Man talk about cringing...just reading some of these responses !!
Not just for my sake but the fact that my wife rides...man I'd hate for her to go through some of this stuff.
My first accident was 4 days after I bought my first motorcycle and had NO training and very limited experience.
I was following too close and the line of cars in front of me locked it down due to an older gentleman pulling out in front of us and then stopping.
I was traveling about 45 mph on a 600 Ninja and locked up the front brake because I thought I was going to hit the pickup truck in front of me...front tires slid out and I went down.
No major injuries but had roadrash from both wrist to both elbows.
I was wearing a t-shirt and no jacket.
My worst accident was on a BigDog Bulldog cruiser and while rounding a curve to the left with a line of traffic facing me sitting still a guy in a Lexus IS300 decided to turn left in front of me. He was behind a big box truck/U-Haul type and the sun was in his eyes. He didn't see me when he whipped out. I didn't see him until he whipped out as well and I was about 3 feet from his grill/front right quarter panel.
BAM...I went sailing through the air and then tumbled/rolled down the street a ways. My first thought was "man I f*cked my bike up !!" I felt no pain but then saw something sticking out of my jeans...thought it was a piece of wood and tried to wipe it off.
Well it was my femur...compound fracture. I then looked back at it and noticed my foot was turned around backwards and swinging/blowing in the wind !! I said "screw the bike...somebody call 911 !!" They already had.
I ended up with a crushed heel...twisted/fractured ankle and the broken femur.
4 surgeries and 9 months on crutches later I was walking again...with a limp.
I still limp some and it's been 7 years.
I was probably going about 35 mph.