Saw TWO Bikes Go Down!!!! EEK!

[cheriann]

We had a friend, Kevin, ride to see us and stay the weekend from New Jersey. On Sunday we did a Poker Run for a children's charity from our local bike shop friend.

Well, it was a GORGEOUS day! The sun was out, the clouds were pretty blue and the temperature was right around 70 degrees. The ride was on pretty country roads with twisties and swooping "S" curves.

We came to a road that we all made a left turn onto and I went into shock when I saw a GoldWing (right in front of Chaz) go tumbling down the small hill....Chaz got past safely...then I saw Kevin (right in front of me!) go right over the same hill and get thrown off over the handlebars!!!!!! In my panic, I don't know how I managed to get past okay and park safely on the road.

Here's what Chaz saw with the GoldWing:
There was pea gravel or small rocks on the road and the GoldWing swung wide on the turn and hit them. Chaz said it looked like Chuck (rider of the GoldWing) tried to straighten the bike up quickly because of the rocks, but the bike kept going over and then off the road completely and down the small hill.

My friend thinks he went over because he fixated on Chuck over the edge and followed. I was behind him, and I think he was going a little fast in the turn, saw Chuck go over and in a panic hit his brakes a little hard after hitting the same rock area on the road and went over.

I keep seeing that scene in my mind over and over again!!!!! The GoldWing going over and throwing Chuck and his wife off the bike! Then seeing my friend right in front of me going over too!! I kept telling Chaz that I don't know how we managed to stay upright and "sane" enough to park safely. It felt like a domino affect!!!!

I didn't get pictures of my friend and his bike down because I was sitting with him with my arm around him until he was okay enough to try and get up. When I ran to him in tears, he was sitting in the gully with his body in a "V" shape. His legs were spread open in front of him with a shoe missing. Chaz had gotten to him first and lifted his shield to make sure he was okay. Chaz did manage to get his bike back up on the road. That tough little Vulcan 900 started right up and still ran like a champ!!! It only received some costmetic damage, like the windshield on top of the fairing, the side mirror and a small dent in the tank. Kevin landed on his right side and his shoulder was hurting the most.

There was no way we were going to let him ride back home to NJ!!! The owner of the bike shop sponsoring the Poker Run, came and picked up the GoldWing and the Kawi 900. Then Chaz and I put Kevin's bike on our trailer to take him home. He was a 5 hour ride from us, so he insisted he wouldn't let us take him that far. Instead he had us take him to his step-mom's home in Delaware (2 1/2 hour drive from us) The next morning he rode the rest of the way home. He said he feels like he was run over by a tractor trailer!!!

Thankfully, everybody involved in the accidents did okay with no broken bones. Mostly sprains, bruises and scratches.

What a HUGE reminder of how quickly a nice bike ride can go bad!!!!!



My friend and his bike back up (can you see the rocks on the road?)


Chaz helping him straighten out his fairing




Busted his cell phone


Chaz checking his belt and underneath to make sure it's all okay

[cheriann]

Another picture to try and show the rocks on the road


Even the police officer helped get the GoldWing back up
(The woman on the right in denim blue was the passenger on the GoldWing. Her ankle was very sore but not broken)


Just a view of our bikes parked on the road


The shop owner picking up the two bikes


Chaz strapping down his bike on our trailer


Poor Kevin nursing his painful shoulder with ice


A gas stop on the way to DE

[cactusjack]

Geez, there's no shoulder on those roads at all. At least the "landing zone" was a nice grassy area. You go off the road around here and you would land in cactus and rocks. I'm glad neither rider was seriously injured.

[chainsaw]

Bummer, what a way to end a perfect day. Reminder to be careful out there.

[ringadingh]

Lately Ive come around a few corners and found loose gravel and sand in the curves, it does make for a tense couple seconds.
Good to see that the guys came out of it ok for the most part.

[Cajunrider]

Previous heavy rains have a way of washing pea gravel and sand onto the road surface, especially in curves. I know the crashes spoiled a great day but it sure could have been a whole lot worse. Kudos to you and Chaz for being there for them.

[bobhamlin]

CheriAnn,

If we ever get to ride together, you'll ride in front of me. You also posted the video of hubby going wide on a turn.

Not too superstitious or anything, . . . just looks like riding in front of you has its risks.

;)

[spazz]

When we made the turn, which was almost at a 45* angle. It was like watching someone in slow motion. I watched as he raised the bike up straight. Then slowly went over to the side and then onto the dirt/gravel. I thought for a minute that he would recover. But then it happened. He rode down the embankment. At the bottom was a small gullie. He struck it and bounced back toward the hill. When this happened the left side grabbed the ground. And it was like watching someone being catapulted. He and his wife were tossed off and over the bike like rag dolls. I checked on his wife first since he was getting up when I dismounted my bike. Then I ran back to our friend Kevin. He stated that he was sore but did not feel as though anything was broken. I raised his visor so he could speak more clearly. he said that he had target fixation and followed the Wing. All I can say is that the good Lord was watching over all three of them that day.

[dougster]

He IS gracious, isn't He?

[Jared]

Wow. That's too bad. It doesn't look like Kevin's 900 took much of a beating did it?

[djh]

I am sure glad that everyone came out of this in fairly good condtion. As Spazz said and I know first hand from this weekend also The Lord was and is looking out for all of us. DJ

[glwilson]

The low-shoulder drop-off from the asphalt is dangerous if your front tire gets off the road. You can't get the bike back on the road without risking it tipping over -- and with the absence of any shoulder at all couldn't have helped to situation.

Glad to hear everyone ended up in reasonbly good condition considering how bad things could have been.