Have You Crashed? [Archive]

Belquar

02-12-2009, 09:03 PM

First time:

Relatively low speed 35-40mph I think. I was navigating a knarly intersection and the car in front of me stopped short. I had to stop pretty hard and was annoyed by the cager who stopped for no real reason in the intersection. I paddle footed around and clear the intersection. I had just left the dealership 2 miles ago with a brand new ME880 on the rear. I shifted into second gear, and then leaned into a curve onto the road I was taking and hit the gas hard. Factors: Distracted and frustrated with cager. Brand new tire. Inexperience (wasn't aware at the time of the scrub in period with new tires). = me sliding down the road, inflicting 5k worth of road rash to my rather mint CLC. Tweaked my ankle as the bike slid away from me. Helmet (HJC Symax) Jacket First Gear Voyager. Pants...just carharrts. Boots. Gloves. No serious damage. All cosmetic. Jacket barely scuffed. Pants barely scuffed. No blood. Just bruised. Walked away. LESSON LEARNED. GOTTA KEEP A COOL HEAD ON THE ROAD and focus on the ride. Scrub in those tires thoroughly before leaning hard and gassing hard.

Second Time:

R1100 GS. TKC 80s. Downpour moments before. Becoming a light drizzle. Coming off a relatively rough trail onto graded dirt road. Coming down a mountainside in W.Va. Standing up on the pegs. Rolling along about 30-40 mph. Overcooked a turn. Misjudged the curve. Early apex, too fast. Ended up in a powerslide that turned into a nasty high side. about 5k damage to the bike. Me...small laceration on the chin. Couple of nicks and scrapes elsewhere. Gear: HJC Symax. Chinbar was down and locked visor open halfway. Jacket(s) First Gear MeshTex and First Gear Rainman. Pants: OST mesh. First Gear Rainman. Boots. I didn't even know I was bleeding. My dad pulled up and pointed that out. No biggie. Wiped it off. Street cred now I guess. :blush All cosmetic damage to the bike. Fully functional due to the bags, bars, and what-not protecting the important stuff. Rode another 500 miles a large part off road, thanks to zip ties and rescue tape holding turn signals, mirrors, and the like in place. LESSON REMINDED: don't drive to fast for conditions, don't become complacent. Lowside rather than highside when possible. Highside is a rather violent impact with the ground. I don't recommend it. I am lucky I didn't break both collar bones.

Good times. Good lessons. Glad they were the kind I get to learn from rather than have my family mourn from.

kgadley01

02-12-2009, 09:13 PM

co_g30

02-12-2009, 09:15 PM

I encountered icy conditions in June, last year, while approaching the continental divide at the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 heading West.

More here: LINK (http://redlegsrides.blogspot.com/2008/06/went-down-on-way-to-two-bits-rally.html)

glennhendricks

02-12-2009, 09:22 PM

riding my /5 to work. Arai full face helmet, jeans, work boots and work shirt. summer afternoon (working swing shift). A heavy thunderstorm came through about a half hour prior to me heading to work.

Diagonal rail road tracks, wet, crossing them at maybe 5 mph, rear wheel went sideways.

Cracked the back of my helmet pretty hard on the pavement. Bike was still running in 2nd gear. In retrospect I had a mild concussion.

I didn't square up with the tracks and hit them on the diagonal.

moondog

02-12-2009, 09:22 PM

I could write a book on my one accident. 1983 R100RT, May 2007, Memorial Day weekend, going to the Charter Oak Rally in Ct. Roads were dry weather warm. Two riders in front of me, three behind doing maybe 15 mph up to the stop sign. I had been on the rode once and was not familiar with the wierd intersection. In retrospect and a recent trip back last year I figured I was watching the road which was full of pot holes, road cracks and in poor condition. I didn't see the two guys ahead of me slow and or stop for the stop sign. I jammed on my front brakes and went ass of tea kettle off the right side of the bike.
Landed on me right knee/shin. Split the bone in two. Then landed on my shoulder and helmet and slid for a few feet on my helmet.

I would be a veggie now if it weren't for the helmet. HJC-14

I had on jeans, no armour. A Vanson summer jacket with armour. Good boots and gloves. I also received a small abrasion on my left elbow. My left hip bone took a hit. Bruised, no permanent damage.

My leg though is permanently damaged. Doc wanted to do a new knee but I lost my job along with insurance etc.

Doc said the force of the fall from the bike was so traumatic even armour probably wouldn't have prevented the break or the dislocating of the knee. Oh my knee was dislocated also.

The hospital was treating it as a dislocation until the x-rays came back. They had to emergency operate at 130 am because there was no blood flow to my foot.

On goes the external fixator for 2 months then they moved it inside for another 4 and then out. Three operations and a fourth if the knee ever gets replaced

My leg will never be the same.

I'm still riding but not enjoying as much as before. I still can't wait for spring.

Moral of the story? Even a fall at 15 mph or less can do damage. At least wear the helmet, better yet ALL THE GEAR, ALL THE TIME. Buy summer gear with armour. Armour, armour and armour. Stay away from leather because it doesn't slide like synthetic and a rider rolls instead of sliding. More damage done rolling. Plus its too damn hot.

Almost two years later I am still trying to pay off doctor bills. Good thing most of the heavy stuff was covered before I lost my job.

Don't fixate on the road or in front. Keep the mind active and alert. Safety courses.
Avoid gidgy-gadgets on the bike. Takes the mind off of what your suppose to be doing. Enjoying the ride.
Thats enough.

35634

02-12-2009, 09:33 PM

Oct '05, noonish, nice day, 45-50 mph on a country road. Remember seeing a deer,
then I was sliding down the tarmac watching my K slide off to the side, bits of
plastic flying off. I remember thinking "this is not good" Airoh flip-up took a good
knock and did not open. Old Brooks jacket and jeans did their job. Gloves would of been
good, but my Timex made a pretty good sliding puck. I still use it today! Broke upper
arm at the ball, 9 screws and a plate. What did I learn? Probably nothing, but now
I like seeing dead deer by the road instead of feeling sorry for them.

Manfred

02-12-2009, 09:41 PM

When I was in college, I rode a purple Suzuki T-500 Titan (500cc 2 cycle twin), with a white Windjammer fairing. I was riding through Stillwater, OK, wearing my purple helmet and my purple and gold high school letter jacket. I was VISIBLE.

A lady in a car, with a poodle in the front seat, turned left into the drive of a dog salon as I was passing in front of the business. I ran up the drive to try and avoid the car, but she was quicker than me and she bumped into my bike at low speed. I jumped onto the hood of her car, grabbed the windshield wipers, glaring at her through my visor and her windshield. She was freaked. Very minor damage to my bike. No injuries to me.

Less than 2 years ago, I had purchased a bike on eBay and flown from Houston to D.C. to pick it up and ride it home. On my first day heading home, on Skyline Drive, I had pulled onto a scenic turnout and was taking in the view - when I ran up along the stone curb and fell over. While the engine guards I had taken in my luggage and installed when I picked up the bike saved the engine case, my jeans did not protect my knee from the jagged stones, which ripped a good sized hole in my knee right below the knee cap. Left a black mark that is still evident. Full story here. (http://brogdensmuse.menofhonorministry.org/Bikes/Brogdens_Big_Solo_Run.htm)

mpgolightly

02-12-2009, 09:53 PM

The first time, I was riding my 1979 Honda XL 100 down a country gravel road when a rabbit jumped from the hedge row and hit me in my right ankle, not knowing what it was at first I locked the rear brake into a skid, and then released it ( no one ever told me to ride out a rear brake lock) the resulting hi side threw me into a barb wire fence:doh luckily, my helmet and leather flight jacket saved my hide. No damage to the XL. Picked it up and rode on home.

2nd time, a cager pulled out from an uncontrolled intersection into my path, a 1963 ford station wagon. My foot (steel toe boots at the time) caught under the shifter and I slammed my noggin onto the hood of the car, the helmet worked, but, my right knee caved in the right side of the fuel tank and then i slide straight of the back of the bike and landed in the street on my butt. I pushed the bike home about 4 blocks, the fork tubes were bent, the shifter was bent and the gas tank caved in. (The bike was almost totaled but allstate rebuilt it;) Again it was the XL. I was stiff and sore for a few days. And to this day my right knee, because I am much older now, gives me a little reminder now and again of the abuse.

