|
SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1336187225 Message started by martinfilms34 on 05/04/12 at 20:07:04 |
|
Title: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by martinfilms34 on 05/04/12 at 20:07:04 And if so, whats the story behind it? I'm taking msf course tomorrow and by Monday I will be street legal! I was just wondering if any body has ever one down in their bike, and if so what happened? What could you have done to prevent it? Or what would you have changed? Again thanks for everyone for helping me out on my road to safe riding! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Boule’tard on 05/04/12 at 20:17:51 Let's see.. in chronological order... If you are a kid on a dirt bike, look both ways before crossing the street. If a driver is sitting there as if to wait for you to pass, don't assume they see you and won't pull out and T-bone you. Cold tires slip unexpectedly at surprisingly slow speeds. A motard with the acclaimed "Avon Distanzias" will still dump you on your ass if you do not allow the tires to warm up. If you see your wife and kid outside watching you come home on your bike, don't be too big of a jackass riding wheelies up and down the street. Dang I wish I'd heeded that advice, would have saved me a lot of grief. ::) |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Routy on 05/04/12 at 20:51:47 When I was very young, a cadillac made a left turn right in front of me,... on a Honda 90. I nailed it in the RF front fender, but I dove over the hood......landed on pavement. A couple hrs in the hospital w/ a busted nose, and a broke wrist, I was out and about. I got a few bucks outta that one. But to this day, (50 yrs later) when I meet a left turn signal on, I darn near come to a stop,..... I don't trust anyone.....anytime, but especially those left turners ! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/04/12 at 20:53:15 The front brake is a wonderful tool for slowing down quickly. Applied, even the SLIGHTEST in a "Compromised traction" situation, like, say, on a gravel road, or rolling slowly to a stop sign & theres sand in the road,, & by Slowly, I mean so slow that when that guy touched that front brake to finish the stop, his bike dropped from under him like he was riding a dog & someone shot it out from under him,, & he was standing there with the bike on its side between his feet,, I saw the whole thing,, yes I did,, Boy that felt weird,, & I felt stupid standing there. I was setting up to turn around on a gravel road,, slow, not over 10 MPH,.,I Touched the front brake & went down so fast my feet were still on the pegs when I stopped sliding. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by MMRanch on 05/04/12 at 22:12:15 I've tried it few times , but didn't like it ! Once (ridding through Cherakee, NC.) we got seperated in summer bumper-to-bumper trafic . While trying to catch-up with someone who was not really in front but had truned off to wait, I got in a hurry. I had a Honda CD 175 (single carb. twin). Traffic was going 20 or 30 mph and a strait-a-way with no on-comming traffic came into view . Hot Dog !!!! Passed three car , (just like Zuk and OldFeller do) went into a blind right hand curve ... Well there was a spring running accross the road about half-way into the curve.!!@#$%%&^%$)(*&^ kinda like some gravel we found last summer... The front tire didn't slide Yeeeehaa!!! but when the back tire hit the wet spot it passed the front tire , slid really good ,no jerky stuff ! But when the back tire got on dry pavement again it found traction. At this point the bike is pointing back where it just came from ... the back tire is going forward in third gear and the momentem of the bike is still going in its original direction ... What do you think happened ??? Must have been my lucky day, there was a roadside pull-off for me to land on. The frontend came up so fast it did a back-flip and landed both tires on the ground at the same time then bounced over and bent the handlebars as it hit the ground ... I landed beside it (God had future plans for me). Well ... the motor was still running so I jumped up hopped on and would have not even lost my place in front of the cars I just passed but the shifter was bent too ! So by time the shifter was functionable again I had lost a few places in traffic line. Some days its just hard to win ! :P |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/04/12 at 22:17:24 WOW! & all before You Tube I guess,.. That gave me a great mental image, glad you made the whole flip.,. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Cavi Mike on 05/05/12 at 03:00:53 Turning at an intersection in early spring after a fairly heavy rain there was some standing water. What I couldn't see was a large pile of gravel and other crap from snow plows had built up there and the water was covering it. Aside from some bits on the bike I ended up with two broken ribs and a very bruised ego. Took a couple months for the ribs to heal but I'm not sure the ego ever will. Moral of the story, don't assume it's just a puddle of water. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Routy on 05/05/12 at 06:31:28 Oh, I forgot about those low speed fall overs ! Once just like Jog seen,......I was making a very low speed U turn on sandy pavement,......touched front brake,.....not good. And how could I forget this one,............. my bike fell over dam near on top of me while I was standing on my head checking my oil,.....doing it the very stupid SUZUSKI way ! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Kiran on 05/05/12 at 06:48:45 Only accident I've had of any significance was when I was 16, riding a dirt bike around a field with a friend. There was plenty of room, but somehow we managed to ride into each other. My right knee got whacked pretty good, I couldn't walk for a few days. I still have the scars. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by arteacher on 05/05/12 at 07:30:03 1973: Hopped on my wife's little Suzi step-through to go to the store to get a quart of milk. In shorts, sandals and a t shirt. (I was only going a couple of blocks, right?) The city had started a repair at the entrance to the plaza and left it with oil and p-gravel on it. Down I went, slid about 20' on my side. Got the bike up, straightened a bent foot peg by kicking it, and went on my way to the store. I must have been a bit shocky because I failed to notice that blood was dripping off my fingers, running down my leg, and the place between my big toe and the next one was split open. That sandal was gone too. I went to the back and got the milk, and while I was paying for it, I noticed my hand was all bloody and asked for some band aids too. The teen aged girl behind the counter looked a bit pale but got them for me. Got on the bike and drove home, where my wife had me stand in a cold shower to stop the bleeding while she picked bits of road out of my arm and leg with tweezers. Then off to the hospital to get the web (?) between my toes stitched up. I ave a peppering of barely noticeable scars on my arm and leg and between my toes. Needless to say ATGATT from then on. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Serowbot on 05/05/12 at 08:03:10 Most experienced riders have gone down... The saying goes,... There are two kinds of riders,... those that have gone down, and those that will go down"... ::) |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Fish on 05/05/12 at 08:11:21 I've only been riding for 13months and barely 11,000miles. No lay downs or drops, yet. But now I'm in that dangerous period from 1-3 years of riding where it's likely that I'll feel brave and think I know more than I do, and go beyond my limits. I know I've been pushing those limits further and further for the past few months. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by spacepirates on 05/05/12 at 08:32:54 Ok, I'll bite. Mine is rather shameful: My buddy got a job bartending this joint a few miles from my house (I bet you know where this is going), so one night my buddies and I decide to meet up there and hang out. It was a nice night, so I take my bike over a car or a bus (mistake #1). I swore myself to three drinks over two hours, as that should be manageable (mistake #2). We get to the bar, sit down in front of my buddy the bartender, and all of the sudden those three drinks became closer to six or eight, and they were a lot more rum than coke. Of course, by this time judgement had flown out the window, but for some reason I remembered my two hour rule, so sloppy as a mule in a mud puddle, I hop on my bike parked on the side of the street. Fire her up, pull out, and instantly fall over. Probably made it 10 feet. That particular bar had a patio filled with drunk patrons who were more than happy to point, laugh, and jeer. add some anger and embarrassment to my drunk a** and i hopped back on (so stupid!) and rode home. The next day I felt about as bad as you could feel, knowing you laid your bike down doing something illegal and stupid. oh, and I was hung over something good. The weird part? not a scratch on me or my bike. I looked over her up and down but nothing was amiss. if the embarassment wasn't so vivid in my memory, i'd question that this ever even happened. Moral of the story: when you go out with your buddies, you're going to drink more than you plan on it. Don't plan on driving home. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by jimbobbert on 05/05/12 at 09:27:03 been riding since 1991, (i was Four...) racing dirt since i was 14, as well as the street off-and-on from the same time. (my first bike, a 1984 SL125 when i was a Sophomore, spent more time under the wrench than actually running ::) ) You can't count the Motocross or Desert wrecks, but on pavement i've been down once- and it led to me buying the Savage i was riding. See i was house-sitting for a friend while he was away, and he told me to "ride the $#!7 out of that little thing" - the 'little thing', of course, being the scuffed up, already-been-dropped-several-times, not so pretty 2001 Savage he got for his wife to learn on. I thought what the heck, it will be cheaper than my truck on gas, and it's excellent riding weather in Georgia in the summer time! only problem was all that gravel and dirt in the flat left hander at fifty-five miles an hour. i got slowed down