Finally dropped my bike (at 40mph)

[cstilt]

The saying is true. There's those who have wrecked and those who will.  I've now become one of the people who have.  One day when I'm actually just joy riding and not being crazy, I hit a slick curve at 40mph. I was the 3rd vehicle in 2 days to wreck in that curve.  I managed to keep it up through the ditchline I ran into.  The dirt pile at the end caused us to go our seperate ways.  The bike tumbled a couple times totaling its self.  Me, I rolled once or twice and managed to break my ankle. I'm now the proud owner of a metal pin and a cast for the next 8 weeks.

My 05 GS and I had a short love affair, but it was a fun one. Once phyically and financially able, I will ride again.

Moral of the story, WEAR FULL GEAR! Don't want to beat a dead horse, but...  I had on a full face helmet, my head is fine. Padded riding jacket, upper body is fine.  Was waiting on tax return for riding pants and boots, road-rashed butt and leg along with a broken ankle.

If I can get some pics of the bike i'll post them.

[Villager]

Tough break, glad to hear you're not seriously hurt. Was the bike insured?

That's one of the things about riding - even if you ride as safely as possible, you can still be caught out by random things that you can't predict or avoid.

I can only echo your wisdom on riding gear - I've never been properly injured from coming off, but the cuts and bruises I have had have been on parts not properly covered!

[cstilt]

My bike was a liability only. So I'm SOL on the cost of the bike.  Yeah, I was lucky to be able to hobble away.

[Villager]

That sucks. I was gonna go for "liability only" (we call it third party cover in the UK) but comprehensive cover was only an extra £30, as it's an old bike.

Anyway, I hope your ankle heals well and you can get back to riding soon!

[ohgood]

Cool, you're safe. And you have a metal pin of proof Sorry about your bike, there are still things on it that might benefit you to part out. Frame, swingarm, engine, etc all may still be worth some money, depending on shipping rates.

HEal up, and while you're out a while, can you enlighten us more as to why you crashed ? We can all learn from each other's mistakes, and I'd like to be around in next spring for another round of fun.

Glad you're ok, heal up.

[cstilt]

Thanks, I've not went over it real well to see what i can salvage on it.  As for why I crashed.  It turned out to be one of those curves that's unusually slick all the time and I wasn't extremely familiar with the area to know it. That curve anywhere else in the world would have been just fine at that speed. One of the locals who stopped to check on me afterwards said that after the flood there last spring that section of road has been bad for wrecks.  He even spun his truck around there earlier that year.  So I'm just chalking it up to a freak accident. Although I'm still not convinced there couldn't have been antifreeze or a little oil from the other two cars who wrecked there before me.

[Toogoofy317]

Geeze must be ankle killing season! I'm laid up with a severely sprained ankle. No pin and no good story except well my online moniker tell's it! I'ma klutz. But, my ortho has me out for at least six it's already been four and started physical therapy ( AKA torture sessioins) yesterday. They will make you cry and smile the whole time!

I know folks are gonna say be glad it's just your ankle but damn it sucks! I know. My bike is still in one piece I broke it's fall so I'm fortunate for that. And yeah I had all of my gear pants, helmet, jacket, and ran out the door in tennis shoes 'cause it was a quick ride and I was running late. An extra five minutes is worth properly putting your gear on.

Heal up my fellow hobbler!

Mary S.

[cd]

jackal - how much do you want for the wadded bike. got pics, o yeah, feel better and stuff.

seriously, at least you crashed like a man, and is there a possibility of bike purchase, i live within driving distance.

[cstilt]

As I promised a long time ago, some pictures of the fallen GS. I've already started to repair it now that I have some extra money to do so. The plan is to go naked, matt black and dual headlights.  So nothing out of the ordinary from what I've seen done around here. Finding a new(ish) tank is the hardest part though. I hope it works...
Chris
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w356/hollerstiltner/Bike008.jpg
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w356/hollerstiltner/Bike004.jpg
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w356/hollerstiltner/Bike007.jpg
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w356/hollerstiltner/Helmet004.jpg
http://i523.photobucket.com/albums/w356/hollerstiltner/Beforeandafterwreck.jpg

I also threw in one of my broke and casted leg and a helmet photo too.

