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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Dimples on August 02, 2015, 06:29:40 PM
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Is it true?
The "two kinds of riders" adage?
Curious to know how many here have been down. And how many times. The circumstances, etc.
Are we riders in denial?
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Once all the way down and within a razors edge of being twice for the same reason. Oil on the road and a quick shower had just passed by.
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once aged 17, second at 57.. busted 2 ribs..that was 4 years ago.
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Been down once, low speed, due to a tar snake pulling out of the asphalt mid turn.
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Doesn't take much. Not sure what caused mine, but a false neutral and a front brake grab left me with more damage than my bike. Broken tibia and fibula. Still full of titanium.
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There is another binary; those who have dropped their bikes and those who lie about it.
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Hit a cow. Scarred for life. Me, not the cow.
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Only twice. The last time in 1972. No real damage either time.
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My uncle believed this.
I was down once, with the aid of a full size pick up blowing a red light, yes she said "I didn't even see him"
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Last down in 1978. Did a Superman imitation for 300 feet post hitting a Chrysler Newport Custom at 65 mph in the left front tire. That left a mark.
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Just call me slow ( all the below were between walking speed and five mile an hour):
My first at 10 years old on a Honda Trail 90. Washed the front end out.
Second at 17 years old on a Honda 175 dirt bike. Not wearing boots and pinned my foot between the gearshift lever, lower engine case and a tree trunk. Crack several foot bones and a nasty cut to the heel.
Third, on a Suzuki 400 with passenger. Got into deep sand. It all happened so slow I had time to tell my passenger that we are going over and to get her leg away from the exhaust. No injuries.
Fourh, T-3 when a cell phone talking Catholic School teacher pulled out in front of me. Hit the passenger door. Fifth and sixth during the first month of Norge ownership. Washed the front tire out on silt in a parking lot and went over trying to cross the road grader dirt berm that was left across my driveway enterance.
My errors have been easy lessons so far. Hope it stays that way.
GliderJohn
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This thread is making me sore just reading it. Took a slide in my 20s, took a soil sample in my 40s, did the superman thing in my 50s. Isn't that enough? I hope so.
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Too many to remember, but all at relatively slow speeds. Never broke a bone in any of them. Chipped a bone, yes, but not broken. Some my fault, some not. Have avoided a lot of impacts with my riding skills, but as I age, not so much.
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Warm spring day 2006 on southbound California Highway 49 in Mariposa County riding my Yamaha FJR 1300. I was in a turn and didn't see the black sand on the asphalt, low side onto the pavement in a wink of an eye, rolling and tumbling thinking this can't be good. Bike slid along on its left side and went onto the gravel and mud right shoulder where it promptly flipped over coming to rest on its right side. Bike was a mess, all the tipperware scrapped up; later to be totaled by my insurance company. Since I was wearing leathers I faired much better. Within minutes two cruiser riders stopped to help. After assessing the situation they realized the black sand could have gotten them too. Both were wearing Levi's and tee-shirts. The look on their face indicated to me they were re-thinking there riding attire. My gear held up well, wore a hole in the toe of my boot and the left side of my leathers were scuffed up. The only road rash I had was on my right wrist where there was an opening between my glove and jacket sleeve. I was able to ride the bike home, it's look transformed into a Mad Max looking affaire. By evening I could hardly move, my 56-year old body didn't appreciate the day's events. Next day wife insisted on a trip to the doctor to check for damage. The Doc used a big long needle to drain fluid from my knee which brought the swelling down.
I'd had another get-off when I was a 16-year old riding my Honda 305 - 40-years earlier.
At this rate I'm due for another when I'm 96. :tongue:
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August 1965, Reading PA night flat track. Two riders tangled in front of me. One's H-D KR hit the cement crash wall and caromed back into me. In November, 1965 I was released from St. Joseph's hospital. A year later, I resumed racing when I was cleared to race by the surgeon.
May, 1968, Vista Speedway, Lanham, MD, day time flat track. Another rider went down in front of me. I had to "lay down" my Triumph 500 at speed to avoid hitting him. Put me into the crash wall. August, 1968 I was released from Prince George's General Hospital and due to gravity of injuries I did not resume racing. I miss it to this day..but in spite of 10 fracture sites in my Left leg I am walking without any bothers.
