Accident experiences

[upflying]

I thought sharing personal accident experiences would be a good "ride well" topic. Obviously most of us would like to forget them but perhaps we can all learn from our "never again" stories.

 

1. (1970) Riding the twisties on a 1970 Honda CB 350, a bungee cord came loose and wrapped itself around the rear wheel. The resulting lock-up sent me down on the pavement at about 35 mph. Road rash injuries and the usual clutch lever, foot peg, gear change lever ground down. Got up and rode away. My fault.

 

2. (1971) While slowing to make a left turn on a residential area intersection, a cage decides to overtake me on the left. The 1971 Yamaha CT175 collides with the right side of the car. My Bell open face has a gouge from contact with the door handle and my left shoulder is dislocated as I reach out to catch the fall. Handle bar and clutch lever tweaked. Driver agrees to pay $15 on the spot for repair to bike. Shoulder still pops out occasionally to this day. Cage fault but also my fault for not having situational awareness of surrounding traffic.

 

3. (1989) I am entering a commercial area intersection with stale green light on a 1985 Kawasaki KZ1000P. Peripheral vision catches a glimpse of traffic entering the intersection on my left. Grab a bunch of lock wheel brake and I go down just missing the cage by inches. Cage stops and admits going through red light. Scuffed pride and uniform but no injuries. Collision is partially my fault because I didn't check cross traffic before entering intersection. Collision also my fault for failing to use threshold braking.

 

4. (1991) Chasing wanted felon while riding a 1991 Harley Davidson FXRP. Cage entered a dead-end in an apartment complex and then reverses and runs me and the bike down. Dragged under the car for about 25'. Backup officers thought I was dead. Fortunately the Harley acted as a very strong jack stand and protected me from being crushed under the car. Intentional act but I was reprimanded for stopping behind the suspect vehicle.

 

5. (1991) Parked aforementioned HD on the shoulder of a high crowned roadway. Passing bow wave of a semi, blows unattended bike over on it's right side. My fault for failing to park bike more securely. (Interestingly a new Ca state law requires motorists to change lanes when passing stopped LEO/fire/tow vehicles on the side of the road).

 

6. (1998) While slowing to a stop on the shoulder of the road, boot planted on the surface slips on gravel. 1998 Harley Davidson FLH-P falls on left side. Embarrassed officer picks bike up with ease after adrenalin combined with embarrassment provides super-human strength. My fault for failing to appraise the surface.

 

7. Perhaps three or four lane splitting collisions over a period of 20 years where mirror on motorcycle slaps extended mirrors of passing cages. No damage in any of the incidents. My fault in every one of those collisions.

 

Could be some more but that's all the comes to me right now..

Any other members with stories to share?

[ratfink]

OK, I don't have that many:

 

1978, 2 a.m. I'm riding home from akegger on my brand new Yamaha XS750.(Standard not the cruiser looking one) Coming out of the neighborhood is a 90 degree curve with lots of pea gravel on it which I couldn't see due to poor oem headlight. I hit gravel and lowside. Langlitz leathers preserve my hide. Full face does not contact pavemnt. Bent brake levers both of em and minor road rash on exhaust can. Not my fault it was that lousy headlight which I immeadiately upgraded with Hella halogen.

 

2002, KLR 650 which I had been riding a short time after re entry from 20 years of not riding. Enter a curve on a mountain road posted 20mph. I was doing maybe 30. Didn't keep my head up and look through the curve. Managed to fixate on a gaurdrail which I traveled along for awhile before coming to a stop. My right grip and arm traveled along the outside of the rail my knee was pinned between bike and inside of the rail. The outside of the rail was kind of sharp and cut a slice halfway through the underarm area of my very thick Langlitz jacket, which probably protected very important artery,I shudder to think. Knee was hurt a bit. Had to get out some tools and adjust mirror grip etc. and rode home. My fault for everthing, innatention, panic braking that stood the bike up and inhibited steering and fixation on the gaurdrail. I'm embarrassed to admit this but hope it helps someone else.

[Quinn]

Ratfink, don't know about everyone else, but I'm most impressed that you were able to were the same leathers in 19787 and 2002 after a 20 year layoff.

