Hi all... The first crash has to happen at some point
I'd been stuck in Canada for four weeks (work), got back on Monday, and last night thought "oooh! It's 7.30pm and still light enough for a ride". So I stopped the DVD half way through (why?!?!), managed to get the bike started, and headed out to Piha. I hadn't taken Lone Kauri Road on the bike before, so I toddled around there at a very sedate pace enjoying just being on the bike and looking at the scenery... Stopped at Karekare beach for five minutes, and followed through to Piha.
A few hundred metres shy of the Piha Rd & Karekare Rd intersections I came around a corner (not at any great speed), found some gravel on the road (I assume), and the next thing I knew I was on the other side on the road in the ditch on my knees wondering "what the hell just happened?"
The road is bloody narrow (two cars nearly scrape mirrors)... Anyway, a very nice british couple stopped to help me up and try to sort out the bike... it's completely fuct. I always assumed my first crash would be a low side and that the bike would have a few damaged bits that I could repair... I don't think I was going more than 50-60 but when the bike hit the soft gravel on the road-side it just flipped me right over the top. I'm pretty sure I could have made it if I hadn't broken the #1 rule of not focusing on where you don't want to go. It gave me such a bloody fright the survival reactions kicked in...
At the time, I couldn't find a fairing that wasn't damaged... the front wheel is at a 30 degree angle to the handle bars...Thank the biker gods that I payed out good dollars for the body armour! The helmet is scratched on the right, back, and top, and there's a patch of abrasion on the back of my right shoulder. No other marks on my gear, but a bit bruise on the back of my right shoulder "uh-oh"
Anyway... the couple very nicely dropped me back at Henderson A&E where I was overjoyed (not) to find out I'd broken my right shoulder at the end of the collarbone... I have 3 days left of my current job before starting my new job on Monday, 30km away... and I can't drive for at least four weeks
Hopefully ACC will help pay for the taxis...
The current problem is that my bike is still in the ditch (upright on centre stand) out on Karekare road... I don't think there's much risk of it being stolen in it's current condition but that's pretty hard to say.
Is there anyone that I could pay to help lend a hand with recovery please?
And just to add to the L plate discussion, I "thought" about removing the plate before I went out... very glad I didn't because at least this way the insurance company can't turn that back around at me.
I definitely didn't think I'd be posting this here so soon into my riding career... but there it is for you.I'm still going through the hundreds of "what ifs"... what if I hadn't stopped to listen to the birds, what if I hadn't looked at the beach info board...
Anyway, if someone could please offer some assistance it would be greatly appreciated. I'll probably try to take the bike in to Haldanes in Eden Terrace.
Thanks all... I'll post some photos when I get a chance.
Darcy
WBM
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thongh i'm not proud..... what are ya gonna do for a bike? if you are fixing it why not go for a bandit front and a bikini fairing? much cheaper than full fairing and lighter
Originally Posted by Paul in NZ
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