Is biking safe? [Archive] - SV650.org - SV650 & Gladius 650 Forum

mikky

04-11-09, 01:52 PM

Spiderman

04-11-09, 01:56 PM

1 accident in 6yrs and that wasn't my fault or avoidable as a van that was leaving the roundabout decided at last mo to come back onto it and wiped me out in the process.

Way i see it is that i could get hit by a bus crossing the street same as i could get hit by a bus on my bike.

04-11-09, 01:58 PM

Its as safe as you make it.

I know people who have not had an accident in 40 years of riding... I also know people that have had 6 accidents in 2 years of riding.

Babywalker

04-11-09, 02:01 PM

Hiya,

It`s as safe as you make it! The better you read the road, position yourself etc all contibutes to making things as safe as possible:rolleyes:

HTH

ravingdavis

04-11-09, 02:01 PM

Plain and simple question, but probably a can of worms... :smt108

I've noticed that since getting onto a bike, I become invisible to every maniac on the road, especially women taking kids to school. From reading the forum, there's quite a few people who have come off, and have done serious injury to themselves.

Basically, should I just expect to come off at some stage during my biking career? How many of you have come off, or been in an accident in the past 12 months?

You need to evaluate the risk for yourself, assume you will come off. Biking is fun and enjoyable but not without risk. Your riding style obviously contributes to the risk but sometimes people do stupid things and you will invariably get caught up in it. I came off a few weeks ago and it was my fault, thats life. You have to just get back on the bike if you feel its still for you.

jambo

04-11-09, 02:03 PM

Lets get this out of the way: No.

But neither is crossing the road on foot, driving a car, or sitting at home eating pizza. The statistics for riding a motorbike make it quite clear that you're more likely to be seriously injured in the event of an accident than if you were in a Volvo.

However, I firmly believe that you get to choose how much risk you put yourself at. The simple fact is lots of people have accidents, but the same people seem to have accidents more frequently. There must be a reason. Riding technique, planning and observation, and not pushing yourself to "keep up with your mates" are all factors. Making sure you wear half decent protective gear helps protect you if you do come off, but trying to understand why you have close calls before you have an accident is the only way to stop you having one.

Analyse your riding. Did you assume everyone had seen you. Did you have an escape route if that car you were overtaking sped up or slowed down unexpectedly? If you dive aggressively or assume other car drivers will always do the obvious thing you make motorcycling far more dangerous than it has to be.

Consider advanced training, or ride with some people who are considered experienced and safe and try to learn from them. My riding really improved when I started doing rides with some of the more experienced people on here, they helped me understand what I was doing well, and what I was doing badly.

Best of luck ;)

Jambo

fizzwheel

04-11-09, 02:06 PM

From reading the forum, there's quite a few people who have come off, and have done serious injury to themselves.

Theres also lots that havent done that. You just never hear about those of us that ride and complete their journeys without falling off or being knocked off.

Theres lots of things you can do to minimise the risks you face, but at the end of the day its not safe. But then as said above neither can be crossing the road.

What you going to do stay indoors under your duvet and never venture outside just in case something might happen to you. Life is to short for "what if's"

madness

04-11-09, 02:10 PM

Compared with driving a car, it is dangerous.

Speedy Claire

04-11-09, 02:10 PM

No accidents this year thank god. The others have given excellent advice, I`d suggest you enrol on a bikesafe course if you have them in your area. That`ll equip you with better skills to reduce your risk of accidents.

mikky

04-11-09, 02:10 PM

I know... I'm a big girl... <holds onto his blankey>

I guess I've been reading the horror stories, and taking them as the norm. I think part of my problem with people pulling out is that they assume that I'm only capable of 10mph and decide to nip out while they can instead of getting stuck behind me.

With regard to road position, are there any threads which show which positions to take up at certain times (e.g. junctions, etc)?

