Ducati Monster Forum

Well a decreasing radius blind corner in the middle of the woods with a guard rail protecting a 50ft drop got me.

Here's the basic story, i'll edit this post as i upload pictures. about 9 hours  ago...

Going down a new road at a decent pace. sign shows curves ahead... ok so i slow preparing for said curves.. take a few.. all nice, smooth nothing fancy. road is narrow two lane with ZERO room for error. guard rails are 12 inches off the road with no runoff road only wet dirt/leaves between the edge and the rail.

Anyway, come up to a blind left with a nice radius, little down hill, lean into and then as my eyes follow notice the decreasing radius and my increasing push to the outside. i trail brake with the throttle on, lean more lean more lean more... then i make the mistake of looking at the front wheel going toward the leaves... target fixation... i stay with it though still leaning as hard as i can... i was at the end of the corner but needed 6 inches too much. front goes into the leaves i go down, 5 feet i hit one rail support, 10 more feet nail the second support. i roll in the road for 5 more.

stand up and go back to the corner quick to slow the car behind me. he stops puts out a triangle and a moto guzzi rider stops (nice bike... took at picture of that too!). i assess my bike. pick it up (which was quite easy with the adrenaline) and move it off the road. Had to practically pick up and drag the front though.

Start checking the bike. Front rim shattered. two of the three spokes are broke off, the rim is cut in half. both front brakes are bent with about 3 bolts each missing. lower triple is at a wierd angle and the top triple is in 3 pieces. the light is smashed front and back and the aluminum is split in a couple of places. one mirror is gone... i mean gone, probably down the hill where i would have been without the rail. the other hanging. handlebar bent. left peg is cut in half, left rearset bent in. shifter bent. kickstand bent. passenger peg bent. slight scratches on seat cover, left exhaust can scratched, wierd dent in front exhaust pipe near the head. don't know about the main frame since there was a bit of paint off a weld at the head tube. could be bent.

good things. no tank damage, no engine damage or scratches, in fact bike was still running. pazzos good to go. ADAC if you are in germany get it. roadside assistance is awesome.

and me... bruised right foot, sore left shoulder (more previous injury i'm sure). my right boot almost got ripped off so i'm assuming whatever did that is what bruised it. all x-rays are neg for breaks. back protector saved some serious kidney damage cause it hit hard. leathers are scratched and ripped. i have one strawberry on the right knee where something tried to rip the leathers off, but i think more from the lining than anything getting through. i was leaned so far over that when i hit down, i touched elbow,forearm first so i didn't fall hard at all on the left side. but my right leg must have hit between the rail and bike or something.

lessons learned... be in a good mood before riding. know the road. i made a bad line choice... it was fine for a constant radius turn, but it sucked for allowing any correction for the decreasing radius. turn late, turn fast. i was in a slow, turning early line. DO NOT target fixate. SOOO glad i had all my equipment on. i would be seriously hurt without it.

The important thing is you're OK.

You should post up here (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=119.0) too.

Hell, that sounds... exciting. :P

Good that you're not beat up too badly, though. Thank heaven for small large favors.

k will do. and thanks for reminding me about the important thing. i am sooo sad though. my baby. she really is tore up something bad.

They make new motos every day. ;)

Glad to hear that you are ok for the most part.

(http://img4.werkenntwen.de/photo9/a0a093cb0409517044585eb324ee2de7/g/4/g4fvc51cvkrsrc01kutdlew9ap2.jpg)
(http://img4.werkenntwen.de/photo9/a0a093cb0409517044585eb324ee2de7/4/x/4xdeovfe7zp36pnsu6rmes06vz1.jpg)
(http://img11.werkenntwen.de/photo9/a0a093cb0409517044585eb324ee2de7/t/o/to6yfwaxhsdb0yx2whz0f6lcwe4.jpg)
(http://img3.werkenntwen.de/photo9/a0a093cb0409517044585eb324ee2de7/e/8/e83ztpocvjnz35q49j8v5jtodwt.jpg)
(http://img18.werkenntwen.de/photo9/a0a093cb0409517044585eb324ee2de7/8/k/8k1v8cf8y9tq2xuurarj2v2hszl.jpg)
(http://img2.werkenntwen.de/photo9/a0a093cb0409517044585eb324ee2de7/o/e/oe7r1p81pcaelsntn5puww8fu1k.jpg)

Sounds like you did a nice job of wadding the front. Glad you're okay!


Might I suggest you also post up in gear that survived? http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=294.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=294.0)

It sounds like with as hard as you hit, you're basically okay. I can't imagine that would be the case without the proper gear on....

Seriously, that looks like it would have killed you without the gear.

Sooo happy your are good, make sure you get yourself back on something as soon as you can, dont let the fear set in.

Glad to hear your gear did a good job protecting you! [thumbsup]

wow this had the potential to get bad, but it seems like you got out of it with enough luck to shrug most of it off! glad to hear your okay man.

yeah about getting back on the horse... had a friend pick me up on his bike... geared up and rode home (albeit on the back) right out of the emergency room!

thanks for all the replies. gear all the time is a good rule.

another guy was in the ER with me. he didn't wear leg armor, just jeans... tore a hole in his calf that required 14 stitches inside and out. he did almost the same thing as me in a righthander not far from where i did. he put his bike down early and pushed away so it could have been way worse. i tried to save it til the end.

