Those infamous stumbles......how many have you had?
Discussion
Unfortunately I've had my fair share but i'm always interested in hearing other peoples tales.
I've managed to fall on every bike I've had! (gutting eh!?). Here they all are in order of earliest to latest....
1. Piaggio Zip 50 scooter. Totally lost it on some ice. Complete inexperience on my part. I had just turned 16.....
2. After derestricting the Zip (40mph), I managed to loose the back end (god knows how), and managed to slide underneath the bumper of an oncoming car. Only a few scrapes and bruises then.
3. My most spectacular crash. A car went through a Give Way and hit me square on the side of the scooter at 30mph. I landed on the bonnet and then came off the bonnet when the woman slammed her brakes on. To finish it off, as my unconcious body lay on the floor, the scooter landed on my leg.
Fortunately nothing was broken, but I managed to get knocked out for just under 10 minutes, torn all the muscle tissue in my back and sprain both my ankles.
I rode home......
4. Suzuki RG125 2 stroke racer....ice....again...d'oh!
5. Suzuki Bandit 600. Got knocked off by a car deciding to change lanes without checking mirrors or even looking. Hit me square on the side of me. I smashed the rear passenger window scaring the heck out of the little girls in the back seat and fought violently with the bike to stay in control.
The last thing I remember was the bike revving like nuts hearing the horrible sound of my bike getting smashed on the tarmac and then a searing pain throughout my whole body. I was out cold for a couple of minutes with a 2 inch chunk missing from my lid.
I remember looking back to see my gorgeous bike in pieces. The guy who hit me got done for speeding and dangerous driving. I got enough money to get a new lid, and rebuild my bike! However I was in pain for about 2 weeks because of the bruising and skin missing on my legs.....I was wearning full protective winter clothing.
6. Kawasaki ZR7S. My one and only accident that was my fault. My housemate had a battered old 125 bike and needed spare parts for it. I volunteered to follow him in case he broke down. He usually did.
As we reached a set of traffic lights the lights went amber and he slammed his brakes on within about 5 meters. I didn't react on time as his brake lights weren't working and ploughed into the back of him. I managed to crush his bike and broke the fairing on mine. I also landed on my feet.
Feeling pretty awful about the whole thing, I offered him 400 quid to get a new bike (the 125 cost him 250 quid). He accepted but once his dad found out, he told him to make a personal injury claim against me and gave my cheque back hoping for more and then spent the days pretending he had a sore back although he jumped up and down like a loon all the time.
I then found out he had an invalid license so insurance wouldn't cough up and his personal injury claim fell through because he couldn't prove the back injury. Ended up with nothing.
I kind of feel sorry for him but I did give him money which he threw back at me! Tough titties I say.
7. Last one! Buell XB9R. Some idiot decided to pull a Michael Schumacher around a corner and ended up turning into me. Ended up going to court as both insurance companies couldn't agree on an outcome but I won that one and got the money back.
So there you go.....7 falls. Should be lucky now I guess!
What about all yours now!
>> Edited by beanbag on Monday 27th February 16:30
I've managed to fall on every bike I've had! (gutting eh!?). Here they all are in order of earliest to latest....
1. Piaggio Zip 50 scooter. Totally lost it on some ice. Complete inexperience on my part. I had just turned 16.....
2. After derestricting the Zip (40mph), I managed to loose the back end (god knows how), and managed to slide underneath the bumper of an oncoming car. Only a few scrapes and bruises then.
3. My most spectacular crash. A car went through a Give Way and hit me square on the side of the scooter at 30mph. I landed on the bonnet and then came off the bonnet when the woman slammed her brakes on. To finish it off, as my unconcious body lay on the floor, the scooter landed on my leg.
Fortunately nothing was broken, but I managed to get knocked out for just under 10 minutes, torn all the muscle tissue in my back and sprain both my ankles.
I rode home......
4. Suzuki RG125 2 stroke racer....ice....again...d'oh!
5. Suzuki Bandit 600. Got knocked off by a car deciding to change lanes without checking mirrors or even looking. Hit me square on the side of me. I smashed the rear passenger window scaring the heck out of the little girls in the back seat and fought violently with the bike to stay in control.
The last thing I remember was the bike revving like nuts hearing the horrible sound of my bike getting smashed on the tarmac and then a searing pain throughout my whole body. I was out cold for a couple of minutes with a 2 inch chunk missing from my lid.