Ralph
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1983 or early 1984- I was hanging off and dragging the pegs on a Suzuki 550 Katana and hit an icy spot in a shady curve. I then hit the pavement
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August 1965, Reading PA night flat track. Two riders tangled in front of me. One's H-D KR hit the cement crash wall and caromed back into me. In November, 1965 I was released from St. Joseph's hospital. A year later, I resumed racing when I was cleared to race by the surgeon.
May, 1968, Vista Speedway, Lanham, MD, day time flat track. Another rider went down in front of me. I had to "lay down" my Triumph 500 at speed to avoid hitting him. Put me into the crash wall. August, 1968 I was released from Prince George's General Hospital and due to gravity of injuries I did not resume racing. I miss it to this day..but in spite of 10 fracture sites in my Left leg I am walking without any bothers.
Ralph
Ralph , I found a brief article about your crash on the net a while back , the author spoke highly of you :bow:
My one real crash was on MX track in Broken Arrow OK in 1971 . It almost broke my arrow , along with a few other things :laugh: I chickened out at the old mile track in Sedalia , my mind would not work at 110 MPH trying to back a BSA powered framer into turn 1 .
Dusty
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I guess not many in the 50 years I have been riding.
One where the bolt holding the clutch lever broke while cranking it up the Takaka hill on the old Matchy. Was in top, couldn't get it out with no clutch, jumped when the footpegs grounded
Second when the old Matchy seized after being run too hard for too long. Missed the grab for the clutch and went for a (high speed) slide.
Third when I went to sleep :rolleyes: on the old Matchy. Bike flipped and I stopped on the edge of the drop, the bike didn't. :cry: Still have the picture of it in my memory banks slamming in to a pine tree at the 8 foot mark. Scrambled up a fire break and continued on my trip.
The last was when my darling and I hit a very very long oil slick on a hill while on the Breva. She now has lost her nerve and now after some 45 years has given up sitting on the back. :cry: :cry:
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Muzz , how does one fall asleep on a Matchcless :shocked:
Dusty
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Assuming this thread refers to road bikes only. If we go to off-road get offs the list would get very, very long.
Age 7; head-on into a laundry stand while doing laps in the backyard on my brother's 50 Cub. Banned from riding for two years.
Age 19; low-side in a corner due to being cocky and having crap technique; washed the front end.
"the big one" Age 27; low-side at 180km by running out of room on a sweeper when a dog on the road forced a change in my line.
Age 33: a self-induced high-side at 100km that taught me I wasn't nearly as good as I thought I was and that I was not immortal.
Been pretty sensible ever since.
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I've been down twice while moving, both when I was a very new rider.
First time, I was out by myself after only riding for a few weeks. I took a blind turn and target fixed on the dirt driveway across the street from me. I ended up in the driveway and decided to lay it down in the dirt instead of going into the ditch I was fast approaching. I bent one of the handlebars a bit and my left hand thumbnail had a small white crease in it. I think the laying it down was the right decision because the ditch probably would have broken something. Funny how you have time to think about these things as you face certain doom...
Second time I was on hwy 1 in the big sur area a few months later, I came around a blind turn and found myself on the wrong side of the road for an opposite tight turn. I washed wide with no choice and went off into the dirt on the other side after I saw a car coming the other way. I lowsided the minute I hit the dirt. luckily I was uninjured, but I tore the radiator cap off the bike along with part of the radiator. A friend on a virago crashed on that same ride and broke her thumb.
At a standstill I've dropped my old SV650 and the Breva 1100 on my left foot. The SV broke it I think, I'm not sure because I never went to the doctor. The breva just gave me a few days of pain.
Honorable mention: I had a vulture take off and swoop right into my path while I was doing 60. I ducked but I still took him out with the top of my helmet. It dazed me pretty bad and almost knocked me out. That would have been a bad crash if I had been knocked unconscious. I wish it was on camera....
