Who's Crashed? [Crash Reports]

[crcsmnky]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
3. Could the crash have been avoided?
4. Was the rider injured?
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
10. How fast was the rider going?
11. How far was the rider from home?

1. Red Buddy 125
2. The other driver was at fault, it happened around evening rush hour (~6pm)
3. Nope
4. Broken right femur, stitches on my face, bruises, etc.
5. Bent frame, front panels damaged, totaled.
6. n/a
7. Licensed and been riding for 11 months when it happened
8. Completed course prior to obtaining license
9. Yes.
10. 45 mph
11. Probably about 5-8 miles from home. On the commute home from work

[Stormswift]

OMG, one of the scoots was an MP3? I thought they were like super stable? That was a very sobering video.....

[ericalm]

OMG, one of the scoots was an MP3? I thought they were like super stable? That was a very sobering video.....

Not the case, as a lot of MP3 riders have discovered. It's not a tricycle; the two front wheels really act as a single unit. Braking power is increased but they can still slide out in a turn, as can the rear wheel.

I challenged a bunch of MP3 riders on Modern Vespa to agree as to whether the MP3 rides like a motorcycle/scooter or not. Their consensus: Yes it does. But it doesn't.

I've ridden one and can say it requires all the same skills as riding a two-wheeler but can make the rider way too secure or overconfident because of its leaning ability.

[dakotamouse]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
3. Could the crash have been avoided?
4. Was the rider injured?
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
10. How fast was the rider going?
11. How far was the rider from home?

1. Red Buddy 125
2. The other driver was at fault, it happened around evening rush hour (~6pm)
3. Nope
4. Broken right femur, stitches on my face, bruises, etc.
5. Bent frame, front panels damaged, totaled.
6. n/a
7. Licensed and been riding for 11 months when it happened
8. Completed course prior to obtaining license
9. Yes.
10. 45 mph
11. Probably about 5-8 miles from home. On the commute home from work

Yowwww! Thankfully you're still here! I'm so sorry for your pain, literally, and the loss of your scoot.

[pugbuddy]

Get well soon, crcsmnky! That's a very rough accident (of course, all of them are but I'm just saying...).

[peabody99]

heal quickly crcsmnky,it sounds dreadful but luckily it was not worse.

[ECTandberg]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
10. How fast was the rider going?
11. How far was the rider from home?

1. Beautiful Buddy 125 with a windshield and topcase. Red.
2. Yes, absolutely rider error. Around one o clock, I think.
3. Yes, could have been. I was going to make a left turn onto a busy street. I thought I could make the yellow, and I could have, but I changed my mind and decided I wasn't in any kind of hurry so I would just wait through the red light. I braked much too suddenly just as it turned red, lost traction, and skidded into the street. When driving, if you make a decision, you really have to follow through with it.
4. No, not beyond a bruise and some skinning. Helmet, two pairs of thin cloth gloves, and a down jacket.
5. Busted my front left turn signal blinker, and my topcase. Also some paint damage, and some damage to the headlight's casing.
6.Haven't done them yet, but I'll post when I have.
7.About six months, but only on rural roads. First couple weeks in the city. Got a motorcycle permit.
8. No, but I did the MRA one.
9. Yep.
10. Around thirty.
11. Eight or ten minutes.

[pimaCanyon]

bummer! Glad to hear there was no other traffic in the intersection and you're ok. Sounds like Buddy can be repaired without too much time and money.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
10. How fast was the rider going?
11. How far was the rider from home?

1. Black Buddy 125
2. Partial rider error. I should've been able to avoid dumping it, but a cager locked his brakes intentionally in front of me. It was dark, 10pm-ish.
3. I should've allowed a larger following distance, and since it was an aggressive road rager, I really should've pulled over and let it pass.
4. Minor road rash abrasons. Jeans, boots, gloves, full face, and Corazzo speedway jacket.
5. very minimal, crack on the headset cover, abrasions on front left fender and left brake handle, cracked and dislodged headlight housing.
6. $160 parts / labor
7. At the time, 9 months riding experience, MSF cource completion and liscensed M.
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. Approx 25 mph to a sudden skid.
11. less than 1000 feet from my cozy bed.