I remember looking back to see my gorgeous bike in pieces. The guy who hit me got done for speeding and dangerous driving. I got enough money to get a new lid, and rebuild my bike! However I was in pain for about 2 weeks because of the bruising and skin missing on my legs.....I was wearning full protective winter clothing.
6. Kawasaki ZR7S. My one and only accident that was my fault. My housemate had a battered old 125 bike and needed spare parts for it. I volunteered to follow him in case he broke down. He usually did.
As we reached a set of traffic lights the lights went amber and he slammed his brakes on within about 5 meters. I didn't react on time as his brake lights weren't working and ploughed into the back of him. I managed to crush his bike and broke the fairing on mine. I also landed on my feet.
Feeling pretty awful about the whole thing, I offered him 400 quid to get a new bike (the 125 cost him 250 quid). He accepted but once his dad found out, he told him to make a personal injury claim against me and gave my cheque back hoping for more and then spent the days pretending he had a sore back although he jumped up and down like a loon all the time.
I then found out he had an invalid license so insurance wouldn't cough up and his personal injury claim fell through because he couldn't prove the back injury. Ended up with nothing.
I kind of feel sorry for him but I did give him money which he threw back at me! Tough titties I say.
7. Last one! Buell XB9R. Some idiot decided to pull a Michael Schumacher around a corner and ended up turning into me. Ended up going to court as both insurance companies couldn't agree on an outcome but I won that one and got the money back.
So there you go.....7 falls. Should be lucky now I guess!
What about all yours now!
>> Edited by beanbag on Monday 27th February 16:30
Twice!
Once, prior to test on an F650GS and attempting a u-turn.
A few weeks ago when a pannier fell off my R1200GS and a builder tried to pass it to me whilst I was on the bike and trying to put the side stand down, facing a little downhill and on uneven ground.
Felt a right pratt on both instances.
Once, prior to test on an F650GS and attempting a u-turn.
A few weeks ago when a pannier fell off my R1200GS and a builder tried to pass it to me whilst I was on the bike and trying to put the side stand down, facing a little downhill and on uneven ground.
Felt a right pratt on both instances.
OK – here we go.
1. Parted company with my Honda SS50 moped when I applied too much front brake over some gravel on a country road. – Minor bruising. My inexperience!
2. Parted company again from the same SS5 when I over cooked a bend and bounced of the bank. Concussion from head butting the road. My inexperience and too much …. enthusiasm!
3. Parked the same SS50 into the side of a mini bus as he decided to do a U turn (no indicators!) just as I was over taking him. In my attempt to stop I locked the rear brake and ended up hitting the minibus totally “side on” this left a lovely imprint of me on my bike in the side of the minibus – very artistic! – Minor bruising. His fault for not indicating or looking but my inexperience put me in that position!
4. Slid off a Honda CX500 when I came round a corner to find a farmer had dropped a 50 gallon drum of oil all over the road. Took out the side of the bike! Hurt pride but otherwise OK. Absolutely nothing I could have done about that one!
5. Bounced my head on the road when I hit a large pile of cow cr@p one night while riding a friends Honda 250. More concussion and a bill to fix a friends bike. (Yes, he’s still a friend.) Not sure there was much I could have done about that one either.
6. Parked my CX500 into the back of a Granddad driven Ford Fiesta when I thought he would “go through” the road works traffic lights that had just changed to amber and he (correctly) decided to stop. No injury but it made a big mess of the Granddads Fiesta (and frightened the life out of the Granddad!). My fault for being stupid!
There were a couple of others, but those tended to be things like trying to drive my road bike around a snow covered field or grass tracking on a fully faired Honda 250. It was so obvious what the outcome of those would be, but I still did them!
Since then I now have 22 years of keeping things the right way up on the road. (One track day event doesn’t count!!) I am now touching wood, crossing fingers, amputating rabbits and all the other things you do to get/keep good luck.
1. Parted company with my Honda SS50 moped when I applied too much front brake over some gravel on a country road. – Minor bruising. My inexperience!
2. Parted company again from the same SS5 when I over cooked a bend and bounced of the bank. Concussion from head butting the road. My inexperience and too much …. enthusiasm!
3. Parked the same SS50 into the side of a mini bus as he decided to do a U turn (no indicators!) just as I was over taking him. In my attempt to stop I locked the rear brake and ended up hitting the minibus totally “side on” this left a lovely imprint of me on my bike in the side of the minibus – very artistic! – Minor bruising. His fault for not indicating or looking but my inexperience put me in that position!