The third time was when a buddy and I was riding side x side, he turned into me, no harm to the bike but, I was a little sore.

and the fourth time I was at the university rounding a corner when the street nobbys caught some sand and the bike slide out from under me. Nothing more embarrassing than to be standing in the middle of the street with no machine under you. No harm to the bike and no harm to myself as the bike left me standing in the street.

Those were the only times of crash and burn for me, hopefully I don't experince anymore. There was no MSF classes in those days and you had to learn how to ride from a buddy or on your own. All of this was thirty years ago on one tough little Honda XL. I rode that thing for almost two years in all weather and put over 8k miles on her before I moved to Cincinnati. I am older now and I doubt that I will bounce like in the old days when I was very young. MSF training taught me alot and now I wear ATGATT, which wasn't around in those days, except for the helmet.

sedinkins

02-12-2009, 10:07 PM

I had been a Motor Officer since 2001 and have been riding street bikes since I was 15 years old (41 now). I'm a MSF Dirt Bike Coach and at the time I had been teaching defensive driving courses. I also had been trained for Police Dual Purpose Motors and rode a Suzuki DRZ400 on duty for specialized enforcement.

I mention my training and experience because in my crash on 12-08-05 I violated one of my cardinal rules of defensive riding. As I stated I was on duty on my patrol bike (2005 R1150RT) and only 30 minutes from going off shift. It was 6:30 pm and the conditions were dry and clear, about 60 degrees. I was in a very well lit shopping area moving at approximately 30 mph on a very wide two lane residential street. I approached an exit from a shopping center parking lot and spotted a white SUV approaching the exit. I watched the SUV and prepared for it to pull out in front of me, the SUV stopped at the sidewalk and I "assumed" the driver saw me. My golden rule is to see the eyeballs of the driver looking at me before I am comfortable that they actually see me. In this case the bright lights from the shopping center parking lot and surrounding street lights caused a glare on the driver's window, I couldn't see inside the driver's compartment, thus I never saw the driver actually look in my direction. Assuming the driver had seen me I turned my attention to an approaching curve. I caught the movement of the SUV out of the corner of my eye as it began to exit the parking lot.

I cover my front brake with two fingers pretty much all the time. So, when the SUV pulled out of the parking lot in front of me, yes the 16 year old student driver never saw me, I had barely enough time to apply pressure to my brakes before I impacted the SUV. The vehicle had turned left and in cheating the turn actually turned head on in to me. I had an escape route planned to shoot to the rear of her vehicle, but when she turned into me it took away that option, sped up our combined closure speed and I impacted the SUV at the left front headlight/quarter panel.

I remember the sound of breaking plastic and felt the hard impact. My face went into the windscreen (open face helmet) and my jaw struck the top of the windscreen, breaking my jaw and cutting a large portion of my chin through tendons and nerves. The area of the injury is still paralyzed from the crash and I suffer from severe TMJ. I also suffered a brain injury, neck, back, left shoulder, broken left femur, several broken ribs on my left side in front and in back and I stopped breathing on scene. The subsequent injuries have forced me to retire from the force and the circumstances have hit me and my family hard financially (look for my 2006 R1200RT for sale on this site). I have permanent disabilities from this relatively low speed crash. I won't go into the physical therapy and all that followed.

The biggest thing I can say about my crash is that I am a very competent and highly trained professional rider. I have always ridden with the thought that everyone was trying to kill me. I was always thinking ahead. I couldn't believe I got caught in this crash as it is one of the most common among motorcycle collisions. I think back to the circumstances surrounding the crash and ask myself "what if I were on my personal bike at this time?" First, I always tried not to ride at night on my personal bike especially with a lot of traffic, it's too easy for my bike to blend into the sea of headlights. Second, I always ride with a full face helmet and my armored Aerostich suit. Finally, when I'm on my personal bike I'm not thinking about anything else, but riding safely (not looking for violators, responding to radio traffic, etc.). As most know Motor Cops have their traditional uniform (English Riding boots, wool breeches, uniform shirt and maybe a leather jacket if it's cold). Very little protection. The irony is I had recently approached my boss about getting better protective equipment. Specifically the Aerostich law enforcement suit and the Shoei flip-face police helmet.

I'm not sure what you may get out of all this rambling, but just remember, stay alert and never assume anything, even if a driver is looking right at you they still may not see you. I have lost other good officers who were struck down in nearly identical situations as mine since my crash, it is gut wrenching.

One thing I have to say is that the BMW's brakes probably saved my life, what little braking I was able to do was effective. I was so hooked on the BMW's safety that I bought a new 2006 RT as soon as I could ride again. Unfortunately, I have to let her go to feed the family and keep the house.

Good luck my friend and I hope this helps a little. :usa

henzilla

02-12-2009, 10:33 PM

October 1975, young foolish kid (me) pulled onto the street and hit the throttle wide open on my 1972 Kawasaki 750 triple. less than one block traveled till I t-boned a 1971 Chevy Caprice that pulled out in front of me:doh . the impact threw me 130 feet, and I landed on my head splitting my helmet in two. no broken bones, no road rash, nothing but a headach, and a totaled bike. I was wearing a blue jean jacket and a 3/4 Helmet. I was lucky indeed....

DUDE! I picked my buddy up after he "did the same thing" right in front of me on his purple/orange stinky 750...He also walked away after I butterflied bandaged his chin where the full face helmet caught the edge..we had to trailer the bike and hide it from his mom. His bluejean jacket was toast also. Glad there was a helmet law back then!

henzilla

02-12-2009, 10:54 PM

Oh, and my worst one was being rear ended by a housewife taking kids to school as I was sitting in the median crossing major grassy median divided road in Houston in 1977. Clear skies and about 8 AM. I had just began to cross the second set of lanes when I got slammed at about 30MPH from behind by a huge station wagon...sent me sprawling across those lanes,luckily empty. Wearing 3/4 helmet,leather jacket,gloves and tall boots. Bike was shortened a foot and broke a lot of parts. I walked away with a skinned knee and sprained wrist and a majorly scratched Bell helmet. Her excuse was she saw me, but was trying to clear the oncoming traffic...and was running late.Wanted to pay me on the spot so her husband did not "kill her"...kinda moot point as I was a block away from police substation and two cruisers happened by as I was talking to her.

Helmet...helmet...helmet! and a young body, the leather jacket had some scuffs, but I rolled mostly. Nothing I believe could have prevented this one. I try to be as visible as I can in that situation nowadays and not sit in middle of median unless it's only option. Think about it everytime I do that maneuver still and constantly look in my mirror. Commuted for many years without another major one...retired from that craziness now of urban warfare commute.

Stupid one was drinking at age 24 and thinking I knew what I was doing All in my control and I blew it. Missed a corner in the country and went thru a barbed wire fence in the dark. No jacket,no helmet...just damn luck...changed my habits a lot after that one. I was not the Cool Steve McQueen on that move for sure!My bike never cleared the top wire!

Fritzc

02-13-2009, 12:32 AM

During this midwest winter, I've been doing a lot more reading than riding. Much of the material being of the safety and skill-developing variety. Got me thinking to start this thread...

If you've crashed on your bike and are willing to write about it, I'd be curious as to the following:

1. The circumstances. Weather, road conditions, traffic, speed, contributing factors, etc.

2. Lessons learned. Particularly, what steps have you taken (or could have taken) to prevent it from happening again.

3. Gear. What worked, what didn't? Example, a jacket that worked particularly well. Or a flip-up helmet that came open. Things along those lines.

I think this could be particularly helpful and maybe even prevent a similar accident in the future.

Thanks in advance.

