15 Riders Talk About Their Motorcycle Accident

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Have you or someone you’re riding with ever had a mishap where your bike ended up on the ground? What happened?  This was the topic of conversation on a recent Motorcycle Mojo Facebook chat.

 

Learn from what happened to these riders.

 

motorcycle-accident15 Riders Talk About Their Motorcycle Accident

 

  1. Liz J. This is my bike after we slid down a hill. I let fear get the best of me and didn’t do such a good job of negotiating a hairpin turn banked with gravel coming down a steep driveway.

 

  1. Ursula B.  yes! Slid home twice and once at an off ramp! Thank-goodness for that crash bar , barely any damage to the bike! :0  I think my dirt bike experience helps as I think I know “how to crash” if that is possible to understand.

 

  1. Stuart H.  Blue Ridge Parkway last year, from South to North. Reached mile marker “1”, and turned around to take a picture of it, over balanced and layed it gently onto it’s side (Honda -ST1300 loaded) Two guys on Harleys, stopped to take the same photo, came over and helped me lift it and walked away, with not a single word exchanged or necessary «:-)

 

  1. Donna R. Not me personally…but I was driving my car along a winding highway when I noticed a rider coming in the opposite direction. I recognized that the rider was not going to make the curve….so I stopped my car…and sure enough…that rider went off the road in front of me and into the ditch. Had I not stopped, she would have hit my car. Lucky for that rider, the ditch was overgrown with long grass.

 

  1. Garry S. Buddy hit a deer, bent forks and major road rash.

 

  1. Dave C. I have a logic..2 types of bikers..those who have been down and those that will…eventually. Bless those that don’t but the odds are against us.  I’ve many years of motocross. .so that’s a no brainer.. bounced a lot..lol..then quite a few years of street. I’ve been taken out by 2 left turn cagers..both very serious. .one other riding to the extreme and miscalculated my abilities….totally my fault..and almost ended my life..fortunately for that stupidity. .I was alone and no one else was at risk. .that was all over 25 years ago. .I now have about 40 years riding experience and I still watch for that next “one”

 

  1. Peter B.  Was backing out my parents’ inclined driveway. When I reached the bottom where the back wheel was on the road and the front wheel was on the driveway my feet could barely touch the ground. Just then a gust of wind hit me from the side and over I went, trapping my leg under the bike. My parents always worry about me riding a motorcycle and I’m sure that incident just worsened their fears!

 

  1. Curtis D. i was at a red light and a VW golf hit me at 110 kms . the driver said he fell asleep after doing night shift . don’t remember the hit but they say i was awake through it all . took me out for a year and i still feel it today . that was in 2001.

 

  1. Glenn S.  Cut off at an intersection, hit a pot hole while taking evasive driving, unfortunately the front wheel hit the pot hole and I went over the handle bars…..

 

  1. Danielle D.  Just a slow motion tip over. And probably only ten or fifteen times. Now my bike is lowered. Lol

 

  1. Doug J. I worked in a few shops and had tire problems on two occasions. Broken collar bone the last time. Someone else picked it up for me. Both incidents in cold temps on new rubber.

 

  1. Curtis D.  Didn’t put the kick stand down at a bike night show n shine. Yep most of them seen. That’s all I got to say about that lol i just got my harley and i was parading around the parking lot too . Most of us have done something like that.

 

  1. Tim D.  Looking at a girl monitoring a wading pool and missed the corner, in 1980, I’ve grown up.

 

  1. Noel H. Last time was me, riding off the Ferry in Fauquier BC, adjusting my odometer/clock, not paying attention to the road and riding into the ditch. No damage but I did cover myself with thimbleberrys. The wasps thought I was money from home for the rest of the trip.

 

  1. Mark M. I was fifteen, and not paying attention… hit a stopped car doing about 40 mph, the bike went under the back of the car, I flipped over the roof of the car into on coming traffic (busy four lane road at lunchtime). I don’t know how, other than angels watching over me, I was not hit by any cars, nor was I hurt. The bike didn’t do so good, but I was still able to ride it back home after the accident.

 

Have you ever had an accident?  Even something minor?  What happened and what can we learn from it?   Comment below.

 

 

 

About

Author, writer, and student Liz Jansen combines her artistic mediums to create stories that inspire readers to embark on their own journey of self-discovery.

12 Comments on “15 Riders Talk About Their Motorcycle Accident”

  1. I had an accident May 7th. Broke my Femur..after running into the back of a car that had stopped to turn left. My friend in front of me saw the car was stopping and apparently veered right to avoid it, I did not. I was thrown off the bike, knocked unconscious …Thankfully I was wearing a 3/4 helmet and leather jacket that saved my face and torso from road rash. I’m also thankful I don’t remember anything of the accident.
    I’m still recovering but getting stronger every day. Anything can happen in an instant! I was/am a very careful, aware of my surroundings rider, but the early morning of my accident I remember telling one of my friends, who was riding with me, I was feeling ‘off’ that day.
    We all have them (off days), but always go with your instincts. I probably should have turned around and gone home at that point.
    Stay focused, I didn’t for ‘that’ second and it changed everything.
    Fortunately I am healing and have a brand new bike waiting on me once my leg is strong enough to hold it up.
    Ride Safe! and Ride On!

