F800GS Front Fender Failure Caused Catastrophic Crash

[bemiiten]

Watching the slow motion , looks like you just missed one big mean looking rock sticking out of the road as you hit. Looks like the pressure suit really paid for itself.

[Apostolos]

Joe,

As I mentioned before, I don't know what type of insurance (medical or automotive) you have, but I’d be willing to contribute a few bucks for medical or bike repairs if you need it.

I'm sure there are other Advriders here who would chip in a few bucks. There are enough of us here that it can make a difference if you find yourself in a jam.

Also, if anyone here wants to setup some sort of collection for Joe, (I'm not technically savvy enough to do it), let me know and I'll help contribute.

Get well soon.

God Bless,
David

[Two Moto Kiwis]

Originally Posted by itsatdm

ChiTown you weren't meant to own that bike, get rid of it before it kills you.

That is what I reckon too, now it looks like it has sealed its own fate seeing the damage.

[The Griz]

HOLY SHIT!! Glad you're ok Chi! Sorry about the bike!

[replicant]

Damn that was gnarly. Hope your recovery goes well, and BMW makes the proper restitution. I'd say you're owed a new bike, and not necessarily a BMW.

[The Griz]

I would glady donate a few bucks if it's needed. Heal up soon, Chi. Hang in there. It's a bummer about the bike, but you're right, at least you're still alive and in one piece!


PS, yeah! Email someone at BMW corporate that video on Vimeo!

[YetiGS]

Damn Finn!! Glad you're (relatively) ok. I also have the Impact Rig so I'm glad to see it held up and did its job.

Given how much I ride like that, I'm gonna take a look at my front brake lines and see if there's a way to keep 'em out of the tires in a situation like that.

[Motorfiets]

dude heal up fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mrprez]

After further review, I think I see the cause of your accident. Remember those cows you were beeping at?

I was looking at the video frame by frame and found this cow was putting some kind of hex on you:

[nevermind]

Doggone glad to see and read you are basically OK. That crash hurt my head just watching it!!! I'm not trying to be a wise-acre, but it is time you and that bike part company.

I wish you well in a speedy, complete recovery.

[mapuda]

Glad you are relatively ok. Get that wrist checked out. I agree that a rock must have kicked up and gotten wedged between the tire and the fender and ripped it off. When you feel better check the underside of the fender for a gouge, it will most likely end at the point of separation of the fender.

I thought I was about done farkling but I think I am doing the high fender two vertical (no crossover) brake line project that GPRacer171 did.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=580958

Hope you (and the bike) are whole again soon.

[LukasM]

That sure looked painful! Glad that you "just" hit the rocks on the road and nothing serious happened...

Anything in particular broken on the bike? I don't think it will take that much to get it fixed, certainly not totaled in my book.

Let us know once you get healed up enough to start working on it (or is it insured?), and we can give you some help on the repair.

Cheers

Edit: For what it's worth, KTM used to have a similar setup with the crossover brake line in the rear of the low fender on their 950 Adventures. On the 990s they went to dual lines run separately on the inside of each fork tube. Should help avoid this kind of problem:

[AKTroy]

Originally Posted by mrprez

After further review, I think I see the cause of your accident. Remember those cows you were beeping at?

I was looking at the video frame by frame and found this cow was putting some kind of hex on you:

Tough crash, good laugh. Hope your coming around.

[Brtp4]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Having just spent thousands of dollars having the engine basically rebuilt because of a failed cam chain, where my bike was in the shop for 6 weeks, I went for a proper ride...

I was in Death Valley, just riding down the road, enjoying the scenery, and watching fighter jets buzzing around when I heard a CLUNK!
Next thing I know I see my fender shoot out in front of me, then I hit the ground hard @ 50 mph and while sliding down the road, bouncing off of rocks I watched my GS's white parts explode and tumble down the road with me.
We finally stopped sliding, the bike laying there running with the rear wheel spinning as a massive cloud of dust caught up and blanketed me for a moment. I crawled over to the bike and leaned my back on it, in shock, not believing that I was very seriously hurt.
There was a dull, yet growing pain everywhere, but nowhere specific, like my brain was telling my body something must be broken after seeing what I saw. I checked all around and didn't feel any bones sticking out and finally leaned over and turned off the bike for the last time.