Hit a deer Year and a half ago.
#1 8:00 A.M. Sunday morning in August on paved country road during light rain.
Had just passed a car so going about 60mph. No shoulder on road and the deer (2) shot out from a patch of cattails on my right. I saw the first one and reached for brake as I saw the second deer mounted on my front fender!! I never even touched the brake. I remember seeing the asphalt pavement two inches from my face as I slid down the road about 60 feet +/-. The deer, the bike and I ended up in a straight line in that order. Lucky to be going straight and I did not hit any mailboxes or road signs.
#2 In my opinion there was absolutely nothing I could have done to avoid the collision. I had always rehearsed in my mind to not try to swerve as I think that causes way too much trouble but in any case I had no time to swerve.
We have way too many deer in this state, Michigan. Too many hunters still think it is unmanly to shoot antlerless deer but we have to kill more of them. Several cities in Michigan are hiring sharpshooters to kill them right inside the city limits much to the chagrin of the bunny huggers.
#3 ATGATT is what saved me from serious injury. I only skinned my knuckles a little. Because of the rain I had gortex gloves on and not my leather riding gloves. Otherwise I wouldn't have had any injuries other than a few bruises on an arm and a leg. You can see my photos and tell how I was protected.
http://fritzc.smugmug.com/gallery/3331887_xmPNj

rinty

02-13-2009, 12:37 AM

You've touched a nerve here, Expatriated. :)

I came within an inch or two of a deer strike in Monashee Pass BC, and that was enough for me.

In my youth, I slid a Vespa across a road, but that hardly counts.

BeemoKat

02-13-2009, 08:01 AM

I've had two. Both in my first year of riding, both low-sides, and I was injured both times. I'm a realtively new rider, having gotten my first bike at age 47 in 2001. I took the MSF beginner's course (BRC), passed with 11 points, and got my license. Four days later, I had my first crash.

I entered a left-hand corner too fast, and went wide. When the front tire hit the soft shoulder, down I went. The sub-frame (1979 R-80/7, I still have it) landed on my left ankle and broke it. I was wearing a full-face helmet, jeans, gloves, and a t-shirt. Because I landed in the shoulder, I didn't come away too badly, except for the broken ankle.

The second crash, which happened the following spring, was practically identical, once again I entered a left-hander too quickly, ran wide, and lost it when the front tire went into the shoulder. This time I broke my left wrist. I had more gear on, leather jacket, chaps, gloves, boots and full-face helmet.
When I healed up, I enrolled in another MSF class, this helped me greatly, no more troubles since.

SIBUD

02-13-2009, 08:20 AM

Re-entry rider. Took MSF Basic Rider course. 6 months under my belt. Was I an accident waiting to happen? YES

S. Illinois, rural road. On a Honda Shadow Spirit 1100.

Came to top of hill where there was a line from the fresh oil and chip recently laid down. 50 yards down hill was a 90 degree left hand turn. I thought "I can not make the turn on this loose rock." So I looked to the side of the road to see if there were trees I would run into. Locked up the rear brake and started sliding to my right. Oh, Oh! Let off the brake, high sided exactly where I was looking.

OPERATOR ERROR was the reason I ended up under the bike.

Nolan 102 helmet saved my head.

Wearing boots, gloves, armored jacket and armored pants.

No injuries. Helmet replaced by insurance company.

jeremell

02-13-2009, 09:09 AM

I crashed trying to keep up with my brother on his R1100RS. Absolutely rider error. I was riding a nice 85 R80RT which I bought from my dad and was my first BMW. We were on a rural WI road and a sharp curve came up fast. I entered the curve too fast and maybe could have made it but there was gravel on the curve. I low sided, leaving me on the pavement and the bike crashing into the ditch. My helmet saved my life - the impact on the side of my head was so hard that the gravel on the road made grooves through the side of the helmet. My leather jacket had a scuff on the shoulder. I walked away from the crash with no injuries. The bike was totalled.

KGT1200

02-13-2009, 09:16 AM

17 years old, dirt bike on a dirt road, helmet, t shirt and Levis and GREAT BIG HIKING BOOTS. 35mph, my left foot caught a loop of barbwire when passing over a cattle gate (lower catch hook for the gate) and literally jerked me off the bike. Elbows and fore arms full of blood and gravel, head fine, helmet split open, but thanks to the boots, foot was fine.

32 yrs old, riding a Yamaha Maxim 400 fifty mph in a 30 mph street on my way home from work, and in front of me was an old lady with her turn signal on for a right turn. Fast as a rabbit, I hit the throttle to get the maximum bump from the street gutter, SHE TURNED LEFT hit the breaks, tires lost grip, and I brought it down to stop just as my tire "bumped” her side panel...then fell over. I think I wet myself, but from then on knew the power of the front brake!

40 yrs old, riding R65 LS, went to the convenience store just 1/2 mile from the house to buy a few groceries. It was a hot day. It was close to home. I threw the helmet on, took off in shorts and Birkenstocks. I loaded up the groceries, and held my ice cream bar in my lap until I hit second gear on the dirt entry to this boat marina/convenience store, then grabbed it in my left. Car pulls in, heading right at me, I maneuver in the soft gravel, front tire skids, my right foot goes down
to catch my fall, half my big toe is ground off, but I don't hit the car, and I don't drop the bike. My toe still hurts every so often...

crazydrummerdude

02-13-2009, 10:58 AM

Never, other than low-siding a 125 dirtbike in a field.

shire2000

02-13-2009, 11:48 AM

Year was 1969. Riding a 1962 BSA Gold Star. I was 16 years old and thought I was invincible. Didn't we all? I was wearing a jean jacket and pants, Bell 3/4 helmet, black engineer's boots and black leather gloves. We thought we looked cool.

Out front of the high school at lunch time. Thought it would be cool to pull a wheelie the full length of the block. Got the front wheel up fine but about 1/2 way down the block started to grab too much throttle. Front wheel kept coming up and I remember thinking "gotta back off". But just didn't seemed to not register. Ended up going beyond the point of no return. Rear fender scraped along the road for a bit then the whole thing fell over on top of me. I sat there for a minute, still holding the handle bars and thinking "What the heck?". Only damge to bike was the rear fender and back of the seat ripped up. Damage to me, scuffed up seat of pants and back of jacket (battle scars) and a severely hurt ego and pride. Also got lots of applause and jeers from all the students standing around out front. Took a long time to live that one down. Fixed the damage to the bike with some duct tape on the seat and some vise grips to straighten the fender out.

Have had a few minor crashes over the years as well as some big ones, but that one was the most memorable. It is burned into my brain and can remember every little detail of it.

:ca

beemrtim

02-13-2009, 12:18 PM

Twice:

First one: encountered Mustang GT conv w/female driver on cell phone as I was entering blind left hander at a high velocity on my GS. (She was in the middle of a pretty narrow road) Ran wide to avoid her, ended up in a ditch (still upright) thought I had it made, and tried to ride out of the ditch. Thats when I found a pile of empty beer bottles someone dumped in the ditch. Lost it! Bike spun around and I stopped facing the direction I had came from and looking at a hysterical female with a cell phone in her hand.

Cuts and bruises, sore ribs, minimal bike damage.

Second one: having a blast on my R90S flying down a twisty road I had never traveled. After a succession of sweepers found a decreasing radius right hander that looked innocent going in, but proved way to much for my R90 braking capability. Low side into ditch on left side of the road....hard! Broken collarbone!

Minimal damage to the bike, fixed up now, good as new

Both instances I was able to ride it home.

I am a LOT more conservative on roads I have never traveled and stretches of narrow road with poor visibility now.

The R90S will go a hell of a lot faster than it can stop!
T

CTellman

02-13-2009, 12:30 PM

May 1973 driving my R75/5 south eventually for Mexico City. In Santee State Park in South Carolina. I was a 25 year old central NY kid who had no experience with sand. I was loaded down for a two month trip and in the middle of a 30 mph gradual right hand turn was a left I decided I wanted to make. Didn't notice road went from hard surface to sand. Started turn . . . bike went out from under me and slid to side of road. No traffic, luckily. Shut off bike. No damage to cylinder or v/c. Left hand pinky bent back and hurting. 3/4 helmet and jeans jacket and jeans with boots were only gear. Some bruises but ego intact because no one saw it.
I was lucky and the pinky finger still bothers me when weather changes.
Campbell Tellman II
'93 R100RT
:thumb

MCMXCIVRS

02-13-2009, 02:32 PM

My one and only crash was lat fall when I hit a deer. Ended up with a broken ankle from the bike coming down on top of it and a torn rotator cuff from my elbow being the first point of contact with the ground. Bike was written off, dee died of its injuries.

