Crashing your bike - do you get back on?

[yambabe]

Inspired by a talk with Fallen Angel at the weekend, and a chat on another forum with another friend who recently had a very similar accident.

Both of my friends' bikes have been written off by the insurance. Now other friends have been talking, with the best of intentions, of helping them rebuild the bikes despite a twisted subframe on one and a bent frame on the other.

Me personally, if it were my bike and I had been badly injured on it, I wouldn't want to ride that particular bike again. I would much rather just take the insurance money and go shopping for a new one.

Kinda hard to put into words, but I would feel like my luck had run out on that bike.

I got some ribbing for saying that, then even more when I said that I would happily own & ride a rebuilt bike that someone else had previously crashed, because my luck would not be affected!

Am I wierd/ What do you reckon, would you ride a bike that you had been badly hurt on? Do you, even?
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[mchaggis]

It took me a long time to trust my bike again, but I did eventually. Part of me was scared of it, an overweight, underpowered 125 and the rest of me was scared of myself and every other road user.

Were my bike properly damaged, I'd probably be very put off riding it again. If it weren't, I'd be just raring to get on it and go. (I was riding up and down the lane with my arm still in a cast. )
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Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[stinkwheel]

But hasn't the bike in question just used up its store of bad luck?
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[Rob W]

I would.

Still rode my 125 after I mangled my arm/shoulder up on it, though it was me who took the force of it ending up on top of me and the bike ended up with just one slightly scuffed rear plastic.

What put me off more was when it was recovered after being stolen, knowing some little bog rat had been caning the tits off it round fields and what not.
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TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[Keen]

my last bike, the gs500, threw me off when there was a mechanical fault with the brakes...

I dunno, biking is dangerous enough without having to worry about the bike letting you down, so I never really regained confidence in the GS. I still rode it for another 8 months or so after that... but I was always worried something else would go wrong, so in the end I was glad to be shot of it.
But that bike was a shit heap, it never had any luck in the first place to run out of....

EDIT: on topic, when the front brake did go, throwing me off, I picked the bike straight up and rode it home without a front brake, I didn't have much choice really, but I didn't really hesitate.
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"he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man"- Dr. Johnson

[Kickstart]

Hi

To an extent, not sure. Sometimes I might feel I owe it to the bike having let it down.

However I can understand people not wanting to get back on that bike / another bike the same.

Charlotte has a distint dislike of Alfasuds since she broke her leg in one.

All the best

Keith
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[Knowlsey]

its a bit off putting the first couple of times due to the fact you are aware of what happened, after that you forget about it

[iCraig]

I have crashed and got back on the same bike, infact 3 times I did and got back on (not on the same bikes of course )

I did want to get back on the same bike after my most major accident so far back in 2002, but it had a bent frame therefore was written off.

[18aprilia]

my mate had a serious crash on his honda cbr 125. the police told him he could have died and that he was a very very very... lucky boy to still be alive. when he woke up in hospital the first thing he said to me was "ross i think im gona get an rs125"
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Supra King

[colin1]

I locked the front wheel on gravel when turning right and the bike dropped quickly.

I was shaken, and after I had got it off the road, come to my senses, picked up the takeaway curry, i noticed the missing footpeg.

For a second I thought maybe I shd go home by some other means, but then I thought id be ok, and I was.

If i had a serious off, Im not sure what my attitude wd be.

[Motkram]

Damn right, I would love to still have my R1 which I destroyed like a twat (Frame+subframe dented/bent, all panels, casings fcuked) but I bit the bullet and flogged it for salvage. It would have cost more to fix up than the loss I made, so it had to go.
I was in plaster for nearly 3 months but I was just gutted I didn't have it anymore!
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Part-time GSXR1000 pilot>Micron Serpert system+K&N, PC111, Sigma slipper clutch, Brembo m/c+Galfer discs, Gilles rearsets, Translogic Quickshifter.

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[Mister James]

I think I'm definitely leaning towards the attitude of the bike having used up it's store of luck. It kept me alive, and paid heavily for it!

