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Crash in Wisconson

B

bikealot

Training Wheels
I was nearing the 20,000 mile mark on the odometer and feeling very comfortable with my C14.  I had never been to a COG Rally so decided it was time to give it a try.  I made all the arrangements for a KOA trip there and back.  The trip to Wisconsin was all freeway and pretty easy going.  I checked in at the Rally Headquarters and prepared for a week of fun.  I met another rider the first night at a local KOA.  We decided to ride together next day and enjoyed a beautiful ride through the local area.  I did notice a lot of sand and rocks on the road caused by heavy rains weeks before.  As long as I stayed in the center of the lane it seemed OK.  The next day we signed up for a ride with a local who knew the roads...we were to ride 60 or 70 miles to a nice restaurant for lunch and then return.  About half way to the restaurant I hit a patch of sand and gravel in a turn that low-sided the bike.  The bike skidded off the road doing about 40 or 45 mph.  Fortunately there was no opposing traffic.  The bike ended up in a ditch.  I was knocked off the bike near the roadside with a broken collar bone.  My first thoughts were for the bike....my poor bike.  I was laying on top the right side mirror so knew it wasn't going to be good.  I  found it difficult to get up...kept trying but couldn't get up.  I felt the bone sticking up under the skin so immediately knew the bone was broken.  The friend I met a day earlier rode my bike back to the COG headquarters.   
 
Since we were in the middle of no where, I waited 45 minutes for an ambulance.  The ride to the hospital was awful....the ambulance seemed not to have a suspension....and I was strapped to a board which made the ride even more miserable.  The doctor and crew stripped my clothes off and proceeded to check me out.  After the xrays confirmed there were no back or neck injuries, the doctor said I had a broken collar bone.  And he said there was nothing to be done so released me from the hospital.  I called the COG headquarters for a ride back.  I called the wife and she arranged for an airline ticket to get me back home.  Slightly 24 hours after the crash I was back home.  The bike was trailered for me to my daughter's house, about a month after the accident I was able to pick it up and bring it home....in another two weeks it was repaired and ready to go.  I was told later that another rider had been high-sided and crashed the same day...never did find out any details.  I thank all those who helped me that day and later to get the bike moved.  I found out the real reason to attend a rally was to meet and make friends with people sharing the same passion of riding a motorcycle.  Many thanks to all of you and hope to see you at the next rally.
 
Keith,
Sorry for the accident.  Trash in the corners is one of my biggest fears.  Sorry it is not a CDA since it is an accident and not a drop but glad you are alright and lesson learned and insurance paid you will be back on the road soon.
 
Hey, glad to hear you are healed up and the bike is back together Keith. A number of our rally volunteers really stepped up to help you get things worked out. I know Steve and Maryann were instrumental in a lot of your transport.....maybe Jeff too? The best part was Jim Miller being there with an empty trailer heading back your direction. Mighty nice of him to deliver your bike back there. Sorry about your wreck and very short rally, but it was great to see how we can all help each other out when the chips are down.
 
Just catching up on this one.  I'm glad you were'nt seriously hurt.  This gives me more incentive to practice up on skills some more and more often. 
 
Keith,

Sorry to hear about your accident.  I went down last March and broke my thumb.  For me the worst part wasn't the bone breaking or the road rash on the bike it was not being able to ride for 8 weeks.

Wishing you a speedy recovery and a reasonable claims adjustment.  May you and the bike be up and riding soon.
 
Thanks all, I'm really appreciative to all those who helped....most of whom I didn't know.  I sent thank you letters to all of those I was aware of...but not to all that helped.  The broken bone has healed but the muscles are still sore and need plenty of exercise.  I waited too long in life to break a bone :))  As for the bike; the total cost to repair came very close to declaring the bike totaled!!  A few hundred dollars more and it would have been.  USAA is my insurance company and I can't say enough good things about their service .  They kept me in the loop the entire time and gave me the check when the estimate was done.  As I learned, we owners can control the cost of crash damage repair.  Example: the bike shop was going to replace the fuel tank because it had a scratch.  I was able to buff out the scratch and save the cost of a new tank...and probably saved the bike.  There were a lot of cracked and torn plastic pieces which couldn't be repaired.  But there was some peices that only needed to be sanded and repainted...this is where you can save some money.  The muffler (the most expensive part) was going to be replaced because of a scratch...again I had it buffed out and saved money. 

Ride often- ride safe,
Keith
 
Hi Keith

I am glad you are OK. I rode with Jim Miller to pickup your bike from Ken's. I am sorry that you had to take a spill at the our rally. I appreciate you keeping us informed and wish you the many miles of trouble free riding.
 
Keith said:
As for the bike; the total cost to repair came very close to declaring the bike totaled!!  A few hundred dollars more and it would have been.
Click to expand...
Hell, ya shoulda said somethin....I coulda dropped it off the trailer deliverin it!

Dammit man....you coulda got a new one!

(you're welcome.  Sure had the neighbors in a tizzy coming home with a 'new' project already broken up!)
 
LOL................ a red or black colored one too!!  I live in Germany during the Winter months.  There is a Kawasaki dealer near the house....I saw a 2011 model there...not sure I like the looks of the large side vents and other subtle changes.  A color offered in Europe is a weird looking brown...almost a bronze.  Another thing offered in Europe are side crash bars.  Anybody interested let me know, I'll provide a picture.  I just bought a set...a little pricey.  l like my silver C-14 and am really glad it is fixed.

Keith
 
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