1. The circumstances. Weather, road conditions, traffic, speed, contributing factors, etc.

Beautiful sunny warm afternoon around 1545 hrs. Zero traffic on a little used gravel road, my speed was 57 Km/h according to the GPS log. Only contributing factor is the flightyness and unpredictability of deer.

2. Lessons learned. Particularly, what steps have you taken (or could have taken) to prevent it from happening again.

I've gone through the sequence of event in my head again and again and have not come up with anything I could have done differently in the circumstances. I even went back and re-read the relevant section of David Hough's "Profficient Motorcycling" and verified that I had not screwed up somehow.

From the moment the deer first came into sight until it was all over was mere seconds. I had zero time to react at all. The GPS log shows a deceleration from 57 Km/h to zero in a space of 6 meters, at least for the bike and GPS that is. I slid slightly further face down in the gravel. My memory of the whole event is three quick snapshots; 1. seeing two deer at the side of the road, 2. seeing one of the deer hitting my front wheel, 3. sliding face down in the gravel.

3. Gear. What worked, what didn't? Example, a jacket that worked particularly well. Or a flip-up helmet that came open. Things along those lines.

What worked was my riding suit and other gear. My injuries were the result of hitting the ground and the bike coming down on top of my ankle. For the distance I slid on gravel, the fact that I had no abrasions is remarkable. I had a significant bruise on my elbow where it hit, but the armour did a great job of limiting that. My knees were also bruised from sliding on them, but the arour did a great job protecting them as well. The Revit suit was shredded and torn, but well worth the sacrifice to save my hide. My Joe Rocket gloves were probably the weakest link in the ATGATT equation, but they held up just enough to keep the gravel seperated from my skin. Not by much though, another few feet of skid and they would have been through. They are the only item that I wouldn't/won't replace with identical gear. I did end up with a different brand of helmet than the Shoei Hornet, but only because of a great deal on the BMW Enduro helmet I got instead.

rmarkr

02-13-2009, 03:37 PM

Some preventable crashes I've had:
Slipped on an oily patch, in a bend, at a bus stop. They dump a lot of oil. I was picking bits of asphalt out of my hand for years after.

Crashed a dirt bike which I had a problem controlling. Resulted in a (serious) lung embulus from marrow getting into the blood stream from a broken arm. Turns out there were a few broken spokes and the rest were loose, in the back wheel.

Seized a 350 Bridgstone two stroke (remember them?) going flat out. Back wheel locked up, got me sideways, pulled in the clutch, and the bike shot of the road and I dropped it in a ditch/swale. I was lucky - minor injuries.

I was literally spat off a new SWM 360 (remember them?) on a straight gravel road after hitting a manageable bump. It appears that it had a mismatched pair of rear shocks which twisted and broke the swing arm. Unequal damping in the forks can also result in some interesting antics.

Other crashes I've had were rider stupidity.

Jfixit

02-13-2009, 04:05 PM

Went down once and the largest contributing factor was me being a complete idiot. Not in a show-off type of way, I had just put everything but the ride in my head. It was the best of lessons.

moshaffer

02-13-2009, 04:28 PM

My first serious accident was in 63 on a Bonniville. I had just pulled out of a burger drive in and was guning it and between gears when a car in front slamed on his brakes to turn into another drive in, my bike ended up under the Ford convertable. Only bike that ever put me on crutches. No broken bones but lots of glass in my foot. No helmet law in VA at the time. Chaulk that one up to dumb and young.
The second was riding to close to the edge of the road and a branch from a bush got my handle bar and I went down, damage to my Zunn Dapp a German bike, my helmet and Jacket.
Third time was in town in front of a police station from oil on the road, no personal damage but some to the Honda.
The last time I went down, this winter, was in a parking lot at Lowe's by the Arden airpot In NC and the lot had just been re-surface coated, it was dark and I didn't notice it plus there was some ice, anyway I got the bike stopped but when I put my foot down I put it on ice, slipped and couldn't hold the RT up so I went down and the only thing I could think was I didn't want the bike coming down on my ankle and while trying to get out from it I landed on my left shoulder and am now scheduled for surgery in March. The bike was actually stopped and this is the worse personal injury I have ever received from a bike in close to 50 years of riding.

dbrick

02-13-2009, 05:06 PM

#1: I'd been riding 18 years. Riding on Highway 1 in rural Northern California. Carrying reasonable speed into a completely-visible good-pavement corner, I ran wide and off the road. The K75S came to rest (with me still on it) leaned into a dirt berm, removing the right-side saddlebag.

Responsibility: Mine. I shouldn't have been out there, as I had the flu - I wasn't thinking clearly and wasn't effectively processing the physical aspects of riding.

#2: I'd been riding 28 years. Stopped in lane #1 in stop-and-go driving on a 4-lane limited-access mountain road. Hit from behind by an inattentive car driver. R1100RSL knocked out from between my legs, leaving me standing all alone, momentarily perplexed, with the bike on its side 10 feet away.

Responsibility: Mine. I should have been watching behind me, or, perhaps, moving slowly between the lanes.

Interesting to see that I was responsible for both.

knary

02-13-2009, 05:24 PM

I haven't fallen down on pavement in almost six years. I must be due for something.
:hide

308nut

02-13-2009, 05:26 PM

Was too young and too dumb.

78 Kawasaki KZ1000 Z1R too much bike for an 18yr old

Coming off the interstate in New Orleans, came into a very hard right turn onto the service road. Bid puddle of water had gathered in the turn and me being a very inexpericed rider, I grabbed tooooooo much front brake and down I went. Luckily only going about 15mph but hitting the ground is still no fun. Took me 15 years to get back on another bike, but I really don't think it was being afraid of crashing again, not sure what it was but I'm back, much older, and much wiser.

Wade

108625

02-13-2009, 06:22 PM

On pavement?
I was riding through Yosemite very early in the season, about nine years ago in March, I think. I made it safely across several frozen patches across the pass and upon exiting the park on heading east I started riding faster as I descended into warmer, drier conditions. I let myself get distracted by the price of gas, of all things, then looked ahead and was late into a left-hander. I tried to stay on the road but there was too much springtime loose stuff near the edge and I started to slide sideways, then the tires caught and I high-sided, hard. The wind was knocked out of me and my head was ringing, yet I somehow got up and staggered over to the bike and hit the kill switch on my screaming Kawasaki.
(The right bar had bent slightly inside the throttle barrel and it was bound up open.) I was wearing all my gear, and the visor and chin guard on my helmet quite literally saved my face. I was very stiff and sore afterwards, but essentially unharmed.
A couple years ago I was riding my airhead in Nevada, made a left hand turn, and felt my rear tire abruptly slide out behind me. I low-sided and had the bizarre experience of sliding on my backside, watching my beemer skidding away on both tires and a valve cover, nice and stable, if you can picture it. I somehow slowed and caught my feet and inertia picked me up into a forward stumbling trot, like you see fallen racers do (but they seem to be in control, I sort of just "fell up").
My bike needed a new valve cover, nothing more, and this time, full gear saved my @ss. I looked down at the asphalt and saw a nice, arc-like line of spilled diesel fuel that must have sloshed out of somebody's overfilled saddle tank as they made the turn before me.
My only riding injuries have occurred on dirt bikes. Again, I wore my gear, but the nature of dirt bike falls is usually orthopedic and gear can't prevent that. I tore ligaments in my left knee, and I had a footpeg tear right through my riding pants about an inch above my boot, and rip my shin open to the bone. I'll save those stories for my shark fishing trip on the "Orca".

