Well this one is about being dressed for the occasion and one tough bike.
My R65LS and I got into a intersection controversy with a taxi cab while riding along close to home today.
The cabby dutifully stopped at his stop sign and I was close enough to see him not even look to his right before driving into the intersection just in front of me.
I try to always cover horn and brake on this street fearing the exact same scenario. Well I guess I scared the living daylights out of him and his lady front seat passenger because even though I was not speeding and hit both brakes as hard as I could I slammed into his front tire DUAL FIAMM horns a-blazing. Even worse must have been the image of me slamming and skidding headfirst across his hood onto the pavement. I got up and must confess that I used some severely harsh choice of spanish diction on the driver before he even had a chance to apologize sincerely.
Now he drives forward to clear the intersection and my LS is on its side in the middle of the street, leaking fuel, headlight shinning but surprisingly intact. I pick it up, roll it aside, adjusted the mirror and aside a couple of scrapes on the silencer and head cover nothing seems wrong. The Forks, wheel and handlebars are straight! I walk over to the cab and his right front wheel is whacked completely out of alignment with a broken steering rod.
His insurance will pay for the minor repairs and a thorough inspection of forks and wheel of my bike and my medical checkup.
As for me, I was wearing gloves, boots, Olympia riding jacket and helmet. Everything shows small signs of the collision but I only feel a blunt blow to my left hand that is of no consequence and some small aches where the 50 year old body bent in ways unfamiliar to it.
What still amazes me is that I rode the LS home while the cab had to wait for the tow truck.
So I say to all: Wear your gear. The closet is the worst place to keep your gear while riding.
This tough LS will ride along just fine for another thirty years I hope.
