Just Don't Understand

[grndlb]

I just severly crashed my smokin' 99' Road King a week ago yesterday on the Cherohala Skyway in North Carolina. My helmet saved my life and my leathers saved me much recovery time. The impact with the pavement knocked me unconscious and I remember little about the crash. I didn't know anything for a couple of hours so was air lifted to UT Knoxville. Was released in 2 to 3 hours with just a few stitches in my upper lip and some severe facial road rash. Was riding another guy's bike the very next day.

When I returned home to Memphis everyone is expecting that I will not get another Harley and walk away from this love affair. Of course I'm telling them I will get another one just as soon as the insurance company pays. Everyone tells me I've lost my mind. The point is, absolutely no one understands why we do what we do. We are in a league of our own. I never realized it as much as I have over the last week. Rubber side down!

[CHIPMAKER]

I am of the discipline that if you will not 'get back on,' you should have never got on in the first place!!!!!!!!!!!!

[arealinvestor]

It's something you can't explain to them.They would never understand it!!!! It's a love affair between me and my bike.We are one when i'm on it.I'm 37 now ,if you would have told me that I would fall in love with a hot rod bagger 10 yrs ago,I would have told you, your crazy!!!! Im coming out of one era(sports bikes) & going into another era(hot rod baggers)!!!!

[hotshotfxdl]

They dont get it...................Id be shoppin now

[route66paul]

I continue to ride after my crash last summer, but I am still somewhat gun shy in certain situations(like 75+ on a crowded highway). On hot days I find myself watching out for semi truck tire treads(they seem to peel off on hot days), I try to ride between the traffic clusters, and I stay out of the merging lane.

[brownjams]

Glad your alright adn so what's the next bike going to be?

[04GLIDE]

I have gone down many times over the years. Mostly when I was younger and doing stunts. It never slowed me down one bit. I had an ex-wife that thought I was out of my mind. And all my family. Now years later they pretty much get that Im not going to stop riding EVER.

[BUFFY]

On July 26th, I hit an oil slick (it covered the WHOLE ROAD) on my 2007 Road Glide and went down hard. (I don't remember anything about the crash or the EMT ride to the hospital. Got a concussion (with a bleeding brain injury) and when I woke up I could not move my left arm or left leg, just like a stroke. Spent 31 days in the hospital (ER, ICU and CCU) and finally got home. (Arm and leg came back to life pretty fast) I was a sign wave while I was there, from "I'm selling that thing!" to "I can't wait to get on it again!"

I love riding too much to pass it up, so as we speak, they are fixing my RG and I WILL be back on it.

My non-biker friends think I'm nuts, but my fellow riders understand my decision.

Ride safe and ride often,
BUFFY

[Fourcats]

"Of course I'm telling them I will get another one just as soon as the insurance company pays".

...So what color is your next RoadKing?

[Elk Oil]

Glad you're okay. Having crashed a week and a half ago myself, my wife and I went bike shopping two days later and we just returned from some more shopping today. The way I explain it to people who are confused is that I knew the moment I first threw my leg over a bike what the dangers were. Having crashed, the dangers have not changed. If I thought riding was any more of a risk simply because I crashed, it meant I was fooling myself all along and was unclear about something to begin with.

I'd not stop walking down stairs if I took a tumble, I'd not stop driving if I got in a fender bender, I'd not stop using a kitchen knife if I cut myself because I know going in that all these things are possibilities.

So you said "absolutely no one understands why we do what we do," but I must disagree. Of all the people I've talked to after my crash, only one jumped to the conclusion that I'd be giving up riding. Everyone else all understood that I can't let experiencing the downside of something keep me from doing it, because as far as I'm concerned, it's not about motorcycling. That's just a fact of life.

[Fred1369]

your angel must have taken a coffee break. I hope she stays with you in the future.

[BVBOB]

I posted a few weeks back about my wifes boss hitting a turkey and crashing and his wife losing her life in the crash, since then he has been back riding, now tell me how many of you guys could/would do that? I'm not sure I could.

[any4xx]

It has never ceased to amaze me that whenever someone is injured in ANY sport EXCEPT motorcycling, The consensus of the passers-by is to get them fixed up so they can get back to doing what they love to do. But if a motorcycle is involved, well, it's just back to the I-told-you-so crowd.

Sorry about your crash, but prayers for your speedy and full recovery.

Tom

[Captain Bligh]

Dunno if it's a good thing or a bad thing not to remember much about the accident? I've only been down once, but I remember it all, including the circumstances that contributed: cold, wet, fatigue, and gravel in a corner. Since then I've been hypervigilent about gravel in corners. If I didn't remember, I'd worry about it less but might be more likely to repeat the fall.

Sure am glad you had a good outcome. Enjoy picking out your next ride.

[trucky911]

Originally Posted by CHIPMAKER

I am of the discipline that if you will not 'get back on,' you should have never got on in the first place!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree..Wrecked 1 Harley twice.. Nether accident was my fault. Still riding. I love it. Wife rides with me also. She just took the riding course and is looking for a Fat Boy of her own to ride. So just get back on and RIDE....


Trucky911