BanditPat

04-11-09, 02:14 PM

yup its dangerous wouldn't be as fun with out the risk though would it? in the last 12 months I've came off once slid through some diesel and hit the kerb i blame my self because i was going a fair bit to fast. If you do come off chances are it'll be something little sliding off at about 5mph. IMO its well worth the risk its up to you to decided whether it is for you

BBadger

04-11-09, 02:16 PM

I had my off...all my own fault and its because of the way i drove, but that made me sort myself out before i did somthing really stupid.
If you plan ahead and really think about what your doing then you should be fine, and never push yourself into an uncomfortable place otherwise things will start going wrong and you wont know what do to.

Junctions scare me still...some people just dont look like their going to stop!

PsychoCannon

04-11-09, 02:22 PM

I suppose it's the old problem of all news is bad news ;)
People aren't going to be posting in droves that absolutley nothing happened to them today so you'll read more about the people that DID have a near miss or not so near than otherwise :)

I tend to tell all my friends when they ask about biking that everyone comes off eventually it's simply part of the learning process.

True some don't and the off may be something as simple as you get off the bike and forget to put the side stand out or put your foot on a wet manhole cover when you stop and your foot slides out.

There are more ways to come acropper on a bike than in a car due to the fact you are balancing it :)
That said the advice above is spot on, it's as safe as you make it and if you wear the gear and switch your brain on, you're not much more likely to come to a serious injury on a bike than you are crossing the road or driving a car.

I've got a very bad record (about 1 off every 2 years in 10 years riding, but the last 4 years had been clean until a muppet in a mini litteraly homed in on me, crossed to my side of the road and hit me face on coming the other way down a perfectly empty straight road at 1am)
This has also been my first accident thats left me claiming for an injury and even that I'm told will heal in time (toe and thumb - not life ending!) - and I should even be a few Grand up on that deal! - almost tempted to do it again :)

fizzwheel

04-11-09, 02:25 PM

With regard to road position, are there any threads which show which positions to take up at certain times (e.g. junctions, etc)?

Well they probably are, but lesson 1 of using an internet forum is never believe everything you read ;)

Go and do a bikesafe or join IAM, best way to get advice on this stuff is from the experts, rather than a internet forum.

dizzyblonde

04-11-09, 02:25 PM

Biking is as safe as you make it.

I came off because I was a silly mare, and it was soley my fault, as I threw my bike down the street.

I've not had any bike vs other interface as yet, and hope I never do, but I have had several hairs whisker misses. All in 6 years of riding which I don't think is too bad.

Speedy Claire

04-11-09, 02:27 PM

[QUOTE=mikky;2084289]I know... I'm a big girl... <holds onto his blankey>QUOTE]

A quick tip.......... riding would actually be much safer if you let go of your blankey and put 2 hands on the bars :p :smt026

slark01

04-11-09, 02:47 PM

All i'll say is listen to these guys, they are all experienced riders and have helped many people including myself.

Ste.

STRAMASHER

04-11-09, 02:48 PM

It gets safer the more you do...

...if you survive.;)

More seriously as said, its the internet, nobody posts up the millions of safe miles they have done. No harm in having a think about your riding when somebody posts up the details of their latest spill. Even if its nipping 5mph off your speed or hanging back a little extra from the car infront.

Get out and enjoy yer bike. You never stop learning on the things , part of their addiction I think.:)

dizzyblonde

04-11-09, 02:52 PM

Sally

04-11-09, 02:58 PM

Make you'reself as visible and as loud as you can..
Get some further training, bikesafe, enhanced rider scheme(ERS) or IAM or something, it can't do you any harm.

High vis vest, white helmet, possibly rim tape(don't shoot me :)).

To be fair, I don't wear high vis, I have a matt silver helmet, I don't have rim tape, and have dark/silver leathers. Not a shining (excuse the pun) example of being visible.

Nothing seems to help with some drivers.

Expect the unexpected, watch out for cars changing lanesinto spaces in queues when filtering, watch for women on the school run in large cars, white van men, dodgy overtaking chavs, lorries who squash you, inconsiderate white van men..

