Friends killed in bike accidents

[Jon-W]

Over the last couple of months ive lost two friends/people I have known in bike accidents..One on a VFR 400 killed by a Hit and Run and the other on a CR500. Both came as a complete shock and out of the blue and really got me thinking..I sort of convinced myself biking wasnt for me but havnt been able to stick to that...Just looking for some reassurance..Getting a larger capacity bike isnt a ticket to heaven??..Sounds stupid i Know but consiquently i do not know of anyone personally who has lived and not been killed or seriously injured while on a bike..

[0ddball]

For someone to ride regularly they have to come to terms with the fact that there is a good chance they will be killed or seriously hurt at some stage. You shouldn't go out expecting to crash but you can't deny the risk is there.

But i don't think it's really about engine size. The average rider will not do much more than 100mph on a normal daily ride and even a 125cc can almost do that. If you crash a 125cc at 100mph or a 1000cc at 100mph the result will be the same.

[Flip]

Yea - if yo uride it may kill you/ Something all bikers face but don't worry about too much.

I have a friend who has premonitions. She dreamed (dreamt?) I crashed a blue bike, 'cause I was drunk and died yesterday.

I now have a fear of blue bikes.

[instigator]

[Rookie]

[0ddball]

By your own admission, you don't sound like an average rider . You sound like a 'sooner or later' statistic.

[ram_doom]

I've been hurt quite badly several times in my 6 year biking stint Worst two (because their both bad as each other) were once, when following traffic and a car turned directly in front of me and sent me over the bonnet, hitting my neck against a kerb, requiring 16 hours on a spinal board, then 4 months or so of physio. The other was arsing about and flipped a wheelie, resulting in grinding the bone that sticks out of my left wrist down to the white and a splayed knee in which the ligaments wont heal properly, and gives way randomly still.

Its pretty likely you'll get seriously injured whilst biking, all you can do is wear as much protective gear as is practicable, and keep on the alert, though your never going to be 100% aware of all hazards at a time, and its usually someone going into you

Its just part of biking, I wont quit until I'm physically unable to ride
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TL1000s, KDX200

[Fast Jon]

It's not all about power or speed. The closest I came to the pearly gates I was on a 250 doing about 30 in broad daylight on a normal urban street. As I went through some lights a dump truck coming the other way decided to do a right turn. The cunt missed me by inches; I had the whole slo-mo thing and my evasive manoeuvre took me into a bus shelter, narrowly missing taking out a pack of old dears waiting for a bus. Skill or anticipation weren't factors. I was just lucky. If I'd been 3 yards later I'd be dead, simple as that.
When it's your time you will be called.
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I had a 98 R1
I thought it was a bit gutless

[Lawnie]

I knew someone who after riding a moped for however long (a year or so I would guess), passed his driving test, got himself a car, which he later lost control of and died

So, if I were to follow your logic, then bikes are safer than cars. Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that.

[SAS]

to be honest this is something that doesnt even cross my mind at all whilst riding

ive had just two close calls in my 2 year riding life

[Ste]

[owdamer]

A good mate of mine was killed years ago on his bike. He was riding his transalp to work one morning at about 5 am and was hit head on by a postie who cut the corner on a blind bend and hit my mate head on. Apparently he had been cutting this corner every day for years because there was never any other traffic on the road. He got 3 points and a small fine and my mate died at the side of the road. He was 23 at the time, he's recently started a career in the navy and was days away from proposing to his girlfriend. They found the ring when they were clearing his room at Faslane.
I was wracked with guilt about it for ages as I had got him into bikes in the first place. It took me about 6 months to get over it, and I started thinking to have to get on with things and enjoy life. You might be dead tomorrow. Make the most of today!

[hellkat]

Having lost two very close friends off their bikes in less than a year, I came to the realisation that due to the fact that we all die EVENTUALLY, we have to realise that none of us are immortal.

Its just that there are some of us destined to die earlier than others Its always gut wrenching for those left behind, or those who are at the scene when the person dies.

So the most important things I have gleaned from this painful experience of losing friends on bikes is:

1. Cherish every friend you have who rides bikes, you never know when they're gonna go, no matter HOW experienced they are.

