A personal example of how full gear can save your ass!

DLIT · 12-21-2010, 05:31 PM

On the 11th of this month I had a nice, high speed off and met a curb at the lake out here. A road I've been on probably close to a hundred times. They had just repaved a new section and this was probably my 10th time hitting it.

So I'm going through this left sweeper and transitioning into a right sweeper. With me, sweepers mean high speeds. My limits are higher than most, but I always stay within them on the street. I honestly believe my speed had nothing to do with the initial part of the wreck, when I lowsided. While transitioning, my front end just said PEACE! No feedback...nothing. I was initiating my lean to the right and it just went out from under me.

Now, my speed played a role in what happened next. I lowsided and started slidng. I was on my back and lifting my head to find out where my trajectory was gonna take me. I've always wondered how it felt to slide in leathers, after seeing the pros do it for years. It actually wasn't bad at all. Then I saw the curb I was heading to. All I could do was lift my head so it wouldn't hit it and shut my eyes. I opened my eyes at the bottom of the hill, tried standing up but I started getting dizzy and layed back down.

I was riding with one dude I had met that day. Luckily, a couple in a truck stopped after they saw the dust from my R1 flipping around and whatnot. They had Onstar and called the paramedics for me. The cell reception is shit out there.

Here's some pics and morte description...

Here's the point of impact shot. You can see I was no where near the apex when the bike lowsided on me. You can follow the marks where the bike went. The part where there wasn't a curb. You can kinda see the sliding marks from my leathers too.

Here's another angle. You can see my sliding marks...heading towards where the two angled of the curb meet. Hit it with my right side. My shoulder grazed it and my upper hip took most of the impact. Probably the reason why I have three fractured vertebrae in my lower back.

I hit the curb, went over it and came to rest here, about 25 feet from the road. Fully concious the whole time, just being still.

Another angle from the road.

Here's a headlight from the R1. Look how far away from me it is. I,m where the person wearing white is.

The bike I'm impressed with the damage. This was just after it was picked up and put on its stand.

And I had just put the black forks on it the week prior. Some dude traded with me.

Got a flight to the trauma center because it was so far away, it woulda taken an ambulance about an hour to get there,

As she sits in my garage.

The damage to me?
-Abrasion on my right shoulder blade where it hit the curb. The scab is pretty much gone now
-Jammed pinky pretty good. Able to fully move it now.
-A couple abrasions on my legs. Most likely where the hard parts of the bike got me when I was lowsiding. My suit has shin protection, but one big abrasion was on my right shin.
-Three fractured vertebrae in my lower back. Still suffering from it. Getting around on crutches just fine. Took some steps without the crutches. Possible, but still sore whenever I transfer weight from leg to leg. Laying down in my bed, no pain at all.

DLIT · 12-21-2010, 05:35 PM

I'll have to get the pics of my suit up later. It's starting to get painful, sitting upright in this chair.

dReWpY · 12-21-2010, 05:35 PM

Damn man, heal up and be safe

Archren · 12-21-2010, 05:43 PM

Glad to hear you're still in one piece, man... take it easy and heal up.

Particle Man · 12-21-2010, 06:17 PM

First: holy crap - heal up fast and glad you're okay(ish)

Second: dumb question maybe, but why the hell is there a curb in the middle of freaking nowhere...??

njchopper87 · 12-21-2010, 07:37 PM

Shit.. I hope you heal up fast. I'm happy it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Mikey · 12-21-2010, 08:18 PM

Glad you're around to tell the story. Good luck with the healing process.

DLIT · 12-21-2010, 08:28 PM

Thanks, guys. I think I'm healing up pretty good so far. More bored to death than anything. Got a Netflix account and watching a bunch of shit. Mostly documentaries. Good one on Troy Bayliss' career up until 2004.

ericr · 12-21-2010, 08:34 PM

"Holy shit" was my first though on seeing the bike! Glad you were geared up man, could have been way worse!

Weird place for the front end to wash too, I wonder if there was something on the road there? Doesn't look like there would have been enough lean angle.... unless you were doing 200mph+ (just what is your limit?)

Heal up quick dude

tached1000rr · 12-21-2010, 08:43 PM

get better soon!

