Went for a great ride yesterday with a guy I work with. For those in Colorado we went up through Evergreen and Shadow Mountain area and then off to Guanella Pass. It was just a beautiful day, a great temp, no wind, color still on the trees. Went from HWY 285 to Georgetown. We were coming into Georgetown and there is a stop sign right at the bottom of the hill (Guanella Pass Rd and Rose St.). This is a bad intersection, a good downhill grade, a stop sign and a right turn to continue.
I was stopped waiting for my riding mate. I look in my right mirror and see him coming a little to fast. He couldn't stop and clipped my right saddlebag. He flipped and crashed in the intersection. It sounds bad but he got up and after we pieced his bike back together we rode back to Denver.
So my bike lost the right saddlebag cover and no other damage and no damage to me. But I think there were three things that saved me and my bike from more damage. This spring I decided to put on a set of those GL1800 crash bars. Went I got hit the other bike hit my saddlebag and then hit the crash bar, causing his bike to move to the right and flip. My bike did not move. When I stop I always have my hand and foot brake on. In this case my leg was up on the peg protected by the crash bar. Most likely if the bars was not there or my foot was on the ground this whole thing would have been really bad for me. Lastly since I always stop (because most of the time I ride with my wife and I wait for her before moving on, habit) I did not start my right turn. I was waiting for my riding mate. If I would have started to make the right this also would have been very bad for both of us. Most likely a broadside.
His insurance will cover the losses so that is good. I am sure he will be very sore for a few days, not much road rash but he hit the ground kind of hard and we know that when we tumble we will hurt for a few days.
I was stopped waiting for my riding mate. I look in my right mirror and see him coming a little to fast. He couldn't stop and clipped my right saddlebag. He flipped and crashed in the intersection. It sounds bad but he got up and after we pieced his bike back together we rode back to Denver.
So my bike lost the right saddlebag cover and no other damage and no damage to me. But I think there were three things that saved me and my bike from more damage. This spring I decided to put on a set of those GL1800 crash bars. Went I got hit the other bike hit my saddlebag and then hit the crash bar, causing his bike to move to the right and flip. My bike did not move. When I stop I always have my hand and foot brake on. In this case my leg was up on the peg protected by the crash bar. Most likely if the bars was not there or my foot was on the ground this whole thing would have been really bad for me. Lastly since I always stop (because most of the time I ride with my wife and I wait for her before moving on, habit) I did not start my right turn. I was waiting for my riding mate. If I would have started to make the right this also would have been very bad for both of us. Most likely a broadside.
His insurance will cover the losses so that is good. I am sure he will be very sore for a few days, not much road rash but he hit the ground kind of hard and we know that when we tumble we will hurt for a few days.