[pugbuddy]

Bummer BSFF! Glad you're ok!

[KABarash]

a cager locked his brakes intentionally in front of me.
an aggressive road rager,

THAT should be considered attempted murder, get the liscence # ??!!??

less than 1000 feet from my cozy bed.

Some of the most serrious and STUPID accidents happen way too close to home.
I went down 4 years ago in my neighbor's drive! I was on the Met, poped up the bank from my yard to theirs, hit the gravel going too fast to make the turn and well, you know what happens when a front locks while turning on gravel.... Stupid thing is I could have walked the 300 ft I needed to borrow a tool!!!

Week before last He went down pulling in too fast one evening comming home from work.
Said it was all his fault too, going too fast, needed to get into the house to pee!!!

Oh yeah, and confessions of a r-e-t-a-r-d, I've done this 3 times in the last 5 weeks.
Got my shoe lace caught on my center stand, trip myself as I walk away from my parked scoot!!!!!!

[scooterlove]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
Pamplona 150cc - Red
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
yes, 6:15 pm
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
yes, I should have been more careful and next time look up instead of down which is where I ended up. Next time have my jacket on
4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
yes, banged up my left elbow and knee, just my full face helmet and leather gloves.

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Broken left brake handle, stand, scratches on the scooter
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
My guess $300 to $500
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
I have 2 years experience and I have a license
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
Yes
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
Probably 10mph I was moving into the right turn lane to make a right
11. How far was the rider from home?
4 miles

[pugbuddy]

Glad you weren't hurt badly, Scooterlove!

[scooterlove]

Thanks, I already missed riding today. That road rash is the worst of all.

[rockraines]

Well, I wrecked my blackjack. It went down while getting cut off by a cager.

My question is does anyone have any experience with sanding and then spray painting the body panels if they arent very bad?

So far the only real damage is to the "chrome" plastic light surround and possibly a bent brake lever. The scrapes on the body arent bad enough to replace a whole panel.

[Sombre-clair]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
3. Could the crash have been avoided?
4. Was the rider injured?
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
10. How fast was the rider going?
11. How far was the rider from home?

1- Buddy 125 black
2-no, around 10 Pm
3- I don't think so
4-Slightly, scratched up, broke my toe...
5- broken mirror, havent checked it to throughlily for scratches yet (i will in the daylight)
6- new mirror ..
7- both
8-Yes
9-Yes
10-Maybe 10 I was turning a corner..
11-3 miles?

[Jackie F]

OMG, one of the scoots was an MP3? I thought they were like super stable? That was a very sobering video.....

Not the case, as a lot of MP3 riders have discovered. It's not a tricycle; the two front wheels really act as a single unit. Braking power is increased but they can still slide out in a turn, as can the rear wheel.

I challenged a bunch of MP3 riders on Modern Vespa to agree as to whether the MP3 rides like a motorcycle/scooter or not. Their consensus: Yes it does. But it doesn't.

I've ridden one and can say it requires all the same skills as riding a two-wheeler but can make the rider way too secure or overconfident because of its leaning ability.

call me ishmael. my mp3 has fished tailed on me. we have similar issues as a motorcycle/scooter just on a different scale. there are additional issues such as keeping the front wheels on the same level.

