RIDER DOWN - my son has just had his first crash

[b12bandit]

My boy came off his bike this evening. Dazzled by oncoming car on main beam he ran wide on a bend, clipped the kerb and down he went.
He's got some lovely gravel rash on both his knees. Wrist is hurting and general bumps and bruises. All shook up, as Elvis would say. Ambulance crew were fantastic, as were the police. Both there very quickly.

His bike (brand new YBR 125) doesn't look too bad but the front tyre's flat and the wheel won't turn. Bars are at a funny angle. Plus the usual mirrors, indicators etc. Not sure if it's fixable until we've checked it out.

The boy will live to fight another day but he's going to be sore in the morning. If he was a cat it'd be one down, eight to go.

[JCL]

My thoughts are with both of you: and those thoughts are.... Thank God he made it.

John

[b12bandit]

Thanks.

Ironically, we had told him to put his leathers (pants) on just before he left but he said he didn't want to because the weather is very mild here this evening and he was only nipping out to see his girlfriend, who lives about 6 miles away. So he went out in denims and his main injuries are his knees. If he'd had his leathers on he'd be virtually unscathed.

He crashed less than 2 miles from home.

I'm not religious but yes, I thank God, Allah, Buddha or whoever's up there that my son is okay.

We'll mark this one down to experience and live to fight another day.

[zbodan]

I do not find your son's crash and his decision to go unprotected to be a coincidence.

God has blessed your son with a cheap lesson.

Don't they say you never forget your first crash?

[MoonBeemer]

I am glad your son has survived this incident with only minor injuries. Excuses not to wear All The Gear All the Time are just that, excuses. Good Luck, wear the gear and keep on riding with us.

[Boxer]

Whew! Glad he's okay. I got my crashes in when I was young also. Much easier to survive injury when you are youthful. But, bad nonetheless.

Time to give him that lesson about averting the eyes from bright traffic lights. Just look down at the ground to the right in front of you for a second. And don't go near the curb!

[chibbert]

Good to hear nothing major.

[riceburner]

Glad he's ok, riding without knee protection is something I simple won't do anymore (after nearly losing my right leg at the knee in a head-on with my brother, at the end of the flippin driveway!)

I'd recommend a pair of Hoods with Hein Gericke Hi-Protec armour mounted in the knees.... I can heartily recommend the armour! (after extensive personal testing! )

[Ric]

I use these: http://www.rockgardn.com/items/body-arm ... 1=1&menu=1

As a side benefit they keep the bugs off your pants !!!

[peter1951]

The following event makes me wonder if we sometimes get obsessed with protective gear, although I do believe a helmet, boots and good gloves are a must.

At the end off summer last year out on my 04 1150R I was coming down a 1 in 5 bank on the road from Buxton to Leek in the area of England know as the peak district. I was coasting at about 55mph and was very surprised to be jumped by a dozen pushbikes, part of a road race group I had passed just before the decent. They must have being doing 60 plus. All were wearing lycra shorts and tops, several were sporting the little plastic helmets. The pedal pushers antics made me feel a bit of a wimp. Mind you who would want to touch tarmac at 60 wearing just lycra? Are pedal cyclists gutsy or just plain daft?, the jury is out on this one.

Pete

[b12bandit]

Pedal cyclists - just plain crazy.
God gave man the ingenuity to invent the internal combustion engine. Therefore, I consider it a holy thing to do, to take advantage of this and ride my MOTORcycle whenever I can.

[Ol' Jeffers]

Hey B12Bandit, I'm very glad your lad's OK.
Jeans? We've all done it. If I go out in jeans now they are Draggin' Jeans
which have a kevlar lining + knee protection for a modicum of protection.
Hope he learns something from his nasty experience!

[b12bandit]

He appears to have learned his lesson.

He's into replica guns (Airsoft?) and buys/sells them on an internet forum.

He's just traded one of his prized toy guns for a full set of motorcycle leathers!....and he's worn them on the bike on his last three rides. Result.