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It happens man, focus on what you can learn from it and move on. You can practice on the bike in lots or parks to try and get more comfortable before going out on the street. I've been riding 5 or 6 years or something now and I still do some MSF drills just to keep up, mainly braking and slow speed maneuvers. Cemeteries can be good for practicing too and they're usually pretty curvy and empty. Sometimes the pavement can be junk though.
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Jul 16, 2012 02:35
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Totally normal...don't get discouraged.
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Jul 16, 2012 02:39
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Abe Froman posted:Am I just being too hard on myself? Is this a normal reaction? I may feel different tomorrow, but I have a lot of doubt right now. Dude, you passed. Mission accomplished. You shrugged it off well enough to get the job done, which is a quality you'll need out there every single day. Be glad you weren't subject to the one drop and you're out rule that was in effect when I took it. Passing the MSF and getting your ticket punched isn't some verification that you're ready for the deep end of the pool. You're the only one that can sign off on that. Take it easy and work at your comfort level until you bond with your machine--unpopulated areas, Sunday parking lots, whatever, and work your way up to side streets, the Mile roads, and on up.
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Jul 16, 2012 03:05
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Marv Hushman posted:Dude, you passed. Mission accomplished. You shrugged it off well enough to get the job done, which is a quality you'll need out there every single day. Be glad you weren't subject to the one drop and you're out rule that was in effect when I took it. Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I didn't kiss the asphalt during the test, just during a practice drill. Did it used to be if you dropped your bike even during practice drill you failed?
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Jul 16, 2012 03:08
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Abe Froman posted:Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I think it was at the instructor's discretion--one managed to drop the bike just standing next to it--she stayed; another was going for an ET record for a lap around the cones and wiped out in the home stretch. He got sent home. Both were prior to the test phase.
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Jul 16, 2012 04:28
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Marv Hushman posted:I think it was at the instructor's discretion--one managed to drop the bike just standing next to it--she stayed; another was going for an ET record for a lap around the cones and wiped out in the home stretch. He got sent home. Both were prior to the test phase. Gotcha. It was probably the same here. A few people tipped over their bikes before we even turned them on and they were ok. But the instructors were clear that if you did anything unsafe, you were gone. They also pulled the plug on a rider about 1/2 through the first day because she just couldn't get the hang of either starting from a stop or shifting and was really slowing everyone else down.
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Jul 16, 2012 15:10
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Abe Froman posted:Gotcha. It was probably the same here. A few people tipped over their bikes before we even turned them on and they were ok. But the instructors were clear that if you did anything unsafe, you were gone. The instructors were really lenient when I took my course (there was a kid who dropped the bike every other time he was on the drat thing, including during the exam, and he got his license), but they told me a story about a class that took place the weekend before. There was a girl that had just learned how to ride a mountain bike about two weeks prior to her course, and she went on from there to take the MSF.. They sent that one home. I can't imagine having just learned how to ride a bike and then going to learn how to ride a motorcycle. Strife fucked around with this message at 16:08 on Jul 16, 2012 |
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Jul 16, 2012 16:04
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Strife posted:(there was a kid who dropped the bike every other time he was on the drat thing, including during the exam, and he got his license)  Dropping the bike on the exam is an autofail here.
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Jul 16, 2012 16:29
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Ziploc posted:
Yeah, here too. Never heard of a drop and passing before. If you hit a cone that's like 15 points and you can only miss 20.
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Jul 16, 2012 16:30
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front wing flexing posted:Yeah, here too. Never heard of a drop and passing before. If you hit a cone that's like 15 points and you can only miss 20. I was confused about the scoring. We were told more than 15 points was failing. This was a Rider's Edge course at a Harley-Davidson dealership, so maybe that accounts for the difference. But the study guide was an MSF guide. I dunno.
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Jul 16, 2012 16:43
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Abe Froman posted:I was confused about the scoring. We were told more than 15 points was failing. This was a Rider's Edge course at a Harley-Davidson dealership, so maybe that accounts for the difference. But the study guide was an MSF guide. I dunno. The metric may be different but I think we can agree that dropping during the test is usually a fail (but I guess not).