[Jackie F]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
red 125

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
yes 9am went to turn, but it slid out from under

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
probably stay mentally alert, it's ok to miss a turn particularly if it's a funky turn

4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
compound fracture in left forearm, ulna in 2 places radius in 1 , gash in left leg with a couple stitches around it, probably caused a stress fracture in a tooth
full face helmet (some scratches on lower left), corazzo hoodie (cut my sleeve to look at my arm), gloves, jeans (left knee stained), doc marten's

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
crucial-headlamp, left break lever
otherwise, scratches

6. Cost of repairs, if any?
crucial: $100 parts, 1.5 hours of service
crucial & cosmetic: $?, 5 hours of service

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
license, 2.5 years

8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
yes (aaa driver who delivered my scoot to the shop gave me his card because he teaches msf courses)

9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
yes

10. How fast was the rider going?
15-20 on a residential street

11. How far was the rider from home?
5 blocks

[Hwarang]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
- Black 125
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
- Indirectly, yes. Just before dusk.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
- Watch out for sand
4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
- Yes. Helmet and armored corazzo jacket
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
- Scrapes on multiple body panels
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
- $200-ish for headlight and some body panels
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
- 1.5 years. License
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
- No
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
- Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
- Between 10 and 15 mph
11. How far was the rider from home?
- Approx 5 miles

[ericalm]

Wow, a lot of crashes (reported) all of a sudden. Thanks to all who have posted about their unfortunate incidents.

Jackie, very sorry to read about your injuries! Hopefully, your post will be instructive to those who still think that crashes at low speeds won't cause serious injury.

[pugbuddy]

No doubt! I'm always impressed (not in a good way) at the damage received in low-speed crashes. Heal up, everyone and take good care of yourselves! God bless!

[Dooglas]

Yes, lots of reports lately. You all have my sympathy and I certainly share the pain of seeing scrapes and gouges on your pride and joy (not to mention yourself). Now, I am going to sound like a cranky old papa (which I am). It appears that about half of those involved in a single vehicle accident think that there was no rider error involved. Going into a turn too fast or off line, not seeing a patch of sand, or locking up a rear brake are all avoidable errors. I'm not trying to rag on anyone but it is important that we all learn from mistakes, not write them off as divine intervention.

[UnionZac]

My scooter pulled a Toyota....

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color? Red 125
2. Was the crash due to rider error? No What time of day did it occur? morning
3. Could the crash have been avoided? I drove my scooter off the back porch it was parked on, about 1' off the ground. Though I landed clean (impressively according to my witness) the impact of the landing most likely caused the scooters throttle to stick (according to my mechanic), essentially speeding me up after I let off the throttle. When I mashed on the brakes the scooter slid on the grass and we went down. The rear wheel was still spinning when I went over to hit the killswitch. Perhaps if I had the presence of mind to hit the killswitch it could have been avoided.
4. Was the rider injured? a couple scrapes, i crashed in grass, so it was about as soft a landing as you could hope for.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy? the pegs the headlight pivots on are broken, as are the screw holes on and tab on the left side of the headset.
6. Cost of repairs, if any? $50 to fix the light... if it becomes necessary. The headset will keep.
7. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? neither
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? no
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? yes
10. How fast was the rider going? faster and faster for 30 feet
11. How far was the rider from home? 2 miles?[/b]

[takora]

On my ride home today, the SUV in front of me came to a sudden stop, I don't know why. While trying to stop, the scooter and I went down and slid on the asphalt for about 15 feet.

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? 125cc, white, just over one year old
2. Was the crash due to rider error? 5:00pm, caused mainly by driver in front of me
3. Could the crash have been avoided? Possibly?
4. Was the rider injured? Skinned knees, pulled muscles along entire left side of body, I think a toenail is about to fall off, too.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy? Silver casing around head light cracked, right brake lever bent down slightly, some scuffs on the side. No other apparent damage.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? Licensed
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? Yes
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? Yes
10. How fast was the rider going? probably about 30mph... Was accelerating a little as I was approaching a long incline.
11. How far was the rider from home? About five miles. Sat on the side of the road for a few minutes to catch my breath, then rode home. Am very sore!