 

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[Paul Mihalka]

Let me try to remember. In Venezuela: 4 or 5 low-sides on diesel, riding behind bus or truck with gas coming out the filler, road covered with oil from burst engine or gearbox. Always got up and continued riding without major damage.

Caracas, evening, traffic blocked from cars in and out from ice creem shop, I stop, the drunk behind me does not. Broken fibula. my leg was between his bumper and the Dellorto on the R90S. Carburettor also broke.

Twisty mountain road with frequent truck traffic, so surface was slick with accumulation of oil. I'm riding to clear my head, in the process of separation and divorce. Riding hard. Low side. I'm hurting but all my extremities move. Trucker helps pick up the bike. Bike is good (R75/5), it slid perfectly balanced on one valve cover, nothing else touched down. Rode home, about 100 miles. At home I check myself. About one quarter of body, from waist down, one side of belly, down one thigh and leg, fully dark purple, HURTING. My (still) wife comes home, calls our doctor. This is a few hours after the happenning. Doctor comes, says if I didn't get yet a blood clot into my heart or brain, I should be OK. Two weeks later, still hurting and purple, I visit another doctor for a checkup for future employment. I explain what happened and ask him not to report it. He calls me a week later. He has to report it because of the terrible blood count. According to him I must have lost about 2 quarts of blood internally.

My fault. Don't ride in anger.

Years later. My first longer ride with my new date - now my dear wife Maria. Two-lane road in little town. Our side free and moving, opposite stopped for traffic. I'm at 20/25 mph. Suddenly from the opposite lane a cars pulls out into our lane - was going to turn left half a block away. Direct head-on. Bike didn't fall over. It got wedged into the bumper of the Rambler, braking it's radiator. I guess we flew over the car. Amazing - no real body damage to Maria or myself. Both our helmets (Shoei full-face) were hit so hard that the paint popped off. Maria had a little bump on her head under the helmet and a little scuff on her knee. Bike's motor, gearbox, rear drive was OK, the rest was history. I really can't blame myself for this.

USA. 28 years and many miles. Not much.

One low-side on snot.

One scary moment riding uphill early morning with a low sun. Suddenly the sun is in the road completely blinding. Slow down to almost stop and ride into a shallow ditch. No damage. Now I really watch the sun.

Deer hit. Bike totaled. Broken arm/wrist now with a titanium plate, separated shoulder, cracked sternum. Two month later I was in Colorado on another bike.

There were one or two other tipovers.

Many of you are complaining about local road conditions and others driving. You don't know how good we have it here compared to some other places in the world.

[MAT2CHI]

Butte Montana - summer of 1967 riding my cousins Honda trail 90, little old lady blows a stop sign and I t-bone her car and end up going over the trunk. Slight road rash - no helmet or gloves - lucky as hell. Now I always cover my brake lever when I see a car approaching a stop sign to either side of an intersection.

[ratfink]

Ratfink, don't know about everyone else, but I'm most impressed that you were able to were the same leathers in 19787 and 2002 after a 20 year layoff.

 

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Quinn:

 

Back then I had 30" waist, now somethng over 36". They can't alter them that much. So, I had to buy new ones. They wear like iron though so I'm hoping someone is still using that old set,somewhere.

[motorman587]

1. Vehicle making a u-turn in from of me, hit them in the driver door.

 

2. Motorcycle vs. deer

 

3. (2) Motorcycle vs. car making left turn

 

 

[rad]

 

 

Just a couple of miles from the beach in Calif on a sun drenched winter day. I was getting off the freeway, the exit makes a hairpin turn to the right then it becomes a deserted surface street in an light industrial area. It’s about 8 am, temps are in the high 20’s, it is crystal clear and there has not been a cloud in the sky for days.

 

In the hairpin, cranked over, looking back to where I’m headed, I see wet pavement in the shade, close to 100 feet of it from irrigation overflow on the high side of the street….. Nothing in my brain clicks, danger.

 

As I straightened the bike, doing about 40mph, my brain finally puts the info together, the wet pavement, shade and F'n cold..….Oh oh…..Ice! It is too late to stop, nothing to do now but pull in the clutch and try to be very smooth and ride this baby out.

