Crash Analysis: What did you learn?

[TerribleTabo]

I was riding home late last night & had a spill. A car cut into my lane & made an abrupt stop so I slammed on the brakes. I kept sliding into a rough patch & started tank slapping until I went down. I felt an impact hit my head after I went down. I think a car tire must have knocked into my head when I fell because a lady came out of a BMW checking to see if I was ok afterwards, lucky I was wearing full helmet. I'm trying to analyze what happened this morning & I think I must have hit oil & kept sliding into a very bumpy patch that threw my front end into a tank slapper. My clutch lever broke into 2 pieces and got a dent in my tank from the handlebar. :-P Oh well, looks like I'll be contacting Nate @ Frosty Finishes again. Not really sure what I would do differently in the future.

[wouldrichest]

Originally Posted by teresa620

They have advance MSF courses thatyou bring your own bike!

I was leaving work one day bobbing through the parking lot. The parking lot sloped down in the direction I was riding and a as I approached the T-intersection to take a right out of the lot I was looking left up another approach to the intersection (it was a V type intersection leading to a T intersection, if that makes sense). I had seen a car coming down the first approach to the T intersection and wanted to make sure he stopped, because a lot of time they don

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[cicii]

-Brief recap of the crash:
I was on a big charity ride, about 400m from my destination on a tarmac curving road through the bush. We had been riding for about 1hr30min. i was loving the corners that were being thrown at me feeling pretty confident. I caught up to an L plater at the who was doing about 60km in an 80- zone so i decided to overtake in (crossing double lines). the next thing i saw was a slopping right hander which was sharper than i had hoped. I leaned into it, applied the brakes but my turning curve was too wide. i applied more front brake and that was it. the bike slipped out from underneath me and i ended up in the bush doing about 60km/hr. I hit a mound of dirt and a big bush and the bike and me flipped over. i opened my eyes and i was lying on my back. i ended up with a gash in my left shin and a banged up right knee. I have proper riding pants but they need to be worn with boots otherwise the skin on my ankle is exposed. I went to the store the day before to buy boots and they didnt have my size. so i wore jeans and normal shoes. other than than i had me helmet, riding jacket and riding gloves.

-What you did right. stayed under the speed limit. wore what other gear i had

-What you did wrong. Everything else.
- i didnt give myself enough time to buy the shoes therefore not wearing the pants.
- I was too confident towards the end of the ride
- i crossed double lines
- i applied too much front brake
- i didnt scan the road ahead too much because i was concentrating an passing the learner.
- riding on a unfamiliar road i shouldve sat further back watching how others take corners, under estimating the learners ability to ride. being cautious and number one priority.
I am very lucky to be alive after doing so many things wrong. theres that whole mind set of "getting back on the horse" i really want to because i really do enjoy working on my monster and riding. I rarely do long rides, that was my third ride that was over 1hr. so its inexperience of long rides and that road.

-Thoughts on how it might have been avoided.
- for starters the right gear
- sitting back in the pack on an unfamiliar road (allows for scanning and copying the technique of riders ahead)
- not crossing double lines
- not getting confident

Alot of you will shake your head at this message and so you should. I already have these points tattooed on my brain but writing this out helps even more. i hope to learn from my mistakes but if others read this and it makes a difference then thats just a whole lot better.

i also copped a negiligent driving fine and lost points after the cops were called by the ambos

[infresig]

I laid the bike down for the first time tonight. Exactly 460 miles on the odometer and about 470 miles in terms of my total time spent on motorcycles. Was checking my mirror at the same time as pulling into the open right lane from the middle lane at a red stop light. Saw an SUV taxi pulling into the same lane and pulled back toward the middle of the center lane--too slow and the bike tipped over to the left. Crashed at zero miles per hour. Immediately got up and tried to pick the bike up. Saw but didn't register that the rear wheel was still spinning and the bike started to do a semi-circle as I picked it up. Fortunately, the engine cut out once the clutch came out fully and I was able to pick it up and move it to the side of the road.

- What I did right:

Wore helmet, gloves, boots and leather jacket. No damage that I can see to any of my gear. Checked my mirror before changing into the right lane, and so avoided a potential collision with the oncoming SUV. Took the time to check the bike for damage before getting back on the road.

- What I did wrong:

Was not focused on what I was doing and, consequently, dropped the bike in a situation that could have been avoided by simply putting my foot down earlier. Started to cross into the right lane as I was checking the mirror--a motorbike is not a car and the mirror needs to be checked before (not during) a lane change maneuver. Did not cut off the engine as the first step--attempted to pick up the bike with the rear wheel spinning. Also, was tired from a long week at work and ignored it. Did not wear leg protection beyond jeans.

- Thoughts on how it might have been avoided:

Pay attention at all times. It comes down to not losing focus because the margin of error, as it is often said, is very slim on a motorbike and there are no trivial actions. This is the first time I have laid down a motorbike and in some ways I am relieved that I've gotten it over with (and can no longer fantasize that I will be among the few beginners never to lay one down).

Finally, a question to the board members. What damage should I look for? I examined the bike closely and, other than scratches on the shifter, clutch lever, bar ends and frame slider, I can see no other damage. The mirror was bent toward center slightly, but that has been corrected. I plan to take the bike to the dealer this weekend to have it looked at, but I am very curious as to how there is not more damage. No blinkers snapped; no scratches anywhere else (including the tank). The shifter is scratched, but appears to function normally. The battery (?) seems to be in vulnerable position in the lower left hand corner of the bike (and feels looser than I expected). Basically, what are the typical contact points, and consequently, the areas to look for damage, in a zero MPH tip over? Should I be worried about damage to the front disc brake?

Thanks in advance.