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Jul 16, 2012 16:46
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Abe Froman posted:I still passed fairly easily score wise, but I'm seriously questioning myself now given that I could make such a stupid mistake in a non-emergency situation. Plus, while I knew motorcycling riding wasn't like skipping rope, after the MSF class and seeing just how involved it is, and adding in dumping the bike, I'm really feeling down about the whole motorcycle ownership thing. Abe I know what you mean, I didn't do as well as I'd hoped and I was nervous about riding safely even after I passed. I haven't yet bought a motorcycle but I have ridden a dozen or so motorcycles from various dealers in the area and I'm much more comfortable now than I was after the class. I think experience is the key. The MSF course I took 3 weeks ago allowed up to 20 (penalty) points accumulated over the 5 riding tests and you could still pass, however dropping the bike during one of the 5 tests was an automatic fail. Penalty points depended on the test and the specific infraction, for example putting your foot down in the figure-8 test was 5 points but going outside of the painted line was 3. The maximum stopping distance for the emergency stop depended on your speed when entering the braking zone, and under or over-shoot outside the allowed distance was penalized per foot. Three people tied with the most at 13 points (over the 5 tests, we all shared our points at the end and we could also see the entire score sheet when they showed us our individual overall score) so everyone who took the test passed. Two ladies that had never driven anything with a clutch before dropped out of the class. The first crashed on Saturday around 1pm right after we rode out a rainstorm, and the second struggled all day Saturday and dropped out right before the day was over. She told us she was tired of fighting the clutch and wanted to buy a motorcycle with an automatic. The course was one of the DOT-sanctioned courses in the state offered throughout the year, but wasn't the Harley-Davidson course - the HD course was 4 days instead of 3, was $125 more, and the nearest one was 2 hours away.
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Jul 16, 2012 17:16
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Abe Froman posted:Am I just being too hard on myself? Is this a normal reaction? I may feel different tomorrow, but I have a lot of doubt right now. I wanna weigh in too! I almost failed my MSF the first time, because I was super nervous. I was one of about two girls and started out really nervous about looking stupid and getting the whole "You belong on the back of the bike" from some of the guys there, on top of the normal MSF-related nerves. I didn't drop the bike, and the instructor told me I would have (barely) passed, but they offered to let me sit on on another riding session for free. I had a whole crisis about how I'd bought a bike/paid for the MSF/would let down my boyfriend because I'm not that cool, and was almost convinced that it was a terrible idea for me to ride. I did so much better the second time around when I just relaxed already. Actual street riding started out hilarious (with some stupid mistakes in non-emergency situations also), but it really does just take practice and patience. In conclusion, I say ride around on some empty streets/parking lots first to get more comfortable, but I think you're fine.
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Jul 16, 2012 19:02
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So I've had my first bad accident. Well, two weeks ago.. I was going to dinner on the 3rd of July, at about 7 pm.. I remember riding along Magill Road, when I noticed the car in-front of me was turning right (Southern Hemisphere), so I did a shoulder check, and rode around it. I was doing 60, and as I turned back, I got blinded by light as someone turned in front of me. I kinda remember jumping on the brakes and leaning left, to no luck. I'm guessing they were doing about 30, so it was quite a solid hit. I know this is one of those clichéd things, but I've been told by the officer that he was expecting me to be dead, basically. I'll maybe post a thread about it once I have some more time, but I'll just give a rundown of my injuries.. My nose has been broken in 3 places, my jaw broken in two, I broke 6 vertebrae, 5 ribs, punctured both of my lungs.. and knocked out like 10 teeth. Oh, and my wrist. I got Kawasaki to assess the damage, and got a call today. Apparently $20,000 damage. Sorry if this post seems a muddled, I'm still feeling a little light headed. I've also gone from 118 kilos to 88 as of today..
