Pride Does What...When?

I don't think I am overly proud of a lot of things. But, everyone who knows me is aware of how proud I am of my 1996 Triumph Trident. I put a lot of time, effort (and money) into the bike, and I came as close to fulfilling my vision of what I was after with a motorcycle as I have ever managed.

So, as they say, "Pride goeth before a fall."

File it under "It Had To Happen Someday", but I managed to dump the bike in the middle of Colorado Blvd. on my way home from work, today. It happened at Colorado and Ninth, where the road is always slick from oil-drippings as you approach the intersection. Ten or twelve miles per hour, coming to a halt at the red light, and the girl in front of me slammed her brakes on.

I grabbed a handful of front brake, to avoid slamming into her, and locked the front wheel up on the greasy pavement. Down I went. First time in the past twenty seven years, third time in 33 years of riding.

But, I did avoid hitting the car.

At least I didn't crack the cover.

Bent mount, cracked and scuffed carbon, scuffed chrome on the headlight bezel.

The real heartbreaker is the dent on the tank, right on the hand-painted pin-striping. I hope one of those "paintless dent repair" places can pop that out and leave the paint unharmed.

I managed to repair the windscreen mount, and put some nail polish onthe carbon to avoid further delamination...

Doesn't look too bad.

It really didn't help my sore back, much, to pick the 500 pound beast up off the pavement, either. That, and a scrape on my knee are about the only "injuries" I suffered, except for the blows to my pride and joy.

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