# let's talk about motorcycle wrecks



## chuckwood (Feb 4, 2019)

Here's a motorcycle story for y'all. In the mid 70's I hired on with a small construction outfit building homes. I was an apprentice and got the usual amount of hazing and other crap you get in the blue collar world starting out. At the time I didn't have a car but I did have three motorcycles. I rode to work every day regardless of the weather. Whenever I'd enounter my boss or coworkers on the road morning or evening, I'd be sure and pass them at high speed making as much racket as possible and trying balance things out regarding the pecking order at work - I had to make sure everybody knew that my balls were as big as everybody elses, even if my building skills were still at beginner levels. 

So after a couple months with this company, my boss asks me at the end of the day if he can ride my bike. Ordinarily, I never loaned out motorcycles, but this was my boss. I loved the guy despite his over the top macho disposition. He'd been a Cobra helicopter gunship pilot in 'nam, and I figured he'd be able to handle the bike just fine. So here he comes, no helmet, flying down the road and as he passes the driveway to the building site he loses his nerve in the curve, and instead of leaning the bike over some more to make the turn, he straightens it out and goes right off the road and into a big pile of fill dirt. The front end of the bike smacks into the dirt pile and boss goes over the handlebars head first into the soft dirt. His head is actually buried in the lose dirt - he's like a bug stuck on flypaper. We run down there fearing the worst, it was one of the more surrealistic experiences of my life. By the time we get to him, he's out of the dirt, looking somewhat dazed. He's blowing brown snot out of his nose and his face doesn't look too good either. But other than that, he's ok and now apologizing about wrecking the bike. The front forks are bent sideways a bit, tank dented up, turn signals broke, mirrors busted, but it starts up again. I get on it and it's still rideable. It shakes and wobbles because the front end is trashed, but I test it out and get it up to 30 mph. By now I'm getting more and more upset about the bike, and I insist on riding it home - boss insists I put the bike in the back of his pickup truck instead. We get into a argument and I ride home with boss following behind - I'm slow but I make it back on the crippled machine. Boss's wife is furious with him for what he did, and she said he came home with dirt in his hair, up his nose, and in his ears. He did break some ribs, but we were all back at work the next day anyhow, and I was given the boss's new F250 pickup to drive while my bike was in the shop. 

Fast forward 40 years or so and I'm driving my 18 year old grandson to Nashville so he can purchase his dream car - a Nissan 350Z I think it was, it was a high performance two seater sports car that was very fast. While we're leaving for Nashville I show my grandson the spot beside the road where my boss wrecked my bike years ago, and I tell him the story. I also lecture him about being smart with high performance cars and staying safe. I tell him DON'T LET ANY OF YOUR FRIENDS DRIVE THIS CAR! Three or four days later I get a call from him at around midnite. His car is wrecked and can I come to Knoxville and pick him up at work? I blew up at him and yelled into the receiver - you've had this car just for a few days and you've already wrecked it! You stupid idiot what did I tell you! - yada yada yada - fill in the blanks. After my initial tirade I find out it was his boss driving the car. It was boss's birthday and boss figured that drifting this car around in the parking lot and showing off at the mall late at nite would be a nice birthday present for him. Instead the car left the road and got totaled in the woods and bushes. Grandson was in the passenger seat and got shook up pretty good. It was his first decent automobile wreck and he was very subdued. I couldn't hassle him about letting his boss drive his car - I'd done basically the very same thing many years ago.


----------



## lone wolf (Feb 4, 2019)

Wow whats the odds of that?


----------



## 1Alpha1 (Feb 4, 2019)

I've been riding m/c's on the street since age 16. Got my driver's license at age 15 1/2. I don't keep track of how many miles I ride per year. Some do......I don't. I don't ride nearly as much as some, but a lot more than others. 

Anyways, I've only been down once on a bike while riding on the street. That was back in the summer of 1977. I was on my 1976 Kawasaki KZ-900. I was only doing about 40-45 or so, and a relatively newly license female driver pulled out right in front of me from a side street. 

I _almost_ got around her. My left leg caught the left edge of the rear bumper. I went down, but was mostly uninjured. I was more mad than anything else. And, I let her know that. 

I got the info. I needed and rode my bike home. Damage was limited to the fuel tank, left muffler, a engine side case, and some damage to the tail section. All in all, the damage came to about $1000.00. Her insurance paid for it all, to include a new helmet and two weeks use of a rental car. 

Looking back at all the years I've been riding, I've been fortunate. I've had my share of close calls / encounters. It really is dangerous anymore though, and I'm very aware of it. When I ride, I tend to stay out of town if at all possible. I have some favorite routes I ride and they are pretty safe in regards to less traffic. I don't relax all that much until I get out on the road and to myself. 

Not sure just how long I will continue to ride. I have a few good years left though. I'm honest with myself and am aware of my limitations as I grow older. I'm thinking I'll be good for another 10 yrs. or so.


