Icy slide

Odysseus

With this bad weather we having I thought it might be safer to commute to Dublin tonight and stay over rather than head straight to work in the morning. I didn't even manage to leave my estate, I ended up sliding on my hole at the first corner and breaking my break lever in the process. So its a late departure for me in the morning and hopefully it will have thawed out a bit by then. Anyone riding tonight be careful out there.

Dirk Gently

Yeah, had a minor skid myself this afternoon. Roads are dangerous at the moment, have been all week. Give yourselves plenty of room and ease off and gently break well before you need to stop. Watch out for road markings / white paint / speed bumps / roundabouts as they all freeze over more so than road surface. Take it easy on bends and hills as you wont want to have to break suddenly and be especially careful accelerating out of turns.

If not using the bike in freezing temperatures is an option its worth leaving it while the roads are potentially icy.

Take it easy and stay safe.



EDIT: Also, Don't be bullied into riding too fast by a car behind who wants to race through the traffic lights. Only ride at a speed safe enough for you to stop / avoid any potential hazards ahead and keep your position on the road.

xavierg

well lookin out for. i myself will just might take the car and leave the bike as i have to leave at around 8 in the mornin. and the way it was real icy this morning with the car i could imagine what it would be like on the bike.. i really am not in the mood to fall over in the morning. :eek:

CourierCollie

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to heading out in the morning. Had a nasty slide yesterday while walking. Biking is definitely going to be scary.

Odysseus

CourierCollie wrote: »

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to heading out in the morning. Had a nasty slide yesterday while walking. Biking is definitely going to be scary.

Yeah I plan to wait until about 10 am before I head off, hopefully thing will be a tad better by then:eek:

Odysseus

This is a pain in the hole I'm still stuck at home. I have just been out for a walk around and its still too risky for two wheels. I imagine the main road are ok by now I hope to be using the N2 and M50 later anyone been out on them yet. Though I think it will be the afternoon before I even make it to Drogheada:(

Steffano2002

I made it to work this morning with the GF as a pillion. It was mighty slippery and I got a couple of nasty slides on the 'blade but I kept her on two wheels and we made it into work on time!

Be mighty careful this morning lads and use the cage if you have one! Much safer!

Odysseus

I going to head off shortly the exit out of my estate has only just become safe hopefully I'll be fine once I get out on the main roads. I'm taking the transalp, I just had a good look at the KLE both break are done, I straightened out the back lever but it will have to be repklaced:mad:

RasTa

Came down twice this morning myself. Once at the roundabout in the work complex. Breaked and she just went, 2nd about 2 mins later parking her up. I hope she starts back up and she didn't sound too healthy. For both I was going less then 10kph, so more of a drop then anything.

Feckin anoying though as I almost fell on me hole walking in the work car park it's that icey.

Pigeon Reaper

it was icy this morning. Had a couple of slips and slides but nothing too bad apart from the normal idiots tail gating etc. Had to put my feet down in the car park here as it was like a skating rink. Thank goodness for MX boots.

seamus

Odysseus wrote: »

I didn't even manage to leave my estate, I ended up sliding on my hole at the first corner and breaking my break lever in the process.

Exactly what happened the first time I ever took my marauder out in the snow (though I didn't damage the bike). You feel like a complete plonker. That also happened to be the day I did my first driving test. I didn't pass, unsurprisingly.

lord lucan

my turn this morning:mad:

thought my luck was in when i seen it had been raining early this morning,spin in to work was trouble free until i got to the entrance ramp down to the underground carpark at work. i was only a couple of seconds from entering the caprpark proper when she just dropped from beneath me. was only doing about 10 kph but she's scratched all down her left hand side now:(

knee is a little sore but no other damage. took a walk back to the spot after i parked her up,looks like the wet road re-froze,it was like an ice-rink,i hadn't a hope,never seen it coming.

oh well,just another incident to note for future reference,i won't be making that mistake again.:cool:

anonymousjunkie

lord lucan wrote: »

my turn this morning:mad:

thought my luck was in when i seen it had been raining early this morning,spin in to work was trouble free until i got to the entrance ramp down to the underground carpark at work. i was only a couple of seconds from entering the caprpark proper when she just dropped from beneath me. was only doing about 10 kph but she's scratched all down her left hand side now:(

knee is a little sore but no other damage. took a walk back to the spot after i parked her up,looks like the wet road re-froze,it was like an ice-rink,i hadn't a hope,never seen it coming.

oh well,just another incident to note for future reference,i won't be making that mistake again.:cool:

tough luck mate, was leaving from lucan myself this morning as well and thought it looked fine till i saw the ice on the ground exiting the estate.

Quint

seamus wrote: »

Exactly what happened the first time I ever took my marauder out in the snow (though I didn't damage the bike). You feel like a complete plonker. That also happened to be the day I did my first driving test. I didn't pass, unsurprisingly.

This is why you should have bike experience to do tests. What sort of idiot makes you do a motorcycle test in the snow!

Anyway, around Dublin city is usually grand by 9-10am, unless you go into estates into the shade. Had a few pant wetting moments leaving the estate at about 9:30 but once out on the main road it's grand. Lucky I'm on flexi time and can leave when the ice is almost gone.

I was driving home once and it started to snow very heavy and it started to stick, I was only about 2 miles from home. I took it really handy, but you really notice the camber on the road in those situations

seanybiker

Arse of my yoke was all over the shop last night so I parked it up outside me mates house and went to the pub. Ill pick her up later lol.

Lilliput69

seanybiker wrote: »

Arse of my yoke was all over the shop last night so I parked it up outside me mates house and went to the pub. Ill pick her up later lol.

Ah old habits die hard Seany ;)

IDon'tKnow!

