Member signing out

I have not posted that much for a while, as I been trying to sell my 2007 RT. I wasn't able to get what I thought it was worth, so I just went back to using it for my commute. That all changed Tuesday November 15 on the way to work.

I was doing 65MPH on I-880 in San Jose when I was rear ended by an idiot in a Mazda CX7. Traffic was heavy, so I was about 4 car lengths behind the small car in front of me when I caught this guy going from the far right lane into the center lane I was in. Checked my mirror, and his car filled it! I looked ahead and traffic was stopping hard, so I got on the brakes and was just pointing for the space between cars when I suddenly was looking at the sky!

My body was doing about 50mph, and the bike went to about 60mph. I was stopped by the Givi 55L box I have on the back of the bike, and it flipped my body horizontal. As I was just figuring out what had happened, I saw I was above the bike! I KNEW I didn't want to hit the pavement, and saw the seat below me, leaning to the right, but coming back to upright. I somehow slid back down onto the seat, grabbed the bars, and got control of the bike. I was able to get it to the narrow shoulder on the right side of the freeway and come to a stop without it or me going down.

The car that hit me pulled over about 60 feet in front of me, leaking fluids at a fast pace. I looked at the back of my bike, and saw it didn't look too bad at first. When the CHP showed up, he had the car towed off the freeway, and I was able to ride the bike off, although it was NOT going in a strait line.

I did take a few photos, and gave a few to my insurance company.

After this long winded story, I'm going to sign off the board as I will NOT be buying another BMW. It will take me about three months to replace my bike, if I'm lucky. I will be going back to Yamaha, the FJR1300, as a replacement.

This board has been VERY HELPFUL, and I've enjoyed the people I've met from here. I will still be around, but not posting much.

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Wow! Sounds like you dodged a bullet there!

Good luck with your next ride, whatever it is. And thank you for this reminder - we all have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Fortunate outcome, glad you're ok.

Good luck down the road.

Glad it turned out as well as it did. Best of luck!

Glad it ended as it did. Certainly something to be thankful for.

Wondering why the move away from BMW?

Wow, are you lucky or what!

Out of curiosity what are you looking for in the way of an FJR?

As C3PO would say, "Thank the Maker!"

All the best...

You have been blessed. Best wishes for future rides.

No matter which brand you decide to buy, if you've been paying any attention to this site you should know you'd be welcomed here.

I'm probably wrong here but, seems one could read into your statement that you put fault on your RT or that it should have sustained less damage? Personally and as corny as it sounds, I'd feel like my bike saved my ass by staying with me even if we all know fate was the real player here.

Glad you survived it!

Pat

I have not posted that much for a while, as I been trying to sell my 2007 RT. I wasn't able to get what I thought it was worth, so I just went back to using it for my commute. That all changed Tuesday November 15 on the way to work.

I was doing 65MPH on I-880 in San Jose when I was rear ended by an idiot in a Mazda CX7. Traffic was heavy, so I was about 4 car lengths behind the small car in front of me when I caught this guy going from the far right lane into the center lane I was in. Checked my mirror, and his car filled it! I looked ahead and traffic was stopping hard, so I got on the brakes and was just pointing for the space between cars when I suddenly was looking at the sky!

My body was doing about 50mph, and the bike went to about 60mph. I was stopped by the Givi 55L box I have on the back of the bike, and it flipped my body horizontal. As I was just figuring out what had happened, I saw I was above the bike! I KNEW I didn't want to hit the pavement, and saw the seat below me, leaning to the right, but coming back to upright. I somehow slid back down onto the seat, grabbed the bars, and got control of the bike. I was able to get it to the narrow shoulder on the right side of the freeway and come to a stop without it or me going down.

The car that hit me pulled over about 60 feet in front of me, leaking fluids at a fast pace. I looked at the back of my bike, and saw it didn't look too bad at first. When the CHP showed up, he had the car towed off the freeway, and I was able to ride the bike off, although it was NOT going in a strait line.

I did take a few photos, and gave a few to my insurance company.

After this long winded story, I'm going to sign off the board as I will NOT be buying another BMW. It will take me about three months to replace my bike, if I'm lucky. I will be going back to Yamaha, the FJR1300, as a replacement.

This board has been VERY HELPFUL, and I've enjoyed the people I've met from here. I will still be around, but not posting much.

 

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I too am so glad you survived. But wondering if your emphasis on NOT buying another BMW means you're laying fault with the brand somehow?

 

OTOH, my first deer collision on my 2002 RT only re-enforced the excellent control I had of the bike, ABS engaged, that allowed me to veer as much as I could before plowing into the shoulder of a 10 point buck. Had I not had ABS, or the steel frame that supports the fairing, taking the full hit of the deer, I'm pretty confident I wouldn't be writing this.

 

Again, glad you survived, but wondering if you're somehow blaming the bike.