----------



## chuckwood (Feb 4, 2019)

1Alpha1 said:


> I've been riding m/c's on the street since age 16. Got my driver's license at age 15 1/2. I don't keep track of how many miles I ride per year. Some do......I don't. I don't ride nearly as much as some, but a lot more than others.
> 
> Anyways, I've only been down once on a bike while riding on the street. That was back in the summer of 1977. I was on my 1976 Kawasaki KZ-900. I was only doing about 40-45 or so, and a relatively newly license female driver pulled out right in front of me from a side street.
> 
> ...



For some reason, I'm finding myself dreaming about motorcycling again. It might be a bad idea though, but I'll probably do it anyway. I'm reading that people who haven't ridden a bike in many decades must start over completely - even to the point of taking the motorcycle safety course. I had a brief period around 15 years ago of intense lusting after a Honda Blackbird. But I got over it and forgot about it. Now I'm reading that there are many Honda Blackbirds in great shape for sale out there at prices less than 5 grand. I'm pretty sure that if I buy a blackbird right now - I'm gonna end up wrecking it. I'll have to start all over with something between 300 to 500 cc. and then work my way up to a blackbird. What's nice about the bird is that it's also a touring bike, and there are lots of blackbirds out there that have been driven conservatively by touring riders who don't thrash and trash their bikes like the sport riders do.


----------



## 1Alpha1 (Feb 4, 2019)

I haven't had any years that I haven't rode. Even when I was stationed in Europe, I rode. My time doing so was limited, but I rode when I could. Riding over there, was a dream. Europeans are more accustomed to seeing m/c riders and adjust for them. That, and the scenery / roads are spectacular. 

Working up to a larger bike when you haven't rode for some time, is a good idea. Nothing wrong with that. Just get your mindset right. You have to be on-guard at all times. People driving can and do some really stupid things. I'm sure that you are well aware of that.

If you do decide to ride again, take your time and don't rush things. Get a feel for your bike and the road. It'll all come rushing back to you in due time. Work on your panic braking and balance. *NEVER* assume that people in cars will see you. Ride as if you are invisible, because to most of the drivers, you are. People just don't look for m/c riders. 

Even if you are in the right, and you collide with a car, you w ll end up losing each & every time. I hope that you are one of those that always wear a good quality helmet and believe in them. The proper riding gear is essential.


----------



## chuckwood (May 26, 2019)

1Alpha1 said:


> I've been riding m/c's on the street since age 16. Got my driver's license at age 15 1/2. I don't keep track of how many miles I ride per year. Some do......I don't. I don't ride nearly as much as some, but a lot more than others.
> 
> Anyways, I've only been down once on a bike while riding on the street. That was back in the summer of 1977. I was on my 1976 Kawasaki KZ-900. I was only doing about 40-45 or so, and a relatively newly license female driver pulled out right in front of me from a side street.
> 
> ...



I had a wreck just like yours except it was a big dog that "pulled out in front of me" chasing another dog. I was going a leisurely 40 mph or so in a residential area. One second I was up - next second I was low siding the bike after hitting the dog. I limped home with road rash and torn clothing, and my bike suffered pretty much the same injuries as yours did. 

Today I witnessed a biker almost colliding with a car, barely making it around a vehicle that pulled out right in front of him. I was in heavy traffic in a multi-lane commercial/shopping area. I was just moving into the turn lane to make a left turn when I noticed a loud and fast Harley coming up behind me in the left lane I was just turning out of. In front of me was another vehicle waiting in the opposite turn lane getting ready to make a left turn into the lane I was vacating. I found myself thinking "I hope that driver sees and hears the oncoming Harley behind me. (I've got broken ac and have my windows down). The Harley rider saw a clear lane ahead of him with my turn and he opened the throttle even more, running at least 30 mph over the speed limit. Crap! I got real focused when I saw this car pull right into the path of the bike, either not seeing it or assuming it was traveling at normal speed and that there was time. The Harley got lucky because he had just enough time to swerve over into the right lane, barely missing the car. I never even noticed his brake light coming on, brakes alone would not have prevented impact anyway. I had to stop and watch the rider's reaction after this event. Sure enough he chased the offending car down to the next traffic light and I could see him arguing with the driver. 

What a dope! Why do people do this? I never rode like that in heavy traffic when I was a rider, instead I expected people to either pull out in front of me or move into my lane. If you ride, you *will* experience this - getting mad at the cage drivers solves nothing. I was always scanning traffic for vehicles that were behaving badly, and I made every effort to position myself to stay away from them. I always rode in the slow lane in heavy traffic and tried to stay out of people's blind spots. If you are on long distance rides in all sorts of weather and experiencing normal road hazards, you are already doing something plenty risky and macho. No more increase in testosterone is to be gained by showing off and making noise in some generic city where nobody has a clue as to who you are and they could care less about you showing off, making noise and going fast, basically yelling at everybody "watch me!"


