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Ok, If your reading this, your new, or are looking for tips, gear, or just bored beyond reason.
First off I would like to say, if your new, been riding for 15-20 year, etc, it makes no difference, THERE IS NO REASONS FOR NOT WEARING GEAR! period.
On september 14 2008, I decided to go for a 100 mile ride with a buddy that I grew up with, and a close friend, who, as a veteran rider was a great and is still a great influence for riders. Hopefully, after this, I can influence a few riders to wear there gear, and ride responsibly. For those of you who are believers in Karma, my arguement does not support Karma, even though in some instances I think it is existant. The day before this ride, I rode in a ride to benifit a downed rider who had no medical insurance, very close to my situation, and to benifit the red cross, 100+ bikes, 100+ miles, no incidents. Responsible Riding at work. The next day, Which is the 14, I decided to ride a ride the mirrored my previous one, simple enough. With the temperature at right around 90* after you factor humidity, it was not one of those cool country days my hometown is famous for. The sun was unrelenting, and bearing down with no end. Due to the heat, I pondered not wearing my PowerTrip DTP Armoured Leather riding jacket. Deciding against my reasoning, I dawned the jacket, my full face helmet, both of which are black, and while riding a black air/oil cooled bike, I was burning up. Although, from the advice given here on KatRiders, and common sense, they advantages of wearing gear far outweigh the severly uncomfortable heat while wearing gear.
We started out, made it about 45 miles from where I live, in a remote area with many coal mines, but decent roads, and started of Coalwood Mountain. The mountain itself is about 4 miles from bottom to top, 55mph speed limit, which is unattainable on anything other then a sport or sport/touring bike. Riding with a Yamaha Star cruiser, and an 883 HD Sportster, I had a considerable lead, running between 50 - 65mph with long drawn out switch backs, some positive camber hard lefts, and some good straight stretches to let the bike breath, I was having a ball. Well, I topped out the mountain somewhere in the area of 55mph, there was a long sweeping curve, real stretched out, not sharp at all, which a concrete drainage ditch running the length. I glanced back to check the other guys, turned back, and noticed abrubtly that I was loosing my line, so I tapped the rear brake slightly, and countersteered, but my bike continued straight. There was a 7-10ft wide dirt median (truck turn-out) at that place in the road, so the bike low sided on the left, slide a few feet, caught and highsided, launching me off while still going around 15-20 mph easily. I flew for a distance of around 15 paces, never contacting the ground along the way. Being of a considerable weight, about 220lbs, and riding bulls and horses with bad temperments, Ive NEVER been thrown that hard, that far. When I hit the ground, It felt like getting hit by a freight train. It was horrible, it knocked the breath out of my for at least 1 min, timing from the 883 taking that long to shed speed and find a place to turn and come back.
So where am I now? While writing this, I have been to the ER that evening, after making it back. They X-Rayed my shoulder, and ribcage, but do to swelling, were unable to tell me much. So, I went in for a follow up this morning and the inventory of stuff broken, sprained , etc, goes as follows :
Right Humerous - Hairline Fracture
2 Right ribs, uppermost toward the top - Broken
Shoulder has permanent bone chips - Hurts like He|_|_
Trap Muscle, Peck Muscle, both sprained
Collerbone Bruised
So Far For The Bike:
-New Right Fairing
-New Handlebar
-New Front Brake MasterCylinder and Lever
-New Windscreen
-New Paint
-New Bar Ends
-Tank Dent Bondo'ed/Fixed
-New Pegs
-New Exhaust (dragged and scuffed during accident)
-New Font Signals
-New Grab Bar
The most upsetting things about these injuries, is most of them, there is not much they can do with the medical field that can help, rest, painkillers, and ice. But I do have one thing to make a point of, all of this happened to a healthy partly in shaped rider in good gear. What would have happened to an older or younger rider, not so much in shape, which no gear ? ALWAYS WEAR YOUR GEAR!!!!
For the illustration, these pictures are of my gear I was wearing when I went down, and of my bike, Doesnt look so bad huh? Well , reread my list of injuries, and compare to my list of gear, and the speed of the accident..... IT doesnt take much to hurt you, asphalt, concrete, gravel and dirt dont give, your body will......ll
I know this accident could have been alot worse, and many other have suffered worse situations then the one I have now, but... the point of the story is It Shouldnt Take A Near Death Experience TO CONVINCE YOU TO WEAR YOU FREAKING GEAR!