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Muzz , how does one fall asleep on a Matchcless :shocked:
Dusty
Basically by being young and stoopid. :rolleyes:
Do a 16 hour double shift 7-3, 3-11 on a Thursday then leap on Oily Esmel and ride 300 miles. Proceed to do long day catch-ups with parents and then ride the 300 miles back on the Sunday. The day was fine, Thundering Jemima was singing at 65-70mph, and I can sort of remember turning a corner leading in to a longish straight with a large drop off at the end if one did not take the right hander at the end. A family was having afternoon tea at the side of the road and evidently thought. "he had better slow down if he is going to take the corner'. Didn't even try! veered off the road before I got to the bend, bike reared up and flipped me off, and carried on over a rather large drop. I had a fair bit of gear on and slid along the gravel at the edge of the road, and stopped unhurt at the edge of the rather large drop. I did therefore witness "The Flight of Oily Esmel" as it sailed through the air, landing on it's back wheel and leaping like a startled gazelle straight in to a pine tree and then dropping in a heap at its base.
The family came over to see if I was all right (great); bike didn't look too good from a distance but we scrambled down the slope, picked it up and surveyed the damage. The headlight was 2" deep and 5 feet wide, the four tank bolts had stripped and the tank had deep dents in it where it had smacked in to the stanchions, the battery had whistled off about 50 mts down the hill, the front mudguard had a dent which was jamming the tire caused by the forks folding right back so that the mudguard had actually smacked in to the frame by the motor. Did a sight along them and they still looked pretty straight, levered the guard off the tire, put the battery back in and with a few prods she roared in to life. :bow: the family pushed and I scrambled and we managed with smoking clutch to get it back on the road. They set me down and gave me a couple of cups of coffee and I carried on along my merry way. :bike-037: She did look a bit the worse for wear but it ran great.
Funnily, although I did not mention anything to her, my girlfriend (who is now my wife) asked as soon as I rang when I got back "what happened to you at 2 o'clock this afternoon". Thought back and it would have been then that my ride turned to custard. Later on, after we were married, she asked to be shown where it happened. In my mind I thought the drop about 15 feet. I was actually horrified when I saw how far it really was; more like 30-40. How the Matchy survived the impact I will never know. :shocked:
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Over the years in New York my bikes were knocked over in parking lots countless times, so that I finally gave up on bar-end mirrors. At both NARs here in Colorado the T centerstand sank in the soil resulting in a slow damage-free capsize onto grass. New York also produced a couple of damage-free low-speed get-offs induced by cabs running red lights, exit-ramp oil slicks etc. I won't count injury-free dirt-bike adventures and race-track excursions.
The memorable bounces:
1974: High-sided off a Ducati 750SS near Henryville, Quebec when I came around a sweeper and encountered an unmarked gravel-filled ditch across the road. Broke a collarbone, and the Ducati needed a peg mount welded back on.
2008: Low sided the T when a 90-year-old driver turned her Cadillac left into my commute-home trajectory. Witnesses told the LEO what had happened and she was cited, I rode home with a bent fork and lower triple clamp.
2010: T-boned another left-turning car at 15 mph, also on the commute home. Same result, but no witnesses and I was cited. Go figure.
2013: Knocked down at 20mph by a tiny woman in a big SUV, turning right from the left lane into me, in Durango coming home from the Ouray NAR. Bent fork tube, smashed fairing, big bruises. Witnesses, she was cited. Rode 200 miles home with Lannis riding escort.
So: Four reportable damage incidents over five decades, not regularly spaced in time, and only one treatable injury. I do wish the T had bigger, tougher fork tubes.
I've been hurt a lot worse skiing than motorcycling.
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Once on the road at very low speed: 3-5 mph. Brand new rear tire, tried to make a left from a stop, too much torque, spun the rear wheel like it was on ice. Down I went. Thankfully, full gear, so no damage to me, but had to replace my helmet.
Now, during motorcycle training for the police, I dropped my bike probably 100+ times over a 2 year period, all at slow speeds, all no damage to me or the bike. Frustrating to say the least, but it made me a much better rider!
