Eck Posted March 30, 2016 #1 Posted March 30, 2016 Yesterday I went for a ride up in TN on some back roads and I came up on one of those little rivers / creek (whatever you want to call it) with a cement roadway under the water to drive on as you cross it. As I approached the rivers edge, I see a red pick up truck on the other side and an elderly man sitting in the truck looking at me. I could not back my wing up for the angle of the cement slab was on quite a steep downward slope to the water and I am now facing downhill and in no way could I turn the bike around on this slope. I looked at the guy across the river and raised my hands over my head as if saying What now? Oh well, lets do it.. The water didn't look all that deep.. 3-4 inches maybe.. (I thought)..and the river / creek was about 30 ft wide. SO here I go, in 1st gear, and my fornt tire/ wheel enters the water, and there is no turning back now. The width of the cement road under the water is just a little wider than a cage. After my rear wheel became partially submerged I felt the bike being pushed to my right and I was quickly nearing the edge of the cement road under the water. My mind is going crazy with so many thoughts. I turned to the left and gave it some throttle (still in 1st gear) and the water came up over the top of my boot with my foot on the left foot peg.. I thought Oh ****, here I go, Im going to loose my wing and what an idiot for driving into this water in the first place. But, by the grace of God and luck on my side, I made it through. The guy in the truck had his windows down and I stopped along side his truck. He said **** that was close. I said yea it sure was, I sure thought I was going to loose my wing right then, but I can promise I will never do that again.. That was just way to close.. Last year, I went for a ride with two other guys and I crossed a different river. creek and after I got across, I took a picture on the last guy crossing. He is pulling a Unigo trailer behind him and you cant see it. See attached picture.. All three of us crossed this river with our wings.. I'm not making a habit out of doing this now and I am very certain I will never do it again..
SilvrT Posted March 30, 2016 #2 Posted March 30, 2016 Eck, seems there might be some truth to what they say about a Wing .... "tupperware boat" ! :stickpoke: All kidding aside, glad you made it through.
cowpuc Posted March 30, 2016 #3 Posted March 30, 2016 WOW ZZZZ WOW WOW WOW Eckster - nothing like a little Enduro riding on the Wing eh!! Good thing that guy in the truck wasn't a Michigan DNR guy or he probably would have asked you for your boater registration and checked your bike out to make sure you had life jackets on board.. Might not be a bad idea to check your scoots fluids for water contamination and make sure you didn't pick up a salmon in one of your saddle bags.
paysaw Posted March 30, 2016 #4 Posted March 30, 2016 Wings are great bikes.Keep it above the air input side and they will do well.They are beasts.I am glad you got through ok.
Yammer Dan Posted March 30, 2016 #5 Posted March 30, 2016 Ya oughta go up and try FrogMans little crossing. I did once......... Almost another chapter in "How Many Bones Can a Human Break??" Frog Man thinks its nothing....
eagleeye Posted March 30, 2016 #6 Posted March 30, 2016 The problem with those crossings is the moss that grows on the cement. Slippery than snot. You want to be in the tire tracks of the cars so your chances are better.
Eck Posted March 30, 2016 Author #7 Posted March 30, 2016 Might not be a bad idea to check your scoots fluids for water contamination and make sure you didn't pick up a salmon in one of your saddle bag... Amazing how great minds think alike Puc.. Once I got onto safe turf, (real pavement), I stopped and put the wing up on it's center stand, and did check for water in the oil and the coolant level, then I opened both side bags. The left side bag was damp, but not dripping wet so a little water got in but didn't hurt anything. Nothing in that bag but a cleaning rag and a can of Pledge cleaner anyway. The stock tool bag didn't get wet. I was more worried about water getting into the main fuse box along side the battery, when I felt water coming on over the top of my boot...pure luck that it didn't get water in it.
Zzyzx Posted March 30, 2016 #8 Posted March 30, 2016 Glad you were able to save it Eck! Guess you finely earned your "WATER WINGS"
slowrollwv Posted March 30, 2016 #9 Posted March 30, 2016 Low water bridges can be very dangerous. Glad you made it across OK.
eusa1 Posted March 30, 2016 #10 Posted March 30, 2016 they have a couple of the " FORDS" in a state park up here in Illinois, they are slippery devils.
JDaniel Posted March 31, 2016 #12 Posted March 31, 2016 Eck, you need to order the level 5 Goldwing with the pontoon kit if you are going to be crossing rivers.
