[Will76]

6:00 AM Tuesday morning and I am heading into the office, decided to ride the bike in. Doing about 75 MPH on the highway in the center lane and a truck with new empty trash cans pass me by in the fast lane with a car on his ass. I was gaining ground on another vehicle in the center lane so I signaled and moved over to the fast lane. Just after I did the trash cans flew out of the back of the truck and smashed the windshield of the car behind him. Both vehicles locked up their brakes and being new they had anti locks. I locked up my rear and as I was sliding I noticed it starting to lay over. Both vehicles pulled into the left shoulder and I could see a path through the empty trash cans and glass. Thinking I was on the verge of laying over and going against what I was taught I let go of the rear brake. The bike straightened up but the handle bars jerked back and fourth a few times. I came out ok bobbed, weaved and throttled through the road debris. Question is there a way to minimize the violent handlebar reaction? Would gunning the throttle to get the rear gyro back to speed fast as possible be better? Or would starting it slow as possible be better?

 

[LazyDawg]

Dang dude you are very lucky you didn't Highside

I have only had the VTX sliding sideways once on a lockup (with wife on the back) I was able to compensate and get the rearend to swing back around and release the brake to avoid the Highside. (My old dirt bike riding days coming back to me). Fortunately I have not had to deal with Tank Slapping Handlebars, only heard about it.

Now that I ride darkside, one of the things I noticed early was that if I did manage to lock up the rear wheel, the bike tracks straight as an arrow.

 

[BigBoreVTX]

I my riders safty course they said ton stay on the brake ??? so that the death wobble doin't get ya. I geus if that is true you are lucky.And glad to hear your ok. That's my 2 cents.

 

[doug48317]

I've only had to deal with a death wobble twice in all my years of riding and braking was just making it worse, so with no time to really think it over at the time for what ever reason I just hammered it and powered out of the wobble both times.

So for me if the coast is clear to do so I would vote for get back into it as hard & fast as you can to over power the wobble with acceleration. If the coast isn't clear you don't have many options so you'd have to deal with braking and trying to pilot it to a safe stop, or a at least a soft spot to crash if at all possible.

 

[jstar61]

Sounds like you just did avoid a high side. Locking the rear brake is not good, but a high side is caused when the rear brake is released and the bike snaps back.
Glad you made it through ok.

 

[BuYA]

Thanks for the story. I always try to hear and practice for the worse. Never had that in my little riding career. Looking into possibly taking advance courses. Muscle memory takes over faster than the thinking process!