[spc]

Everything come out OK with the ankle?  Pins suck, they itch like all hell and you just can't get to em.  Then the damn doc comes in with an ordinary ass pair of pliers to take em out.  Yeah, those days were great, nothing quite like an opiate induced stupor to make having hardware placed through bones in you body seem alright.

[AyeKay]

I'm sorry man.

I know that saying is true....

I'd be in the same boat if it happened to me.

[utgunslinger13]

damn man, just imagine what your head would look like after the helmet took that kind of damage!  I'm glad you were smart enough to be wearing some protection, and I'm glad you were able to "walk" away.  The bike can be fixed or replaced, life and limbs not so much.  Keep the spirits up, I'm sure you'll be riding again in no time.

Nick

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

Well, I'm glad you're relatively ok. I still fall into the "those who will category." l always wear my helmet, jacket, and gloves. But I have yet to get real riding paints and boots. I need to get on it.

[cstilt]

Thanks for the wishes everyone. Yeah, the pin did suck. It's not been too bad so far. I'm out of the cast and able to walk around pretty well. Just not back to full range of motion.  The part that made me the maddest was that I was waiting on my tax refund to come in so I could get a good pair of riding boots.  Oh well, live you learn.  I'll hopefully have her back on the street in a month or two.  Insurance will be fun though. My word against theirs. They know I wrecked, but there's no proof. The police didn't file an accident report.  So I can't wait to see how this plays out...
I'll try to put up a couple pics after I get it back on the road. I've missed that bike so bad.  I get depressed almost everytime I see someone riding down the road. 
Oh yeah, that helmet did pretty good for one that was just $59. lol I was impressed.

[spc]

Just make sure you try to take something positive from the experience.  When I got hit and had pins in my hand I wasn't technically at fault, but I could have prevented it easily.  Since getting back on two wheels I am a much more alert and cautious rider.  I still act like a hooligan at times, but I'm very careful to make sure there are no cars around.

[cstilt]

I know what you mean. I could have been considered at fault, but I think the cop overlooked it because of the two crashes that had been there in the previous 24hrs.  Just wish I had slowed down even more.  I went through that same curve just 4hrs before that day doing the same speed and could have went faster.  I definately have a different outlook on things now though. I worked in an ICU for a while, I've seen what can happen when things on a bike goes bad.  Seeing things like that gives you a new appreciation for life and for how good you really have it. 
GI_JO_NATHAN: I hope you never become one of us who have wrecked.

[spc]

I've been in the ER enough times to see other bikers there in much more serious condition that I was.  The one that sticks in my head is a guy that got T-boned on his cruiser with no gear and a 1/2 helmet.  One doctor was doing a spinal tap to relieve pressure while another was prepping a team to amputate his leg.  I asked about him later and they told me most of the damage had actually been done after initial impact and even a cheap pair of leather chaps would have saved his leg. 

I still have a little residual soreness in my thumb,  but I'm more than  willing to live with that given what could have happened.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

GI_JO_NATHAN: I hope you never become one of us who have wrecked.

I appreciate that!
I thought about you're wreck yesterday. I was riding on some mountain roads in North Carolina that I'd never ridden before, and decided to slow down and just cruise until I learn them better.

[cstilt]

No problem man.  What part of NC are you in. I have some family in the Thomasville area.  If I can get my GS on the road again I may have to take it down there on my next visit if there's some good roads.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

No problem man.  What part of NC are you in. I have some family in the Thomasville area.  If I can get my GS on the road again I may have to take it down there on my next visit if there's some good roads.

Well, there are some great roads in parts of NC, but I'm in Spartanburg, SC, about 2 hrs from Thomasville.