It was eerily quiet, all I could hear was my heart pounding.

This was to be my lucky day, really.
First off, I had just invested in a THOR Impact Rig SE protective suit, which sustained damage and undoubtably saved me from further serious injuries. If I would have been riding with my normal street gear on things would be much different.
My Arai XD3, Rukka gloves, Sidi boots, and BMW city pants all had fulfilled their purpose, protecting me from more serious injury, and show the damage they took in my place.
I do have some road rash where there's a gap between the Thor and the pants, and where I burned thought some armor on my forearm, over my tire track tattoo (should make a nice scar) , and I've possibly broken my wrist, but I consider myself very lucky to be able to walk or just be alive.
I remembered everything and was glad I hadn't blacked out.

Unlike most of my solo Adventures, I was with two good friends out riding this time, and was in the middle of the pack of 3, so a few minutes later inmate kpick came along, and being a calm, cool, and trained guy, he did some basic feeling around, and asked me some questions to confirm I'm not more seriously injured.

He then went ahead to get our other friend, and came back 10 minutes later.

It was obvious the bike wasn't going to be ridden out, even if I could ride, which, honestly I could not, with more pain starting to ensue.
I did have my Med kit with me, so some Narco's would help me with the pain for now...

They came back 10 minutes later and we were talking about the plan to get me and my bike out of here, we were about 25 miles from pavement, or cell service.
I did not have my SPOT with me.

The road we were on was a seldom traveled one, but low and behold a pickup truck was coming our way heading towards town and more importantly, empty.

Standing in the road, bleeding, bike on it's side, I waived him down, asked if he would be so kind as to take me and my bike to town.
Allen, being a good church going man of faith said no problem.

Turns out Allen was supposed to be camping for 3 more days out here, and wouldn't be driving on this road, except that the night before, a Burro (wild donkey) had stolen his backpack with all of his stuff in it while he was sleeping! He found some of his belongings and a book half chewed up, and tracks but never found his stuff.
So thanks to the thieving Burro, Allen was here to save me, and it get better.
He lives in LA, and could drive me most of the way home, where Nancy, my girlfriend would meet up with us with a rental pickup.
So basically 20 minutes after crashing in the middle of nowhere, 300 miles from home I was in a truck with my bike in back, pain meds kicking in, on my way home, after surviving quite a violent crash.
These are the kind of experiences that can give a person a lot to think about spiritually.




On to the cause of the crash... Here's the best thing, I just bought a Drift 170 HD Stealth helmet cam, and happen to be rolling in 60 frames a second high speed HD video at the time of the crash!
I do a fair amount of riding, some of the time I push the limits, some of the time I test myself, go too fast, or go places I shouldn't.
This is not one of those moments.

As you can clearly see in this video, I was on a normal gravel road, nothing too rough or hardcore. I was just riding along when my front fender broke off for no apparent reason, and immediately after the fender broke the brake crossover cable caught the knobbies and stopped the front wheel, throwing me to the ground quite hard.

I have more to say, but for now, here's the video...

Stunning video. We all think of crashes as rider error, rarely of mechanical failures. Chi Town, I am glad you are mostly OK.

This is a perfect example of the idea that the more coverage you have, the better. Please, please, please, fellow ADV Riders, layer up.

BP

[markymcd]

Sorry about the crash. Lots of us ride hard and put the bikes to the test but it's total crap that a broken fender should cause a crash like that. Definitely a design flaw and thankfully you've got it all well documented. I think if BMW isn't willing to comp you a new bike a lawyer would be able to help you out no problem. I wouldn't consider it taking advantage of the system.

Good thing you went down on your side and didn't get tossed forward. Heal soon.

Mark.