Another one down

[Bret SD]

Sorry to hear this.  Wishing you a complete and speedy recovery.

Thanks bassman!

[Bret SD]

Sorry to hear this.  Wishing you a complete and speedy recovery.

Thanks bassman!

Bad news, but glad you're OK.

Sorry to hear about your incident.

Glad that you're doing well enough to be the one posting about it.

Wow!.... those things happen in a blink of the eye.   Sorry man.    Take it easy while you recoup and dont over do it.  For best results do what the doctor orders.   Good luck with it.

Thanks to all of you, I appreciate the kind words!

[Bret SD]

Sorry to hear this. Sending prayers from Wisconsin for healing.

Thanks for the prayers thedon, so far it's going well

[Bret SD]

Sorry that you felt the hesitation about posting your own mishap. We are family after all! Fortunate for you that you have been taking care of your body as the years have gone by, I probably would not have faired as well in the same circumstances. Your descriptions of getting up models my experience some mornings depending on what I did the day before  :2funny You do have someone watching after you, right?

Thank you John, yes I do have my pseudo wife here taking care of me . The reason I hesitated was because I didn't want to add to what seems to be and endless stream of bad news these days.
Man I hope you're joking about getting out of bed that way, I didn't think it was possible for me to grunt and groan that much, lol.

Women sure do make great partners in life, at least most do! I feel obligated to warn you about getting too frisky during those sponge baths, we wouldn’t want you to have have a relapse in the healing process! 

Well... I was only in there for 2 nights, got out Sun morning, I was offered a wipe down by a pretty good looking nurse but turned it down due to getting out.. that saved me from having to be honest with my jealous girl in case she asked.. haha

[Bret SD]

Whoa, that SUCKS....

You're lucky there wasn't more speed involved, or being struck by oncoming traffic.

Take it slow, heal up and eat plenty of roughage...

There's lots of stuff to watch on TV lately......

Thanks Bob! I have to rest up for our next jousting competition..

Oh.. and BTW.. I NEVER watch TV  lol

[Bret SD]

       So WHAT with the groin smash new and fun adventures while urinating?  You Really oughta know the lay down club here ain't one you gotta join RIGHT?  I joined back in 16 and certain weather that left ankle lets me Know it Still ain't quite right!  Glad yer on the mend!  And as others have alluded to helmets only gotta work ONCE! And someone else already said it BUT DON'T DO DAT AGAIN! RIDE SAFE.

Thanks Dennis!
 
Luckily my 'junk' didn't get smashed, though laying on my back and peeing 'up' into a container is a trick in itself   

[Bret SD]

Next time you fly through the air, wear a cape.   

LOL! Thanks Connie

[Bret SD]

@Bret: really sad about what happened, I hope you have a speedy recovery.

A bit too late, but an airbag vest could potentially be useful in the future:
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,101172.0.html

Thank you and appreciate that @Savago!

[Bret SD]

Thanks Oss and Cos, dunno what the future is going to bring, for now I'm just concentrating on getting this broken body repaired

[Jess from VA]

Some gear is good for the hit (less), and some is good for the slide (more).

Armour at the fingers, shoulders, elbows, knees and good boots are good for both. 

Some gear is good to be seen, though I don't care for the neon man look, I do like the the reflective strips that show up in headlights, and I have a white mesh and armored jacket for heat.

I have all this gear, but I don't always wear it. 

It's easier to be ATGATT in cool/cold weather.

In summer, I try harder to not fall off.    

 

[Bret SD]

Injuries listed on the discharge papers:
#Right Clavicular fracture
#Right Scapular fracture
#Right Pneumothorax, Trace
#Multiple Right Rib Fractures 3, 4, 5, 6, flailed 3, 4, 5
#Right Pulmonary Contusions
#Hip Sprain
This one sucked, and didn't even include the groin assault.