a little, but by the time i got in the sand/gravel death mix, the ol' savage wasn't wanting to turn any more and that barb-wire fence was coming up fast. So I hit the eject button. Well, all my moto training paid off in learning how to crash, because before the bike stopped rolling i was on my feet chasing after it. it landed upside down on the handlebars like you used to do when you needed to change a tire on a bicycle, and wouldn't you know, it was still trying to run. i flipped it over, kicked the bars straight and stabbed the start button to get it re-lit after flipping it back over, kicked down to first gear and took off out of there to get back to the house before anyone saw me. the bars were mangled, the right mirror wouldn't stay up, it kept swinging down and smacking my hurt wrist, the left footpeg was permanently folded up, and it broke off the steering stop. got 'er home and laid in bed for the next day and a half. I somehow got road rash through my jeans, even though there wasn't a mark on them. Tee shirt wasn't much protection, but my excellent tuck-and-roll tactics kept the abrasion to a minimum. Leather steel-toes didn't do much for a 350 pound hunk of steel landing on my foot, xrays proved later i cracked something called a "tarsal", whatever that is ::) i also sprained a wrist and "bruised" a rib. all this would be fine and dandy, if i didn't have to do my M4 qualification that monday, my wrist didn't like the abuse at ALL. after all was said and done, i fixed what i broke but there were some scratches on the metal and a dent in the tank, plus the steering stop broken, that i couldn't fix at the time. My friend had no problem with me dumping it, but wanted it fixed so he could sell it. I simply offered to buy it for the cheap transportation- and now i'm here! funny how stuff works like that. Moral of the story: Don't ride a cruiser like a sportbike, especially in limited traction conditions! ;) Rob |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Serowbot on 05/05/12 at 09:47:52 3D363A3224793625343F3225570 wrote:
Don't even ride a sportbike like a sportbike... :-?... They crash too,.. only faster... ;D... |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/05/12 at 11:11:03 Dangitt Rowboat! Laffed till I was coughing, glad I wasnt drinking anything,, |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Dead Fish on 05/05/12 at 13:08:18 New rider here. Don't make the same mistake I did. I was so excited when I passed the MSF course five weeks ago that, at the end of the four excerises they evaluate, I just hopped off the bike to recieve the high fives from my classmates and in releief that I did not throw up in my full face helmet. The celebration lasted .8 seconds, which is the time it takes for a bike to hit the ground after you hop off without putting the kickstand down. Have a great time at the MSF. Great course, great people...and the kickstand is about the first thing they teach you. TCLOCKS!!!!! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/05/12 at 13:47:20 I know it doesnt wipe the pain & embarrassment away, but walking away from a bike with the stand up has been done lots of times,, Uncool, yes, but not near as uncool as riding off with the stand still down,. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Stimpy - FSO on 05/05/12 at 14:34:56 ATGATT, trust me. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by bill67 on 05/05/12 at 16:38:48 Never been down in over 40 years of riding or took a motorcycle course. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by martinfilms34 on 05/05/12 at 16:51:33 First day of class went very well. And i gotta say this class is definitely worth it. Not only do you learn many things that would be hard to pick up without the class, but as a new rider, i think the most important thing is that i get to spend time on the bike and learning more and more. Excited for tomorrow! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by WD on 05/06/12 at 04:16:59 Congrats on your class. Crashes? Let's see... locked the throttle on a chopped Panhead at 100 mph, put it in a ditch. Clutch lever punched through lower jaw, missed teeth and tongue by fractions of an inch. VN800B "Vulcan Classic" steering head locked up at 20 mph in a grit coated corner. Ditched it into a log. Broken shoulder. Savage into a pecan tree in my front yard, on wet grass. Toolroll bounced and broke the cheap plastic headlight bucket. Couldn't stop, was either a tree or the house. ;D Or the time I got rear ended by a couple old fools on a full dress Goldwing outside a casino (same Savage). I went over the front end of the Savage. I've had over 100 bikes in the last 25 years. Some good, some clunkers that caused a few other minor incidents. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by martinfilms34 on 05/06/12 at 07:24:25 Day 2 starts now! I'll let you guys know how it goes, hopefully by the end of the day I'll be officially Endorsed! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by martinfilms34 on 05/06/12 at 18:10:49 Finished up my course today! I got a perfect score on all of my tests! The course over all was really good, and i definitely recommend it to beginning riders. Im proud to say that my 12 tomorrow i will be a licensed motorcycle driver! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/06/12 at 18:30:52 Woo HOO! Way to go!~,, Now dont get cocky,,those eeeedeyuts on the phones dont know you made a good grade,, The other day we were out running errands, wife was driving,, we were out on the outskirts of town,, we saw a Suburban slowly leave the road & go about 2 feet out, both rite tires in the dirt, no9 reason, nothing in the road, 3 pm or so..shouldnt have been drunk,, Im guessing texting, \ Same day, different road, still outskirts, here comes another one, only this time, its headed into our lane,,He got it gathered up & straightened outmm Point is, there are hazards now that werent there a few years back,,Be extra careful,, okay? |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by EJID on 05/07/12 at 09:17:56 On the way back from my ride yesterday, I was in a slight decel going around a long sweeping corner when I came through some sand in my lane. Front tire tracked though it without a problem, but the backend slid out maybe 6" before grabbing again. Knocked my foot off the peg and I ended up kicking the pavement with my toe, but kept it upright. About a 1/2 mile down the road I stopped to gather my thoughts and took a breather, realizing I just had a close call that could've been ugly. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/07/12 at 10:05:53 That right there is the big downside to the cruiser peg location. With centered up pegs, you could have taken yourself outta the seat, moved weight forward & got the elbows up & out.. & handled it instead of just being a passenger, hoping the bike didnt fall down., |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by splash07 on 05/07/12 at 11:28:04 Put my bike down a ton. First day i owned it I was out on a runway doing burnouts and put it down. next time it went down I was trying to push start the darn thing in the driveway. The last time I was riding in the rain and following too close when the guy in front of me stopped short and I locked up and went down. What do they all have in common: Me not paying close enough attention or me being dumb. Good luck out there and dont be dumb! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Stimpy - FSO on 05/07/12 at 11:34:25 yup yup yup, EJID is right - sand - gravel - paint (street markings) - metal (man holes, gutters, train tracks, etc) - leaves - branches - streets cracks and tar repairs - snow - slush - mud - oil - diesel - kittens - highway trash - blown up tires - deer and game - boars - doggies (please brake for dogs) - children - old folks - broken glass - fog - new roads, new tires, new potholes - shallow water (you cannot see what is underneath) - and you DON'T need music or a phone while ridding oh my, the list is endless and the obstacles are many, it's just like a videogame only here get one life and no reset button. Before anything else invest in gear and good tires; avoid jeans unless they are kevlar, don't ride stiff, lighten up a bit, helps reaction time. what I have learned my friend is: 1 .- you ride naked and invisible to others (bike cops get hit daily!) 2 .- hydrate, hydrate, hydrate (keeps you focused) 3 .- do not drive faster than you can react within your field of vision (curves and such) cause you never know what is on the other side, in my case, a deer, bam! 4 .- get a gremlin bell 5 .- have fun |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by babyhog on 05/07/12 at 11:57:54 Besides the little drive-way drop and the slow stop in sandy gravel, my only "minor" drop was just a couple weeks after starting riding. I thought I was doing great, getting cocky. Hubby was riding behind me, we were gonna go across this hill, but from the direction we were coming, its about 270° turn back to the left, and UP hill. We had already talked about riding past the turn, going a little further to turn around and come back to it. But when we got there, I said "I can do this"... well, I made the turn too slow, almost came to a stop, tried to keep going, kinda goosed it, then was getting too close to the hillside, so I hit the brakes and dropped her highside. Of course, there would have to be a car sitting at the stop sign! They made sure I was ok, which I was. Only a bruised ego, and now a funny story to tell. Moral - don't get too cocky too fast... Oh and +1 to all other comments thus far. