Crashes, Falls and Drops

[Juniper]

Go see Phil at Riderskills. Worth every cent.

Make sure your bike is set up for you so things like reaching levers etc are not a distraction.

Yes that is the first thing I checked when my friend and I went shopping for bikes. I can touch the ground on both sides and bend my knees, in flat shoes. I can lift it from a 45degree angle. And The leavers have been pulled in so that I can reach.

[nerrrd]

If the subject matter is of concern to you, can I suggest that you get in touch with a Licensed Instructor for a couple of hours (maybe more) tutor?

Go get yourself some good training. No substitute for time on the road and a quick mind set. But first you have to have a few clues about what you are doing

Go see Phil at Riderskills. Worth every cent.

+1 to all of these, if you're planning some lessons you're on to it .

[Glowerss]

Only been riding a year and a half now, but spend an hour+ filtering through traffic 5 days a week and a fair bit of time out in the country on the weekends.

I've yet to drop/crash or any other mishap. From personal experience, I've found the thing is to be aware as possible of what's going around you(and to remind myself to not daydream and focus), and to never become complacent. Complacency is when you start dropping things because you think the kickstand is fully extended, or you assume that driver making the turn sees you. The challenge is to constantly be on top of things and not let yourself slack off.

And a big +1 to training. Shit's invaluable. I did about 3-4 training days when ACC was doing a big round of subsidized training this time last year. Was worth every cent.

[Road kill]

When I started riding I dropped an crashed heaps.
In the garage a few.
In drive ways and through their closely related fuckin'hedges.
Outside takeaways when I was showing off.
On gravel roads within the first 100 yards of discovering what a gravel road was.
Last time on a corner I've ridden since 1972,,,,somebody put tar an pea metal all the way round it but didn't put up a sign.
So I speared straight off the road down the bank and under a deer fence but I missed several large south Waikato rocks on the way down the bank so was actually feeling good about that until I hit the fence an went back to not so good again....

That was 12 years ago and the last off before that would of been about 8 years previous so my luck is increasing all the time.

[mrchips]

Seven years On the road 100000km under my belt & no problems then one day i drop the bike in the driveway while moving it to take a photo.

+ 1

I knocked my indicator off walking past my bike in the garage. While turning around to see what the fuss was all about i managing to bump a 150 x 150 fencepost leaning against the garage wall which then proceeded to fall in slow motion, onto one of my sv's prestine yoshi's

[SVboy]

Calling Katman to the keyboard please? Your thread has landed!

[bosslady]

Don't get caught up with statistics, your concentration should solely be on you not becoming one.
If the subject matter is of concern to you, can I suggest that you get in touch with a Licensed Instructor for a couple of hours (maybe more) .
Being such a new rider and riding with other new riders all the time will not help further your road craft...or ease the intimidation of riding with cars (other bikes) around

I totally agree with all of this Mark. Do your research on instructors and as soon as you can save up the coin, go and get one or even several lessons, I cannot express how valuable tuition is. Just make sure you have an open mind as to what's being instructed and the balls to realise and admit that maybe some of the shit you've been doing so far isn't quite right and then putting into practice all these new skills which eventually, will become a habit and second nature really, this is what I've had to do. I've had 3 lessons and one training day with a group of 4 others as well as 5 or 6 (non tutored) track days and have another lesson coming up soon. I've still HEAPS to learn and will continue to get more lessons or training days. I've done more than 11, 000kms now in just over 5 months of riding on the mway, open road, the track etc. and haven't had a crash and I push myself pretty hard, beyond my skill level maybe, just gotta remember the things I've learnt, slow down, think, breathe and keep goin on. I rode to Taupo last night in the cold and rain with piss poor visibility... still alive! Just wet... You are or can be better than you think, sooner than you think. Me, I don't give it a second thought about other people crashing etc. as like Mark said, I just concentrate on not being one of them and thus far I guess it's served me well, I've never even had anything I'd call a near miss apart from a naughty truck coming up a hill around a blind corner on a one lane road! Get tutorage, as soon as you can and surround yourself with safe, experienced and responsible riders. When you learn the necessary skills to survive on the road, it really opens the doors for you to start having heaps of fun on the road! You sound stubborn like me, so I am sure you won't give up, stick at it, concentrate on the positive and you will get there

