Birdmanxx

I have been very reluctant to admit this to anyone (family, friends, CBRxx followers) but I had a fall on my 2003 model bird the day after I bought it. I bought it Friday 15/2/8. The accident (16/2 at noon) was about 2km from the top of Mt Baw Baw in Victoria at Chairlift Gully - which is an unsigned hairpin bend. I had not been there before and didn't know the corner.

I was taking it easy - last in a group of 3 riders. The bike rider about 200m in front of me also missed the bend, but he kept it up and went into a carpark straight across - he was only riding a 250 which may have helped.

I had just come around a fairly tight right hander and passed two large snow season signs (it is summer here, no snow), I started into the uphill left hander and it became a hairpin. I wasn't going fast but I locked up the front brake! Not good. The bike only slid about 4m (about 12ft).

I got up and thought "Ohh my bike!", then as I picked it up my shoulder felt weird and thought "Ohh my shoulder!". I picked the bike up with one arm (a well balanced bike is easy to pick up - the other rider was surprised). I immediately changed back to "Ohh my bike!!" and nearly cried after I saw the damage.

The next day when my wife drove, my brother and I to pick up the bike from the fire shed at the top - she nearly went over the road at the same point in a Toyota minivan - I had to warn her as she began to go across the road.

This is the worst bike accident I've had in 20 years of riding. My collar bone came away from my shoulder blade. The staff at the Baw Baw village were very supportive. It took about 3.5 hours to get to a hospital for "treatment" and Warragul hospital didn't have xray manned so I had to head to Casey (Berwick, Melbourne) hospital for xrays - but I waited there another 4-5 hours (I guess since I had already been treated somewhat at another hospital). It was a very long day. I also had to report my accident in person to the closest police station - Warragul.

I received an infringement in the mail from the Warragul police because I had just bought the bike and the transfer hadn't been processed - it was not registered on the police database.

I hadn't had time to get it insured since the insurance companies were not open when I got home on Friday. I ordered new bits and pieces as soon as possible, they are sitting in the garage awaiting fitting. Honda supplies them already painted and stickered - which I thought was great.

My shoulder has been operated on and I am just waiting now to fully recover.

Basically - what a week!

This is therapy for me to finally admit it to all the world. I think I'm prepared for the worst comments you could possibly give me because I have already totally beaten myself up about it.

We don't normally like talking too much about mistakes or pain in our bike riding. Do you have an experience you'd like to share?

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flblackbird

Sorry to hear it man, heal up quick!

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Mike
02 Silver Bird
I'm a Yamaha tech., that's why I ride a Honda

CanadianBird

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not good.

DragonXX

SHITE !
Get well soon and get back on
And isn't it nice to see the coppers so compassionate

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" 'Birds of a feather, flock together "

Quote of the month: "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein

Nutter67

Sorry to hear about the misfortune, hope you recover quickly. Have you learned how to fix the bird one handed yet ????

Baw Baw to Warragul to Berwick and back to Warragul with a knackered shoulder. Never a fun trip.

Nothing quite so embarrassing, but a few years ago I hit a small puppy doing about 40kmh on my RZ350. The impact was enough for me to have roughly the same injury (seperated AC joint left shoulder). The bike was picked up by neighbours and placed in somebodies front yard. I went to Monash Hospital, had to do weight bearing xrays (luckily the xray operators were in a sound proof booth - I was swearing a lot with the pain) and got told by the ortho registrar that I could have the operation, but they couldn't guarantee that the shoulder would be any better.

When I went to pick up the bike that evening, I was met in the front yard by an angry looking bloke who said "my 3yo son told me that this is the bike that killed our favorite dog...."

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Paul

Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn't get to three seconds earlier

monsieurnet

hope you feel better soon.

Birdmanxx

Thanks for your wishes, aren't you going to add - "how could you do that to such a beautiful piece of machinery?"

Dragonxx - thats what I thought too about the police - I had told him that I just bought it too.

