Unscheduled Aerial Dismount (Long Post)

[drharveys]

 

The third weekend in September I trashed my BMW R1150 RS. I was riding with a buddy, and I led for the first tankfull. We chased around on some of Missouri's finest twisties, and then he signaled for a gas stop. We decided to forgo the planned barbeque run for quick dash back to join the open house at our new BMW dealer's shop. So it was a quick gas stop, and Jim took the lead for the ride back.

 

On one of the next stretches of twisty, I missed a curve. I perceived that I was coming in hot, and then experienced brain freeze. (More on that later.) I slowed down and rode into the roadside ditch. I suspect I wasn't going faster than 10-20 mph at the time.

 

The bike hit the ditch, took out a sign post and came to a rapid stop. I did a forward somersault over the bars, landing on right shoulder, rolling onto my back. As I lay there in a heap, I did a quick check -- "Fingers all wiggle, toes all wiggle, and nothing really hurts. Oh, almost nothing, my shoulder is pretty sore. Is that all? Shouldn't I hurt really bad? No, I don't, so one more check and I guess I'll roll over and get up..." Which I did. Slowly to ensure that nothing else was hurting. Then I looked at the bike. I think I turned off the engine, but I really don't know if it was actually still running.

 

A guy in a pickup stopped to help, confirmed that I was in surprisingly excellent shape, and we started to get the bike up and out of the way. He commented that it was harder to lift than his Harley, but that was mostly because of how it had lodged in the ditch. Another pickup stopped and the two and a half of us (I was only able to use my left arm) finished the job. About this time Jim came by, checked me out again -- shoulder had full range of motion, but didn't like being in certain positions, otherwise OK.

 

Thanking the "pickup" crew, we set off for home on Jim's bike.

 

Now, getting back to the brain freeze: What would cause an experienced rider who had spent the whole morning properly riding twisties to screw up and miss that curve! I know what I should have done -- countersteer and lean the bike over hard. If anything, I should have missed the curve in the classic lowside slide. Other good choice -- hit the brakes hard, then let off and countersteer. Heck, I could have gone for maximum braking and probably made the stop in the middle of the road! Why did I just apply mild braking and head off into the shoulder ditch?

 

BECAUSE I WAS DEHYDRATED AND HYPOGLYCEMIC! I hadn't had much breakfast, and at the gas stop I didn't have anything to drink or eat. I also didn't go to the bathroom. Let's see, cool day, not thirsty, but not having to go -- classic situation for being dehydrated, having a low blood-sugar level and not being aware of it. First sign of the condition: brain fog! Just sort of drifting into a habit of riding, not being aware of the ride. I was just fogged enough to not access all my riding knowledge.

 

 

 

[bakerzdosen]

Well, I'm glad you're OK. Thanks for the reminders. Let us know how your shoulder progresses.

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Bike doesn't look so bad...and your gear evidently did it's job. Glad it's working out okay. Heal in time for the UnRally!

[Mike O]

First and foremost, it's fortunate you came out of this relatively unscathed and no one else was inconvenienced (hurt or otherwise.)

 

As to your get-off, certainly properly taking care that your physical being is attended to is critically important to riding your bike. Assuming you really did ride for 'the first tankful' and assuming you didn't take any breaks that's a 5 gallon tank of gas...or ~3+ hours of riding. Gassed up and jumped back on your bike and rode some more. Not great and as you've pointed out and unless you're condition to do so you're not as mentally 'sharp' as necessary to ride at 7/10th's (or more).

 

I have another theory as well regarding potential impending get-offs. I suspect that 1) our brains are not accustomed to dealing with the thoughts of the 'impending get-off' and 2) we're not mentally sharp to deal with it (see above). With respect to the first, mentally one can focus on either the 'get-off' or attempting to avoid the 'get-off'. But brain freeze gets in the way. So what causes brain freeze? Even after years of riding and "an experienced rider who had spent the whole morning properly riding twisties to screw up and miss that curve" your "brain freeze" is your mind trying to deal with something it isn't accustomed to understand (i.e one of the choices - accept or avoid). Since it's not a mental choice we're forced with in the many miles we ride - Brain Freeze.

 

You can analyze this over and over in your mind in the coming days (any you will - we all do when this happens)and I think what you'll conclude the same 3 things. One, you've already identified (proper physical state). Two, you rode in to that curve hot and maybe (since only you know the speed, and conditions) replaying this in your mind you could have done things differently. And three, the brain freeze likely reduced your options. When we encounter these impending and potential 'get-offs' any time we spend doing NOTHING about it reduces the options to correct it. Get past that freeze as quickly as possible (easy to say, hard to do). Focus on what can be done to correct lean angle, throttle control etc. You won't have time to think of these in the seconds you have to make that decision. That's the years of proper experience on how this (or other bikes) handles and allow the bike to navigate the curve. But FREEZING doesn't provide you the opportunity to take advantage of all you options. Mentally force yourself past it.

 

Keep us posted on the progress of your shoulder...Count your blessings.

 

Mike O

 

P.S. Can I recommend you complete your online profile? We'd like to properly address you (or is Dr. Harvey what you prefer?) and it might be nice to know what area of the country you are from - I see Missouri from the post, but fill in your profile.

