I say give it some time yet. Get completely well, if your injuries will allow that. Then make a few trips to the dealer and just sit on a couple of bikes you like. If your gut tells you it's not time, then it's not time. But I think that sooner rather than later, you'd sit on a bike that speaks to you, and your only thought will be to fire it up and hit the road.

 

Hope you get it figured out Tomato. Had to go through the ride or not ride thing after a bad accident in my younger days. When I was finally able to get back on a bike, it never felt better. Hope you find the same joy again.

 

I've been down a couple of times, nothing as serious as your accident so I can't say I've been in your shoes. You need to sort it out and stop beating yourself up - you'll know what to do when you are ready to do it

 

I got hit from behind in June 3 years ago and that October I was ready to ride again.
It takes a while after ICU, and flight for life ride, but you will know when its ok .
The greatest fear I had was scaring my family again not my ability to ride.
I ,like you suggested ,took a new bike out for a ride 4 months after the wreck and had cars around me that no longer loosened my stool and I knew I was ok.
You will figure it out. Seasons are different here in the Midwest so I didn't want to stay off bike all winter so I pushed a bit to get on before the ice and snow here. you may not have a hard deadline like we do in the north.
Good luck keep the shinny side up.
Mazz

 

Good Morning Tomato,
I went down on my Road King (it was totaled), a year ago November, bounced on me a few times etc. I waited until I was relatively healthy and started my quest for a new bike. I also took the Harley Riders Course in Vacaville at Ironsteed to build my confidence and hone my skills a bit. It was cheaper than buying a bike and finding out my heart wasn't in it any longer. I also learned a few things and received expert coaching on those areas that I had neglected over the years. Yeah, I know it was on the HD 500, but to me it was worthwhile...now I ride anywhere and anytime I have the desire on my FLD, yeah the first real ride on a busy road were a bit anxiety ridden, but it wasn't all that bad.

I know it may not be your journey, but it helped me, thought I would share.

 

Feb 21st, 2014, a State owned pick up truck ran a stop sign in the dark, coming out from behind a building at the corner at 50 mph (he didn't think anyone was coming across the intersection,) and I tagged him on the rear wheel well also doing 50 mph. I woke up in the ambulance and spent 3 days in the hospital with a surgery to follow (crushed foot.)

I had no doubt that I'd be back on a bike and so I bought the salvage (my once gorgeous 2000 S/E RG, (see Avatar)) back from the insurance company with plans to rebuild it into something someday (see Sig Line.)

In the meantime I needed something to ride and found a BMW R1200CL. Took it for a test ride at a Dealer in Charlotte and surprised myself a little. Though it weighs about 600 lbs, (the RG was pushing 850 lbs,) the Beemer felt HUGE when I threw a leg over it. When I took off in the parking lot, I truly didn't know if I could turn it around safely. I knew what it had to be, kind of a mild PTSD perhaps and I didn't know what it would take to get back to normal. So I headed straight ahead to the back of the lot where there was a brick wall. Either I would turn the bike around or I'd have to stop. As the wall approached, I pulled the 180 successfully but I was actually sweating a bit. It was like relearning to ride again.

Please understand, I've got close to 300,000, maybe 400,000 miles under my belt, riding continuously since '69 and have owned a couple dozen motorcycles (and even my own bike shop for 7 years,) so this was really a big deal for me.

Even riding the bike home (170 miles on a wide open interstate,) scared me frankly.

But I bought the bike anyway, sent my wife home ahead of me and rode the BMW home running a state route to try to get re-acclimated. I got home OK.

Fast forward to now. The Harley is rebuilt, the BMW (with 7,000 more miles on it,) is sold and riding wise I'm pretty much back to where I was at the beginning of 2014.

So I'd recommend renting a bike for a day and re introducing yourself to motorcycling. You'll know soon enough if you need to start talking to your Dealer about another ride. (And don't be surprised if you feel like a rookie all over again at first!)

Good luck to you, whatever you decide.

 

Everyone who has ridden and gone down in a bad way has to come to grips whether risking your life again is better than living without riding. Only you can answer that question.

 

I'd get back on as quickly as I could. But that's me.

 

Well first let me say that I sure am glad you are able to walk and talk.
As for when to start riding again that is up to you. Go to the dealership
and just hang around checking out the bikes, sooner or later one of
them two wheel Gals will call your name and when she dose snap to
attention and whip out your check book and ink pen cause it will all
be over but the crying tears of Joy. I know this because I signed the
papers for my road king when my face was still multi colored black,
blue, purple, green, and white, and my arm was in a cast.

 

I was in a minor accident last year...hit from behind at a stop light, resulting in about $3000 of damage to the bike, but no serious injury to me, fortunately.

Bike was in the shop for more than three weeks...even after such a minor event, I was nervous about riding again, and really felt it during my first ride. However, I've found by taking it easy I've enjoyed increasing confidence with each time out. I think you just have to get back on the horse and push through it.

Good luck, and ride safe.