Dumped the bike doin' about 60mph on the highway. I am lucky I was wearing all my gear or it would have been REALLY bad. I hit a huge pothole on the highway and just lost control (damn Oklahoma roads). 2 of my friends and my father have all been in wrecks in the last 2 months and I suppose my turn was on Dec. 30th. Back in '07 I hit a guy that pulled a left in front of me. I ended up getting the left side of my face rebuilt and 4 bolts in my leg. I got another bike while still on crutches (4 months on those damn things). This last incident has me thinking I might need to put the helmet on the shelf. I want to thank all of you from the past few years who gave me great advice, tips, knowledge, ideas, and a lot of laughs! I want everyone to be careful out there on the open road. I just think it's time for me to hang it up. I'll still probably get on here from time to time to see what y'all are doin'. Have a great new year and like I said before, y'all be safe out there!

I gotta keep drummin'
Chuck

 

dude,
any accident sucks, let alone one @ 60mph!

you need to take some time to think about it all and reflect.
if you don't feel the bike and the road callin' you in a few weeks then quit.
but, if you feel drawn back to the bike, don't fight it.

you didn't mention injuries to you or your ride but you know we all wish you and your bike a speedy recovery.

 

Damn Chuck...glad you were wearing the gear. Well, you have had experiences that most riders fortunately do not have. And there is nothing wrong with taking a break from riding. Nothing says you can't get back on a bike when you are ready, and if you want to, that's all your call. But there is no dishonor in taking a vacation from riding. It's a good time for reflection, thinking about what you might do different the next time, and weighing your love of riding versus the risk. We all take that risk every time we get on two wheels. I am glad you shared your experience with us. And I am glad you are OK. I hope your dad and friends were not badly injured in their crashes.

 

Very well said. I agree...

 

No doubt riding Is dangerous,,
Chuck,,The pot hole,,I gotta ask,,
was It Dark ?
could not see it on the approach because ??
Are you a skilled rider with lots of saddle time ??

Not meaning ta **** you off. BUT If yer kinda new to riding you
may just need some technical skills,,, a little training goes along way,,
maybe get ya a dirt bike ??
Dirt bikes really help with street skills,,,

I'm diggin here,,hate to see a rider give It up....

 

Hope you heal up soon. God bless regardless of what your decision is.

 

Regardless of what happened, or for what reason, lucky you're in one piece. Sorry to hear about the misfortune.

 

Osco, Fair questions. I was doing a head check for the blind spot and I hit it before I knew it was there (things happen pretty fast at 60mph). I've been riding for several years (year round) and took the MSF course. I just read a story a while back where the same thing happened to a motorcycle cop in Dallas, and they are VERY skilled riders. As far as injuries, I walked away with a limp and a few scrapes.
Thanks for the well wishes.

 

Glad to hear your injuries are far less serious than they could've been. Just curious, doesn't any fault or liability belong to the highway dept., state or whoever? I mean they're supposed to maintain the roads for the safety of the motorists right? Best wishes to you.

 

Dude - sorry to hear about the wreck. I had a bad one myself back in '89. Blind corner, oncoming car in my lane, no shoulder. Went over a 7 foot embankment. Thank God for all my gear. Lost 2 full units of blood to bruising, and destroyed the nerves to my right side "glute." Had to go through physical therapy and still limp at times. Worst part is that when I'm tired, my hip will just roll out of the socket.

All that to say, it didn't take long before the bug to ride bit again. Thankfully my wife was fairly understanding. I was away from bikes for a year. Best thing to do is to take a break, let the emotions dissipate, and the re-evaluate the decision. Learn from the mistake, and maybe figure out how you could have prevented it. Tell you what though, freeway riding is my least favorite. I use more time and ride backroads and surface streets to avoid them.