4. Slid off a Honda CX500 when I came round a corner to find a farmer had dropped a 50 gallon drum of oil all over the road. Took out the side of the bike! Hurt pride but otherwise OK. Absolutely nothing I could have done about that one!
5. Bounced my head on the road when I hit a large pile of cow cr@p one night while riding a friends Honda 250. More concussion and a bill to fix a friends bike. (Yes, he’s still a friend.) Not sure there was much I could have done about that one either.
6. Parked my CX500 into the back of a Granddad driven Ford Fiesta when I thought he would “go through” the road works traffic lights that had just changed to amber and he (correctly) decided to stop. No injury but it made a big mess of the Granddads Fiesta (and frightened the life out of the Granddad!). My fault for being stupid!
There were a couple of others, but those tended to be things like trying to drive my road bike around a snow covered field or grass tracking on a fully faired Honda 250. It was so obvious what the outcome of those would be, but I still did them!
Since then I now have 22 years of keeping things the right way up on the road. (One track day event doesn’t count!!) I am now touching wood, crossing fingers, amputating rabbits and all the other things you do to get/keep good luck.
1. Honda MB50. 1984. Lost the front end on my mother's back lawn, just after the pecunias. Lesson learned - don't use front brake while leaning over on a loose surface.
2. Honda MB50. 1984. Ran over Wind-up (neighbour's dog), which was asleep in the road about 50 yards from my parents' house . Wind-up was a complete write-off. Honda severely scratched down one side. Mate covered up the damage with a carefully constructed sticker which bore the legend "Dogslayer". Knees planed down to the bone, despite low speed. Lessons learned - expect the unexpected. Dogs are silly things. Falling off in jeans at low speed will result in very painful injuries.
3. Honda CB750. 1985. T boned a Vauxhall Senator which suddenly and inexplicably U-turned in front of me. Broke wrist, girlfriend broke collar bone. Lessons learned - incompetent pre menstrual women drivers may act irrationally. Give them lots of space. In the absence of greater knowledge, assume all operators of all other vehicles are incompetent pre-menstrual women. Vauxhall Senators can be severely damaged by heavy old lumps of iron connecting with their rear wheels at oblique angles. Surviving a motorcycle accident with a girlfriend can greatly enhance your sex life on a short-term basis.
4. Kawasaki GT750. 1990. Side swiped by Bristol taxi driver. Broke ankle, wrote off bike. Lessons learned - taxi drivers are malevolent, myopic and likely to lie in court. Witnesses are very handy things to have around. Insurance companies are actually state-sponsored protection rackets and will cheat you if they can. Fining a taxi driver does not guarantee receipt of money, unless you can find a way of preventing them from clearing off back to Pakistan.
5. The big one. Kawasaki ZX-10. 1995. Taken out by Mondeo driver emerging from pub car park in Cookham, Berks. run over over by oncoming car. Lots of broken bones and a written-off bike. Perpetrator apparently disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Lessons learned - If you are going to be run over, make sure the car is being driven by an A&E Doctor. Exhaust pipe burns from being wedged under cars hurt more than broken bones. Mondeo drivers are to be axiomatically mistrusted. People who drive away from pub car parks are probably pissed. Insurance companies are criminal cheating bastards who are prepared to accuse you of lying in order to get out of paying you what they owe you.
6. Kawasaki ZZR1100. 2000. Parked on a downhill and went to post a letter. Pulled the clutch in when getting back on the bike. Bike rolled forward and fell over, trapping me underneath it. Had to wait for about 20 minutes until a passing Transit full of builders realised what had happened and lifted the bike off me. Lesson learned - for
's sake think...and if you must make a complete arse of yourself, do it somewhere where you can be quickly rescued.
2. Honda MB50. 1984. Ran over Wind-up (neighbour's dog), which was asleep in the road about 50 yards from my parents' house . Wind-up was a complete write-off. Honda severely scratched down one side. Mate covered up the damage with a carefully constructed sticker which bore the legend "Dogslayer". Knees planed down to the bone, despite low speed. Lessons learned - expect the unexpected. Dogs are silly things. Falling off in jeans at low speed will result in very painful injuries.
3. Honda CB750. 1985. T boned a Vauxhall Senator which suddenly and inexplicably U-turned in front of me. Broke wrist, girlfriend broke collar bone. Lessons learned - incompetent pre menstrual women drivers may act irrationally. Give them lots of space. In the absence of greater knowledge, assume all operators of all other vehicles are incompetent pre-menstrual women. Vauxhall Senators can be severely damaged by heavy old lumps of iron connecting with their rear wheels at oblique angles. Surviving a motorcycle accident with a girlfriend can greatly enhance your sex life on a short-term basis.