 

The big GS went full lock right, then full lock left, then I thought to my self, “ Hey, I’m gonna keep this baby u…....! Before I could finish that thought I was on the ground sliding on my back, feet forward with my GS sliding along on its side next to me at the same speed, with my hand gently resting on gas tank.

 

We did not stop sliding on that downhill until we came to the end of the ice.

 

I picked up the GS and continued on.

 

[Selden]

1964: Multiple drops of a Mondial 50cc in various parts of Italy when the engine seized.

 

1965: Calais, France, Citroen driver turned left into my path without signaling. Honda CB92. Blown off the road by a sidewind in Thracian Turkey when I hit a patch of mud left on the road by a tractor. Honda CB92. No significant damage to rider or motorcycle in either incident.

 

1969: El Cerrito, CA, drunk driver ran stop sign; no significant damage. Honda CB350.

 

March 1970: Mexico, near Guadalajara. Hit a left hand curve too fast. Picked up by 2 Mexicans in a pickup truck, and taken to town for a shot of tequila. Bruised ribs, otherwise unscathed. Many adventures ensued.... After I got back to the USA, I received a letter from the CHP, informing me that they had my bike (which I had abandoned in Mexico). Picked it up, trailered to L.A., and restored it to working order. Honda CB350.

 

March 1999: Teenager driving a Ford Explorer pulled left from a curb. I got my speed down to about 10 mph, but impacted the SUV dead center on its left rear wheel. Zero damage to SUV; totaled my 1990 Honda Pacific Coast. SUV drove over the fingertips of my left hand while I was sprawled in the road (surprisingly, no pain, no injury). GEICO treated me well.

 

October 2007: Deer collision at 12:45 p.m., south of Dahlonega, GA. 1994 Pacific Coast and the deer were both totaled. I would have liked more from Progressive. Broke little finger of right hand, various bruises, no scrapes (ATTGATT).

 

I have broken more bones (several toes, one wrist) in household stumbles (no ATTGATT).

[MattS]

1987: Lowside performing a u-turn in reasonably tight quarters; new to the bike 1982 Honda CM-450 Custom, been riding it for maybe a day and a half

1987: While lanesplitting down the middle of a right-handed 270 ramp with an unmarked two-lanes-into-one merge, end up predictably but unpainfully lodged between two trucks; lose balance of motor and keep from lowsiding by palming trucks; hands very dirty but no loss of vehicle

1988: Lowsided while making turn in intersection by riding over ice; rapid introduction to concept of "shit happens" up close and personal

1988: While riding in fourth lane of six lane, one-way avenue (with one and six lanes reserved to parking), was cut-off by vehicle making right turn from three lane. Police responded rapidly but reminded that they'd probably never find 'em. Better luck next time.

1994: While riding GSX-1100G in city with friend in car, misunderstand destination directions and am cut-off by friend who makes right turn across my path. Now understand concept of "keep friends close, enemies closer" ... except in a kind of reverse

1994: While stopped at traffic light in city after long Saturday night, literally tip to one side and observe view through helmet as "interesting"; am ironically helped back to vertical by former neighbor who owed me small amount of money. Debt repaid, sobriety other story.

2003: Hours old R1150RT falls from grip while swinging onto center stand. Seemingly calamitous, treacherous and tragic then; a good laugh now.

2004: Am unceremoniously ignored by driver who stops as instructed, then pulls perpendicularly into my path. Impact at a reasonable 12mph, and a 5.6 landing on my feet. A $9000 repair bill and told the cops in the ambulance that "it was kind of fun."

2006: Declining to pay careful attention to the thousand foot drop to my right while riding in East Tennessee, reality suddently intrudes in a most suggestive fashion. The early decision to abandon the motor over the precipice to save myself is impeded by friction, and we both manage to remain at elevation, although at a "funny" angle. That will teach you to stop thinking about diddling the babysitter ... or looking at your GPS.

[Skywagon]

Sears 106...Start at top of street and see how fast I can go before reaching my house. Car comes from the other way. I try to squeeze through oncoming car and parked car. No need to slow down. Footpeg pops hub cap on park car. Neighbor mad.

