So you've crashed....
 

...now make it work for you.

NOBODY with any sanity wants to crash and I know the old saw about "there are two types of riders, those that have crashed and those that are going to."

Well, I dunno about that, 'cause I've met a few folks with many hundreds of thousands of miles who've never forgotten to keep the rubber side down, (but there aren't a BUNCH), but what I do know is that if you've crashed and assuming you haven't been badly or permanently injured, you are probebly thinking about quitting. Don't. Not yet.

Crashing is a traumatic experience. Especially the first time. I've had my share, and afterwords I was filled with a multitude of feelings; from remorse, to self-anger, to fear, to despondancy (especially when I looked at the damage to my bike). After my first crash (drunk driver changed lanes into me at 2 am), I figured I'd take the insurance money, fix the bike, and take up something safe, like nekkid skydiving. That lasted till my first test ride after I had finished the repairs.

Putting the helmet back on the first time after the crash, my hands were sweaty and shaking...I thought I'd just take a quick spin around the block to make certain everything was ok, put it in the front yard with a For Sale sign on it, and get on with my life. A year and a half and 20,000 miles later I finally got rid of that bike for a bigger one.........

Give it half a chance. Get back on, go ride, and if the whim whams don't go away, or it's lost it's charm, or you can't shake the feeling of impending doom, well, go ahead and sell the damn thing. But, if you throw the leg back over and wobble out of the driveway, and the old magic comes back.........if you get back home with a big stupid grin on your face........if you forget about the horror of the grinding of metal and plastic and the shock of the sudden fall and instead find yourself smelling the smells and SEEING things again, FEELING things again, ...well.....

....you can always list it in CL next week.

BUT. If you decide to keep on keepin' on, then take the crash as a warning. A warning that something in your routine is lacking, something in your skillset needs attention, something in your riding habits needs examination.

When I got over the emotions of my first crash, I learned to take away lessons from my mistakes. I examined all the circumstances from that first crash, from time of day, road conditions, my own physical, emotional and mental states, to the state of my training or lack thereof, to the type of gear I wore, to the shape of my mount. And I owned my part in contributing to the crash. (If you want to stay in one piece, don't be on the road on two wheels when the bars let out Friday night, and if you do have to be there, keep your head on a 360 swivel and be REAL paranoid about every car in your space...don't be there and they can't hit you.)

I've had crashes since then, and each time, I spent a good deal of energy looking for my fault(s) in the process. I haven't (knocks on wood) crashed in a long time and many miles. I like to think I remain teachable.

Today, I mentally critique each ride in the aftermath. What did I do well, what did I hack at, what did I miss, how can I be better? Where are the holes in my skills, how has getting older handicapped my riding (eyes, ears, stamina, attention, concentration). Don't get me wrong, I don't sit and contemplate my navel....I just do a mental run through as I'm putting my bike and gear away....no big deal.

And then I make a plan to deal with my faults......and stick to it.......


PS... I'm signed up for the Total Control clinic this spring................



See ya out there.......and remain teachable......


OTB

PPS... IMHO there is NO SHAME in crashing....only in not learning from it, or blaming the rest of the world.............


Rubber side down, please.....

Thanks OTB, those are some words of wisdom.

It's a little insane, but crashing is the biggest adrenaline rush you'll ever have a motorcycle. I know my first Turn 1 get-off at JGP was pretty benign, busted a footpeg and rearset bracket, that's it, but it was about a 115mph lowside. I didn't exactly enjoy it, but there was definitely a rush from pushing right to the edge, sometimes you stretch the envelope, sometimes you don't.

:dthumb:

That's the part that freaks me out about my big accident. The other couple times I went down, I know where *I* fucked up (because there was no other cause for going down other than stupid rider error), and I'd like to think I learned from those (don't take corners hot when it's cold out/tires are cold/asphalt is cold.. easy braking in the rain :lol: ).

But the one that sent me to the hospital for 5 days, there was no obvious cause that anyone in the group I was riding with could tell me.. only that I ran off the road and lost control from there. Why I ran off the road? No one saw and the resulting concussion did a number on my memory. So I don't know... and it's always haunted me - where did I go wrong? There was no gravel.. no oncoming vehicles.. Did I look behind me to check on the guy behind me and swerve? Was there a critter? :idk: So I've kept on riding.. getting back on the bike was easy, there wasn't really much of a mental block there - hard to be afraid when you can't remember what caused you to crash. But I have slowed down a lot just in general - I don't go too far out of my comfort zone unless I'm on the track, and even then I'm still pretty slow. :lol:

Great post!!

I'm with ya on this. I could honestly careless about wrecking... Other than fucking up the bike... Its why if I do end up loving the track ill spring for a track only one...

I was actually thinking of posting something about getting comfortable in the corners again after a crash.

