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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Argon5W on October 22, 2004, 09:15:08 PM

Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: Argon5W on October 22, 2004, 09:15:08 PM
I had a nasty high side a week ago at about 60+ mph.  Thought I would share one of the x-rays.  Thanks to my gear I don't have any road rash.  I do have  nasty bruise between my right shoulder and my chest that extends from the top of my shoulder down to under my arm pit.  It is also over 6 inches wide.  Then of course there is the broken collar bone and torn rotator cuff.
(http://svtwin.com/albums/SVTwin-album-1/clavicle_break.jpg)
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: John Bates on October 22, 2004, 09:35:15 PM
Ooooooooouch!  Looks like your shoulder took it all.  A few missplaced bones in there.  Hope you heal quick.

How did it happen?

Maybe there's a lesson in it for all of us?
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: Blueknyt on October 22, 2004, 10:28:36 PM
pretty often the case with highsides taking out the collar bones. doesnt make it hurt less.  heal well man.
Title: how it happened, what to learn
Post by: Argon5W on October 23, 2004, 07:08:16 AM
We were playing on some country roads.  The roads twist around a lot and have lots of run off with very few if any hazards.  

I was almost out of the corner when I felt the rear slide a little and I chopped the throttle.  As soon as I let off the throttle I was thrown over the high side.  I new better than to let off of the gas also.

The biggest thing to learn is always wear your gear.  IF I wouldn't have landed on the shoulder I would be fine.  I don't have single scratch, any pain (other than the shoulder), or another bruise on me.  If wouldn't have been wearing full gear I would be in worse shape.
Title: Classic
Post by: The Buddha on October 23, 2004, 07:20:41 AM
Yea classic high side... werase's spring race incident read very similar to this... He slides in a turn (VIR's version of the corkscrew) because leaned over the tire circumference is smaller... like dropping down a gear, and he might have had another rider make tire contact... or curb or bump... and the wheel suddenly gripped and straight tossed him over... eye witnesses say he was 30ft up at the top... BTW sorry for inaccuracies if any werase... it was pieced together from many eye witness accounts (stick man, Bruce, you, and the PA announcer)...
Coo.
Srinath.
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: V8Pinto on October 23, 2004, 09:53:24 AM
I high-sided too. under similar circumstances.  I did some reading and tried to figure out how I could have saved it.  Keith Code in Twist Of The Wrist says to give it gas, or at the very least stop rolling on the throttle (as if you have the cajones to give it gas when the rear goes away).

It happened too fast for me to do anything but I still can't fathom actually giving it more gas when you're about to meet the pavement hahahaha.

Guess I'm just a chicken drag racer...  :thumb:
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: ollie357 on October 23, 2004, 10:00:30 AM
AAAARRRRRGGGH! I had a friend who broke his collar bone when we were skiing. Thats a Buddha Loves You to heal. You basically have to immobilize the whole arm. They didn't put any pins in him to keep the pieces perfectly together because they didn't want to risk infection. It healed alright, just a little lopsided. So he now has big ol' bump on his collar where the knotty bone is pushing out. :P

Get well!
Title: pins or no pins
Post by: Argon5W on October 23, 2004, 10:15:57 AM
I will most likely get some hardware installed since I have a "mal-union" with a 5 cm offset.  Since they will most likely perform surgery to correct my torn rottor cuff they will install the clavicle plate at the same time.  The collar bone will heal like it is but I will be slightly lop sided.

The recovery time is less when hardware is installed.

The following link is for an SV racer who had his pinned and then broke it again the next year.  He let the second brake heal naturally.
http://lwsuperbike.20m.com/photo6.html

Please excuse any typing erros as it is difficult to type one handed.
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: RC on October 23, 2004, 11:08:09 AM
QuoteWe were playing on some country roads. The roads twist around a lot and have lots of run off with very few if any hazards.

I noticed you are in Houston. What road were you on?

Sorry about the high side, I had a mild one several months back and they do suck.

Heal quick.
Title: What road?
Post by: Argon5W on October 29, 2004, 09:02:34 PM
I was way down 288 south of Lake Jackson.  Some twisty roads that run around farm and ranch land.
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: john on October 30, 2004, 06:57:16 AM
Better to break your collar bone than tear it off your shoulder like Anne did.  At least you won't need surgery :thumb:  Of course the torn cuff will haunt you forever.  Actually you are just as screwed.

Anne feels your pain.
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: crash on October 30, 2004, 08:27:25 AM
Quote from: V8PintoI high-sided too. under similar circumstances.  I did some reading and tried to figure out how I could have saved it.  Keith Code in Twist Of The Wrist says to give it gas, or at the very least stop rolling on the throttle (as if you have the cajones to give it gas when the rear goes away).

It happened too fast for me to do anything but I still can't fathom actually giving it more gas when you're about to meet the pavement hahahaha.

