Crashed after 3 months...

[axelccmabe]

So I haven't been on here in a while due to the accident, but i wanted to get opinions from a bunch of other riders.

It was a dark and fateful night on August 19 when I was showing my friend my bike 3 months after getting it. I was riding down the street where the posted limit is 30, but everyone goes between 40 and 50 down it. I was doing 45. The street I was on has an apartment complex with multiple inlets that go off the street. As I was riding down, I noticed a car pulling up to the street I was on getting ready to turn onto it from the apartment complex. Not thinking about my MSF course and assuming they would stop and look, I proceeded without slowing down. The person did not even stop to look both ways, but instead pulled right out in front of me and i hit the side of their car. I broke my arm and my finger and was sent to the hospital. My passenger was ok with the exception of some bruises. I realize I was speeding and I know it was stupid of me, but the other person was more at fault. The bike was completely totalled, and I got the insurance money for it.

My problem now is that close people in my life (ie. my girlfriend) refuse to allow me to get another street bike. While I would be happy with a cruiser, a street bike is really what I want. While I understand that what you guys say will not affect her opinion on the matter, I would like your opinion just for my own personal benefit. Should I get another bike? How long should I wait? I firmly believe I have learned an important lesson after this incident, and I want to know if any of you have crashed and how long it took you to get back on.

Thanks,
Alex

[Chippertheripper]

Yes. I would say immediately, but definitely sometime in the dead of winter, ie: deals to be had.

Girlfriend schmirlfriend. Ride smarter.

[Jim]

dump her, and give me her number







...pending pictures of course

[Sheppo]

Get backon ASAP. I got out of the hospital and called a buddy on the way home, he met me at my house and I climbed on his bike... Took a few weeks until I got insurance to buy me another one...

[e30addict]

My problem now is that close people in my life (ie. my girlfriend) refuse to allow me to get another street bike. While I would be happy with a cruiser, a street bike is really what I want. While I understand that what you guys say will not affect her opinion on the matter, I would like your opinion just for my own personal benefit. Should I get another bike? How long should I wait? I firmly believe I have learned an important lesson after this incident, and I want to know if any of you have crashed and how long it took you to get back on.

Thanks,
Alex

I think you already know if you should get another bike

Screw the girl. Don't let others control your life. If you want a bike, get one. If you don't want to settle for a cruiser, don't.

[DZircher]

How long should I wait?

I crashed in round #7 and broke my kneecap. I can't wait to get through physical therapy and then get back on my street bike (848)

-diz

[SquadraCorse]

Wouldn't make a difference what bike you're on. They all go 45mph...

Get a street bike and tell her it's a cruiser.

[fineout]

'busa

[Petorius]

1. Perfect the story
2. Display scars
3. Get girl who likes motorcycles

[snwbrdr435]

1. Perfect the story
2. Display scars
3.PIIHB
4. Get girl who likes motorcycles

FTFY

[SVRACER01]

what if you werent on the bike? what if you were in a car and got seriously hurt? would she not want you to drive ever again? or if you slipped in the shower and broke your arm, no more showers?
ok, the 2nd one was a reach, but the first one is legit.
i hear this often. person crashes their bike and then the family doesnt want them riding anymore, or family wont let them get a bike because their uncle was hurt/killed on a bike. if we used that same logic for everything else then no one would leave the house.
get back on the horse. learn from your (and the other persons) mistake and use it to make yourself a better rider

[CBR929RE]

if she loves you she'll deal with the new bike. don't go and buy something right now unless its a really good deal. you have all winter to find another one, then we'll find you a new bike.

getting back on after crashes gets easier the more times you do it. Last couple I've actually just laughed at.

[nhbubba]

or if you slipped in the shower and broke your arm, no more showers?

I use this one all the time. Most look at me like I'm some sort of jackass. I'm starting to realize they might be right. But fuck it, life is short.

Live it up.

