My crash story

[ALB80-850]

update...

Greetings all,

Well, since I've been back to work things are getting sorta back to normal. I should say, as normal as they will ever get for me. I had another MRI late September and follow ups with the doctors, the good news is no new damage. The bad news is the numbness in my leg and foot will not get any better. I also still have a pretty good amount of pain in my low back and right leg. Still alot better off than I was before the surgeries. My doctor would like me to get a different job that's requiers less standing. But, do to my rural location and having one of the higher paying jobs in the area, that is not a real possibility. The other route is pain meds, they work enough to let me know if I'm overdoing it or not. Unless I can find another equal paying job, with an equal drive to work that is the way it will have to be. Chances are pretty good that I will need more surgeries in the future, hopefully along time into the future. So, the best I can do for now is to take day by day and enjoy it.

On the lighter side. I did manage to get some riding in this year, mostly on a borrowed bike. I logged about 700 miles during the WNY rally in June and logged 1700 miles round trip going to the Moosehead Lake rally in August. I also put my bike on the road and put a few miles on it as well.I need a new rear tire, which was causing some handeling issues. I also need to check the valve shims and sync the carbs. A good project for this winter so I'll be ready to ride once spring arrives.

Enjoy the holiday season. Hope to see you all on the road sometime.

Andy

[MaxxRonin]

I guess every rider has to write something like this at some point or another. I was recently headed back up to school at UMASS amherst from NJ on my 1978 gs750. Not only was i excited to have my bike up at school but i was excited for my first ride that was more than 150 miles. I was especially stoked to experience the fall foliage up north because i was going to take the back roads. I tend to run 5-6000 rpm doing highway speed and i figured it would be better for the bike if i avoided prolonged engine wear. I just insured the bike days before and had only put 20 miles on my fresh tires. on the way up i registered it.
Too bad 10 miles from the DMV i was hit head on by an elderly gentlemen who didnt see me. He was coming from the oncoming lane and making a left at a 3 way intersection. I couldnt pull off to the right because after the intersection was a bridge with a guardrail. I couldnt swing to the let because he had a car behind him and i couldnt pull to the right (whre he was headed) because it was a gravel road. I had slowed down to 25 when i hit his bumper. i somersaulted over the handlebars and bounced off the guardrail but walked away with a simple shattered kneecap. even my leathers werent torn. I had a hikers backpack on at the time which saved my neck.
The front forks were bent all the way back and my frame is a bit bent. I think had i not had highway pegs on it wouldnt have bent at all. My rear left blinker shattered and the handlebars are a bit tweaked other than that the bike is good. it sat in storage for a month so i'm going to see if i can charge the battery and start the engine. The front wheel wont urn ebecause of how the forks are bent but my biggest concern is the frame. I only got 500 from the insurance company for the bike because the guy who hit me wasnt insured. How easy is it to get the rame repaired? Do you think its worth it to fix the bike? or should i part it out to you ine gentlemen and maybe pick up something similar for 1000-1500?

[ALB80-850]

I 'm pretty sure any wreck any wreck is a bad thing. If you can walk away or heal, your ahead of the curve. I thought about rebuilding my bike, more for theraputic reasons than to ride it again. After looking it over and finding the frame was broken in at least 4 places, I decided not to. I don't know about what it takes to fix your frame, might be worth it, might not. Either way good luck and glad your doing well.

Andy

[not a biker]

if i see a car that is making a left turn across my lane or is turning right onto my lane i treat this car as if it was going to turn at the last second. that is my rule for 39 years. maybe i will still be hit but the speed will be very slow. as i come up to this car i never take my eye off it. i like to ride but this stuff is scary. i am glad you recovered.

[jtmcculloch]

Hello Andy,

Your wreck was the same as one I had In 1979. I was doing around 45 on a 4 lane road (two lanes each direction) on my 1973 Kawasaki Z1. It was early afternoon traffic, lots of cars in all directions. up ahead was a women driving a 78 olds 98. She had her turn signal on waiting to turn left. I started slowing down, flashing my high beam on & off, honked a couple of times, saw she wasnt going to go so just stated to speed up when she snapped in front of me. No where to go traffic in every direction - tried to lay it down but saw i would go under the car. brought it back up and jumped trying to clear the car. On the way up my thighs caught the handlebars, I then slammed into the upper windshield/roof caving it in about 10". I remember it all in slow motion.... Sky-Ground-Sky-Ground-Sky-Ground-Sky bamm........