Actually, just keep an eye on everyone, and ride like everyone else is an idiot, (Which they usually are)

It's not you you have to look out for, it's everyone else.

Quedos

04-11-09, 03:12 PM

as per Sal - make yourself visible as much as you can

I wore high -vis all the way down to wales but normally don't if i'm going round local roads.

Further training is the way to go - any of them is good I'm biased as I'm an observer for IAM but I can see the difference it makes not only in my riding but others.
Rideouts with more experience people - good and bad - just make sure that you are not pushing it to keep up.

Junctions - if you means side roads joining your road - if no-one there keep your position but be ready to move is someone appears. If there is already someone there move your position to nearer the opposite white line ie if the road is on the right move in towards the kerb as you approach the junction
ALWAYS expect them to move out on you - if they do you are already prepared for it.

and so far 0 accidnets in almost 5 years of riding - a few close calls but no offs yet. i work on the assumption of it's not if I come off its when.

hindle8907

04-11-09, 03:16 PM

Its not just the cars that are out to kill you.
Its the Pedestrians too !!
My recent accident involved a young chap running out into the road I clipped him with my handle bar and it sent me off into some road side barriers and I snapped my knee cap in two and have had it wired back together.

Nothing is safe. all you can do is try to make it safer.

Littlepeahead

04-11-09, 03:34 PM

sv-robo

04-11-09, 03:54 PM

everyone comes off eventually it's simply part of the learning process.

+1...unfortunately not many get away without at least one,be it minor or major......i've had both:(

ArtyLady

04-11-09, 04:16 PM

04-11-09, 04:22 PM

stuff

Couldn't agree more:D

ArtyLady

04-11-09, 04:27 PM

I've injured myself to the point of needing medical treatment by falling out of a window, tripping over the cat, getting my foot caught in a rabbit hole, being kicked by a very very small pony, falling head first off a kids climbing frame and accidentally spilling wood polish on the floor then slipping over on it and knocking myself unconscious.

So far on the bike I've only had a bloke pull out of a side road and clip the foot hanger leaving me with a slightly bruised foot and in far less pain than all of the above injuries.

So I reckon I'm safer on the bike!

Good point! I've had more injuries from horse riding/falling off a chair (absolutely true!:shock:)/slipping off a broken crazy paving slab (broke my foot) slipped while walking on ice and injured my back/not to mention severe ill health in general! - I could go on and on but I won't bore you ;)

Based on my own statistics I'll continue to take my chances on the bike - armed with plenty of advanced training of course! ;)

Red Herring

04-11-09, 04:36 PM

It's all been said, get some decent training, never trust anybody else to do the "right" thing, never rely on luck. Oh and don't accept that coming off is part of motorcycling, crashing is not part of the learning curve. Riding on the road is 90% what's going on in your head, 10% what you do with the bike, but that 10% can be really good fun!

ophic

04-11-09, 04:42 PM

Riding on the road is 90% what's going on in your head, 10% what you do with the bike, but that 10% can be really good fun!
Cruisers aren't like that. 90% in the head, 6% what you try to do with the bike, and 2% what the bike actually does. Oh and another 2% relief when it actually does it. Still fun, mind :D

TheOnlyNemesis

04-11-09, 04:44 PM

Walking outside your front door isn't safe, it's all how you look upon it and how you ride, ride with a death wish and it'll be granted, ride like your life means something and you have a far better chance of a happy biking life.

metalangel

04-11-09, 04:51 PM

It's no more dangerous than most things you do, except you will likely sustain nastier injuries if something does go wrong.

The thing is to be prepared IF something goes wrong. I wear all my protective stuff, all the time (ALWAYS WEAR YOUR FERKIN LEATHERS) and this is why I have a sore knee and physio instead of no skin and crutches (or worse).

Part of it is being prepared for other idiots. Never assume a car has seen you, that a pedestrian isn't going to suddenly cross, or that white van man hasn't spilled some fuel. See these hazards and be prepared for them.

