Done with riding and not sure I ever will again.

[Windjammer]

April 15th. at 4:30 Pm. while riding clockwise on 226A just off of the Blue Ridge parkway, another rider coming the opposite direction couldn't negotiate the turn went way wide over the yellow and hit me head on. First ride in an ambulance was not fun.  States away from home. I have had 2 surgeries, 12 screws and 2 plates. After my Dr. visit this last friday, Something he thinks is shifting? Dr. in Ashville did the humpty dumpty repair. My Dr. said it was good work on his part. That said I have to go this Wednesday for a CT scan and will be read this Friday. May be nothing or may need another surgery? Or may need an Ankle replacement? (never knew that was even possible?) So the bike was totaled that is why I have some stuff for sale on the classifieds. Last year I had a total left hip replacement, Lucky I didn't damage that. At least I'm still here thank the lord. I have always watched the boards just not as engaged as I once was. Yes I do have a lawyer, which I hate. Not the lawyer but the idea of it. Oh well enough of my problems, Stay safe out there boys and girls.

[Jess from VA]

Very sorry to hear this Jammer.

Wishing you the best in your recovery, physical and otherwise.

Having gotten the lawyer, turn him loose on that guy. 

[Pete]

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Best wishes. Glad you are here to tell the tale.

[Pappy!]

What kind of bike was the other guy riding?
Very happy you are here to tell the tale!!

[J.Mencalice]

Hang tough, it ain't over till it's over.

http://www.kjct8.com/content/news/?article=429433933

[Windjammer]

What kind of bike was the other guy riding?
Very happy you are here to tell the tale!!

He was on a new Indian. They had to work on his bike at the scene to get it able to be ridden back up as well. But no damage to him other than road rash. The Valk was beat up but my son in law who was with me was able to ride it back up and park it. he picked it up the next day on a trailer.

[vanavyman]

Sorry to hear about this. I pray for your recovery. Choosing to ride is a tough choice for anyone after a wreck. Good luck on your health and future choices.
Dan & Trish

[3fan4life]

I'm sorry about your crash, But I'm glad that you're around to tell us about it.

Praying for a full and speedy recovery for you.


Give the riding decision some time, as they say time heals all wounds.

[rocketray]

getting hit by a motorcyclist is.......a moonshot-----where some more gear--1/3 of motorcyle injuries are to the lower legs...get some cheap/high dollar motocross boots..and a $1k "Hellite" motorcyle jacket---heavy leather,bigtime armor,and an airbag for your neck and front--a mere $1k..the spouse bought me one--VERY NICE .. yes if I were in your shoe's.... a Mazda Miata is a great alternative

[cookiedough]

Yikes, that is horrible news.  Hope it all heals up well.

Went riding with my kid age 16 on his honda magna him following me on my Valk I/S.  I went over the centerline once daydreaming as well looking at the WI River alongside the rode.   Accidents can happen that is a given.  Just glad no car or cyclists coming the other way but usually if seeing a car coming towards me I try to quit daydreaming for you NEVER know....

Kid thinks I was not going fast enough but 70 mph is fast enough for someone age 16 taking 45 mph corners doing 60 for the most part with 2 months under his belt on a cycle.  Told him much faster and any gravel around those corners or a flat tire doing 20 mph over the speed limit is not something to be taken lightly.   Maybe I should have gotten him a 250cc cycle not able to keep up with me then?? 

[RDKLL]

Windjammer, what ever decision you make will be the right one. My last accident was April, 14 at 6:40 am...hit and run. I made a left turn with a green light  and he ran his...could have been so much worse. I suffered a broken collarbone in 4 places and with surgery progressing nicely. The bike, 2017 Super Duke GT that we had for 90 days has had about $10K in approved parts and labor...is still at the shop

Get well soon

My first accident was on the BRP in Asheville as well...left turner

[Windjammer]

getting hit by a motorcyclist is.......a moonshot-----where some more gear--1/3 of motorcyle injuries are to the lower legs...get some cheap/high dollar motocross boots..and a $1k "Hellite" motorcyle jacket---heavy leather,bigtime armor,and an airbag for your neck and front--a mere $1k..the spouse bought me one--VERY NICE .. yes if I were in your shoe's.... a Mazda Miata is a great alternative

Had all my gear on. That is why my injuries were few. I have motorcycle boots too. Getting a direct hit with a front tire from a bike and on my ankle? I don't think a foot covering is made for that. just saying. Maybe if I could have reacted in enough time I should have taken my foot off my foot rest boards, and placed it on my shifter board.

[Mr Whiskey]

Glad to hear you're gonna recover Brother!
Hate to hear ya "got the t-shirt" so to speak.
It's a rare few who can say "I survived a head on motorcycle collision"
God Bless & heal quick/well.