227708

02-13-2009, 06:49 PM

Always interesting to read accident reports, though often I can't determine what the rider learned from the mishap. That's a shame, as almost always there's a moral to what we did and what happened to us. Cactus 1549 will be studied by pilots for years to come in the (often vain) hope that Capt. Chesley Sullenberger's experience will be of value to other airplane drivers.
Speculate that Sullenberger/Skiles could not have avoided the birds. What they did from the moment of impact/loss of thrust was the lesson.
Can we apply that same reasoning as scooter drivers? Probably, particularly if we consider all possible external factors. Take riding in the winter and the effects of hypothermia (geez, it's effin' cold outside and I didn't bring proper gear...). Mister body limits blood flow to the extremities (hands, arms, feet, legs--and haid) as core temperatures drop. Hypothermia results in decreased oxygenation to the brain, thus thought processes are slowed. The results are quite similar to hypoxia, a condition incurred at altitude when one doesn't have supplemental oxygen available.
In about fifty years of riding bikes, I've known several riders who had mishaps in cold conditions who later blamed lack of traction or cold tires or whatever when very possibly their own failure to ensure sufficient warmth contributed significantly to the accident. The real "catch 22" is that brain impairment brings with it an inability to distinguish clearly the factors immediately preceeding the crash. It's very similar to having an accident while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Just a bit of food for thought in this cold motorcycling weather...and yes...I've had accidents. Hopefully I learned from them. To paraphrase an old pilot's adage, "there are old motorcyclists and bold motorcyclists but there ain't too many old, bold motorcyclists."

robert
'98 BMW K12RS
'93 Ducati 907ie
'75 Norton 850 Commando
'85 VW Vanagon for bad weather days

118788

02-13-2009, 06:52 PM

1975, at the age of 16, forgot to put the sidestand up on an old R5C Yamaha. It worked ok until the first left hand turn....whereupon I skated gracefully, brakes full on, into a guard rail on the outside of the corner. Its amazing how quickly an R5C will stop when the crash bars contact the vertical post of a guard rail.....leading to a perfect launch over the bars and subsequent impact with the highway. I'd have been uninjured except I had been riding with a damaged front brake lever...the ball on the end had broken off during a low side with the prior owner of the bike. When I incurred the sudden stop, my hand shot off the throttle and the backside of my wrist contacted the broken lever....leading to a four inch scar I have to this day.

Two years later, about a quarter mile from the original site, I managed to get an old TX500 Yamaha (remember those?) into a nasty speed wobble (remember those?) that led to a get off at about 60mph. Wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Broken left collarbone in about three places, tore the heck out of all the ligaments in my right ankle, and road rash on both arms from wrist up to shoulder. Spent the night in the hospital...and still remember the orderly with the toothbrush and Betadine working on the road rash.

Much older and wiser now, and wearing a full coverage helmet and an Aerostich these days.......

gmichel
'06 R1200RT

nhbmw

02-13-2009, 07:38 PM

Off-road crashes ( playing on dirt) don't count.

My only on-road 'off' was in the winter of '69-'70 in Arlington, VA. Departed for work on my R-27, and the road conditions were just wet and cold. I did a U-turn to go home and get my wallet. Accelerated (with all the 18 raging horsepower of the R-27) and got some wheel-spin. That's when I realized the traffic into the city had melted the ice, but the much smaller volume of outbound traffic had not.

A car pulled out of a side street in front of me (yep, cagers drove the same 40 years ago), I rolled off the throttle just a bit, and that got the rear loose enough to low-side me. Fortunately, bikes back then didn't have folding footpegs, and mine dragged enough that I didn't go under/into the car.

Same road, same time, different direction and totally different results.

rinty

02-14-2009, 12:19 PM

...Kawasaki KZ 1000...308Nut

Almost stuffed one of these in a corner on the notorious Montana Hwy 89, when I was a young fella'.

That was a lot of motorcycle, with an interesting wobble frame.

...older and ...wiser

Which you'd want to be before starting to drive your Italian stallions. :D

108625

02-14-2009, 03:13 PM

Almost stuffed one of these in a corner on the notorious Montana Hwy 89, when I was a young fella'.

That was a lot of motorcycle, with an interesting wobble frame. :D

That road still hasn't improved much, thankfully the bikes have...
I think I'll have to go for a ride on it, underdressed for the temperature :whistle

DavidBMWRT

02-14-2009, 05:49 PM

On a beautiful summer night in front of the police station, I was riding on the back of my Dad's 750 at 45 MPH, when a Dog ran between the motor and front wheel.

We didn't wear helmets back then so it took a little meat off my arms, knees and head.

AT 60 I would still be lying there rubbing and cussing but at 15, I hardly noticed it.

(Now later on the red clay at the "Lakewood Mile", on a red hot BSA I went though a hay bail at 80mph. And I also made a jump at a construction site that was pretty wild) But God looks after fools and young folks, so I walked away.

rinty

02-14-2009, 06:10 PM

...I'll have to go for a ride on it...108625

St. Mary's + 12 F at the moment...:D

I like 89 a lot, and usually take it all the way to I 90 when I go down to Beartooth country. But it sure took a toll of Calgary riders this year; three in just one week. You can see why: just the one section between St. Mary and Browning must have 20 or so, very technical corners.

PAGoldsby

02-14-2009, 07:39 PM

Biggest pavement crash was on my Monster. I was following a friend of mine who took a hard right, which caught me off-guard. I grabbed a handful of front brake and went splat. It was summertime, and I wasn't wearing the bottom half of my Roadcrafter, just the jacket. As a result, got some pretty heft road rash on my right knee. Bike got a dent in the tank, and a bent rear brake lever. One of the guys riding with us was a doctor, another one was my next-door neighbor, and the guy in front of me only lived about a mile from where I went down. All things considered, it couldn't have been a more convenient time and place to make a mistake.

klw457

02-14-2009, 08:43 PM

Had two crashes in the 70's. First was my Honda 70 sideswiping a Honda 305 Dream on a trail ride. Both our helmets exchanged paint, I almost lost my ring finger on my left hand, still have a scar. Second time I was tearing downhill a gravel logging road on my Suzuki 185 going way to fast on a turn that wouldn't stop "turning". My choice was going down on the gravel or striking the trees. I chose the gravel. That time the skin was torn off my left knee. Its never been right since then. Was real fun playing H.S. football right after that.

Sold my bike for college money in '75, got back on in '06. I was really glad to see how gear had evolved during my riding "sabbatical". Lesson's learned, watch my speed, AGATT, I really missed riding.

aces928

02-14-2009, 09:47 PM

It was January in 1993. I was riding down a 2 lane highway (43). I had just left the town of Corcoran, California and was riding north on a 1983 R65 with a recent addition of a Parabellum Scout fairing. It was about 2 p.m., the sky was clear, the road was dry. Highway 43 had ruts from years of trucks rolling into the pavement assisted by 30 plus days straight of 100 degree plus weather during the summers. I had got up to 55 mph when the front end started to pull fom my grasp. Thinking it was the ruts, I slowed, moved to the center and began to acellerate. The front end started to weave again. I actually took a moment and looked at my rolling front tire. All seemed well.

I again got up to about 50 mph and again a pulling on the bars. Realizing something was not right, I slowed down intending to pull to the side of the road. All of a sudden, at about 40 mph, the front end was wrenched from my grasp. I flew over the bars and came down onto the pavement. My left arm and face struck the ground immediately. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt and light coat.

Instantly, I had a double compound fracture of my left radius and ulna. My face shield on the BMW System II split in two and my head turned to the right. As it did, the pavement gouged a handfull of material out of the helmet and I tumbled onto the grass strip along the road, sunglasses (Serengetti's) undisturbed or damaged on my face. I was wearing Levis Pants and Tony LLama Goat skin cowboy boots. Without question, the helmet saved me from massive injuries and likely death.

The boots were trashed from somehow skidding on the road. My coat, pants and other items would be cut from my body in the Emergency Room. My stainless steel Rolex Sea Dweller was ripped from my wrist causing a chipped bone and requiring sutures to repair the wrist. I found myself next to the road, alert and wondering what in the heck had just happened.

I had very little pain except for my arm. I had never broken a limb in my 28 years of life. This was clearly disfigured, broken and bleeding. Yet, I had the mindset to accept it and test to see if it could still manipulate my fingers. They worked! Yaaah! I started to move to check my other limbs and body parts. All was well. What I did not realize was a witness to the crash was running up on where I was lying and seeing my movements, thought I was in the last throughs of death. Poor guy.