4. Kawasaki GT750. 1990. Side swiped by Bristol taxi driver. Broke ankle, wrote off bike. Lessons learned - taxi drivers are malevolent, myopic and likely to lie in court. Witnesses are very handy things to have around. Insurance companies are actually state-sponsored protection rackets and will cheat you if they can. Fining a taxi driver does not guarantee receipt of money, unless you can find a way of preventing them from clearing off back to Pakistan.
5. The big one. Kawasaki ZX-10. 1995. Taken out by Mondeo driver emerging from pub car park in Cookham, Berks. run over over by oncoming car. Lots of broken bones and a written-off bike. Perpetrator apparently disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Lessons learned - If you are going to be run over, make sure the car is being driven by an A&E Doctor. Exhaust pipe burns from being wedged under cars hurt more than broken bones. Mondeo drivers are to be axiomatically mistrusted. People who drive away from pub car parks are probably pissed. Insurance companies are criminal cheating bastards who are prepared to accuse you of lying in order to get out of paying you what they owe you.
6. Kawasaki ZZR1100. 2000. Parked on a downhill and went to post a letter. Pulled the clutch in when getting back on the bike. Bike rolled forward and fell over, trapping me underneath it. Had to wait for about 20 minutes until a passing Transit full of builders realised what had happened and lifted the bike off me. Lesson learned - for
's sake think...and if you must make a complete arse of yourself, do it somewhere where you can be quickly rescued.beanbag said:
1. Piaggio Zip 50 scooter. Totally lost it on some ice. Complete inexperience on my part. I had just turned 16.....
Sounds familiar
Only 1 accident, about 2 weeks ago, wet road and diesel, cold wet tyres. Bike went down and I hit the road. I've still got some discomfort if I tense my shoulder too much or bend my knee a lot. Repair bill of just over £230, and its not all repaired - picked it up on Saturday and I still need to repair the headlight, centre stand, forks and front fairing myself
I've lost count, but somewhere around 14 or 15.
1. 15 years old riding an MBX50 off the road with road tyres and slid the back until it was 90 degrees to the path I was on. I slid underneath and got very muddy.
2. Lowsided a YZF600 on my first trackday whilst attempting to go round the outside of a Triumph T595 at Clearways, Brands Hatch.
3. A road accident in which during a horrible, horrible lack of skill and foresight (from me) a car clipped my handlebar and I clipped my mate causing us both to crash. Euuurggh. I still shudder now.
4. Highsided my gixer coming out of Mansfield, Cadwell Park on my first time on wets in the lashing rain.
5. Highsided my gixer coming out of the final chicane at Donington on a track day.
6. On my SV race bike I went straight on at Surtees, Brands Hatch and eventually crashed into the gravel on the left of the circuit after re-joining, but going straight across.
7. Lost the front of the SV going through Paddock at Brands and tumbled a VERY long way.
8. Lost the back of the gixer on the road pulling out of a damp junction on cold tyres (knob). This broke the end of the gear lever off, but it was no problem riding home changing gear by hand.
9. There are plenty more from here, but I've certainly been down at Snetterton, Pembrey and Croix and had some fun grasstracking adventures at Rockingham, Cadwell and Silverstone too.
>> Edited by bennyboysvuk on Tuesday 28th February 08:53
1. 15 years old riding an MBX50 off the road with road tyres and slid the back until it was 90 degrees to the path I was on. I slid underneath and got very muddy.
2. Lowsided a YZF600 on my first trackday whilst attempting to go round the outside of a Triumph T595 at Clearways, Brands Hatch.
3. A road accident in which during a horrible, horrible lack of skill and foresight (from me) a car clipped my handlebar and I clipped my mate causing us both to crash. Euuurggh. I still shudder now.
4. Highsided my gixer coming out of Mansfield, Cadwell Park on my first time on wets in the lashing rain.
5. Highsided my gixer coming out of the final chicane at Donington on a track day.
6. On my SV race bike I went straight on at Surtees, Brands Hatch and eventually crashed into the gravel on the left of the circuit after re-joining, but going straight across.
7. Lost the front of the SV going through Paddock at Brands and tumbled a VERY long way.
8. Lost the back of the gixer on the road pulling out of a damp junction on cold tyres (knob). This broke the end of the gear lever off, but it was no problem riding home changing gear by hand.
9. There are plenty more from here, but I've certainly been down at Snetterton, Pembrey and Croix and had some fun grasstracking adventures at Rockingham, Cadwell and Silverstone too.