[Legally Jackie]

I'm a 26 year old girl whose mother HATED the thought of me even getting on the back of a motorcycle. I got a bike of my own and crashed it (complete with an ER visit) the weekend after my MSF course, 2 days after getting my license.

Mom's first words at the hospital? "Heal up and get back on the horse."

I'm just sayin'...

[aldend123]

You could have been going just as quick on a cruiser. Legally you were speeding... but does the GF even go 30 in her car? Doesn't seem like speed was so much a factor as over confidence. You get good at predicting the normal driving pattern... too good. And expect they will do the right thing all the way up till that time they didn't.

She's fine with the cruiser but not a sport bike? They're both similar levels of risk in terms of other vehicle hazards. The illusion of speed from a beautufil sport bike does no favors. While they never should have pulled out, promote that you weren't riding safe enough, and point to the cast as you hard learned lesson. If you think, just for yourself, that you gained a little more self control and a little more fear of the other stuff on the road, I say get one while they're priced for winter.

Maybe you can sell her on taking more rider training? Advanced rider courses, maybe a track day? You just needed more practice reacting

Edit: Read that to her. Then tell her I typed this wearing a boot around my broken foot sitting next to crutches. All the times I've gotten lucky................. and I broke it going out my back door.

[Tricky Mike]

Take up skydiving with your newfound surplus of time.

[backinthesaddle]

I use this one all the time. Most look at me like I'm some sort of jackass. I'm starting to realize they might be right. But fuck it, life is short.

Live it up.

Actually a lot of bad accidents happen in the shower , bathroom, or kitchen.

[Rossco]

I settled for a cruiser once.

Once.

[ZX-12R]

Excluding off road riding, I had my first and only crash several years ago and ended up separating a number of my ribs on my left side which didn't become fully apparent until 2 days after the incident. It was a struggle to get on the bike but the pain was excruciating when I lifted the bike off the kick stand with my hands on the bars so I didn't dare ride it. It took a little over a month of hoping on the bike every couple of days until I was healed enough to ride with a tolerable amount of pain and about a month and a half until I didn't notice any discomfort. My wife was upset but mostly because I wouldn't go to the ER. She understands my hobby and has never tried to get in the way of it.

So get back on and ride as soon as possible. I'm sure your family and girlfriend have good intentions but you're an adult and it isn't their place to dictate what you can or can't do.

[e30addict]

Take up skydiving with your newfound surplus of time.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/n...lanes-collide/

[kumpy]

what if you werent on the bike? what if you were in a car and got seriously hurt? would she not want you to drive ever again? or if you slipped in the shower and broke your arm, no more showers?
ok, the 2nd one was a reach, but the first one is legit.
i hear this often. person crashes their bike and then the family doesnt want them riding anymore, or family wont let them get a bike because their uncle was hurt/killed on a bike. if we used that same logic for everything else then no one would leave the house.
get back on the horse. learn from your (and the other persons) mistake and use it to make yourself a better rider

Yeah, that's a good point. What if you totaled your car and it was 100% your fault. Does that mean you should quit driving?

[aldend123]

Here's the tough part: Riding is unnecary risk to most of the population. Driving, the kitchen, knives, stairs, showers, etc are all "givens" in the hazards of life. I know most of us would consider riding part of that. But you will not convince an opposing party of this. Especially if they do not ride, and/or do not want to. So, gotta get create with the excuses.

[7UPyours]

would you have been hurt less if you were riding a cruiser at 45mph? I hear this from people all the time "I want a cruiser so I don't kill myself". Maybe some of you long time riders can tell me if there really is a big difference while riding on the streets?
Get what you want, your money, your life, sure consider their feelings but at the end it is your decision, god luck

[TTD]

I would say get another bike, and sign up for some training courses.

Naturally, I believe you should take some trackday training to help with your bike handling skills - but I would also suggest an On Street training course. Our own Ken Condon (KenC) can help you with that.

[scubasteveRR]

I got my first bike, dumped it, got another and never looked back. you'll regret not getting back in the saddle.