So far healing is going well, still on Oxy, Gabapentin, Tylenol, Ibuprofin and some poop helpers. Today I'll start weaning off the oxy, though pain gets very sharp before the next dose is due. Scapula fracture is worst, though pain is a moving target. I can inflate lungs about 80% w/o too much pain and continue to do breath work, the water between lung and chest wall should dissipate.. flailed ribs don't seem to be too much of a problem for now.
The best news is that I can now walk around, groin is still very sore but not so bad where I can hardly move. Been walking around, working on posture and proper breathing mechanics, also neck mobility work seems to be paying off.. it's not so stiff anymore. The two middle fingers on my right hand are numb/tingly at the tips, hopefully this will go away on it's own.

Recovery progress is steady though not linear by any means, after 5 days I'm happy with where machine health is.

[Bret SD]

Some gear is good for the hit (less), and some is good for the slide (more).

Armour at the fingers, shoulders, elbows, knees and good boots are good for both. 

Some gear is good to be seen, though I don't care for the neon man look, I do like the the reflective strips that show up in headlights, and I have a white mesh and armored jacket for heat.

I have all this gear, but I don't always wear it. 

It's easier to be ATGATT in cool/cold weather.

In summer, I try harder to not fall off.    

 

That's the trick isn't it, Jess? I know I'd suck at being consistent with armor wearing.. and of course, Murphy says you can't go down unless you're not wearing it..  LOL

[Jersey mike]

Injuries listed on the discharge papers:
#Right Clavicular fracture
#Right Scapular fracture
#Right Pneumothorax, Trace
#Multiple Right Rib Fractures 3, 4, 5, 6, flailed 3, 4, 5
#Right Pulmonary Contusions
#Hip Sprain
This one sucked, and didn't even include the groin assault.


So far healing is going well, still on Oxy, Gabapentin, Tylenol, Ibuprofin and some poop helpers. Today I'll start weaning off the oxy, though pain gets very sharp before the next dose is due. Scapula fracture is worst, though pain is a moving target. I can inflate lungs about 80% w/o too much pain and continue to do breath work, the water between lung and chest wall should dissipate.. flailed ribs don't seem to be too much of a problem for now.
The best news is that I can now walk around, groin is still very sore but not so bad where I can hardly move. Been walking around, working on posture and proper breathing mechanics, also neck mobility work seems to be paying off.. it's not so stiff anymore. The two middle fingers on my right hand are numb/tingly at the tips, hopefully this will go away on it's own.

Recovery progress is steady though not linear by any means, after 5 days I'm happy with where machine health is.

About the pain meds, don’t come off too soon. They’re suppose to let you feel “better” so recuperating goes a bit more smoothly.

When Barbara had her hips done and when my son had his knee repaired the physical therapist(s) wanted them to take their pain meds about 45 minutes before going to PT because (1) there’s acetaminophen in the pill which is for inflammation and (2) the therapist didn’t want them in too much pain as they did their PT because well they needed to do their one hour workout at the office as well as their workouts at home and while they tried to be up and moving toward normal routines.

The surgeons were also insistent on them taking their pain meds because they needed to keep moving as much as possible for their body to recover as it should.

It’s good to want to be off the painkillers (and you may have your own personal reasons about them) but don’t put yourself in a position where you’re just falling backwards with the pain level. If it says 1 pill every 4-6 hours stick to it for a few more days, your body has been through a huge trauma.

If you’re a chiropractic patient, make an appointment to see your doctor, he may be able to adjust your neck to help with the arm pain and tingling and maybe give you a little very light traction, some ultrasound and some muscle stim. The tingling comes from the neck but I forget which location.

Good luck, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. Just take it easy for awhile and let the body mend.

[scooperhsd]

I'm with Bret - get off the narcotics as soon as you can (no need to have to kick that monkey while healing).

+1 on the Chiropractic DR.  My last accident (3 years ago September 30th) and I'm still suffering with lower back pain where my herniated disc is. It isn't the disc itself - it's my muscles beside the spine are working really hard to keep me upright, and pain is a constant thing in my life now. The chiro work helps, and I typically take 1000 - 3000 mg Tylenol daily.

[pocket aces]

Prayer to you Brett SD
God speed on the healing!

[Willow]

I'm with Bret - get off the narcotics as soon as you can (no need to have to kick that monkey while healing).
...