>> Edited by bennyboysvuk on Tuesday 28th February 08:53
Now, I've only been riding 5 minutes, and have been lucky enough not to have had any incidents, but I just had to say that reading stories like this, I think, raises my (and other new riders)wareness of what can actually happen.
I appreciate it's a bit like learning from other peoples mistakes, but I for one will try to remember situations like these whilst I'm out and about.
Anyone agree, or shall I have a day off..........
I appreciate it's a bit like learning from other peoples mistakes, but I for one will try to remember situations like these whilst I'm out and about.
Anyone agree, or shall I have a day off..........
chilli said:
Now, I've only been riding 5 minutes, and have been lucky enough not to have had any incidents, but I just had to say that reading stories like this, I think, raises my (and other new riders)wareness of what can actually happen.
I appreciate it's a bit like learning from other peoples mistakes, but I for one will try to remember situations like these whilst I'm out and about.
Anyone agree, or shall I have a day off..........
Second best way to learn. The best way is to learn from your own mistakes, but that tends to be painful/expensive!
The lessons here would appear to be:
Expect other road users to be idiots and to do the most stupid things possible. There will always be someone who will do something more stupid than you imagined possible! (Sometimes the idiot will be you!!!!!
) Don’t push beyond your own capabilities.
Be very careful with the front brake in reduced grip situations.
bennyboysvuk said:
To add to that, the best advice I was given before I went racing was don't skimp on tyres and don't crash. I skimped on tyres and lost the front at Paddock because of it. Doh!
I'll second the good tyres!!! Used to have some crappy manufacter Dunlop 207's (I think), on the Buell when I bought it. The tyres were absolute rubbish, however I replaced them with a set of Pirelli Diablos and my god what a difference!!! The bike felt completely different and the levels of grip easily tripled.
NEVER skimp on tyres!
Far to many prangs to remember them all,
1. did not fall off but, Sweeping left hander outside girls school, 16 years old on my AP50. The bend had barriers to stop kids running into the road. As I leant over at full chat my helmet and my entirte left arm contact the barrier. Some how I stayed on but my arm was black for a week and I had blured vision for a good few minutes!
2. GP 125. In a pub car park on a nice summers eve. I locked the front whell on gravel patch and went straight over the front. I managed a forward role and stood up and bowed. slite damge to the bike massive damage to ego.
3. Jawa 350 and side car. Put the side car wheel up a high curb and rolled the beast on its side. I ended up running down the road being chased by my bike. It was a Jawa I couldn't have made it worse by crashing it.
4. Friends GP 100. Jag pulled out of a roundabout and caught the bike in the petrol tank. Unfortuneatly I'd filled it up about 1/2 a mile before so being full it split and I landed in a pool of 2*.
5. CB550 streaming past traffic on my way to college. Braked on white line/tar banding, front end let go and I star fished on the back of the mini I was over taking. I remember watching my bike spin up the road to be hit by an on coming car. My only thought was thank god it's on the alternator not the points side of the engine. (alternator case cast ally, points case pressed tin)
6. XL 175. Lost front on leaves and crap. I saved the first slide, I planned to run off the far verge and stop on the grass. Unfortuneately the front slid along the far verge and slamed me into a crash barrier. Bike OK. I had a bit of internal bleeding from a perforated bowel.
7. VF500. Land rover pulled out into my side. broke my leg on 2 places, bone fragment stabbed into my achiles tendon. Bike destroyed by having a hole punched in the frame by the winch on the landy. Nurse on traumer ward remembered me from the above accident.
Having typed all that I wonder about the wisdome of this bikeing lark!
1. did not fall off but, Sweeping left hander outside girls school, 16 years old on my AP50. The bend had barriers to stop kids running into the road. As I leant over at full chat my helmet and my entirte left arm contact the barrier. Some how I stayed on but my arm was black for a week and I had blured vision for a good few minutes!
2. GP 125. In a pub car park on a nice summers eve. I locked the front whell on gravel patch and went straight over the front. I managed a forward role and stood up and bowed. slite damge to the bike massive damage to ego.
3. Jawa 350 and side car. Put the side car wheel up a high curb and rolled the beast on its side. I ended up running down the road being chased by my bike. It was a Jawa I couldn't have made it worse by crashing it.
4. Friends GP 100. Jag pulled out of a roundabout and caught the bike in the petrol tank. Unfortuneatly I'd filled it up about 1/2 a mile before so being full it split and I landed in a pool of 2*.