When I came too my first thought was to get up as I was in this wierd crumpled up position. My brain told my body to move but nothing happened. At first i thought i was completely paralized. then my body started to go into convulsions, at that point i thought i was dieing. After some long moments the convulsions slowed down and went away. Then slowly I was able to move.

Summary:
Wreck = I bounced off the car and then bounced off the hood & windshield of the car behind her, then to the concrete. My bike hit the Olds 98 in the right front wheel tearing thru the suspension, fender, hood, firewall, dash, right front door and rocker panel. of course bending the frame in the process.

Bike = Front Lester Rim shoved thru the engine case so hard it also bent the crank. frame bent/twisted - most parts on the bike were bent/broken/scratched/torn or otherwise destroyed.

Me = Suffered massive chest & thigh bruising, heavy calcuim deposits in the thigh muscles of my legs and a mild concussion thru my bell star full face helmet. No broken bones with little outside bleeding. I was very lucky. If only I could have jumped a little higher, a little sooner.

For about the next 2 years every time I would approach a simular situation my body would turn cold with fear. The bike and helmet was black - never again. Bright colors for me now. Lesson learned - Ride like you are invisable.

[Mad GS 750 E]

I also had bad wreck on my kawasaki voyager about 15 years ago. going down the highway cruising about 70mph when someone going off the exit decided it was the wrong exit and veered back onto the highway forcing me into the medium ditch .I thought i was going save hit a gully and flipped end over end lucky the bike landed 5ft away from me .Ended up with a steel plate in my arm and a few permantly broken fingers , in hospital for five days . so i feel your pain (remind me not open any more accident threads) ouch!

Is that the same kawy you got in the accident with?
what year is it? really nice bike . i had a 77 kz 1000 ltd

[jtmcculloch]

Is that the same kawy you got in the accident with?
what year is it? really nice bike . i had a 77 kz 1000 ltd

No - the bike above is my current 1976 1075cc KZ900A

The crash was on a 1973 903cc Z1

[bonanzadave]

No - the bike above is my current 1976 1075cc KZ900A

Yes, very nice !

Im glad you and Andy are here to tell your stories.

[old school]

ouch wow what a miracle

[Mad GS 750 E]

On a lighter note, about 20 years ago in the spring i had to run to the auto parts store so i jumped on my H2 750 and headed to the store.I pulled into the parking lot and saw a really hot girl coming out of the hair salon next store,so of course i cracked the throttle a little and went to go park by where she was. In my mind i was thinking i got to get a date with her,unfouranetly i forgot about all the sand in the parkinglot and when i hit the brakes the bike slid out from under me.When i finally stopped sliding I remember looking up and she said "hey part of your bike is under that car" i said thanks and she got in her car and drove away. I picked up my bike dusted myself off and went home no auto parts and no date. the only thing hurt was my ego.Always remember if you see a hot chick while your riding LOOK AWAY!

[Kris V]

So Andy,did you ever get compensated from the girl or the insurance co? Glad things are better for you. I have had numerous close calls and hits but never went down.

[ALB80-850]

I did, but it wasn't even close to covering my lost wages! Slowly coming up on the 4 year mark, things could be better. When i have a little more time i'll explain.

Andy

[cowboyup3371]

Andy,
I read your post today and am glad you are doing better.

[Kitten Tooth]

That bike is absolutely beautiful heres my KZ1000LTD. too bad i got an 81 with the changed body style... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4EZl-Sveww

Enjoy

[ALB80-850]

Greetings All,

Just a short update post:

As many of you know, I have nagging/chronic back and leg issues since the accident. I had surgery to repair a disc a couple years back. it was successful, but probably not going to last a lifetime. After my return from the Moosehead Rally, where I had a slight mishap getting my bike on it's centerstand in the middle of the night in the rain and after several doctor visits and a new MRI, it's surgery time again. looks like the 1st week of November, then 3-4 month to recover.

every time I think about it and remember the girl who caused my accident was fined $160 and didn't pay that, really Pi$$es me off!! Sorry, had to vent a bit. more later.

Andy