Down Goes Seahawk! Down Goes Seahawk!
 

With all credit to Howard Cosell.

I hesitated in posting anything about this, but a few things changed my mind.

This thread: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/860324-aviation-failures-life-lesson.html

...and the fact that over the years all the motorcycle guys who ride on the road hammered incessantly on wearing the right gear all the time. I almost did.

I inherited my fathers 1998 Harley Sportster with the Screaming Eagle upgrades to I think 1100cc. I rode it quite a bit in November and December then put it up for the winter. I also had my left hip replaced in January so the bike sat.

I always rode/ride with the whole ensemble: Full face, ballistic jacket and pants, gloves and boots. No issues. I have also ridden off road all my life and still get out once a week or so in the summer. I suit up even for a lap or two around the farm.

So, Sunday, the weather is great, my hip feels like a dream and I need to get the motorcycle ready for Maryland inspection: I kept the California plates on it and they expire at the end of this month. This is my first go of the season so I am being extra careful...sort of.

My neighbor is a long time Harley guy so we do all the maintenance stuff together, oils, lubes, battery check, gas (I drained it over the winter), lights and tires.

He heads home and I decide to head out for a quick jaunt to check temps, pressures, etc. This is where the two reasons I am posting this thread converge.

Over the winter we had enough snow that I had to plow three or four times. It was also extremely cold. It takes about an hour to do the whole place. I found that the full face helmet, after taking of the eye shield, was a great way to plow from the front seat of my 6X6 Ranger. With the shield on my glasses stayed foggy, so I took it off. Ear buds and my iphone and I was good to go, warm with tunes.

So, gearing up for my 10 minute ride I do the checks. Everything is on. I grab the helmet and notice the shield is gone. I stored it at the house. No worries, I wear glasses, short ride...yup, the safety chain just got a little stress fatigue.

I think everyone knows where this is going: Bike is running great, sounds perfect and I am very much enjoying the 65 degree day right up to the point where the large flying object hits my left cheek and rolls up into my eye.

I was also in a fairly nice turn, yellow sign advises 45mph, I was going to more than 50mph.

If I had been on a straight I would have been fine. Unfortunately and much to my chagrin, in the split second I was distracted I put my front tire into the muddy, dirt shoulder and had a pretty good off-road excursion, all of which I remember.

After all motion stops, I preform the standard "am I ok?" checks and all is well except my left hip, which is dislocated. By the time I get to one knee and take my helmet off, a car has already stopped and a nurse (no one is luckier than I am) tells me to lay down, help is already on the way.

The rest is also standard. The EMTs here are awesome and decided after trauma checks to take me to the local hospital. I gave my full name and birth date at least 25 times:cool:

Eight hours later, MRIs, X-rays and non-invasive surgery to get my hip fixed (again, lucky me: since the surgery to fully replace my hip was done in January, it went back together like two LEGGO pieces) I am cleared to go home.

That was Sunday. In the last three days everything they warn folks about concerning soreness and pain has blossomed, but I am being a good boy.

So, a few lessons learned I learned, again for us all:

- I wasn't speeding. If I had been it was going to be "Tree Time at the Masters".

- Thanks to all who constantly remind riders to wear all the gear all the time. Being suited up certainly saved me from more critical injuries.

- The safety chain is real: I knew I should have gotten the face shield back on the helmet but rationalized my way around common sense like an alcoholic at an open bar: Just a few minute ride, no worries.

No issues for me, thank goodness. I am up and about and will return to work tomorrow.

The bike is scrap, unfortunately. 1998 Sportsters aren't exactly pan heads, value-wise. My son and I did a few calculations with the insurance guy on fixing it since it was my father's bike, but reality set in pretty quick. We'll pull some stuff off and make two Shrines: One to my Dad and one to my stupidity:D

Edit: Since I have been home I posted more than usual, Monday with some semi-powerful druggage coursing through my vein. I would like to issue a blanket apology at this time.

Oh man!!! I'm sorry to hear about the bike! Get well soon.

Yikes! It sure is unfortunate about the bike, but I hope you're back in action ASAP, Paul!

Sorry about your Dad's bike, glad to hear it wasn't as bad for you as it might have been.

And yeah, ALL the gear, ALL the time.

Ouch.

Another lesson learned the hard way. At lest it was not a major injury.

Get well soon.

Of course, Murphy's Law always applies. Really glad you are coming along well and sorry to hear about the bike but better it than you.

Hey now you don't need to get a tag!

There is an upside. ;)

Holy moley Paul! Glad you're feeling better. Sorry about the bike, but it could have been much worse!

That sucks.

Glad you are OK.

:confused:

You sound remarkably upbeat!

Dang Paul... So glad you didn't come out of this any worse... This is bad enough!

We were out on the motorbikes Sunday with our friend Greg. Everyone in gear, and I (being the greenest of the bunch) pretty much looked like a cross between the Michelin Man and some type of Transformer - LOL!

ATGATT!

angela

Paul - Glad you are going to be OK, we aren't as young as we used to be. I'm glad to hear your new hip went back together fine. I've always wondered if I damaged my replaced knee...

Crashed a dirt bike at 35-40 mph 6 days ago....Hurt my shoulder and still can't raise my right arm....Xrays scheduled 2morrow.......

No apology needed for drug induced posting.......We've all been there.......

whew..that caption had me worried..

your checklist exist for a reason...
and you've been around long enough to know..
stick with them..
because Murphy loves folks who skip listed items..

Rika

Wow, glad you're OK, sucks about the bike, but like you said, its a commodity, not a collectable. I won't ride a bike in Los Angeles, thought about maybe getting one when I "retire" and move somewhere else, but you give me pause. Other than sometimes blowing my 1930 Rudge up and down the street in my gated community, I haven't ridden a motorcycle on the street in decades.

i read that as a yellow advisory sign suggesting 45mpg, versus a regulatory sign limiting traffic to 45mpg.

Seahawk..glad you are okay. so you went off-roading, and toppled over? high sided or low sided? neither are awesome. :(

heal fast bud.

About 10 years ago I decided to sell my bike 'cause it was just too damn crazy riding it in the city.
Most of the time i really miss that bike. But not right now!!!

Get better dude.

Heal fast and well put. I am constantly amazed at the number of folks riding with nothing safety related on. I had a small rock thrown at me on the freeway doing about 60 in Seattle a few years back riding to work. It happened with a ballistic jacket on. The rock found a vent hole in the jacket and by the time I got to work I had a welt there about 2 inches in circumference. If that thing had hit someone in the face without a full face helmet on it would have taken them down in heavy traffic.

Hey, at least the chain was broken on a bike and not in the air.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

Glad to hear you are okay! SmileWavy As you say if things were a little different you may have had a close encounter with Mr. Tree and not be posting about this.

It kinda pisses me off that my wifey has banned me from motorcycle ownership... when I read stories like this... not so much.

Technically I banned myself from motorcycles pre-marriage back when I bought the 944, it was my new fun machine and the bikes sat ignored in the garage. Post marriage the two wheelers were sold off... which only made sense seeing as they were just rotting away... (sniff - sniff ;))