Who HASN'T Crashed?

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:20 am

How many years have you been riding and do you consider it skill or luck to have avoided what some say is the inevitable? Do you do mostly urban or rural riding? How many miles have you piled up without one single crash? Any special training like the MSF course, or have you just gone it alone?

I hope this is not a lonely thread. The "Who Has Crashed" thread is making me nervous

loodieboy · Post by **loodieboy** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:36 am

Not a whit, we defy augury. There is special providence in
the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to
come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come—the
readiness is all. Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows what is't
to leave betimes, let be.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:38 am

a lot of people may not want to post lest we jinx ourselves. maybe I will post in hopes of unjinxing a possible jink or something like that...
not a lot, but 15,000 under my belt of urban, suburban, a bit of rural, and so far so good.
I have taken a regular and experienced rider class, try to follow the rules, and mostly avoid night driving b/c of not being able to see hazards and The Drunks in SUVs who are trying to kill me. But like a child jumping in puddles, I ride unabashedly in the rain.

myras_girls · Post by **myras_girls** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:39 am

I do believe going down at some point is inevitable. Then again, I've known plenty of people who went down in a minor spill and they came out a little bruised and sore but ultimately okay.

And I know people who've been in more serious spills and they are perfectly fine after surgery, healing and physical therapy.

And hey, I broke my finger walking the dogs and my husband broke his ankle falling through a trapdoor backstage. My point is there's lots of ways to injure yourself.

To answer your questions:

How many years have you been riding? 3 years
Do you do mostly urban or rural riding? urban
How many miles have you piled up without one single crash? about 8,500
Any special training like the MSF course, or have you just gone it alone? MSF and lots of interacting with other riders, trying to learn from their mistakes and keeping my riding instincts sharp

gr8dog · Post by **gr8dog** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 1:58 am

9,500 Buddy miles in just over 2 years of riding. No accidents or drops. I have found unexpected gravel on the road and skidded to a stop with both feet on the ground to maintain balance. I have hit sand on a curve which caused me to slip sideways while rounding the corner. Many times I have hit the brakes hard enough to cause screeches to come from my tires in order to stop fast enough to avoid hitting the inattentive driver. Each time the driver had a completely stunned look on their face. I have survived a flat tire at 60mph (70 on the Buddy speedo). I attribute my survival to the skills acquired through taking the MSF course. In that class you will learn how to identify potential dangers and have a plan to react to them. Take the class! A few hundred bucks is very little to spend to help save your life.

My riding is a mix of urban and country.

I do NOT believe a fall is inevitable. I know many riders who have ridden more than 20 years and have never fallen. I don't wake up every day with the belief that I am one day closer to my fall, whenever that may be. I may fall one day but I hope not.

Keys · Post by **Keys** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:05 am

In 14,000 miles on my Buddy I never went down, in 9600 miles on my Rattler I never went down, never went down on either Bajaj...nor my Kymco. Now I am still anticipating a long and uneventful time on my SYM HD200. Over 40 years riding and starting out on the roadrace circuit in S. California in the 70's where I learned not only how to handle my machine, but how to fall safely.

Rider courses are ALWAYS advisable. Take 'em often and pay attention...everybody has something worthwhile to say...

--Keys

jmazza · Post by **jmazza** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:52 am

I started a thread similar to this one a couple of years ago. Feel free to add to it!

nissanman · Post by **nissanman** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:03 am

Glad to say the worst that's happened to me is laying my BMW over in a parking spot. Went to lift it off the stand and my boot slipped on an oily spot left by the cages... I did however take a bicycle spill at about 40MPH, don't want to do that again!

santaliqueur · Post by **santaliqueur** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:04 am

Crashed doing a u-turn at 2 mph, didn't see the road was all sandy. Screwed up the headlight assembly, cut my hand and knee pretty good.

I'm a lot more careful now, and SUPER careful around sand.

myras_girls · Post by **myras_girls** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:06 am

nissanman wrote:Glad to say the worst that's happened to me is laying my BMW over in a parking spot. Went to lift it off the stand and my boot slipped on an oily spot left by the cages...

I dropped my Metropolitan parking it one day. A word to the wise- make sure the ground under your centerstand is solid, level and dry before hoisting her up on the stand! Yeah, I didn't notice I was parked on a grate.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:44 am

My scooter fell down due to wind the first summer I had it so hopefullyn that counts as my inevitable fall

My MSF instructor said that saying a crash is inevitable is BS, the guys that never have an accident are the guys who stay focused and can avoid situations before they start. I agree with David Huff that it is skill that keeps the rubber to the road. Being able to spot signs of trouble, never thinking you've learne dit all. I'm not saying that all situations can be avoided or blaming the victim but often times accidents can be avoided if you ride within your skill level and constantly educate yourself. If I thought a crash was inevitable I don't think I'd ride at all. I read and re-read proficent motorcycling and plan on taking an MSF course every other year. Hopefully that will keep me focused on the dangers well enough in advance to avoid them. I've been riding for two years, which is the scary time statistically speaking. I'll be glad when I've got 4 years under my belt

I've also been told that I drive like a grandpa, I'm not too fast or too furious, and don't plan on racing for any pink slips anytime soon so maybe that has something to do with it

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:31 pm

I've been riding for decades on the street. Never been down. I've even hit a couple of deer (killed one, stunned the other), and didn't go down. Just pay attention and don't ride faster than the road conditions.

synaps3 · Post by **synaps3** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:36 pm

I've never crashed before.

I have been riding for 3 years, most of which was on a 2001 Honda Reflex. 50% city, 30% highway, 20% country roads. I have my license, but haven't read any literature or taken the MSF course. I put about 10k miles on the Reflex, and have logged about 200 miles on our two Buddys since we got them.

