Lucky for more life. Don't go thinkin it can't happen to me.

I've watched videos of motorcycle mishaps, and thought how did that happen,
must be a rookie...
Tuesday July 12 th. Had a deadline to get home from my 2nd day at my new job, a 30 mile ride,
by no later than 5:30. Traffic unusually heavy on the main country paved road, figured...
The Commando had happily made that commute up and back that day. People that don't travel the road regularly
tend to crowd and tailgate. Not wise as this is big white tale deer country, amongst many other
varieties of wildlife. There was a pickup coming up behind me fast enough I felt I was gonna get ass-packed !
That didn't allow me the essential engine braking downshifting time required and the old drums just weren't up
to the task. I had given the front wheel too much and as soon as I turned onto my gravel road down I
went. HARD. Fortunately, I had chosen to wear my helmet that day, I vacillate between wearing and not...
As soon as the right side of my head took the impact, I instantaneously thought how fortunate I
was to not needing to be loaded up in a meat wagon headed for the neuro trauma center.....
(at first I didn't think the helmet had any witness marks, but as You can see from my crude arrows....)
Tweaked my wrist and knee up a bit, bridge of nose from glasses, hand scrapes, some cuts, my leather chaps and my riding jacket were just as valuable. A couple of guys had stopped as I was picking the poor bike up after managing
to get key turned off on a wide open engine. Throttle cable at throttle housing being bent at a 90 deg. angle...
Original foot peg, gear shift lever, headlight ring, the thick headlight glass (but picture
shows bulb still works!!!!) throttle cable,
my newish handlebars all F%#@%* up. But in 45 years it's rarely failed to get me all the way
back home. That day was to be no exception, I figured if I could get it snicked into 2nd gear,
I could control it with the clutch to ride the remaining 1/2 mile or so, and THATS WHAT I DID.
Makes me sick to walk by it let alone look at the pictures I am posting..., But the bottom line is
I'm lucky that truck didn't flatten me, and my lack of more serious injury...the other bottom line
is my Mrs. has made it clear I'm to stay off of 2 wheels for awhile...she thinks the new job,
which is quite physical, especially for me at 61 y.o. is overwhelming me and my judgement.
Could be I suppose, because I've been known to go to the next road quickly to avoid pressuring traffic.
But that 530 deadline,,,, I walked into the house, (lucky to be able to) at 5:30, but too late to complete
an online mission.... I've done the math; been on 2 wheels 56 years,- (a bicycle at 6); motorcycle 52
years, (at 10), and legally licensed to ride on the road 46 years, (since I was 16.) This is the FIRST time I've put a bike down
road riding....I've mentioned in a previous post, car keys taken away are one thing, the bikes ? well
that's quite another. So in an effort to stay married to my beautiful wife, I will take a few days break.
Hell, the poor Commando insists on it as well, until reconstructive surgery is complete...

(stay aware)Ride,

Riding jacket, chaps,
and parts of headlight glass, lower right corner.....

Glad you’re ok Pup. It’s sobering how quickly an accident can happen, but It could have been a lot worse for you and the bike and from the description you think the same I think. Personally I will not even ride a bicycle without a helmet. I think you were double lucky as that helmet looks pretty old and may not have effectively protected you in anything more serious.

Good to hear you are OK, I can't understand why anyone wouldn't wear a helmet while on a MC, a open face or full face at lease they all help, accidents happen so quick and lose gravel the worst, as for myself I be straight back on the bike even if the wife made a big fuss, but then that's me and no matter how long you been riding MCs (myself coming onto 50 years) we seem to take things for granted not having a fall or accident for so long and when it does things can go wrong badly for rider and bike.
We have strict helmet laws in Aus and old, old helmets are a big no no and any helmet that has been in a crash even if it looks good should be replaced, all helmets here must comply and have a standards sticker on the back or inside the helmet and once the lining wears out the helmet must be replace, a lose helmet and not worn proper is asking for troubles, might not save you but the laws are there to protect your head from that big wack when it hits the ground.
Bikes can be fixed but brains can't, fix the bike and get back out there, don't let it put you off and just be more wiser, at lease you seen him coming up behind you, I didn't when I got run over from behind on my dirt bike turning into my mate's place at 17 years old, still suffer knee injury from that hit.

