My Lucky Day

[gsxbarmy]

Nice day, so decided to take the Triumph out for a little bimble around the lanes - first stop petrol station. Just left home and had done about 3/4 mile, running along slightly downhill at no more than 30mph, suddenly the back end of the bike leapt up in the air and to the right with a bit of a bang. Bit of a brown trouser moment bring the bike back under control, then all was well, no funny noises or handling. WTF???

Stopped and check bike over. Everything working perfectly. So stopped and walked back up the road.

GODDAM CAR MECHANICS WHO DON'T CHECK THEY HAVE ALL THEIR TOOLS BEFORE SHUTTING BONNETS 

I found what caused the problem -took a while to spot it mind (good job I knew where it had happened) - a small Snap-on Socket with a 2" screwdriver bit in it - stuck in the road (yes IN the tarmac) almost 1" - leaving the other 1" upright in the road. Clearly I had caught this damn thing with the left hand edge of my rear tyre and gone over the top of it, hence cuasing the jump up at the back and kick out to the right.

Thinking afterwards - if I had been about 1/2" to the left of where I was actually riding and the front tyre (rather than the rear) had caught this damn thing, then it would probably have had me off by wrenching the bars out my hands, and I'd have high-sided. I did pull it out the road and am now one Snap-on Socket with screw driver extension better off.

Number of times I've found odd tools lying on the road that have either dropped off a builders truck, or been left under the bonnet by sloppy mechanics who don't check they have their complement of tools BEFORE shutting the bonnet.

Anyway - we live to ride another day 

[seth]

Get a lottery ticket on buddy
😎

[Andre]

I am glad you came out of this unscathed. Rear tyre ok?

[Notty]

Oooooo that was lucky Dave!  could have been an Aldi socket !!

[KiwiCol]

Lucky save Dave!  Just goes to show us all, even the most careful and considered riders can get caught out. Difference being your training probably saved you from an off, others of us, me included, may not have come away so clean.

Yep, lotto ticket time Dave.

[Del]

Lucky fella Dave

I am a good samaratin on this cause - if I see any sort of tool on the road I stop or turn around to stop - found a fair few nice tools as well

Glad you stayed upright fella

[Will14]

Dave, Glad that there was no serious harm or damage caused, as has been said your experience shone through

I had almost exactly the same thing travelling to work one day this week, fortunately I was in the cage, noticed a utility grab wagon parked up on the road just a 100 yards past the yard it had come out of and the driver climbing down from the cab so gave him plenty of room and moved rite over to the right as there was no oncoming traffic, just at the last minute (as I was watching what the driver was up to) I noticed something on the road but was to late to avoid one hell of a bang, turned out it was a large adjustable spanner on the road which had slid of the grab wagon following the driver tightening something. No harm or damage done but could so easy have been much worse!


Cheers

Pete

[gsxbarmy]

I am glad you came out of this unscathed. Rear tyre ok?

Yes Andre - gave it a good looking over, I think what happened was that the edge of the tyre rode up on the socket itself. Checked it over VERY carefully, have since covered over 120 miles with no ill effects or loss of pressure, so  think all is good.

[Sweaty]

Glad to hear you came out of it unscathed Dave.

[Kiwifruit]

Bit spooky Dave .
Pleased all ended well. 

[Tony Nitrous]

Free socket !

[grog]

Good escape Barmy. Bloody mechanics. Wasnt mine, cant afford Snap On.

[VladTepes]

Oooooo that was lucky Dave!  could have been an Aldi socket !!

   

[GSXKING]

Mate of mine hit a house brick on freeway on the way back from Amberley Airbase. BMW R1200RT front wheel smashed, tire flat, rear tire deflated and he managed to keep it upright at 100kmh. Insurance company wrote bike off.