red1361
Parking Attendant
Posts: 16
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posted March 09, 2003 07:10 PM
Looking for some reassurance..
Riding early this afternoon on mountainous Highway 33 north of Ojai, California, I had stopped for a break at the top of the mountain (Wolffs) and was there with a nice guy who was out having fun,enjoying the scenery in the early afternoon sunshine on his Honda RC51. Afer resting a while he carefully zipped up...he was wearing full race leathers...and set off back down the mountain. I followed a minute later and five minutes down the road I turned the corner and saw the Honda crumpled on the left hand side of the road and pieces of broken plastic everywhere. THe rider was lying in the middle of the right hand lane. He was in a really bad way. Blood was coming from his eyes and he was just able to move his head. When I could I took off as fast as I could down the mountain in search of a cell phone signal. Help finally came but it was too late as he died two hours later in hospital.
After riding for thirty years and building insanely fast bikes (I have a 1361 stroker zx12)..this has really got to me. Looking for some words of reassurance and wisdom from a bunch of people who share my love for driving fast motorcycles.
  
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12RPilot
Pro
Posts: 1094
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posted March 09, 2003 07:20 PM
I damn near quit riding when the guy I was following got into a 130mph tankslapper. Scared the hell outta me. I can only imagine how you feel. Like most things, I believe time will mellow the shock.
 
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Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
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posted March 09, 2003 07:50 PM
Sorry you had to experience this red1361. The reasurance you can have is that we are all given an undetermined amount of time on this earth. And it is what you do with that time that's important. And setting at home trying to be safe is not really the answer. Use the experience as a reminder to yourself about the reality of our passion. But don't lose sight of the fact that there are many many guys that have ridden for twice the number of years you have.
The tough thing was you both were riding by yourselves. It would have been nice if someone could have been there with him at the end. But you did the right thing going for help.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
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Dino
Pro
Posts: 1422
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posted March 09, 2003 10:09 PM
If you love the sport, I would think the only effect it would have on you is to stay careful. I know there's other feelings involved,and it will take a while ,but you get over it. Believe me ,....I've been there, except it was my main riding buddy.
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uh oh
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bkrfstmn
Novice Class
Posts: 58
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posted March 10, 2003 02:04 PM
sorry to hear your story, there's way to many of them, but in reality this guy would have crashed a mini bike, keep your own head on straight and all will work out fine
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Megabyte
Pro
Posts: 1047
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posted March 10, 2003 03:02 PM
2 Years ago, My brother & I took a trip to MT. Baker. On the way back down, we got stopped by a traffic jam. After talking to a couple people, we discovered there was an fatality accident down the road. We walked down the mountain a ways, and came upon a dead ZX-9r rider in the middle of the road. Apparently, a camper on his way down the hill w/those 3ft extended mirrors had crossed over the center line, and caught the biker's head in his left mirror as he was headed up the hill. They both were rounding the corner at the same time, and I guess the biker was too close to the center line too, and well, the rest is history. It was an ugly sight, and made us think pretty hard about our riding habits the rest of the way home. It goes w/o saying that you gotta ride within your limits and use your head. Several times in the past, I have ridden with guys who push the envelope more than I usually do, and after a couple hours, I usually have to call it quits, because my nerves get fried. I've always maintained that it's the combination of unknowns that will get you. Sure, you can pass that car on a corner by sticking close to the center line, but what happens if there's crap on the road, and a vehicles stopped just out of site around the corner....?
Be Safe, and use your head, and I guess
'take it to the track" like swft has been saying....
____________
We First make our habits and then our habits make us.
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EastBayDave
Needs a job
Posts: 2245
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posted March 10, 2003 05:29 PM
Sorry you had to experience that Red; I've come across similar wrecks. A few times I didn't ride for months afterward. Somehow I always come back to it eventually...
One of my most favorite rides in this area is also a long, rough, mountain backroad. Typically deserted, with little to no traffic, the biggest problem is same- cell phones don't work in the canyons- or too far from a cell site. Many a rider over the last few seasons has waited far too long for the typical helicopter/life-flight, cuz many ambulance services simply won't go that far (~40 miles out of town.)
That's why I lately have been carrying my Ham (Amateur) Radio, which can cover vast distances quite easily (vhf/uhf via repeaters) & fits quite nicely under the Ninja's seat. Where do you guys think cell phones & a firemans walkie-talkies came from? Ham Radio...
To see more go to: http://www.arrl.org
Or comment/question if interested...
In my book you can't carry too much protection for yourself & others who are riding with you. When I go deep into the mountains, I typically go with the "Buddy System" @ "The Pace," just in case. Something about a local guy recently found here; all that was left of him was scattered bones after going off a cliff in the Berkeley/Oakland hills (!), & not getting found for 18 years...
____________
Enjoy the ride!
02' ZRX1200
00' ZX12R sold
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted March 10, 2003 08:05 PM
Red, if that incident didn't shock you I'd question your humanity.
It's quite understandable to go through a tough time after seeing that. But I'm sure since you have already made the decision it's better to live than sit and home and try to be 'safe' that you couldn't just sit at home.
We all know the dangers we face when we straddle our two wheeled steeds. And most of us mitigate as much risk as possible (admittedly, some more than others). Just leaving the driveway is an act that is inherently dangerous.
But I'd wager the fellow on the road wouldn't want you to stop - he knew the dangers as well - and accepted them. Unfortunately for him things the odds were against him.
After 30 years of doing what you love, it's going to be hard to stop. It's a part of you and I'm sure it would be another tragedy to let that part of you die as well.
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bfly
Expert Class
Posts: 188
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posted March 15, 2003 11:11 PM
your not the only one who thinks twice about ridding. i've had my times and still do to this day. here i have 4 that count on me for the daily needs more so now then ever before, i've seen my buds go down i've been down and think this is it no more but for the life of me i realy love this sport. why hell i realy could'nt tell in a sane way.
all i do know is that i dont ride like i used to know what i do know today, i dont have to be up front i dont have to be the fastst i dont have to prove shit. i just have to ride and enjoy it at my levle whatever that level is at that time.
funny i came in to this thread tonight after ridding today with a bud i've ridden with for years, and thinking to myself as were rolling down the hiway WTF is he thinking rolling the thick cars ect. i know better so i slowed down to my pace like i do.
looks as if i've found out something i love to ride for me not the other guy and if i ride like a fool i'll be the fool you calling for help for if i'm lucky enough to have someone stop.
yes i know shit can happen nomatter what i do but that can happen anywhere anytime i just dont have to help it along.
look for the signs read the signs act on them follow. and hope it's not your time.
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FastBikes4Life
Novice Class
Posts: 82
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posted March 17, 2003 06:27 PM
A friend of mine went to Myrtle beach a couple years ago. The traffic was jam-packed and he and another rider decided to go off the main drive and try to "get ahead" on some back streets. They happened upon a scene where some earlier bikers tried to do the same thing. The end result for the other riders was a horrific accident involving paramedics zipping up a dead body with the brains coming out of the skull.
Before I get on my bike I say to myself that I might not be coming home in one piece. I try to do things as safely as possible when I ride, even when I'm pushing it.
I agree with all of the earlier riders who say that time will take away the sting. I encourage you to remain off the bike until that "sting" goes away. The last thing you need to do is to ride distracted. The shock will eventually leave but you will always remember what you experienced. Ultimately it will make you a better, safer rider.
RW
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