Nutter67 - I actually visited the police station between hospitals because the nurses had rung them but they wouldn't come to me in the Warragul hospital.
I am not alone after all. The weight bearing exercises don't sound good, I'm glad they didn't put me through that, do you think some people like to see motorcyclists suffer for having accidents (using valuable resources)? Is your shoulder good now? What happened with the man and the dog?

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Nutter67

No need to say anything, you've already said it all, and worse. I picked up my bird from turn 2 a Phillip Island, looked at the mirror sitting next to the bike and the oil leaking out of the cracked stator cover and thought "AAAARRRRGGGGHHH"

Say no more.

My shoulder was in a sling for 6 weeks and now permanently sits higher and further forward than the other shoulder. I have almost full use from it (just a bit weaker) and very little pain.

Luckily the neighbors intervened with this bloke when I picked up the RZ, nothing more was said. Real lucky, I wasnt in a position to defend myself.

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Paul

Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn't get to three seconds earlier

Birdmanxx

Glad to hear that your shoulder injury is "mostly painless"! I expect that it will be similar for me too.

The dog owner would be liable for the accident though! If you hit a cow or sheep the owner of the animal is responsible. I guess that's why we like to leave it to the insurance companies because dealing with aggressive people is best through a third, objective party.

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jjmcjames

Hope you recover soon.

monsieurnet

Hi
I think all of us agree.
the piece of machinery you have to watch out for is the one you went to the hospital for, that is the most important one.

The bird is beautiful but not irreplaceable, well at least the parts are still available.

No one here is going to say anything about how could you do that, we all know we all can.

Glad you are feeling up,
Mnet.

Grrrr

man lying your steed down is never good. i was test driving my first street bike when i put it down. (89 ninja) my buddy came to a party i was throwing on the ninja. i was looking for a bike he was selling his. after many beer and alot of negotiating i was feeling like super man and a test drive. with all of us having many beer no one tried to stop me. another funny thing about drinking is that you tend not to notice much( like a BALD front tire) needless to say i got myself going a little to fast and blew a tight left hander. ran through a dicth and hit a culvert that had been paved around. i landed in some guys front yard with the bike. another funny thing about drinking to much: you dont feel as much. i jumped up picked up the bike fired it up and rode home. once there i noticed my shoes gone along with parts of the bike. my buddy was more concerned with me than the bike but he was definitly pissed. so i bought the bike called the party and went to bed. woke up the next morning with a busted collar bone and wrist. the worst part about my story? thats how im known by my buddies that ride. it always comes up at my expense. the best part about it? none of my buds get on their bikes after drinking. so theres usually a good side to most silly spills. mine brings a good laugh even after fifteen years and it has also possibly save some lives. sorry to here about your spill and i hope you heal soon! ride hard ride safe!

Venus97

Man, sorry to hear of your accident. Sounds like a poorly designed road with a lack of warning signs.

Hope you hel quickly and are able to fix your bird affordably.

PJNXX

Sorry to hear about your spill. Get well soon!

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-Paul

Birdmanxx

Thanks guys.

It's true, every mistake is a chance to learn and improve.

Grrr - Great example on why not to drink and ride, not easy to remember under the influence. Obviously you recovered physically. Glad to hear that good came from it. I traded my '88 Ninja ZX10 on the bird.

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Bradsbird

Its good to tell Birdman as it helps others not make the same mistakes and learn.

I had a firestorm as my first big bike and was on my learners riding with a buddy on his busa. he went through round about and made it look so easy, so i followed but the RB tighten up real quick (they have since fixed) and i didn't know anything about counter steering thought the bike would just turn if i lent over it didn't and i went over the kerb into the sand which flip me back onto the road, wrecked all me fairing and crank case cover all the oil came out. The 4wd behind stopped and got out to see if i was ok my mate came back and said you can take your helmet off, which i wouldn't because the 4wd which stopped was a foreman from my work small world huh. Thats how i learn't to counter steer, went home and studied up on it.

