Just for my ego, how many have crashed?

[Whisperinsmith]

Since I changed to this new style bike, (America to Sprint), I've had two mishaps.

I'm just curious, how many of you have had "mishaps" in your riding career?

I hope, of those that did and admit it, that you came through without major harm.

[vdlcinc]

I've had three road "mishaps"...

First one was about 26 years ago... first time riding on the road... the guy I bought the bike from was a freind... he "forced" me to drink a glass of Yukon Jack with him... left his house and froze on the first corner... put her down kinda easy (ie: it was still driveable)... and I just pulled a muscle...

Second one was about 13 months ago... pulled off the road into a driveway and didn't see a huge patch of gravel until it was too late... front wheel locked and down the Sprint went... I was only doing about 5mph... lots of body damage, but that was about it...

Third one was about 2 months ago... went down on the highway when a cager cut me off... again on the sprint... almost recoverd, but couldn't quite pull out of it... again some body damage... but this time I also broke both footpegs, the shifter, and scraped a hole in the left side engine cover...

There... feel better now???

[ This message was edited by: vdlcinc on 2006-01-03 10:19 ]

[triumphite]

Does dropping it count?

If I counted all the times I was off two wheels it would be about 10. Crashing, falling, dropping etc..... :thump:

[rodneybrown]

I had my first crash when I was about 19 when I discoverd what a flat tire felt like on a Honda CL160. My next one was more of a fall over when a guy dropped his bike right in front of me and I had no where to go (same time frame). About 36 years later I dropped my current bike doing a u-turn on a narrow uphill back road $140 worth of painting. Just a case of operator error.

In observing the guys on several threads, I have noticed a pattern. The guys who talk about dragging bike parts seem to be the same ones who have intimate knowledge of both high and low side crashes. A friend said that you probably only use 75% of the bikes ability to drive fast in turns. Some guys ride at 90+ % of their ability on the street. Between luck, the bikes ability and that last 10% most people can avoid crashing for a long time; however, it's a lot like a lottery. If you ride 1000 rides and the probability is that you will crash 1 time in a 1000, then it almost becomes a certainty that you will crash. My point is that if you push your abilites there is only so much the bike can do and there is only so much luck alloted to each of us.

I would recommend slowing down for a while and analyze how you ride. If you want to ride very fast, go to track days where you can contol things better. The street has become very dangerous for all bikers and sportbikes tend to push the edge.

Ride safe and have fun.

[Kirk]

Last year just before heading out to a local Triumph gathering, I stopped for gas. When I stopped at the pumps, without thinking , I swung my leg over the bike to dismount and forgot I had put a large bag on the back of the seat with bungee cords! :evil:

You know the rest of the story, :-D ! Before I realized what the heck was going on, my beloved Sprint was on it's side, right beside the gas pump! Luckily there was only a couple very small scrapes in the lower fairing but I felt like an idiot anyways! :razz: No one would have seen the marks if I hadn't of brought it up. Somehow I feel better just getting it off my chest! No, you are not alone by being an idiot, there are just so few of us that will own up to it!!! :-D

[playinthestreet]

1. Hit my parent's house with my brother's 66 Lightning Rocket in 69.
2. Tore up my brother's (same brother) 69 XLCH trying to hillclimb in 71.
Fast Forward
3. New, 1100mi, 99 Sprint ST, Peguin School, Mid-Ohio. Into sand trap, over the bars.
4. 8 weeks later, 5mph, in the chat at the edge of the highway. Ouch!
5. Loading the Sprint onto an aluminum deck plate trailer. Wet, slip, fall on my a%$, bike falls off the trailer.

Nothing in the last 2-1/2 yr fortunately!!

The next one may be "just around the corner"

[Whisperinsmith]

rodneybrown,
very good advice. slow down and analyze how i ride... wish i had done that before the fractured elbow!
hope i'm smart enough to do it when i get the bike back.

vdlcinc,
love your orange tiger! (maybe i should have bought a tiger...)

[ This message was edited by: Whisperinsmith on 2006-01-03 11:44 ]

[pushr0d]

Deal's Gap.

Subaru vs. '00 ST. Head-on. He was in my lane.

Both totalled. "Comminuted" right tibia, and significant bruising.

Dropped my FXR a couple of times in the sand leading from the house I wa living in at the time.

[EZOUT]

None on the Sprint but....
After no street mishaps in about 20 years of total riding, I got an '82 Suzuki 850 to get back in the game after a 10 year hiatus. Went down on a decreasing radius downhill turn near Spruce Knob, WV. Saw some pebbles and got scared to hit the brakes. Thought engine braking would get me through. The sandy stuff near the fog line washed out the rear and she tumbled 3-4 times. Destroyed a vintage windjammer bars, mirrors, gauges and the tank was badly crushed but the guys at camp zip tied and duct taped it back together bent back the bars and I rode it home 270 miles.
Lesson learned - go slow, especially if you are riding a 24 year old bike with ***** tires down a steep mountain road! :hammer:
Luckily full gear saved my hide & head, but not my ego! :wink:

[stevecro]

I remember some incidents from the 70's that have stopped me repeating them since I started again in 2001.
Suzuki GT380; Early morning starts as a bus conductor, flying across a little used intersection and not stopping for the 120Y that had no right to be there. I hit her amidships and flew straight over the top of the car in my big duffle coat, got up, dusted myself down and continued on.
Suzuki GT380; Took off in a hurry and changed into 2nd flat out just as I had to take a rather oily bend. The lady who witnesssed the incident remarked how I'd obviously had training to dive over the handlebars like that without getting severely injured (hahaha).
Suzuki GT380; couldn't lean far enough on a 90degree bend because of rippled tar and too much speed. My head smashed the headlight of an oncoming Kombi wagon but he managed to stop really quickly...... on my gloved hand as it happened.
Suzuki GT750; The above lessons didn't prepare me for trying to manouevre a fully loaded bike , 2 up, on gravel immediately outside the window of a crowded truck stop.
My "mates" just walked away as people inside watched me struggle to lift it up.

Fast forward to 2006 and I wonder about myself as I struggle to touch my pegs down on the RS. My new Michelin rear got to within 6mm of the edge yesterday, a personal best for me. Trouble is, you have to push this bike much more than my 70's bikes to make it come unstuck. So the risk is when you DO come off it's gonna all happen quickly...ouch!