Ride your own ride!

[Carter Turk]

Glad you're able to walk away calm and collected.
So it appears this happened on the new bike with all the superior components vs a GS.
I wonder if the mentality would have been different in regards to keeping up with your friend, if you were on the GS?

What was he riding?

[Joe Garfield]

Glad you're able to walk away calm and collected.
So it appears this happened on the new bike with all the superior components vs a GS.
I wonder if the mentality would have been different in regards to keeping up with your friend, if you were on the GS?

What was he riding?

Thank you!

He was on a BMW adventure bike. It wasn't at all about keeping up in speed, it was about darting through traffic on the highway (changing lanes, lane splitting, etc).

If I was on the GS, I probably wouldn't have tried since its slower and doesn't turn as quick. But it wasn't even about the maneuvering - I was steady in the fast lane when it happened - I just took my eyes off the road for a second.

[mrbill5491]

Not sure about it being an asset for riding/driving. Granted, most of the literature addresses ADHD, but ...

"ADHD participants reported significantly more Violations and Lapses on the DBQ than control participants and significantly more accidents. Average speed and speeding were also higher but did not interact with route type. ADHD participants showed poorer vehicle control, greater levels of frustration with other road users (including greater frequencies of negative comments) and a trend for less safe driving when changing lanes/overtaking on the motorway."

http://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.c...888-015-0566-y

A girl friend of mine has severe adult ADHD and has started riding some although just a TW200 Yamaha for now. She says it clams her down and makes her more attentive when she is riding as in has to concentrate more. She did the MSF BBRC2 advanced course with me and did very well. As soon as she can get some money together, we are looking for a street bike for her.

[Joe Garfield]

I got to talk to insurance yesterday. Unfortunately I have a policy that doubles the deductible within the first 100 days, and I was on day 89. It isn't the end of the world since I haven't done anything with my tax return yet. I also have some stuff I've been wanting to sell (tools) which will make up for most of it.

The other news came from the repair shop. They said the bill was 'already at $5,500 and climbing' and that I might be 'teetering on being totaled'. That news kind of hit me (uh, no pun intended ) I'm not sure what the value of the bike will be - it's only a few months old so it would be nice if I get something close to what I owe on it. I was surprised to hear the bill would be that high - plastic parts on this bike are actually not that expensive. Then I went online and saw the cost of forks ($850/ea assembled, $700/ea inner+outer fork tube), the wheel and brake rotors, etc. It was pretty easy to get parts to add up to $5500.

So I started thinking what I would or wouldn't do if it was totaled. Obviously the possibility of another crash is much more real now - I couldn't ever deny it would happen to me, but I never wanted to admit or face it. What was the likelihood of walking away from the one I was in? What's the likelihood of walking away from the next one? I can learn all kinds of things from this about what to do better in the future, but I also learned it only takes a fraction of a second to miss something and end up off the bike.

I haven't really been happy in too long of a time - that's a different conversation, but I was talkgin about all this with a good friend today. Being close to nature is important to me. The motorcycle has given me the opportunity to explore parts of the country that I wouldn't be so inclined just to drive to - the canyons, the coast line, even side streets around town. Then factor in the scents, the feelings, etc. I've also met or connected with people because of bikes. Getting anywhere on a motorcycle is so much more fun on a bike than in a car. So I don't think I'd be any happier without the bike. It's the age-old question: does the reward outweigh the risk (of riding Los Angeles)?

I seem to be feeling a little better today, regarding the concussion anyway. The wrist hurts a little more, there's more bruising, etc. but it's the road to a full recovery. I was able to work on the 1100 yesterday without aggravating my symptoms, and even organized my garage storage area a little. Today I'll do more of the same - disassembling the cylinder head and hopefully organizing my apartment a little. Maybe with a nap or some meditation on the beach in-between.

[Wingsconsin]

This is my opinion -

I commute to work every day I can on my motorcycle (GS850GL) .
The days I do I ride 13 miles one way in moderate traffic along roads that are going on average 45-50 MPH .
I enjoy the ride in - and the ride home. It makes me feel good and helps me decompress from the stress' of the workday

HOWEVER -
The part of motorcycling that moves my soul is the long distance rides into the great American open spaces -
Places like Utah, or Colorado; and the Great Plains States Like Nebraska, Kansas et al.
And the rides to the Smokies, or the northern woodlands of my own state of Wisconsin and upstate New York or Vermont.

The realty is - I love traveling by motorcycle to connect with the surroundings.
Scents, sounds, feel - subtle temperature changes going downhill or into the shade-
The smell of cut grass, a local restaurant, or even roadkill -
The breeze, the sun, the rain and the cold -
All heightened sensations when I am riding instead of driving.