First off I would like to say, if your new, been riding for 15-20 year, etc, it makes no difference, THERE IS NO REASONS FOR NOT WEARING GEAR! period.
On september 14 2008, I decided to go for a 100 mile ride with a buddy that I grew up with, and a close friend, who, as a veteran rider was a great and is still a great influence for riders. Hopefully, after this, I can influence a few riders to wear there gear, and ride responsibly. For those of you who are believers in Karma, my arguement does not support Karma, even though in some instances I think it is existant. The day before this ride, I rode in a ride to benifit a downed rider who had no medical insurance, very close to my situation, and to benifit the red cross, 100+ bikes, 100+ miles, no incidents. Responsible Riding at work. The next day, Which is the 14, I decided to ride a ride the mirrored my previous one, simple enough. With the temperature at right around 90* after you factor humidity, it was not one of those cool country days my hometown is famous for. The sun was unrelenting, and bearing down with no end. Due to the heat, I pondered not wearing my PowerTrip DTP Armoured Leather riding jacket. Deciding against my reasoning, I dawned the jacket, my full face helmet, both of which are black, and while riding a black air/oil cooled bike, I was burning up. Although, from the advice given here on KatRiders, and common sense, they advantages of wearing gear far outweigh the severly uncomfortable heat while wearing gear.
We started out, made it about 45 miles from where I live, in a remote area with many coal mines, but decent roads, and started of Coalwood Mountain. The mountain itself is about 4 miles from bottom to top, 55mph speed limit, which is unattainable on anything other then a sport or sport/touring bike. Riding with a Yamaha Star cruiser, and an 883 HD Sportster, I had a considerable lead, running between 50 - 65mph with long drawn out switch backs, some positive camber hard lefts, and some good straight stretches to let the bike breath, I was having a ball. Well, I topped out the mountain somewhere in the area of 55mph, there was a long sweeping curve, real stretched out, not sharp at all, which a concrete drainage ditch running the length. I glanced back to check the other guys, turned back, and noticed abrubtly that I was loosing my line, so I tapped the rear brake slightly, and countersteered, but my bike continued straight. There was a 7-10ft wide dirt median (truck turn-out) at that place in the road, so the bike low sided on the left, slide a few feet, caught and highsided, launching me off while still going around 15-20 mph easily. I flew for a distance of around 15 paces, never contacting the ground along the way. Being of a considerable weight, about 220lbs, and riding bulls and horses with bad temperments, Ive NEVER been thrown that hard, that far. When I hit the ground, It felt like getting hit by a freight train. It was horrible, it knocked the breath out of my for at least 1 min, timing from the 883 taking that long to shed speed and find a place to turn and come back.
So where am I now? While writing this, I have been to the ER that evening, after making it back. They X-Rayed my shoulder, and ribcage, but do to swelling, were unable to tell me much. So, I went in for a follow up this morning and the inventory of stuff broken, sprained , etc, goes as follows :
Right Humerous - Hairline Fracture
2 Right ribs, uppermost toward the top - Broken
Shoulder has permanent bone chips - Hurts like He|_|_
Trap Muscle, Peck Muscle, both sprained
Collerbone Bruised
So Far For The Bike:
-New Right Fairing
-New Handlebar
-New Front Brake MasterCylinder and Lever
-New Windscreen
-New Paint
-New Bar Ends
-Tank Dent Bondo'ed/Fixed
-New Pegs
-New Exhaust (dragged and scuffed during accident)
-New Font Signals
-New Grab Bar
The most upsetting things about these injuries, is most of them, there is not much they can do with the medical field that can help, rest, painkillers, and ice. But I do have one thing to make a point of, all of this happened to a healthy partly in shaped rider in good gear. What would have happened to an older or younger rider, not so much in shape, which no gear ? ALWAYS WEAR YOUR GEAR!!!!
For the illustration, these pictures are of my gear I was wearing when I went down, and of my bike, Doesnt look so bad huh? Well , reread my list of injuries, and compare to my list of gear, and the speed of the accident..... IT doesnt take much to hurt you, asphalt, concrete, gravel and dirt dont give, your body will......ll
I know this accident could have been alot worse, and many other have suffered worse situations then the one I have now, but... the point of the story is It Shouldnt Take A Near Death Experience TO CONVINCE YOU TO WEAR YOU FREAKING GEAR!
so many roads so little time 
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