    • Thank you for sharing such wisdom Monet. You live great strength and courage.

      Another friend broke her leg at the beginning of a Pan-American 1 year trip and took her 1st ride this week – before continuing her journey. I will try and connect you.

      Looking forward to hearing about that first ride on your new bike!

      Safe travels,

      Liz

  2. Really enjoyed this one, Liz, especially since my accident is still so fresh in my mind at just about 11 weeks ago. No one at fault but me on this, my first ever dropping my bike or having a spill. I was on an open section of bad gravel road with a strong gusty crosswind. Cross rutted or caught some corrugation or a deep patch of gravel and my bars started tank-slapping and down I went. Broken left tib-fib, and titanium rod and screws. Left leg re-hab is important because I have to lift my loaded bike off the kickstand etc. I have a long way to go physically but am going to get moving again this week before winter hits Newfoundland! Heading south to buy more recovery time.

    I’ve always been told it isn’t IF you’ll be in an accident but WHEN, and that holds true for every rider on the road (and off road). All we can do is our best to be visible, be rested/alert/awake and hydrated/fed, keep our bikes in good working order and ride in a defensive way.

    Thanks so much to everyone for sharing your stories. Best wishes to each and every one of you in your health and riding.

    • Much appreciate your words of wisdom. Glad that you’re back on your bike and ready to continue your epic trip.

      I’ve heard that too – but don’t believe that an accident is inevitable. Following your list goes a long way to prevent that – and I’ll add – continuously refresh your skills, practice, practice, practice and ride with a healthy attitude.

      Thanks for sharing your story – and wish you and amazing trip.

      Best,
      Liz

  3. Dave C has an interesting take on this subject: “2 types of bikers..those who have been down and those that will…eventually.” Actually, I’ve never been off on the road (race track is a different matter) perhaps a result of my attitude and not buying into Dave’s “logic”??? I’ve never gotten up in the morning thinking it was a good day to get hurt so why don’t I take a ride? Attitude is everything along with technique and responsibility. After more than a million street miles I continue to work on staying on two wheels and not riding with the thought that I will go down sometime. I have a lot of input in my future.

    • Well said Walt and you’re living proof of how to do it. I agree. Expect an accident and inevitably you’ll have one. Take steps to ride safe – including your attitude – and you will.

      (For the record – my “slide” was off a driveway, not the road.)

      I’m going to put a plug in for your Streetmasters Course too. An excellent way to learn to stay ON the road.

      Thanks.

      Liz

  4. My 1st accident July 2004 was a car pulling a U-Turn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was leading 6 bikes and saw this car on the right moving in the grass with the back of his head looking out the window. I looked in my side mirror to see if everyone was well spaced apart in case this car went on the road. When I looked back he was 1 second from my front tire. I just had time to lean the bike away from the car. The bike went thru the front end of the car. Luckily I had heavy duty engine guards and the right one was bent 90 degrees. My bike went left into the trees and I my right hip hit a rock wall at 80kms. Broke my fibula above my ankle..plate & screws but could have been a lot worse! Wish I had hit my horn but didn’t have faith in it – now I ride covering my horn with my thumb!

  5. Last accident July 2005 it had been raining lightly all day when I felt the front end start to shake. I remembered the ERC course taught us that meant my back tire was going flat and my colleague riding behind me confirmed. I had slowed down to 80kph and put my 4 ways on and then tried to slow the bike using the throttle. The throttle was not enough and the bike rim caught from side to side throwing me off the bike. Wish I had used my brakes, moved close to the tank and even geared down to stop ASAP.

    • Another lesson Jean! Did you ever find out what caused the flat?

      We can’t prepare for ever eventuality we might encounter on the road, but we can practice and keep our skills and muscle memory as sharp as possible.

      Thanks for sharing.

      Liz

  6. I met with a bike accident. I don’t remember anything about the incident. The last picture what I could remember was I realized I am going to hit a man crossing the road. He was not seeing my bike. Then I think that thought that I am going to hit him itself made me unconscious. When I was awake I was with people and police and I had also lost my two front tooth. I tried analyzing the situation and answer the question why did it happen. I don’t know I couldn’t take a quick decision to apply break and deviate the path. I didn’t face the situation. Fear may be the reason that my brain shuts off. I was also bit upset on that day. I have to be very very careful.

    • It sounds like you may have encountered target fixation. It happens easily and often. The best way to avoid it is to practice emergency manouevers regularly in a safe place – like a parking lot – gradually challenging yourself more each time. Another good option is to take an off-road riding course, not because you’re going to ride in the forest, but rather because it helps you deal with the unexpected when it happens on the road. Practice and repetition develop muscle memory, which comes handy in a situation like the one you just described. It makes a correct reaction more second nature.

      Safe travels.

      Liz