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Not yet (late developer passing my test only 10 years ago)
Unless pulling the bike off the side stand and finding that there was no ground under my right foot counts :embarrassed:
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At 12 years - popped a wheelie on my CT70 and lost control. Landed on my a$$.
At 16 years - had a rear tire blow on a Kaw400 Triple going about 60 on the highway. Slid onto grass in the median. Not sure how I didn't touch down on that one.
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about 3 years ago on the 1100Sport. After pushing it to the the limits ( at least my limits) on a small windy road, then up 181, I low slided taking a turn into the Blue Ridge Parkway at low speed. Hit a patch of sand/gravel by the side of the road. Didn't see the fine gravel at all it was the same color as the road. Totally caught me by surprise, one minute I'm on the bike the next I'm on the ground watching the sport slide out from under me across the road. Broke the rear brake pedal, scratched the fairing and bent the plug. I was ale to ride back, a little shaken but unhurt.
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My first crash was at the age of 14, I believe it was around November of 68, riding my brother's Honda 350 Scrambler in a light snow when I hit an icy patch. I wasn't going that fast, the bike was fine and of course I kept going. I must have crashed about five or six more times after that from all of the typical scenario's from left hand turners, diesel fuel,rain,deer and the cab that almost took off my leg. My jeans had some yellow paint where the bumper caught the wind blown edge.
The diesel fuel crash in a heavy rain happened as I came out of a tunnel, tapped the brakes and the bike went down in a blink. As I was sliding down the road I just kept my eye on the CX as it slid through a red light still running without being hit by an oncoming vehicle. Fortunately, I wasn't going that fast and I was wearing my Stich so when the forward motion stopped I jumped up and ran to the bike before anything else happened. Five minutes later and with the help of a pedestrian I was headed down the road without a foot peg as it being the only damage.
Last crash was about five years ago: deer.
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Few weeks ago I dropped my V7 - my fault - too close to the car in front and looking at a bike rider sitting on the side of the road. No injuries to me except that the ribs hurt ( only when I breath or move ) and superficial scratches to my baby . Should have forked out the extra 2000 for the ABS version !! Or kept my eyes front.
What doesn�t kill you ....
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Some great stories in this thread. Muzz, I got scared reading yours! :shocked: Krglorioso's racing wrecks had me thinking about needing a drink before 8 a.m. Tho our pandemonic hellion houseguests (Kathi would say, "our sweet little grandbabies" :thewife: :rolleyes:) have me wanting to stay in a state of intoxication. Some of Cam Lay's meds might even be better. :wink:
Anyway ...
Once on the road at very low speed: 3-5 mph. Brand new rear tire, tried to make a left from a stop, too much torque, spun the rear wheel like it was on ice. Down I went. Thankfully, full gear, so no damage to me, but had to replace my helmet.
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I was behind him. Happened just like that. Near astonishing. Sure has made me careful on new tires since.
As for me, hmmmmmm.
1965 - At up-sloped stop waiting to enter the main road. Rear-ended by car and launched so hard that I was a cannonballed over the roadway onto a grassy median. Bike not good; I -- being 17 or so -- was only "startled." Ah youth.
1966 - On long straight (US 431 south of Owensboro, Ky.) and passed by land yacht driven by elderly gent (probably younger than I am now! :rolleyes:) with two blue hair girlfriends. This was "back in the day" when cars had chromed steel bumpers that wrapped around the body proper. The driver obviously saw me, as he went around. But not far enough. The rear bumper of the Buick (or whatever) behemoth captured my left-side "crash bar" and FLASH! BANG! I was sliding down the road musing on the oddity of it all. Again, youth. At my (wise) parents' insistence -- we had aircraft seatbelts installed in our Studebaker in 1953! :bow:) -- I was wearing what passed for ATGATT, so I was OK. Bike was scarred but lived, too.
1967 - On a gravel road in the middle of BFE, Ohio County, Ky. (tho that's redundant :laugh:) when I see a grassy hill that needed to be climbed. Got a long running start (needed that; on a Yamaha Trail 80) and actually cleared the top "with air." As I enjoyed the view, realized I was -- yup -- atop an earthen dam for a smallish lake. For a moment -- yes, youth again -- thought all would be well. Not. Cleared the path at top without enough slowing to avoid swimming with my bike. Sigh.
