I met my brother today

I really dont believe in signs, but when i was out riding today, i saw a deer.
him and I looked at each other, and for an instance, i felt some sort of bond between him and I. He ran off to the side of the road and down a steep mountainside, for a split second, it was like i had some sort of bond between him and i.

i posted todays ride pics here, with a small story about it.


http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?p=464339#post464339

I saw the photos and read the story. That really sucks.

Man, I wished I lived out there to help you rebuild. Glad you're up and walking. I hope you ride again soon.

Phil

Thats really sad man. Especially from one of our own bandit friends. I hope everything for you and your bike gets back to normal sooner than later.

Good for you wearing your gear. You're an inspiration to me to ride safe.
Keeping your arms tucked was evidence of what an experienced rider you are.
I'm thankful to the Lord that you're safe.

similar to most accidents when you hit something, the wheel often turns one way, till the forks lock. i was on the brakes, hard, only letting up once as the bike started to swerve, so got 2 good full applications, before i ran up the middle of the deer. at that point, when the deer started to go under my bike, my left hand got pulled off the bar, and my right hand got thrown into my chest, as i was thrown to the left of center, flying over the bars.

seeing asphalt coming up fast, it was simply reaction, i know better than put my arms outstretched, i closed my eyes as i hit terra firma, and went limp.
i do remember seeing my bike sliding past me, good thing i went straight and it too, and didnt get caught between it and something else (besides the deer), as often that can be fatal.

i lucked out.
i'm walking.
i went to doc's today, no broken bones, but my sternum is bruised and i cant reach up or out. neither can i sleep, or get comfortable other than sitting.
typing is the easiest, i hit hard on my left, but its my right hand and right foot, and right shoulder that got the worst. all the damage to my gear is on the left, except for the elbow of the right arm, which obviously swung around.

i have raced dirt for years, and have had some hard hits in the past, breaking my collarbone 3 times, and blowing out both knees, i was not wearing my 2 CTi knee braces. i have postponed a replacement knee, before the accident.

i am just getting too old for this type of stuff. its no fun.
bike may be totalled, dont know for sure just yet.
i went to the local shop, and they have no new bandits on the floor.

i'll have to see what happens.
thanks to all for the positive encouragement.

i hope it never happens to anyone else.

happy biking.

Joe said,

i am just getting too old for this type of stuff. its no fun.

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I hope don't mean riding motorcycles, and instead mean riding the twisties fast.

+1

Suzukijo,
I feel for you man, but you simply can't stop riding....

El Bandito said:

Joe said,


I hope don't mean riding motorcycles, and instead mean riding the twisties fast.

Click to expand...

+1
Wally

"i'm getting too old for this stuff", comment, was not meant for, just riding bikes or riding the 'tiwistes fast'. i was going straight.

what i meant, was "i'm getting to old for," 'this'....smashing face first into asphalt at 50-60 mph and having my bike just miss fatally smashing me between it and a brick wall, and then having to limp around the house afterwards, unable to go to work, brush my teeth, wipe my ***.

i had to put a screw-hook into the ceiling, with a strap hanging down to allow me pull myself out of bed. the day after the accident, i felt banged up, but not bad. here at 3 days later, the depth of the carnage is showing more. i used to heal up so much faster when i was younger, stupid aging. i'm such an amatuer at it. (i went to the doc, 11 x-rays no broken bones)

i appreciate everybodys kind comments. this list, continues to show its quality of people, compared with so many others.

I may not post much in the future weeks, no more weekend trip picture manageries, but you know i will be lurking in the background with bandit radio blasting.

so lets keep those pics coming. (even those with saddlebags)

Joe,

We're all glad to hear that you're up and around even if it is with a limp.

I seem to recall that you own another suzuki from a different time period. Perhaps now is a good time to get out on that bike a bit more for a change.