He ran up to me and I looked at him. I yelled at him to take my helmet off. He was reluctant and thought I might be injured taking it off. I then used my good hand and pushed on the chin tab. The helmet opened perfectly and I released the chin strap and took off the helmet. He asked me what happened. I replied, I don't know.

My R65 was totaled, the Rolex needed alot of work to repair and I needed 2 titanium plates 12 screws and a bone graft from my hip to repair my left arm. Six weeks later, after physical therapy, I was back at work. The California Highway Patrol interviewed me in the ER and based on my recollection of the incident, cited me for driving an unsafe vehicle. Eleven months later, my wife had our first child. All was well!

Anyway, I can only speculate the reason for the front end acting as it did was due to low tire pressure. The bike was too damaged to tell. I still ride.

stkmkt1

02-14-2009, 10:08 PM

I have been lucky (knock on wood) and have never crashed. But I did have a friend who back in the 70's would always seem to forget to put his kickstand down. We never got over laughing at him each time he did it.

After reading many of the reports above, I have decided that I have been lucky considering I started riding in '68. I will note that I have come close, actually just the other day. As I rode around town, I went around a corner and felt the bike slide a bit on all of the cinders put down during the many snows we have had this season. But that is about as close as I have come. Hope the luck continues.

KGT1200

02-14-2009, 10:18 PM

After reading through all these accounts, about 1/2 of the crashes were dumb moves, and 1/4 due to equipment failure, 1/4 due to other motorists or circumstances.

Out of my three wrecks, one was due to circumstance, and two due to dumb moves.

I lucked out on the dumb moves, and learned a great deal how NOT to go there again.

Fate, however, no matter if the reason for the outcome was from speed wobble wipe outs or crazy cages and their distracted driving, or equipment gone bad. In the majority of these wrecks, these kinds of accidents can't be avoided then, or in the future.

You read through this thread, and we read some and learn, others, we are amused, and some we are reminded of our own luck.

Let’s not forget those who have stories never recorded here, those whose stories never were so fortunate as to amuse, not so fortunate to be as examples, those who have passed on with very few comments in a few sad words of their obituary.

In Memory of Mr. Christ, and many others whose names are forgotten; the lost stories of crashes of those who are gone forever.

Let all of have a safe, alert and long riding season in 2009.

MCMXCIVRS

02-15-2009, 10:53 AM

St. Mary's + 12 F at the moment...:D

I like 89 a lot, and usually take it all the way to I 90 when I go down to Beartooth country. But it sure took a toll of Calgary riders this year; three in just one week. You can see why: just the one section between St. Mary and Browning must have 20 or so, very technical corners.

That and the fact that the ashphalt surface is not in the best shape in places.

rinty

02-15-2009, 11:28 AM

There is one section in the Kiowa Cutoff, which connects to 89, where I was actually bucked right off the saddle. :laugh

But that's fun riding in there.

2beers

02-15-2009, 09:57 PM

At about 1500 on a cloudy and misty October afternoon Mrs. 2beers and I were returning from Upper Michigan and a visit with our daughter. We were 10 miles from home after almost 500 miles that weekend. We were on the K12lt and were on a flat road approching a cross road. A Chevy Suburban was going the opposite direction and turned left in front of us. I had enough time to grab the brakes, clutch and point my toes down to apply rear brake. Pushed on the left handle bar so we would not go over the hood. Wound up bouncing off the side of the suburban at about 45 MPH. We had full gear, helmets, Jackets with liners, riding pants, and boots. The KLTs have a crash bar just in front of the riders shin and that was still in place after the crash. This probably saved our legs from being crushed. I had a broken collar bone and torn knee ligaments. Cass had a broken collar bone, 6 broken ribs and a messed up knee. She also had some post concussion syndrome.

Cass had a flip up helmet and it did not come open. It was pretty scratched up all around. Our pants were ripped on the knees where we hit the truck. and our jackets had some abrasions and cuts. The gear all worked and the Paramedics and first responders were amazed how well we had faired. We were the fourth motorcycle accident that day for this group of paramedics. Two of the other crashes were fatals.

To say I am a firm believer in gear is an understatement. And I thank my MSF instructor for all that he taught me.

Looking forward to riding again soon!!!

RandallIsland

02-16-2009, 05:53 AM

1)NY, age 19: assuredly invincible, hungover, driving fast in the city, T-boned a car (right-of-way regardless), broke my Bieffe after flying a ways; along with six ribs, collarbone, severe head trauma and a 3 1/2 week coma, two punctured lungs, tracheotomy and chest tubes (3 of 'em, as I ripped one out; nuisance, you know...), less than 1 mile from hospital. Had to learn how to walk again on legs that had atrophied.
Discovered morphine and prescription pills. Bonus.

2)NY, age 20 (4 months later): flying high on many things, torpedoed off a concrete dividing barrier at 60 mph, snapped clutch lever off which ripped my hand in two pieces down the middle between the middle and ring fingers. "Road rash" from concrete barrier abrasions on my left leg. Kept on riding, stuck in 3rd gear, right on up to the emergency room exit a ways away.

FZ600, red and white, wearing shorts both times,...sigh...

3)NV, age 25: riding all day, ignoring signs, hit a construction zone with graded lane running 4in. higher down center line.
Hit it.
"Woke up" in ditch. Full gear sans gloves. Another Bieffe ruined, bike totaled, knuckles trashed and road hole in back of Schott.

K100, black, runs like a racehorse,...still...

1. The circumstances.

2. Lessons learned.

3. Gear.

1a) Driving insanely fast is dangerous.

2a) Driving insanely fast is dangerous when you're tired or impaired in any way.

3a) Driving insanely fast is dangerous without a helmet. You probably won't survive.

CTellman

02-16-2009, 07:46 AM

May 1980. Sunny 60 degree day. Looking out of the window of my place of work. I am 50 feet from a two lane highway that is sometimes very busy. I saw an old Ford pull off the road into our driveway. The car had not turned in only pulled off and parallel with road. I hear a tire skidding and from my left I see a red Honda breaking so hard the front shock was completely compressed. I couldn't see it but the Ford was doing a U-turn and didn't see the bike. Bike hits Ford at front door hinges and biker flies off of side of car and up in the air maybe 10-15 feet. Lands in road face down. Femoral arteries (inner thigh) ripped open. Nothing I could do. Hit car so hard the padded instrument panel was buckled.
Old man driver was out of his league. He belonged in a senior citizen van not behind the wheel.
What I learned:
Every time I see a car on the side of the road with someone behind the wheel I slow or at least back off throttle and cover brakes. I watch the wheels for any movement.
I was driving a '75 R90/6 in those days and I became a cautious driver suddenly. I am not fun to ride with because I don't trust anyone in a cage. I speed up and slow down.
Part of it is that I am old now. (Mortality)
I hope this helps someone avoid a similar mishap.
Campbell Tellman II
'93 R100RT
:thumb

nevada72

02-16-2009, 09:16 AM

A worthy topic to be sure. My contribution - (If this is too long, let me know, I'll trim it down.)

Prelude -

1982. I'm 20 years old and have a 1981 Suzuki GS 1100E - very fast bike even by today's standards. Being a starving college student I had taken agreed to sell the bike after listing it in the paper- no downpayment taken fyi. I decided to take the bike out for a last ride (spooky music plays in backround). Being young and invincible, I had opted to wear sunglasses as head protection. However, I forgot something in the house after I started the bike, so I put the glasses on the seat and retrieved whatever it was I was missing. Came out to find the glasses had vibrated to the ground and broke - Damn! of all the bad luck (more spooky music). I knew the helmet was going to REALLY mess with the hair, but alas, I wore it for the face shield/eye protection.

Fast forward 6 hours - The Event -

What better way to celebrate the last night of ownership than over a few (many) beers with friends? After bar closing I saddled up to head home. I remember even today that I was lucid and my skills were fairly intact. I had been on bikes most of my life at that point and even impared, was pretty good. But, not good enough.