The other part is YOU, the other idiot. Nobody controls the bike except you, so all the observation in the world won't mean jack if you can't control the bike. Don't ride beyond your abilities - a lot of bike crashes are just the biker, overcooking it in a bend and coming off. An experienced MotoGP rider can't push a modern superbike fully to the limit, so you most definitely can't. Ensure you're at the right speed before you reach the bends, ensure you'll be able to stop for those lights if they change, ensure you don't have a heavy hand in the rain in case you spin the back wheel. The last thing you want is to go too fast, get into trouble, panic, snatch the front brake... wallop!

So basically, don't expect you'll inevitably come off, but be prepared that it *could* happen, and take the steps to minimise the chances of it happening. I crashed in August and was very lucky to come away with so few injuries. I've heard of people going much slower getting much more badly hurt.

PsychoCannon

04-11-09, 04:57 PM

Ahh yes how could I forget that gem!

Rule number 1: assume everyone else on the road is a complete IDIOT and will do the dumbest possible thing they could do in any given situation.

You'll be nicely supprised when you're prooved wrong but it won't happen often but you'll be more prepared for when you're prooved right!

ArtyLady

04-11-09, 05:45 PM

.... Oh and don't accept that coming off is part of motorcycling, crashing is not part of the learning curve...

I absolutely agree with this :)

Dave20046

04-11-09, 05:57 PM

I'd say no it's just risk assessment as to whether you can afford not to ride.
Then ofcourse there's a lot you can do to make it safer, attitude, skill, experience, decisions, good gear, good luck.

It's just what I think, how many of us can truthfully say when cornering we have the capacity to stop safely on our side of the road if we were to find a broken down lorry round the blind bend? Or that that moron can see us? Of course again a lot of the relates back to skill,planning, hazard perception and decision making. Just not a nice thought.
I understand that if I die on the bike, I die on the bike. when I got on it I knew there was a chance - life wouldn't have been my life without it, so...:smt102

Don't jump on me for this post please

I've had 2 accidents, one I was filtering (line of traffic to my left clear oncoming lane) at a safe speed imo (bout 15mph - long straight road ,no junctions either side) whilst I was parallel with a saloon it just suddenly did a u-turn through me.

Second one was bad decision making and prioritising/observance on my part plus bad luck (IMO), that hurt. But I was exremely lucky.

Then again I know a bloke who's got round a corner twice on the same 50mph road (over a few years) to find a car on his side of the road over taking. First time he managed to squeeze out of the way second time he collided head on with a combined speed of about 120mph, no time to brake. Shot over the car and slid under one that had luckily stopped, got off with just a swollen bum. Safe to say had he been in a car both times things would have been different. jammy git.

mikky

04-11-09, 08:59 PM

All good points, and rightfully noted.

Nice to put things into perspective. I guess it's all about preparing for the worst, and keeping your wits about you, and a bit of good luck. :)

Feel a bit better now that there's a good few of you who don't think you have to crash as part of the learning curve. Otherwise I'll be driving about getting twitchy and not getting more and more confident in riding within my abilities...

Thanks guys! From now on, I'm treating everyone like an idiot!

<goes off to get his ass kicked by the missus>

:smt023

dizzyblonde

04-11-09, 09:05 PM

I tend to tell all my friends when they ask about biking that everyone comes off eventually it's simply part of the learning process.

Ahhh yes, but then some or most people you say that to expect it to happen early on in their biking career.Some people fall off/get knocked off many times early on...some of us that don't are either extremely skilled or have more jam than Hartleys;)

It took me five years to slide down a road on my head, and it knocked so much confidence out of me, I was scared to death of one of my bikes for this last year, and I fell out with completely.

Thankfully a very patient London forum member took me on some nice and scary roads on my other SV and taught me London filtering a couple of months later....lol...that cured it. I came back better than ever:p

TazDaz

04-11-09, 09:12 PM

DfT like to throw around the statistic that...