As someone who spent 3 years in a wheelchair following a bike accident, I know the aches and pains you're talking about. Being out on the bike taking pictures as you enjoy doing will help to clear up those pains. If not in body, certainly in soul.

i cranked up the trusty RE5 it still is in working order, but the bandit has me spoiled. (can anything compare to the GSF 1250?)

i'll probably use the honda CX500tc, as a rider to work if and when, but i can barely reach up and adjust the car rear view mirror, much less put up and take down the sunshades in it. hopefully it wont be long before i'm back on 2 wheels.

adjuster is supposed to be here on fri, and i talked to the bike shop about the estimate. one neat thing, a mechanic friend i have known for 35 years, is now working at the dealer, so hopefully it will have competent attention.

suzukijo said:

so lets keep those pics coming. (even those with saddlebags)

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We're thinking of you out here Joe. Here's a pic with the saddlebags!



CBR

suzukijo said:

i cranked up the trusty RE5 it still is in working order, but the bandit has me spoiled. (can anything compare to the GSF 1250?)

Click to expand...

Best wishes for a quick recovery, you'll be back before you know it.

Here's a question: If the adjuster does total out the Bandit, would you get another? Just curious...

trey

thats what i want to think about when i go to sleep at night.
a year ago, it was my choice. (how about the B-king, the CBR-1000, hayabusa, etc)

my personal life has changed recently, and i may not be able to afford another bike. that may make the decision for me.

i know it sounds crazy.

i married my wife 5 years ago. she never worked.
i am divorcing her,
it looks like, my lawyer says, i need to borrow $120,000 and give it to her.
then i have to pay the money back, with interest. (maybe someone can figure that out for me, what the total would be)
i bought my home 20 years ago for $64,000.

it doesnt look like, if my GSF1250 is totalled, i can afford another one.
i'll be the guy peddling a bicycle 25 miles to work and back.

i have to dream of light at the end of the tunnel, instead of a new motorcycle.



(this picture is looking the opposite way, down my street, from my avatar with my bike in it)

so now you know.... why some of my posts arn't happy.
sorry to be so glum. please dont hijack this thread.

talk about, wearing protection when riding, instead.

Does your TS 125 Duster still run ? Hang in there Joe, We are all pulling for you. At 51 and out of shape a spill like that would take a crane to get me up. It WILL get better!!! We need you here. Keep posting..SZ.

laughs, its been a long time since my TS 125 has been drug out and i rode it.
sure it ran last, and with all things, the rubber rots, and the carb cakes up, one could spend a day or 2 getting it going, ....
sure the bicycle joke was sarcasm.

its never the right thing to postpone the inevitable.

its was difficult for me to explain, why i spent $1,000 for stuff to wear to other people, someone once asked me 'arnt you hot in all that stuff?' 'isnt that full face helmet hard to breathe in?'

one of the neighborhood kids, 13 year old who is about as tall as me, and was always interested in my bike, he races a CR85 in desert ex class, stopped and looked at my bike in the garage today, its all scratched up and i think it sank into him, as he tried to explain to me all the gear he wears when he goes riding. it was not necessary to tell him anything, i showed him my jacket and helmet. he had the same look as the deer, ...before i hit him.

life is what you make of it.
i'll be riding something. maybe even that TS 125.... this is what i was working on, before i scratched the bandit. you can see some of the bandit debris just in front of the rear wheel.

treybrad said:

If the adjuster does total out the Bandit, would you get another? Just curious...

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In this country we'd get the option to buy the bike back at whatever the insurance company values it at in its damaged state (i.e. cheap). In that case the settlement they give you is the market value of the bike less the buy-back cost. Could you do that? And then fix it up with used parts, modify/spray it as you see fit in the process? You could end up with a great looking bike for a lot less than the cost of a new one, with money left from the settlement which is what you need, by the sound of it. If the bike's not damaged mechanically that could be an option?

yes, there is that option. the game is often the same the world over.
once the estimate for repair, exceeds a certain amount, 100% of market value i think, it then becomes not feasably repairable.
there can be situations, where the payout, is less than the owner owes, and to settle the owner needs to come up with the difference in cash.