[rondothemidget]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color? My blue/black Buddy 125
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur? Cager slowed to make a left turn, used blinker, then changed her mind and made a sharp right as I tried to slowly go around her on the right.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? Yes - if the cager didn't drive unpredictably and I drove especially defensively.
4. Was the rider injured? Bruised heel; haven't had doctor check it out yet. I had full gear on except tennis shoes - the only part that wasn't protected.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy? At a repair shop - awaiting word. Afraid it may be totaled
6. Cost of repairs, if any? Unknown at this time.
7. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? License.
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? No; but have been riding for 30+ years.
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? Yes
10. How fast was the rider going? 15-20 mph.
11. How far was the rider from home? 100 feet from my work parking lot.

Even though I drive very defensively, with as much as I ride (over 15,000 miles) getting in accident was going to happen sooner or later. I'm now afraid my wife is going to ask that I stop riding.

[Tocsik]

4. Was the rider injured? Bruised heel; haven't had doctor check it out yet. I had full gear on except tennis shoes - the only part that wasn't protected.


Even though I drive very defensively, with as much as I ride (over 15,000 miles) getting in accident was going to happen sooner or later. I'm now afraid my wife is going to ask that I stop riding.

Coupla things.
Too bad about the foot, man. I actually wear boots almost all the time for this possibility.

I wouldn't say crashing is inevitable. We definitely take a chance every time we ride but it's really not a foregone conclusion that we will crash.

I was afraid of what my wife would say, too! In fact, she actually said that if it happened again I would have to sell it. Whatever. I enjoy it way too much to lose that argument! Don't get me wrong, I love my wife and wouldn't risk losing her over riding. But her initial reaction was understandable.

Those slow speed crashes are real head shakers, huh? I ended up in the hospital with a shattered face when I was 17 years old from a MC crash and I was only going about 20 mph or so at the time of impact. Go figure.

Hopefully you have insurance money to cover the scooter. Some great deals right now if you do.

Heal up quick and get back out there!

Oh, and what up with your screen name? It's catchy!

[rondothemidget]

Oh, and what up with your screen name? It's catchy!

Thanks for the kind words.

The screen name is an obscure reference from my youth. The Dickies were a 1980's LA punk band that had a song titled "Rondo (The Midget's Revenge)" from their Incredible Shrinking Dickies album. I've always liked the song and the band and the name is never taken...

[Skootz Kabootz]

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur? Cager slowed to make a left turn, used blinker, then changed her mind and made a sharp right as I tried to slowly go around her on the right.

That same thing has happened to me on more than one occasion. It is now on my "always beware of" list. Fortunately I've never gone down. Been close though. Glad you're OK.

[slusher5]

1. buddy 50 black
2. yes afternoon
3.yes, pay attention
4. no, helmet
5.scratched left side panel, scraped a curb during turn, going too slow
6. didn't repair
7. 1 year, motorcycle license
8. yes
9. yes
10. 5-15 mph
11. 1 mile

[Skootz Kabootz]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color? St. Tropez 150cc

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur? Nope. 11:45am

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time? I don't see how I could have avoided it. Maybe practice riding in oil? There was a 5' x 20' slick of oil in the apex of a steep, downhill, righthand turn, dead center of the correct line for making a good turn. No going around it once seen - maybe on a different day I would have taken a wider turn and missed it? Scooter slid out from under me - low side. The slick looked like 1000 other wet patches I have ridden through 1000 times before. No warning sign that this was oil not water. I am always cautious when on wet pavement, avoid braking, etc. I suppose I will be all the more so now.

4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing? Not a scratch on me. I was wearing a full-face helmet, armored leather jacket, leather gloves. Just jeans and chuck Connors on my lower half. I slid about 15-20 yards on my back.

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
DOA: upper headset, headlight assembly, right mirror, right brake lever, passenger foot pegs
Mangled but still usable: cowl protectors, top case, front fender, right grip
There is also some relatively minor other cosmetic damage. The cowl protectors, passenger footpegs, and top case took the bulk of load and kept the damage from being much, much worse because they were what was sliding against the pavement.