I have crashed/totaled 3 bikes. the first two I walked away from and didn't have any problems getting back on and riding like it never happened. like you after the first crash I got a bigger bike, the second one I rebuilt it then got a quicker/faster bike. the third one I got the same bike different color.

I do not remember the last crash and about 1/4 mile before the crash site. I was talking to the guy I was riding with (when he finally came back for me) before I remember talking with him.

my ankles are messed up from the crash, I have bone floating around in one ankle and the other is stiff.

I know I had slowed down prior to the crash because I had bobbled a couple corners that I shouldn't have and wouldn't have on my old bike. this was a new bike (3 days old)and a new to me road (another reason I had slowed down).

I got back on a bike a week later (I was working in a dealership as a Tech/setup so had to). I used wheelchair/crutches for weeks, found out that I couldn't shift a sportbike for several weeks.

I go out for rides now and get that oh shit feeling on just about every corner. the new bike says I have about 20K on it now and still love to ride, just can't do the type of riding I like now because I can't figure out how to get past that feeling.

I don't go out on the streets and treat them like a racetrack but some spirited riding a little over the speed limit is fun.

stickied

Uhh.. the grammatically correct term is.... stuck. :zowned:

Outstanding!!:rockwoot:

Perhaps some track time or a one on one course session with someone could help ya out Zed!

I know when I went down at the track, I was back out on the street as soon as I fixed the bike, but the first time I went back to the track I panicked and almost refused to get out there. As soon as I got my feet out on the track however and did a few laps, I was good as new again. Maybe Im just too dumb to worry about it...:wink:

I've been to a couple but they always want me to go faster than I feel comfortable with. another thing is if I wad up this one it'll be quite a while before I am able to get insurance. the last one I was a couple months from going 3 years without wading one up (so I had 3 within 5 years and they don't like that) they were going to drop me.

don't get me wrong, I still get out there and try as much as possible, just can't get past that feeling. used to not matter if I couldn't see all the way through the corner, now if it's not a clearly seen corner I get that feeling.

think if I could remember what happened in that last crash it would help. I can't own what I don't remember. ;) all I know is I screwed up somehow.

I think you're going to the wrong ones then!! No good Control Rider or Rider Coach would encourage you to go faster than what you are comfortable with! Its all about riding where your comfortable until YOU are ready to up the pace. Good luck!

I have only went to the free days that Tucker Rocky pays for, for the dealership employees since the crash (you really don't make enough money to do what you love working in a bike shop). it was at HPT, wouldn't think that it was a free (to me) trackday would have mattered on how they did things.

Free or not, actual rider instructors and GOOD Control riders would never encourage you to do something as foolish as riding over your limits. They should and typically do work with each rider at the RIDER's pace and skill level. No wonder it wasnt beneficial in helping you get past the "issue".

My CR's recognized me and actually watched me closer when I first got back out to check for timidity or "blocks" that I needed to work on. My accident was first and foremost caused by improper body postioning and riding faster than my skill could keep up with and they were quick to check on my comfort back on track and to offer suggestions and drag me around to assist with my "recovery".

So it's Stuckied? Amen on OTBs post. I really agree with the "Own it" part. All crashes are rider error. What did you do and how can you avoid it again.

I am terribly analytical (was going to say anal, but you know how that flies around here!) I always critic my rides afterwards, crash or not to see where I could have improved. Sometimes all i recall (thankfully) is close calls and I make note of that before I try some boneheaded maneuver next ride.

Experience cometh from seat time and better riding from experience. Can't let a fall keep you from gaining more seat time if you really love what you do on 2 wheels. Accept responsibility for what happened and move on, wiser and better prepared...

I did a boneheaded move yesterday riding home from work. Last minute decision to take an exit, had already started moving over while checking blind spot... I'm usually johnny on the spot about checking my blind spot first, but I came close to sideswiping a car. Thankfully I looked back before I'd crossed into the other lane, but damn I felt stupid for doing that (and I'm sure the guy in the car wasn't too happy about it either). :scared:

This is a good post and I'm glad I found it. My biggest issue is not being healed enough to ride anyway and not having a bike anymore to ride even if I could physically do it. :(

I'm thinking that when I do have the money to buy another bike it's gonna be a motard and it's going to be for the track. I remember every second leading up to, during and after my crash and all I can see when I look at cars on the road now is what kind of damage their front end will do to my body. :lol: So it's gonna be a while before I ever hit the streets again.

honestly, it was harder getting back on the horse last year when kev died. Probably because i wasnt stranded somewhere with my only option riding home. Still, i hate the feeling the bike has when you start back up. Always feels greasy to me. My mind tells me its because the tire slid sideways and is no longer even but i think i just get hyper sensitive to all feedback. Dunno

Funny how the big ones sometimes are the easiest... I think it will be harder for me to get on a bike MONTHS after my little mini-bike incident than it was for me to hop on and ride 20 minutes after eating shit at 75MPH... Of course, the shattered kneecap helps...