[wiggydotcom]

Danny, we've met at a couple Inzanes many years back. I'm so sorry to hear this news and wish you a speedy
and full recovery. I know what it's like to be in the wrong place(twice) and there isn't much that you can do about it. As others have said, take the time to heal and then reevaluate the decision. Best of luck to you!   

[old2soon]

Danny-i'm with the 0thers that have stated-do NOT make any rash decisions.  And being a bit puckerish IS O K-remember-I went down August of 16. And I also understand if you choose to stand by yer original statement. NO one can decide what WE wanna do regarding Anything. I for one miss our mistress Who IS the WIND! Good luck fighting your particular demons. Just don't let the basturds have free reign. RIDE SAFE.

[Popeye]

Danny,

Sorry to hear about your accident.  Glad you are still with us and able to post.

No one can tell you what to do about getting back on, it's on you brother.  All will respect
your decision.

I got back on after my accident in 2010,  didn't want my last ride to be because of the accident.
Told Lizzie I would buy another bike and ride it.  Only then could I determine if the passion was
still there,

Glad to say it was,  several great trips since then.

Hope you heal fast.

Popeye

[Hooter]

I've been riding since 68. I spent the better part of my life in law enforcementioned and the fire service.  Covering a bad accident always made me think after the fact but I never dwelled on it. But, then the cycle accident did happen to me! I think for those of us that have been personally involved in a motorcycle injury accident  it is worth while to think about "to ride or not to ride" for a bit before pulling the trigger either way.

If you are getting pressure at home "not to" ride again it won't ever be enjoyable knowing that every time you ride. IF you still have the passion and the family has left the decision solely up to you, then think about it.

After I got whacked on the xway and out of the hospital,  my wife's first question was: "are you done riding"? The answer was immediate, no. I have a constant reminder every day of the accident with my back, but I love to ride! I'd rather do what I love to do, vs set home in a chair wishing I was.

It's like some have told you here, we can't tell you what to do. Search your sole for a while and see what shakes out. The only thing that would have kept me from riding would have been riding scared.  Not cautious, but scared. FWIW, that's my 2 cents.

[gordonv]

Danny,

Sorry to hear about your accident.  Glad you are still with us and able to post.

No one can tell you what to do about getting back on, it's on you brother.  All will respect
your decision.

I got back on after my accident in 2010,  didn't want my last ride to be because of the accident.
Told Lizzie I would buy another bike and ride it.  Only then could I determine if the passion was
still there,

Glad to say it was,  several great trips since then.

Hope you heal fast.

Sorry to hear of the accident, Prayers for healing and all.

My sentiment is the same as the above. After you're healed, get another bike, any inexpensive one you can or borrow one, and ride a little. I bought a convertible for daily driving, and just drove my spare bike, to insure I still wanted to ride. Now long rides only, nothing short in town.

[Rams]

Glad to hear you're gonna recover Brother!
Hate to hear ya "got the t-shirt" so to speak.
It's a rare few who can say "I survived a head on motorcycle collision"
God Bless & heal quick/well.

X 2

There are things in life that we have absolutely no control over regardless of what we do.    We all have to choose the path we take and the method of getting down that path.    I won't tell anyone who doesn't wish to ride, to get on.   But, I've always been adventurous and always pushed the envelope.    I've slowed down and am more cautious as I aged and matured but, riding my Valkyrie is still the most fun I can have with my pants on............  And to be honest, it lasts one hell of a lot longer. 

As said above, God Bless...........

[Grumpy]

Real sorry to hear of your mishap, heal fast.  I had the same thoughts about stopping riding 3 years ago. I cart wheeled my interstate at over 85 mph, and broke 28 bones and a ton of road rash. was wearing full gear at the time, if not I would not be here. I bought another valk after healed and started with short rides on local roads. Now back to full time riding. I just enjoyed being in the wind too much to give it up.
Your decision, but what ever you decide is your choice.

[Willow]

Four years ago I rolled my Interstate at turnpike speed.  I shattered several bones, tore my lip in half, and broke my brain.  There were times during the healing process that I questioned whether I would ride again.  While I was still restricted and healing two of my friends took me to South Texas.  Several of my other friends, good friends, assisted us in obtaining a replacement, or two, for the machine I had destroyed.  AS soon as a doctor told me it was alright for me to drive again (no small task) I rode to work some sixty miles away.  I finally had accepted that after the incident the odds were no different than they were before.  I had never kidded myself about the possibilities.

Once I was in the saddle again there was no doubt in my mind.   