Off the narcotics, yes.  Off all the pain killers, maybe not.  I don't like pain killers and I was early off them.  My doctor, whom I trust greatly, advised me that that was not a good idea as those pain killers also were reducing inflammation to help the healing process.

[Jess from VA]

The Vicodin/Hydrocodone that were so over-prescribed and became a national epidemic had its composition changed some years ago, with less synthetic narcotic and more Tylenol/Ibuprofen/anti-inflamatory.

I only ever got this stuff from my dentist (because he's a skilled torturer), and the last time he gave me the same Vocodin script as earlier, it was not as good as it used to be.  Either at pain killing or feeling happy. 

But there is more than pain killer in pain killers now.   

 

[scooperhsd]

I'm with Bret - get off the narcotics as soon as you can (no need to have to kick that monkey while healing).
...

Off the narcotics, yes.  Off all the pain killers, maybe not.  I don't like pain killers and I was early off them.  My doctor, whom I trust greatly, advised me that that was not a good idea as those pain killers also were reducing inflammation to help the healing process.

Agreed. I can't think of anyone whom I trust and respect who would voluntarily stay on them any longer than necessary.
And like I said - I LIVE on Tylenol (would use Naproxum Sodium but I can't take NSAIDs at the moment, under ulcer treatment (just above the stomach))

[Bret SD]

Injuries listed on the discharge papers:
#Right Clavicular fracture
#Right Scapular fracture
#Right Pneumothorax, Trace
#Multiple Right Rib Fractures 3, 4, 5, 6, flailed 3, 4, 5
#Right Pulmonary Contusions
#Hip Sprain
This one sucked, and didn't even include the groin assault.


So far healing is going well, still on Oxy, Gabapentin, Tylenol, Ibuprofin and some poop helpers. Today I'll start weaning off the oxy, though pain gets very sharp before the next dose is due. Scapula fracture is worst, though pain is a moving target. I can inflate lungs about 80% w/o too much pain and continue to do breath work, the water between lung and chest wall should dissipate.. flailed ribs don't seem to be too much of a problem for now.
The best news is that I can now walk around, groin is still very sore but not so bad where I can hardly move. Been walking around, working on posture and proper breathing mechanics, also neck mobility work seems to be paying off.. it's not so stiff anymore. The two middle fingers on my right hand are numb/tingly at the tips, hopefully this will go away on it's own.

Recovery progress is steady though not linear by any means, after 5 days I'm happy with where machine health is.

About the pain meds, don’t come off too soon. They’re suppose to let you feel “better” so recuperating goes a bit more smoothly.

When Barbara had her hips done and when my son had his knee repaired the physical therapist(s) wanted them to take their pain meds about 45 minutes before going to PT because (1) there’s acetaminophen in the pill which is for inflammation and (2) the therapist didn’t want them in too much pain as they did their PT because well they needed to do their one hour workout at the office as well as their workouts at home and while they tried to be up and moving toward normal routines.

The surgeons were also insistent on them taking their pain meds because they needed to keep moving as much as possible for their body to recover as it should.

It’s good to want to be off the painkillers (and you may have your own personal reasons about them) but don’t put yourself in a position where you’re just falling backwards with the pain level. If it says 1 pill every 4-6 hours stick to it for a few more days, your body has been through a huge trauma.

If you’re a chiropractic patient, make an appointment to see your doctor, he may be able to adjust your neck to help with the arm pain and tingling and maybe give you a little very light traction, some ultrasound and some muscle stim. The tingling comes from the neck but I forget which location.

Good luck, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. Just take it easy for awhile and let the body mend.

Thanks for your input, Mike. I had a >20 min conversation with one of the docs about PK's and their use/risks etc. He said they like to get people weaning off Oxy by the 4th day, my supply went into 5 days with a reduced dose. I thought I'd give it a chance and see how it went.
Strangely, big changes happened in my overall on 3 different occasions. On Mon around 2-3 PM I felt tension leaving me with pain increasing a bit, I think that was the adrenaline wearing off from trauma.. then on Wed afternoon around the same time I felt  like my body was more 'normal' feeling, I was able to move more freely with pain being the limiter. Now this morning I was hurting badly but took no Oxy, I have one 5 mg tab left, the pain got no worse when I took the last Celebrex and 1000 mg Tylenol around 09:00. It's now 16:30 and I took more Tylenol with nothing else.. will see how it goes. My goal from the beginning was to keep pain closer to a 7 on the scale, when it crept up to 8-9 it started to become much sharper.
I do have a Kinesiologist friend whom I've been seeing for over 30 yrs, I'll see him when I become more stable. This AM I walked ~.4 miles and was exhausted for hours afterward, the limit was hit on groin tolerance as well.