"Motorcyclists accounted for 1% of the nations road traffic last year, but also accounted for 20% of the fatalities during the same year".

So yes...it is a dangerous mode of transport.

dizzyblonde

04-11-09, 09:14 PM

you could nit pick and say how many that were killed or injured were blokes on bikes:rolleyes:

I'm joking of course:kiss:

Dave20046

04-11-09, 09:28 PM

you could nit pick and say how many that were killed or injured were blokes on bikes:rolleyes:

I'm joking of course:kiss:
Apparently male 26-40's are the biggest portion (which surprises me tbh I thought it'd be either young'ns or born agains).

starks

04-11-09, 09:38 PM

Apparently male 26-40's are the biggest portion (which surprises me tbh I thought it'd be either young'ns or born agains).
this is prob because this is the age were people would be most confident on a bike and with their own ability, this can easily grow into 'over' confidence which is a bad thing or even the other way were some people get lazy about riding i.e. not doin shoulder checks and the like
everytime i go out i try my best to have a clear head and make sure im fully up for the ride, even if its jus round the block to the shop, also i'll always put on my full protective gear no matter what

dizzyblonde

04-11-09, 09:50 PM

or is it the fact that its a man thing and women riders are still small in number in comparison. Oh and that women really are pretty good :-)

Sorrreeeee I feel like a troll!

starks

04-11-09, 09:55 PM

or is it the fact that its a man thing and women riders are still small in number in comparison. Oh and that women really are pretty good :-)

Sorrreeeee I feel like a troll!

your prob completely right, i was just trying to sound like i knew wat i was talking about:shock:

Dicky Ticker

05-11-09, 09:49 AM

Or to put it all another way------46 years after passing my test I am still here and enjoying riding my bike------Biking is one looooong learning curve which you never get to the end of and most people have many many more good experiences than bad.

Confidence in yourself and your bikes capabilities,plus no confidence in other road users to do the right thing-------Always expect the unexpected

mkz9876

05-11-09, 10:00 AM

nearly 3 yrs riding bigger bikes not one accident touch wood, one year on a 50 when i was 16 came off twice (both times me showing off) its all about observation and anticipation IMO, treat everyone as though their going to kill you and you wont go far wrong, further training is always a good idea, ride for yourself all the time,

Another way i got some really good advice when i first started was when i got stopped by a police bike, i asked him loads of questions about how i could improve my riding as he had followed me for couple of miles he gave me some really good tips and advice all for free to lol

and this last bit of advice is going to sound very strange, be very carefull who you take advice off, asking the wrong people for advice and following it blindly has got me into some dodgy situations in the past,

weather biking is safe is down to you, i think it is but its not without its element of risk which is part of the reason i love it,

Dave20046

05-11-09, 10:06 AM

Interestingly I was reading roadcraft last night and it states that if you have a crash you are very likely to crash again in the next year or so. Apparently we just don't learn. It said few riders think they are at fault and 90% think they are better than the average rider - they can't all be right! Young blokes are at a high risk as hazard perception ain't quite right, peak age for fatalities is 17.

30% of crashes in wet conditions are due to a skid/lock up.

On a bike you are 35% more likely to die in a crash then if you drive a car. (as main transport I guess)

....Good Morning folks :)

PsychoCannon

05-11-09, 10:22 AM

I had that little epiphany a year or so back.
My first accidents were cars pulling out of or into side roads causing me to hit them side on and I always considered it there fault.

Having had a few clean years I was avoiding the 100th idiot that day who had pulled out on me having seen him a mile away and it hit me (the epiphany not the car) that if I had this sort of observation and understanding back then, I would have avoided those accidents, so it's not really faultless on my part =p...but still not my fault..if you get what I mean :)

Alpinestarhero

05-11-09, 10:34 AM

No,its not safe. But very few things are.