----------



## chuckwood (May 26, 2019)

1Alpha1 said:


> I haven't had any years that I haven't rode. Even when I was stationed in Europe, I rode. My time doing so was limited, but I rode when I could. Riding over there, was a dream. Europeans are more accustomed to seeing m/c riders and adjust for them. That, and the scenery / roads are spectacular.
> 
> Working up to a larger bike when you haven't rode for some time, is a good idea. Nothing wrong with that. Just get your mindset right. You have to be on-guard at all times. People driving can and do some really stupid things. I'm sure that you are well aware of that.
> 
> ...



"riding gear"? I've had to think a minute about the riding gear I used. No full face helmets, I even had one of those "half helmets" that barely covers the top half of your head. With my winter riding I was using the same jackets and jeans I'd been using on backpacking trips. A few weeks ago I bought a brand new armored motorcycle jacket I found at a thrift store - they didn't know what it was and price was a steal. I put it on and thought WOW! Kevlar pads in all the strategic places like elbows, shoulders, etc. If I'd had gear like that back when I was riding, my low sides would have been a piece of cake - no road rash and bruises. 

And most of my low sides all happened while cornering during late fall/winter, encountering ice, road debris, leaves, etc. Came around a sharp and blind turn once in the mountains, hit a patch of wet leaves in the rain, and off I go into the bushes. These were all low speed wrecks where I wasn't going over the speed limit. If you live in a mountainous area, your riding can consist of endless cornering, and that's where a lot of wrecks happen - even when you are doing everything right. Cornering is also where a lot of the fun happens as well!


----------



## rarefish383 (Jun 2, 2019)

One of my buddies in high school and I had twin cars. His was a red 69, 340 Swinger with black bumble bee stripe, 4 speed. Mine was an orange 69, 340 Swinger with black bumble bee stripe, auto. He loved the auto and I loved the stick, so, often on weekends, we would swap cars. We met up at the usual spot and he tossed me his keys and said, "just tuned it up, take her for a spin." The last thing I remember was looking at the speedo as I shifted from 3rd to 4th, and it was just going past 90. I woke up in a hedge row. I had hit a patch of sand or gravel on the road and took off sliding. I hit a fire hydrant and bent it flat to the ground, just before I hit the tree, a low limb hit the top of the windshield and roof smashing it back to where, if you hands were on the steering wheel, they were outside of the car. Then I hit the tree, and wound up in the hedge row. The rear axle was bent so if you pushed down on the drivers side of the trunk, the passenger side tire was an inch or so off the ground. Needless to say, I gave my friend my car. When the cops got there they went round and round me, amazed I could walk and didn't seem hurt. I had glass in my shirt pockets, ears, and hair. I think 69 was the first year that Dodge offered a shoulder belt, and I was the only one in my crowd that wore my lap and shoulder belts. 

In 1976, at 31 years old, my brother was killed on his Honda. An old man ran a red light and never even saw him. I hated that old man and used to think of all the proper punishments he should have. Several years later we were working for an old man, one of our regular customers. My Dad owned a residential Tree Service. I was in the back yard with him going over the work order. He had a couple cars under cheap tarps. I told him I was into old cars and asked what did he have under the tarps. He looked at me for a few seconds and started to shake, and then cry. He said they had taken his drivers license back in 1976 and he couldn't drive anymore. He had run a red light and killed a young man on a motor cycle, and never even knew he hit him. I was in college when my brother was killed. I don't remember ever hearing the old man's name.You would think he would have known our names, maybe he did. I don't know for certain that he was the one that hit my brother, but the dates and location were just too close. But, I learned that every accident has two sides. The old fellow was a super nice guy, when we worked for him he always made his home open to us. Whether he hit my brother of some other young man, in the blink of an eye, his life was ruined. Two families were devastated. I no longer hate him, I've fully forgiven him.


----------



## Del_ (Jun 8, 2019)

1Alpha1 said:


> I haven't had any years that I haven't rode. Even when I was stationed in Europe, I rode. My time doing so was limited, but I rode when I could. Riding over there, was a dream. Europeans are more accustomed to seeing m/c riders and adjust for them. That, and the scenery / roads are spectacular.
> 
> Working up to a larger bike when you haven't rode for some time, is a good idea. Nothing wrong with that. Just get your mindset right. You have to be on-guard at all times. People driving can and do some really stupid things. I'm sure that you are well aware of that.
> 
> ...



We haven't heard from 1Alpha1 since Feburary 18, 2019.

Wonder what is up?


----------



## RC Cole (Jan 19, 2020)

Welllll, last wreck was pretty much the cap of a rough year. I started the year by having a heart attack during a track day in Kershaw SC. On November 8 2008 ( how can I forget) The Ex packed her bags , grabbed the boy and moved out. When I got off work at 7PM met with her and my son to eat supper. When I left the burger joint I made it about a mile when I killed my first bear. A 400 lb Sow Blackbear . Never kill a bear with a motorcycle. It hurts


----------



## old guy (Jan 19, 2020)

I don't even know where to start.


----------



## lone wolf (Jan 19, 2020)

old guy said:


> I don't even know where to start.


With the worst one .


----------

