Binned it.

[doodlefool]

I brought my bike initially for commuting and to escape the ridiculous price of public transport. I did a practice run today to and from work, with my boyfriend driving in front/behind (acting as my wing man), and apart from a few minor things, I was doing really well (for someone who has only had about 4 days of riding experience).

Pretty confident with my gear shifts, stopping & starting, slow riding in traffic and hazard perception - all were basically spot on.

I was almost home, and I got up to some lights, and I must have forgotten to check my gears (I must have been in third gear, I think) as when the lights went green, I added some throttle and the bike took me for a ride down into the middle of the road onto the ground, in the middle of oncoming traffic (all who just drove on, without even slowing down, just driving around me - no common decency in the world!)

Thankfully I'm fine, and my bike is ok (just need to replace indicator/wing mirror/straighten out my bars).

I'm just confused as to what happened, as up to this point I had been a competent rider, doing everything mostly right. It must have been just one of these things (I'm using a cruise control attachment, wondering if that had anything to do with it?). But I'm glad it happened early and that it wasn't serious, as now I am going to double and triple check what gear I'm in when stationary.

EDIT:

It may not have been my fault! I have been looking for indicators online and came across this thread:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/yamaha-tech/yamaha-ybr-125-problem-help-70847

And I now distinctly remember the bike cutting out literally just before it happened, and thinking about it, my bike light has been flickering since I got it.

Having discussions with my boyf, he's had similar problems in the car and he say's it may be down to my electrics.

His theory is that the bike cut out mid pull off, the engine could have cut out and cut in again throwing the back into motion re igniting the engine, suddenly jolting the bike back into life, hence the crash. (He's done that in a car).

I only said it could have been in third gear, because I wasn't *exactly sure* what happened, it was all literally a blur, but after talking about it, I definitely remember the engine cutting out just seconds before it happened - not stalling, but switching off. Which means, if true, I have a bigger problem on my hands.

The bike is still in warranty, should I take it back and explain what happened?

Also found this Youtube video which may be what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThNWpwGrN2w

Yamaha YBR 125 2009 problem. Jumping / unstable rev, stopping engine problem.
Battery looks ok 12.5v alternator too 13,3 charging voltage but engine do not want to start normally only from the kick. Working engine generally have stable rev but rpm indicator jumps like on movie. Frequently engine likes to stop after 100m or 2km or just like on video during revving. I have check most of the connector underneath but it looks like some of electric circuit parts causing that problem.

Edited December 8, 2013 by doodlefool

[DirtyDT]

Well I'm glad that you are OK, that's the main thing.

The bike should have struggled to pull away in third gear. Personally I have never used a cruise control, and wouldn't on a bike - I never use it on the car either. It could be that you lost concentration with your mind enjoying the bike. Experience and a few miles should cure that, you still get the enjoyment but the concentration still remains.

Stick with it.

[Airhead]

Oh dear that's a shame doodlefool, but glad to hear you and the bike a pretty much unscathed though...If I may suggest...bin the cruise control whatever that is!!!

[slice]

As Above BIN the cruise thing learn how to ride first then use gadgets, if you must, later on, glad you are OK and that the bike only has cosmetic damage just remember that you got lucky and never hit anyone and no one hit you.

[doodlefool]

This is the cruise control thing, I bought it because it helped the strain on my wrist while riding at high speeds (on the A40). I seem to have trouble getting up to speed, maybe it's my gear changes, maybe my bike can't go much faster (around 60mph). But I will bin it and see how I go.

http://www.infinitymotorcycles.com/product/oxford-throttle-assist-cruise-control-of378/3006

Also, does anyone have any recommendations where to buy parts? I'm having trouble finding an indicator on ebay as they don't look like the one's on my bike

[blackhat250]

Blimey doodle" that was a close shave, ,, when approaching lights , gentle knock down thru gears, before you stop /

A main yamaha dealer will have parts,,,

[drewpy]

This is the cruise control thing, I bought it because it helped the strain on my wrist while riding at high speeds (on the A40). I seem to have trouble getting up to speed, maybe it's my gear changes, maybe my bike can't go much faster (around 60mph). But I will bin it and see how I go.

http://www.infinitymotorcycles.com/product/oxford-throttle-assist-cruise-control-of378/3006

Also, does anyone have any recommendations where to buy parts? I'm having trouble finding an indicator on ebay as they don't look like the one's on my bike

don't fit that thing to a commuter bike, its for motorway riding over a long distance. You have enough to do without that on your throttle and wearing M/C gloves doesn't help with the feel of things especially when a new biker.

Have you tried ghost bikes, M&P, Busters, bitz4bikes or wemoto?

if there's nothing there then your stuffed

[doodlefool]

Yeah, it was really close, I was super lucky. I think, maybe it was me just loosing concentration for a second from going on a ride that lasted an full hour - not good. I'm going to go on some shorter rides more regular and slowly build up mileage (I basically did 50 miles off the bat), and wait until I'm fully confident that I won't wave concentration on longer rides, especially when they're nearly over. That will hopefully help with confidence, help my riding skills and help make sure stuff like this doesn't happen again.

