sgtp
5th April 2012, 13:27
found this posted on the ancient ninja250.org site....worth a lookie-loo by newbies and oldies alike, and for tasteful banter while we wait for the holiday weekend to start:
Mongoose (Rookie)
Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:49 am
My spirited ride, almost claimed my spirit
Today was a pretty nice day, sunny and warm - and i just acquired a new camera i wanted to test. I wake up and get suited, booted, and riled up ready to go - bike fires up and off we went.
I set off for a quick run down one of my favorite roads, enjoying a warm-up through main street and finding my way to the desolate little country path i've discovered and set off. I throttle up and get the machine going well, camera still rolling my process when i see the first turn - I hit it beautifully, and each one just seems to run past me like silk. I run my route, and as i'm stopped for a breath, my phone buzzes with an email for work, and i need to get back fast.
i turn around to go home - still riding with some spirit on these back roads when i happen across a car. I hit my GPS and tell it to find me another route, and i stupidly dive into it - now flexing my little 250s engine, keeping my eyes peeled but now feeling some fatigue from setting out without eating first setting in, and my mind begins to wander as i navigate the extra 4+ miles on my 12 mile trek back to the main roads.
I look at the time and by then, im in a panic because i realize i had a meeting soon. I'm going balls deep into every corner with my smug little grin that me and the little 250 can conquer anything....
No, we can't. This is where the terror starts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfJfS_5QlAI
I was going too fast up a straight away and did not see the oncoming turn approaching fast, and i begin to commit into it- but oddly i feel off-canter, and in some mistake, I come up out of my lean only to find where i was going, was plowing into a field. I freak out (You can actually hear a small Oh shit! at 0:13), and stupidly grab my brakes.
I tumble, and somehow end up on my knees spun around, immediatly springing up to turn off my bike. I throw my helmet off and after i somehow pick up my bike, i feel it.
*squick.... crunch*
My arm is broken in 2 places, and my collar bone is shattered. I immediately go into shock and slump over the bike - feeling as though my insides were now on fire and i'm flying high through the magic sparkle kingdom. I glance up to see a man running towards me 'Hey, Oh hell, I know that look, You alright? what happened?' he yells at me, and i groan out that my arm is pretty mangled - and in my sparkly state i think its a good idea to try to remount the bike. Luckily the man grabbed me and sat me down, telling me he would move my bike for me. We move it deeper into the field and hide it in the woods, and he transports me to the hospital - as we're getting in the truck, he runs to grab all of my gear - which i had torn off in an adrenaline fueled fit; putting it inside with a small word of advice.
"You really f***ed up today, but luckily you were wearing your gear."
So i call my friend to come get my bike, which still drives; but not without him getting pulled over for the bike being in such rough shape. By this point i'm so full of drugs that he could have told me the bike exploded and i would have laughed.
...Still am while i write this, but thought i would since its fresh
The damage to me: minor damage to vertebrates 2 and 3, broken collar bone, broken arm, sprained ankle, and minor concussion.
The damage to bike: Broken mirror, broken cluster, turn signal housing non-functional, possible bent shifter, and snapped clutch lever.
Today serves as a lesson to me, and hopefully a reminder to whoever needs it: It's not that important that you should speed, or take corners like a madman. I'm holed up for 6 months recovery, and now all i have is the footage from my helmet to remind me. I keep watching it and it's burned into my brain, and that's something i'll just have to deal with.
The guy just froze up...target fixation on imaginary unicorns, perhaps?
Mongoose (Rookie)
Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:49 am
My spirited ride, almost claimed my spirit
Today was a pretty nice day, sunny and warm - and i just acquired a new camera i wanted to test. I wake up and get suited, booted, and riled up ready to go - bike fires up and off we went.
I set off for a quick run down one of my favorite roads, enjoying a warm-up through main street and finding my way to the desolate little country path i've discovered and set off. I throttle up and get the machine going well, camera still rolling my process when i see the first turn - I hit it beautifully, and each one just seems to run past me like silk. I run my route, and as i'm stopped for a breath, my phone buzzes with an email for work, and i need to get back fast.
i turn around to go home - still riding with some spirit on these back roads when i happen across a car. I hit my GPS and tell it to find me another route, and i stupidly dive into it - now flexing my little 250s engine, keeping my eyes peeled but now feeling some fatigue from setting out without eating first setting in, and my mind begins to wander as i navigate the extra 4+ miles on my 12 mile trek back to the main roads.
I look at the time and by then, im in a panic because i realize i had a meeting soon. I'm going balls deep into every corner with my smug little grin that me and the little 250 can conquer anything....
No, we can't. This is where the terror starts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfJfS_5QlAI
I was going too fast up a straight away and did not see the oncoming turn approaching fast, and i begin to commit into it- but oddly i feel off-canter, and in some mistake, I come up out of my lean only to find where i was going, was plowing into a field. I freak out (You can actually hear a small Oh shit! at 0:13), and stupidly grab my brakes.
I tumble, and somehow end up on my knees spun around, immediatly springing up to turn off my bike. I throw my helmet off and after i somehow pick up my bike, i feel it.
*squick.... crunch*
My arm is broken in 2 places, and my collar bone is shattered. I immediately go into shock and slump over the bike - feeling as though my insides were now on fire and i'm flying high through the magic sparkle kingdom. I glance up to see a man running towards me 'Hey, Oh hell, I know that look, You alright? what happened?' he yells at me, and i groan out that my arm is pretty mangled - and in my sparkly state i think its a good idea to try to remount the bike. Luckily the man grabbed me and sat me down, telling me he would move my bike for me. We move it deeper into the field and hide it in the woods, and he transports me to the hospital - as we're getting in the truck, he runs to grab all of my gear - which i had torn off in an adrenaline fueled fit; putting it inside with a small word of advice.
"You really f***ed up today, but luckily you were wearing your gear."
So i call my friend to come get my bike, which still drives; but not without him getting pulled over for the bike being in such rough shape. By this point i'm so full of drugs that he could have told me the bike exploded and i would have laughed.
...Still am while i write this, but thought i would since its fresh
The damage to me: minor damage to vertebrates 2 and 3, broken collar bone, broken arm, sprained ankle, and minor concussion.
The damage to bike: Broken mirror, broken cluster, turn signal housing non-functional, possible bent shifter, and snapped clutch lever.
Today serves as a lesson to me, and hopefully a reminder to whoever needs it: It's not that important that you should speed, or take corners like a madman. I'm holed up for 6 months recovery, and now all i have is the footage from my helmet to remind me. I keep watching it and it's burned into my brain, and that's something i'll just have to deal with.
The guy just froze up...target fixation on imaginary unicorns, perhaps?