BlueSky Posted March 31, 2016 #14 Posted March 31, 2016 Next thing we hear will be you went off-roading with your wing:Bunny2:
Eck Posted March 31, 2016 Author #15 Posted March 31, 2016 Next thing we hear will be you went off-roading with your wing:Bunny2: Well truthfully @BlueSky, some of the back roads that I have been down ended up being one of those off roads, either all dirt or gravel even a walking path through the grass. Now, I don't like going on those type of roads with my wing, but I always look for those small in width, paved roads with no white or yellow lines. They tend to head off into the unknown back roads and woods of the TN mountains. Some of these type roads do connect to another paved same type road and some of them just end abruptly and turn into gravel or dirt roads. After riding on one for 10 miles and it ends or turns into a gravel or dirt road I either make a decision to turn around, or review my GPS and continue on. I have been on a few of those roads that took me right onto someone's property..no signs stating so..but it has happened. But most of the time I find and see things the common rider never gets to see.
Venturous Randy Posted March 31, 2016 #16 Posted March 31, 2016 My concern when I took those type roads, whether on the bike or Miata, is ending up at someone's property with several big dogs that do not like bikes or Miatas with the top down(not a lot of difference). Randy
Eck Posted March 31, 2016 Author #17 Posted March 31, 2016 My concern when I took those type roads, whether on the bike or Miata, is ending up at someone's property with several big dogs that do not like bikes or Miatas with the top down(not a lot of difference). Randy Oh yea,, that has happened too...I have had dogs biting at my leg while I was trying to turn around.. not a good thing...makes heart race faster than normal!!!
cowpuc Posted March 31, 2016 #18 Posted March 31, 2016 Might not be a bad idea to check your scoots fluids for water contamination and make sure you didn't pick up a salmon in one of your saddle bag... Amazing how great minds think alike Puc.. Once I got onto safe turf, (real pavement), I stopped and put the wing up on it's center stand, and did check for water in the oil and the coolant level, then I opened both side bags. The left side bag was damp, but not dripping wet so a little water got in but didn't hurt anything. Nothing in that bag but a cleaning rag and a can of Pledge cleaner anyway. The stock tool bag didn't get wet. I was more worried about water getting into the main fuse box along side the battery, when I felt water coming on over the top of my boot...pure luck that it didn't get water in it. Aint that the truth brother!! Might not be a bad idea to double check the rear pumpkin too - some, if not most of those rear ends are vented so it might be possible to get water into that lube thru a vent..
bongobobny Posted March 31, 2016 #19 Posted March 31, 2016 Hmmmmm, coming back from Don's place to the hotel last MD, the trike looked a little bit like that in your picture!! I was hydroplaning and the wake was coming up over the handlebars!! Killed the radio controller for a couple of days, you could see the moisture drops in the display window! That was on just the plain highway, no creek going over the top. Raingear or not, I was like a drowned rat...
Eck Posted April 1, 2016 Author #20 Posted April 1, 2016 Aint that the truth brother!! Might not be a bad idea to double check the rear pumpkin too - some, if not most of those rear ends are vented so it might be possible to get water into that lube thru a vent.. @CowPuc, I did just that today... no water in rear lube oil. Decided to drain it out and refill with fresh gear lube anyway. Also washed and waxed the wing and it is ready for another adventure...So is it's owner!
DblTrbl Posted April 1, 2016 #21 Posted April 1, 2016 Well truthfully @BlueSky, some of the back roads that I have been down ended up being one of those off roads, either all dirt or gravel even a walking path through the grass. Now, I don't like going on those type of roads with my wing, but I always look for those small in width, paved roads with no white or yellow lines. They tend to head off into the unknown back roads and woods of the TN mountains. Some of these type roads do connect to another paved same type road and some of them just end abruptly and turn into gravel or dirt roads. After riding on one for 10 miles and it ends or turns into a gravel or dirt road I either make a decision to turn around, or review my GPS and continue on. I have been on a few of those roads that took me right onto someone's property..no signs stating so..but it has happened. But most of the time I find and see things the common rider never gets to see. Eck, do you hear banjo music??????
Brake Pad Posted April 1, 2016 #22 Posted April 1, 2016 glad you made the crossing, But kinda looks like the Florida roads after a heavy downpour, its pretty wild having water fill your riding boots:crying:
Barrycuda Posted April 1, 2016 #23 Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) Banjo music with my NYC accent has me running faster than a cheetah in the Serengeti... Eck, you just can't stay out of trouble . �� Edited April 2, 2016 by Barrycuda
cecdoo Posted April 1, 2016 #24 Posted April 1, 2016 @CowPuc, I did just that today... no water in rear lube oil. Decided to drain it out and refill with fresh gear lube anyway. Also washed and waxed the wing and it is ready for another adventure...So is it's owner! Well I am glad to hear you are enjoying riding and its adventures, kinda remember someone talking about hanging it up last year? and getting alittle bored with it... Maybe whenever anyone gets that feeling they need to ride thru 2 ft of water!! Craig
buddy Posted April 2, 2016 #25 Posted April 2, 2016 Eck that happened to me before I could not back up my bike so I used the little button on right handle bar you know the one its for reverse mode it kicked the relay couple times due the steep road but it worked good for me
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