire track, cars may try to squeeze past you on the right. I've had that happen at a red light where the car was turning right on red. Splitting lanes where I ride is neither legal or illegal. It's not part of the official vehicle code, (there is a governor-signed bill saying CHP may develop "guidelines", but they are not lawmakers) so drivers are used to bikes lane filtering and may be more comfortable moving alongside your motorcycle.

I vary which tire track I'm in depending on traffic conditions and if the center of the lane is clear of grease and oils, I'll also use that. Not much rain here. Opposing traffic will drift over the line and into your lane, especially texters, so the left tire track is more dangerous for hitting another vehicle head on and you'll lose big time. However, due to cars pulling out from the right and into traffic, you are also at risk. I lost a friend that was riding in the right lane, right tire track when a guy in a lowrider pulled out from a bar and stopped with his front in the right tire track. My friend T-boned the car and suffered brain damage. He lasted 6-months in the hospital.

You have raised common-sense guidelines for using the entire road. An alert rider will 'read the road' and its drivers, and adjust his/her path to minimize potential conflicts. Coming up to a busy shopping center? Better to be in a left lane than the right-hand one, because of exiting drivers from the shopping center. Don't forget the "Oh, I am gonna miss the turn-off to the shopping center!" drivers who attempt to cross from the left lanes to enter the shopping center, cutting everyone off.

I don't agree with RedMax's idea of "make a decision to stay up on the bike or lay it down." Few riders are skilled-enough to actually 'lay it down.' The only ones I can think of who might be capable of doing that are flat trackers, enduro and motocross riders, and maybe roadracers. I am sure that all those would agree a bike still on its wheels has a much better coefficient of friction and control over its intended path than a bike and rider sliding across the pavement. Doing a 'Superman' posture as you depart the bike may not cause much trauma, but the landing surely-will! Things happen so-quickly that most of the time, the unfortunate rider will only be able to think, "WTF!?? &*^#@#!! as the impact happens.

My thought is that as the incident happens, perhaps the panic-braking bleeds-off enough speed that the rider, attempting to get past the car, dropped furniture, or other hazard will low-side as they ask the bike to avoid the impact via their behavior in the saddle. Something happening at higher speeds is likely to cause a high-side, as the rider brakes violently, and makes a choice to go either right or left and goes over the handlebars as their momentum parting company with the motorcycle puts them into that 'Superman' posture.

I think it was a Kevin Cameron article where he wrote about a road-racing get-off where he described sliding across the pavement, and adjusting his position to avoid abrading a hole through his racing leathers, as he felt the heat through the leathers. Today's gravel run-offs are much more forgiving than yesteryear's barricades. Plus, we have the CE armor affording better protection. And don't forget the helmet technology improves over time, helping to prevent a traumatic brain injury. Lastly, we have advances in medical care, and such things as Level I and II trauma facilities for the care of the unfortunates who need it. I once was running a group of paramedic students through hospital rotations, and we all happened to be meeting in the adult E.R. when two trauma alert patients came-in from fire-rescue. One was an off-duty police veteran, who had been riding a scooter in a t-shirt and shorts, and no helmet. If he had been AGATT, instead of his 't-shirt/shorts' "armor" I suspect his condition would have been much-different.

As riders, we make decisions about our riding apparel and our behavior while in the saddle. The prudent rider will maximize his/her chances for survival via the choices they make.