While I'm sure I'll be an even more careful and cautious rider, I think the main thing I've taken from this is that I do not want to take another pillion passenger again. About a week before the accident, I'd taken my first one, my youngest brother, and we'd had a brilliant time. However, bearing in mind how suddenly this accident happened, and how little fault (ie none) is being ascribed to me, I don't think I could live with myself risking someone else on the bike.

Perhaps in time I will moderate that, as I guess other bikers are perfectly aware of the risk, but for the time being, I'm fairly set on that.

Looking forward to getting a nice big wedge of compo and buying a new bike
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[sickpup]

When I write off a bike they cannot be rebuilt. I'm not joking either, think front wheel embedded in engine or frame and forks snapped off.

If they can be rebuilt I do rebuild them.

[Groove]

im not riding my bike again
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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

[cc123]

I've crashed 2 G1 Ninja's ths year!! March and September but I fixed both of them and ridden them both again.

I fixed both myself and had full confidence that I had repaired them properly. Thing is tho, its not the bike but the person. If you think you can get back on that bike then why not?
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Old bikes >>> https://www.bikepics.com/members/cc123/

[Muz_Capone]

Ive crashed into a wall, hit by a van side view mirror (head shot) and front braked on gravel throwing me off into a bush and the bike following me through. I did get back on the bikes, apart from the van accident because I had to give his ass a beating first.

[The Tot]

The lowside spill on the roundabout dented my confidence in riding, and ever more so in winter of all times. I used to think that i could silde a bike around and wait until the limit at which it would slip/skid, pissing about locking the rear etc, but now, i ride ever so cautiously its ridiculous.

Youd be surprised that i got greater lean angle riding my XR125 than i have my ZXR!

Still, that doesn't stop me from riding, but having quite a crash does things to your mind that's really confusing.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
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[zxr6_Rulez]

I think strong will power can never stop a person to ride again to matter ever happands. ( just my opinion )

[Barney]

I was told to ride my bike home after crashing even though the handlebar was bent effecting the steering just slightly and the frame, or forks could have easily been out of place. But on the other hand it was a real confidence booster and Im now looking forward to getting back on the road.
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CG125|CB400SF|CBR600FX|Triumph Daytona T595|CBR929RR

[Gazdaman]

I wouldn't ride a seriously damaged/written off bike again.

I've had minor spills and jumped straight back on though, quite happy.

Gaz

EDIT: I realise seriously damaged and written off are different things. When you get into the relms of bent subframes I'd be heading to the dealer's.

[dainesefreak]

I've written two bikes off in my time, the first one was completely smashed, might as well have been through a crusher so wasn't an option.

The Second bike I bought back off the insurance company and was going to put back on the road. It was purely down to lack of time and convenience that I didn't. My only consideration when buying it back was money to be honest. I'd not considered any thing else.

It might also be that I was quite a few years older and wiser in the ways of what's mechanically good or bad and was quite happy I could sort it out completely.

I can understand losing confidence in the bike even if it could be put back on the road. I had a similar thing with tyres the other day, I've now changed them. Once the confidence is gone then you have to do what's best to regain it whatever way you are comfortable with. If it's an option and it's affordable why not have a change if it's a way to get back on?

[the grim reaper]

I did this when I binned my blade, I was trying too hard and showing off but I never thought twice about getting back on it again. I knew that it was down to me, not the bike and I know that my maintenance is always good so I trust my bikes.

Cheers

Grim
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[Walloper]

If it's written off mechanicaly unsafe to use. Then do not ride it.
But as for luck PAH superstition.
I get back on everytime nomatter what my wife says.
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[Type_Mo]

Ive had a few small offs...once into a car.... I just cant imagine myself actually driving a car tbh
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[mattish]

I rode my bike back home after my lowside, handle bars bent to feck and blood all down my trousers (stupidly had jeans on). I got home and cleaned up my knee then went out on the bike (after straitening the bars) to get the other bits required to fix it then again it was only 20mph off.