Ashley

Glad you are ok . Happened to me last Sept after 50 + years . Teenage girl in SUV came into my lane from my right and struck bars and front tire - crossed me up and I high sided with right leg pinned under bike . The instincts took over but counter steering doesn’t work when a 4000 lb vehicle with a bit of kinetic energy is pushing on your handlebars and wheel . I am a lucky guy - bruised and bloody but I crawled and later walked away . I’ll be 69 next week - glad we are both here to commiserate. My beloved Commando only suffered a few scrapes because of the soft 68 year old cushion it landed on - LOL .


I don’t ride in only a t shirt any more .Lecture time but I don’t think you need it - wear your helmet.
Cheers - RT

Every accident that you have and survive makes you just a bit smarter ... at least it is supposed to . Listen to your wife , she wants you around which now gives you a good excuse to go out and get yourself that new helmet . Glad to hear you are ok

Ron Hulton said:

Every accident that you have and survive makes you just a bit smarter ... at least it is supposed to . Listen to your wife , she wants you around which now gives you a good excuse to go out and get yourself that new helmet . Glad to hear you are ok

Click to expand...

Yep - in addition to the no more t shirt rule I wear a hi vis vest . Dolly claimed she didn’t see me . Believable as she probably had her head buried in her phone .

Ron Hulton said:

Every accident that you have and survive makes you just a bit smarter ... at least it is supposed to . Listen to your wife , she wants you around which now gives you a good excuse to go out and get yourself that new helmet . Glad to hear you are ok

Click to expand...

Wifey much smarter than me. Just finished 800 km. trip with her on back of the MK 111.

Sorry, just occurred to me I probably hadn't signed out and walked away abruptly earlier.
Good points Ash. and all. Indeed, the subject of helmets had came up with
her about a month ago, not since. So far, the acknowledgement that has been made
about how had I not had one on is obvious. Being the aforementioned "dinosaur
of a biker" author, It should surprise no one that this "skid-lid", "brain bucket"
does have some age, the only thing left of the label is "made in the USA",,
I don't remember the exact lineage...(there Ya go !) I would say it's a Bell knock-off.
But Ron, Your'e for sure on to something, I don't give her long to making that
a condition She can feel good about, before I'm back on the road...
Does riding any of my old Enduros count as being "banned" ? ! ???... don't believe
I will be bringing that up,
Don't know bout anyone else, but the older She gets the shorter fuse she has, wow, 1 sentence too many, hell, 1 word too many, and
Lord I love her, but inevitably, before I even know it was too late, it was, well, too late...
By the time it's over with, I'm usually not sure why that 1 word or sentence shootin off
my mouth caused me to have to have a damn showdown with her !
What an effective barrister/attorney She would have been,, kinda glad She isn't, for many reasons !!!

Ride

Damn, OW ! Richard. Mine not that severe. Battle scars.

Ride

Glad you are ok.

My helmet saved my ass...err... head too in a 25kph gravely low side.



Shoulder, not so lucky.

Pup,
Good you were wearing headgear and a jacket.
I'm glad you came out of this OK. Scars /bruises and all...
Stay off the front brake when on gravel. IMHO.
Cheers.
Tom

gortnipper said:

Glad you are ok.

My helmet saved my ass...err... head too in a 25kph gravely low side.

Shoulder, not so lucky.

Click to expand...

ouch!

Cudda been much, much, worse and very easily pup! Thankfully you made it home and lived to tell the tale. The bike and you will fix easily from this, just need a bit of time.

The conversation about wearing good protective gear is valid, I’d add to that that considering you use the bike as a genuine commuter in heavy traffic, a front brake upgrade might also be wise?

I hate to risk the wrath of your missus, but I disagree with her about taking a break and think that in times like this its healthy and wise to get back in the saddle ASAP to prevent, or at least minimise, any mental hangovers.