[Real life intervenes for 33 years; start riding again in 2000.]
Several embarrassing standstill "drops" not recounted here.
2003 - On EV. Alab. SR 281 near Cheahah SP. Following a seriously slow red pickup. Decide to pass on a sweeping curve (striped for passing, btw). Tap horn and go around. Said pickup driver thinks (if capable of that) "Why, dang, right smack there on my left is where I want to run my coon hounds." :blank: Yup. Turns left as I am passing. Signal? Surely you jest. :rolleyes: I "laid her down," as in grabbing all the brakes the EV had while in a gentle lean. Can still hear the smack of my helmet on the pavement. Youth being a memory now, bent my thumb back 180, breaking same. Rode EV 30 miles to a friend's house. As he was a scotch, not bourbon aficionado, I had to make do. I did.
2013 - Riding to South'n Spine Raid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8r0tbjmSls&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8r0tbjmSls&feature=youtu.be), on that grand piece of pavement, Va. SR 42. As I rolled out of a near 90-degree turn at bottom, hit unseen sand and KAWUMP. Griso slid for a bit; I, less. Still am surprised how such a slow-speed low-sider could cause that much damage to Griso ... and me. How folks wear anything but a full-faced helmet is "interesting."
[On a related side note, Progressive has since reviewed my accident, reversed their original "at fault" determination," refunded my excess premium for 2014, reduced my premium for 2015, and admitted error in their in-house view of "large accident forgiveness." Mighty impressive, IMO.]
That's it so far ... and forever, I trust. Would say "hope," but that is not, as we know, a method.
Bill
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First Year ortho docs use me as a study aide......
Just the major Street smackers:
1994 - '71 Laverda 750SF: Took a series of S curves too hot, went wide on #2 and got just off the road, ran into a stone wall. Broke collarbone, 4 ribs, and shoulder blade. Arcugnano, Italy
1995- '71 Laverda 750SF: Dude turned left in front on a blind curve. Twisted a knee, but not too bad. Perarolo, Italy
1996 - 71 Laverda 750SF: March 15th (my 32nd B Day): hit from behind by a big Merc doing 160kph on the autobahn. Broke R Wrist, collar bone, serious concusion. Needed surgery for the collar bone, lost 3 mo of memory. SWMBO said the Lav had to go....
Mannheim, Germany
2004 - 96 Sport 1100: side stand came down on the Autostrada at just over 160kph. Road turned left...I didnt, glanced off a guardrail at about 70 kph. Broke L hand, stitches in elbow, bulled virtually every muscle in my groin, mild concussion. Needed pins and surgery in the hand. Have had to modify a couple fiddle tunes as my L little finger has range of motion limits. Vipeteno, Italy
2013 - 05 Kawasaki Concours: Pulling into a layby in a tunnel to swap face shields in a rainstorm. There was a thin stip of concrete between the asphalt of the road and the layby. Was slicker than owl snot. Front wheel lost traction and we went down on the low side. Was pretty sure I'd busted the collar bone again - turned out not to be the case. Reutte, Austria.
Off road....not enough time......but no broken bones....so far.
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1975: Hoda SL350. Low speed crash when car pulls out from gas station. No damage
1976: Same bike. Testing wheely ability of new Powroll 435 kit. Went over backwards with no damage to me or bike.
1977: Yamaha RD 400. Low speed low side when I hit oil in a corner. No damage
1980: Yamaha RD 400. Low side while racing at SIR. No damage
1981: Honda CB750F. Friend over cooked a corner and ran off the road. I hit the front brake too hard and went down. No damage to me. Minor damage to the bike.
1985: Honda CB1100F. Saw a LEO while coming over Stevens Pass. Hit the front brake too hard, went into a violent tank slap per and down I went. Significant cosmetic damage to the bike, and tore up my big toe, requiring surgery.
2014: MG Griso. Hit a deer. Totaled bike, broke my finger, killed the deer.
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1972 - Put a '71 Yamaha Enduro 250 into a fence. Broke a few bones in my left hand, collar bone, left radius. That last one took a plate to hold together. RIP for the bike.
