Here me out sports fans.
Yesterday at about 3.30pm I threw the bike down on a verge.
I had a mental block and came to in a predicament.
I haven't been keeping in touch on this forum. Basically of late over the last week I've had absolute hell with the first X wife
regarding my kids. The feckin bitch has a history of paedophilial in her family and is gripped by a hysteria and paranoid fear, wont let the kids play out etc and sexualises my kids dressing my daughter in knee high boots mini skirts and skimpy tops while seriously neglecting my son - they're only 7 FFS (twins)... she basically accused me of abusing my kids and I've had a week from hell with solicitors, police, school, social services etc etc... She made malicous allegations in the past and it took me 3.5 years of fighting in court just to get to see them and prove her allegations false and I've had regular contact since. I threatened her a week and a bit ago of going for custody and she threw this smoke screen in the way.
So my head has been in tatters.
Yesterday it all concluded really and I went off on the storm to post a letter to her and go see my best mate. IThe letter was an edited version of a very angry letter I wrote last week but held on to it til I had calmed down. I hadn't been on a bike for about 3 weeks.
Basically I had a mental block and froze up on the bike overtaking downhill approaching a left hander - I had been pushing it a bit too hard, all the rules went out of the window - long sweeping curve all open and in view. I got past 2 of 3 cars and then just went gagga, fixating on a car sweeping rounf the ben in the distance. I had all the time in the world to make it, by the time I came to I had backed off and had cars undertaking me with their horns on warning me of my predicament - I couldn't get back in for being clipped and when I tried to accelerate away I had no grunt - fluffed gears, oncoming car wasn't slowing down.
I quickly realised what was happening and like a dam breaking all my senses came to me. I looked to the right and saw a junction/entrance/exit to the pastures which was very wide and had large grass verges either side - better than a car or wall - I decided my best course of action was to head into it and slam on the anchors. I over ran by 10ft onto the grass at low speed, the front turned in and the bike flopped on its left hand side breaking off indicator.
I got up and picked the machine straight up - these storms are light. Took it to the path and stood it over. picked up the indicator. Checked myself, not a scrape, bump or mark on me. Wing mirror and peg, gear selector were covered in clarts and grass. Inspected the bike and headed on straight away to the garage and filled up.
I jet washed the bike down at the garage to look for damage. The clutch lever/bar end etc are all fine, I just saw some tiny scratrches on the mirror and side of fairing, a small hairline crack in fairing... that was all - everything looked ok.
I continued on unperturbed to my mates 35 miles away.
When I was fitting the disc lock I noticed that the fall had pushed the fairing on the r/h side and it was spit by the radiator. I checked the Rad, no damage. I checked the L/h rad and it was a 1" small dent in the fins.
Bollox.
So anyways I stayed with my mate for arouynd 5 hours then rode home. The ride home was grand, sweeping the cornerd and shifting right over - I was doing everything right and it felt great.
So what have I learned?
Well for one during times of stress I'm walking.
I've booked some time in at croft.
I've contacted the local ROSPA guy for some advanced training.
I need l/h & r'h fairings and an indicator. The rad is cosmetic but if i sell it will have to be replaced to avoid pounters walking away.
I'll take pics as the week progresses.
No point saying I could have, should have done so and so. It happened and it's real, could/should have isnt real.
Hopefully some advanced riding will show me how to react differently. Nothing however will dehumanise me and keep stress at bay.
