The front end of my V30 Magna hasn't been quite right since I took my lowside ("broke my cherry) in a puddle of water and gravel in the outside of a curve at dusk, last month.
The front fork brace snapped, and there was some sort of lateral twist to my front forks. I have replaced the front fork brace with a stock part (PartsBandit.com), but still notice something's not feeling right in the front end. When I am headed straight down the road, my steering head is pointed a few degrees to the right. The handle bars are not bent. Also, there's a little bit of front end wobble or shimmy that I cannot identify.
The front fork brace fits in place, but is obviously a little bit akimbo. Between the brace and the left fork, where the metal meets, I couldn't slip a piece of paper between. On the right, I could slip a dime between.
I've followed suggestions of this list and have tried loosening the upper and lower pinch bolts on the forks (after removing the fork brace). I tried to shoosh it back into center, but no luck.
I don't think my forks are bent; I have been thinking they were just twisted.
Any other suggestions?
Regards,
The Rat
1984 V30 Magna VF500C (Red) my wife's -- "Katie"
1984 V30 Magna VF500C (Black) mine -- "Raven" (or "nameless here forevermore")
She took her MSF course in 2000. Bought her first bike 8/13/2004.
I took my MSF course 8/31/2004. Bought my first bike 9/18/2004.
Getting Back On The Horse
Please help!
As I posted previously, I dropped my Magna about two weeks ago, lowsided it, and cracked the front fork brace. My first accident, and really not all that bad, but it shook my confidence. It happened so quickly!
My wife, who is the original motorcycle enthusiast in the family, has been pretty worried that I would get scared and not get back on the bike. She insisted I upgrade my gear to include some textile pants from NewEnough.com (to complement my full face helmet, gloves, and cruiser jacket which I was wearing when I crashed...)
She also insisted that I ride again as soon as I could sit on a bike. So she loaned me hers -- also a Magna V30 -- a time or two while I was waiting for my replacement part, so that I wouldn't have two solid weeks to play mind games and psyche myself out of ever riding again.
Well, my replacement fork brace came in the mail, I put it on, fired up my Magna, and took it out for a spin, and ... was very nervous going around every corner. It was my least enjoyable ride ever. Even the ride where I wrecked was more enjoyable, because at least I was having fun for most of the ride -- right up to the minute I lowsided the bike! This trip was torture!
I've already gotten lots of support and encouragement "off list" from Maggots who replied directly to me when I posted the tale of my accident. The support and encouragement makes me willing to embarrass myself, and brave the inevitable ridicule that will also come, by confessing that I'm afraid ... afriad of dropping my bike again.
I would welcome any suggestions!
The Rat
1984 Magna V30 Red "Katie" -- my wife's
1984 Magna V30 Black -- as yet unnamed -- mine.
(Today I would name my bike "Cecilia":
You're breaking my heart, you're shaking my confidence...)
As I posted previously, I dropped my Magna about two weeks ago, lowsided it, and cracked the front fork brace. My first accident, and really not all that bad, but it shook my confidence. It happened so quickly!
My wife, who is the original motorcycle enthusiast in the family, has been pretty worried that I would get scared and not get back on the bike. She insisted I upgrade my gear to include some textile pants from NewEnough.com (to complement my full face helmet, gloves, and cruiser jacket which I was wearing when I crashed...)
She also insisted that I ride again as soon as I could sit on a bike. So she loaned me hers -- also a Magna V30 -- a time or two while I was waiting for my replacement part, so that I wouldn't have two solid weeks to play mind games and psyche myself out of ever riding again.
Well, my replacement fork brace came in the mail, I put it on, fired up my Magna, and took it out for a spin, and ... was very nervous going around every corner. It was my least enjoyable ride ever. Even the ride where I wrecked was more enjoyable, because at least I was having fun for most of the ride -- right up to the minute I lowsided the bike! This trip was torture!
I've already gotten lots of support and encouragement "off list" from Maggots who replied directly to me when I posted the tale of my accident. The support and encouragement makes me willing to embarrass myself, and brave the inevitable ridicule that will also come, by confessing that I'm afraid ... afriad of dropping my bike again.
I would welcome any suggestions!
The Rat
1984 Magna V30 Red "Katie" -- my wife's
1984 Magna V30 Black -- as yet unnamed -- mine.
(Today I would name my bike "Cecilia":
You're breaking my heart, you're shaking my confidence...)
Ouch, Damn -- Followup
In response to the story of my crash, I got a number of responses from the group. I thought I'd share a few quotes with the group.
>Hey Ted - sorry to hear about your bike. It can be fixed - don't spend a
>bunch making it perfect right now because there's a chance it'll be
>dropped again in this steep part of the learning curve.
That's true. That's why I started with a 20 year old bike. But now I'm in love with it and don't want to hurt it again!
>Don't be too hard on yourself....Keep the safety gear on and the speeds low, and >keep working at it. I look forward to meeting you at a SABMAG event sometime.
All of this is great advice. But I have to do something about my brain, which is now trying to over-think every move I make. It used to be natural, now I have to analyze every turn to death. Ugh!
>Go get those pants, something with knee and butt armor.
Good advice. I ordered armored riding pants the day after my accident!
>Well, you broke your cherry and got that out of the way.
I hadn't heard it put in those terms exactly, but that's a good way to look at it!
>Welcome to the club. Most of us have done this in some form or other.
That actually makes me feel a lot better!
>i have been there, done that, and have the scars to prove it. anyone that rides for >any length of time will put it down ... "it is the nature of the beast". it sounds like >you learned a lot from it and likely will not put it down (least not for that reason >again).
I feel like I've learned a lot. But I also feel like I'm thinking too much now. I have to get back in the saddle and stay there until I feel comfortable again.
Thanks for all who offered encouragement in my time of (self) doubt.
Regards,
The Rat
1984 Magna V30 Red -- "Katie" (my wife's)
1984 Magna V30 Black -- as yet unnamed (mine)
>Hey Ted - sorry to hear about your bike. It can be fixed - don't spend a
>bunch making it perfect right now because there's a chance it'll be
>dropped again in this steep part of the learning curve.
That's true. That's why I started with a 20 year old bike. But now I'm in love with it and don't want to hurt it again!
>Don't be too hard on yourself....Keep the safety gear on and the speeds low, and >keep working at it. I look forward to meeting you at a SABMAG event sometime.
All of this is great advice. But I have to do something about my brain, which is now trying to over-think every move I make. It used to be natural, now I have to analyze every turn to death. Ugh!
>Go get those pants, something with knee and butt armor.
Good advice. I ordered armored riding pants the day after my accident!
>Well, you broke your cherry and got that out of the way.
I hadn't heard it put in those terms exactly, but that's a good way to look at it!
>Welcome to the club. Most of us have done this in some form or other.
That actually makes me feel a lot better!
>i have been there, done that, and have the scars to prove it. anyone that rides for >any length of time will put it down ... "it is the nature of the beast". it sounds like >you learned a lot from it and likely will not put it down (least not for that reason >again).
I feel like I've learned a lot. But I also feel like I'm thinking too much now. I have to get back in the saddle and stay there until I feel comfortable again.
Thanks for all who offered encouragement in my time of (self) doubt.
Regards,
The Rat
1984 Magna V30 Red -- "Katie" (my wife's)
1984 Magna V30 Black -- as yet unnamed (mine)
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