Crashed again (long)

[Phil57]

Hell George if I ever get healed up I would ride with you anytime. Soon I hope.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I'm not gonna 2'nd guess you about any of it my friend.

As far as refusing medical treatment, it makes sense to me. I lost my Dad and one of my sons do to medical misadventures. Then, recently I came as close as I ever want to to losing my leg do to my own medical misadventure.

In my opinion, riding home without front brakes was way less dangerous than a trip to the hospital would have been.

Sometimes you have no choice except to toss the dice and risk getting maimed or killed by the medical world. But, anytime you're well enough to have a choice you're probably too well to risk it.

I have a family member who had a life altering, horribly disabling stroke. Since then he's bought a new bike or two just to have someone help him sit on them in the garage. He'll never be able to ride or even walk well again.

What caused the stroke in a perfectly healthy non-smoker who stayed in shape? Probably because he went to the doctor for joint pain and was prescribed the drug that was taken off the market for causing strokes. Since then, he's been a slave to the medical system and they've taken more and more of his ability to get any enjoyment out of life with each visit. They have kept him alive, with a permanent catheter, with a hugely swollen, painful and nearly useless leg. And it was all caused by a pricription drug given him by a well meaning doctor. 

[WamegoRob]

Not a member but wondering when ABATE (A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments) changed to American Bikers Aimed Toward Education?  Must have been several yrs ago?

You Razorbacks even have your own version



From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABATE
ABATE is an acronym which originally stood for "A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments" and alternatively stands for "American Bikers Against Totalitarian Enactments", "A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education", "American Bikers for Awareness, Training & Education", "American Bikers Aimed Towards Education", "American Bikers Advocating Training & Education" with other combination used.

And check out how many variations there are among the states:
http://www.dmoz.org/Recreation/Motorcycles/Organizations/North_America/United_States/American_Bikers_Aimed_Toward_Education

[Hook#3287]

Momz;

With your attitude, I'd ride with you anytime.  I'd help you get on the bike, if you needed help.  Just stay off the pain meds, grin and bear it when you can and ride your butt off.

I'da done the same thing.  If she runs and I can sit on her and hold her up, we're going home.

If anyone NEEDS a front brake to ride home, maybe they shouldn't be riding.

Good luck Momz.  Heal up quick.

Hook

[norm]

don't ride anywhere near me george. my last post was removed so this is all I will say.

[tonyfan70]

George, I'm glad you're okay.  I wouldn't second guess you regarding your decisions.  If you think they were bad choices, learn from them and move on.  If others, from far away and only the accuracy or exaggeration of your own descriptions, think they know much better  than do you, then take it with several grains of salt.

As to those sanctimonious "riders" who insist that riding without a front brake is dangerous enough to park the bike and have it trailered, I have some info.  I've a good friend who never uses a front brake on his Valkyrie.  In fact, he never touches the bars or grips with a right hand.  He, like George, runs a tire on the back originally designed for a four wheeled vehicle.  My guess, and it is an educated one, is that he can ride circles around most here who have offered "expert" opinions.

Ride on, George.  Heal soon and well.  I'm sorry to hear of your and your bike's scrapes.      

I suppose if it's sanctimonious to call tell someone they shouldn't be riding when they are (a) impaired by their "major" pain and injuries, and (b) operating a 1000 pound motor vehicle with only 30% of its braking ability available to an operator who is used to having 100%, the combination of which caused "several near crashes on the way home", then I suppose I and others expressing similar sentiments are guilty as charged.

Seems to me there have been several times in different threads where alot of people in this forum have ridiculed and chastized "other brand" riders who ride using just the rear brake. "Unskilled" and "lucky to have not crashed yet" are things that come to mind as being said about these riders.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bitching at you. I've made way too many poor decisions on and off the bike to do that. But that being said....even in my car, if the front disc brakes blew the hoses and I could still drive home using the rear drums, it doesn't really mean I should.

But really there could of been unseen/unknown damage to the bike. I have experienced this firsthand. A friend and I crashed a GS750 back in the early 90's. It was a low speed spill. We got up, dusted ourselves off, picked up the bike and proceeded on our way. Bad call. The forks had gotten crimped in the triple clamp and when we picked up some speed they came loose. Then we really &^$%^ wrecked. Both of us got pretty beat up and should of gone to the hospital but didn't. My best friend who was with me got the worst. Somehow when he landed, he landed on his ass and ripped his rectum. I can't say that almost 20 years later without cringing.

So maybe give that some thought before thinking this...

"I'da done the same thing.  If she runs and I can sit on her and hold her up, we're going home."

It may not be the best thing to do.

I hope you feel better and get healthy soon.

rectum? damn near killed 'um!

[Hook#3287]

So maybe give that some thought before thinking this...

"I'da done the same thing.  If she runs and I can sit on her and hold her up, we're going home."

It may not be the best thing to do.

Tonyfan70,  You are 100% right!   But I'd still ride her home.

rectum? damn near killed 'um!

Now that's funny

[Davet261]

I am not going to second quess anyone here nor is my post going to condem or condone.  I have a friend that I work with and his brotherinlaw was dying of terminal cancer and he was not able to ride his motorcycle.  He told my friend to take his motorcycle to his house and keep it for him and to ride it because he did not want it to just sit, he wanted it to be enjoyed.  My friend had it for many months and rode it at least once a week for him.

His brotherinlaw starting saving some of his medications and wanted to ride one more time before he died and he did.  George said he was in a lot of pain near the end and the only way he could do it was to over medicate himself.  They went for a ride and as I was told they rode almost all day.  It was a V-Star 650 but I am sure it felt like a 1000 pound bike to him at that stage of his life.  When they got done riding they went back to my friend's house and he signed over the title to his bike to him.  He died a few weeks later.  Was it a safe thing to do, probably not but I would have been honored to have ridden with them. 

[Momz]

norm
 It would give me so much pleasure to never ride anywhere near you or your group.

[pBrain]

Get better Momz.... and stay out of Vrginia.

[Momz]

My riding buddy, Kickstand came over today and almost immediately found why the front brakes weren't working.

The brake master cylinder had gotten rotated slightly forward when I went down. This caused the brake lever to hit the upper throttle cable elbow when the lever was squeezed, thus not enough travel to properly stop the bike.

Total repair time was less than one minute.

We also replaced the rear brake pads on my wifes GoldWing too.

Yep, I'm stubborn as a mule,...could sit around feeling sorry for my self, but I choose to live my life as a real motorcyclist, repairing bikes and planning rides and adventures. And as soon as I'm healed, I'll be back in the saddle.

Pain be cursed!!!

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

My riding buddy, Kickstand came over today and almost immediately found why the front brakes weren't working.

The brake master cylinder had gotten rotated slightly forward when I went down. This caused the brake lever to hit the upper throttle cable elbow when the lever was squeezed, thus not enough travel to properly stop the bike.

Total repair time was less than one minute.

We also replaced the rear brake pads on my wifes GoldWing too.

Yep, I'm stubborn as a mule,...could sit around feeling sorry for my self, but I choose to live my life as a real motorcyclist, repairing bikes and planning rides and adventures. And as soon as I'm healed, I'll be back in the saddle.

Pain be cursed!!!

[RainMaker]

don't ride anywhere near me george. my last post was removed so this is all I will say.

Classy, Norm.

[Kaz]

Geez George, Marilyn and I hope you heal up soon and have a full recovery.  Sometimes experience IS the best teacher and I'm not trying to come off as being "better" then anyone when I say I hope the lesson isn't lost.  Besides, when we come over in September, we wanna ride which ya!