2. Make sure you're not next.


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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Clanger]

I agree with Hellkat...

I have lost a few biker friends, I lost my first friend when I was 18 years old, and it was the lorry on the wrong side of the road round a corner that killed him, not his riding on his 125cc bike.

I have also lost friends in some particularly awful car accidents...

I have also lost a friend who took his own life....

People die, we all die, its a fact of life.... its just with the world of biking we kind of accept its likely to happen quicker, it might not.

If you start worrying about dying, you wont end up doing anything, you'll be stuck inside all day getting paranoid, and whats the point of having a life if you're not out living it?
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Groove]

Ive never had a close mate die from anything before and never really thought about dieing on the bike, just know it could happen.

Reading these stories has made me think though, feel pretty sad now
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|| Past: 1991 Kawasaki ZXR 250 ~ 2003 Honda CBR 600 F Sport ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1999 Yamaha R1 ~ 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R J ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1998 Honda VTR1000F Firestorm ~ K1 GSXR 600 Track bike ~ K6 GSXR 1000 ~ 2006 Speed Triple 1050 || Current: 2005 R1 https://www.adrucore.co.uk

[Lawnie]

Does this help?




EDIT: But on the other hand, we don't really notice when people don't have accidents. We only hear the bad.

[veeeffarr]

[killa]

My mate can't walk again because he went off the road and up a tree in a car with no seat belt.
At least on a bike you can get some air time or something.

You can't calculate the odds of a good crash, i've hit a car doing 45mph and broke nothing, a guy i know hit a car on a moped at 20mph and broke his coller bone.
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[Visitor Q]

i knew someone who died at 30, getting his head run over by a car after trying to brake too quickly and flipping the bike.

I've never (touch wood) hit another car, but i know plenty of people who've walked away from highspeed crashes.

Luck of the draw more then anything (ie luck of what you bounce into after you touch down)
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From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[flat spot]

My best friend for over 20 years was killed on a bike. Even now it won't leave my memory. I've had some bad spills myself over the years and yes sometimes it does enter your mind that this could be the last ride. I don't actually know of anyone I know who owns a bike who hasn't had an accident.

I don't suppose there's much anyone can do about it. Ride sensibly and within your limits and it will minimise the risks. The rest is down to luck if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

There's no doubt mile for mile cars are considerably safer, but for pleasure bikes will always be top. It's just whether you think the pleasure you get from riding outweighs the risk. For me it does, but if you don't really have that feeling when you ride, then I'd say get shut and buy a car.

[msgander]

between cars, bikes and horses, had more near misses with horses than either cars or bikes, one near miss on bike, more in a car as more mileage done in motor!

You could get run over as easily by crossing the road. Just ride safe, drive safe and thats all you can do.

It all comes to us eventually.
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Always believe that your guardian angel flies a bit faster than you...............

[flat spot]

[yzf750r]

We lost a friend in April on his R6, and on Sunday a friend of mine crashed at Cadwell racing in Newera! He was airlifted to Grimsby, and is in Intensive Care. Yesterday I heard he had 24 hours to live!

You cant think that you'll be the next or you'll be come the dangerous rider on the road!

I just block it out, or give it a couple of weeks til its not so raw!

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04 zx10r with mods - 187.4bhp at the wheel! :o

[queen of string]

Life is a dangerous activity. I have had close calls in all kinds of situations from swinging on a rope swing, to horses, to crossing the road, to riding a bike, everyone has. Simple illnesses and infections can kill you, there are at least a hundred things in your house could kill you.

I had a mate die at 40 on a bike ( he came off the guy following him went over his head ) and a biker mate die 2 weeks later from a brain heamorrhage when his wife was 16weeks gone with their first. I booked and planned my wedding in the 6 weeks that followed these two incidents. Maybe a strange response , but the thing I took away from these tradgedies is life is f'ing short, you must seize each day by the bollox and live it to the full. Its the only fitting tribute to those who cant anymore.
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"Eat food, not edible, food-like items. Mostly plants."