That being said... I'm damn lucky everything happened the way it did. If I had crashed hard at 15MPH, I certainly wouldn't have learned my lesson... I thought I learned my lesson at 75MPH... Only I guess stupid didn't hurt enough then...

After tasting pavement at a higher rate of speed... I respected the road and most of it's variables... After annihilating my kneecap at low speed... I respected the first thing I should have been respecting the whole time... the fucking machine itself.

I think stickied is appropriate given the circumstances...

Very true, the worst injuries I have sustained from motorcycle accidents have been in the low speed ones, busted my knee (got me kicked out of the Army) and busted two ribs.

I bought a bike this summer and I have to admit I was tense on the thing all summer. I've never wrecked but my first husband was killed on a bike, and I think I have a real fear of something happening to me. Funny thing is I am not scared of my new husband riding..wierd huh?

Any ideas to get over it?

Sorry for your previous loss, it appears that you are in fact on the right path, after such a tragic event, being able to get back on a bike is a MAJOR feat, just easing back into things, short rides to begin with, in less populated areas. Being alert is an understatement, but being afraid can be potentially hazardous for you

Keep riding.

Meh, not for me. If I can plot my trajectory, and know I'm not gonna hit anything, then it's just really tedium as I try not to sit on one spot for too long, as I'm sliding (when it gets too hot, move around a little).

My heart never races until after. I'm pretty graceful under pressure.

I would hope so, cause you ain't graceful any other time.

:lol

Twice ...

The first one a constant struggle in my head.

Could I have hit the throttle harder bumped over to the middle lane in front of the car next to me to avoid the cruiser coming out of the median at me?

Should I have had better braking skills? Would I have had a enough room to come to a stop without planting on the hood?

Would he have backed up had a I not pulled a street luge?

I chose to grab a handful of brake as a police cruiser came out of a median break. 3 lanes of traffic on the opposite side 3 lanes on my side. I'm in the left lane an my gf about 2 -3 car lengths ahead of me. She shifted to the right side of the left land and hit the throttle. I saw the car closing in and I grabbed the brakes not to hard but as I closed in on the car I hit the rear harder. I felt the rear end start to come out and I closed my eyes and let go. As I hit the pavement I picked up my head and tucked my hands and feet as I heard my helmet skidding. I looked down the street in front of me and the cruiser was backing back into the center of the median. I stood up and chased my bike down the street.

I managed to make it to my bike the officer and his "ride along" helped block traffic for us to get our bikes to a parking lot and told us they had to answer a shots fired call and left me. No accident report. No call to the supervisor to send another squad.

I broke a critical rule I knew nothing about. After the crash if you are sliding and you think you have stopped count to at least 30 before you stand up. My knee is still suspect I tore my meniscus.


I also bit it in deals gap less than 3 weeks later wearing a knee brace riding way above my skill level. I came into a corner too hot in the rain and hit the paint. Chose the side rather than going over and dislocated my shoulder...(hey I rode down the mountain in the rain :) lol)

In my head I will always be a beginner. There are times I still catch my breath and hold. I ride with great people who are very understanding and they just wait at the turns while I take my time. I can't say enough for placing yourself in this type of support group...or living in FL its easier to ride straight and flat with no elevation change :)

Don't even ask about me flipping my quad off the mountain ;)

I hate paint


I'm curious how many folks get the time slowdown effect and if they can successfully use it to save themselves from crashing.

I crashed once, but it wasn't my fault. I only had 350 miles on my tires, so they weren't scrubbed in. Remember folks, an hour or so with fine grit sandpaper goes a long way in crash prevention!

Also gravel. ALWAYS watch for gravel.

Ditto on gravel

What's this gravel stuff you guys are complaining about?

It's in nearly every corner in the country, including most racetracks. If you've crashed, it probably played a role. TDOT actually throws patches of this stuff down at the gap just for kicks.

Does the word "Chipseal" ring a bell?

( or Chip Seal depending on who spells it)

REALLY?

http://www.sportbikes.net/forums/gen...ire-break.html

Given The Awesome's experience level, I'd say he was making a funny... :idk:

what he said

hmm, i cant seem to recall to ever seeing any of this stuff. I will have to pay attention more.

No, I was just throwing the typical squid excuses into the conversation for fun. I don't believe in tire break in, and I acknowledge most of my crashes were my fault.

I agree with the original post about the importance of crash analysis. Bad riders make excuses while good riders learn and improve.

Time dilation. They researched it. What actually happens is like the "Turbo" button on the old PCs; there's a momentary burst in "clock speed" of the brain. It makes everything seem like it's in slo-mo.

I don't think everyone gets it, though.

Got a link? I've never had the correct search word so I could read up on it

http://www.bing.com/search?q=researc...&go=&form=QBLH

First five links I got were relevant.

I agree with you not good to ride late at night especially if you live in a party town.