[Bernadette418]

I am a newbie....hardly anytime at all on the bike and decided I wanted to try a side street. So I started Bike, (M696) pulled in the clutch...put in first..checked mirrors, quick head turn and let out clutch, thought I'd hit friction zone..did not...lost balance..fell off bike. So Analysis: what did I do right...checked mirrors, head turn..what did I do wrong...was too early, too eager, too nervous, too inexperienced and didn't wait to "feel" friction...thoughts on how it might be avoided...get more comfortable, be alert, not first thing in the morning...and really get familiar with the feel of the friction zone....haven't been on the bike since...

[nixon]

This is my first monster and Ducati and I am a young guy so you could imagine the giant smile on my face. that is stilll there.

I was coming home from the dealership with my red 696. I had fresh tires an it was raining. I got home in one piece, in my garage parking, i have multiple floors so I figured i would just troll up and down the floor. I did so carefuly as the tires were slippery. My gf came in and she was constantly telling me to be careful, i eventually became tense and scared. and on any bike fear and tension is lethal. So i was doing a U turn and suddenlyi felt like i was going to fast I pumped the front breaks hard. and in that moment the bike loves to go to the ground. I was not moving at all.


The bike crashed I jumped off. Lucky for me the design saved the gastank and only the break lever smashed into pieces.

WHAT I DID WRONG: allow my girlfriend to make me nervous and pumping the breaks too hard.

What I did right: didnt ride fast or take risks and I bought new cool levers that are awsome.

[BrooklynB&R]

I guess there is a lot of gain from this. I was making a slow left hand turn and I was turning I throttled on accidentally, panicked, braked, and through me right off the thing. Fortunately, I didn't hit anything or anyone, however everyone just looked right at me and continued on like nothing happened. Right now I have a swollen knee from landing on it, twisted ankle, and a bruised left ring finger nail. All it all, I'm fine but I would've much better off it I had purchased better gear.

Gear I was wearing:

- HELMET:

Icon Alliance SS -- Definitely did it's job. All scratched up on the left side where I landed. All I can say that the full-face helmet is the only way to go. Anything less is not worth it.

- UPPER BODY:

Vanson Comet -- Scuffed on the left shoulder where I landed, no seams broken. Glad I spent the money on it.

Force Field Action Shirt -- This thing probably saved my shoulder from getting hurt. I highly recommend that people get this on top of what they're wearing underneath. Again, I'm VERY glad I spent the money on it.

Now, here's all the bad stuff:

- GLOVES: Icon Pursuit -- Didn't really do anything. It in fact ripped at the seam where my finger is currently bruised. I believe the clutch lever and/or the handle may have landed on it when I fell. Not to mention the dye from the glove had been coming off.

- BOOTS: Icon 'something' -- Nothing really happened to the boot. It is scratched up, but it didn't stop my left foot from twisting. I have an extremely swollen ankle right now because of this. I spent $90 on the boots ages ago when I was learning how to ride. I wish I got something that stopped my ankle from twisting.

- PANTS: Levi's 501 -- Nothing ripped, but it didn't really absorb the impact of my fall so my knee hurts. Very minor scrapes and my knee area is swollen. Could've been a lot worse here, I know this.

Things I've learned/observed:

- AGATT. Make sure to spend every single penny on everything you wear. The things I spent money on did it's job and went beyond expectations. Things I decided to spend on a little less on didn't do a damn thing.

- I believe I was sitting too far back on the seat so when I was turning the handlebars, it caused my right hand to twist on the throttle. I panic, jump on the brakes and next thing I know flip off, do a tumble, and screw everything up.

[dle.cool.chips]

[QUOTE=nixon;2335036]
WHAT I DID WRONG: allow my girlfriend to make me nervous and pumping the breaks too hard.

lol. hope you have better riding experiences since.

[Smelt]

Hi guys -

Interesting thread, learning from each others mishaps. I like it.

Crash Recap:
I had my first low-side the other night. Truth be told, it was probably too cold to be riding the 796, but it was the first rain-free day we've had in weeks. So, I rode the Duc to work. End of the day, I was leaving the parking lot, and we have a downward sloping drive out into the main street. As I made the turn, I simply lost traction and down I went. Probably not going more than 15 mph. Luckily no oncoming cars. Phew. Some traffic behind me...couple of co-workers stopped to help me out. I rolled, hit my head and knee (the knee taking the worst of it - diagnosed as a deep bone bruise). Bike came out relatively unscathed. A broken mirror, bent shift lever and scraped pipes (guess I'll have to buy some aftermarkets ).

What I did right:
I had the right gear on: Shoei full-faced helmet (now with a horrible scratch on it), Joe Rocket armored jacket, good boots and gloves. Oh and as a side note: If anyone is looking for a good backpack for riding, try the Timbuk2 packs. I had that sucker on (with a laptop inside!) and not a lick of damage to it. Even my coffee mug which sits in an outer pocket was okay.

What I did wrong:
Left work too late - weather changed during the course of the day and it got precipitously colder by the time I left for home. I should have paid more attention and took into account the conditions before I got on my bike. The tires were cold and the tarmac was even colder. As it was, I was tired and I just wanted to get home. I got mentally lazy. I didn't grab a bunch of throttle, but perhaps I was too aggressive with my lean as I turned.

Oh and even though I had *mostly* good gear on, I was only wearing jeans. If I had some good riding pants I probably wouldn't have gotten that annoying bone bruise.

Anyway, this was my first crash (not counting dirt bike crashes) after many years of riding so I'm fairly lucky it wasn't serious. To be honest, I was more concerned with my bike, waving off my coworkers and telling them to go check on it first. LOL.

Hope this helps. Cold weather+cold tires = bruised knees