1998 - Making a U-turn on my 1970 Bonnie, boot lace got caught on the gearshift and I sort of just . . . fell over. No damage to the bike. Broke right wrist.
2000 - Low-sided my 2000 Victory V92SE. Six broken ribs, some road rash. Bike had some minor dings. (That's when I became an ATGATT guy). :tongue:
Pretty minor compared to some of you stallions!
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Hit some on marked fresh chip seal pulling into a state park, glad I was wearing gloves on a hot day as I picked the stones out of the palm.
Raining, spilled diesel coming up to a stop sign down the road from my house ,in the rain, just touched the front brake down, I went, I slid on my Dry Rider rain suit and the side of my helmet, gear save the day again.
Low sided my friends FJ1100 in the rotary at quabbin reservoir in Mass.Put a few holes in my heavy leather jacket at the elbow and wrist, put a bigger hole in my wallet replacing all the parts.
And too many times on my XT250 in the woods.
I would have to say wearing gear always saved me from bad injures.
When I works in the shop when I was young one of the old timers rode a Harley and had been riding his whole adult life and he told me in had never gone down so I guess it is possible
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Life changing wreck in 1978. Triumph chopper with a Sebring battery eliminator kit. Lights dimmed when revs got low. Stupid. Mountain road, Jack Daniels. Pole. Been limping ever since, and some say drain bamage :grin:.
Many off road dirt bike mishaps, mostly getting air knocked out of me. No broken bones.
Many low speed bike dumps, usually involving gravel or rain and injudicious use of intermittent front brakes. Nearly always in front of witnesses, ha ha . I must add that I'm probably the most boring person in the world to ride with. Seeing the sights roll by slowly is what I'm about. Sport riding? Meh.`
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the first was 1973 the first day I had my first bike, I was racing the company tow truck in the huge parking lot of the gas station on the mass pike where I worked.
the most recent was my California 1400, digging the frame into the tarmac while navigating the twisties of the mountains of west virginia.
in between, 42+ years of riding, 18 years of road racing and more crashes than I could possibly remember.
stay away from motorcycling, it is a meat grinder. that is what I tell folks that ask me to teach them to ride...
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1st time this spring, less than 5mph, pulling up alongside my long time riding buddy at a stop sing in Yuma AZ. hit gravel as I braked and the front end just went sideways and down, bike skidded up beside a Chrysler min van full of Asian tourists, the look on their faces was worth the embarrassment of being caught under a revving KLR650, priceless. Only damage was my pride and the pain in buddy's chest as he laughed himself to pieces.
My younger son went down last week on a KLR650 at fair speed, he had his Carharts on, gloves, helmet, steel toed work boots but not an armour protected coat or pants, the road rash on his knee and both arms is very bad, its going to take a long time to heal. He is 26 and still invincible, I hope he sees it as having gotten off lucky and slows down!
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stay away from motorcycling, it is a meat grinder.
I was watching a couple yesterday (3pm) on a big dresser who were wobbling around as they were coming to a stop at a traffic light. 95 with high humidity, no helmets,no gloves,tank tops, shorts and sandals though his were leather. They looked wasted from the heat. Meat grinder was one of my thoughts.
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I've tangled with motor vehicles a couple times, minor enough damage to me and motorcycle that we could ride away.
The worst off was in the motorcycle safety course, which I took when I got back into it even though I already had the motorcycle endorsement on my license. They had an exercise where you stop hard at the end of a turn, and I felt obligated for some reason to really stop hard. The little 250cc motorcycle ended up on top of my foot as we slid to a stop, and tongue folded back on my light duty hiking boot so I had a scrape there along with the strains and bruises, and some scrapes on my knee. I sent off for a nice pair of motorcycle boots and have been very good about wearing them - I don't do a lot of very exciting things with my feet, but I do depend on them a lot.
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Fortunately mine have all been slow-speed with little to no injury persons or equipment (touch wood).
