BlueFalcon
Waldorf, MD
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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I just had a friend of mine go down while riding his bike this past Friday. Facts are still sketchy, but it appears that he was riding his bike to the dealer to get a new rear tire onto his '06 Ultra in which he had worn down to the cord by doing burn outs in the parking lots of the local bars (stupid on his part) A witness who was driving a car behind him said he saw him switch lanes and then saw the bike wiggle dramatically and then crash. Now, I figure he popped his rear tire and lost control. He is laid up in a hospital with a broken hip, broken shoulder, broken ribs, two collapse lungs, scrapes on his face (only wearing a Shorty helmet)and hooked up to a ventilator.
My question to Y'all is. Do you beleive that All riders will go down eventually, or do you believe that a skilled rider can ride for decades without a crash?
I believe they are two camps out there. Those who believe that you will eventually crash, and those who think that no, that's just bad luck.
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kpapa
Johnsburg N.Y.
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Joined: 04/21/2008
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I went down once in 1976. blew a front tire on a curve at about 45 mph. Good thing nothing was coming the other way because I ended up in the oncoming lane.
The scary part is I just had slowed down from 75 mph. The tire and tube was 3 days old. The seam had split in the tube. Hope never to go down again,
but you never know. You have to keep your scoot in good working order and be 110%. Expect the unexpected. I started riding scoots in 1965. 44 years riding have had some close calls. I'm not as wild as I use to be. Do not have to go fast anymore. Quit drinking in 1981. Do not miss the drink and I have just as much FUN. My reflexes aren't what they use to be so I have to be more alert.
As for your question. No one ever expects to go down but I think it depends on the rider and how alert they are ( not letting your guard down ). Condition of Scoot, Road, Weather, Traffic, Surroundings and Rider are all factors. I can not say it enough, Rider Be 110%. Because things can happen FAST. Have Fun and RIDE SAFE
kpapa
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Alex the Dog
Buena Vista, CO
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Joined: 10/31/2007
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Sorry to hear about your friends wreck, and hope he wasn't impaired or running too fast for conditions (heavy trafic, wet road, etc). I always thought the guys riding Ultras rode rather conservatively. But burn-outs on an Ultra??? That's why I wonder if he was impaired.
My riding buddy is a Motor Officer for State Patrol, and he sez that almost half of the bike accidents he responds to are from riders on drugs or alcohol. The rest are riding way beyond their ability or, no experience at all. Seems that 80% of bike accidents are young riders on crotch rockets.
I've ridden for 44 years now, probably 300,000 miles or more, and my only crash was when I took a corner too fast while trying to get home out of the rain, on a Honda 350 when I was 18. Learned about tire traction the hard way, and got a broken spoke in my butt and lots of road rash for my impatience. T-shirt, tennis shoes and no helmet. How's that for dumb.
Took a MCSF course after that, and really learned how to handle a bike in emergencies--never crashed again since then. I suppose my time will come, probably from someone who "never saw him coming". But I think good skills and common sense will keep me riding when I'm 75, and lots of saddle time.
I don't ride like a Geezer. I can still go faster than most kids, but have the sense to back-off when they don't.
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Ride_Slow2004
Northwest
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Joined: 02/02/2005
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I have, and prolly will again. Said it before, but is truth:
3 kinds of riders, those that have crashed, those that are gonna crash, and those that lie about crashing.
Sorry to hear about your buddy, tell 'em praying, and get back on the horse that threw ya. I did.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
-Doug Larson
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King of the Road
Union County, NJ
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Joined: 03/10/2005
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June 18, 1975 at about 8:30 PM I was broadsided by a US Postal Service tractor trailer that had stopped at a stop sign and waited until I was smack in front of him to pull out. I heard the engine rev, saw the grill guard get closer and I remember gunning the throttle. I saw down the right side of the truck and thought, "that bastard almost hit me" when everything started spinning.
Long story short, the driver of the tractor trailer with Mr. Zippy on the side was on the revoked list. I broke my leg and my arm but my helmet came through in fine shape. Still have the helmet as a reminder but never wore it again. I quit riding motorcycles after that accident. It was the longest 3 days of my life.
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Hawg Man
Lakeland, FL
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Joined: 10/26/2006
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kpapa wrote:I went down once in 1976. blew a front tire on a curve at about 45 mph. Good thing nothing was coming the other way because I ended up in the oncoming lane.
