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Dynasport
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 01:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Well, it's been just over three weeks since I dumped my bike. As I posted here, it was really a very minor accident in the grand scheme of things. Still, it has affected me in a few ways and I thought I'd share them with you. I know many of you here have had accidents, most of them much more severe than mine, and I wanted to see if my feelings were similar to yours, or if I am just an odd bird (OK, I know I'm a bit odd already, I guess I meant odder than I realized). On top of that, the fact I don't have a bike to ride right now because I wrecked it, when so many of my friends are out enjoying their bikes seems to be on my mind all the time. I am hoping putting some thoughts down on paper will help me deal with it in some way.

So, here's how the accident has affected me.

1. More gear conscious. I had on a very good, but expensive helmet. Even though money is tight, I bought another just like it. The one I was wearing served me well. I also bought a jacket with more armor. I was wearing a jacket, but without armor. The armor will be on me from now on, even in the heat here in Florida. I am also trying to figure out what to do about riding pants. My jeans actually held up pretty good, considering all I have heard about them not being worth anything in an accident. I was pretty rash free, but I did get a bruised up on my hip where I landed. Kevlar would not have helped that, only something with padding. Like I said, still thinking about that.

2. More humble. I have always thought of myself as a good, safe rider. Yet, I found myself in a situation where I had to brake at a panic level and I did not maintain control of my bike. I should not have been in a panic braking situation, but once I was I still could have avoided the accident if I had maintained better control of my motorcycle. It turns out I am not the hotshot rider I thought I was.

3. I am more concerned about taking a passenger with me. Wrecking with just me on the bike was bad enough. I am not sure I want to take any passengers with me right now. I have not expressed this to my wife yet. She doesn't ride with me often, but she does on occasion and I have to decide whether I am ok with her with me right now. I never worried about it at all in the past.

4. I still know I want to ride. I admit to being a bit nervous right now, but I still want to ride. I really miss it, as my bike is in the shop and will be for several more weeks waiting for parts.

Be safe out there.

Dan
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Badlionsfan
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 01:43 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

look at mesh jackets with armor. new enough dot com has some joe rocket closeouts for under 100 bucks. I need to get a new mesh jacket cuz with all the weight i've lost i'm swimming in the one i paid $170 for.
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Firebolt32
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 01:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I remember your original post. There is a different breed of cagers here. They make me sick. Pull up my "I hate stupid people thread." I've only been riding for about a year and had a minor accident. Sh!t's gonna happen. When it happens you brush the dirt off and get back in the saddle. Statement 2. tells us your human. You freaked out. Now you ride 3 car lengths instead of 2. Now you grab the clutch and ride the back break when something happens, not a hand full of front break. Statement 3 tells us you respect your wife's life more than your own. That's admirable. But you can't think about that when she is on there. That's when things go wrong. You tense up, white knuckle, etc. Growing up playing football, I put things into a football state of mind. When I bruised my neck and jammed my back in football, I was out a month. I didn't think twice about it when I stepped back onto the field. It will ruin your technique. When I got my ass ran over last year officiating a football game, I stood up...brushed my self off and said "Won't do that again." Best thing you did was come here man. You got people who don't do sh!t at work all day that can help you heal.

}
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Bill0351
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 02:53 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Good luck getting back out and riding. The accident must have sucked, but if you are a better rider because of it, then at least it served a purpose.

I just got an Icon Tarmac mesh jacket for $75.00 on clearance from a local indy shop. It seems like a nice enough jacket and the price was right. In a crash I'm sure it will beat the t-shirt I used to wear. With the exception of pants, I am getting close to ATGATT.

Bill
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Hughlysses
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 02:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

+1 on the mesh jackets from New Enough; mesh pants too.

I know what you're saying about riding with a passenger. You are really giving up a LOT of the bike's handling and stopping power by having a passenger on back. I can easily imagine a situation that would easily be avoided if I was riding solo that would wind up in a crash with a passenger on the back. I try to ride MUCH more cautiously with my wife on the back.
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04buell
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 03:09 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I experienced almost exactly the same emotions as you are after I had an accident in 2006.
I did not ride alot that season. In April of 2007 Jerry went with me and we took the State of Illinois Experienced Riders Course. That is the BEST thing I have probably ever done in regards to riding (other than ATTGAT). Find a course and sign up. What they teach you will help you get your confidence back.
Mrs 04buell
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Dynasport
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 03:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Thanks for the words of encouragement.

This is the jacket I bought

http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/product.php?produc tid=269&cat=3

I like the versatility. Two liners, a quilted one and a rain proof (resistent probably) one. Pretty well made. A bit bulky with both liners in, but I don't expect to wear it that way very often. It seems pretty well made. I am sure it is not as good as leather, but hopefully it will do fine if I test it out. I bought it local because I like to try stuff on. I know the internet can have better prices, but I don't like trying things on in a store then ordering them online, and I didn't want to order a jacket without being sure it would fit me the way I like. Now if I could only lose some weight and make this one too big, I'd be happy to replace it with a smaller size.