 

1973 Honda CL 350. Riding in the winter. Cold. Tuck in behind dump truck to block wind (really close). Barbed wire falls out of truck, fowls wheels, low side, no inujuries..Bike a mess.

 

Vespa..Decided to drive to Mexico City from Fort Worth. Fell asleep, ran off road, hit tree, no injuries.

 

All three above were before good gear days and without a helmet. NOW ATGATT

 

Last one...rode up a hill on R1150RT, path was narrow, person in front of me stopped. Put foot down except road 2 feet further down than leg...over I go. ATGATT...bike cosmetic. Ego Bruised.

[Green RT]

Mid 70s - Low side on an oil slick on a hot day while turning left through an intersection. No damage to me or bike. Pillion (now ex-wife) got foot caught between bike and ground and had a sore ankle for a few weeks.

 

Mid 70s - Low side in a 270 degree freeway ramp in the rain. Ground a hole in the rocker arm cover. Rotated it 180 degrees so hole was on top from then on. Caused lots of people to try to figure out how it happened. No damage to me.

 

Mid 80s - Ran off road in a hair pin curve. Went in too hot even though it was all pretty slow. No damage to me or bike.

 

2000 - Low side on a curve on a city road on a cold morning with cold tires. Bike slid across roadway trashing one side, hit a curb, flipped onto other side trashing it as well. No damage to me. $6000 cosmetic damage to bike, covered by insurance.

[BanjoBoy]

How embarrassing, but admittance is the first step to recovery!

 

1.) 1975 on a ’71 Honda CL175, I failed to negotiate a left hand corner at approximately 35 mph, slammed into rock embankment breaking some bones and tearing some flesh. My worst get off.

 

2.) 1978 on a ’74 Honda CL360 at approximately 40 mph, hit by car that made an unsafe lane change and failed to yield right away. Just tore up some soft tissue, banged up my knee, and tore that ACL thang.

 

3.) 1978 on a ’74 Honda CL360 at approximately 40 mph had USAF pants poorly bungeed on the back of my bike; they came off and locked up rear wheel. I actually laid the bike down so’z not to run into another rock embankment. Just slight road rash.

 

4.) 1978 on a ’74 Honda CL360 (A real good year for me!) While coming back from a party drunk, with drunken GF on back, I left a stop light, and my drunken GF started to fall back, grabbed my right shoulder, pulling me back, which in turn caused me to twist throttle and wheelie into the back of a pick up truck.

 

5.) 1984 on a ’79 Yamaha XS750 Somehow I had a low speed low side in the parking lot at University of Santa Cruz and broke my collar bone. This was bad because I had to make the 250 mi journey home in drizzling rain with that busted collar bone. That was some serious pain!

 

6.) 1984 on a ’79 Yamaha XS750, I hit oil on a freeway off ramp at approx 40 mph and low sided. I wasn’t wearing gloves, so I ground a bunch of skin off mu palms. (I couldn’t have sex for awhile!)

 

7.) 1997 on a ’96 KLR I hit a swath of diesel in the road and low sided approximately 35 mph. Tore up that ACL some more.

 

8.) 1997 on a ’96 KLR hit some oil on HHY 29 going over St. Helena at approx. 35 and low sided. No injuries.

 

9.) 1997 on a ’96 KLR Got on the gas a little early, ran a little wide, touched a damp “fog line” and kind of high sided. I didn’t actually catch any air, but I was negotiating a left hand turn and fell on the right side. Kind of a high side, low side. I didn’t sustain any injuries, but the poor KLR broke a foot peg, brake lever, and mirror.

 

There were a bunch more slow low sides on that poor little CL360, on the street and on dirt roads, but I can’t even remember them all. Usually I could just slam my front tire against a tree, to straighten out the front end and ride off.

 

I had an ‘77 Yamaha XS750, ’76 XS500, ’82 BMW R65LS, two FJ1200s, a ’01 FZ1, and the ’05 R1200ST I never "really" bailed on; (I’m knocking on wood now.) although I did have someone bump into me on the '89 FJ knocking me down. And another time a cage ran into the back of my FZ1, but didn't knock me down.