The scary part is I just had slowed down from 75 mph. The tire and tube was 3 days old. The seam had split in the tube. Hope never to go down again,
but you never know. You have to keep your scoot in good working order and be 110%. Expect the unexpected. I started riding scoots in 1965. 44 years riding have had some close calls. I'm not as wild as I use to be. Do not have to go fast anymore. Quit drinking in 1981. Do not miss the drink and I have just as much FUN. My reflexes aren't what they use to be so I have to be more alert.
As for your question. No one ever expects to go down but I think it depends on the rider and how alert they are ( not letting your guard down ). Condition of Scoot, Road, Weather, Traffic, Surroundings and Rider are all factors. I can not say it enough, Rider Be 110%. Because things can happen FAST. Have Fun and RIDE SAFE
In reading your post, it seems we have a LOT in common.
Been riding 45 years and had 2 noteworthy incidents:
#1. - Was riding someone else's bike and going a lot faster through a long, sweeping, gradual on ramp than I should have been. Lost it and ended up going down in the grassy median - no road rash, but lots of muscle trauma and swelling.
#2. - Happened just 3 weeks ago - DUMB mistake - Scoot fell over on me while I was at a dead stop and screwed my leg up pretty good. Note to self: "Do NOT apply front brake while front wheel is turned".
Bottom Line:
Motorcycles can hurt you. No matter how careful or how experienced you might be, sooner or later, the Law Of Averages is gonna catch up to you. All you can do is try to keep your wits about you enough so that when it happens, the severity of the incident is reduced. Murphy's Law applies to motorcycles, just as it does to everything else.
"$15,000, a new leather jacket, and 15 miles under your butt does NOT make you a biker."
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THEBurninator
Washburn, MO
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Joined: 08/11/2003
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Most have an accident or two when they first begin riding. It is a steep learning curve.
I've had two in eleven years. The first was within the first two years of riding, and I wasn't paying close enough attention to the road and "missed" a curve. The other happened because I took a wrong turn and hit a dead end street going about sixty miles an hour.
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Blatherbeard
Austin Tx
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Joined: 02/17/2009
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I crashed on my previous bike. Had already been riding for a good, 10+ years. Did something very stupid, took my eye off the road. I rode past a back road that i was going to take, looked at the sign and swore. By the time i looked back, the curve i KNEW was coming up, a nice S curve is the reason i take this road, was upon me along with a nice patch of sand right at the curve. Tried to brake and did another stupid thing when my bike wobbled, put my foot down. That bounced my bike the totally opposite way, did it again, put my foot down. Which bounced the bike back to its original slide that caught my foot, twisted the ankle a bit as a pulled it from underneath the bike, sliding across the road. The weight of my body(225lbs) crashed forward, bending the front forks as the bike went completely onto its right side and slid across the road, my arm sliding on the pavement for a bit.
No jacket, no helmet but i always wear good jeans and motorcycle or cowboy boots. Only damage to me was a twisted ankle and a patch of rash about 4x4 inches on my arm.
GAve the 750(now that it had bad karma)to a buddy who fixed it with ebay parts and he rides it. I bought my 1500 and havent crashed again since.
I also rode underneath a horse once, but thats another story. 
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howsit2003
J'ville,Florida
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Joined: 09/13/2005
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hmmm......well....I've come off a bike a few times.....mostly when I was young and stupid.....
but...I've come off my bike.....when I was old and stupid too...twice...... !!!
I don't ride today unless my "radar" is in perfect working order....y'know...my head has gotta be " 100% alert "....when I ride, I accept as FACT that every single car and intersection and wild animal is out to kill me !!!
Iffen I feel like my head and all my senses are not in sync....I don't get on the bike....
I also think you gotta keep yer bike on tiptop condition...especially tires and brakes.....that is one of the few things you can control....
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10ecjazzman
Nashville, Tennessee
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Joined: 01/24/2007
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Howsit ..thats the same preflight I use. If I'm ticked off about something or super tired or just not feeling well..I take the truck instead. Last year I was riding home on my normal route. About five miles from my house I heard a sound around my front tire. I had just riden down a road with a lot of fresh pothole repairs. It sounded like some asphalt slinging off the front wheel so I rode on. I rode five miles on a straight road at 55 mph..as I was slowing to turn left into my subdivision I realized the bike would not turn! I slowed down quickly with back brake only. With huge effort I was able to gradually able to turn left little by little and into a gas station parking lot. Turns out that sound I heard was one of those stupid decorative valve stem covers hitting my caliper. Totally gutted the valve stem core. I rode five miles with a flat front tire at 55 mph. Closest I ever came to a crash. That was close enough..with cars everywhere!
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