Black ice and rubber don't match!

I ride my ST year around in the Seattle area. Last week I gently turned off the main road and into the parking lot at work - the air temperature was 39?F, so I really was not thinking about ice and other such nasty things. However, the parking area was covered with black ice...things went very fast I must admit: one moment I am riding happily and the next I am on the ground looking at the bike sliding in front of me...that's a first for me I must admit.I cannot remember how I got off the bike - I got up very quickly. Due to my thick winter gear I didn't feel a thing - I was more concerned about getting the bike back up. I have read about how to raise the ST (but never tried it), and to my surprise the technique worked flawlessly. Due to the extremely icy conditions, I had to ask the kind person who stopped behind me to help the bike stay put until I got back on it. It fired right up and I could drive very sloooowly the remaining few hundred yards.Here is what amazes me: there is virtually no damage to the bike. The small plastic crash bar cover (or whatever it is called) has a slight marking, but due to the icy conditions it really isn't damaged despite sliding 10 feet. The mirror and left bag show no signs of even being in contact with the road. So, it seems like the bike indeed is perfectly balanced on the crash bar and wheels when you throw it down the street. How many other bikes can you do that to without seeing a few thousand bucks sail out the window?The ST continues to amaze me - even when something like this happens...happy riding everybody!

Glad you and the bike are OK. The ST1300 is an amazing machine. Might want to check to see if there are any videos that might pop up later. I dumped mine in front of 15 friends. They remind me of it all to often.

The ST is an amazing bike. I'm glad you are ok and the bike faired well in the drop. I've done a similar drop on my ST1100 in my alley with the same result as you.
If you ever take your STeed eastward across the state I hope you look me up. Always up for a ride. (When the weather is a bit more accommodating anyway.)

Wow that must have woke you up fast. Glad you and the bike made it without any damage.

Not much you can do about that stuff... the ST is one of the best bike designs when it comes to OEM drop protections... they've probably made millions in the black tip over covers alone.. lol

Glad you were not hurt, the rest is just, something that happened that you can tell stories about later.

Glad all ended well. Those Bygdawg rear crash bars are worth their weight in gold when it comes to tip-overs. Mine only had a small scuff on them which I covered with a Sharpie

I had a similar experience many years ago. Very glad yours was like mine, with zero damage to rider, or bike.

A lack of friction reduces the damage considerably.

Hey neighbor, glad your OK and the bike too!

ToddC

Yeah, slippery surfaces and two wheels never mix well!

Glad you and the ST came out of it in such good condition!

I've experienced black ice before many years ago when I lived in the Rockies, really bad stuff. Worst thing about it is that it isn't easily recognizable, just looks like water on the pavement. It's so slippery that it can be nearly impossible to walk on without falling on your can - which I've done a few times. I remember a time or two having to drive on it going to a job - the car's speed had to be just right going around a curve, a little too fast and you slide off the outside of the curve, a little too slow and you slide toward the inside, into the oncoming lane of traffic (or vice versa). Very treacherous stuff!

mortenk said:

I had to ask the kind person who stopped behind me to help the bike stay put until I got back on it.

Click to expand...

I had a tip over (not on ice) on a slight slope. While trying to get the bike upright I realized that it was going to roll out from under me. That's when I remembered the recently installed Tony Worral(spelling?) handbrake on the handlebar lever. Engaged it, and up she went. No problems.

He sells these in a link thread elsewhere on this site. Great farklel!