Travelling northbound on a through street I noticed a flash of light peripherally. Sure enough a car was speeding (eastbound) toward the same intersection I was entering - but he had a stop sign. I knew he was going to blow it, so I got on the gas - HARD. I hunkerd down and held on for the impact. As I continued my forward (and upward) progress it seemed as I had just made it. The only problem was, my bike was missing. Well, this will be interesting I thought, flying through space, between trees, lightpoles, etc. and onto someones lawn. I bounced....and bounced....and bounced, eventually cartwheeling back out onto the middle of the street some 150 feet from the impact. I had wiped out plenty in my life on dirt bikes so I figured it was time to get up and dust myself off. Not gonna happen. Ruptured speen, fractured pelvis, fractured arm.

Epilogue -

Turns out it was a cop. His skid marks started 10 feet before the stop sign and went through the intersection and into the next block. No real explaination as to what the heck he was thinking. No - no DUI for me. I came off as plenty sober after that! Yes - there was a lawsuit which I won, but tiny by today's ginormous standards. I spent 6 weeks in the hospital in traction. Pretty much blew my summer. The squad car bumper had hit 2 inches behind my footpeg. It bent the swing arm 90 degrees to the bike. The bike became airborn, but in a different trajectory than mine. It hit a granite light pole about 6 feet up and fractured it. Had I hit the brakes instead of the gas, he would have run me clean over. Had I been on a slower bike, same. The helmet that I had reluctantly put on was banged up badly. Had that been my skull, I would not be here to type this.

Conditions -

Night. Clear. 60 degrees F.

Safety gear -

- helmet - full face Nuvi (?) not made anymore but good for then. flip up shied stayed intact and kept lawn out of my face.

What I have changed -

- Helmet ALWAYS. In fact, I have recently upped the ante to ATGATT. Chest and back protector, boots, pants, jacket, HI-VIZ vest and helmet and armored gloves. Frankly, none of that would have helped much for the broken pelvis, and I got very, very lucky by landing on the lawn. It was the perfect landing pad. Had I landed in the street, if I survived, I would have had major road rash (I had some) and many more fractures and internal damage.

- I also strenuously avoid riding at night - once last season and made a bee-line home.

- Last, but certainly not least - NO BOOZE.

What I kept -

- Naturally circimstances vary, but I tend to go for the gas instead of the brakes in an emergency situation. I try to keep my speed somewhat above regular traffic so I can focus ahead and behind at a 70/30 ratio.

- Fast bikes. I do have classic bikes, but they are for very short rides. I want to be able to get out of the way. A slow bike won't.

I got my Mulligan - now it's ATGATT, daytime rides, and alcohol free.

glennhendricks

02-16-2009, 03:03 PM

+10.

I won't have even one if I'm on the bike. Glad you all made it through these. I'm learning from each of you.

535is

02-16-2009, 03:21 PM

Gee; all I have are three simple lessons from four drops - since none exactly qualifies as a 'crash'.

First time: Front brake on fine gravel-covered pavement coming to a stop @ 5-10 mph. Bam! Down faster than you can say "Boo!". Couple of scratches on the bike; none on me. Lesson learned: Don't front brake on slippery stuff.

Second time: Going too slow, making a U-turn in two parking spaces at K Mart, so I'm facing out to leave. Just lost balance and fell over, but managed to hurt myself by rolling over my fingers after I got a hand down. Thought I'd broken every one, but I lucked out. Sympathetic bystander helped me pick up bike. Lesson learned: Be more careful when going very slow.

Third time: Dumbest one in the world, right out in front of God, my riding buddies, and everybody. Pulled up to a stop in a DQ parking lot and dropped the bike. Lesson learned: Put the kickstand down before leaving bike. :doh

Fourth time: Trying to frighten off an annoying cat in my yard at night while putting bike away ... after the temp dropped enough for dew to form on the grass. Lesson RElearned: #1 above.

I'm guessing that falling off the trailer while loading doesn't count here ... :whistle

godzilla

02-17-2009, 10:42 AM

First Accident: May 2001. Weather was clear. No traffic on a 2-lane county road, going through a curvy section down a hill. I was a new rider; I had only been riding about 2 months. I made a rookie mistake in a left-hander; I looked at the ditch and there I went.

That busted the pretty Pichler fairing, making the bike a nice K100 Standard.

I was wearing a leather jacket, helmet, gloves, boots and jeans. No physical injuries, but I wasn't going that fast when I went down.

Lessons Learned: TRAINING!!!! Trust your bike to lean! Don't look at hazards.

Second accident: 10/1/08. Weather was cool, but clear. No traffic. I was on the same road, but about a half-mile away, making a 90° right-hander at the bottom of a small hill. The county was patching the road all that week. They had patched the inside of that turn the day before, but didn't clean up the debris. They left loose asphalt right through the middle of the turn. As I took my line, and as I leaned over, the bike dumped me low side, then flipped over, damaging the left side. Although the county didn't officially take responsibility, they covered my damages of $1500.

I was wearing my helmet, gloves, boots and a First Gear suit consisting of a Kilamanjaro jacket and HT-Overpants. Had I not been wearing the suit, I would have suffered road rash on my hand, arm, hip and leg.

Lessons Learned: Wear a full suit, including pants. If it hadn't been cool that morning, I would have been in jeans only. I am going to buy a pair of summer mesh pants before it gets too warm for the HT Overpants. I sincerley believe that I wasn't riding too fast. The debris I hit was not visible until it was too late. I know my line was good and I approached the curve at a reasonable speed. I wasn't leaned over too far. My tires are good, with plenty of tread and were inflated properly (I check that at least once a week). Also, take photos of the accident scene and damages.

Here is a link to the pictures I took after that accident. These pictures helped convince the county to ante up.
http://godzilla58.smugmug.com/gallery/6141275_4Ad8V#386527304_hPQqU

yngswen

02-17-2009, 04:06 PM

First:

At sixteen years old I was exploring the unpaved, gravel-covered roads around my hometown on a Kawi CSR250 (think LTD). The road took an unexpected jog to the left, I failed to follow, and I left the bike and the road and landed in the nearby ditch. While the bike was not specifically equipped for unpaved roads, the greater causes were riding too fast for conditions and fixating on the hazard rather than the preferred route. The jeans, leather boots, gloves, leather jacket, and full-face helmet helped prevent serious injury, and I had managed to scrub a good amount of speed before leaving the road.

Second:

This was a bicycling incident, but I think the the lessons are applicable. While chasing another rider at about 25 mph, I failed to make a left-hand curve in the road and struck a guardrail. I went over the guardrail and slid into a cinder block wall on the other side. The helmet I was wearing was destroyed, but I was no more than rattled. Again, excessive speed and fixating on the hazard played a large role.

Since then, I have learned to FORCE MYSELF to look through the turn rather than at the obstacle. I hope the lesson takes.

BMWRich58

02-17-2009, 04:17 PM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/BMWRich58/ODDBALL_SAYS.jpg

kgadley01

02-17-2009, 04:35 PM

awagnon

02-17-2009, 10:06 PM

I've had one crash. My first bike, a Kawasaki Vulcan 750. I was following a young man in a Nissan SUV going about 25 mph on a two lane road. I saw a couple of girls on the sidewalk yell and wave at him as we went by. At the next intersection he signaled a turn and turned off to the right. I then quit watching him. What he did was flip a U-turn in the intersection and came back around an hit me head on before i could react. I flew over his hood and landed on my face and right side. Broke hand and sprained my knee and ankle, but my helmet and riding jacket were toast. I'm pretty sure the helmet saved me from some serious harm. Even with the helmet, I was dazed for about an hour. It totalled the bike and his SUV had to be towed because of a busted radiator and tie rod. The LEO responding to the accident was on a police motorcycle. He charged the other guy with various infractions.

What did I learn? Never take your eyes off the traffic until they are safely out of range, even if you think they are turning away from you.

What gear did I wear? ATGATT except pants. I did get road rash where the jacket ended and my jeans started. I'm now more inclined to wear riding pants.

godzilla

02-18-2009, 10:31 AM

Wow, the County really coughed up for the repairs... that probably would never happen here. they would find some way to put the Rider at fault. I think thats GREAT!!!!