As you said, I'll let the body do what it needs w/o too much interference from me. Thanks again for your input 

[Bret SD]

Prayer to you Brett SD
God speed on the healing!

Thank you @pocket aces, I appreciate it.

[Bret SD]

I'm with Bret - get off the narcotics as soon as you can (no need to have to kick that monkey while healing).

+1 on the Chiropractic DR.  My last accident (3 years ago September 30th) and I'm still suffering with lower back pain where my herniated disc is. It isn't the disc itself - it's my muscles beside the spine are working really hard to keep me upright, and pain is a constant thing in my life now. The chiro work helps, and I typically take 1000 - 3000 mg Tylenol daily.

Scott, my friend was badly burned a few years ago and was on Oxy for a month while in hospital, then they gave him a bunch for home.. his wife balked and he quit cold turkey after 2 days with no repercussions. Addiction is very individual, I wasn't worried so much about it, TBH.

I pray you get relief from long term pain.

[Bret SD]

The Vicodin/Hydrocodone that were so over-prescribed and became a national epidemic had its composition changed some years ago, with less synthetic narcotic and more Tylenol/Ibuprofen/anti-inflamatory.

I only ever got this stuff from my dentist (because he's a skilled torturer), and the last time he gave me the same Vocodin script as earlier, it was not as good as it used to be.  Either at pain killing or feeling happy. 

But there is more than pain killer in pain killers now.   

 

I have ~25 of 30 Vicodin in a drawer for years now, just don't like the stuff. It comes in handy for freak pain episodes, so I keep it around JIC.

The Vicodin/Hydrocodone that were so over-prescribed and became a national epidemic had its composition changed some years ago, with less synthetic narcotic and more Tylenol/Ibuprofen/anti-inflamatory.

I only ever got this stuff from my dentist (because he's a skilled torturer), and the last time he gave me the same Vocodin script as earlier, it was not as good as it used to be.  Either at pain killing or feeling happy. 

But there is more than pain killer in pain killers now.   

 

Inflammation is a big one, the Ibuprofin based Celebrex works on inflammation, as well as Tylenol? TBH, I'm not a big Tylenol fan, I'm taking it because the doc made his case and I promised him I would do it. Also I'm taking a good amount of ascorbic acid which helps with inflammation as well as tissue repair.. add in Bone-up and that's my program, for now anyway.

[Bret SD]

My last paragraph was meant for the last comment Carl made, dunno how I messed that up, just tired I guess.

[Jersey mike]

I'm with Bret - get off the narcotics as soon as you can (no need to have to kick that monkey while healing).

+1 on the Chiropractic DR.  My last accident (3 years ago September 30th) and I'm still suffering with lower back pain where my herniated disc is. It isn't the disc itself - it's my muscles beside the spine are working really hard to keep me upright, and pain is a constant thing in my life now. The chiro work helps, and I typically take 1000 - 3000 mg Tylenol daily.

Scott, my friend was badly burned a few years ago and was on Oxy for a month while in hospital, then they gave him a bunch for home.. his wife balked and he quit cold turkey after 2 days with no repercussions. Addiction is very individual, I wasn't worried so much about it, TBH.

I pray you get relief from long term pain.

I’d hate to hijack this or go off topic but you mentioned your low back. I have very similar issues, if not almost exact.

I’ve had low back issues for many years, off and on severe pain combined with daily nagging pain and discomfort. About 4 months ago I had enough, could not find any real long term relief from chiropractic care and symptoms were recurring more frequently. so I had shots in the L5-S1 from a pain management doctor which helped some.