5. CB550 streaming past traffic on my way to college. Braked on white line/tar banding, front end let go and I star fished on the back of the mini I was over taking. I remember watching my bike spin up the road to be hit by an on coming car. My only thought was thank god it's on the alternator not the points side of the engine. (alternator case cast ally, points case pressed tin)
6. XL 175. Lost front on leaves and crap. I saved the first slide, I planned to run off the far verge and stop on the grass. Unfortuneately the front slid along the far verge and slamed me into a crash barrier. Bike OK. I had a bit of internal bleeding from a perforated bowel.
7. VF500. Land rover pulled out into my side. broke my leg on 2 places, bone fragment stabbed into my achiles tendon. Bike destroyed by having a hole punched in the frame by the winch on the landy. Nurse on traumer ward remembered me from the above accident.
Having typed all that I wonder about the wisdome of this bikeing lark!
3 since 1985 - all my fault.
1)KDX175 - accidental wheele and fell off the back whilst bike disappeared down the road. Pure incompetence.
2)FZR1000 - late for lunch in Canterbury having left Salisbury at 11.00. After a very fast ride up the A303 and M25 I relaxed and sat up on the slip road coming off the A2. I thought it would be a coast to lights/roundabout after the first left hand bend but unfortunately there was a 90 degree bend the other way. Ran wide and thrown off between the stanchions of a road sign and ended up fortunately unhurt on my back in a Gorse bush. Reason - lack of concentration.
3)Bimota SB4 - rode into a set of bollards on the Chelsea Embankment. Lesson - look where you're going.
Otherwise many near misses (8 months as a motorbike courier in London) but nothing major.
Lessons for me are CONCENTRATE, ride within your limits and always look out for the people around you. Doesn't matter if you're in the right if you're lying on your back in the gutter. And on another matter I was wearing leathers on all occasions and was unhurt.
Having said that I used to ride my VF1000R in Australia in shorts and T shirt which was pretty stupid really.
L.F.
1)KDX175 - accidental wheele and fell off the back whilst bike disappeared down the road. Pure incompetence.
2)FZR1000 - late for lunch in Canterbury having left Salisbury at 11.00. After a very fast ride up the A303 and M25 I relaxed and sat up on the slip road coming off the A2. I thought it would be a coast to lights/roundabout after the first left hand bend but unfortunately there was a 90 degree bend the other way. Ran wide and thrown off between the stanchions of a road sign and ended up fortunately unhurt on my back in a Gorse bush. Reason - lack of concentration.
3)Bimota SB4 - rode into a set of bollards on the Chelsea Embankment. Lesson - look where you're going.
Otherwise many near misses (8 months as a motorbike courier in London) but nothing major.
Lessons for me are CONCENTRATE, ride within your limits and always look out for the people around you. Doesn't matter if you're in the right if you're lying on your back in the gutter. And on another matter I was wearing leathers on all occasions and was unhurt.
Having said that I used to ride my VF1000R in Australia in shorts and T shirt which was pretty stupid really.
L.F.
beanbag said:
Unfortunately I've had my fair share but i'm always interested in hearing other peoples tales.
I've managed to fall on every bike I've had! (gutting eh!?). Here they all are in order of earliest to latest....
..............What about all yours now!
>> Edited by beanbag on Monday 27th February 16:30
Last one was on my SR500, in the Philippines, slipping past the queue of cars getting into the Clark Air Base. Lost my balance at 2mph, bike fell over trapping me against a wall, leg wedged under the exhaust, shorts on, deeeep burn in my ankle. Man, it hurt, and I even cussed a little bit
Another time was on a Kawa 1300, brand new, had it hardly a week. Everybody went to a party, all drinking except me, on the way home I hung a right into a side road, whacked the throttle to show off the power, back end fishtailed on gravel and the only totally sober person in the group of 30 bikes went down on his elbow!! Wrote the bike off, on paper, but I only had 3rd p, f&t, so it got fixed on the cheap. What a dick I felt!
Another time on a 750 kawa I flew into a big roundabout, quick glance to see what was coming to my right, eyes back ahead, and a car had jammed his brakes on in front of me. Kaboom, whacked into his rear end at a 45 degree angle. Bent the bike a bit, split my jeans from front to back, belt to belt, god knows how I didn't end up with my family jewels in several different locations, but I never had a scratch or a bruise. I reckon I must have done the godallmighty of huge 'splits' to get over the car
A selection from my 15 to date (10 years and 180,000 miles riding like an idiot in central London) -
1) NS125R - First time I filled the bike with petrol, went to pay, came back, bike had rolled off the sidestand.
