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Old December 12th, 2022, 12:47 PM   #47
Bob KellyIII
Retired motorcycle Mc.
 
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Name: Robert
Location: Weed, California.
Join Date: Jul 2021

Motorcycle(s): 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R, 2021 CSC TT250, 1977 Triumph Bonneville 750cc,2001 Honda XR650L.

Posts: A lot.
OK You've all agreed that you are relaxed as you call it.... but that is NOT Relaxed
that is some middle ground between really tensed up and asleep ! fully aware and able to respond at a moments notice..... that is not Relaxed to me that is just not tensed up.
I don't think I've ever had a problem of being too tense on a bike.... a bike is an old friend to me it's my preferred method of transportation... how ever I did experience a TOO Tense situation when trying to learn to fly my Gyrocopter (autogiro) and yes it did screw me up, when your trying to think of everything at once and your brain cannot process it all fast enough.... that kind of tension has no place on a motorcycle ! it will flat get you killed ! even if your so nervise that your on the outskirts of that...it's time to get off and take a break ! and I am sure some of the aspiring Track riders will agree
with that....
But as far as falling and stiffining up that is a big no no.... that is how bones get broken. Now my last dump on the street I did stiffen up I did NOT relax like I usually do.... to a certain extent but that was out of necessity , as My hands were being pounded into the pavement as I spun and I started tumbling at 50mph.... by stiffing up I stopped the pounding of my extremities and became just one projectile.
when I finally slid to a stop in the ditch I stayed there a second doing a self evaluation check... My hands hurt like hell but I was fairly sure they were fine yes I had bruses all over me and they all hurt but my main concern was my bike at the time so I got up and found it at the base of a huge pine tree.... still idling.... So I did Not relax on that one
but in all the previous ones I most certainly have... but I walked away from it regardless
I do not think I would have faired better if I had relaxed simply because as I was sliding I began to roll as I rolled my hands were smacking the pavement very hard and it really hurt... so I pulled in my arms to my chest and stiffened my legs together as my knees were also being pounded... with that action I spun 3 times as fast and started tumbling
end over end like a stick.... I think I tumbled only 2 times but that was enough !
then I slid into the ditch and came to a rest....
in my case self preservation kept me from relaxing and also the pain.... my leathers were destroyed helmet was broken ( a modular one) and my gloves were also toast, but I was OK.... sore as all get out but I was fine ...the bike wasn't so lucky, but I did ride it the rest of the way home
and by the end of the week it was good as new.
....
so saying without a doubt that you should RELAX in a motorcycle crash I have issues with..... it depends on the situation
if your pinned under the bike and sliding down the road you better not relax and take what's coming to ya,... you better get that bike off you immediately or you will be ground to the bone in several places ! and I have seen that graphic sight a few times in my life.... that is far worse than a broken bone believe me !
(that is also why I ware boots ALL the time when I ride ) your ankle bone is the first to go ! even at 35~40 mph ! My dear Mother was crippled doing 35~40mph on a Honda 50cc Dad was driving Mom was the passenger behind him. when they went down
she stiffened up gritted her teeth and was hurt in the process the cartilage in her left knee was shattered and her silly slip on tennis shoe was turned inside out and her ancle on the left side was ground down into the bone (she lost about 1/4" of bone)
but Dad bounced and rolled and had just a few scratches Mom spent weeks in the hospital....
so my mother was a great example of what NOT to do ! stiffen up and your going to get hurt ! I got really lucky but that almost never happens in a motorcycle crash, if it can go wrong it will go wrong !
.....
Bob.......



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