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Jul 16, 2012 19:57
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Jesus, dude. I'd say "glad you're okay" but let's be real: you got pretty hosed up. Glad you're alive, really. Wearing full gear? Will you need dentures? I've always wanted dentures because I hate flossing. Do you have to floss dentures? Also, how the hell did you manage $20,000 in damage? That's pretty impressive! Has anyone said who was at fault?
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Jul 16, 2012 20:07
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Seconding the "glad you're alive and able to type," sentiment. Is there some kind of CA award for Most Bodily Harm in One Accident? What kind of helmet were you wearing?
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Jul 16, 2012 20:09
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Holy poo poo, glad you're ok-ish, you're basically travis pastrana in one day.
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Jul 16, 2012 20:11
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Man, that's rough hope you heal up as quick as you can. What were you wearing for gear? It sounds like it is what made the difference though, glad your around to post about it. In a cheerier note, I was cleared by my Dr. to walk with my boot on, will start real deal PT soon, and hopefully will be starting work in a week or so. I had to call AAA to get my car jumped today so I could try driving, the tow guy that came out was the same one that towed my bike a weekend before my accident (Battery connection was loose and I didn't have any tools with me and he didn't have the right sized wrenches in his truck). Now I just need to figure out what I want to get for my next bike and find the most obnoxious high-visibility gear that I can. Basically I wouldn't mind dressing like Liberace and Elton John's gay space babby if it got cars to stop pulling out in front of me.
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Jul 16, 2012 20:17
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You'll likely have the best luck with high vis safety green on both your jacket and helmet. Don't do solid colors; break them up with patterns so they catch the eye better. I still wear my Icon safety vest when I need to lanesplit on the 1 here. Whether any of the filthy oblivious plebeian scum actually see me through the damaged mirrors of '84 Toyota Tercels is still a question of the proper alignment of the stars.
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Jul 16, 2012 20:21
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Wow, that's awful, but at least you're well enough to be posting about your accident, heal up fast! One final comment on the MSF stuff, right before the final exam we had a mockup of "real riding conditions" that was basically a ring lane with a 4-way junction in the middle (like below) and had everyone in the course ride on it simultaneously, taking turns and stops at random, and in practice it was WAY more complicated and sketchy than any real riding situation I've ever been in, it was like a swarm of bees. So don't get discouraged if you didn't do 100% perfect at the MSF; you passed and that's what counts. Now practice emergency stopping in a parking lot for a while so you train your brain not to constantly fixate on your one mistake  
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Jul 16, 2012 20:43
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I should be getting dentures, I hope. The accident was totally not my fault. I have a few photos I'll post now. Thanks for the positive feedback, guys. Because the surgeons couldn't really move my neck when they operated on my jaw/teeth the night of the accident, the right side of my face is way out. Although the bike isn't worth $20,000, it would cost that much in parts alone to fix..  This photo was taken while I was in the ER, waiting for surgery.  I think this was taken a few days after the accident while I was still in ICU (I spent a week there). So I was pretty out of it on morphine.. This pic is mildly NSFW. Aaaand this is me shaving my pitiful 19-year old attempt at stubble. Haha.You guys were asking about gear? I try really hard to not be irresponsible (not the easiest thing on a ZX10!), so any time I would go out, I'd have most of my gear on. Unfortunately, this night, I was only going to the city. No point in putting all my gear on, right? I was wearing my old M2R jacket, which held up incredibly well from what I've been told, some Alpinestar gloves, and my 3 month old S900 Shark helmet. I have not got a bad thing to say about my helmet, it's been basically torn apart, but still held together. I (stupidly) wasn't wearing my Draggin Jeans, or boots.. silly of me. fingerling fucked around with this message at 13:09 on Jun 16, 2014 |
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Jul 17, 2012 00:47
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 This is the practical test for the 125-399cc license in Japan. Yes, that's a balance beam. Braking during a turn: insta-fail Foot down at any time other than a prescribed stop: insta-fail Touching any cone at any point: insta-fail I think there are a few other gotcha's, but they're good enough at failing you on little stuff (not signaling 30m before an intersection that's around the corner, not riding within 50cm of the side of the road, too long on the slalom, not long enough on the balance beam, not exaggerating head movements to the point of absurdity, etc). Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 01:04 on Jul 17, 2012 |
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Jul 17, 2012 00:59
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fingerling posted:So I've had my first bad accident. Well, two weeks ago.. Jesus mate, that's loving brutal. Sorry to hear about it, but glad you're (relatively, compared to the alternatives) ok. Heal up quick! Sounds like the car in front of you blocked you from the view of the driver who turned across you, basically?