 

[Mister Tee]

1.) 1979 - Low side on a Honda Trail 70 during a power slide attempt, in to a bunch of bushes. (Hint: You have to have a VERY slippery surface to power slide a Trail 70.)

 

2.) 1986 - High side on a 1983 Nighthawk 750 in to a ditch. My fault for failing to negotiate a sweeping corner correctly. Bent clutch lever and very dirty bike but no major damage and only minor scrapes and bruises. Soft dirt.

 

3.) 2005 - Parking lot drop, gsxr 750, braked too heavily with the bars turned on a slow speed maneuver. No damage to bike or rider - frame sliders saved the fairings. Gsxr's are bad about that.

 

4.) 2008 - Garage drop, gsxr 750, forward motion while dismounting the bike caused the kickstand to collapse, and the bike fell on the rider. Neighbor pulled bike off embarrassed rider. Fortunately fairings were off for major clutch adjustment.

[Paul Mihalka]

I only mentioned my riding happenings, I did not mention the most stupid one. Some of you know I work with a BMW dealer. I was rearranging the showroom. Pushing around a K1200S from the side. Put bike on side stand, except side stand probably was not all the way down. Bike falls over, knocks me down, breaks my leg in a very nasty way. Off riding for 4 month! I think I'm safer riding than on my feet!

 

Note: K1200/1300 S and GT are very insecure on the side stand. We had one fall over in the showroom without anybody near it. Somebody must have moved it and did not make sure the stand is out all the way.

[AdventurePoser]

Ice in Santa Cruz? I'm gonna rat you out to the Visitor's Bureau...

 

How are you, Rad?

 

Steve (and the Flame)

[AZJerry]

1975 had a few drinks and was on way home when first snow of the season in North Dakota covered the road. I was on a RT360 Yamaha. It was a dirt bike, so I rode it the ditch for better grip. I don't know what I hit, but the bike when end over end. I was launched over the handlebars and landed on my head. Broke my collar bone in two places. Drove the full coverage helmet thru the coller bone.

I hearned you can't get off a bike gracefully at 50 mph.

It wasn't my fault it was the alcohol. Wait I drank the beer and vodka, maybe it was my fault.

[ltljohn]

1986

1983 HD XLH Four lane road (two each direction)lots of traffic, turned my head to check the left lane and as I did the car in front of me stood on the brakes. I just made it between the cars and bounced my fork off the tire of the car I almost rear ended and my front brakes went away, I managed to cut back into my lane in front of the car I hit and pull in to a parking lot. When I stopped I found myself holding the front brake lever and the attached master cylinder in my right hand, it had broken off the handlebar and snapped the brake line. Other damage was a broken reflector and some tire marks on the fork. Looking back I was following a bit too close. Luckily not injured. I had way too many spills to count learning to ride on the dirt roads and trails as a teenager.

[Selden]

I have broken more bones (several toes, one wrist) in household stumbles (no ATTGATT).

I should be more cautious about making such statements.

 

After a ride on the boxer Friday afternoon, I started the Hawk and rode it a few miles to get the winter crud out of the carbs. Then I did the same thing with my wife's Ninja 250, taking a slightly different route. I ran into a big stretch of gravel on a steeply descending, very tight left-right S curve. I had been riding pretty slowly in anticipation of possible gravelly patches, and managed to get through the first curve, but due to the downhill slope, I couldn't quite scrub enough speed to get through the second one. I ended up in a relatively soft muddy ditch with a foot or so of oak leaves. Unfortunately, the bike fell on my right foot, and I was wearing my light Alpinestars boots, rather than the heavy Aerostich combat lights. The bike was light enough that I was able to get out from under it, and a passing motorist helped me get it upright.

 

I was only 2 miles from the house, and was able to ride it back, put it in the garage, and, using a sledge hammer as a cane, climb the stairs to the kitchen. I put a couple of gallons of water and some ice cubes into a trash can, and proceeded to wait for my wife, who was driving up from Atlanta.

 

She was a little pissed that I wasn't helping her unload the car, until she saw me sitting next to the fridge with a towel wrapped around my left wrist, and my right foot in a trashcan. She drove me to the ER of the hospital in Dahlonega, where X-rays revealed a mild fracture (no displacement) in my left wrist, and a couple of broken bones in my right foot; both appendages have bee splinted. One-handed typing sucks.

