I lowsided

[n4v1n]

So I lowsided going about 30-40mph with shorts on, Thank God I had my helmet and my gloves on at least but my legs are ripped to shreds, no broken bones thank God. I havent seen the bike in 3 days so far b/c Im in bed trying to heal the major road rash on both legs. Anyways, I might not be riding for a long time, my parents don't trust me to ride anymore, and I really dont think I want to ride for a while. So I bid you all a farewell in the help you have given me to enjoy my bike for when I did have it. Thanks

EDIT: 1 week later pics added, I also have skin ripped off on my back and shoulder, also some staples in my hip that I did not include pics of, also my right leg isn't in these pics, it isnt as f'ed up but still large abrasion on the calf and knee.






The Pile of gauze and bandages and non-stick pads after unwrapping, see all that dried blood? it was a PITA to get off, so much for "non stick"


DON'T ****ING RIDE WITH SHORTS, I"ll never make that mistake again.

[CRXTrek]

SORRY to hear another down.
Get well and get back on.

[Cali619]

bummer for the low side , details on what caused it? I have ridden like a squid before so cant slam you for not wearing pants. Get better and learn from the mistake.

[tjkamper]

I hope you get better. My advise is to get back on the horse as soon as you are healthy. Good luck.

[randomwalk101]

chick digs scars man...

[Snake]

Sorry to hear about the low side. Heal quickly and get back on the bike but this time make sure to have all your gear all the time. Look at this as a learning experience.

[Strider]

Ouch man, I hate to hear about anyone going down... I hope you heal quickly and without much pain.

But DON'T let this beat you and DON'T give up!
Like Snake said, use this as a learning experience, get some good gear and GET BACK ON!

[P1NDLESK1N]

I'll admit to riding with shorts on the way to work and back, 5min ride through town and its 80* with traffic. I try to keep my Icon Leg Armor on though, so if the worst happens I hope to avoid some rash.

Heal up and get back on.

[rockNroll]

The rash part really sucks, proper gear woulda been nice...lesson learned.

Perhaps you could share the details of your lowside, it just might help keep someone else from making the same mistake

[CC Cowboy]

You better have seen a Doctor. If not, you better go soon. If the roadrash gets infected you could loose your legs.

Get to a Doctor, get healed, learn from your mistake, get back on the bike and ride correctly.

Crashing Sux. The only thing worse is not riding at all (that really sux).

[Strider]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Crashing Sux. The only thing worse is not riding at all (that really sux).

You said it!

[dimeified]

i've only been riding for a few weeks, but so far i can't understand how these things happen to riders. im amazed when i hear about guys dropping their bikes. and people even tell me, its not IF you go down, its when. I have to admit i've had a close call already, but thanks to MSF i had some knowlege of how to break fast and hard, and i was able to anticipate the driver not seeing me like they taught us in msf. Are you guys pushin the bikes and breaking speed limits or does this sort of thing happen every day? Did you hit gravel? I'm asking as a humble rider, i hope to learn from other peoples expiriences so i dont have to suffer my own. in any event, dont give up, get back riding asap.

[ARF07]

I've heard of people hitting oil spots in turns, sand, gravel, fresh cut grass, leaves, animals, breaking in a turn..there are a number of things that can cause someone to go down.

As far as dropping the bike (when stopped) I've done it twice. Once when I was at a stopsign, idk why, maybe I braked too hard, but it tipped over. The second time I thought I put the kickstand down but it didn't go all the way.

Stuff like this does happen all the time, and you just gotta shake it off. Nav, hang in there man! heal up fast and get back on.

[M-Oorb]

Originally Posted by dimeified

i've only been riding for a few weeks, but so far i can't understand how these things happen to riders. im amazed when i hear about guys dropping their bikes. and people even tell me, its not IF you go down, its when. I have to admit i've had a close call already, but thanks to MSF i had some knowlege of how to break fast and hard, and i was able to anticipate the driver not seeing me like they taught us in msf. Are you guys pushin the bikes and breaking speed limits or does this sort of thing happen every day? Did you hit gravel? I'm asking as a humble rider, i hope to learn from other peoples expiriences so i dont have to suffer my own. in any event, dont give up, get back riding asap.