And I like the idea of the ERC. I think I will take it when I can.
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Paint_shaker
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 05:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I have a pair of silver Field Sheer 4 season pants. They are part mesh with a removable winter liner (semi-waterproof), have armor in the knees, and padding in the hips. The also come in black.

I wear shorts under them in the summer.
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Djkaplan
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 07:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

" I am more concerned about taking a passenger with me."

I have a 'no passengers' policy on bikes that I've abided by since the 70's.

I've had some quizzical looks from some very pretty women when I told them this, but the policy stands. I only have rear pegs so I can rest the tops of my ankles on them when I stretch for awhile on long rides.
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Brumbear
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 07:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I take off the passenger pegs on everything except the KZ they hold on the Kerker
I am barely responsible for myself let alone passengers
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Teddagreek
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 08:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Dan,

There not called panic stops for no reason.. Even if you had 10 more years under belt there are not guarantee the outcome would have been different.

IMHO the "What If" game is a long road you don't want to go down..

Things are what they are, its a riding deal..


I'm a bit more consciences after my deal... Riding in the back of Ambulance immobilized on a liter board is an Eye Opener...


I ditched the Normal Blue jeans..
I mainly ride in leathers and Kevlar Jeans for causal riding,
I make sure my tires are warmed up before I hit the corners hard..
I got even more Anal about Settings and levels and PSI


.
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Nevrenuf
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 08:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

don't sweat the small stuff and get back on the horse and ride. when it comes to the wife, it does make me give it a second thought about her being on the back as to how i ride. you have no idea what's gonna happen from one day to the next so just take it one day at a time.
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Deadduck
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 09:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I too am having difficulty with the mental aspect of riding here lately. I am ATGATT for the most part, and my gear has proven itself to me on more than one occasion. What I'm having the hardest time dealing with here lately is motorcycle fatalities. In the past month I have either heard of a fatality each weekend in the Atlanta area, or came up on one which happened just a week ago. Traffic in the Atlanta area has gotten worse and it seems so have the drivers. Weekend before last on the last 2 miles of my 1200 mile tour of the southeast I came up on an accident that had happened just a few minutes before I got there. At the end of my road I came up on a pickup truck with a young girl driving, who had turned into the path of an older gentleman riding what looked to be a very clean 70's model honda or kawi. The guy didn't have a chance to apply the brakes before impact and it broke his back, ribs, arms, and legs, and shortly after the smoke cleared they pronounced him dead. This happened just a few miles ahead of me, It could've been me......when I got home I told the wife about it, clearly shaken up by what I had witnessed (still am) she just looked at me and said, "when God decides its your time, its your time" this wasn't the comment I was expecting, but it settled me a little.
She is comfortable with me riding, she is comfortable riding with me.
I reallize that there isn't gear made that would have saved this guys life, but I wear mine everyday. I've notice myself slow way down when a car is pulling out of a driveway or has a blinker on to turn across my path, almost over defensive, which could be a good thing.
I ask myself if riding is worth the risk everyday I throw my leg over the saddle, but I keep on going, with that comment my wife said in the back of my mind.
I love on my kids before I leave out just like it could be the very last time they see me, it's scary out there, people in cars just don't see bikes.
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Reepicheep
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 10:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

First gear pants with a zip out liner work very well for both summer and winter... not hot at all.

Nevrenuf and Mrs. Nevrenuf were carving some very clean and comfortable lines all last weekend. No drama, just a nice ride.
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Firebolt32
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 10:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

That exact same thing is happening down here in FLA deadduck. I pulled up to the intersection on 39 and Knights Griffin as they were pulling the sheet over a biker. My pops brings my mother home on his ElectraGlide almost everyday because she claims its "safer". There are no safe roads anymore. She found out today the guy was part of the Brandon Harley HOG Chapter. The dealership were she works. You would think that all these deaths would open a cagers eyes...
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Prof_stack
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 11:28 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

11 months ago I smacked into a car in an intersection because an SUV (curse those things) made us invisible to each other. He was cited for failure to yield and I went to the trauma center.

When the XB was repaired, I noticed that I found excuses NOT to ride rather than reasons TO ride. Didn't use to be that way.

Last Saturday the fog lifted. After about 60 miles on a 90 mile ride I started to feel "one" with the Buell once again and the "this is awesome" feeling returned.

Full gear, of course. And I sure am more on the lookout for accidents waiting to happen...

Good luck with your mental rehab.
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Deadduck
Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 11:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

You would think that all these deaths would open a cagers eyes...

Well Firebolt that would be an accurate statement if the news agencies were aware of the accidents. last week there wasn't even a mention of the accident I came up on in the local newspaper. A good friend of mine is local fire department, and he told me that they (fire and police dept.) never release alot of the information to protect the identity of the ones that kill the riders. So with no news coverage, alot of these things go unknown. The only motorcycle related incidents/accidents stuff that tv news covers are the idiots doing 150 thru downtown that kill themselves, of course that gives all the rest of us a bad reputation.....