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Angie on 05/07/12 at 12:46:21 Well, I've dropped my husbands Sportster twice (but he only knows about the one time, so shussh!) and I was pretty much doing the same thing both times. I was just starting out from a stop, didnt give it enough throttle, killed it just as I was starting to turn and - down she went. ::) It was after that I decided to get a smaller bike that is lighter. I've almost tipped my Suzie Q, but its enough smaller that I can catch it and keep her upright. But when that dang Harley started to go, I was just along for the ride. *sigh* Both times, I got lucky that major embarassment was the worst result of the bike hitting the ground. Oh, and the time that hubby doesnt know about me dropping his bike, the guy in the pickup behind me at the stop sign had to help me pick it up. the bike, not the stop sign. ;D |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by Wolfman on 05/07/12 at 13:11:43 Side swiped last year by a 17 year old yammering on his cell phone to a buddy and with his head down in the floorboard looking for something and going waayyy to fast on a gravel road. Then the cops called it a no fault accident???? I HATE cell phones. Invariably i have at least one nimrod in a suv on a cell phone, usualy female, try to run me out of my lane or run over me on any given trip through town. Did i mention i Really HATE cell phones? |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by Oldfeller on 05/07/12 at 16:50:50 ::) You will notice, I changed the title of this thread before I would even respond to it. I have wrecked every bike I have ever owned, from mild to major, sometimes multiple times per 'sickle if it was worth the fixing. 17 1/2 foot triple flip in the air over the top of a sedan that just pulled out in front of me was my biggest air, 105 mph locking up an RD400 with a holed piston was my longest black tire mark, falling over occasionally when my legs won't work right at overlook breaks is my most embarrassing (and most current). Yeah, it'll happen again, I suspect. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever gone down? Post by LANCER on 05/08/12 at 03:24:16 383336366C6D5A0 wrote:
I use to be able to say that. First bike in '66, so it's been 46 years now. One accident...cause ? ... lost concentration and awareness of the situation at the moment...NOT GOOD. Year ago Feb. it was, riding a shiny black Sportster. Exiting freeway at a place I'd used for 20 years. On the offramp turn at 50 mph I got too close to the outside of the turn...where the sand and gravel collects and could not turn to keep myself on the pavement. Straightened it up and headed for the grass/dirt between exit & on ramps in order to slow down and work back to the pavement. BUT, my front wheel found a hole first. Bike stopped INSTANTLY Rear of bike shot up and slammed my butt breaking 4-5 vertebrae in the process Went airborne doing a forward flip or 3 and landed on my back. Broken ribs, bruised kidney & spleen, and few other parts. P A I N ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Thank God there were 3 people there within seconds; one calling 911; one keeping me stable until EMS arrived; and a lady asking if there was anyone she could call for me. Could have easily died if the landing had been head first. Could easily have been paralyzed if the broken back would have severed the spinal cord ...came within 1 mm of that happening. 5 days in ICU; 3 more days upstairs; 10 days in another hospital for therapy; 4 months in a body brace; about a year in total to get back to something of a normal routine. ............................ I had become complacent having never had an accident for so many years. I am much more watchful again. Back to stuff learned in military flight training ... ALWAYS BE ALERT and do not exceed your flight/bike parameters |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/08/12 at 07:10:32 Dang, Lancer, I knew you took a butt whoopin, but I didnt know how close you came to, well,, some really, really bad stuff.. Glad you got by with it, |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by runwyrlph on 05/08/12 at 11:54:21 5370787A797070796E1C0 wrote:
hahaha I was afraid i was the only one to take that the wrong way! In answer to the question, i had 2 low speed gravel "dumps' in my first summer before i figured out why ... none since then (5 years) Be careful and alert! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by martinfilms34 on 05/08/12 at 13:30:21 Thanks everyone for the stories and tips! Went on a nice little ride today,got my first biker wave ;D and also compliment on my bike i was happy! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by Savage_Rob on 05/08/12 at 14:13:25 Started riding roughly 35 years ago but there was about a 13 year hiatus in there between about 1990 and 2003 (I think) when I wasn't riding at all. I've been down in dirt lots when I was a teenager but only twice on street. One was at about 25 MPH and the other at about 40 MPH, both in light rain on slick roads. I have to admit that the slick road also made it less abrasive for me to slide down the road wearing a rainsuit over denim. Both times my helmet smacked the pavement pretty good. While I'm not sure that it would have done any permanent damage, it would have likely knocked me out and maybe given me a small bald spot each time. Having observed this in an oddly detached manner while it was happening, I personally make it a point to always wear a helmet. I should note that I average a lot less miles annually than a lot of these folks, so my statistics are probably not reliable. The last time was in '88 (there have been a couple of close calls since though) and I have to admit that I ride only slightly more conservatively than I did when I was younger but I wear better gear. There's a saying something to the effect that there are two kinds of bikers: those who've been down and those who are going to. I've been down but have been very lucky in both instances to have only had minor road-rash. I just try to be better skilled and more aware now and wear better gear to mitigate any possible future damage. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by Skid Mark on 05/08/12 at 20:58:27 Back when I was 15 I rear ended at car. We were racing and I was right behind him ready to pass. He hit the brakes and I had just enough time to bleed off some speed so the hit wasn't at total disaster. Bent the forks good and I got a case of road rash. It happened right in front of the Police Station. A officer ran out to see if I was hurt and let me go with a stern warning. Definitely a lesson learned. I always leave plenty of room for stopping now. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by kimchris1 on 05/08/12 at 21:04:26 Went down 2 years ago due to 92 year old woman. She blew thru the stop sign, rear ended me. In a brace for right thumb for couple months then surgery. Fusion of the joints and in cast for 3 months. Then back to brace for a few more. Total recovery time 10 months. Bike was totaled yet put back together. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by Midnightrider on 05/08/12 at 21:23:48 Rode a dirt bike several years. Enough said. Flatracked too. One night I went down flat tracking and got run over. Had rubber tire marks across my chest LOL. Never been down on the street and I've ridden close to 200, 000 miles in my lifetime, knock on wood. My health is so bad now I rarely get to ride. When on the street I try to avoid congested areas and I try to stick to the backroads. Statistically Interstates are the safest place to ride but if you do go down at that speed it aint gonna be pretty. Backroads are where its at, Interstates just get you from one town to another. Now the deer are so bad backroads can be highly dangerous. I attribute my safety record in a large part to learning how to ride in the dirt. Several times i got crossed up on the street but I instinctively knew what to do because of my dirt riding skills. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/08/12 at 22:05:36 I attribute my safety record in a large part to learning how to ride in the dirt. Several times i got crossed up on the street but I instinctively knew what to do because of my dirt riding skills. Ive read stats that say people who have dirt riding experience drive thru moments that others fall because of. I did some dirt riding, on other peoples bikes, & I know it saved my a few times, |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by jimbobbert on 05/08/12 at 22:16:03 almost forgot: wet grass and your brother's GSXR don't mix. lucky me, the ground was soft so just a wipe here and a wipe there eliminated all evidence of the "crash" ;D Rob |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by LANCER on 05/09/12 at 02:55:18 352A2C2B3631003000382A266D5F0 wrote:
Thanks man, I appreciate the thoughts. It was one heck of a wakeup call. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by Spamy on 05/09/12 at 11:52:31 I totaled a bike about 8 years ago. A cars fault, but the car always wins against a bike. I have a bunch of experience with bikes and these are some of my main tips... 1. Dont trust other drivers. Most bad accidents on bikes are caused by other drivers. 2. Dont drive in cars blind spots. I cant believe how many knuckle head cycle riders do this. 3. Slow the bike down before a corner while its still going straight. Anytime you are steering and using your front brake that front tire may decide to get loose very very quick with no warning. Also, once you apply the brakes (especially if nervous) the bike will straighten up and if your not an experienced and calm rider you will go wide in the corner and end up off the road. 4. Keep your feet on the bike. Dont freak out if it gets loose or anything else that makes a beginner want to plant a foot on the pavement. Its a bad idea. 5. Riding dirtbikes makes any rider better from what Ive seen. If you are used to a bike getting loose you less likely to freak out and stab the breaks or something hazardous like that. 6. Always wear gear if you value your skin and looks. The wreck of mine I had mentioned would have ended with much more skin lost, broken bones and possible facial reconstructions had I not had a good jacket, full face helmet, and pants. Those are tips that come to mind, not a top list or anything. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by mybtr on 05/11/12 at 20:30:21 Driving down a major street in my city and someone pulled out in front of me slammed on the breaks and stopped just in time! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by 360k+ on 05/27/12 at 12:42:22 Had a deer jump outta the bushes right in front of me on a Yamaha Venture at June Lakes, CA. Wasn't going fast (~50), but had very limited options: 1) hit an embankment on the left, 2) go into a lake on the right, or 3) lay the bike down and slide. I chose number 3. The deer jumped straight up in the air as me and bike slid under in a shower of sparks. It's funny tho how everything really did slow down and allowed me to weigh my options. I calculate I had about 1/2 second. |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by Southpaw on 05/27/12 at 18:18:35 Once in '88, twice in 2010 on the same day. (dammitol!) All on gravel. I've come to the conclusion that once riding, I should just never stop until I'm ready to get off for the day! :D |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by MMRanch on 05/27/12 at 21:56:24 Southpaw At least one of those in 2010 was that top-heavy duffle bag jerking ya around ! :) |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by bess227 on 05/28/12 at 12:31:26 Once the very first day I bought the bike. Nervous as a cat because it had been over 20 years since I had ridden. Turning left at a stop on an uphill grade in a devolpment in the morning after a rain. Hit some gravel at less than 10 mph, panic grabbed the bars and dropped the front tire off the pavement onto the wet grass. Headed straight for the hydrant and in an "oh sh*t" moment, kept the bike off the hydrant but not my leg. Even at 10 mph that was quite a shot, they really don't give that much. Looks like I will be keeping the scar, but the bike was fine other than a broken taillight that hit the grass. Sure got my attention. Today at lunch had a teen girl on a cell phone pull over onto me. I had just read the posts here, and was (thankfully) not riding in her blind spot. She just braked and turned left across a full lane to get into the turning lane to get into wal mart...........if i had been in the blind spot it would have been ugly. was going about 25 mph at the time...it is a 35 mph zone....but sure would have hurt. Safe ridin......I learn something every time out. Scott |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by drharveys on 05/28/12 at 18:43:26 Not counting parking lot tipovers, dirt riding or the first time I rode my Enfield with the shift restored to my right foot, I still have to say, "Yes". Coming home after some serious curve carving, I got dehydrated, fatigued and complacent and zoned out approaching the lone curve on a long straight road. Rather than act definitively, I sort of rolled off the throttle and looked for the best piece of shoulder to kind of drift to a stop on. Not a good idea: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/DSC02294.jpg I believe the arrow sign was upright before it caught my somewhat dimmed attention (yes, the bike goes where you look...): http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/DSC02293.jpg Not really a soft landing zone: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/DSC02297.jpg Ruined a perfectly good helmet: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e204/drharveys/DSC02300.jpg Final count: Trashed helmet, trashed road sign, totaled bike (bent frame) and a chipped shoulder. The ER doc was impressed by the armor on my Shift leather jacket and said he was definitely upgrading his jacket for his Victory. Analysis: Adrenaline that kicks in after a wreck doesn't do you a whole lot of good! 1. Dehydration is sneaky and screws up your concentration -- make every gas stop a water stop! 2. "Falling back on years of experience, I froze at the controls" is seldom the best action. (This quote has been attributed to Sterling Moss, but other than other riders quoting it to each other I have not found the source. Let me know if you find it.) 3. The bike goes where you look, so look at the road, not the shoulder! 4. Slamming on the brakes and coming to a stop in the middle of the road before the curve may be embarrassing, but it is neither painful nor fatal. 5. "Crash bars" are for parking lot tipovers, not real crashes! 6. Anti-lock brakes are no substitute for situational awareness! |
|
Title: Re: Have any of you guys ever wrecked a bike? Post by weracerc on 05/29/12 at 12:45:43 since we are all admitting our less than stellar moments i will tell on myself - not that these were anything that caused major injury other than to my ego, here we go: on the 96 Savage about 18 months in to my riding carreer whikle running errands right before Christmas 2011 I was making a U-turn in front of my house to drop off a few of my picked-up-items and grabbed too much front brake with the front wheel turned slightly - and down i went doing my best beached whale impression in the middle of the road - only casualty was the box of garlic bread in the back-pack crushed but still edible - no damage to self or bike helmet did hit the road lightly. and for the icing on the crash-cake while trying to get the new bike (03 Honda Shadow) off the truck April 16, 2012 i lost my balance and did a 1/2 gainer off the side of the truck and nailed the landing on my face - the bike laid over in the truck and put a small dent in the right side of the gas tank and cracked the windshield....had not even ridden it yet just back from the 7 hour round trip to the other side of the state to pick her up......now i have dropped it so i have it out of my system, I HOPE!. other than these two genius moments nothing bad to report. |
|
SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2! YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved. |