Just recently i bought a new vfr( had it two weeks) and was out on a group ride we were going around a tight corner i was in front next thing i know the back end just slides out i managed to stand it up but was off line, had to brake hard before going off the road into a storm drain ditch, amazingly just scratched all the fairings, but as i get me thoughts together see two of my riding buddies come down as well they came off and totalled their bikes. What happen was it was about 38 dgrees and they had laid new road works which the tar had melted and become like an oil puddle it was in the shade of a tree so you could'nt see it, no signs, no warning hence insurance company claiming against the shire both times i walked away with just embarressment God is good!

Birdmanxx

Helmets can be handy, not just for landing on your head either. Did your foreman find out?

Glad to hear that you came out of your accidents without a scratch. They are good learning experiences because you know a lot more about the limits of your bike and your skills.

It is still hard isn't it - dealing with insurance companies, analysing the event to make sure it doesn't happen again but probably most of all your family and friends think motorbikes are dangerous for you.

Anyway, we live to ride another day.

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Bradsbird

No my foreman didn't find out he is a real loud person and it would have been all over the refinery (alcoa) the next time i went to work. Luckly they were going some where in a hurry. The worst part was once i trailored the bike back to my mates he took me home he lives in perth i lived 70 ks away i had to pillion on the back of his busa never pillioned before and i just had an accident then he cranks it up to 180 on the on ramp to the freeway hello!! talk about getting back on the horse

I know exactly what you mean about family thinking its dangerous, hence i didn't tell them about either of them my wife is the only one that knows.

Both accidents were my fault and fortunately i can learn from them, all though the second one the shire contributed to, the road is not the best and i should have treated it as such. There are more risk if you have an accident and if you rode sensibly you more than likely be fine, the problem is we like to have fun when those bends come. thats where the problems can come so its a matter of balance between fun and self control Don't push more than you are comfortable with is the key. Group riding is where you need the most self control and be switched on. From now on on group rides i will be just cruising at the back Both accidents happened while riding with someone else your normal concentration is altered i find.

Maxx409

Wow Birdman, my heart goes out to you and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Not too long ago I was coming out of an RV resort I was staying at. Usually never even see another soul, I hit a patch of mud, bird lays down and goes sliding down the road about 8 feet. Got to scuff up my new tourmaster riding gear and put a couple dings in my new Shoei helmet with BRAND spanking new $80 chrome visor (that's about $1.50 USD to those across the pond now (sheesh)). Best part was, it seemed EVERY person staying at that park had come over to see if I was okay! Another use for the helmet, keepin others from going blind from my blushing red face.

The feeling of a newly scuffed bird is hard to describe (sigh).

DragonXX

"...... The feeling of a newly scuffed bird is hard to describe (sigh)." - Maxx409

We Aussies have a saying that seems to say it all really ! ........ " F&%K IT "

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" 'Birds of a feather, flock together "

Quote of the month: "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein

jmguild

In the words of our people ........ BUGGER !!

By now I hope you and your bike are mended.

Cheers

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Max

Birdmanxx

The bike is back up to scratch. I still need time to catch up, getting there slowly.

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magley64

My only noteable wreck was when I was 17.

I was on a 1977 CB750FourK, chrome spokes, full vetter winjammer fairing with a stereo, and my brand new MP3 player mounted to the handlebars (pre-Ipod).

I went uptown to rent some movies (just an excuse to ride). At the time, I liked puting the bike on the centerstand because it looked cooler standing straight up (pretty tall bike). but ther was too much of an angle in this particular barking lot, and i was afraid it was going to fall over, so i put it on the sidestand.

I got the movies, packed them in the fairing, put on my helmet, and stood the bike up. Just then, these 2 cute girls walked by and waved at me (yes I'm blaming the girls here). I started the bike, backed it down the hill and took off.

At the south side of town there is a set of S curves, First right, then left.

