Re: change of subject

["Ted Porter" <tporter@xxxxxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tpcutter@xxxxxxx>
> <<
> PS: I agree 100% with Tom Cutter. In a low-sider you may hang on to the 
> bar, but
> in a high-sider best to get away from the bike. I had both, I experienced 
> the
> feeling. >>
>
> Maybe I didn't make it clear. In a crash, you are going wherever the bike 
> tosses you. There is way more energy than you have any hope of hanging 
> onto. If you are able to "ride out" a lowside, you probably could have 
> avoided it in the fiorst place.
>
> NEVER stop turning, baking and riding, until the wheels are higher than 
> your head. Many crashes occur when the rider stops trying to ride the 
> bike.
>
> Tom Cutter
> Yardley, PA
> www.RubberChickenRacingGarage.com


I have to toss in my two cents here because I couldn't agree more with Tom's 
comments. There are several variables at work in a crash obviously such as 
speed, whether other vehicles are involved and so on. I am no accident 
expert, but I do speak from experience after totaling my new '04 R1150RT in 
a high speed low side two years ago. It was my first major crash in over 30 
years of street riding on BMW motorcycles. Aside from many hematomas, a 
partial tear of my left MCL, and compression fractures of two vertebrae 
(anterior cracks at T4 and T5) I survived the accident thanks to good riding 
gear. I'm a musician and mechanic, I count on good finger dexterity, 
thankfully I had recently purchased road race gloves with armor. I think a 
lot of folks overlook quality gloves when buying riding gear.

A friend who was riding behind me just happened to be filming the ride with 
a helmet cam, so my entire accident is on video. This gave me a chance to 
analyze the accident and determine what I did wrong. I'm thankful for the 
video because the crash was so violent (~65 MPH lowside into a tall dirt 
embankment) and it was over so fast, I had no idea what happened until I 
viewed the video.  Physics took over and I was tossed, rolled and tumbled 
like a rag doll. To think that I could have had some control over my body 
during the crash is laughable.

Ted Porter
Scotts Valley, Ca.
www.BeemerShop.com

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