| Author | Message | ||
     Michael1 |
Well.... it all begins about 6 months ago. I get an itch for a new bike and then work dumps on me... So I am stressing out over creating a new training program and trying to have fun...the SV just isn't cutting it. So I purchase a new Buell Ulysses.... and all is well. The training program starts and the stress level rises. So I on Tuesday I head out from the training to meet everyone at the after training dinner. I just want to ride...and I do...Riding relaxes me. I could have taken the short route, but I took the long route. Next thing I know...I am heading to the ER. So, I haven't posted since I crashed, well...because I wanted to figure out what happened. It happened so friggen quick. I was ridding on Hillard Road in Westlake, OH, between Crocker and Columbia (very residential and heavy traffic). I hit the brakes and next thing I know, I am tossed onto my right side HARD. Bike slides, I slide... I get up...walk to the edge of the road, and sit down. Bike is in the ditch...I don't care about it right now. Me... I can't breathe easy. My ribs hurt...bad. My head hurts. I look at my helmet...it took a good whack and slide. My jeans are shredded, my jacket is shredded. Ribs hurt still.... I sit there for a moment, people stop, I'm fine, I call the wife to come get me... reassure everyone, they leave, I sit there with the guy I was riding with and wait. So..now onto why I fell...(first time in 12 years of street riding...)... That road was tar snaked recently. It was the first warm day since it was tar snaked and I hit a "pocket" of warm goo...just as I touched the brakes... and BAM! the front end slides out. We were doing maybe 35mph. I was coated in tar, the bike was coated... Now onto the damage... I must say that I crash much worse than the Ulysses. Me: Fractured Ribs, very little bruising. I have a piece of rash the size of a dime on my leg. The jacket saved me...the helmet saved me. Today, a week later I am getting around much better, I can breathe, but I still can't cough or sneeze (which I tried...and it HURTS...) I spent about 5 hours in the ER. I wasn't an "emergency" so I got to sit there in pain. Which wasn't fun. But they took care of me and all was well. I stayed home from work on the Wednesday...but went to work on Thursday. Let's just say, Vicodine was my friend. Ulysses: It's fine. I rode it home from the crash actually. The front brake lever broke off, the mirror broke and the right side foot peg broke. The right side bag took some serious scraping, but it kept the bike off my leg. The front beak scraped a TINY bit, the windshield a tiny bit, the lower fork leg a TINY bit, the handguard a bit and the turn signal a tiny bit. There's some scrapes and stuff...but nothing that an adventure bike shouldn't have. So all in all... I can't believe I crashed. But the stars were aligned and the moon was positioned just right. I just crashed...it happens. It wasn't the bike. Was it me? Could I have seen that "pocket" Who knows... but tis' over and done with. The bike's fixable and I am walking. If I didn't have my lid on, I would have been road pizza. It was my brand new Nolan, flip front. I took the helmet apart and the inside foam didn't shatter, but it did break away from the shell. So the helmet is toast.....but my head is not. And the worse part...when I crashed, the helmet was in it's UP position. I saw the road coming at my face, I turned away to let the helmet do it's job. The inside armor on my jacket...well...it did it's job. I didn't break my clavical or any bones, other than some ribs....which I don't want to break again...EVER... Enough, whining... onto the pics... Once the bike is fixed, I'll be back riding soon.... Shredded Jeans... No rash on my legs, except a tiny one at my mid thigh.  Helmet scrapes....  Jacket Rash...    Thank god for hard knuckle armor...  Bike Rash now... It's not that bad as you can see.... This is the worse...       All in all.. the Buell crashed AWESOME... The frame puck never touched. I am amazed at how well it did... I also want to thank Nolan and Fieldsheer... I am still here because of them. | ||
| Etennuly |
Glad to know you're OK. Looks like a heck of a ride. I watched a friend of mine do a 30 MPH crash a few weeks ago. He had his helmet and Jacket on with jeans. His knuckles got peeled and his gloves fell out of his rear bag. They would have looked like yours if he would have had them on. Those side bags are truly a safety item. I tipped mine over as I stopped, with my son on the back, and the bag kept the side of the bike high enough that we could both get our feet and legs up and out where by we got away from the bike with only a couple of pulled muscles. The only damage was a little scuff on the bag. | ||
| Ulywife |
Michael - glad you were wearing gear. Ribs will heal in time, so just take it easy and don't over do it. My husband went down last year, and our left bag looked like your right one. This is a tip from another BadWebber that we followed and the bag looks better than it did! You can see the pics of the bike under this post. You're not alone if that makes you feel any better. Our bike was about 6 weeks old when he lowsided on black ice. Bike was fixed for $200-$300, thank goodness for gear and helmets! http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=142838&post=548870#PO ST548870 We also ordered the gray bumper guard from Eurotech Motorsports in CA, about $24 I think. The guard is what stood out the most after sanding and pasting the black of the bag. So it had to be replaced! Take it easy, Kristi | ||
