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The backstory on my avatar...

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Tourmeister

Tourmeister

Keeper of the Asylum
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Joined
Feb 28, 2003
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Location
Huntsville
First Name
Scott
Last Name
Friday
Howdy,

Since changing out the avatar recently to one of my old ones, I've been getting lots of questions/comments about it and people have asked what the story on it is. Here ya go:

Here's the whole image...
P1010536.jpg


:tab That was my 02 1150 GS. On a trip to Colorado in 05, it had several gravity storm encounters. That one was rut induced. The front tire tried to ride up one side of a deep rut. Before I could even react, the bars were yanked right out of my hands, I went flying and the bike was flipping right behind me. Fortunately, it stopped in that position instead of coming on over on top of me! The guy behind me slid up to a stop, CLICK, "dude, are you okay!?" "I'm fine, help me get the motor turned off!!" It was still in gear and running!! :eek2: We righted the bike, tucked a mirror into a bag, and kept on riding. My GPS did not fair so well though...

DSC04053.JPG


Amazingly, even though it was out of warranty, Garmin replaced it with a new one for $100. I emailed them that pic, hehe.

This was later in the day on another great road... Scotch Creek Rd.
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Then the next day atop Engineer's Pass
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The next day I had a pretty nasty highside at about 20 mph. I partially separated my left shoulder when I landed, got a massive bruise on the left hip that hurt for about 18 months whenever I laid on my left side in bed, and also rung my bell pretty good when my head hit. For a while, I was in la la land just hanging out and enjoying the pretty sky from the view in the middle of the road... This time though, when my buddy came back to find me and slid to a stop, he was wigging out because by then I had dragged myself over to a tree to get in the shade and was laying with my head next to the base of the tree. He flashed back to a friend of ours that was killed in a relatively minor get off because his head hit a stump while he was sliding in the grass. (He had on a helmet). When I heard him wigging, I lifted a hand to motion that I was okay and just resting. Once again, we got the bike righted, patched the hole and I road back to the hotel and called it a day.

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Oil was coming out of the valve cover so we patched it with some water weld putty. It was still on there when I sold the bike 8K miles later...

This was the last day before heading back to Texas
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Man I miss that bike... That was a FUN (albeit slightly painful...) trip!
 
I forgot to mention that shortly after that shot hit the site, we started getting people from Germany and other parts of Europe showing up on TWT asking about it :lol2:
 
I thought it was just your avatar on its back.
 
between your GS wanting a belly rub and duke's GS providing the fire for a weinnie roast, I'd guess your photos brought a bunch of folks in.
 
Clearly your Garmin GPS had a manufacturer defect and software issue not calling out the rut, so props to them for stepping up to resolve a potentially embarrassing recall along with any litigation you should have pursued.
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

If I was a foot taller my 05 GS would have been the last bike I ever bought/crashed.
 
jhansen said:
between your GS wanting a belly rub and duke's GS providing the fire for a weinnie roast, I'd guess your photos brought a bunch of folks in.
Click to expand...

Them GS's are talented. :trust:
 
i'm heading down those same roads in a couple of weeks, really hoping i dont end up with a similar avatar :)
 
Great story Scott. How difficult was it getting the GS over Engineer's Pass?
 
And I thought that avatar was a joke....
 
Thanks for the story Scott... I've had some get-offs of my own, but never left the bike upside down...only myself..:eek2:
 
Did you have a rear dirt bike tire on the front of that thing? ...knobs look more square than fronts normally do.
 
It is an entertaining shot. At least you had the presence of mind to snap it before you rolled it back over. Oh wait...I seem to recall you pulling out the camera in Junction before Pinklloyd ever stopped sliding.:rofl:
 
h2000fb said:
Great story Scott. How difficult was it getting the GS over Engineer's Pass?
Click to expand...

:tab Getting up the East side was easy. It is well maintained gravel. Going down the West side was a real white knuckle affair at my then current skill level. It was steep, and the bike REALLY wanted to pick up serious speed, definitely more than I was comfortable with handling. I'd ride the back brake until it started fading, switch to the front VERY gingerly until it faded, then switch to engine braking which only slowed the rate of acceleration and did not actually reduce speed, then repeat all the above or use a combination of them. I was very relieved upon reaching the bottom. I suspect it would be a lot easier for me now since I have gained a lot more experience. However, it is still not a ride to take lightly...
 
Didn't note the date of the original post and was trying to find how the praying mantis in your current avatar made it's way into your trip!
 
The praying mantis was on the rail of my front porch last year. Every now and then I get the bug to do bug pics with my macro setup :-P
 
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