12-21-2010, 05:31 PM	#1
DLIT Clit Commander Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Las Vegas Moto: 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale S Posts: 4,189	A personal example of how full gear can save your ass! On the 11th of this month I had a nice, high speed off and met a curb at the lake out here. A road I've been on probably close to a hundred times. They had just repaved a new section and this was probably my 10th time hitting it. So I'm going through this left sweeper and transitioning into a right sweeper. With me, sweepers mean high speeds. My limits are higher than most, but I always stay within them on the street. I honestly believe my speed had nothing to do with the initial part of the wreck, when I lowsided. While transitioning, my front end just said PEACE! No feedback...nothing. I was initiating my lean to the right and it just went out from under me. Now, my speed played a role in what happened next. I lowsided and started slidng. I was on my back and lifting my head to find out where my trajectory was gonna take me. I've always wondered how it felt to slide in leathers, after seeing the pros do it for years. It actually wasn't bad at all. Then I saw the curb I was heading to. All I could do was lift my head so it wouldn't hit it and shut my eyes. I opened my eyes at the bottom of the hill, tried standing up but I started getting dizzy and layed back down. I was riding with one dude I had met that day. Luckily, a couple in a truck stopped after they saw the dust from my R1 flipping around and whatnot. They had Onstar and called the paramedics for me. The cell reception is shit out there. Here's some pics and morte description... Here's the point of impact shot. You can see I was no where near the apex when the bike lowsided on me. You can follow the marks where the bike went. The part where there wasn't a curb. You can kinda see the sliding marks from my leathers too. Here's another angle. You can see my sliding marks...heading towards where the two angled of the curb meet. Hit it with my right side. My shoulder grazed it and my upper hip took most of the impact. Probably the reason why I have three fractured vertebrae in my lower back. I hit the curb, went over it and came to rest here, about 25 feet from the road. Fully concious the whole time, just being still. Another angle from the road. Here's a headlight from the R1. Look how far away from me it is. I,m where the person wearing white is. The bike I'm impressed with the damage. This was just after it was picked up and put on its stand. And I had just put the black forks on it the week prior. Some dude traded with me. Got a flight to the trauma center because it was so far away, it woulda taken an ambulance about an hour to get there, As she sits in my garage. The damage to me? -Abrasion on my right shoulder blade where it hit the curb. The scab is pretty much gone now -Jammed pinky pretty good. Able to fully move it now. -A couple abrasions on my legs. Most likely where the hard parts of the bike got me when I was lowsiding. My suit has shin protection, but one big abrasion was on my right shin. -Three fractured vertebrae in my lower back. Still suffering from it. Getting around on crutches just fine. Took some steps without the crutches. Possible, but still sore whenever I transfer weight from leg to leg. Laying down in my bed, no pain at all. __________________ Dress for the crash. Not the ride.

12-21-2010, 05:35 PM	#2
DLIT Clit Commander Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Las Vegas Moto: 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale S Posts: 4,189	I'll have to get the pics of my suit up later. It's starting to get painful, sitting upright in this chair. __________________ Dress for the crash. Not the ride.

12-21-2010, 05:43 PM	#4
Archren Sham WOW Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: ATX Moto: 2007 Ducati 1098 Posts: 2,741	Glad to hear you're still in one piece, man... take it easy and heal up. __________________ Photography "The Vincent was like a bullet that went straight; the Ducati is like the magic bullet that went sideways and hit JFK and the Governor of Texas at the same time. It was impossible." - Hunter S. Thompson, Song of the Sausage Creature "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss

12-21-2010, 08:18 PM	#7
Mikey Raving Lunatic Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Antonio, Texas Moto: Concours 14 ABS, ZX6E Posts: 902	Glad you're around to tell the story. Good luck with the healing process. __________________ Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

12-21-2010, 08:28 PM	#8
DLIT Clit Commander Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Las Vegas Moto: 2012 Ducati 1199 Panigale S Posts: 4,189	Thanks, guys. I think I'm healing up pretty good so far. More bored to death than anything. Got a Netflix account and watching a bunch of shit. Mostly documentaries. Good one on Troy Bayliss' career up until 2004. __________________ Dress for the crash. Not the ride.

12-21-2010, 06:17 PM	#5
Particle Man Custom User Title Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central NY Moto: 2003 SV650S Posts: 14,959	First: holy crap - heal up fast and glad you're okay(ish) Second: dumb question maybe, but why the hell is there a curb in the middle of freaking nowhere...??

12-21-2010, 08:43 PM	#10
tached1000rr WERA White Plate Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: NC Moto: 2009 GSXR 1300 Posts: 2,448	get better soon!