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Jul 17, 2012 01:18
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Abe Froman posted:Words It gets better, I promise. When I took the MSF ~8 months ago, I went into it feeling pretty confident, though I had never ridden anything motorized with 2 wheels before. I was honestly surprised how... alien riding that bike at the course was for me. I guess it should have been expected, but it still caught me off guard. It took about half the day before I began to feel remotely comfortable. Pretty sure I tipped the bike over coming to a stop at one point. That being said, nowadays I definitely feel a LOT better about it. The course definitely taught me some good skills that I try to put in practice every time I'm out. I've done some dumb poo poo, mainly just a couple of parking lot tip overs. But I've also learned a lot. I think you'll be surprised how fast your confidence will build. Just don't let it outpace your skill and you'll be fine.
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Jul 17, 2012 02:12
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Holy poo poo you got hosed up. Sorry dude. That's loving horrible. Other driver had insurance I hope.
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Jul 17, 2012 05:17
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Please, please do physical therapy. Do it in full, go on all the times they want you to go and opt for more. Healing starts now and it will determine how you function for the rest of your life.
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Jul 17, 2012 06:01
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Xovaan posted:Please, please do physical therapy. Do it in full, go on all the times they want you to go and opt for more. Healing starts now and it will determine how you function for the rest of your life. This! Glad you're still with us.
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Jul 17, 2012 06:18
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invision posted:Holy poo poo you got hosed up. Sorry dude. That's loving horrible. Other driver had insurance I hope. Thankfully in Australia third party personal injury insurance is compulsory, and is either included in your license fee, vehicle registration fee, or must be organised by the individual before their vehicle is considered legal to register, depending on the state you're in.
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Jul 17, 2012 08:41
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Fingerling forgot to mention the breaks in his neck, and the induced coma. Other driver had comprehensive insurance, and everyone seems to agree he was entirely at fault for his failure to yield (or check the oncoming traffic!). Anyone know a good automotive accident/injury lawyer in these parts?
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Jul 17, 2012 19:56
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Richard P. Dropbear, Esq.
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Jul 17, 2012 20:44
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Isolationist posted:Fingerling forgot to mention the breaks in his neck, and the induced coma. Other driver had comprehensive insurance, and everyone seems to agree he was entirely at fault for his failure to yield (or check the oncoming traffic!). http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3266659
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Jul 17, 2012 21:06
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D'oh. Got hit by a truck yesterday. Going through a green light on a 4-lane one way downtown street. Guy went from parked to 'I GOTTA MAKE A LEFT TURN NOW' and just jumped across 4 lanes. My reaction was a little slow as he pulled out at the worst possible moment and at first when he started moving I figured he was just pulling into the 3rd lane around a car or something. Either way slowed down pretty well and was braking until I hit. Only real damage to me was due to bike falling on my foot. Which is really swollen and I'm on crutches but not fractured. So I lucked out all in all. Edit: the bike, my B1200S, is done for. Gear did its job mostly - shoulder padding/armor in my jacket made the actual blow with the truck not so bad, helmet visor is all scraped from when I fell (wooo full face), legs and feet were saved skin injury. My boots were a lighter street boot but still prevented sharp parts of the bike from going all the way to my skin. If I had a really sturdy track-style boot on I might not even had my foot hurt. Oh well. I've been riding for ~8 years and have a few years of track/racing experience. I think if I was really on top of my game I could have stopped in time. But I've been lax and not really practicing my braking much. When you see a big loving truck pull in front of you when you're going 40mph or whatever you WILL panic brake, and whatever is in your muscle memory is going to happen. Practice a lot and be able to threshold brake in your sleep! Infinotize fucked around with this message at 15:01 on Jul 18, 2012 |
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Jul 18, 2012 14:54
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Finished my MSF class Monday. Went to the DMV today and got my endorsement. Bike is coming Friday. I'm still nervous about the whole idea. I'm imagining that every ride entails at least one near death experience due to all of the dumbasses on the road.