Guess I'm just a chicken drag racer...  :thumb:
my msf instructor said that once you're in that position, you basically swallow your pride (and balls if you have any) and slide to safety.  i guess if you have no choice, a low-side is better than high (unless you're in shorts :nono:)
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: scratch on October 30, 2004, 10:13:35 AM
Hope you feel better! Heal up!
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: panik on October 30, 2004, 05:26:21 PM
Quote from: crash
Quote from: V8PintoI high-sided too. under similar circumstances.  I did some reading and tried to figure out how I could have saved it.  Keith Code in Twist Of The Wrist says to give it gas, or at the very least stop rolling on the throttle (as if you have the cajones to give it gas when the rear goes away).

It happened too fast for me to do anything but I still can't fathom actually giving it more gas when you're about to meet the pavement hahahaha.

Guess I'm just a chicken drag racer...  :thumb:
my msf instructor said that once you're in that position, you basically swallow your pride (and balls if you have any) and slide to safety.  i guess if you have no choice, a low-side is better than high (unless you're in shorts :nono:)

What?!?!  :? that sounds like a really bad idea. What is your instructor suggesting? to stamp on the rear brake to lock the back wheel to low side it? Unless of course you mean that he's saying you should nail the throttle wide open to deliberately make the slide worse?

Ok, considering that I've only been riding for about 9 months, read twist of the wrist II and done the level 1 course at the Australian superbike school, I don't think that sounds like a good option at all. (if that's what you're saying) It sounds like another way to make a little slide into a massive high side.

Argon said:
QuoteI was almost out of the corner when I felt the rear slide a little and I chopped the throttle.

Keeping the gas on and standing the bike up (if you can) is the right thing to do. That's what I've been told by my instructors, and that's what I've read.

Yeah, it take guts to override your instinct to chop the throttle or get on the brakes, but that's what you're supposed to do.
:cheers:
Title: don't chop the throttle
Post by: Argon5W on October 30, 2004, 09:12:56 PM
I knew better than to chop the throttle, especially on the bike I was on.  I wasn't on the GS this time.  I was on the VTR1000 which breaks the rear end loose once the tires get pretty hot.  This time I think it was a pavement issue that caught by surprise.  

If I would have been on the GS it wouldn't have happened.
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: gs500fromnb on October 31, 2004, 11:59:26 PM
Quote from: panik

What?!?!  :? that sounds like a really bad idea. What is your instructor suggesting? to stamp on the rear brake to lock the back wheel to low side it? Unless of course you mean that he's saying you should nail the throttle wide open to deliberately make the slide worse?

Ok, considering that I've only been riding for about 9 months, read twist of the wrist II and done the level 1 course at the Australian superbike school, I don't think that sounds like a good option at all. (if that's what you're saying) It sounds like another way to make a little slide into a massive high side.

Argon said:
QuoteI was almost out of the corner when I felt the rear slide a little and I chopped the throttle.

Keeping the gas on and standing the bike up (if you can) is the right thing to do. That's what I've been told by my instructors, and that's what I've read.

Yeah, it take guts to override your instinct to chop the throttle or get on the brakes, but that's what you're supposed to do.
:cheers:

well you basicly got it right... because what you want to do is gradually stop the slide and regain grip NOT to crash. But it also depends on how agressive your rolling on when the slide occurs. Because if you just leave the throttle where its at when you are rolling on really hard it could upset the bike just like chopping the throttle and cause it to regain grip too abruptly.

Its all about keeping it smooth, and it could take more than one try to get it right :lol:  :roll: ... Personally I would try to keep the slide going... if I felt it starting to grip too fast i'd roll on the throttle more to keep a bit of a slide coming out of the apex. I'd rather take a chance of loosing the rear than not giving her enough throttle and highsiding. Ofcourse that fast I dont even know that I could even be able to react that fast. I've had the rear slide out on me many times and allways was able to keep it super gradual going into and coming out of the slide.

For the main thing though, if you still have chicken strips on your tires and plan to keep them. It would be extremely rare for sliding to occur unless there was a double apex corner or that you would somehow upset the bike during cornering.
Title: Re: don't chop the throttle
Post by: pantablo on November 01, 2004, 12:18:49 AM
Quote from: Argon5WI knew better than to chop the throttle, especially on the bike I was on.  I wasn't on the GS this time.  I was on the VTR1000 which breaks the rear end loose once the tires get pretty hot.  This time I think it was a pavement issue that caught by surprise.  

If I would have been on the GS it wouldn't have happened.


Sorry to hear about your broken collarbone but luckily it wasnt worse. Sounds like you need more practice with smooth throttle control. Liter bikes need more finesse to keep the rears from going. More time on the gs perhaps? :thumb:
Title: Nasty high side with x-ray pic
Post by: octane on November 01, 2004, 07:59:09 AM
Heal quick! I busted my collar bone a few years ago. Took about a year for it to totally heal up...but it's fine now. A little lopsided, but fine! I kept mine in a sling for quite a while, but it helped it set. The hardest part is keeping it immobile...especially if it's your dominant arm.