Everyone needs to make his own decision.  The question arises from many directions from varied reasons.  When the answer is no the time has arrived.  Don't deceive yourself about safety, life or death.  Life is dangerous and we all will die.  Everyone must simply make his own decisions about how and why.

[rocketray]

I wear a high end motocross boot that is capable of preventing your ankle injury....$3-400 and it takes a minute or two to put on...and you sure can't walk very far  very fast  wearing them so I wear them only on longer rides and wear $230 or so racing  style boot generally..go online  to look--motorcycle superstore  is one

[JimmyG]

Had those same thoughts twice out of my 3 motorcycle accidents.  My knee and hip still hurt a lot of the time. Sometimes so bad I don't function or sleep well, but here I am still riding at almost 69 years old.  After you heal up well, then you can make that decision. It's a hard decision, but it is yours alone to make. I figure my odds are good, I hit the jackpot early in life and had my three, so I should be good to go for a while longer.    Good luck to you, whatever you finally decide. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

I wear a high end motocross boot that is capable of preventing your ankle injury....$3-400 and it takes a minute or two to put on...and you sure can't walk very far  very fast  wearing them so I wear them only on longer rides and wear $230 or so racing  style boot generally..go online  to look--motorcycle superstore  is one

Taking a 1/2 ton projectile at speed to the ankle is pretty tough. I seriously doubt any MX boot is going to mitigate that. MAYBE a pair of downhill ski boots.

[rocketray]

google up those" tech 12's"..$550 gives you a motocross boot a mulching machine would choke on..I have the tech 8's..I had a woman in my office 2 weeks ago who said her 18 y.o. stepson had just purchased a Gixxer 650 at age 18--I told her to please have him come by for a 20 minute talk...he died last weekend..in the wet and the car in front going very slow--she came by this afternoon for a 90 minute visit past closing time--said the funeral home's previous record for hits was 20k..he had 37k..Winnesboro Tx

[3fan4life]

google up those" tech 12's"..$550 gives you a motocross boot a mulching machine would choke on..I have the tech 8's..I had a woman in my office 2 weeks ago who said her 18 y.o. stepson had just purchased a Gixxer 650 at age 18--I told her to please have him come by for a 20 minute talk...he died last weekend..in the wet and the car in front going very slow--she came by this afternoon for a 90 minute visit past closing time--said the funeral home's previous record for hits was 20k..he had 37k..Winnesboro Tx

That's so sad and so preventable.

I taught my son to ride when he was 19 and even then made him learn on an old 450 Nighthawk.


One memory that stands out for me is something that I witnessed at a dealer in the late 1980's.

I just happened to be there as a 19 y/o college student was purchasing a new Kawasaki 900 Ninja.

The paperwork had been signed and the money was in the process of changing hands when the salesman (son of the dealership owner) asked the kid how long he'd been riding.

The kid told him that this would be his first street bike.

The salesman told the kid that he was not going to sell him that particular bike.

The kid protested loudly but the salesman told him that he would sell him one of several other bikes that he had but not that one.

He tore up the paperwork telling the kid that he wasn't going to be responsible for him dying.

I was impressed then by the salesman's actions and I am still impressed when I recall the event.

I know that every kid wants the baddest and fastest bike available, they really shouldn't be allowed to have it until they have plenty of seat time on something less powerful. 

[Jess from VA]

Some ten years ago, I had a (wife's) bike in being worked on by a local small dealer.

I knew them all and was allowed in back to see the progress on her bike.

There was a brand new Bussa in there, all bent to hell.

I asked about it, and first they showed me the odometer at less than 40 miles, and then the story.  Dude got it for his first bike, rode it up and down the street for a while, then took his girl down to cruise the local drag in Old Town Alexandria, where he proceeded to pop a wheelie, dump his girl off the back, ram it into the car ahead then tumble it into a row of parked cars, and total the bike with bent frame.  Both were skinned up good but no major trauma.

When we got done laughing our asses off about the story (which took a while), we had a discussion about good starter bikes.

A Bussa didn't make the list.  They did not sell it to the maniac who wrecked it.

Another Darwin award winner.

When someone asks me about a first handgun, I always recommend a revolver.  But I never recommend a snub nose (or any) .44 magnum. 

[rocketray]

track days are very cool for all of this---lots of chalk talk/video's/personal instruction/all the gear must be worn and bikes tech checked---the" Ride Smart" group here in Texas is awesome--I did the F1 track in Austin...AWESOME...

[Mr Whiskey]

Hey man, how you healin' up?
We were on the Diamondback & Devil's Whip numerous times last week & was thinkin' 'bout cha.
Hope Humpty Dumpty's cracks are mendin'!
Keepin' ya in our prayers