YOU hate to risk the wrath Eddie ?!!? (tongue in cheek), as has been noted
I'm lucky enough to barely deserve a lady like her that does seem to
want me around. Was joking a bit with the one sentence, word too many,
but that has been the case with many discussions thru the years !!
Thanks all for not turning the subject too deep, I.e., helmets. I thought
of that "post-posting" No need to grind out the importance there.
Also, obviously, I have ZERO fear of getting back on, as I mentioned, I started the
poor beast up with throttle cable trauma and rode it the rest of the way home.
Certainly do agree and appreciate the mental aspect factor of being off 2
wheels for an extended period of time, when it's such a fantastic mental
aspect when we're on 'em !!! The Commando is not the only bike in the
stable, but I will oblige her, at least until a soon to be purchased helmet happens !!
All very good points guys, thanks for the concern, reminder of the briefness everything
in life can be, hence my title: maybe the "more" should have been caps and bolded !.

upgrade....hmmmm....what will be my most straight forward option on original 69
drummage ?

Ride

Saw the local V-Max rider sail off in his shorts and t-shirt yesterday...

Even the woman I was chatting with summed it up in one word: 'Twat!'

Wow.

Ride.

Pup said:

upgrade....hmmmm....what will be my most straight forward option on original 69
drummage ?

Click to expand...

Commando Front Brakes were built without the "Stiffening Kit" before the 1972 Model Year. The Stiffening Kit 06.3410 doubles braking power- at least that is what several customers claimed after installing it in their Commandos.


Good pads.


Same for the rear.


Make sure you bed them in first.

Cut a couple pieces of 80 grit sandpaper into widths that fit in the drum. Double stick tape the sandpaper on the full interior circumference of the drum and install normally.

For the rear you can start the bike on the center stand and put into gear and let the wheel spin and depress the brake. Repeat a few times.

Pull the brake off and inspect the shoes. They should have sandpaper wear on the full arc of the brakes. If not, reinstall and repeat. If they do, Give everything a good clean and relube, and reinstall.

This will help with arcing and having good strong brakes from the get go.

1) glad your ok.
2) sorry you crashed.
3) some humble suggestions for others.
Conspicuity. Use hand signals in addition to flashing lamps during the day.
Modify your turn preparation based on various scenarios.
Be prepared to do a "go around" if the situation warrants it.
None of us are immune to mayhem, but assuming you're invisible is important.
Again, glad your ok.

Only the first time? Good thing it wasn't the last time. It would be really hard to type up a post if dead.

I'm going to cross over into your lane. Afterall you weren't looking for irrelevant stories, and I'm full of them.

I started getting off on the road earlier in life than I would have liked on the Norton. Oh yeah, if bicycles count 65 years on 2 wheels. 100's of thousands of miles on motorcycles. Like just about anyone I would imagine.

First time: Car pulled off the side of a really nice mountain road and made a u-turn in front of me when I was traveling at 60mph on the Norton in the late 1970's. Nowhere to go, so low sided and cracked a Bell Star. Got knocked unconscious and got a ride in the meat wagon to the hospital for a CT scan or whatever they were using for head injury back then. 5 more taps on the asphalt followed. 1 more on the Norton only a few months ago (my fault braking with a new 4LS) and the rest on different modern bikes in the distant past. Killed a deer which stopped the bike in a hurry and I flew over the handlebars once. Got pushed to the other side of the road by a woman in a van making a u-turn next to me once. The others were dumb assed braking or carrying too much speed then a bit too much acceleration on turn exit errors. I had leathers on and a full face hat of one type or another on the modern bikes.

I rode my Norton around the block once with a baseball hat on backwards wearing a t-shirt, levis, and hiking boots. No tats though, so not that impressive. I don't do that anymore.

Concours hit the nail on the head. Assume you are invisible in traffic. Smart phones have most of automobile driver's attention.

As far as I know getting off can happen to anyone no matter how many years they have been riding. Some people are very fortunate and never have to deal with it. I've escaped death a few times. Not sure what the powers to be are saving me for though. Maybe to annoy you all.