 

Off to the orthopedist Monday, taking big co-tylenol pills to deal with the pain (wrist, not so bad, foot hurts a fair amount) during the interim. I'm pretty sure the wrist will require nothing more than a splint or light cast, but the foot may need a pin. Adrenaline is amazing stuff -- it's hard to believe I was able to ride home, park the bike, and climb a flight of stairs, as I'm completely unable to walk today.

 

[Paul Mihalka]

Wow, Selden, tough luck! I hope you heal fast. Riding season is just starting!

[Selden]

It's not how fast you're going; it's how fast you stop. I'm not a particularly happy camper, but of the 4 bikes in this household, the Kawasaki fas the east soul, and is the easiest to fix. Broken LF turn signal, and a little bit of fairing damage; nothing is tweaked. I'll need a little more work.

[Quinn]

How boring I am. Nothing over two miles an hour. Once, I wasn't even on the bike; just taking it off the center stand. Once riding my Yamaha 650 up a 2x8 onto the back of a pickup truck. Then there was the classic putting my foot down into empty space at a stop sign. Riding my H-D Sprint up three steps to park it on my front porch, I ended up in the Rose bushes with the bike, throttle stuck wide open, on top of me. Probably a few others that don't count because noone else saw them; I plan to keep it that way.

 

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[TEWKS]

1983.. Riding my 81 GS1100. I was stopped at traffic light with a few cars ahead of me. I looked to my right & had a brief Chevy Chase

with a very attractive girl standing in a gas station parking lot. The light changed and the traffic began rolling as did I. I snuck one last peek to my right at the same time the traffic came to a sudden stop. I hit the car in front of me and I did a very nice handstand on the bars never letting go of them when gravity did its thing. I ended up dropping the bike on the left side breaking the clutch lever off. Yup, the bike wouldn’t start without it. The car kept going and I was just a bit EMBARRASSED!

 

 

Pat

 

[Deek]

"...Note: K1200/1300 S and GT are very insecure on the side stand. We had one fall over in the showroom without anybody near it. Somebody must have moved it and did not make sure the stand is out all the way....."

 

I always leave my motorcycles in first gear when I leave them on the side stand. Actually, that's how I killed the engine when I park. However, I wonder if leaving a motorcycle in gear really would help much in the case you describe above? Any idea?

 

 

[Paul Mihalka]

"...Note: K1200/1300 S and GT are very insecure on the side stand. We had one fall over in the showroom without anybody near it. Somebody must have moved it and did not make sure the stand is out all the way....."

 

I always leave my motorcycles in first gear when I leave them on the side stand. Actually, that's how I killed the engine when I park. However, I wonder if leaving a motorcycle in gear really would help much in the case you describe above? Any idea?

 

In my case it wouldn't have helped. It was in the flat showroom. Even in gear it can move forward/backward a little bit. Main thing is to be sure the stand is all the way out when you park the bike on it. Even on the slightest incline make sure the bike is pointing uphill.

[BanjoBoy]

Great advice guys, next time I'm sit'in on bikes at the dealer's I'll be extra careful!

[MAT2CHI]

Great advice guys, next time I'm sit'in on bikes at the dealer's I'll be extra careful!

 

When are you ever going to sit on a bike in a showroom? You're too thrifty to buy a new bike.

[outpost22]

Although there have been countless off road "bumbles" and THIS from last fall, the scariest was the one that didn't happen.

 

Was racing an ISDE in eastern Oregon high desert flying along in 4th gear and hit a "floater" in the silt. Kicked the front end sideways and I'm staring at the 3'diameter trunk of a Ponderosa Pine at about 45 mph. Just barely get the bike corrected and pull my head in around the trunk by about what felt like inches. The only image I could think of was that of a watermelon falling off of a truck.

It was an underwear changing experience.

[Selden]

I nearly dropped a used K750 at a dealer; apparently the early models had a suicidal sidestand, a la Ducati, that folded up automatically when you lifted the bike. Two other customers came to my assistance before my left leg gave out.