I had some relief from them but then I had another flair up in the region and had radio frequency ablation done about 3 weeks later and I’ve been like a new man, or better yet like a kid with a new toy, my back feels great. I can move, bend, get up from a seated position…I feel natural and don’t have to move like a robot or thing about every movement beforehand. The only thing which causes an issue sometimes, and I mean sometimes is if I twist my upper torso too quick which causes lightning fast shooting pain. The ablation deadens the nerve but it is not a permanent solution, the nerve can regenerate itself over time.

The hope is the while the nerve is deadened the muscles can relax and get back to “normal” working conditions and stop over compensating and over working for the discs. Is this right for you, I don’t know. Would you get the results I’ve had, I don’t know. All I can recommend is discussing with a pain management doctor. If you haven’t had one recently, you may need an MRI.

I’m in the process of having the same thing done in my neck, but other issues have come up which are delaying it. Cervical MRI is scheduled for first week of September, doctor will review and we’ll discuss.

[Bret SD]

I'm with Bret - get off the narcotics as soon as you can (no need to have to kick that monkey while healing).

+1 on the Chiropractic DR.  My last accident (3 years ago September 30th) and I'm still suffering with lower back pain where my herniated disc is. It isn't the disc itself - it's my muscles beside the spine are working really hard to keep me upright, and pain is a constant thing in my life now. The chiro work helps, and I typically take 1000 - 3000 mg Tylenol daily.

Scott, my friend was badly burned a few years ago and was on Oxy for a month while in hospital, then they gave him a bunch for home.. his wife balked and he quit cold turkey after 2 days with no repercussions. Addiction is very individual, I wasn't worried so much about it, TBH.

I pray you get relief from long term pain.

I’d hate to hijack this or go off topic but you mentioned your low back. I have very similar issues, if not almost exact.

I’ve had low back issues for many years, off and on severe pain combined with daily nagging pain and discomfort. About 4 months ago I had enough, could not find any real long term relief from chiropractic care and symptoms were recurring more frequently. so I had shots in the L5-S1 from a pain management doctor which helped some.

I had some relief from them but then I had another flair up in the region and had radio frequency ablation done about 3 weeks later and I’ve been like a new man, or better yet like a kid with a new toy, my back feels great. I can move, bend, get up from a seated position…I feel natural and don’t have to move like a robot or thing about every movement beforehand. The only thing which causes an issue sometimes, and I mean sometimes is if I twist my upper torso too quick which causes lightning fast shooting pain. The ablation deadens the nerve but it is not a permanent solution, the nerve can regenerate itself over time.

The hope is the while the nerve is deadened the muscles can relax and get back to “normal” working conditions and stop over compensating and over working for the discs. Is this right for you, I don’t know. Would you get the results I’ve had, I don’t know. All I can recommend is discussing with a pain management doctor. If you haven’t had one recently, you may need an MRI.

I’m in the process of having the same thing done in my neck, but other issues have come up which are delaying it. Cervical MRI is scheduled for first week of September, doctor will review and we’ll discuss.

Mike, I'm very happy you've found something to help ease the pain. Best of luck going forward with it!

[Bret SD]

Injury update:
It's been 4 mos today since the accident occurred. Bones have been knitted together for ~2 months now and I'm back to living and training normally with a couple of caveats.. My energy level is still lower while strength is creeping up pretty quickly. I don't have the juice for all out efforts doing anything whether it's work or training, stamina is going to take a while to return. Overall I would say 95% is a good estimate for healing progress, the last 5% is going to take several months or longer I suspect.

A small amount of numbness remains in the tips of my middle fingers, the nerves running through the armpit got smashed pretty hard. I had soreness in the sternum and the thoracic spine where my rib cage pressed against them before it popped, the sternum and ribs are slightly deformed where are they join now.. That may or may not  improve.

I think there are some ramifications from a minor TBI, there are times when the area hurts both inside and outside where my head made contact with the helmet/street. Those episodes seem to be triggered by lapses in normal eating pattern. After my daughter's birthday party is one of the times that I felt it. That day I had eaten some potato chips and ice cream which may have affected things.
My pseudo wife had some very bad news regarding her sister whom I love very much. Great sorrow tends to bring on the same thing. It's happened three or four times now, so I'll be keeping an eye on things.