Should I write my congressman to get more PSA's on motorcycle awareness?
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Teddagreek
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 12:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Is it me?

I'm starting to think a motorcyclist dying is only a story on a slow news day..
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Boney95
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 12:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

This is a depressing topic. I know all of this is reality, but I don't want to think about this the next time I go out and ride.
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Bad_karma
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 01:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Dan
Been down three times in the six years. Bad judgment and equipment failure. After the first I started upgrading my rider apparel as you are considering. I have several tiers of equipment, full leathers, Ballistic Suit and Mesh jacket with Dragon jeans. But most of all picked up motorcycle books to correct my riding knowledge and work on these skills when I ride. A track course is in the near future to put theory to practice. Adapt, improvise and over come to barrow a line. But it must be fun and your mental attitude is your best tool.
Joe
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Sarodude
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 11:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Sometime during the Spring of 2002 I had an incident that REALLY got my attention.

I was on a then new FXD and I had less than 5,000 miles on 2 wheels. I think the Dyna was 2 weeks old. I had Loli riding passenger one evening as we were returning home from grabbing dessert from someplace. We were approaching an intersection. My light was green and the cross traffic was red. No "don't walk" flashing or anything. Pure green.

I was northbound. A Westbound guy in some beater was stopped at that light. As I approached, he decided he was tired of waiting. I still cannot believe what happened....

I got on the brakes. Drama. Tension. I decided Left was the magic direction - his direction of travel. Problem was that I was in the left lane and not in a position to try and sneak behind him. There was also a car behind me in the other lane and I wasn't interested in looking back at that moment.

Anyway, I thought we were gonners. Then the impact. Huh? My foot got pushed up as the right footpeg slapped against it. Same happened to Loli. Later inspection would reveal that we grazed his bumper and accordioned his license plate with our footpegs and exhaust heat shield.

We stopped about 15 or 20 feet later. I was shocked that we both still had our right legs and feet. I was also PISSED that the dude in the car was taking off!!!

Great. We chased and somehow pulled over this guy. I don't know what came over me to allow me the restraint to not pummel this worthless piece of drunk, uninsured, illegal scum into a pile of mush. I hate adrenaline poisoning.

Since the cops didn't see him driving, they didn't do SQUAT except order him to walk home. I don't think the cop (or the drunk SOB, for that matter) believed there had been impact. I also feel like maybe there was some racial favortism happening there. Jaws drop whenever people find out this cat WALKED HOME without so much as a slap on the wrist.

The events from that night caused me to question my riding abilities. I know I could have done better. Worse than that was the fact that I would vividly imagine (not hallucinate, but close) all kinds of idiotic and deadly (for me) actions by drivers on the road for MONTHS to come. I never flinched - but it was disturbing.

The worst thing, however, was feeling like I'd somehow done Loli wrong. We were indeed minute differences away from things being worse. Not sure how much worse. I don't know how anything serious happening to her would have affected me.

A few years and many miles have passed. I even had another incident (traffic induced low-side - maybe 30 mph) that never bothered me. I realized what I failed to do to properly deal with the other driver's mistake as I rode home after picking up the bike, doing a quick once over, and hitting the road.

Dan - give your head time to cope with a harsh reality check. You will decide at the appropriate time if, when, and how to ride.

Glad you're ok!

-Saro
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Marksm
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 11:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

This is the jacket I bought

http://www.tourmaster.com/xcart/product.php?produc tid=269&cat=3


I have the older version of that jacket. It's okay in the heat of TX but if you stop at lights very often it starts getting hot. With the insulated liner in place it's nice and warm at least down to the 40's.
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Firebolt32
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 12:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Yeah...that's true Deadduck. Ironically I was cut off this morning on the way to work by a SUV with a huge H-D logo on this back window and a "Watch out for motorcycles" sticker on the side back window.
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Ted
Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 01:11 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

here in BC, the cops put out a M/c awareness week. Theoretically good, but the result is the cops are aware, and crackdown on riders. : p
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Irideabuell
Posted on Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 06:34 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Dan,

I understand completely on all fronts based on your post. I get a rash of crap regularly from my employees that ride about all the gear I wear - especially in the dead of summer here in Orlando when it hits 100 degrees. I tell them it's all a big joke until one of us needs the gear. When that happens we'll see who's laughing then.

I completely agree on the passenger comment. I'm always very timid when it comes to taking my wife on the bike with me. She too doesn't go often and it's usually just up to the Town Center a couple of miles away, but I always think about what kind of logistical nightmare it would be in an emergency situation to have her on board. The bike is much more difficult to handle and it's always front and center in my mind how that would leave our son if something dire happened to both of us which, lets face it, is much more likely on a bike.

Great post!

Paul
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Slaughter
Posted on Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 08:08 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Trite expression that ought to be repeated many times:

Ride every season but dress for the FALL
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