[tallman]

Heal well.

Stop and smell the roses along the way.

We stop every 70-140 miles, depending on time, weather, riding conditions, level of difficulty.

This is as much for mental respite, as for physical needs.

When I deal with continual input from the road, surface conditions, curves, bambi, other taffic, I may be getting dozens of input data per second. Quantify that minute/mile and it would be normal for the brain to try to become more efficient and ignore some data.

If the physical side of the equation is not up to par, tired, dehydrated, hungry, medicated, then the mental side is already handicapped.

You led going out, and your friend heading back.

Does he ride faster? Were you riding your ride like the first part of the day, or trying to keep up w/him?

Best wishes.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I spend a lot of days in the saddle and by that I mean whole days doing nothing but riding. Leave the hotel at 0830 and arrive at another hotel around 1800. Repeat for the next day and maybe the day after as well. This usually means 500-600 miles now that daylight is shorter, in the summer months it might mean 800 miles and more hours, I just don't care to ride in the dark what with deer and the reduced visibility.

 

I have found that I cannot do this without stopping for a drink/snack/smoke every 100 miles or so. My bike has, roughly, a 200 mile tank range so one of the stops is usually at a rest area and the other at a gas station where I stock up for the next stop. GORP or beef jerky, plenty of water and some milk comprise my diet on these travel days. I may, on the last leg, include an iced coffee or the like to get amped a bit. There is a fatigue factor to this as well, even freeway cruising requires a pretty high level of concentration and that little rush helps during the last hundred miles.

 

If I am going to ride even moderately twisty roads, I like to have done with that in the morning. I'm just not on my game anymore after 6-8 hours in the saddle.

[upflying]

I've experienced brain freeze while flying. I think it is caused by information overload with the inability to cope with a rapidly changing situation. We are creatures of complaceny and uniformity. We like things organized and routine. When the unexpected happens, we go into brain freeze. I overcame it by always thinking about the what if. What if my engine suddenly failed, what if the suspect pulls a gun on me or what if that car suddenly changed lanes into me. By expecting the unexpected, you can overcome brain lockup.

[Stan Walker]

I have found that I cannot do this without stopping for a drink/snack/smoke every 100 miles or so.

 

Ditto. Except I'll skip the smoke.

 

Like Ed, I often spend 12-14 hours a day riding when on the road. I set my alarm for an hour before sunrise so I can be on the road at first light. I start looking for a place to stop about an hour before sunset.

 

Stan

[dave_jo]

A couple of Sunday's ago I took a 200 mile ride starting in the dark just before 6 AM. I planned to stop for breakfast around 7-7:30 but didn't until after 8:15. I had a couple of minor glitches cornering and avoiding some gravel shortly before I stopped to eat. I'm sure my slight "brain freezes" were the result of being hungry and thirsty.

 

This past Sunday, I promptly stopped and ate a great breakfast and the ride was awesome.

 

Make sure your bike is maintained and that you are well fed and watered and you'll have a more enjoyable and safer ride.

[Laura]

I'm glad you're okay.

 

Thanks for the reminder about hydration and blood sugar level. I often have to keep reminding myself about this.

 

We head out with a light breakfast usually and sometimes don't stop soon and often enough and I feel myself getting "stupid". We now carry bottled water and Nutrigrain bars or power bars so that if we don't find a place to eat soon enough we won't have to ride hungry and thirsty. I just have to remind myself to stop and take a break once in a while and drink water, not wait until I'm thirsty. Thanks for stressing how important this is.

[gottago]

I'd like to second the importance of hydration. Not just water but half water/half gatorade. Especially during the summer months.

Glad you and your bike are OK.

n

[tallman]

I have found that I cannot do this without stopping for a drink/snack/smoke every 100 miles or so.

 

Ditto. Except I'll skip the smoke.

 

Like Ed, I often spend 12-14 hours a day riding when on the road. I set my alarm for an hour before sunrise so I can be on the road at first light. I start looking for a place to stop about an hour before sunset.

 

Stan

 

Perhaps this is the kind of smoke he is refering to.

[drharveys]

 

Keep us posted on the progress of your shoulder...Count your blessings.

 

Mike O

 

P.S. Can I recommend you complete your online profile? We'd like to properly address you (or is Dr. Harvey what you prefer?) and it might be nice to know what area of the country you are from - I see Missouri from the post, but fill in your profile.

 

Progress on shoulder -- darn near perfect! Going to start doing push-ups again in a couple of days.

 

Blessings counted -- actually too many to count, but making the effort.

 

Profile updated -- Harvey, Dr Harvey, Dr S all have been used successfully as means of address. Just not Mr Small, unless you're one of my kids contemporaries!

 

As for the bike -- did I mention that it was totaled? Apparently once the Telelever front end is damaged, theres some warpage of the frame to rear wheel alignment, and the front wheel is damaged the repair/replace equation gets tilted to the replace side.

 

As for what to do with the insurance settlement:

 

[Mike O]

Very nice...(and will be FAR different than the R-bike!)

 

Mike O