6. Cost of repairs, if any? TBD.

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? 2 years, 12,200 miles, M1 license.

8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? MSF Grad.

9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? Is the scooters owner!

10. How fast was the rider going? About 30mph

11. How far was the rider from home? 7 miles

[nateandcourt]

My turn

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
150 Pamplona

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
My bad. 8am

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
Yeah... Center stand got caught on the pavement pulling out of a gas station. I should probably not lean so hard, also double check to make sure the center stand is fully raised.

Actually, I may remove it completely...

4. Was the rider injured?
Owwwww, my pride.... Also missing a bit of skin from my right arm elbow, and my right leg is in quite a bit of pain.

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
The Left speaker got busted up. The grip on left handle is shredded as well as rubber the grip on the left passenger foot peg. the plastic panel on left side of floorboard scuffed. The cowl protectors did their job. and took most of theblow.

6. Cost of repairs, if any?
eh, a can of krylon and sand paper.

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider
have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
15 years

8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
nope

9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
yep

10. How fast was the rider going?
I may have hit 25mph before it snagged.

11. How far was the rider from home?
5 miles or so.



Yeah so I filled up at the gas station, and as I was leaving the center stand got caught in a space in the pavement. the scoot spun in a circle launching me a few feet. i landed on my right side taking a chunk of flesh out of my elbow. I also broke about a dozen pens that were in my satchel with my right butt cheek...

Other than a little soreness when I walk I am okay. and my scoot held up rather well.

[jijifer]

OMG, one of the scoots was an MP3? I thought they were like super stable? That was a very sobering video.....

Not the case, as a lot of MP3 riders have discovered. It's not a tricycle; the two front wheels really act as a single unit. Braking power is increased but they can still slide out in a turn, as can the rear wheel.

I challenged a bunch of MP3 riders on Modern Vespa to agree as to whether the MP3 rides like a motorcycle/scooter or not. Their consensus: Yes it does. But it doesn't.

I've ridden one and can say it requires all the same skills as riding a two-wheeler but can make the rider way too secure or overconfident because of its leaning ability.

99% of the MP3 riders in San Diego have dumped this bike. All while standing still and forgetting to lock the frontwheels.

[JunkyardDog]

I just saw this thread, I don't have time to read the whole thing, at least right now, but thought I would reply to it anyway. I have been riding motorcycles (dirt bikes) since age 8, when I spentt the money I got from working on the farm to buy a non running Bultaco 100 Lobito. The farm mechanic helped me rebuild the engine and fix it up during the off season, and taught me how 2 stroke engines worked. I learned to ride on it, and crashed several times (on dirt) with only minor scrapes. I had a couple more dirt bikes, and between the ages of 8 and 16, had learned to ride fairly well. I was doing wheelies, slides, jumps, and crashing less and less.

I got my motorcycle license on my 16th birthday, and had already bought and fixed up a '72 Suzuki GT380. I stuck the temporary license in my pocket, hopped on that bike, and got my first experience with street riding, on paved roads, with traffic.


I got into scooters in 1985, with a slightly used Honda Elite 150. Since age 16, I have owned 46 street motorcycles, 5 scooters, have ridden over 400,000 miles on the street, and HAVE NEVER CRASHED. I have had a few close calls, and I learned from them. Apparently my bucket of experience got full before my bucket of luck ran out. I am now 51, and firmly believe I can ride for the rest of my life without crashing. Jerry.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

Since age 16, I have owned 46 street motorcycles, 5 scooters, have ridden over 400,000 miles on the street, and HAVE NEVER CRASHED.

That's quite an accomplishment, and your average annual mileage is a little over 11,000, which is quite a lot. Your sound like you have a lot of experience under your belt.

I am now 51, and firmly believe I can ride for the rest of my life without crashing. Jerry.

Hopefully that's the case, you've had a long run so far.