It was the photographs of the debris on the road surface I took that convinced them. It was obvious that the road crew failed to clean up their mess. Also I made it clear that all I wanted was my bike fixed; I wasn't pressing for recovery for imagined injuries or anything. I do believe in honesty and I think that helped. I think they realized that it could have been much worse.

Also when I called the county, they gave me thier insurance company's number.

Oh, one other thing, I am an ABATE member and here in IN, we have Legal Services as a benefit. I called them just after the accident and they told me to send a Certified Letter to the responsible party detailing the accident. Although the guy I spoke to from the lawyers office didn't think I'd get anywhere with this, he offered the advice.

In fact so many people, including posters on this forum, thought I was wasting my time. But a little persistance and some evidence got me my payout.

Oh, and the County had that mess cleaned up less than 24 hours after my accident!!!!

Munchy

02-18-2009, 06:26 PM

On a warm late April day in 2007 I went on a Sunday afternoon ride on good, curvy, Colorado roads, by myself. It's what I do.

Tight decreasing radius turn, one I had negotiated dozens of times. I don't remember a thing, but I'm pretty sure I remember missing a downshift as I went into the turn, so went in hot, is my guess. Too hot. Literally. I went down and the bike broke out in flames, I was un or semi conscious, my legs caught under the bike. I had on First Gear brand mesh pants and an Olympia mesh jacket. Full face Shoei RF1000. Motorcycle boots. I was, according to Rick, my saviour who happened along with his family in their minivan, on fire. He grabbed the bike handle bar, everything was hot, and pulled the burning bike off of me. 3 dirt bike riders happened along from the other direction, one with a bottle of Gatoraid and used that to try and put out the flames, then ran down to the Poudre to refill the bottle. Rick grabbed his daughters coat out of the mini van to smother the flames. He saved my life. He pulled me away from the flaming bike which was now totally engulfed in flames, shooting 8 feet high, things popping off.

The result was a subdural hematoma, separated shoulder and 13% third degree burns on foot and legs, skin grafts up to mid thigh. 3 weeks of intensive burn unit care, out of work 2 months. Not one square millimeter of road rash. Helmet was intact. Nylon mesh and leather moto boots burnt to a crisp, what was left. Olympia jacket shoulder pads took the brunt on the shoulder, helmet saved my brain. No question. From the sounds of it, nothing would have protected my legs, short of asbestos pants.

Not having a memory of it, makes it hard to create a lesson. BUT, I never, ever ride without gear, before or now. Full face helmet, all the time. I buy as good a gear as I can afford, now BMW with NP Protectors. Expensive but cheap, cheap, cheap compared to my hospital bills.

I thought I was non complacent before, as a safe and alert rider, but perhaps I am more so now. I had taken a track day course, Experience Rider Courses, and read books like Keith Code's books. I always wanted to be as safe as possible but still loved the ride through the curves of the Poudre Canyon. I have a very healthy respect for decreasing radius turns, even ones I know well. And no matter how long or what I ride, I ride knowing that life is precious and, yes, **** happens.

I know that I have a friend for life, named Rick.

--Doug

Expatriated

02-19-2009, 05:11 PM

Yikes! I'm just glad that many of you are still here.

I really appreciate all the answers. Interesting.

One consistent point kept jumping out at me that many of you mentioned: proper gear does in fact work! Some of these crashes seem pretty substantial yet most turned out not as bad as one would think and proper gear seemed to be the crucial help that made the difference. For those of you on the fence about wearing everything you should, read through these posts again.

Concerning the gear, it seemed that brand was not as important as quality and proper coverage. I guess the moral being, find good quality that fits and works and wear it.

A few other things too: no drinking, watch the speed in the corners and the debris on the road.

Thank you all for contributing to this thread. Keep adding to it if you feel so inclined.

knary

02-19-2009, 06:29 PM

Munchy

02-20-2009, 12:33 PM

Corners aren't dangerous
Not knowing how to go around them is.
I've seen bikes near perpendicular to the ground go off the road.
And I've seen valve covers get an exquisite bevel while the bike successfully arcs through at high speed.

True, true. Knowing how to go around them is, of course, key. But executing a lean into a corner, one steep enough to burnish your valve covers, is a feeling you have to feel to understand it and then, you have to overcome you inate bodily reaction and lean the bike a bit further or hold that line and not let fear take hold. It is not as easy as it sounds, with all due respect to a fabulous painter and webmaster ( :clap ). I am a huge advocate of track days, events and clinics for this reason. Get out on the track, get the feel of leaning into a decreasing radius turn, when you don't have to worry about a farm tractor coming at you the other way, or a squirrel, or a pile of gravel left over from winter. Whether you ride an LT or an F650. That is how you get the feel of such a turn into your DNA and, hopefully, are able to instantly recreate that instinct when, like me, you unintentionally go too hot into that turn. In other words, you can read, try, all you want but until you really feel that feeling in your gut as you're screaming around that corner at ~ full throttle, you won't be able to do it. Just my humble opinion.

The Edge... There is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. The others- the living- are those who pushed their luck as far as they felt they could handle it, and then pulled back, or slowed down, or did whatever they had to when it came time to choose between Now and Later. But the edge is still Out there. Or maybe it's In. The association of motorcycles with LSD is no accident of publicity. They are both a means to an end, to the place of definitions." Hunter S. Thompson

rmarkr

02-20-2009, 02:57 PM

.......I've seen bikes near perpendicular to the ground go off the road......

Yes, riders freezing up - not having an (correct) instinctual response to the situation.
An interesting excercise: have someone film you leaning hard through a corner. You will usually be surprised how little you're actually leaning. In good conditions, with good tires, road conditions etc. the bike will turn and lean alarmingly before it actually lets go, even two-up - so hang in there, you'll probably make it - don't run off the road! The rider here of course, is that if the road is wet, oily or gritty you can be on your butt before you know it.

Taurus

02-20-2009, 03:16 PM

.

# 1
-OK weather.
-When going into a small traffic cirlce my front wheel hit an oil spot, and I and the bike was suddenly sliding across the two lanes.
Fortunately no vehicles were around.
LESSON: If there are any oil spots they appear in traffic circles and in street corners, where vehicles shift. So I am very cautious since then.

# 2
-Great weather.
-4 bikes in a row with ok distance in between.
-I took a glance at a house I liked. While doing that all in front of me had hit their brakes and came to a stop due to a sudden hazard.
- When locking back I slammed my front brakes. They locked and I went down.
LESSON: Always keep more distance than seems to be safe.
Get ABS. Train panic braking , even though you have ABS.

In both cases I wore leather so the little I was sliding on the asphalt was no big deal, considering the low speed when going down.
In the 2nd case the helmet took the main hit and I did not have any problems afterwords except a little sore shoulder for a week.

Play safe. Play long.
// Taurus

nevada72

02-20-2009, 08:35 PM

Here's a link on safe riding I saw on ADVrider. Apparently some tips are debatable, but makes for an interesting read. Sorry if it's a repost.

http://piratesk12site.net/SAFETY~1.htm

and

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/hurt-report.html

jamesdunn

02-21-2009, 02:27 PM

I've been riding since the age of twelve and wrecked twice back in my teen years. Boy, was I reckless! The first time was aboard a Yamaha 55cc two stroker. Pretty stupid really. I was delivering the afternoon paper ( Denver Post) and while reaching back to pull a reluctant paper out of my bags, took my eyes off the road for too long. Hit the curb hard and flew the bike and me into the subcribers yard, goin' down hard! No real damage to me other than a a few bruises and a bruised ego. The bike had a plastic front fender and lost a chunk.
The next time was a little more dramatic. I rounded a corner too fast and went one direction with the Honda 160 goin' another. I slid toward an oncoming Chevy with four young women in the front bench. As I was lookin' up they were lookin' down with jaws agape. Luck was on my side and they got 'er stopped as I was fast approaching the "dirty underside" of that Chev. Some road rash (Long pants but short sleeve shirt, no gloves or helmet.) was my only punishment.
Both wrecks occured on bright sunny days. In the first instance had I kept my peepers on the road I would not have wrecked. The Honda 160 wreck involved way too much speed!
Lessons learned? Keep your peeps on the road and do not use excessive throttle!
Moreover, wear protective clothing. In other words: ride smart all the time.