2) NS400R - Too busy enjoying the suberb powerband on my now deristricted NS400R to notice that the Escort in front had stopped, rode into the back of him. Driver just told his insurance company he backed into a bollard, top man!
3) NS400R - Found out if you lean too far you run off the edge of the tyre and fall over - Times that one by about four until I fitted CBR600 wheels and tyres.
4) NS400R - Overtaking slow moving traffic, hit by a van who pulled into the centre without looking. I now have two damaged knees (they hit a kerb stone), the headstock cracked and the engine mount rails bent.
5) NS400R - Sitting on bike by the side of the road in front of a taxi driver. Taxi driver pulls away without looking, straight into the back of me. He thought it was hilarious.
6) NS400R - Overtaking traffic and a taxi driver does a U turn in front of me.
6) ZXR400 - Too busy trying to work out where a rattle was coming from, rode straight into the back of an Escort.
7) ZXR400 - Crashed twice in 15 minutes going for gaps that suddenly disappeared. Didn't hit anybody but it was near the same bloke both times!!!
8) ZXR400 - Went straight across a junction, realised I was going the wrong way down a one way street, it was wet, panic braked, dropped it. The workmen on their lunch brake thought it was hilarious.
9) ZXR400 - Pulled out in front of a few times in the wet, panic braked, dropped it.
10) ZXR400 - Riding very carefully (15-20MPH) on sheet ice covered in snow, car driver doing 50-70MPH brakes too late and rides straight into to me. As I was a bit sideways at the time I ended up with my left fractured in two places and a knee shaped dent in the frame.
Yes they were the same NS400R and ZXR400.
I gave up for 5 years, did a lot of growing up and now -
- Concentrate on where I am going, and not just how to go faster.
- Assume everybody else is trying to kill me, and treat them accordingly.
- Have large BMW's with ABS.
- Realise that a few minutes saved on a journey is not worth your LIFE. You will always get there quicker than by car, and have a lot more fun.
The last three years and 50,000 miles have been far less eventful. I have hit a deer once (stayed upright, a grands worth of plastic and radiator damage) and been side swiped by a car who didn't indicate or look (wing mirror got knocked back).
1) NS125R - First time I filled the bike with petrol, went to pay, came back, bike had rolled off the sidestand.
2) NS400R - Too busy enjoying the suberb powerband on my now deristricted NS400R to notice that the Escort in front had stopped, rode into the back of him. Driver just told his insurance company he backed into a bollard, top man!
3) NS400R - Found out if you lean too far you run off the edge of the tyre and fall over - Times that one by about four until I fitted CBR600 wheels and tyres.
4) NS400R - Overtaking slow moving traffic, hit by a van who pulled into the centre without looking. I now have two damaged knees (they hit a kerb stone), the headstock cracked and the engine mount rails bent.
5) NS400R - Sitting on bike by the side of the road in front of a taxi driver. Taxi driver pulls away without looking, straight into the back of me. He thought it was hilarious.
6) NS400R - Overtaking traffic and a taxi driver does a U turn in front of me.
6) ZXR400 - Too busy trying to work out where a rattle was coming from, rode straight into the back of an Escort.
7) ZXR400 - Crashed twice in 15 minutes going for gaps that suddenly disappeared. Didn't hit anybody but it was near the same bloke both times!!!
8) ZXR400 - Went straight across a junction, realised I was going the wrong way down a one way street, it was wet, panic braked, dropped it. The workmen on their lunch brake thought it was hilarious.
9) ZXR400 - Pulled out in front of a few times in the wet, panic braked, dropped it.
10) ZXR400 - Riding very carefully (15-20MPH) on sheet ice covered in snow, car driver doing 50-70MPH brakes too late and rides straight into to me. As I was a bit sideways at the time I ended up with my left fractured in two places and a knee shaped dent in the frame.
Yes they were the same NS400R and ZXR400.
I gave up for 5 years, did a lot of growing up and now -
- Concentrate on where I am going, and not just how to go faster.
- Assume everybody else is trying to kill me, and treat them accordingly.
- Have large BMW's with ABS.
- Realise that a few minutes saved on a journey is not worth your LIFE. You will always get there quicker than by car, and have a lot more fun.