[ericalm]

The thing about crashing, as I've said this before, is that while it's not inevitable (as some say), there is no guarantee that it will never occur.

[Skootz Kabootz]

It is very telling that two entries above my crash report is another entry by me saying how I have never crashed...

[rondothemidget]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color? St. Tropez 150cc

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur? Nope. 11:45am

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time? I don't see how I could have avoided it. Maybe practice riding in oil? There was a 5' x 20' slick of oil in the apex of a steep, downhill, righthand turn, dead center of the correct line for making a good turn. No going around it once seen - maybe on a different day I would have taken a wider turn and missed it? Scooter slid out from under me - low side. The slick looked like 1000 other wet patches I have ridden through 1000 times before. No warning sign that this was oil not water. I am always cautious when on wet pavement, avoid braking, etc. I suppose I will be all the more so now.

4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing? Not a scratch on me. I was wearing a full-face helmet, armored leather jacket, leather gloves. Just jeans and chuck Connors on my lower half. I slid about 15-20 yards on my back.

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
DOA: upper headset, headlight assembly, right mirror, right brake lever, passenger foot pegs
Mangled but still usable: cowl protectors, top case, front fender, right grip
There is also some relatively minor other cosmetic damage. The cowl protectors, passenger footpegs, and top case took the bulk of load and kept the damage from being much, much worse because they were what was sliding against the pavement.

6. Cost of repairs, if any? TBD.

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? 2 years, 12,200 miles, M1 license.

8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? MSF Grad.

9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? Is the scooters owner!

10. How fast was the rider going? About 30mph

11. How far was the rider from home? 7 miles

You too?! Are you OK? My only injury was a bruised heel and it still hurts. I don't think I'll be wearing my Chuck Taylors any more.

So is your scooter rideable? Have you figured out how much the repairs will be?

[Skootz Kabootz]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color? St. Tropez 150cc

2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur? Nope. 11:45am

3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time? I don't see how I could have avoided it. Maybe practice riding in oil? There was a 5' x 20' slick of oil in the apex of a steep, downhill, righthand turn, dead center of the correct line for making a good turn. No going around it once seen - maybe on a different day I would have taken a wider turn and missed it? Scooter slid out from under me - low side. The slick looked like 1000 other wet patches I have ridden through 1000 times before. No warning sign that this was oil not water. I am always cautious when on wet pavement, avoid braking, etc. I suppose I will be all the more so now.

4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing? Not a scratch on me. I was wearing a full-face helmet, armored leather jacket, leather gloves. Just jeans and chuck Connors on my lower half. I slid about 15-20 yards on my back.

5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
DOA: upper headset, headlight assembly, right mirror, right brake lever, passenger foot pegs
Mangled but still usable: cowl protectors, top case, front fender, right grip
There is also some relatively minor other cosmetic damage. The cowl protectors, passenger footpegs, and top case took the bulk of load and kept the damage from being much, much worse because they were what was sliding against the pavement.

6. Cost of repairs, if any? TBD.

7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither? 2 years, 12,200 miles, M1 license.

8. Had the rider completed the MSF course? MSF Grad.

9. Was the rider the scooter's owner? Is the scooters owner!

10. How fast was the rider going? About 30mph

11. How far was the rider from home? 7 miles

You too?! Are you OK? My only injury was a bruised heel and it still hurts. I don't think I'll be wearing my Chuck Taylors any more.

So is your scooter rideable? Have you figured out how much the repairs will be?

Hey Rondo! Doing fine here. Thanks! Hope you're OK too. I'm a little stiff and sore in my right shoulder, bruise on my right hip where I landed on the garage remote in my change pocket, but other than that I'm fine. Scooter was ridable after the accident but with beaten up headset and twisted handlebars. Went straight to NoHo Scooters after the spill, spent the day there, and Mike fixed it right up. I don't know the exact cost but I figure it's about a couple hundred all in all. If that isn't the best damn scooter service in LA I don't know what is! I rode home later the same day and proceeded to open a bottle of red wine to try and relax. I'm still calming down. It'll take a while. Been riding every day though. Gotta get back on that horse as they say... also, I only have the one horse...