I'm really sorry to hear you bashed your bike, but glad you came through it with limited personal damage.

As noted above, once you catch your breath you might want to post in the "Gear that Survived" thread.

Man, so sorry to hear you went down, and to see your bike in such a state.

I am absolutely in awe of your commitment to making that corner - I've no doubt I wouldn't have handled it anywhere as well. And well done in your selection of protective gear. Heal well.  [thumbsup]

 Glad you're OK!
 It hurts me to see a new bike crashed.
 Looks totaled.
 Time for an 1100S!

thanks to all for the comments.
i would have been more in awe of myself if i had made the damn thing. looking at the pics.. i was soooo close.
two days ago i was looking at some hardsided sport boots to replace these... wouldn't have any bruise if i had. damn..

she was just over a year old and about to hit her first major service... i hope she isn't totalled,
mainly because that would be a tough sale to the wife right now.
She came to the scene. pics don't really show how far down that hill goes on the right... she's kinda pissed right now.

Looking at the amount of damage, I've seen less damage on 696's before, and sad to say, they were written off.

Glad you're OK.  Guard rails really scare the shit out of me.  I know a guy that went through one and did not come out well at all. 

Yeah, you can all but kiss that bike good-bye. It'll most likely be a total loss...

+1.

Glad to hear your okay.   [thumbsup]

as dp said, your baby can be replaced.



If it is totaled try to remove/replace all your mods with stock.  

glad to hear you be ok [thumbsup]


a dark 1098 makes a great replacement bike ( so I hear)  8) [laugh]

Raux,
So sorry hear about your crash. From looks of that guard rail, I'm really glad you aren't INJURED as opposed to hurt.

I hope the insurance company does right by you.

Glad you're alright. As DP said, they make new bikes every day.

Germany has some really strong guard rails.  What matters most is you are OK.

Guard rails scare me.  I have seen first hand what they do to someone with little gear. So glad to hear you came out of it in good shape and your gear did its job. As for the bike, if it chipped paint off the welds the frame if done.

Wow, whenever I hear crash and guardrails, I usually think the worst.

You got lucky my friend, to be keeping all your limbs is a very nice gift for the day, even if your Monster is totaled, I think everybody here is happy just for you to still be with us (and in full capacity at that).



Now as far as your monster goes... PM me your location, I may be able to help out in one way or another...

i've been there before buddy. glad to hear ur ok.

glad your ok. those rails scare me too, holy crap, i want leathers now. Bike is gone, im sure of it. Wife, she will be okay.

I say street fighter [bow_down]

It occurred to me that without all the gear, there's a really good chance we'd have never known about your "incident."

Glad you're still with us.

First, glad to hear you're okay. Sh*t happens to the best riders wearing all the gear and the skills to match. Don't beat yourself up too much over this, You came out of this as well as can be expected, sounds like you understand what went wrong here, better the bike than you.

Second, I agree with those who think the bike is totaled. Either way, it can be fixed or replaced (that's what insurance is for) and grab any of your mods you can salvage.

Third, when replacing this bike, if necessary, I don't know if more horsepower (1100, Streetfighter, etc) is the best advice.

God damnit!  this make the beast with two backsing sucks.  [bang] [bang] [bang]

This has not been a good year so far to DMF-ers.

Good to hear that you're ok. I know that you've poured your heart and soul into this thing, it must be pretty damned hard to see it all mangled.

Maybe it's time for an M1100?

Wow, those pictures are scary.  Glad to hear you are ok.  Bummer about the bike as it is done for sure, but I think you'll be able to find another one. Hope to hear about your next ride soon.

THank you all for the comments.

yeah the bike is being sent to MottoMittrach (Ducati) in Zweibrucken today. i am taking all my stock parts and the stuff i pulled off yesterday at the accident. I will swap out all the stock parts before the insurance company shows up.

So, I have a DP touring seat, R&G Tail Tidy, CF exhausts are trashed (one side anyway), I'll put the charcoal canister on so i can keep the euro shroud. I had just order the DP Aluminum front fender (not even here yet). When i decide on a replacement bike (yes, i think she's gone too), i will put up for sale what i can't use.

as for me, my left trap is pretty sore today and of course my foot i'm keeping elevated. no visible bruising. yeah gotta say my armor did its job 10fold. and damn glad i didnt go under the rail down that hill.

those of you not wearing full leathers, think hard about it. i only paid 170 dollars for that set, 50 for the backprotecter. 70 for the gloves and 80 for the boots. and 170 for the helmet. best $540 life/health insurance policy!