 

Re parking in gear, I usually do so, but if there is any downhill slope at all, I let the bike roll forward against engine compression before getting off. If it's anything but a gentle slope, I maneuver the bike so that it's facing uphill.

 

[Selden]

Went to Emory Orthopedics this morning for a look at the foot.

 

"The first available appointment we have is April 6."

"I have a broken foot. The bones are going to fuse by then, and I will be out of pain meds before the end of this week. I have already been to an E.R., been X-rayed and splinted, and was instructed to see an orthopedist in 2-3 days."

"Dr. Ugloo can see you tomorrow at 11:00."

"Thank you, I'll bring my digital X-rays with me."

 

I've now had a chance to look at the X-ray images. Clear fracture, but no displacement, near the end of the ulna. The foot is much more complicated, and I can't see anything wrong, but I don't know what to look for, and unless the bone is completely separated, I can rarely see anything in an X-ray.

 

Dr: "Yes, it's definitely broken -- see here?"

Me: "If you say so; I don't see anything but a bunch of shadows."

[Paul Mihalka]

On K75 bikes pulling in the clutch brought up the sidestand. I loved that. On airheads the stands are spring loaded and pop up when you take the weight off it. It's a pain but I know of accidents with people who modified them to stay down until you kick them up, and then forget about it.

[Selden]

Thanks for the explanation, Paul. All in all, I really like the current design, where the sidestand acts as a kill switch.

[RPG]

Should be good therapy so I'll bite:

 

July 2004: After 200,000 BMW miles and several Track Days I wouldn't say I was over-confident but thought I could handle a sudden appearance of a deer. Was on the way to the Spokane MOA rally and took a shortcut across Thompson's Pass in northern Idaho. It was getting near dusk and enjoying the sudden dip in temps as the whole day through Glacier N.P. and around Lake Kalispell was in the high 90's.

 

Rounded a turn and all of a sudden a huge 10 point Buck jumped into the road. In a split second I tried to go around him and at the same time I locked the brakes and even felt the ABS kick in. But I hit him in the left shoulder on my '02 RT. The handlebars went hard right, bike went left. The deer got slammed back onto the shoulder and I went through the middle slamming chin first onto the tarmac. After rolling around for just a few seconds I came to a stop, gathered my bearings and re-assessed the situation. The big Buck was down the road aways on the right shoulder, lying on his side and not in too good of shape. The RT appeared to have broken both his left legs and pulled his left side rack off and was down a ravine that dropped off the left side of the road.

 

Immediately my two buddies came to my aide and we determined that I was fine, with no broken bones. ATGATT was in force and welcome.

 

The bike was totaled, I had to fly home (trip was over right there) and the deer put down by a passer-by's .44 Magnum. Not a good day.

 

November 2009: After replacing the '02 RT with an '04 model (much better running bike IMHO), was camping with the local Detroit club at East Tawas Point Park on Lake Huron. Each November we have a Edmund Fitzgerald Ride to commemorate the sinking and honor the sailors who died. It's the last ride of the season and lends itself to the hardiest of riders as more times than not the temps dip into the teens.

 

We setup came and had a good turnout. Probably about 30 were enjoying the 50F weather. For dinner we ride into town and enjoy one of the local eateries. My buddy Mark and I decide to switch bikes for the ride. So I'm on his '85 K100RT and three miles from the campground I'm telling myself to slow down and watch for deer. I'm on a different bike so if something happens.......Next thing I know I'm in an ambulance and they're telling me I was just in another deer accident.

 

It was if time stopped dead and 2-3 hours just evaporated. Next thing I know they got me on a stretcher and don't think my neck is good but have to transport me to Saginaw to do some MRI's. I suffer a Level 3 concussion and headaches you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy for the next 2 days, but again no broken bones as ATGATT did it's magic once more.

 

After a long winter of agonizing over the decision to ride or not, (2 of my 3 bikes were sold), I decided (screw it). I'm gonnna go sometime and as long as I do everything in my power and be smart about it, there's soo many friends I would lose and can't accept that. There's a social bond with riders and I feel like I would be selfish in a decision like that.

 

Two Sunday's ago a longtime member of the Detroit BMW club passed away and I have an even stronger determination to continue playing this game.

 

RPG