Author Topic: Breaks my heart to write this, but  (Read 2295 times)

Jeff

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Breaks my heart to write this, but
« on: November 05, 2014, 01:37:30 AM »
Well the good news is: Bill, you will catch up and claim the mileage crown.

The bad news is: Empulse R #35 has ceased to be of this world.



A taxi made an . . . interesting U-turn in front of me in downtown SF.  Right when he did, and right when I started braking, I was right on top of a mess of metal plates and cable car tracks.  Front locked up, I managed (barely) to avoid the taxi, but front tucked itself and the bike slid directly into a curb and cracked its frame.

I am 100% fine (hooooraaaaay Aerostich), but my valiant friend is no more.

I desperately miss the TIE fighter whine, but that accident honestly freaked me out enough with regard to having ABS on my daily war chariot commuter that I will be waiting (with bated breath) for an Empulse ABS model.  Which will likely be coming fairly soon, what with Europe and 2016 and whatnot.  The minute I can buy one of those, I will be rejoining you all.  In the meantime, I'll be watching from the sidelines and cheering you on.  And likely still showing up to track events to harass the race team!

Unless maaaaybe I can manage to find a broken Empulse somewhere to fix up and fling around a track . . . . ?!?

shocker

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2014, 06:35:47 AM »
Hey, I'll take 100% fine than an Empulse any day of the week.  A small set back but hope you will rejoin again soon.

JeffK

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2014, 07:45:46 AM »
Glad you're OK!
All hardware can be replaced, so can the Brammo.
Modifications so far:
Crash bungs
shortened chain tensioner bolts

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Richard230

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2014, 10:06:53 AM »
I really hate riding in SF and avoid it whenever possible.  Glad to hear you are OK, Jeff and sorry about your Empulse R feeling poorly.   :(
current bikes: 2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 Classic, 2009 BMW F650GS, 2007 BMW R1200R, 2005 Triumph T-100 Bonneville, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.

Brammofan

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2014, 11:53:43 AM »
Any landing that you can walk away from . . . .

Glad that you're okay. RIP Empulse.
The Brammoforum Wiki is still active: http://www.brammoforum.com/wiki

kingcharles

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2014, 01:47:49 PM »
Ouch, sorry to hear about your bike but glad to hear you walked away from it! I have seen bikers less fortunate...
Once you go EV, gas is history!

benswing

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Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2014, 09:11:27 PM »
Said to hear this but glad you're okay buddy.  Hope Brammo hears your message, put ABS on their bikes and gets you riding electric again soon.


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frodus

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2014, 10:16:50 PM »
Bummer man! Glad you're not injured.


00049 (AKA SopFu)

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2014, 09:15:26 AM »
Sorry to hear about this. I hope you get back on the horse soon!
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Virtually Yours

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2014, 09:37:58 PM »
Sorry to hear about your bike.  :'(
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Shinysideup

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2014, 09:04:07 PM »
Well crap, Jeff. That's no way for me to gain the mileage award!

I'm so glad you are OK.

I hear ya about ABS. In those unique, weird circumstances (where get offs seem to happen) ABS can save your bacon. The only time I've been down (without a car hitting me!) in San Francisco was from intersecting trolley tracks with oil on them, and no ABS on a heavy bike (ST1100). A friend of mine who is an automotive engineer in Germany helped develop the technology and I was a convert as soon as I rode it on my R1200R.

So, what are you riding until the ABS Empulse makes its debut?

Shinysideup

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2014, 09:11:01 PM »
Unless maaaaybe I can manage to find a broken Empulse somewhere to fix up and fling around a track . . . . ?!?

Hmm... there MAY be one with a cracked frame that could be TIG welded...(rubbing chin pensively)

Jeff

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2014, 04:08:18 AM »
Thanks everybody!  Yep, it really sucks, and I miss the bike every day -- but yeah I am extremely glad that my gear did its job.  I had a sore ankle for a few days and that was about the extent of it.

So, what are you riding until the ABS Empulse makes its debut?

A gelato-flavored terrible decision:



MV Agusta Dragster 800.

It was kind of interesting process of finding a bike, actually.  ABS is NOT that prevalent, yet -- the vast majority of manufacturers seem to put the fancy stuff (ABS, traction control, nice suspension, etc) only on their top-end range of bikes.  And because consumers are dumb, that usually means large displacement.  It's fascinating how the market is dramatically skewed in two directions: A.) low displacements, made to be as cheap as possible, and B.) high displacements, with all the tech and wizardry.  I actually spent a ton of time at Scuderia looking at bikes trying to give them another sale, but they don't really have anything (KTMs/Aprilias) that I'd want for a commuter.  Nearly everything they have that has ABS is 1000cc+ and big and heavy.  Only exception is really the Duke 690, and the vibration on that thing put my butt to sleep within two miles of riding it.

I was thinking about a Street Triple R -- Triumph is one of the only companies I can think of that puts all the fancy stuff on a middleweight engine bike.  Because, I think, they don't have a liter sportbike, so they make the Daytona 675 their flagship.  So that and the Street Triple both have ABS and nice suspension and stuff, but it doesn't really push my buttons a ton.  I also looked at F800Rs, maybe handlebarring a VFR, and a couple other random ideas, but then I found the MV.

Because MV is weird and/or doesn't seem to care about race classes or something, they put all the fancy stuff on an 800 triple.  It's got ABS, traction control, a quickshifter, and it's the only bike that comes close to the Brammo for me in terms of looks and making me feel naughty in my pants.  It's a pain in the ass and I hate having to deal with buying gas and heat in traffic and all the other stuff the Empulse spoiled me on, but boy howdy it is pretty damn fun.  It is super light and the engine is incredible.  Feels like a Street Triple on goddamned PCP.  Haha hopefully it should manage to tide me over for a year or two!  Also the seating position and ergos are remarkably similar to the Empulse, so it feels somewhat like home.  A hotter, shoutier version of home.

Maybe I can bribe Bosch with some schwarzwälder kirschtorte or something to hurry up and throw some ABS over to Oregon.

opfietse

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #13 on: November 08, 2014, 01:00:44 PM »
Sorry to hear the story on your Empulse, Jeff.
I must admit Inreally like the MV. Looks great, should handle well too!
Enjoy it until your on a Brammo again :-)
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Shinysideup

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Re: Breaks my heart to write this, but
« Reply #14 on: November 08, 2014, 02:42:36 PM »
Thanks for the pic and sharing your thought process. That IS a purty machine. At 100 lbs lighter and 125 HP, yes, I imagine it WILL go! Interesting, the Empulse still has it beat on torque: 90 Nm vs. 81 Nm.

We'll have to trade for a ride anytime you want another Empulse fix!

A friend recently sent me some quotes from the late Car Talk host, Tom Magliozzi. I thought this one might offer some perspective on your recent experience:

"If money can fix it, it's not a problem."

« Last Edit: November 08, 2014, 02:48:32 PM by Shinysideup »