First time, when I was 22 years of age, my 2nd time on my brother's KTM 250 2-stroke MX bike. I had been riding a Suzuki 125cc 4-stroke. This was my first time on anything as powerful as the 250 2-stroke (probably 3X the HP as the little 125 4-stroker). The first time I rode it, my brother egged me on, and said, I was being too wimpy; not giving enough throttle. Well, the 2nd time, I gave it too much throttle. The bike wheelied off into the woods, and I fell off the back. Needless to say, I worked on being more smooth with the throttle after that. The bike suffered a bent brake lever and some scratches. My injuries were mostly to my pride, and maybe a minor scrape or a bruise.
Second time, winter of 2013, I'm slowly (barely walking speed) descending our paved, ice & snow free driveway on my V7R with the back brake on lightly to control the speed as I approached the busy road at the bottom. Suddenly, the back end come around, and then as the bike gets sideways, I high-side (down the hill). Stunned as to what happened, I pick the bike up, only to discover a 2x2 flat piece of limestone that likely came from the unpaved portion of our driveway, and a whiteish 12' curved arc scraped into the driveway ending just above where the bike went over. My guess as to what happened is that the rear tire went over the rock, and then stopped, sliding ON TOP OF THE ROCK the path as scraped into the driveway, and then came off of it, re-grabbing the pavement, causing the high side. This is a big lesson that it doesn't take much to take down a motorcycle. Fortunately, the only damage was a scraped bar end, and plastic spark plug cover.
Third time, I got into some soft sandy soil while trying to execute a U-turn on my F650GS, with my wife's 13 year old 2nd cousin riding on the back. The bike went down slowly, he jumped off before it went down, so, the bike didn't fall on him. I got a few minor bruises, and the bike had some scrapes on newly-installed crash bars.
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Left at 6 AM clear day temp was 50 degrees on my way to work as I do every day on my loved 1100 Yamaha VSTAR Custom. About a mile from my office just coming off some great roads I came to a four way stop. My turn to go and all is going well until I saw a silver Jeep coming out of a Condo project on my left so I dropped a gear and got on the brakes assuming she was going to go but then she stopped so I get back into the gas, shift into 5th and she goes at the last second. If I were to turn right I would have t-boned her but I went left hard and into a slide. Well I missed her and slid right by her on her left as she was going in the same direction now as I was. The bike did some amazing things as it slid down the road on one side then the other. The driver of the Jeep then makes a U-turn and takes off back into the parking she just left. While I was laying in the middle of the road a SUV pulls up and blocks the road off so no one would run me over. The woman driving the SUV was an EMT worker just getting off her shift, lucky for me. I have never knocked the wind out of myself so bad. Once I could somewhat breath again I said to the EMT lady I want to get up. Well I didn’t know yet but my left arm was behind me and over my right shoulder. Boy did that hurt when they put the shoulder back in place. I had on full riding gear which helped but lesson learned, even if a car stopes I don’t take my eyes off that car until I am safety by. Bike was totaled and they got her but because I didn’t hit her it wasn’t considered and accident. The police officer said next time hit the car. Once down since 1978
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I've been down five times over seven motorcycles.
As for those that say they never have, it reminds me of scuba diving.
There are two kinds of divers - Those that pee in their wetsuits, and those that lie about it.
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Twice.
Both times by a car pulling out from a side street.
Both times into the drivers door.
Both times painfull.
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Couldn't count the times on enduros. I've done ever kind of crash that's been invented off road. :)
Comma but
We're talking about street riding, right?
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/elwood59/1-rally%20010_zpsvp5vyu9t.jpg) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/elwood59/media/1-rally%20010_zpsvp5vyu9t.jpg.html)
At the Wisconsin rally a few years ago. I was leading our group because I had the slowest bike. Dorcia on the back. Not going fast, but faster than normal on the V700. Started into a turn, and it was just like I'd hit glare ice. Saw the left crash bar touch down as I was leaving, sparks flying, and WHOOMP a fire started. By this time, I'd gone into crash mode..it's not like I don't know how to crash after all those years of enduro riding.. fists doubled up, arms crossed across your chest (don't want extremities flying about..that's how stuff gets broken) legs tightly clamped together for obvious reasons, and started sliding along side the burning bike. Fortunately, we are ATGATT, and I was unhurt.