Sorry to hear about your bike and +1 on wearing gear. Heal well! and I've been told this helps.   [drink]

OMG...I am really sorry to hear that.
So glad you are ok...
Those roads only care for damn cars to not crash into the woods.
Seeing those rail sopports brings bad memories of people almost getting ripped in half by them.
Looks like a guardian angel was riding with you.
And yes....you are totally right about the leather.
We had two crashes at the track day yesterday and both guys got up and walked away shocked, ripped but ok.
And yes...Streetfighter next  [moto]

Really sorry to hear Raux, just glad you are ok [thumbsup]

sorry to hear that ``
i went down last March and was scared to get on 2 wheels until this month when i bought a new bike ;)

hope u get on 2 wheels sooner than me

Holy...... glad you're okay Raux. I never had the chance to ride in Germany, but except for the guardrails, I hear the riding is wonderful.

I know it's OT, but are you assigned in Zweibruecken? I grew up just outside there in Riedelberg and went to the local Hauptschule while my dad was SJA at Zweibruecken AB back in the early 70's.

Glad to see that you are ok man.  I knew a few people who went down and met the guardrails in and around J'kreuz and did not fare as well as you.  Good on you for wearing your gear! 

zweibrucken is closed. it's a local airport now and a business center.
i work in kaiserslautern.

yeah i was told today by my wife that the polizei that showed up told her while overlooking the railing and the 50ft drop that same corner had killed someone not too long ago. thanks for helping me get a new bike, mr. polizei.

yeah the guardrail is a bit puzzling to me. i know i took out two supports, the first only the padding around the base, the second i definitely bent. i must have skimmed the first with the back wheel or the front bounced off of it. the bike was definitely down the whole way, cause not a scratch on the rail itself. i must have been really low in the corner when the front when off.
 

Not surprising - it didn't really work for the Canadians over the long term, either. Are the Kreuzberg Kaserne and the French Army post closed as well?

don't know of either one of those.

whoa!

Glad to hear you're alright, man!

I must admit that I pucker up a little everytime I see a guardrail in a corner. Even if I have the corner dialed in and everything is great, the damn guardrails have me scared to death  :-[


Ducati is still in business, so you can always get another...you walked away with all your body parts, and that is what counts  [thumbsup]

Glad you survived the incident with relatively minor injuries.  Hope you are back in the saddle soon.   :)

Sorry to hear about yours as well.  What a crappy couple weeks DMF has been having.  I hope you are back on a bike soon. 

Hi Raux!  I am glad that you are mostly OK!  It sounds like you ended up better than the bike.  Sorry about the bike and all the work you've done on it.  Sounds like your gear did it's job  [beer]

thanks all.

actually starting to feel the bruising in my left shoulder, back and neck area pretty bad today. foot is better but still sore. right hand is stiff too.

Takes a while for the adrenalin to totally wear off. You'll start noticing that you sprained more things than the hospital thought. Usually wrists and ankles. Good to hear you made it out well enough.

What kind of gear were you wearing that you got full leathers for $170?

edit: ah, found your post in gear that failed/survived.

Don't say anything to the wife, or she will go get that 128  ;D

Sorry to hear about your wreck.  Take it easy on teh recovery - i crashed pretty big on a mtn bike this spring and it was the little things that started to hurt a few days later that are still bugging me now.

I hope you heal fast.

Whoa..............nasty .

You are one lucky unlucky guy.

Too bad about the bike but you are very fortunate.

We all fall down sooner or later it seems.

Some in our own driveway some on a track, while others find their fate somewhere lurking out on the road.

Chin up. Learn how to make those curves so you won't be fearful each time you ride.

Dolph    :)

yeah that curve shouldn't have been a problem. i really wasn't all there i guess cause i didn't turn late so i could have seen more of it and i didn't turn hard enough to give myself correction room. for sure if i had used Lee Park's method i would be writing about a great ride i had.

damn right shoulder starting hurting too... think you're right about adrenaline. lot more upper body bruising is starting to show. plus i'm not taking enough percocet

first estimate from the shop. 6000 euro damage.

Isn't that enough to buy a new bike?

It's enough to do some serious Mods to the broken bike.

 :o

Glad you're in one piece! Best wishes and good luck getting the bike sorted.

yeah after the bike adjuster see the bike i will have to talk to the agent.
went and look at the bike again today.

here's a quick list:
wheel
tire
fr. brakes
front forks
lower triple
upper triple
bar
Pazzo clutch lever
light
bikini fairing
bar end
main frame
left tank skin
left rear set
left exhaust
R&G Tidy Tail
kickstand
Tail cover
oil cooler screen and covers
front exhaust pipe from head
shifter and linkage
have no clutch pressure, so not sure what's blown there

ok kinda not sure if i should overreact or not.

someone said the cause i my wreck was.... rider lost control in a curve.

now reading the account... would have be a simple way of putting it? or is it more complicated and not at all what happened?

I not sure I understood exactly what you were asking, but I'll give it a shot anyway.


I assume you're talking about your insurance?  The "rider lost control in curve" is a very general statement.  And, by your description, kinda what happened  --- you were in a curve, couldn't make it through the turn and lost control.  It's always more complicated than how insurers or officers describe the event, but if it's not way off base, I wouldn't react too strongly to it.

thanks. just wanted to vent. it's been frustrating. i want to ride so bad.