Just had my first fall today in Malibu Canyon...I didn't crash into anything so is that 1 or 2? Bike slide in the dirt. Thank God I had frame sliders. Bike's a bit scratched on the left sadly...

 

The 2nd day I had my bike and the 2nd day I ever rode a 600 i came in too hot on a turn and stood the bike up halfway into it ran off into the grass. Layed it over in the grass and hit a sign post. Result was cracks and scratches on the bike and a bruised leg.

 

2 years ago a ford f 150 came out of a side street stopped taking up left lane .. I slowed down until he stopped then I THOUGHT he saw me .... NOPE bang hit me in the rear .broke leg = life lession... I could of avoided the accident if I would of just stopped but I was looking right at him and I thought he was looking at me but he says he never saw me ... I promised myself that the next bike I get ... the first thing I am getting is exhaust ... and I did just that ... rode the bike home 75 miles ..parked it ... until I bought a erion racing exhaust and frame sliders .... spend the money and get a good loud exhaust ... so at least if they dont see you they will hear you also .... if you think there going to do it .... they prob. will this accident happend when I was riding for about 4 years accident free ... So I believe if you havent been down ... well you know the rest ..

 

I'll date myself here, but in 35 years of riding, I've been down five times. Two at the track, three on the street. Three lowsides, two high sides. No serious injuries, but I was always wearing gear. Two were with my wife aboard.

All of these were my fault, although two involved gravel and oil on the road.

I know riders with years of experience who have never been down. I think that's possible, but I think it's more likely that there are those of us who have and those of us who will. I think it has less to do with pure skill, but a combination of skill and luck.

--Paul

 

It's not fate it's statistics. Did you know someone that commutes to downtown Houston from around where I live 5 days a week on a bike has a statistical life expectancy of 4 years? You will be hit by a mini van or a cell phone teenager or just run off the overpass in 4 years average.

the longer you ride the better chance you have of going down..


It's the same as saying if you own a car your whole life there is a 90% chance you will be in a wreck your fault or not it doesnt matter in your life time.. I havent ever been in a wreck in my car yet but Im not ruleing it out.

 

To repeat what was posted earlier but I heard it from a MSF instructor

"There are only 2 types of motorcyclist out there. Those that have been down and those that are going down. When the time comes it is better to be protected than "cool" and not protected."

1. First wreck I was riding my buddies '88 GSXR 750 (talk about a beast to handle) back roads in upstate New York about 7 years ago on a two lane serpentine road with no shoulders. I had just started to lean into the left curve and then in one of those "I will never forget this moments" a black '90 model ford taurus came around the corner more than half way into my lane, I can still hear the sound of his tires with a slight squeal, I had a choice the car or the trees. I chose the trees, the were not moving at me as well. End over end and a broken leg later, I found myself landing on back and head (thank God I was wearing a helmut and jacket). The *** never stopped. Speed at time of wreck 35 mph.

2. Post waring sign of 15 mph hairpin curve I was the last of three, again upstate NY, first part of spring right after the snow melts and the &^%#$# salt is still on the road. I saw my buddies tire in front of me wobble felt thr pebbles/salt crap hit me then my rear tire just slipped out from underneath. Classic loosing of traction in a turn, so I rode it out and lowsided. speed at time of wreck 30 mph


Point of the story - you may not be the contributing factor when the time comes. Gear up. Both times my helmut save my noggin, and jackets, gloves and pants saved my skin.

 

I've set my bike down in the driveway and thats only because my pants caught the passenger bolt. The closests I've come to a crash was a van that cut me off just before an intersection. Luckily I was turning at that intersection and was already preparing to brake. But, I live in Illinois, most of my riding is with a friend on country roads. Granted we dont follow the speed limits on those roads but there's nothing around to really get in our way.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by MartiniRossy View Post
>> If you havn't been down, you're going down, that's the only thing guaranteed about riding bike.

This is what I'm talking about! Why does have to come down to fate?<<

It isn't fate. It's probability because the risk is so high. But no probability is guaranteed so it's ridiculous to say everyone is going to crash eventually. I ran into an older guy at the mall last month who had retired from riding. He was about 75, maybe. Lifelong Harley rider. Never crashed in hundreds of thousands of miles of riding. I know others like him, but not very many.

I have been riding for 35 years and many thousands of miles. I have crashed six times, all single bike accidents. Two were at the track. One was a street highside. Two were two up with my wife. All but one were entirely avoidable.

So no matter how skilled or careful I've been, the unavoidable one confirmed the probability. For the record, it was at night in a busy street intersection. There had been an accident that left coolant on the road, which the road crews had tossed a little sand on. It was at the point of the turn just as the lean started. Unfortunately, the mess was right on top on a wide paint stripe and was insanely slippery. Only way to avoid it would not to be there.

--Paul

 

15 years of riding and thousands of miles and haven't gone down yet. Don't plan to any time soon either. (** knocking on wood **)

I'm not God's gift to riding by any means, but I think it's foolish to say that everyone who rides will eventually go down. It's just not true. Sure the more you ride, the greater the chance of something bad happening, but it's no different than driving your car or crossing the street. I'll admit that riding a motorcycle is a combination of skill (avoiding stupid mistakes), risk management (knowing your own personal limits and staying within them), and yes ...luck (trusting others to see and avoid you). The third one is only one you don't have complete control over and you can do things to improve your luck like riding with your high beam on during the day, using the entire lane intelligently to maximize visibility, etc.

I'm not saying I'll never go down. There's just too many variables and it could happen the very next time I ride. But if fate says that everyone goes down eventually, why would we continue to ride?

 

I guess "laid it down" for me means dropping it. Haha

1) Forgot to put the kickstand down, it was very early
2) Was very very slowly trying to turn, it started tipping and I slowly let it to the ground