Unfortunately, Dorcia hadn't had the experience of crashing dozens of times and shattered her wrist by trying to put her hand down to stop the fall. :(
Why am I posting this? I've posted it before, but there are many here that haven't seen it. Guzzi used to use a crossover on the fuel lines going from one petcock to the other. There is an x in the middle with swaged on ends. If you check yours, it will probably fail with a not too vigorous tug. Vibration can cause it, too. That'll dump fuel right on your rear tire, causing the above picture.
Get rid of them. Do I have to say it again?
(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/elwood59/1-rally%20010_zpsvp5vyu9t.jpg) (http://s29.photobucket.com/user/elwood59/media/1-rally%20010_zpsvp5vyu9t.jpg.html)
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Haven't been down on the street yet. Have come really close a few times but have always been pretty lucky/quick response when it comes to people pulling out in front of me, closest would have been Ottumwa, Ia at night heading home on a 440 kaw when a bronco pulled out in front of me and I bumped my shoulder on his driverside mirror heading for the median, kept it up, bronco didn't even stop to see if I was ok. Dad always taught me to ride scared and as soon as you lose respect for what you are riding it will bite you. I don't try my luck with curves either.
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After 50 years of riding, owning more than 50 motorcycles, more than half of those used off road, spent some of my youth in my twenties on TT tracks and riding enduros. I have been down more times than I will even try to remember, A few from contact with big vehicles, cars and one very large truck. All of my crashes with other vehicles have been the other drivers fault.
Yes broken bones along the way, no I'm not going to count them all.
Suffice to say when I was young I was an aggressive rider full of piss and vinegar and often simply rode beyond my abilities.
As I got old and smarter my show off urges were under more control and the few crashes I have had in those days were other drivers.
I was once hit from behind by another rider. I knew he was a new rider when he sat up and said,"I didn't see you".
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Ralph , I found a brief article about your crash on the net a while back , the author spoke highly of you :bow:
My one real crash was on MX track in Broken Arrow OK in 1971 . It almost broke my arrow , along with a few other things :laugh: I chickened out at the old mile track in Sedalia , my mind would not work at 110 MPH trying to back a BSA powered framer into turn 1 .
Dusty
Around 1970, Chris Dreyer #77 lost an arm at the Sedalia Mile.
Ralph
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I've fallen a few times. Dented up my Bandit pretty good at Push Mtn Ark, but had my gear on and got some bruises and ruined the helmet.
I slid the EV down in downhill gravel parking lot when another bike lurched in front of me. Bent my big toe and got an XRay. Nothing broken.
Worst was riding the Bandit and there was a bed of sand under the shade tree when I was turning into my drive. Down I went. My right hand karate chopped the pavement. I couldn't shake hands for a couple of weeks. And doc gave me a removable half cast I worse for a week or so.
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#1 I was riding my 2 day old 1977 Suzuki GS750 and I stopped by to show the bike to a person I worked with. I clicked the kickstand down and before I had a chance to get off the bike he came out. We talked awhile and I left with the kickstand in the down position. A short way down the road was a sharp left turn. Luckily I started to slow by then because during shifting the kickstand would rub making a noise. I did not have enough time to come to a complete stop before the turn and in the back of my mind I heard my friend Tom say that if you are in a position of not being able to avoid hitting something maintain as much control as possible and hit it square. I think he was talking about animals but in my case this meant a drainage ditch with dirt, mud and tall grass. An angel in the form of a linebacker sized black man who picked up the bike and set it upright on the road like it was a toy. Bent handlebars and tank everything else OK but a little muddy.
#2 Fast forward 1980 and a two day old Harley Tour Glide and someone backed out of a drive in front of me. Locked up the front brakes and dicovered what a high side was when I released the front brake before coming to a stop. Just some scratches on the crash bars at an angle that was difficult to see and a little road rash.
#3 Waiting to pull out of a parking lot in the middle of nowhere WV on rt. 50 when got hit from behind by a person backing up. Three fractured ribs and 4 hours from home (2012). Back riding 4 weeks later but was a hurting puppy for a few weeks.