Other than that things are going very well and I'm feeling very thankful. I count myself to be very lucky and blessed to be where I'm at right now, considering all that happened.

God bless you all, Ride Safe

[carolinarider09]

 

Good news.  Moving forward is the key.   Never back down.  Never give up.   

We are with you.

[Jess from VA]

Glad you're doing better (mostly).  

I ran track (sprinter), played football (tailback), swam a mile in boy scouts, wrestled, rode motocross and regular bikes, slid 50 feet off my bike though an icy intersection (at 20), climbed steel mills to paint them, free climbed some rock faces.  I was reckless and carefree, and injuries healed quickly.  I have never broken a bone (maybe a toe).

Today at 70 I often wonder how I lived through it.  

I've now slowed down and try to think everything (physical) through before acting/working because injuries now persist and take a much longer time to heal.  Work smarter, not harder.  And some jobs just pay a younger man to do them for you.  Pride goeth before the fall. (Proverbs)

[Oss]

glad to hear the healing continues   

[DDT (12)]

Bret,

Great news! We're all relieved to hear of your progress, and we're all pulling for you to continue to full recovery! Thanks for keeping us posted... Your journey down this path has served to give the rest of us pause, and for us to consider again how even seemingly routine maneuvers can be fraught with risk... and dire consequences. A tough experience for you, a sobering example for the rest of us. By sharing it, you've enabled all of us to benefit. Thanks again!!!

DDT (12)

[Serk]

Oh man, I'm just now seeing this (Was little preoccupied with my own health issues when this was first posted). Hate to see you went down, glad to see you're recovering!

Sorry if it was mentioned and I glossed over it, what did insurance decide with your bike?

[Bret SD]

Good news.  Moving forward is the key.   Never back down.  Never give up.   

We are with you.

Thank you, Jim. I really appreciate this!

[Bret SD]

Glad you're doing better (mostly).   

I ran track (sprinter), played football (tailback), swam a mile in boy scouts, wrestled, rode motocross and regular bikes, slid 50 feet off my bike though an icy intersection (at 20), climbed steel mills to paint them, free climbed some rock faces.  I was reckless and carefree, and injuries healed quickly.  I have never broken a bone (maybe a toe).

Today at 70 I often wonder how I lived through it. 

I've now slowed down and try to think everything (physical) through before acting/working because injuries now persist and take a much longer time to heal.  Work smarter, not harder.  And some jobs just pay a younger man to do them for you.  Pride goeth before the fall. (Proverbs)

You Are a lucky man, Jess.. I knew you were very active but not THAT active..!..  LOL
I've been lucky to have survived all that I've done in life and still remain highly functional.

As it it is now, my brain and body seem to be self regulating things, so I'll continue with what's been working 

[Bret SD]

glad to hear the healing continues   

Thank you, Evan! So far it's been coming along better than anyone expected.. including myself..!  haha

[Bret SD]

Bret,

Great news! We're all relieved to hear of your progress, and we're all pulling for you to continue to full recovery! Thanks for keeping us posted... Your journey down this path has served to give the rest of us pause, and for us to consider again how even seemingly routine maneuvers can be fraught with risk... and dire consequences. A tough experience for you, a sobering example for the rest of us. By sharing it, you've enabled all of us to benefit. Thanks again!!!

DDT (12)

Thanks Bruce!
You're too kind me thinks, less throttle would have yielded zero pain. Sometimes the 18 yo grabs the wheel, that's when things tend to go sideways .. 

Lesson for me is, even when things look good from your POV, sometimes they're not, especially on a road where construction is going on. I'm very thankful to the Lord above that I didn't break my neck when hitting the pavement.

[Bret SD]

Oh man, I'm just now seeing this (Was little preoccupied with my own health issues when this was first posted). Hate to see you went down, glad to see you're recovering!

Sorry if it was mentioned and I glossed over it, what did insurance decide with your bike?

Yes brother, thank you. I think you had a much rougher road than I, it's good to see you back and functional.