 

thanks,

 

RPG

Same here, glad you survived the ordeal. Usually, one will chose to give up riding all together, rather than riding that

particular type of bike he has the experience with. Same question: do you feel like if you were riding a FJR would have

had a better outcome? Or do you blame the RT for not responding in some way to get you out?

You owe us a response! You started this thread, we tend to believe you blame the bike/model

for your misfortune, and would like to know why? You wanted to change the bike before all this,

and there is nothing wrong with that.

Thank You for responding!

I don't know DriverRay, but a previous search of recent posts indicates he's had some misfortunes with his RT including a final drive failure. He had mentioned selling it and moving on to a different brand prior to his accident.

Same here, glad you survived the ordeal. Usually, one will chose to give up riding all together, rather than riding that

particular type of bike he has the experience with. Same question: do you feel like if you were riding a FJR would have

had a better outcome? Or do you blame the RT for not responding in some way to get you out?

You owe us a response! You started this thread, we tend to believe you blame the bike/model

for your misfortune, and would like to know why? You wanted to change the bike before all this,

and there is nothing wrong with that.

Thank You for responding!

I didn't get the impression from the Original Post that he was blaming the BMW for the accident. He did make it clear he was through with BMWs but I didn't get any sense of why.

Hey Ray - first and foremost I am glad that you were not hurt worse than you were and that you walked away. Secondly, BMW products are not for everyone so all the best with what you find. I too like the FJR but it's seating position was bad for my back. I hope that is not an issue for you. For me, having a good back with more down time due to repairs was a trade off. Again, all the best and post a pic of your new ride when you get it.

I guess when the OP said he was "signing out" he meant immediately

I guess when the OP said he was "signing out" he meant immediately

Indeed. It appears he means what he says! To keep this thread alive a bit longer I will add that his tale did not strike me as a condemnation of BMW but rather a rousing endorsement of the life saving qualities of a Givi 55L top box!

I gotta get me one of those things...

(Glad you made it Ray)

guess the shad is kind of like the black box on airplanes...make the whole plane out of a black box and put wheels on a shad and all would be good.

I like your thinking there, David.

Which is to say, thanks for keeping BMWST weird.

I've been rather busy, so I've not had a chance to get back.

The reason for NOT getting another BMW is only the cost of ownership. I live in the bay area, and I do not have a lot of "extra" money to pay for problems that are design issues and not covered by BMW. The bike has done well for me in almost all respects, and I have been able to do an 850 mile day or two on it. after some mods, as we all make, the bike fits me well and is comfortable. I just put a LOT of miles on per year, as I use the bike for my commute vehicle (90miles per day). I need to find something that I can wear out without feeling like I've thrown money away that I don't need to. I understand this is a perception of mine, but we all look at things differently.

I've always done my own maintenance on bikes, and this one was the same. I do not have a BMW dealer that I trust to work on it, but I have one of the BEST independent shops near me, Ben's Motor Works in Freedom, CA. Ben has done almost all of the work that I didn't do on the bike, and I've been VERY happy with the quality of work and the fair price. I just can't see paying over $600 for clutch parts, when a complete clutch on the FJR is about $200, and I don't have to split the bike in half to do it. This is just one example for me, so you can maybe get an idea of were I am coming from.

Again, I LIKE all the members I've met, and have enjoyed this board, what little I post on it.

And yes, the bike DID do well for being hit at about 15mph difference in speed, but for the most part I think my angel was just able to keep up with me that day as well.

The reason for NOT getting another BMW is only the cost of ownership.

Again, I LIKE all the members I've met, and have enjoyed this board, what little I post on it.

And yes, the bike DID do well for being hit at about 15mph difference in speed, but for the most part I think my angel was just able to keep up with me that day as well.

Thanks Ray, to clarify this. I misunderstood that you left the brand because of the accident.

As you said, your guardian angel was with you when you needed it the most.And yes, a beemer

is a pricey toy to upkeep. Good luck with your new ride!

Point taken Ray

Dave

I understand this is a perception of mine, but we all look at things differently.

 

I do not have a BMW dealer that I trust to work on it, but I have one of the BEST independent shops near me, Ben's Motor Works in Freedom, CA. Ben has done almost all of the work that I didn't do on the bike, and I've been VERY happy with the quality of work and the fair price.

 

Again, I LIKE all the members I've met, and have enjoyed this board, what little I post on it.

And yes, the bike DID do well for being hit at about 15mph difference in speed, but for the most part I think my angel was just able to keep up with me that day as well.

Thanks for the clarification and yes ... perception and having a trusting dealer is key to happy ownership! Ironically I ride BMW for the very same reason ... I trust my dealer and the cost of ownership of a BMW for me is very reasonable. And the service I get is light years better than 90% of the metric dealerships I have used for my Hondas and Yamahas.

But I wish you well as there are certainly a lot of great bikes out there besides BMW's and the FJR is certainly a great option with 16K (I believe or longer) valve adjustments. Especially if you have someone you trust to do the work!

Good luck!