I slowed the bike pretty hard into the right curve, and realized I could have made it A LOT faster, so I didn't worry about slowing down for the left curve that was coming up....

when I leaned left, I heard a "TING!" and the bike straightened up on me.(damm!t, i forgot to put the kickstand up after those hot girls waved at me) In front of me, I saw a telephone pole, and the guidewire that comes down from the top at about a 60 degree angle. being a veteran of riding in grass, mud, and dirt, i thought "okay, just ride it out, apologise to the guy who's lawn you just drove through, and get home."

Just then, the bike left me, when I came to, the bike was still running on it's side, the whole fairing was toast, movies were scattered across the yard, and I had a big gouge across my face shield...

It turns out that there was a 3 ft ditch that my front tire fell into, I gripped so hard that the handlebars bent into the tank, launched me through the windshield, between the pole and the wire, and into the mud (I slid for a few yards), the bike tumbled 8 to 10 times...

When I got up, I was covered in gasoline, I was so sore that I was crawling to the bike, yet when I got there I was trying to think of how I could ride it home. Some girl stopped and let me use her phone, so i called home for one of my parents to come pick me up, but before they showed up the whole EMS team arrived. Fire, Highway Patrol, Ambulance...they fitted me with a neck brace, took me to the hospital to tell me that nothing was wrong with me. (which I told them when they showed up, and refused to get in the ambulance) I figured an ambulance ride was a $500 I didn't need.

After all was said and done, the bike got towed home, I ended up fixing it, and it's still at my house, but it has never really ran as well as it did initially.

my only sustained injury was a minor cut on my side where my wallet chain cut me. I still have the scar.

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Ðuane
"Harley's don't have a "throttle" in the typical use of the word, think of it more as a "volume knob" on the right handle bar, the more you twist it, the more windows you rattle"

lois

Glad that your OK brother, sorry about your new bike.....

...it's funny that you state that it was the tar strips that caused you grief, as I just returned from an Arizona bike trip on my brand new 07 GSXR 1000 and nearly had a wreck because of one as well. My " tar strip story" however has more to do with "lots" of tar on a residential street, and a guy with waxy wet tires.

One morning I got up early and decided to quickly run up the street 3 blocks and give my " new" ride a quick rinse. So off I go wearing nothing but, flip flops-muscle shirt- shorts- gloves, and a toque. (it's only 3 blocks...what could happen???)(ya ya ya ya ....I know....squid)
Long story short, washed the bike, and used the "wax" cycle to rinse it. Left the car wash and started around a slight....and I do mean slight, left hander. Next thing I know, bike won't turn, stop or slow down. Now mind you I am only going 25 Mph and have plenty of time to watch this all unfold. So, there I sit, trying to pick where I am going to hit the curb, and how does that persons front yard look for a " forced landing". Well wouldn't cha know....it's the only yard on the block with great big sharp pointy rocks lined up along the front of the yard. Well at this point I have pretty well decided that I am screwed and the bike will run out of road before I re-gain traction.....so I resign myself to the inevitable...and prepare for the upcoming fun. Oh, also at this point I am BITCH SLAPPING myself for leaving the house dressed for the beach.
I kept my line and body position. I didn't scream like a girl. And at the last second, my good old BT015's dried off enough to put me back on course and out of harms way.

Later that day I went back to see " what the hell had happened". Now, I've ridden in the pouring rain plenty of times over the years and never had something like that happen to me. Upon arriving at the little spot on the residential street, I noticed that the city workers had laid so much tar over the years on this curve, that there was a 4' solid wide strip of this stuff right down the middle of the lane.

I learned something that day. Had it been raining, I would have gone down for sure.

I won't forget this little lesson about tar.

And no, I would never sell my Bird....the GSXR is just a second bike.

Lou

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Call me "Captain Mudbucket".

Birdmanxx

Duane, glad you came out of that one easy. Shame about the bike. Yes, girls have that effect sometimes and I think they know it.

Lou, Good lesson about the tar - and the safety gear. I love it when a plan comes together.

I am so looking forward to getting back on my bird!

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