i dont think this will be the case.
another scenario is there might be some parts that are called out to be replaced, and if not replaced the reduction in price would be enough to not "total" the bike. repairing that part (bending a twisted radiator flat, and using a screwdriver to straighten the louvers) or (using a chain and hydraulic jack to straighten rear section frame tubes straight and respraying it, instead of replacing frame) or (leaving some item, often costly cosmetic piece, with slightly visible damage alone, like scratches on the seat) or simply leaving it as is (small scratched items) to reduce the repair bill, might be enough to save it.

the big advantae of one buying it direct from the insurer, is the insurer doesnt have to pay any more fees, for hauling or storage, or subletting any more outlay of cash to off the vehicle, so they simply write you a check, and then you get to buy it back, for a salvage fee.

if you can access replacement parts cheaper than listed on repair estimate, and perform the work yourself, saving mechanics labor costs, then it begins to be attractive money wise. but the vehicle ownership papers, then become tainted with "salvage title" so resale is less, bike has now been salvaged.
owner pays documentation fees.

often one small nick in a gastank, can put the tank on the list of parts needing replacement, this would be a good candidate for salvage.
my gastank is heavily dented, and ground up, not a good candidate.
the frame repair might be option to repair than replace, if thats whats needed to not total it.

its difficult to say at this time, a full estimate needs to be written up, with all costs included. i guess i could do that, and just might.

i have started to examine it in detail, wanting to replace the stock headlight bulbs, and small other items, i have upgraged back to original. not worth the effort on some things, since i'm disabled mechanically at the moment.

i will try to get the insurance to repay for my gear. it was a $1,000 well spent. hard to say if a stebel horn or abs would have been more useful, rethinking the event, i had maybe 2 seconds, then bam.

Joe,

I've your collection of over 200 motorcyles, so I am sure you can find something to ride out of all of them.

Hey Jo, I know you said not to hijack, but real quick, I've been there, not the accident, just the marital thing. Hang in there buddy! It gets SO much better!


Now, everybody......back on subject!!

BTW, 200 bikes?? Not literally?????

literally

OMG! Where do you put 200 bikes? Are most of 'em for parts, or actually viable as transportation?

Sorry, I guess I'm hijacking, but this is shocking! Just a quick explanation, please?

dmerc said:

OMG! Where do you put 200 bikes? Are most of 'em for parts, or actually viable as transportation?

Sorry, I guess I'm hijacking, but this is shocking! Just a quick explanation, please?

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He doesn't call himself suzukijo for nothing.

what do you mean by 'transportation'?

Joe,

I've been thinking about your accident off and on for the last couple of days. I can't say it any better than the others; I'm also glad that you weren't badly injured. I've enjoyed your posts and all the fantastic pictures you've shared with us from your rides. I think you were influential in my own decision to buy a Bandit 1250S, and as it worked out, I found a red '07 like yours.

Ages ago, when I was 15, I hit a good size dog on my DT175. I was riding with two other guys on a back road, bringing up the rear, when the dog bolted out from the woods after the first two riders. He ran right in front of me. There was no time to react, I hit him broadside at 45 mph and went over the handlebar. Fortunately I didn't break any bones, but I sure got banged up, and even at that age it took a while for me to recover.

Recently, when I was test riding the Bandit at the Suzuki shop nearby, I noticed a police cruiser doing radar surveillance just up the road. Later that day I saw him again in the same spot with a little Toyota off the side of the road. At first I thought he'd bagged a speeder, but as I rode past I saw a dead deer down in the ditch and noticed that the whole windshield of the car was stove in. That could have been me on the Bandit...

And only yesterday, I was riding my Bandit along the shore road in Cape Elizabeth Maine when I sighted a doe and a young spotted fawn crossing the road just a little ahead of me. They were taking their time as I was, and I realized that I may have had an encounter if I'd been moving along any faster.

Been thinking about you Joe, - it could happen to any of us. I'm glad you're okay, and I hope to read about more of your well documented adventures on the road soon.

Ed.