Impossible to lay a rocket down!

Roscoe

Chaplain
Joined
Mar 5, 2018
Messages
324
Location
Port Macdonnell, SA
Ride
2007 RIII Trike
Found out a couple of weeks ago you can not lay a rocket down. I was 2 minutes from work and a car pulls out of side street on me. I was doing approx 70klms/hr and accelerating....... I Knew I was going to hit the car so I Got it sideways and thought best bet was to lay it down on it's side would be better than a front on impact.

I had a work mate behind me he reckons I slid for close to 100 meters and fighting with the bike trying to lay it down on its side...... I just slid crossed up like a motocross rider and stopped some 2 inches from the drivers door upright. Was surprised how well it came to a halt let alone that I missed him and I hadn't bit the dirt! I glared at him through a very dark tinted window and was about to slap my steel bar end through it when he decided as I hadn't hit him he was getting the hell out of there, thing is, I know where he works near me!!!

So thankfully I didn't lay it down, just ended up with some seriously pulled muscles in my back shoulders and left leg from fighting with the bike, I think it wanted to high side me! Anyway toddled off to buy a lotto ticket but didn't win!.
 
You managed to hit that very fine line of sliding sideways with the forward motion still in the bike mass trying to drop it towards the car you almost hit, and the pressure you were exerting trying to get the bike down with the bike between you and the car.
Actually, a very fine bit of riding, even if it wasn't intentional.
Bet you couldn't do that again with 100 tries, not that you want to!
Glad you are good, heal those muscles!
 
The lay it down saying should be taken out of the English language, certainly glad that you did not crash your bike but it sounds like you had enough time to brake/swerve avoid the ******* who pulled out in front of you , I can understand the puker feeling you would have had as you do not have ABS but please everyone practice your braking and that includes high speed braking, you will be amazed how much you can shave off with some practice.
 
If you couldn't stop from 70kph (approx. 43mph) in less than 100 meters then you should not be riding.
 
Last edited:
I've had mine actually down, I thought, once, metal scraping and back end coming around, two other times part sideways and definitely going to high side. All 3 times it stood back up, straightened out, and continued down the road like nothing happened. I looked like the greatest rider in the world, but I have no idea what I did, aside from turning into the skid. I think maybe the extreme weight somehow contributes to it's desire to remain upright and moving forward, I dunno.
 
BillyIndiana said:
Congrats or your save. So glad all ended well.
Never been a fan of the lay it down theory. My change my mind some day.
Click to expand...

Never change your mind!
A bike sliding on its side generates only half the stopping friction value of one skidding or stopping on its tires.
Example:
You are going 35 mph. You choose to lay it down. You will slide over 100 feet before you stop.
You are going 35 mph. You use both your brakes. You will come to a stop in 54 feet.
Another thing to consider is would you prefer your head and torso to be only a couple feet or less above the pavement when you impact the bumper or frame of a cage or truck?
These are the facts. Just sayin' . . .
 
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