| Jeffs900s |
Looks like your gear saved the day. Glad you're okay. Now that your first damage is out of the way, you can really enjoy the Uly, and not worry about scratching it. | ||
| Michael1 |
Thanks for the comments... The bags really did save the bike. I wanted new gear (since mines a bit big and old) and the wife wouldn't let me until the current stuff was ruined or lost.... Guess I get to get new gear.... Though, it wasn't the way I wanted it... | ||
| Henrik |
Good for you wearing your gear and getting away with as little "damage" as you did. You are spot on; you would have been a lot worse for the wear had you not worn your gear ... Broken ribs - let me just say, don't cough or sneeze for the next couple of months ... sorry ...  Henrik | ||
| Bomber |
ribs are the worst! you've now had as much pain as any man can have, sir, and you're standing tall! glad you're here to tell the tale! | ||
| Bigdaddy |
+1 Mr. Bomber The gift that keeps on giving,,,,,,busted ribs. G2 | ||
| Daves |
Glad you are ok! | ||
| Michael1 |
Thanks guys.... Just got back from my dealer. Total cost to fix the bike... Under $100. That includes everything, except the new 07 airbox.... Hehehehehe... Most expensive was the front brake lever at $45.00. | ||
| Etennuly |
GO AHEAD.....BEAT THAT WITH A STICK!!! | ||
| Birdmanrh |
Wow, glad to hear you are OK, rest up relax and you'll be good to go! | ||
| Ka5ysy |
Great testament to ATGATT. This stuff works when worn properly ! Good luck with the ribs! | ||
| Jlnance |
ribs are the worst! you've now had as much pain as any man can have Kidney stones  | ||
| Bosh |
Wow, glad your OK. Your gear really did save the day. Otherwise you'd be missing some serious skin right now. Hurts to think about it! The bike looks like it came out well too. Now for the real issue.... What kinda bags are you gonna get to replace those?? My recommendation: http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/637/335/ Post pictures after you get them on.  | ||
| Diablobrian |
Glad you came through relatively intact. Residential streets are far more hazardous than any highway. 35mph is fast when your flesh meets pavement. ATGATT- 'nuf said. oh yeah...please invest in some armored riding pants, you'll be glad you did. | ||
| Michael1 |
Next bags.... I'll keep these for a bit. The bag didn't wear through, so maybe later on I'll get a new right side bag. I do have armored riding pants... I just didn't have them on as they were in the saddle bag that hit the ground. Stupid me, I know. Oh and the other bad pain of kidney stones.... I have those too... pretty much right now as well. I think the fall helped me though, I haven't felt any of pain from them in a while. | ||
| Fastfxrs |
Glad your ok michael1, now if we could just get the insurance industry to read posts like this. I bird hitting a car grill costs more to fix than your Uly did. Tim | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Michael, Sure glad you lived to tell the tale. I had a similar wreck back in 1996 on my Yamaha 1300 Venture Royale. They had filled a hole full of asphalt and the car tires had humped it forward so now there was a depression and a hump. I changed lanes in front of a semi just after taking off from a stop light. I hit this bump thing at an angle at about 45 mph and the Venture just whip sawed me right over the handlebar and I slapped the cement hard on my left hip. I could hear that semi truck wheel hopping and I crawled as fast as I could out of the way. Nothing broken on me but my pride and a to-the-bone bruise on my hip. Bike had 700 bucks worth of damage that I had to cover out of pocket. I figure if I had been in a similar situation on the Buell nothing would of happened but that Yamaha's frame was the opposite of stiff. Should of been called the Yamaha Flexible Flyer aka POS. Never trusted that bike again and finally sold it a couple of years later when I got the Electraglide. Wasn't wearing any protective gear except for a DOT half helmet. Blew me out of one of my shoes though. I think my lips were white as a sheet. Had a hard time walking for a few days. Hate wrecking. Bike was never the same. That 700 bucks was mostly for fairing plastic. Ridiculous prices on replacement plastic on those Jap bikes. That really pissed me off to no end and I never forget it. The prices on Buell parts and Harley parts is what will make me a lifetime customer. (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on October 05, 2006) | ||
| Court |
>>>Looks like your gear saved the day. Agreed. Glad you came through in good shape. GOOD NEWS: Buell sells parts. Court | ||
| Brotherbuell |
Glad you're OK Michael. Thanks for posting your analysis of the crash. Those are great "lessons learned" for all of us....no matter how long we've been riding. | ||
| Caleb |
Glad you're OK too! I had a wreck last weekend on my Ulysses I had purchased THAT DAY! Luckily, I was wearing full leather, helmet, and gloves so I was fine except for a bruised hip and being sore. The bike took a lot more damage than yours did, but it rode home fine (crooked handlebars with missing left rider peg). It's in the shop now, and I'm anxiously waiting the insurance check so we can get this puppy back up. |