The last three years and 50,000 miles have been far less eventful. I have hit a deer once (stayed upright, a grands worth of plastic and radiator damage) and been side swiped by a car who didn't indicate or look (wing mirror got knocked back).
denisb said:
2) NS400R - Too busy enjoying the suberb powerband on my now deristricted NS400R to notice that the Escort in front had stopped, rode into the back of him.
6) ZXR400 - Too busy trying to work out where a rattle was coming from, rode straight into the back of an Escort.
Good effort in ridding the world of Ford Escorts. Top man.
beanbag said:
A selection from my 15 to date (10 years and 180,000 miles riding like an idiot in central London) -
1) NS125R -
6) ZXR400 -
Those two bikes must have a been a wreck when you finished with them!!!!
I'm imagining motorised unicycles (the engines only there for looks)
First bike, KL250 trail bike - launched it many times across fields whilst trying to master rolling donuts, wheelies and the like. Bike had several new gear and front brake levers, but curiously the rear brake and clutch levers always survived.
First road bike, Bandit 600, dropped it on the driveway trying to move it. Broke the new front brake lever (it had a bent one when I bought it).
Bandit 600 again, overtaking a car when it unexpectedly made a right turn with no obs or indication. Car had a knee shaped dent in the rear quarter and scrapes along the window. I careered through a gateway and landed on someone's drive. Lady owner of the house came out and shouted that I couldn't park on her drive. When I pointed out that I was propelled there by a Vauxhall Corsa she apologised and sent her husband out with a cup of tea. I hurt my neck, back and left knee, though not severely. Bike had bent forkleg, damaged plastics, broken brake lever and lots of cosmetic damage so insurance decided not to fix it, but paid out and let me keep it. My best mate now owns it (after I fixed it).
Kawasaki ZX7R. After swapping bikes for a ride with aforementioned best mate and getting used to the big wide bars on the Bandit, we swapped back and I tried to do a U turn on an uphill gradient. Just at the point where I was at 90 degrees, leaning downhill, I ran out of steering lock and down she went with a crunch. Cheapo fairing slider simply bent the fairing mount over and punched straight through the fairing. Doh.
First road bike, Bandit 600, dropped it on the driveway trying to move it. Broke the new front brake lever (it had a bent one when I bought it).
Bandit 600 again, overtaking a car when it unexpectedly made a right turn with no obs or indication. Car had a knee shaped dent in the rear quarter and scrapes along the window. I careered through a gateway and landed on someone's drive. Lady owner of the house came out and shouted that I couldn't park on her drive. When I pointed out that I was propelled there by a Vauxhall Corsa she apologised and sent her husband out with a cup of tea. I hurt my neck, back and left knee, though not severely. Bike had bent forkleg, damaged plastics, broken brake lever and lots of cosmetic damage so insurance decided not to fix it, but paid out and let me keep it. My best mate now owns it (after I fixed it).
Kawasaki ZX7R. After swapping bikes for a ride with aforementioned best mate and getting used to the big wide bars on the Bandit, we swapped back and I tried to do a U turn on an uphill gradient. Just at the point where I was at 90 degrees, leaning downhill, I ran out of steering lock and down she went with a crunch. Cheapo fairing slider simply bent the fairing mount over and punched straight through the fairing. Doh.
denisb said:
.........I gave up for 5 years, did a lot of growing up and now -
- Concentrate on where I am going, and not just how to go faster.
- Assume everybody else is trying to kill me, and treat them accordingly.
- Have large BMW's with ABS.
- Realise that a few minutes saved on a journey is not worth your LIFE. You will always get there quicker than by car, and have a lot more fun.....
Jeez, I'm kinda glad you gave up too mate. I would probably have been run into by you at some stage if you had carried on like that
CBR600 - Mercedes driven by old bloke turned right accross me at a junction. Dislocated shoulder & concussion. Bike seriously damaged
CBR600 - Taxi driver pulled out in front of me at about 20 MPH. Broken scaffoid and bike written off
Fireblade - Transit U turned in front of me when it missed a turning on a fast A road. I was doing about 70MPH. Broken leg, broken toe, ruptured calf muscle, massive haematoma to the groin. Bike totalled.
At this point I grew weary of looking up from the road-side at the paramedics and bought a Ducati Monster....
CBR600 - Taxi driver pulled out in front of me at about 20 MPH. Broken scaffoid and bike written off
Fireblade - Transit U turned in front of me when it missed a turning on a fast A road. I was doing about 70MPH. Broken leg, broken toe, ruptured calf muscle, massive haematoma to the groin. Bike totalled.
At this point I grew weary of looking up from the road-side at the paramedics and bought a Ducati Monster....
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