[Subike]

I totally agree with all of this Mark. Do your research on instructors and as soon as you can save up the coin, go and get one or even several lessons, I cannot express how valuable tuition is. Just make sure you have an open mind as to what's being instructed and the balls to realise and admit that maybe some of the shit you've been doing so far isn't quite right and then putting into practice all these new skills which eventually, will become a habit and second nature really, this is what I've had to do. I've had 3 lessons and one training day with a group of 4 others as well as 5 or 6 (non tutored) track days and have another lesson coming up soon. I've still HEAPS to learn and will continue to get more lessons or training days. I've done more than 11, 000kms now in just over 5 months of riding on the mway, open road, the track etc. and haven't had a crash and I push myself pretty hard, beyond my skill level maybe, just gotta remember the things I've learnt, slow down, think, breathe and keep goin on. I rode to Taupo last night in the cold and rain with piss poor visibility... still alive! Just wet... You are or can be better than you think, sooner than you think. Me, I don't give it a second thought about other people crashing etc. as like Mark said, I just concentrate on not being one of them and thus far I guess it's served me well, I've never even had anything I'd call a near miss apart from a naughty truck coming up a hill around a blind corner on a one lane road! Get tutorage, as soon as you can and surround yourself with safe, experienced and responsible riders. When you learn the necessary skills to survive on the road, it really opens the doors for you to start having heaps of fun on the road! You sound stubborn like me, so I am sure you won't give up, stick at it, concentrate on the positive and you will get there

Now listen to this learner, she knows, got lots of respect around here for trying very hard to be a learner and nothing more

[cheshirecat]

After an initial few self inflicted stuff ups in my youth, when ever that was, I now seem to be doing OK (bit superstitious here) None of my riding friends here have had anything serious like bike write offs or broken bones, but then I no longer ride the groups. I here of prangs from weekend riders going over the 'Rappa, but hear or read in local newspapers relatively few local MC prangs and even fewer prangs from riders without all that protective clothing whilst commuting.

[Jezxa]

I've haven't had a drop or fall in my 1.5 years of riding. As other have said, good training is invaluable and has definitely helped me a lot.

I have had one crash though which was my fault. The bike was written off but I walked away with just minor bruising because I was wearing all the gear.

[orangeback]

Me I seam to fall every 5 to 7 years , it's not if it's when ,
i use to ride a lot , around 30.000 a year but since over late I only get in about 5k if I'm Lucky . That's all types of riding as well ,
I've broken my back ,and wrist in 6 places , with a high side.
Broke ribs , while crashstarting a bike .
Broke thumb , tucking front on motard .
I've been run of the road by 1 car , and another by a bike . Both minor crashes ,
If you'r going to ride over a long period of time you'll have stories like these , everybody got them.
IT'S NOT IF IT'S WHEN

[Juniper]

Calling Katman to the keyboard please? Your thread has landed!

Warning Mr Katman whoever you may be. Only he who is blameless may cast the first stone.

I cannot speak for the others but I know my friend was a sensible rider. Particularly cautious in the wet, which is when it happened last night. Even so much so that before I started riding myself (and got caught in that thunder storm) I scoffed at his cautiousness.

[Juniper]

.
IT'S NOT IF IT'S WHEN

Yea as soon as I considered riding that was what I decided to live by. That's why when I did drop it that first time I was lying in my driveway with my bike on top of me laughing hysterically. It was like 'yes it's finally happened!!'

[Katman]

IT'S NOT IF IT'S WHEN

Bollocks .

[Juniper]

Now listen to this learner, she knows, got lots of respect around here for trying very hard to be a learner and nothing more

Oh I agree with her, however long the post may be lol.