Shortest trip ever with wreck

Well I think I broke the record today. I get out my 168,000 mile KZ650 from hibernation, it runs, I ride 1 block, turn right, ride 1.5 more blocks, turn right and lowside at about 30mph. No, not sand, not oil, 20 year old tires on a cold road. I didn't believe, but now I believe rubber does age. Doesn't help the tires are old plus 10,000 miles on them. Damage broken points cover, broken rear brake lever, 2 broken blinkers, road rash on the front brake lever, right peg, right grip. Came out pretty good. Luckily my leg was wedged under the bike saving magor damage. Road rash to my $329 Sidi boots saved the bike. I ride back home for a 0.5 mile round trip.. I will now recommend change tires when they are old. I ride these same roads all the time all year around but on other bikes with good rubber. No doubt the tires were to blame.

thats a bummer...but like you know these old bones and tendons can grind down or pop easy...and you got off without any strains or breaks i hope....

sucky about the bike.....i changed the tires on the ford taurus my girls grandpa gave me last year...only after some vibration at 55-65...found a tread coming apart/belt....so i am giving the tire guys the scottish eye while they pop em off the rims and toss em aside and wondering if i could maybe use the other tires or the two best...plenty of tread....

I asked the guys ...can you tell how old they are...the guys laugh as they find the code...1993...original tires..they would be in their senior year of high school almost in human years...

oh and the 38,ooo mile taurus....is like butta now...

glad your not hurt...small items are a dime dozen right!!!

Can't figure out if you are bragging or complaining

that sucks Ron,time to build that cafe racer you always dreamed of with usd forks and all!

I've been around long enough to get a chuckle out of that! :laugh:

i ran over a sizable log that fell out of truck in front of me on the interstate years ago and somehow survived and road it home with 2 blown fork seals,around 2-3 weeks later a guy lost a muffler on the interstate in front of my brother on same bike.
he laid it down not really bad,but i decided to part that cursed beast out after that! :laugh:

Sorry to hear that and glad you are OK.

Sorry to hear about your spill man.

I find that the older the tires, the longer they take to warm up and feel "sticky".

That sucks about the bike but I hope it was just pride that was hurt and not self. It's all fixable - well except paint...

Thanks for the thoughts. I was lucky didn't do more damage than it did. Somehowthe Kerker pipe ws not even damaged. I had a new brake lever and a couple used blinkers and a used points cover, so got the bike put back together pretty decent. The points cover is nowhere near a nice as my old one, but it polished up pretty decent, so I'm back on the road a little wiser now. I always thought the old tires fine if I wasn't trying to be a roadracer, but that thought was wrong. I might as well been on black ice yesterday the way those tires let go. Live and learn. The good thing was I always wear the full Aerostich Roadcrafter riding suit, gloves, helmet and the boots. They say goretex like the roadcrafter will save your hide and sure enough I came out without a scratch and even the suit is fine but a little dirtier than it was.

RonKZ650 wrote:

Well I think I broke the record today. I get out my 168,000 mile KZ650 from hibernation, it runs, I ride 1 block, turn right, ride 1.5 more blocks, turn right and lowside at about 30mph. No, not sand, not oil, 20 year old tires on a cold road. I didn't believe, but now I believe rubber does age. Doesn't help the tires are old plus 10,000 miles on them. Damage broken points cover, broken rear brake lever, 2 broken blinkers, road rash on the front brake lever, right peg, right grip. Came out pretty good. Luckily my leg was wedged under the bike saving magor damage. Road rash to my $329 Sidi boots saved the bike. I ride back home for a 0.5 mile round trip.. I will now recommend change tires when they are old. I ride these same roads all the time all year around but on other bikes with good rubber. No doubt the tires were to blame.

I heard somewhere (not sure where) that tires [like oil] should be replaced every "x" number of years, regardless of wear or use. I want to say it was 5???

turn it into a modern suspension bike. lol :side: