Katiepie graduates

[Genie]

I just want Katman so badly to see that I am not blaming anything else for my crash. I try to clarify this time and time again, and do honestly believe this myself. Yet he continues to dig at me as if I do believe it? Perhaps my choice of words above were not wise, I am not sure. But I know what I meant, and why I said it. Not putting blame anywhere but me. But it seems no matter how I put it I am still seen as they girl who blames everything buy herself. It saddens me, as this is not how I feel. But it seems I am not that wonderful with words or getting my intended meaning across sometimes. I will work on that

...and Katman is important in your life - HOW?


oh ...and you have a wonderul way with words. Never doubt the wonder that is you. You are AMAZING, AWESOME, BRILLIANT, BEAUTIFUL, CLEVER, COURAGIOUS, DELIGHTFUL, DELICIOUS...and so much more.

[Zamiam]

i would just like to say... for about the 5th time THE R6 IS NOT THE REASON BEHIND MY CRASH AND I WOULD HAVE STILL HAD THIS ACCIDENT ON THE M50. Only difference there is it would have killed me - almost gauranteed. So, I just beg you all the back of on this choice of bike. There has never been a single moment when I thought to buy it for power, for speed, for image. No. The ONLY reason I brought it is I have never felt so well fitted to a bike. The right weight for me, and an incredibly comfortable riding position for my bad wrists and sore back. Thats it. So Please do not go on about the R6 being the wrong choice for me. Yes, they have their reputation. But they can also be ridden gently and smoothly and it doesn't always have to be full tit as many think they do. Plus, I am not that sort of rider, not by a long shot. I will also point out the I was travelling 30km below the speed limit on the day of my crash. Yet some of you were happy to see me on the M50? With its mass of weight yet less power? That bike was becoming dangerous for me. And if you knew me as a rider you will agree that I brought the R6 for the right reason. They dont always have to bite. Only I know the facts behind the crash. No one else. I couldnt have been more thankful that I HAD made the switch on that day. I thank my blessings every single day.

And as for riding solo to the Burt... who the hell says I can't do it? Or shouldn't? I did almost the same trip on my own last year. Was anyone worried about that at the time? No. Because I have done 34,000ks of travel mostly on my own in less than 2 years. So riding south is not a big deal, and something I have already done on my own very successfully. I meet people along the way. ride with them for a day or two, carry on on my own, then meet some new people and ride with them. It has helped to shape who I am today, and for others to keep saying it's not something I can do, or shouldn't - I'm sorry but you obvously do not know me as a person nor a rider.

Not being grumpy here - just defending these points I am now very passionate about. If I were a guy, I KNOW not a single person would be concerned about with of these two aspects. So why shoud it be any different that I am female?

Thanks for listening - love Pie xx

You go girl Its your life so you decide what to do with it

[Mom]

Stop deluding yourself.

That bike wasn't becoming dangerous at all.

I just want Katman so badly to see that I am not blaming anything else for my crash. Not putting blame anywhere but me.

Steve. Read before you post! Stop hammering a young lady that obviously owns her crash, and was very badly injured as a result of it. She has paid, and will most likely continue to pay for what happened, for a long time, possibly the rest of her life. Rubbing her nose in it is counter productive to her recovery. I know you have little regard for what people think of you (sadly), but really.

We can all learn from what happened to Katiepie. Once she can recall, I am sure she will share with us. For now it is a bit of a mystery. She admits to the bike being a bit tall, but that will not have had any effect once she was underway.

[Berg]

A little suggestion for you Katie After my crash and subsequent neck injury I brought myself an Alpinestars neck brace I found, when returning to riding it provided support to the neck muscles by changing where the wind force was transferred, from my neck to my sholders.
I have finally been able to discard it now (surgeon has finally signed me off fully fit) but find I keep it in my pack for the long rides.
As for driving again, slow and steady. What you have to be aware of is both your abillity to turn your head to see properly and what other idiots do around you. I wasn't allowed to drive until I lost the collar
Glad to see the recovery is going well. If you need any specialist medical advise I would suggest Mark Sherwood from Island Bay. This guy is the spinal/neck guru and is the surgeon who saved my life

[Hinny]

I just want Katman so badly...
I try to clarify this time and time again, and do honestly believe this myself. Yet he continues to dig at me...
Perhaps my choice of words above were not wise, I am not sure. But I know what I meant, and why I said it...
It saddens me ... But it seems I am not that wonderful with words or getting my intended meaning across ...
I will work on that

Well Mom, reading between the lines it seems as if Katmans invective is paying off.
Katiepie is powerless to repel his hidden charms.

[Gone Burger]

A little suggestion for you Katie After my crash and subsequent neck injury I brought myself an Alpinestars neck brace I found, when returning to riding it provided support to the neck muscles by changing where the wind force was transferred, from my neck to my sholders.
I have finally been able to discard it now (surgeon has finally signed me off fully fit) but find I keep it in my pack for the long rides.
As for driving again, slow and steady. What you have to be aware of is both your abillity to turn your head to see properly and what other idiots do around you. I wasn't allowed to drive until I lost the collar
Glad to see the recovery is going well. If you need any specialist medical advise I would suggest Mark Sherwood from Island Bay. This guy is the spinal/neck guru and is the surgeon who saved my life

I love your advice there Berg and thank you for that. Good to know what brand of neck brace to look at as I will not be returning to riding without a decent back brace, AND neck brace. As I know the recovery will be long past the point when the docs say I am good to go. I too can not drive still, as I am still in the collar and am supposed to be for a further 3 weeks. I can not turn my hard more than a few inches either way, and know to stay out of the car until I can keep an eye on the other monkeys But the doc and physio (depending on results from my scan on monday) believe I can drive again in the next few weeks and I will be VERY excited to get back to that point. Especially living on my own out in the country with no public transport to shops. But I am patient. And will wait.

Just like I am not trying to rush my recovery. It may seem like it, but I am actually trying to buy myself some time so that I can recovery fully. The doctor wanted me to be back in full time work last week. Yet the work I can get immediately is heavy lifting, unloading trucks, and hanging by harness from trusses above stages rigging lights upside down. So I am buying myself time as I know I am a LONG way off from being able to do that work, despite what he thinks. Naughty I know, stubborn, yes sir!

And not sure if I have mentioned it but I will be spending a good couple of months as a pillion on bikes. To get used to holding my head and neck against the road bumps, without being in control of a bike.

And if closer to the time I don't feel 200% up to it, then I simply wont be doing it. But I can see, at this stage, no reason why I wouldn't be with the hard work I am putting into my recovery. Call me an optimist. I've been called worse

[Katman]

Steve. Read before you post! Stop hammering a young lady that obviously owns her crash, and was very badly injured as a result of it. She has paid, and will most likely continue to pay for what happened, for a long time, possibly the rest of her life. Rubbing her nose in it is counter productive to her recovery. I know you have little regard for what people think of you (sadly), but really.

Don't pop a vein Anne.

In a thread of 900 odd posts, four of them are mine. Go find them.

They hardly constitute harassment.

[Berg]

You will be fine in time When I had my crash I thought riding for me was over. NO WAY I'm back loving every moment and living every day like I damn well should have years ago In a sick, perverted, twisted (yes I know that sums me up) way, my crash has done me a huge favor.

[Gone Burger]

You will be fine in time When I had my crash I thought riding for me was over. NO WAY I'm back loving every moment and living every day like I damn well should have years ago In a sick, perverted, twisted (yes I know that sums me up) way, my crash has done me a huge favor.

You're a legend kind Sir - and one who inspires me greatly.

[\m/]

I love your advice there Berg and thank you for that. Good to know what brand of neck brace to look at as I will not be returning to riding without a decent back brace, AND neck brace.

I'd suggest looking at the Leatt STX. Currently the only brace designed for road/sport riding, the MX braces could reduce head movement, especially on a sportbike (head checks, looking through corners etc) .

[Berg]

I'd suggest looking at the Leatt STX. Currently the only brace designed for road/sport riding, the MX braces could reduce head movement, especially on a sportbike (head checks, looking through corners etc) .

I did like the Leatt but found the Alpinestars gave me plenty of movement for a fraction of the cost. I still wear mine sometimes on long rides to ease the neck muscles. On the R6 the Leatt may be the way to go, I ride a more upright bike so had no problems.

[Spearfish]

Come on all you good people
Katiepie's wing has almost mended so you know its time to let her fly free in the wild again, its not healthy to keep her caged just because you've grown to attached and protective.

[nerrrd]

I'm no expert, having been lucky enough not to have had any major crashes during my riding career (so far, touch wood); if I ever do, I doubt I'd be able to deal with the trauma half as well as you have - reading this thread has certainly been a highlight of my time lurking on these forums.

There are so many people on here worried about you and wishing you well, that's a lot of people looking over your shoulder (with the best of intentions).

It seems to me that fundamentally riding is a personal experience, maybe even a solitary one - mind, body and machinery all coming together in that instinctive way that makes it so addictive. Sharing that with other like-minded people is definitely the icing on the cake, but still…it's not the cake.

Or, putting it another way, we all end up having this personal relationship with our bikes. So, occasionally, the two of us might need time alone together, just to sort out any issues…not in any deviant, chrome-fetish, get-your-motor-running kind of way, of course, but I digress…

Moving right along, I think it's totally fair enough that you should come back to riding on your own terms, in your own way. Best of luck.

[MarkH]

The height has already be sorted for this one, as it was the only issue I did have, and know I shouldn't have ridden it until I had that sorted. It seems that I was one day ahead of myself as it would have been sorted the day after my crash.

I doubt the height would have been an issue in the crash - the height only really affects you when you stop and need to put your feet down. Definitely a good idea to sort that before riding again though (which it sounds like has been done).

[swbarnett]

Yes, they have their reputation. But they can also be ridden gently and smoothly and it doesn't always have to be full tit as many think they do.

I fully support your choice of bike. As you say, the throttle dose not have to be twisted 100% all the time.

My wife went from a VF400 to a CBR1000 in one jump. The non-biker salesman wouldn't have sold it to her but the shop owner knew her and was only too happy to see her on it. She was actually a bit small for the bike (had to shift her butt and stretch her foot to reach the ground) but had no problems handling it on the move.