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Falcon
10/25/2022 8:46am
10/25/2022 8:46am
Oh man, we all have days like my Saturday was. I'm sure everyone on here has a different perspective on safety gear, but this is a reminder to wear all your gear, all the time.
I had one of those squidly, out-of-control crashes on Saturday at Fox. It was on the vet track, on my 4th or 5th lap of the day, out of nowhere. I was just starting to jump everything and loosen up when I lost traction or something, bounced off a tiny roller, both feet slipped off the pegs, and it was ON! Bounced into the next roller WFO, superman-style, lost my grip, went down on the rear wheel, slammed into the ground ONE, TWO, THREE times, then ground to a halt. While I was crawling off the track to relative safety, I thought, "well, at least my shoulders aren't dislocated!" When I sat up, I couldn't find my bike. It had cartwheeled or landed on the wheels or something, and traveled off to parts unknown. Thanks to the random stranger who brought it over to me!
That's the hardest I've crashed without breaking a bone or other serious injury. All I have are cuts, scrapes and bruises. I credit the chest protector and helmet for taking most of the impact. Wear the gear!
I had one of those squidly, out-of-control crashes on Saturday at Fox. It was on the vet track, on my 4th or 5th lap of the day, out of nowhere. I was just starting to jump everything and loosen up when I lost traction or something, bounced off a tiny roller, both feet slipped off the pegs, and it was ON! Bounced into the next roller WFO, superman-style, lost my grip, went down on the rear wheel, slammed into the ground ONE, TWO, THREE times, then ground to a halt. While I was crawling off the track to relative safety, I thought, "well, at least my shoulders aren't dislocated!" When I sat up, I couldn't find my bike. It had cartwheeled or landed on the wheels or something, and traveled off to parts unknown. Thanks to the random stranger who brought it over to me!
That's the hardest I've crashed without breaking a bone or other serious injury. All I have are cuts, scrapes and bruises. I credit the chest protector and helmet for taking most of the impact. Wear the gear!
Glad your ok.
Didn’t check the front tire pressure. Turned the bike SUPER slow; found a slick spot and low sided onto my knee. Was wearing shorts. Kneecap has just finally started healing up. Couldn’t move it for 3+ weeks.
WEAR THE GEAR. Even when you don’t think it’s needed. Even jeans would have helped in my case. Stupid stuff that I should have known better about. As Jocko Willink says, “Discipline = Freedom”
The Shop
Pretty slow day, and not a whole bunch of riders out. I had put in a few mid-range sessions of 9-10 laps and decided one more and should be good to go. Pushed out 4-5 laps, then got to thinking, "don't want to overdo it, feeling all right to go out tonight, wonder what so-and-so is doing...", thinking about everything else but riding my bike. Came up to the last gap to table, and with a little blip, call it a day.
Well, while not paying attention I had drifted a little to the left and blipped it in a puddle of slop at the base of the face. Traction lost and lifting off the peak with a slight whiskey. Front wheel is still online, but the back wheel is drifting out from under me and to the left. With my right leg now off the peg I'm in an off camber one legged boner right into the table face. My right leg drifted back some and landed. My right toe hit first, dragged a little and forced my knee dead solid perfect into the peg.
As I'm lying on the ground doing the self-sensation test, nothing is registering. Damn...no pain!! Start to get up and collect myself and notice my right leg won't straighten out. Got back to the pits, pulled my down and my new FOX knee guards, aluminum capped knee with hinged shin guard was dented and stuck. The dent was the perfect impression of my foot peg. Knee was a little scuffed, but no pian. So, I agree "Wear the gear, folks."
Was gearing up for an offroad race and forgot to put kneepads on. Paused for a moment and considered not wearing them. Thankfully decided to undress and put them on with little time to spare.
In the race I was cooking through this rocky section letting that Yamaha suspension work. Caught a couple rocks wrong and before I knew it the bike and I were lowsided, airborne, and of course headed for another rock. The swingarm hit first and my knee followed it right up. Matching dents on the swingarm and my kneepad. Knee was instantly on fire and I was fearing the worst. Thankfully started to recover in the following days and within a couple weeks was back to normal. No doubt those ligaments would have been torn had it not been for the extra cushion of that cheap little padded plastic kneepad.
Wear your stuff! Even if it’s cheap it’s way better than nothing.
I've been a dick for not wearing knee protection since starting riding again, ironic since my knees are battered, bought a few sets but they feel weird, gonna try TP199's next.
No consequences yet, but cheers for the reminder to get things in order and glad it worked out for you that time. I'm still trying to remember not to do the classic stick your hands out thing on slow tip overs...
While we are thanking our gear, I would like to thank my SG12s and Leatt dual axis knee guards.
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