You must remain alert and ready at all times; never once let your gaurd down. If you are not 100% certain of something,then dont do it. You can reduce the risk on your behalf, but you can never reduce the risk coming from other people. Have a loud exhaust, wear a hi-vis vest with the silver stripes that reflect really well, keep your motorcycle well maintained, and ride in a responsible manner. Don't be afraid to use your horn, its better to be "rude" than to plant your bike (and yourself) into the side of a car because they didnt know you were there.

Wear the right gear, keep your visor clean.

Everything else is up to the gods!

the white rabbit

05-11-09, 10:37 AM

Its probably as safe as horse riding and taking ecstasy ;)

jambo

05-11-09, 11:32 AM

Its probably as safe as horse riding and taking ecstasy ;)
You, my friend sound like you have a very entertaining pass time right there:D

Jambo

Swin

05-11-09, 11:34 AM

22 years, 1 serious-ish accident, more due to a slippery road and me unfamiliar with a new bike than anything else - but still no broken bones as a result.

I wold agree that it's as safe as you make it.

PsychoCannon

05-11-09, 12:14 PM

You, my friend sound like you have a very entertaining pass time right there:D

Jambo

lol had a flash of someone on E, riding a horse also on E...now that would be an interesting thing to see :shock:

But yes loud cans! the best thing you can get for saftey seriously!
Beats a hi-vis anytime Imho though you'll need that in the dark too as much as it may clash with some peoples fashion sense :)

dizzyblonde

05-11-09, 01:51 PM

Young blokes are at a high risk as hazard perception ain't quite right, peak age for fatalities is 17.

And in the small print it says....because their brains are in their balls, tehehehehehe :rolleyes:

Dicky Ticker

05-11-09, 01:56 PM

Very sexist today Dizzy--------being of the female gender and not having the same accoutrements pray tell where do females keep them

Milky Bar Kid

05-11-09, 01:57 PM

Erm.....bum???

mkz9876

05-11-09, 01:59 PM

Erm.....bum???

that would explain why most of my exs were contsantly talking out of their **** then lol

dizzyblonde

05-11-09, 02:00 PM

Very sexist today Dizzy--------being of the female gender and not having the same accoutrements pray tell where do females keep them

my brain is firmly on the shelf in the corner DT, I keep it there for special occasions:shock: However I get my balls out of a box on the mantelpiece, nice to play with in the hands....but then they are for theraputic reasons, used by the chinese for centuries;)

Milky Bar Kid

05-11-09, 02:02 PM

that would explain why most of my exs were contsantly talking out of their **** then lol

Steady on now....! lol!!

ophic

05-11-09, 02:04 PM

my brain is firmly on the shelf in the corner DT, I keep it there for special occasions:shock: However I get my balls out of a box on the mantelpiece, nice to play with in the hands....but then they are for theraputic reasons, used by the chinese for centuries;)
you gotta admire the logic of the chinese tho - women get stressed, men don't... i know!!! :idea: balls!

-Ralph-

05-11-09, 02:21 PM

Only two types of biker, those who have been down and those that are going down.

Anybody know of anybody with 50-100 thousand miles or more experience who has never fallen off?

The trick is not falling off too often (it's expensive too!), and not putting yourself in the kind of position where to fall off would cause death or serious injury. There's loads posted here on how to do that.

If every off you have results in cuts and bruises and maybe the odd broken bone or damaged joint, you're doing OK (so long as your wallet can stand up to the broken plastics and bent forks!).

It's no worse than any other dangerous occupation or pastime. 54 people died when out walking last year on the mountains of Scotland, and I know a guy who does parachute jumps and thinks my motorbike is too dangerous :confused:

Dicky Ticker

05-11-09, 02:22 PM

Theraputic juggle first thing in the morning sets you up for the day:)

Dave20046

05-11-09, 02:30 PM

Only two types of biker, those who have been down and those that are going down.

Anybody know of anybody with 50-100 thousand miles or more experience who has never fallen off?

:confused:
In fairness ,I do, but do instructors count?