[JunkyardDog]

Since age 16, I have owned 46 street motorcycles, 5 scooters, have ridden over 400,000 miles on the street, and HAVE NEVER CRASHED.

That's quite an accomplishment, and your average annual mileage is a little over 11,000, which is quite a lot. Your sound like you have a lot of experience under your belt.

I am now 51, and firmly believe I can ride for the rest of my life without crashing. Jerry.

Hopefully that's the case, you've had a long run so far.

I ride, a lot. Mostly highway miles. Sometimes I spend entire weekends on the road. I have ridden all over the U.S., though I have not been to every state. There are other things I like to do, but riding is at the top of the list. I have spent a month at the time on the road a couple of times.

There are no guarantees about anything in life, some people say that the longer you ride, the more likely you are to crash, because your luck will run out sometime. I see it as just the opposite. The more you ride, the more experience you get, and the more you learn, which decreases your chances of crashing. If you become complacent, that all goes down the drain. When I ride, I pay 100% attention to riding and what is going on around me, and try to anticipate everything that might happen. I do not allow myself to be distracted by anything that does not involve riding. Jerry.

[cheez37]

Add me to the list...

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
Black Buddy 125
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
Crash was at 3:00 pm. Not my fault.
3. Could the crash have been avoided? What will you do differently next time?
I may have been able to avoid it. I was following a mini-van through construction. As we came out of the single lane and back to two lanes, I came right into the newly opened lane and sped up. I was approximately 1-2 car lengths behind the van and one lane to the right, approximately 50 feet past the end of the construction when he made a right turn from the left lane, across my lane, and into a fast-food restaurant. I don't think he had his blinker on. I did a quick-stop but i got on some rocks and sand on the side of the lane, and I ended-up low-siding it.

Maybe I shouldn't have tried to pass him so quickly out of the construction, but if he had only changed lanes and kept moving forward I probably wouldn't have dumped it.
4. Was the rider injured? What type of protective gear or clothing was the rider wearing?
A lightly scraped right knee and probably some minor bruises on my right leg soon. No head-to-ground contact at all.

I was wearing a FF, armored jacket, gloves, boots. The jacket armor prevented me from getting any upper-body scrapes.
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
Scratches on the right side of the bike at least. I was able to ride it, but it is getting a full once-over at the shop.
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
TBD
7. How much (weeks, months, years) riding experience does the rider have? Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
Riding & licenced for 8 months
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
Yes
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
Yes
10. How fast was the rider going?
25-35 mph
11. How far was the rider from home?
~10 miles

[easy]

glad your ok. you stated you was attempting to pass on the right. huge blind spot for mini van driver and the van was blocking oncoming traffic from seeing you opening you up for lft trn in front off you. Im not picking on you just pointing this out hv a good long life

[JHScoot]

yeah sounds like you came out of it pretty well, cheez. hope the Buddy fares at least as good


hey i was thinking, does anyone know how the guy who crashed his Blackjack a couple of months ago is doing? i forget his username, as i am kinda new around here, and have looked through this thread a little and did not find him.

he broke some bones in his face, some ribs i believe, and had some terrible road rash. that sounds so tame, they should really rename it road tear or something

anyway, he was victim to a hit and run and posted pics of his injuries in another thread. pretty gruesome. they also found the license plate of the offending party at the scene of the crime. so i wonder if they got that a-hole on the hook, too

i was riding a Blackjack this morning, saw a car-car accident, and the dude came to mind. so i wonder....if any info is out there so far as how he is doing, along with his scoot

[Dooglas]

The more you ride, the more experience you get, and the more you learn, which decreases your chances of crashing. If you become complacent, that all goes down the drain.

