Thanks guys for all your kind comments on my post 'SoCal Busa crashes in the SNOW!'. Some observations that might be useful in the future.
Turns out the ZX7 ahead of me was riding in 2nd gear. If he'd been in 3rd or 4th like me coasting down at 1200-1500 rpm I think he probably would not have lost it. I felt like the road could be ridden both before and after the fall.
But 50 ft behind was way too close for me to be riding. Undoubtedly I hit the front brake (which didn't work very well in the wet BTW, even with Ferodo carbon pads). If I'd just eased on the rear I might have saved it. I was riding that close because visibility was often 100 ft or less and I wanted to keep the bikes ahead in sight.
Turns out that another rider who started down about 10 minutes after we did, also crashed in probably about the same area. She's a Willow Spring club racer, riding her street Triumph 595. Another woman was riding behind, passed her during the fall and got safely stopped below. But between them they couldn't pick up the bike. Some guys in a car stopped and helped. They left the bikes, hitched a ride back to Newcomb's Ranch and called friends with trucks to come get them. It took a long time, but they also got off the hill safely.
As for riding the Crest in the first place, I've done the New Year's Eve ride three previous years with no problem. Last year it was cold, drizzling and miserable in Pasadena, but sunny and 60s above the clouds beginning at about the 3,000 foot level. Gorgeous ride.
We stopped twice on the way up and discussed turning back, but others we knew passed us and kept going and you know how that stuff goes. You do things against your better judgement partly out of not wanting to let someone else go it alone and partly out of not wanting to be a wuss.
It is a fine story, and I ride for adventure. But I'd rather not have the story to tell, frankly. I am sorry that I didn't have the presence of mind to dig out the camera I was carrying and get a picture of four bikes on their sides on that snow-covered curve.
The Busa held up remarkably. I think if it had one of those fairing protector knobs that some of the racers use attached to that center fairing bolt, the damage would have been virtually nonexistent. Does anyone know of something like that available for our bikes that wouldn't be ugly?
I'll need to replace the right fairing, but that's it. I can polish out the scratches on the Two Brothers can (mine are round aluminum) well enough to satisfy me.
Turns out the ZX7 ahead of me was riding in 2nd gear. If he'd been in 3rd or 4th like me coasting down at 1200-1500 rpm I think he probably would not have lost it. I felt like the road could be ridden both before and after the fall.
But 50 ft behind was way too close for me to be riding. Undoubtedly I hit the front brake (which didn't work very well in the wet BTW, even with Ferodo carbon pads). If I'd just eased on the rear I might have saved it. I was riding that close because visibility was often 100 ft or less and I wanted to keep the bikes ahead in sight.
Turns out that another rider who started down about 10 minutes after we did, also crashed in probably about the same area. She's a Willow Spring club racer, riding her street Triumph 595. Another woman was riding behind, passed her during the fall and got safely stopped below. But between them they couldn't pick up the bike. Some guys in a car stopped and helped. They left the bikes, hitched a ride back to Newcomb's Ranch and called friends with trucks to come get them. It took a long time, but they also got off the hill safely.
As for riding the Crest in the first place, I've done the New Year's Eve ride three previous years with no problem. Last year it was cold, drizzling and miserable in Pasadena, but sunny and 60s above the clouds beginning at about the 3,000 foot level. Gorgeous ride.
We stopped twice on the way up and discussed turning back, but others we knew passed us and kept going and you know how that stuff goes. You do things against your better judgement partly out of not wanting to let someone else go it alone and partly out of not wanting to be a wuss.
It is a fine story, and I ride for adventure. But I'd rather not have the story to tell, frankly. I am sorry that I didn't have the presence of mind to dig out the camera I was carrying and get a picture of four bikes on their sides on that snow-covered curve.
The Busa held up remarkably. I think if it had one of those fairing protector knobs that some of the racers use attached to that center fairing bolt, the damage would have been virtually nonexistent. Does anyone know of something like that available for our bikes that wouldn't be ugly?
I'll need to replace the right fairing, but that's it. I can polish out the scratches on the Two Brothers can (mine are round aluminum) well enough to satisfy me.