The ability to be IN the moment and environment rather than passing through.

The danger of a crash is omnipresent - but I accept the risks knowing the rewards.
My Mother knew when I was very young that I never would be stationary for long. she called me her maverick as long as I can remember.
It is this burning inside to see what is around the corner, over the hill, inside the tunnel that appeals and satisfies me..

I suspect most avid motorcycle enthusiasts are similar in nature.

I suspect you are as well.

[bwringer]

Sorry to hear about this, Joe.

That moment when you're just a passenger of physics and time slows down... I know it too well.

Take care of your concussion, give yourself plenty of time, and make sure it gets evaluated thoroughly.

Get better soon!

[Rob S.]

The big lesson here is not to let anything or anyone influence the way I ride my motorcycle. I am disappointed for making such a rookie mistake, but I am thankful to have learned this lesson at the cost of only my pride

Lesson learned. Glad you're not broken.

[Charlie G]

Joe I hope you get better soon. LA and the SF area are risky places to ride in my opinion. I would do it, but I know it's crazy aggressive traffic. Take care

[gbw]

Just now seeing this Joe. Sorry it happened but very glad you're not hurt too bad (although bad enough with a concussion, aches and pains.)

Take care and get better. The bike stuff will sort itself out in time. Crazy what a difference a split second makes, huh?

[Joe Garfield]

Crazy what a difference a split second makes, huh?

Yeah - unbelievable.

So the estimate is just over $5500. The insurance adjuster will see the bike on Tuesday - I know they can be snakes but I have a hard time believing they'll value the bike at less than that; there's no way I can get another one for less than $9k. I haven't been through this before so I don't know how bad they try to low ball you. If it's considered totaled I'm out thousands. But I don't think it will be.

I got x-rayed yesterday because things were hurting really bad. But nothing is broken, and I think just knowing that makes me feel a little better. The bruising and swelling is really bad, and the concussion still sucks if I try to focus hard on something, or make quick decisions. I'm surprised they didn't say anything about not driving! I notice when I drive my brain is so much slower - it takes a lot of time and serious thought to figure out what's around me. Usually it's almost like instinct.

This is making me think about a different helmet, too. I'm thankful (of course) to be alive, and that I didn't get knocked out. But I'm a little surprised the concussion is affecting me this much/long. I went online and read about Shoei helmets being really stiff (maybe so they can withstand higher speed impacts). I wonder if there's another brand that does a better job at absorbing the blow, even if it means losing the helmet after a crash.

[gbw]

Happy to hear nothing is broken. Hope in time the bruising, swelling, and pain decrease.

As far as helmets go, I don't think the industry, either R&D or standards bodies (SNELL & DOT) are keeping up with brain injury research. Sure, the helmet performed as designed and protected your head and skull from the pavement. But nothing in the standards is designed to protect your brain from sloshing around in skull.

Let us know if you find something new and innovative that will help prevent concussions. I expect if there were such a thing it would be huge and cost a lot of money. But maybe the technology is catching up. I haven't looked at it in a long time. But last I checked neither the industry nor the standards bodies were working on it.

[Buffalo Bill]

Well best of health and safety for you Joe.
I have nothing to add, but I can say I prefer not to ride with other people, because I have gotten cocky/show off in the past. Keeping up with anybody, I just let them go, and stay with my own pace.
I would never ride in city commuter traffic, it's ruthless and cruel. Drove to work in Chicago for years, so I know.

[Joe Garfield]

Happy to hear nothing is broken. Hope in time the bruising, swelling, and pain decrease.

As far as helmets go, I don't think the industry, either R&D or standards bodies (SNELL & DOT) are keeping up with brain injury research. Sure, the helmet performed as designed and protected your head and skull from the pavement. But nothing in the standards is designed to protect your brain from sloshing around in skull.

Let us know if you find something new and innovative that will help prevent concussions. I expect if there were such a thing it would be huge and cost a lot of money. But maybe the technology is catching up. I haven't looked at it in a long time. But last I checked neither the industry nor the standards bodies were working on it.

After reading this I thought, "Wouldn't it just need to be some kind of dual-density or layered padding?" and then found there's a helmet company that's doing it!
https://www.cnet.com/news/smart-moto...om-concussion/ (this article talks about motocross, but they now make road helmets)

https://www.6dhelmets.com/ats-1/

[Joe Garfield]

This just gave me another idea, and I bet we'll see this in the future:
(actually, I deleted it and am doing a patent search )

[gbw]

Very interesting looking tech. I'd seen this a while back for dirt helmets. Didn't realize they'd branch out into street helmets too. Looks like my local moto shop is a dealer. I'll have to drop by and try one on.

$850 certainly isn't cheap but I suppose the cost of recovering from a concussion isn't cheap either.