Thanks for your tips on where to get parts guys

[blackhat250]

Yeh " an accident survey , showed that 70% of accidents were near the end of journey, closer you get to home, the more complacent you become,,and fatigue usually,

Imagine no one stopped to see if you were ok. .. London"s full of strange people,

[neversaydie]

Pleased to hear your not hurt

Plenty of places to look at for Yamaha parts, Fowlers/Granby/AJ Suttons/Yambits

Anticipation plays an important part when approaching lights etc. Work your way down through the gearbox wehn appoaching them to reduce speed, slip it into first before you come to a stop, then feet down (into neutral). Try to avoid going down through he gears with bike stationery

Thsi means that if the lights go green as your approaching them, youll be in the right gear to move of smoothly

Ditch the throttle lock thingy, if its making your wrists ache, then maybe think about moving the bars/levers to find a more comfortable position

Goes something like this, sit on the bike with hands just above the bars, forearms and hands in a line (not cocked at the wrist). Lower hands onto the bars, if you cant reach the levers without cocking, adjust the positions

Also bear in mind that you are new to this, and are likely using muscles that have never had to this this work before. They will take time to acclimatise. A coule of those hand held squeezy balls may help firm them up

[doodlefool]

It may not have been my fault! I have been looking for indicators online and came across this thread:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/yamaha-tech/yamaha-ybr-125-problem-help-70847

And I now distinctly remember the bike cutting out literally just before it happened, and thinking about it, my bike light has been flickering since I got it.

Having discussions with my boyf, he's had similar problems in the car and he say's it may be down to my electrics.

His theory is that the bike cut out mid pull off, the engine could have cut out and cut in again throwing the back into motion re igniting the engine, suddenly jolting the bike back into life, hence the crash. (He's done that in a car).

I only said it could have been in third gear, because I wasn't *exactly sure* what happened, it was all literally a blur, but after talking about it, I definitely remember the engine cutting out just seconds before it happened - not stalling, but switching off. Which means, if true, I have a bigger problem on my hands.

The bike is still in warranty, should I take it back and explain what happened?

Also found this Youtube video which may be what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThNWpwGrN2w

Yamaha YBR 125 2009 problem. Jumping / unstable rev, stopping engine problem.
Battery looks ok 12.5v alternator too 13,3 charging voltage but engine do not want to start normally only from the kick. Working engine generally have stable rev but rpm indicator jumps like on movie. Frequently engine likes to stop after 100m or 2km or just like on video during revving. I have check most of the connector underneath but it looks like some of electric circuit parts causing that problem.

[Katie1]

Hi Doodle, glad you're ok and the bike's not too bad. Unlucky with no-one stopping to help. I've been very lucky with that and have often stopped to help others when needed.

Whereabouts are you in London? If you are in the south east, there's a good workshop and bike breaker's in Greenwich called Allbikes ( http://www.allbikespares.co.uk/ ). They will take the p*ss mercilesslessly and help you out in any way they can

As to falling off? If there wasn't a fault with the bike, try not to worry too much. Everyone has fallen off and must of us will have done something daft when losing concentration (insert tales of ditch-jumping, hedgerow clipping, side-swiping cars/vans/wall/roundabouts, accidental off-road excursions etc). Best thing to do is try not to repeat the same mistake twice!

[DirtyDT]

London"s full of strange people,

That's why I moved - and I was born there.

[lallasro]

this cruise control is a killer, if you want a cruise control, buy this

your cruise control have no security system. my cruise control have 3 security sistems. anyway, you don`t need a cruise control on your bike I guess you don`t ride all day on motorway to need one. glad to hear you are ok.

[doodlefool]

After a long chat with my other half (race driver and mechanically minded), and we both think the most likely reason for this was it cut out and bump started as I was trying to take off from the lights, and because it was cut out, I tried throttling it more and when it finally kicked in again, the acceleration was crazy and I couldn't control it. If I had it in the wrong gear or took off in a higher gear, it would have been revving and screaming or it would have stalled, and it did neither. It's the only logical reason we can come up with. My bike is still in warranty, so I'm going to phone the guy tomorrow and tell him what happened and what we think is wrong with it.

Because I was moving (in the proper biker position, feet on pegs), I don't think human error wasn't to blame (but, I'm new to this, I/we could be wrong)

[Airhead]

Dont mention the gadget then !

[Noise]

Hi Doodle, Glad to here your still in one bit.

Please do me a favour and bin your handle bars too. If they are bent then getting them back to normal will be risky, think of when you get a paper clip and you bend it, then bend it back to normal, it tends to snap. Can you trust your bars to hold up in an emergancy stop with all your upper body weight transfering through them?

As for the course of the miss hap, i can see yours and your partners theory just so we can narrow it down, know when you bump start a bike you normally have to run like fook to get it to bump, how fast was to coming up to the lights? also did you feel the back wheel lock up for a split second before it shot off?

Keep your chin up and get back on her (once you have replaced them bars tho!)

[mervin]

good to hear you are ok there , and all the good advice that has been handed out here does not ned repeating , i have one of tose cruise control things won it in a competiion , used it once and took it off and hung it up in the shed , it was a nuisance more then anything ,i just got thicker more rubbery grips , they tend to stick to your gloves a little more and you can relax a bit , but when you let go the throttle snaps shut as it should ,

[Grouch]

The main thing is your ok and your bike isn't too damaged. As Noise said replace your handlebars because they are weakened now. Also ditch the cruise control gadget. We all have some sort of accident or near miss in our biking careers. Hope it hasn't knocked your confidence or put you off biking.

[doodlefool]

I definitely appreciate all of your advice on the cruise control, like i said earlier I'm going to get rid of it. But will now look into getting better grips as I never thought of that. And I was looking where to get new bars too, I'm going to order them this week.