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Jul 18, 2012 21:03
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Abe Froman posted:Finished my MSF class Monday. Went to the DMV today and got my endorsement. Bike is coming Friday. I'm still nervous about the whole idea. I'm imagining that every ride entails at least one near death experience due to all of the dumbasses on the road. It seems that way when you start out, but when you learn to read other drivers and react quickly to changing situations, it winds up being one "oh poo poo" moment every few weeks. In most of those moments, you're overestimating the danger you were in. More common are the "oh goddamnit" moments, when your own stupidity winds up dropping the bike at 0mph or breaking something.
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Jul 18, 2012 21:37
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Safety Dance posted:More common are the "oh goddamnit" moments, when your own stupidity winds up dropping the bike at 0mph or breaking something. Or you accidentally position yourself between three Subarus... the horra.
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Jul 18, 2012 21:46
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Fraser CDN posted:Well my uncle crashed his 2006 Sportster 883. Mostly cosmetic damage. A local Harley dealership quoted 7 grand in parts, plus 12 hours labor. So I went to pick up the bike today. 7K was MSRP for the 883 Low back in '06. It was around 10K for the 1200. What a bunch of vultures. They were obviously trying to get him to upgrade or purchase another one. If you don't count your labor, you'll get out of this for under 2K depending on how much cosmetic perfection you're trying to achieve. You may find it cheaper to find an entire take-off front end--a lot of guys did a wide glide conversion to get the fat tire up front that is now standard equipment and all the rage. Best of luck with it. And because there seems to be such a crash epidemic I can't address each one individually--get better, enjoy watching Fox News on drugs (it's really the only way), and stay safe out there. Ummmm, OK, so apparently I landed on a random page and the Fraser Sporty crash/rebuild was from a year ago. Looks great! 
Marv Hushman fucked around with this message at 01:58 on Jul 19, 2012 |
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Jul 19, 2012 01:26
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Infinotize posted:Either way slowed down pretty well and was braking until I hit. Only real damage to me was due to bike falling on my foot. Which is really swollen and I'm on crutches but not fractured. So I lucked out all in all. drat that sucks, get well soon. I have simliar experience to you (5+ years of street riding, years of track riding) and I know I get arrogant at times. It's necessary to hear that all the experience/skill in the world can't save you from everything so you have to be proactive about safety. I got into an accident years ago where a car merged into me and the bike fell on my foot too. I had Alpinestars SMX4's and my foot was only a bit sore for a few days, but without the boots it would've been totally mangled. What boots did you have?
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Jul 20, 2012 06:22
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I went in for my last operation (I really, really hope) on Friday. I got home Saturday afternoon with absolutely no information as to what they actually did. All I know is they "fixed my mandible". I (and my family) are a tad underwhelmed at the lack of information that the hospital gave us, or how I should be recovering. Other than "ABSOLUTELY NO CHEWABLE FOODS!"   Looking at this now, I'm not too sure what's going on with my left (right in the photo) eyelid.. gently caress. Aaaand some of you were asking what helmet I was using.. I'm not entirely sure if it did it's job completely correctly.. I spoke to Boltons Kawasaki again, and one of the guys there said he'd never seen a helmet do this.. 
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Jul 22, 2012 13:02
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And that's enough for me to never even look at a "shark" helmet ever again. VVVV What he is saying. Do it. VendaGoat fucked around with this message at 19:46 on Jul 22, 2012 |
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Jul 22, 2012 18:01
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From the accident the OP described that could have been the best the helmet could do, tho it is worrying. Glad your still together fingerling. Don't skimp on PT, think of it as training.
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Jul 22, 2012 19:23
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