I have been surprised by road conditions a few times. Twice I ended up on the ground. One time was a place where the road was being re-surfaced. They had just put down the tar/oil when a thunderstorm hit and they quit. No signs or anything and the fresh oil with water on top is VERY slick. Nonetheless, I was just fine until the dumbass in the Ford in front of me stopped; for no apparent reason. I had no choice but to hit the brakes and I and the Gold Wing went down and slid up to within inches of the Ford. Cracked a valve cover and wrecked some clothes but otherwise no harm.
The other time was in an intersection which, as it turned out, had a pile of gravel in the middle of the intersection. It was dark and I didn't see it and was unaware until the front end washed out. I was slightly scarred up in that one. I've gone down at speed on gravel roads but I knew what road conditions were and knew I was pushing it.
One time, one a twisty mountain road (gravel), I was travelling at about 55 or 60mph and sliding a bit through the corners when, predictably, I went down. As I slid along, I was unconsciously lifting hot spots off the road while admiring how well my new gloves were protecting my hands. Then I spun around so I was sliding feet-first and my right hand glove came off. Ouch.
Another time I was doing about 70mph on a section of muddy road in Alberta. I was almost through when I started fishtailing and, after swapping back and forth a few times, down I went. I slid along through the mud for what seemed like a long time while the BMW flipped along beside me. As I slowed I found myself sliding along feet-first, on my back. I somehow got the idea I could stand up out of the slide just like a guy who has slid across homeplate; sort of a hero move. I put my feet down and transitioned from sliding on my back, feet-first, to sliding on my front, head-first, so fast I wasn't quite sure what had happened. I was mostly unharmed (but really dirty) and the BMW didn't look quite the same with busted windshield and folded down handlebars.
I once hit a domestic sheep (dead) which I thought was a bale of hay, on the Gold Wing. ; I didn't see the sheep until I was on it (raining hard). I don't know how far we flew before touching down but it was a ways. I had just passed a car and was doing about 75mph. Landed on the wheels. bounced once, and stayed upright. My wife was behind me, on her KZ 750, and had not yet passed the car. The car swerved over to avoid the sheep and my wife, assuming he had a reason for swerving, followed suit and thus avoided the sheep. There was wool hanging off the bottom of the Wing.
I have now made it 28 years without a crash (if I don't count crashes on the XR 400) which is, I think, indicative of a slower pace as I age (70 this summer) as well as the good handling of the V-Strom. GD