-Ralph-

05-11-09, 02:44 PM

In fairness ,I do, but do instructors count?

I didn't say 50-100k without an accident which police & instructors and even a few "older gents" probably do, I said 50-100k or more experience.

Instructors probably have 500k miles of experience.

The only people I've ever met who have never had an accident are those that have been riding a couple of years and have yet to have their first one.

Do you know an instructor who has never in his life fallen off? Even dropped his moped at traffic lights when he was 16? If so he's one hell of an exceptional case, and falling off is experience in itself, it's part of an essential learning curve. How can you truly understand the limits of grip, etc, if you've never taken a bike past them and hit the deck when you ran out?

dizzyblonde

05-11-09, 02:48 PM

Milky Bar Kid

05-11-09, 02:49 PM

Are we including drops as offs here or just proper offs? I am getting a tad confused...

BomBalong

05-11-09, 02:55 PM

Ive ridden for 3 OTR and have had 1 accident that wasnt my fault, I was riding up a local road minding my own when a car that was parked facing me behind 2 others put the front of his car out to "see if anything was coming". Luckily i came off okay just done some damage to my left knee.

At the end of the day a bike is as safe as the Rider.

Remember it takes hundreds of nuts and bolts to make a bike, But it only takes one nut to take it all apart.

Ben.

-Ralph-

05-11-09, 03:12 PM

Are we including drops as offs here or just proper offs? I am getting a tad confused...

Don't think it matters, all are part of biking.

My off on the way up to the GM was a 20-30mph lowside on a hairpin bend, but caused minimal damage to me and the bike, picked it up and got back on it.

Most serious biking injury my brother-in-law has sustained in 20 years resulted in an operation to his shoulder and still causes pain, after he failed to put his VFR on it's side stand properly, tried to catch it when it fell, and ended up lying underneath it on his driveway.

Kilted Ginger lost his front tyre on a slippy patch under braking at 5mph and slid a few feet, but he and the bike hit the deck hard and he had some nasty bruises and the nose fairing practically exploded.

Which ones was a drop and which one was an off?

Milky Bar Kid

05-11-09, 03:13 PM

Don't think it matters, all are part of biking.

My off on the way up to the GM was a 20-30mph lowside, but caused minimal damage to me and the bike, picked it up and got back on it.

Most serious biking injury my brother-in-law has sustained in 20 years resulted in an operation to his shoulder and still causes pain, after he failed to put his VFR on it's side stand properly, tried to catch it when it fell, and ended up lying underneath it on his driveway.

Kilted Ginger lost his front tyre on a slippy patch under braking at 5mph and slid a few feet, but he and the bike hit the deck hard and he had some nasty bruises and the nose fairing practically exploded.

Which ones was a drop and which one was an off?

Calm down dear!! I was only asking because I have had 3 drops at practically stationary since I passed a year and half ago...

-Ralph-

05-11-09, 03:29 PM

Calm down dear!! I was only asking because I have had 3 drops at practically stationary since I passed a year and half ago...

I'm calm, I'm calm. Jeez, these women, you say something in a perfectly acceptable tone of voice and they think your having a go! ;-)

ArtyLady

05-11-09, 03:39 PM

Are we including drops as offs here or just proper offs? I am getting a tad confused...

I wondered that too. If we are then I've had two of those and a nasty bruise.

Oh....and do I count my highside that sheared the bike's mirror bolt? didn't fall off luckily - rode right through it somehow! That definately was a learning curve about wet roads and tar road repairs - could have been very nasty I rode the 30 miles home at 20 mph, badly shaken - said I'd give it up but that was 5 years ago.

-Ralph-

05-11-09, 03:42 PM

My best mates husband hasn't had an accident/fall off in about 20 or more years of biking AFAIK, I seem to recollect him saying so when he took the time to give me some help when I first started out. However he is an ex instructor.

Stick him on a lie detector, if he passes he's either got long term memory loss or he's just not trying hard enough ;)