Well I hit an icy patch today and there was no way of keeping the rubber side down.

With the light rain at about 6am and the roads being wet you can't see the ice. Turned into a left hand bend. As soon as the front wheel hit the ice the bike was gone. Nothing I could do.

Picking it back up on the icy bit of roads was the hardest bit. Could not get any grip with my feet.

It was hard to see any damage to the bike when I picked it up as it was still dark. But could see road rash on the front, gear lever was bent.

But when I got to work and looked at it in the cold light of day would think about €1000 of damage done. Bike is a year old so would still have a value of about 7K.

So on to a question. I have fully comp insurance with bonus protection and a €150 excess.

If I put a claim in for the repair would the Insurance company increase my insurance next year because of it?

I don't want to ring them and ask as I have a distrust of insurance companies. Someone ran onto the back of me and Insurance went from €600 to €1800 a few years back.

Quint

IDon'tKnow! wrote: »

Well I hit an icy patch today and there was no way of keeping the rubber side down.

With the light rain at about 6am and the roads being wet you can't see the ice. Turned into a left hand bend. As soon as the front wheel hit the ice the bike was gone. Nothing I could do.

Picking it back up on the icy bit of roads was the hardest bit. Could not get any grip with my feet.

It was hard to see any damage to the bike when I picked it up as it was still dark. But could see road rash on the front, gear lever was bent.

But when I got to work and looked at it in the cold light of day would think about €1000 of damage done. Bike is a year old so would still have a value of about 7K.

So on to a question. I have fully comp insurance with bonus protection and a €150 excess.

If I put a claim in for the repair would the Insurance company increase my insurance next year because of it?

I don't want to ring them and ask as I have a distrust of insurance companies. Someone ran onto the back of me and Insurance went from €600 to €1800 a few years back.

Nasty one, but at least you're ok, it's not that hard to break an ankle or wrist when you come off. I know it's not an option for some, but definitely try and get a lift or public transport if you can, especially if you have to leave early. It's just not worth it.

IDon'tKnow!

Quint wrote: »

I know it's not an option for some, but definitely try and get a lift or public transport if you can, especially if you have to leave early. It's just not worth it.

I need to get 3 linking modes of public transport to get from home to were I work. If all meet on time and there was no waiting it would take just short of 2 hours. But the way it works there is no why I can get to work on time even if I get the first bus.

Live in Dublin work in Dublin. Can get to London quicker then I can get across the city on public transport!

Pigeon Reaper

I thought it felt a little colder than previous mornings on the way in today. Checked the met website and it's reading -4C at casement which is around the corner form me.

RasTa

I walked like a duck around the car park this morning. T'was freezing but thankfully no spills. C'mon February!

Quint

IDon'tKnow! wrote: »

I need to get 3 linking modes of public transport to get from home to were I work. If all meet on time and there was no waiting it would take just short of 2 hours. But the way it works there is no why I can get to work on time even if I get the first bus.

Live in Dublin work in Dublin. Can get to London quicker then I can get across the city on public transport!

I know, the public transport is a joke. Takes me 10-15 minutes to drive in, public transport is about an hour if i'm lucky. If 2 of us are going in a taxi is cheaper. But still, better than dropping the bike! You could just ring in sick! Or call in and say you'll be a bit late, then the worst of it will be gone

lord lucan

RasTa wrote: »

I walked like a duck around the car park this morning. T'was freezing but thankfully no spills. C'mon February!

more like late march before we're fully rid of the frost. who said the planet is heating up? global warming my arse:D

Dirk Gently

I've left the bike in the shed since sunday. Anyone know how often I should start it up to keep it healthy. Had it ticking over Monday evening and am going to tick it over for a few minutes again tonight. Should I really be driving it around the road for a while or will leaving it tick over in the shed for a few minutes every few days be enough?

It needs about a minute of choke each morning to get going anyway, even after only a few hours it still needs the choke. I don't like having it sit there on these cold days and nights in the shed and not being driven.

Odysseus

The KLE was booked in for a service next week so I thought I would get the new lever and pedal fitted whilst its in the shop e75 for the lever and e50 for the pedal or the other way around, expensive peices of metal:mad:

thehomeofDob

Had a near drop today going into work. Coming up the outside lane to the lights at Cabra garda station going towards town, just over the mid-way line and 50metres from the lights. When another biker poked his wheel out, moving from inbetween the two lanes of cars to the outside. I pulled on the breaks (not hard) and the bike just went down right in front of him. My foot hit the gound flat so I was able to get the bike up quickly enough - but it terrified me something fierce.

Lilliput69

clown bag wrote: »

I've left the bike in the shed since sunday. Anyone know how often I should start it up to keep it healthy. Had it ticking over Monday evening and am going to tick it over for a few minutes again tonight. Should I really be driving it around the road for a while or will leaving it tick over in the shed for a few minutes every few days be enough?

It needs about a minute of choke each morning to get going anyway, even after only a few hours it still needs the choke. I don't like having it sit there on these cold days and nights in the shed and not being driven.

Continually starting the bike and not actually taking it for a spin will run the battery down, you need to give the bike a spin of a few miles to to keep the battery in order. Leaving ur bike for a week in a sheltered area shouldn't do it any harm unless u always have trouble starting it.

Steffano2002

Odysseus wrote: »

The KLE was booked in for a service next week so I thought I would get the new lever and pedal fitted whilst its in the shop e75 for the lever and e50 for the pedal or the other way around, expensive peices of metal:mad:

Get the parts yourself on eBay or something! Never buy these things from a dealer/garage as they make crazy margins on them!!!

Red Hornet

I really hate icy weather. Nearly had an off myself on sat. Never a nice thing on a bike.