Vstrom + Oil Slick = Vstrom Down

[hanksmybuddy]

IMHO if you continue to ride like that it won't make any difference if there is an oil slick or not. You won't be around long. Scary riding practices from what I saw in that video. Glad you survived this one. Hopefully, you'll learn from it.

[ohgood]

fuck, 80+ videos of near misses in one place. sub'd just to learn what not to do.

[rdcamp]

I really hope you never ride 2 up.

The first video was careless, but by itself forgivable, a lesson to be learned and utilized.
Obviously from your other videos your dangerous practices are endemic.

For the love of god dont subject an ignorant passenger to the danger you feel is acceptable to yourself.

[_Davi_]

Wow, y'all being a little harsh on the dude, IMHO. Yeah, the vids in his feed are a bit aggressive, but it looks like southeast asia or india to me, and as someone who has ridden around those parts plenty, people drive differently, and you just fall into the rhythm. That said, it's prolly better to leave the gps/iphone in the pocket while the stand's up, amirite?

[Tebpac]

..a bit ballsy. When you're feeling the bike and the road and the whole rhythm of it all, you can get lost in what you are doing. I thought I'd never change my riding practices until I jumped on a Duc Multistrada. The raw power and ability of the bike was exhilarating! Next thing I know, I'm abandoning all the rules that I adhered to because the bike could do so much more than the one I owned at the time. Went with a GS instead. Not saying I can't get in trouble with it but it feels like home. It's all fun and games till someone loses an eye.....or a leg....or a life. Glad you made it through ok. Hopefully, a lesson learned.....

[mrphotoman]

Sweet riding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M_eT...3OJw6YhTYj_Diw

[Tebpac]

that explains alot. That's some serious crazy traffic!

[TravellingStrom]

Well, I copped a few on the chin from you guys there I think, weak at the knees, but still standing, ready for the next round.

OK, I forgot to say where this was taken, it is south of Bangkok, heading to Phuket. I have just spent 11 months on the road and HAD to ride this way through quite a few countries. Especially Cambodia where I had just come from. If you don't you probably won't get anywhere.

After riding most of South East Asia since October last year I am well qualified to ride like that as I have had a lot of practice here and Russia, Kazakhstan, China etc etc

I am not intending to ride that way when I return home, this is aggressive defensive riding, here where it is needed. The trucks rarely return to the left lane, nor do the cars, I have been here long enough to know that and plan my riding accordingly.

In the video I was doing 110kmh in a 110kmh zone and entitled to do so, and being passed by cars many times. I usually ride in the left lane except to overtake.

In this case I had only just passed another truck and stayed in this lane and yes I was closing fast, I have duel front disc brakes with sintered pads, they work, plus ABS.

You can see I slowed to the traffic speed and this particular smooth move was being used by me and all other faster traffic during the time proceeding this incident, all the way from Bangkok actually.

I was not aware of the oil in the other lane, I was more aware of what the truck in front was doing while I approached. I was only aware of something different once I entered the left lane but my right hand was already open so I could get in front of the right hand truck and be in a better riding location, away from trucks.

Did I learn from it, well yes, I learnt that All The Gear All The Time once again proved itself, not a scratch and just a few small sore spots where I landed. As for my riding style, I will certainly take pains to not do the same again.

Yes, you can go through my Youtube record and see what has happened, I have a helmet cam and use it and yes I have had some oops moments, this was not one of those, I did not expect to see a 200m long oil slick, nobody would, that is just plain silly. I am looking for foreign objects and potential roadkill.

Anyway, standing by for more incoming ;)

[Robert_W]

Yeah...I too think some of you guys are being a bit harsh. If you guys seriously haven't ridden that hard and don't want to ...then OK. But I definitely have...and probably will again. Didn't watch all his vids but from what I saw he wasn't being too reckless. Part of the fun is the rush!

Glad you're OK dude.

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by Robert_W

Yeah...I too think some of you guys are being a bit harsh. If you guys seriously haven't ridden that hard and don't want to ...then OK. But I definitely have...and probably will again. Didn't watch all his vids but from what I saw he wasn't being too reckless. Part of the fun is the rush!

Glad you're OK dude.

Cheers m8, I assumed most of the knockers have not been and done what I have, so I guess I take all their comments with a grain of salt ;)

In fact I received a comment back from somebody on a different forum, when I mentioned all the ADVRider negative feedback, he said:

"I wouldn't take seriously advrider -- publishing a story there same as publishing it in a daily fun club."

Seriously I do take all criticism on board, but I do wonder about the quality of that criticism. And whether it relates to adventure travelling in foreign countries, that they themselves have done or just highway travel in one particular country that they live?

Just saying

For the record, the engine suffered a big end failure after this little episode due to the tip over sensor not shutting the engine down. I am now getting the crank machined and new bearings installed, plus a few other bits while it is stripped to nothing.

Cheers from Phuket, Thailand
TravellingStrom

[Calimari]

You have better luck than I do. Seems like whenever I tailgate a vehicle like you're tailgating the truck in your first video, a ladder, 2' deep pothole or roadkill comes shooting out from underneath.

Glad you're OK.

[keetmanaa]

Originally Posted by TravellingStrom

For the record, the engine suffered a big end failure after this little episode due to the tip over sensor not shutting the engine down.

I thought I heard it shut down. How long did it run after going on its side?

[Vankaye]

30 years on the road without an accident qualifies me to say the riding represented in all of those videos is downright risky, aggressive riding.

"HAD to ride this way through quite a few countries. Especially Cambodia where I had just come from. If you don't you probably won't get anywhere"

I can assure you sir, if you keep riding that way, you probably won't get anywhere... ever.

[Ayedoc]

Originally Posted by _Davi_

Wow, y'all being a little harsh on the dude, IMHO. Yeah, the vids in his feed are a bit aggressive, but it looks like southeast asia or india to me, and as someone who has ridden around those parts plenty, people drive differently, and you just fall into the rhythm. That said, it's prolly better to leave the gps/iphone in the pocket while the stand's up, amirite?

As one who's been to India, Thailand, etc. I would have to agree. Because the typical on-road conditions are what many of us would consider insane, I have never driven/ridden there. What you saw in the video is certainly not out of the ordinary, and you would probably be more of a target if you tried to take your western sensibilties with you there.

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by keetmanaa

I thought I heard it shut down. How long did it run after going on its side?

Your right but not straight away after it passed the 65 degree point bit was running without oil from when we went down until i was within 1 meter of it. Quite a long time

I have the old on out and will have to do a destruct test or inspection but I will do that after I have the new one in hand

Currently in Singapore picking the spare parts up