Usually what it is is a survival instinct taking over and doing something you know damn well you shouldn't do but your body just reacts in a wrong way. Im actually reading about this now in a motorcycle skills book and it makes perfect sense. It could happen mid turn when something unexpected appears and you hit the brakes (or even get off the gas too quick and upset the suspension). It could be something simple as gravel in the road that you dont see(and dont think you'll see it all) and reacting in a way you shouldnt.

Heal up soon buddy, as others have said go see a doc. and get back onto the bike nice and easy and this time you know to wear your gear.

[noche_caliente]

sorry to hear! Don't let it get you down - take your time healing up, and then take the time to heal your bike. We're here to help support you when you decide to get back on

[BlueRaven]

I made a promise to myself no matter how hot it is to always wear all my gear for the first year. It's kind of a verbal contract i have between me and my parents so they don't feel so anxious about me riding. I'd feel naked without my gear now that i'm used to it. Some days i really want to go riding without the jacket and the pants but i keep telling myself that's when something will happen and i'll go down.

[Obsidian]

I'm sorry to read about your accident. get better soon.

Hell, I ride in jeans and such so I can't say I wear the proper gear and I won't drill into you for the same. Lesson learned. Just like my little thing when that parked motorcycle hit my car!

Hope you get well soon.

[Jerry]

Originally Posted by dimeified

i've only been riding for a few weeks, but so far i can't understand how these things happen to riders.

Sh*t happens, quick. Real quick.

Originally Posted by dimeified

and people even tell me, its not IF you go down, its when.

People, for once, are right.

Originally Posted by dimeified

I have to admit i've had a close call already, but thanks to MSF i had some knowlege of how to break fast and hard, and i was able to anticipate the driver not seeing me like they taught us in msf.

Good job, after only a couple of weeks, that's amazing. You'll have many more near misses. Everyone does go down eventually...even if it takes years.

Originally Posted by dimeified

Are you guys pushin the bikes and breaking speed limits or does this sort of thing happen every day?

Happens every day.

To the OP....get some care, disinfect, and get riding again.

[andrewwoo]

wow sorry to hear about your incident... but hey.. just ride slower.. and keep your spirit up! hey you never know when you have that itch to ride again!

[AnarchoMoltov]

Hope u heal up fast man...

[miks]

Tough luck mate, get well soon.

[Verus Cidere]

Sounds painful. Like everybody else said, take it as a lesson learned and get some gear before you ride again. Just don't let it beat you.

[Momaru]

Ouch man, sorry to hear about that accident, road rash sucks, especially picking all the gravel out. Think everyone else has the ATGATT covered. Hope you heal up well & soon, and convince your folks & yourself you can still ride; happens to the best of us.

[adouglas]

Just a slight semi-OT note:

If not wearing gear is a heat issue (as opposed to a convenience, or -- heaven forbid -- vanity issue), then get mesh gear.

Yesterday I rode for the first time in my new mesh jacket and it really, truly was like wearing shirtsleeves.

Get better and learn the RIGHT lesson here. It isn't:

"It wasn't my fault, freak accident, can't happen to me again."

or

"I'm not skilled enough to handle the bike."

or

"Nothing is worth this kind of discouragement and pain."

It is:

- ATGATT
- Stay focused like a laser beam
- Do whatever it takes to ride safe, including the stuff that people routinely blow off (adequate following distance, looking ahead, REALLY riding at a reasonable speed, yadda yadda).

Hope you heal well and wind up with sexy scars!

[dimeified]

wow its amazing how these situations can be so out of the riders control, even at 30-40mph you really dont think anything could happen. +1 on the previous post about mesh gear, i use a mesh jacket, and you really dont feel it while your riding. now i need to invest in some pants.

[tc3jg]

Originally Posted by dimeified

i've only been riding for a few weeks, but so far i can't understand how these things happen to riders. im amazed when i hear about guys dropping their bikes. and people even tell me, its not IF you go down, its when. I have to admit i've had a close call already, but thanks to MSF i had some knowlege of how to break fast and hard, and i was able to anticipate the driver not seeing me like they taught us in msf. Are you guys pushin the bikes and breaking speed limits or does this sort of thing happen every day? Did you hit gravel? I'm asking as a humble rider, i hope to learn from other peoples expiriences so i dont have to suffer my own. in any event, dont give up, get back riding asap.