Here speaks truth. Lot's of personal experiences and studies to support this view.

[Skootz Kabootz]

Glad you're OK Cheez. The right gear really makes a difference thank goodness. Going down happens awfully fast when it happens , doesn't it? To find the positive I think we'll both be better riders for our mishaps. Hope your scooter comes out alright too. Cheers.

[cheez37]

glad your ok. you stated you was attempting to pass on the right. huge blind spot for mini van driver and the van was blocking oncoming traffic from seeing you opening you up for lft trn in front off you. Im not picking on you just pointing this out hv a good long life

The minivan in the accident was traveling in the same direction as me. That was the minivan that turned in front of me. It was not an oncoming driver that was making a left turn.

I passed him on the right because he was slowing down. Since there was no left-turn lane on this street, and he stayed in the left lane, I assumed he was slowing to make a left turn.

[Stormswift]

This is really a helpful thread and for those who already had their mishaps - hope you are all doing well and back on your scooters. Yesterday while riding hope from dealer's (1st warranty maintenance) I approached stretch of the road where there was road repair going on (construction crew). I immediately saw sand on the road and slowed down to a crawl. (the dude with diarrhea behind me was not happy) but I refused to ride faster then I was comfortable doing and especially after all of the warning about gravel and sand. This particular road has curves curves curves galore. Rushing through those curves with sand reducing traction would have been dangerous. i rode within limits of safety and my limits.

[Keys]

Yep. Gravel works in the same way that ball bearings do.

--Keys

[Skootz Kabootz]

This is really a helpful thread and for those who already had their mishaps - hope you are all doing well and back on your scooters. Yesterday while riding hope from dealer's (1st warranty maintenance) I approached stretch of the road where there was road repair going on (construction crew). I immediately saw sand on the road and slowed down to a crawl. (the dude with diarrhea behind me was not happy) but I refused to ride faster then I was comfortable doing and especially after all of the warning about gravel and sand. This particular road has curves curves curves galore. Rushing through those curves with sand reducing traction would have been dangerous. i rode within limits of safety and my limits.

Good move. On a ride today we had some one nearly go down thanks to gravel.

[ASUDeadhead]

1. Which Buddy (50/125) was crashed? Color?
2. Was the crash due to rider error? What time of day did it occur?
3. Could the crash have been avoided?
4. Was the rider injured?
5. What was the damage to the Buddy?
6. Cost of repairs, if any?
7. Does the rider have a motorcycle permit, license or neither?
8. Had the rider completed the MSF course?
9. Was the rider the scooter's owner?
10. How fast was the rider going?
11. How far was the rider from home?

1.Red 125
2. Maybe slightly. I was in a roundabout and black SUV didn't yield to traffic in circle. I locked up the brakes and low sided instead of getting in front of black SUV and getting run over. I maybe could have not locked up the brakes. 6:30pm, dark.
3. I don't think so, it was other driver inattention. I guess I could be more defensive and go even slower around the roundabouts, and expect driver inattention from everyone else.
4. Minor road-rash on knee. Was wearing 3/4 helmet, Corazzo 5.0 jacket, gloves (saved my hands), pants, and boots.
5. Left side scraped up, brake handle bent.
6. Don't know, taking it to the shop this weekend.
7. License
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. 5 to 10mph
11. 1 mile

I made it 1600 miles and 3.5 months to my first crash.

[JHScoot]

well, sounds like you and the bike came out pretty ok. an accident is never good, of course. but no serious injuries helps matters a lot imo. hope the bike gets fixed up right, tpp

sounds like you blame yourself a little bit? things you could have done different, etc. well don't think about it too much. this is a learning experience either way you look at it. and you can't prevent of foresee everything. hindsight truly is 20/20...

next time things will be different in that little "roundabout." and next time you ride, just like the rest of us, you will avoid crashes everyday just like you always have. its all good, sounds like you did all you could

and remember, squeeze the brakes like you squeeze an orange