Alright so to make a long story somewhat shorter I will begin like this. On my way to work today (after about 20 miles of riding) I exited the highway onto a very long exit ramp that loops down under MN 35W (cliff road if anyone is familiar) at the apex of the big turn around there is a side street where traffic cuts across the side of the road I was on to turn left going the other way. Entering the turn I saw a semi that was barely rolling. Couldn't tell if he was just starting to move or slowing to a stop, either way he had a stop sign and I had the right of way....Regardless he pulled out as I was entering the turn at about 45-50 mph. I quickly downshifted with little hope of pulling off any type of miracle. The entire road was literally blocked by this dumba$$. I hit the front brakes mid turn (which is already a horrible idea) held on for dear life with the left hand as the front wheel started to skid and howl and let off on the right since I was about to highside and launch myself into him. Luckily he realized what was happening and honest to God must have floored it across the intersection. I missed his back end and the ditch by about a foot on both sides....and kept from putting the bike down by a hair. Not only all of that but immediately afterwards my idle started to act like my atu springs were worn and started rocketing. I was a block from work at this point and pulled into the parking lot to find that my idle adjuster screw had tightened itself and increased my idle.
Near hit # 1 avoided.
On the way home all I could think about was that semi and how my clutch makes a metalic clank every time i shift into first and second. I was listening to my rpms and felt as though my bike was working way too hard to keep up with traffic. (like my clutch isn't fully engaging or something) Anyway going down the highway when suddenly the idle starts to climb again. Well sure enough I reach down to adjust it and the dude 3 cars ahead slams on the brakes for some idiot who cut him off. This is the exact situation that happened when I hit the back of an Audi on my shadow this spring and I'll be damned if I fall for that trap again. I immediately realized I couldn't stop in time so I took the shoulder. 300 ft ahead of course was a constructions sign blocking the shoulder. I had a gap barely big enough to take but was entering stop and go traffic. So I had to pull a california rider stunt and swerve hard back into traffic and split the lanes until I could fine a gap big enough to slow down in. I got lucky no one was merging and pissed off about 5 people. Sure enough when I do finally get "safely" into a lane my idle is still sky rocketing. My issue the entire time was that i couldn't shift. As soon as I pulled the clutch the rpms jumped so high that the gears would just grind if I tried shifting.I was weaving in and out of stop and go traffic at about 60 mph but was able to pull away from it all unscathed. However, I'm very glad what happened this spring didn't happen again today...you can't get lucky every time and I thought for sure I used all my good luck up with the whole semi incident on the way to work.
First thing I did when I got home was steal the idle adjuster screw's spring off my uninsured xs that sits in my garage. Hope to never have this issue again.
I have never been so relieved to make it home with everything in one piece before. I decided to walk away from the bike for the rest of the night and just chill with the lady, paint and wrench on my new fork brace and call it good. Still deciding on whether or not to take the truck tomorrow.
P.S. Sorry for the essay
Near hit # 1 avoided.
On the way home all I could think about was that semi and how my clutch makes a metalic clank every time i shift into first and second. I was listening to my rpms and felt as though my bike was working way too hard to keep up with traffic. (like my clutch isn't fully engaging or something) Anyway going down the highway when suddenly the idle starts to climb again. Well sure enough I reach down to adjust it and the dude 3 cars ahead slams on the brakes for some idiot who cut him off. This is the exact situation that happened when I hit the back of an Audi on my shadow this spring and I'll be damned if I fall for that trap again. I immediately realized I couldn't stop in time so I took the shoulder. 300 ft ahead of course was a constructions sign blocking the shoulder. I had a gap barely big enough to take but was entering stop and go traffic. So I had to pull a california rider stunt and swerve hard back into traffic and split the lanes until I could fine a gap big enough to slow down in. I got lucky no one was merging and pissed off about 5 people. Sure enough when I do finally get "safely" into a lane my idle is still sky rocketing. My issue the entire time was that i couldn't shift. As soon as I pulled the clutch the rpms jumped so high that the gears would just grind if I tried shifting.I was weaving in and out of stop and go traffic at about 60 mph but was able to pull away from it all unscathed. However, I'm very glad what happened this spring didn't happen again today...you can't get lucky every time and I thought for sure I used all my good luck up with the whole semi incident on the way to work.
First thing I did when I got home was steal the idle adjuster screw's spring off my uninsured xs that sits in my garage. Hope to never have this issue again.
I have never been so relieved to make it home with everything in one piece before. I decided to walk away from the bike for the rest of the night and just chill with the lady, paint and wrench on my new fork brace and call it good. Still deciding on whether or not to take the truck tomorrow.
P.S. Sorry for the essay
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