I hit gravel going about 15-20 mph and didnt know I fell until I was picking my bike up it happens so fast....the close calls are not what are going to get you it is the fall that happens and you dont realize it happened until your getting up off the ground....thats why you have to wear gear so that you increase your chances of getting up. cuz it would suck to die and not realize it until well your dead.

[dimeified]

oh man, thats terrible, well im glad your ok. its so hard to accept that this stuff is possible without warning.

[almost40]

Sucks to be you. Get better soon. Had some road rash once, JUST ONCE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ THIS AND STILL DONT GEAR UP.
ENJOY YOUR ROAD RASH.
YOU WILL GO DOWN
YOU WILL SLIDE ON THE PAVEMENT
YOU WILL GET ROAD RASH IF UNPROTECTED.

[n4v1n]

Thanks for all your kind words. I did go to the emrgency room, I went down about 150ft from my house. My neighbors helped me out. I fell on the left side and the bike flew into a school zone sign. I believe the skid was started as I was turning and there was grass/gravel on the edge of the road, when I felt the tires slipping, I grabbed the brakes and by that time the tires had lost enough traction already to make me go down. Happened in less than a second. I'm glad I had my alpinestars sp-x gloves on, the leather was completely torn on palm side down, but my hands are in great shape also there was a gash on the front of my helmet right above the visor, Thank GOD for that too. I have 4 stitches in my left knee and 3 staples in my hip. I still haven't seen the bike, but I know my dad was able to start it and ride it back to my house.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by n4v1n

...my hands are in great shape also there was a gash on the front of my helmet right above the visor, Thank GOD for that too.

I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, but you may need to replace that helmet.

[dimeified]

out of curiosity, why did you grab the brakes in the middle of a slide? was it a natural reaction or was it a concious decision? and why did you do it? im just wondering in case i get myself in the same predicament.

[Syphen]

If you were only 150 feet from your house, I'll go on a limb and assume that you had just left your house. Your tires were probably cold too which is very much a causal factor in a lowside. Without nice hot tires, you lose grip that may have kept you up right. Braking mid-corner is not the right choice in the event of loss of grip. The best plan is to let off the throttle, let off brakes and let things stand up on their own if possible.

Glad your okay. I've seen a lot of people go down over the years and I went down twice in my first year (Once was my fault, once I was run off the road by a car..), it happens but you need to get back on the bike and stick with it if you really enjoy it!

[TrueFaith]

"i've only been riding for a few weeks, but so far i can't understand how these things happen to riders. im amazed when i hear about guys dropping their bikes. and people even tell me, its not IF you go down, its when."

Not a good attitude to have. If you can't understand how these things happen you won't be prepared for it when it does. You may be able to ride your whole life without crashing unexpectedly, but statistics say otherwise. In fact it's more likely you will eventually crash than not, hence the "not if but when" saying. While there are many things you can control when riding a bike there are also a few you have no control over. Like an unseen patch of oil at night or gravel on the road that's missed while you're looking through a turn. One only has to see all the reports of people lowsiding on gravel to know that riders who think they can avoid every accident by being hyper-vigilant are eventually proved wrong more often than not. For the vast majority of riders a crash is still possible and even probable at some point in their riding career. To totally deny the possibility because you think you can control every situation is absurd. Someone texting at the wheel could drift over the double yellow tomorrow and you'd be dead before you realized what was happening, let alone react to it.

[CC Cowboy]

Wayne, I'm going to the Island Thursday. I'll be there for the weekend. Maybe you, Greg, and I can get together for a crash course in backroad riding (did I really say that). Actually most of the roads should be nice and clean. I did see a deer run across the road last time I was up there.

[dimeified]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

"i've only been riding for a few weeks, but so far i can't understand how these things happen to riders. im amazed when i hear about guys dropping their bikes. and people even tell me, its not IF you go down, its when."

