Last week I took my usual birthday trip someplace this year with a friend. He and I decided to do the southern end of the BRP (he had never ridden) and through the mountains (GSMNP) over to Gatlinburg and then back down through the mountains on some twisties (NC 281 Tuckasegee to Lake Toxaway then 64 up to Hendersonville then on 64 onto Lake Lure/Chimney Rock) and then back home.
I on my 2011 Wee, and Gary on his 2013 Glee
Loaded down with camping gear and everything else.
On the "last" day we decided after riding the twisties all day to head in home a day early.
We cross country'ed through the hills north of Lake Lure to I 40....
OK.....scene set.....
We were about 30 miles from home when all of a sudden a CHUNK of concrete 4"X4"X6"appears.....we were running around 65-70 MPH and I was able to dodge it but not enough time to warn him.....
He hit it almost directly on....
All I can tell you is I watched in the rearview in horror as he hit it....
He is OK
WHAT SAVED HIM WAS that he saw it in the final milli second and raised off the seat just enough to absorb the impact in the shocks and forks.....
It is a miracle he did not crash
The bike didn't fare so well
these pics are of just the front tire and wheel
The bike is at a steeler now to be possibly rebuilt they have not checked it all out yet. He called a friend and trailered it back home
So far: Front and back wheels, tires for both, center stand, oil filter, upper right faring....
We know of two other (cars) that hit it and were on the side of the road changing tires....
Lesson learned.....more gap between riders and other traffic....
Amazingly....I can spin the rear tire/rim and the brake rotor seems to run at spec....used a dial indicator set on a slab of steel on the floor and spin it and it ran out only +/- 0.08
I feel sure that the steeler will replace everything though
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