Strangely, the Valk didn't sustain too much damage. It apparently flung me off, turned upside down and slid on the street before laying back over. I replaced the handlebar and one mirror, the right side leather bag top got sanded a bit.
The windshield assembly got crunked and the trunk exploded all over. That saved a lot of damage. The gas tank has a big dent where the handlebar was sandwiched between the tank and the road.
The windshield is still usable with a spot that was deeply sanded by pavement well below the field of view. The trunk was cheap and very good so I'll order another one of the same if still available.
Other than that just a few little scrapes.. no big deal, she wasn't perfect to begin with.. just like her rider  lol

In short, I'm going to fix it and keep the insurance company out of it.. too much hassle and too little money etc, I just don't have the bandwidth to deal with them.

[98valk]

Oh man, I'm just now seeing this (Was little preoccupied with my own health issues when this was first posted). Hate to see you went down, glad to see you're recovering!

Sorry if it was mentioned and I glossed over it, what did insurance decide with your bike?

Yes brother, thank you. I think you had a much rougher road than I, it's good to see you back and functional.

Strangely, the Valk didn't sustain too much damage. It apparently flung me off, turned upside down and slid on the street before laying back over. I replaced the handlebar and one mirror, the right side leather bag top got sanded a bit.
The windshield assembly got crunked and the trunk exploded all over. That saved a lot of damage. The gas tank has a big dent where the handlebar was sandwiched between the tank and the road.
The windshield is still usable with a spot that was deeply sanded by pavement well below the field of view. The trunk was cheap and very good so I'll order another one of the same if still available.
Other than that just a few little scrapes.. no big deal, she wasn't perfect to begin with.. just like her rider  lol

In short, I'm going to fix it and keep the insurance company out of it.. too much hassle and too little money etc, I just don't have the bandwidth to deal with them.

make sure u completely check the swing arm. Grumpy had a major get off from the swing arm failing. He attributed the swing arm failure from an earlier slight accident whereas he didn't think to really check the swing out.  square pipe left side and lots of welds.

[Skinhead]

Oh man, I'm just now seeing this (Was little preoccupied with my own health issues when this was first posted). Hate to see you went down, glad to see you're recovering!

Sorry if it was mentioned and I glossed over it, what did insurance decide with your bike?

Yes brother, thank you. I think you had a much rougher road than I, it's good to see you back and functional.

Strangely, the Valk didn't sustain too much damage. It apparently flung me off, turned upside down and slid on the street before laying back over. I replaced the handlebar and one mirror, the right side leather bag top got sanded a bit.
The windshield assembly got crunked and the trunk exploded all over. That saved a lot of damage. The gas tank has a big dent where the handlebar was sandwiched between the tank and the road.
The windshield is still usable with a spot that was deeply sanded by pavement well below the field of view. The trunk was cheap and very good so I'll order another one of the same if still available.
Other than that just a few little scrapes.. no big deal, she wasn't perfect to begin with.. just like her rider  lol

In short, I'm going to fix it and keep the insurance company out of it.. too much hassle and too little money etc, I just don't have the bandwidth to deal with them.

make sure u completely check the swing arm. Grumpy had a major get off from the swing arm failing. He attributed the swing arm failure from an earlier slight accident whereas he didn't think to really check the swing out.  square pipe left side and lots of welds.

If I recall, specifically it was Grumpy's swing arm bearing that failed and caused his accident.  He believed the damage was caused when he was struck from the right side on his way to the MI IZ.  98valk is correct though, DO a thorough inspection.

[Bret SD]

Thanks Cos and Skinhead, I'll check the SW carefully. Since the accident I've had the bike out and run it around the block several times. All seems normal enough.. the clutch was barely releasing at first, after working it a lot it seems to be getting back to normal.
Haven't been out on the open road with the bike yet.

Next on the list is a suction cup dent puller. Want to see if it will pull the tank dent out enough to start working it.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Grumpy rode for MANY miles before something went bad. I don’t think it was definitely shown that it was his swingarm bearings. But knowing Bill’s mechanical skills firsthand, I would go with what he found. I think you’d be wise to take this time and inspect them, along with any telltale signs of other frame or steering head bearings damage.