Not a good attitude to have. If you can't understand how these things happen you won't be prepared for it when it does. You may be able to ride your whole life without crashing unexpectedly, but statistics say otherwise. In fact it's more likely you will eventually crash than not, hence the "not if but when" saying. While there are many things you can control when riding a bike there are also a few you have no control over. Like an unseen patch of oil at night or gravel on the road that's missed while you're looking through a turn. One only has to see all the reports of people lowsiding on gravel to know that riders who think they can avoid every accident by being hyper-vigilant are eventually proved wrong more often than not. For the vast majority of riders a crash is still possible and even probable at some point in their riding career. To totally deny the possibility because you think you can control every situation is absurd. Someone texting at the wheel could drift over the double yellow tomorrow and you'd be dead before you realized what was happening, let alone react to it.

What i meant was i dont understand how someone could drop a 350lb bike in their driveway not moving, like one rider said he forgot the kickstand. It seems most of these accidents are avoidable. I get the possibility of other driver mistakes and unseen oil/gravel.

[TrueFaith]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Wayne, I'm going to the Island Thursday. I'll be there for the weekend. Maybe you, Greg, and I can get together for a crash course in backroad riding (did I really say that). Actually most of the roads should be nice and clean. I did see a deer run across the road last time I was up there.

Normally I'd jump at the chance to go riding, Tom, but this has been a really weird riding season up here this year. The constant rain has really curtailed my time on the bike and I feel like I haven't had enough saddle time to even clear out all the cobwebs from the winter yet. Rides have been few and far between and I still feel so damn rusty considering we're halfway through the season already. I'm taking the bike out so infreaquently that I actually noticed some real rust on the chain and discs the other day, which should tell you right there how often I've been able to ride. As much as I'd like to join you guys I really don't feel like I'm in tune with the bike enough yet to ride with other bikes. It's all about knowing your limits and I'm going to need at least a few more weeks and a couple of full days on the bike before I feel comfortable enough to ride with even a small group. Luckily they are predicting at least a couple of days that may be rain-free this week, but unless this "year without a summer" pattern changes drastically I may be winterizing the bike before my riding skills get to where they should be. Thanks for the invite though.

[TrueFaith]

Originally Posted by dimeified

What i meant was i dont understand how someone could drop a 350lb bike in their driveway not moving, like one rider said he forgot the kickstand. It seems most of these accidents are avoidable. I get the possibility of other driver mistakes and unseen oil/gravel.

Well, the answer is still basically the same. Own a bike long enough and you'll be amazed at some of the stupid things you can do when you least expect it. I haven't dropped my bike in the driveway yet, but there was a point where I came really close. I was wheeling it across my lawn to the driveway on a dry day and hadn't noticed a neighbor had watered his lawn and got just a tiny area of mine damp. The bike was completely upright, but the second the front tire contacted the damp grass it went sideways and the only thing that saved me dumping it was that the Ninja is only 330 pounds and I was able to wrench it back up with a lot of effort. Otherwise it would have been down. Never say never in this sport.

[Broom]

how about some rash picts to encourage ATGATT (all the gear all the time)

[dimeified]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

Well, the answer is still basically the same. Own a bike long enough and you'll be amazed at some of the stupid things you can do when you least expect it. I haven't dropped my bike in the driveway yet, but there was a point where I came really close. I was wheeling it across my lawn to the driveway on a dry day and hadn't noticed a neighbor had watered his lawn and got just a tiny area of mine damp. The bike was completely upright, but the second the front tire contacted the damp grass it went sideways and the only thing that saved me dumping it was that the Ninja is only 330 pounds and I was able to wrench it back up with a lot of effort. Otherwise it would have been down. Never say never in this sport.

Well this is what i am talking about, you were wheeling, but for everyone else who goes the speed limit and doesnt push the bike or lean like crazy around turns at 70mph, i would think the chances of going down are greatly reduced.

[Alex]

Bill - What I'm understanding from your comments is that you expect as long as you don't do anything stupid, you'll never put the bike on the ground. I wish you the best of luck with that, but it's a longshot at best. Motorcycles are inherent unstable machines. Let go of them and they fall over. We spend years trying to keep it from happening, and sometimes we're successful, but overconfidence in our skills to the point where we believe it can't happen to us may come back to bite us. Practice as much as you can, ATGATT, and have fun.