The first time I unloaded the Reflex, I underestimated its weight and ended up "dropping" it against a wall -- which was really just propping it at an awkward angle, with the handlebar putting a nice ding in the wall.

I believe that accidents are, for the most part, completely avoidable, and are not inevitable. Unfortunately, you CANNOT control other drivers, which is the only factor left to luck. I don't like to think of it as a "matter of time" though -- that's not how probability works.

Green Gloves · Post by **Green Gloves** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:56 pm

Haven't crashed since I bought my Buddy in May. My last scooter ride before that was in 1985, and ended in The Bad Crash.

But no crashes in the years riding before that, and that one was the scooter's fault. (Bajaj engine seized on the highway.)

I hope to never crash again. Knock wood. I assume no one sees me, don't follow too close, and don't ride in blind spots. And in the city, understand that people WILL turn in front of you. They'll turn left right in front of you, they'll turn right into your lane a second before you get there, etc. I think it's because of the scooter's smaller stature - they don't think you're going the speed limit.

Dibber · Post by **Dibber** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:04 pm

I consider it a bit of both luck and experience. I help set up a safe riding motorcycling course while I was in the Navy in the 1970's and have also completed a MFS course a couple of years ago. Road cross country and everywhere else. Not sure how many miles I have logged in, but it is alot and no crashes yet. Came close a few times, but stayed up. Experiance, education, good maintenance, and don't take risky chances and a lot of luck for me. Hope I didn't jynx myself. PS, I don't ride big bikes or high rates of speed anymore either.

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:40 pm

I got my first scooter about 2 years ago, I put about 8k miles on that scooter before upgrading to my Sunset buddy. I did make a mistake of not making sure it was adequately stabilized on the center stand before running away from it (I now make sure to use the facilities before leaving work

)

My Bud worked for about a week before the dreaded hot stator problem came up and I only was able to put about 1000 miles on it until it was finally repaired and returned to me the following spring. Between April and August of last year I put about 8000 miles on it, there is an as-of-yet undiagnosed problem with it and I have not ridden it much since then, but I got my Sym and have been riding that. My Buddy has been on its side once, it was covered and the wind caught the cover and pulled it over.

I had some kind of electrical issue happen on my way home from Scootergate and the odometer reset itself (this is apparently not all that unusual with these scooters, but it seems to be fine, electrically, so I dont' mind) I had about 7000 miles on it, by rough estimate. The newest odometer reading is a bit under 2000 miles. I did lay it down on some "KY mud" in a very controlled manner I just put it down on its side when gravity took over, I have used some touch up paint to cover the scratches on the side.

I ride in all sorts of weather--my bigger problem is keeping my scooters operational

Fortunately, I do NOT have to do a lot of riding in heavy traffic and, relatively speaking (based on what I see others saying about what they have to deal with) the roads and intersections that I have to deal with are not so bad. Not saying that I don't have to pay attention and keep my eyes open, it just does not seem like they are actively trying to kill me.

I do expect to go down at some point, I wear my gear. I did hit a pothole a few weeks ago and it is only because I was on my smaller scooter that I did not go down, I was able to push off with my feet a few times to keep upright as I came to a stop. We are still not sure exactly how I managed that...

Oh, the one time I did actually crash was on a training ride on my bicycle, I hit a pothole that was about the size of my fist and went down. My helmet saved me from death, or at least major brain damage, lycra did not do much to protect my skin though.

-v

ilektron · Post by **ilektron** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:06 pm

I was scared enough to wreck, that I was very careful. I always smugly thought that I would never crash on my scooter. I made it the 6 months of owning a motorbike and was in the clear. All it took was a wet cement gutter on a turn and I laid my buddy over. Only damage to me was torn pants and a little road rash. Couple scrapes on the scoot.

To all those like me, my crash was enough to make me realize that I shouldn't live in fear of crashing. Hearing that crashing is inevitable is kind of scary. Statistically, you probably will crash. Drive safely and odds are that you will probably be OK even if you do crash.

Wheelz · Post by **Wheelz** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:03 am

I have not gone down on the Rat in 9k miles. I think I got that out of my sytem when I had my Razz in college and man did I crash that thing! All the usuals too tight of a curve and hit some gravel, locked up the front brake a couple of times, never really did much to myself but that poor Razz, it had all kinds of "character".

I've also crashed quite a bit on my bicycles, so maybe I have some good spot in the riding energy cycle right now, who knows? Just as long as it continues.

myras_girls · Post by **myras_girls** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:56 am

The "crash is inevitable" mindset is useful for me. Maybe I'll never crash, but every time I ride thinking "I could crash today" keeps me paying attention. I don't personally use the inevitable argument as a reason not to ride or to be scared- just to be careful so that if/when I do go down, maybe it's just a minor spill. It's like, if I'm prepared to crash, hopefully I go down in a manner that causes the least damage to myself and my scoot.

trackpete · Post by **trackpete** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:57 am

JHScoot wrote:How many years have you been riding and do you consider it skill or luck to have avoided what some say is the inevitable?

I'm new to scooters in the US, but I've ridden motorcycles for ~8 years and all sorts of various contraptions around the world (started with the MSF). I've been down hard twice, both on motorcycles.

The first was when someone turned left from the right lane of a three lane (each way) road without signaling on a yellow light as I was in the left lane going through the intersection just gunning it. I was never sure if he clipped my rear tire or if I just laid it down as I was swerving (I think the latter, it was almost freezing out and I had just started up two blocks away so tires were incredibly cold). Totally fine, rode the bike home.

Second was completely my fault. Had a great day of hiking and was high on endorphins and tearing through some back country roads. I powered hard out of a corner and ripped into some heavy gravel, laid the bike down at around 60MPH and rolled over a hundred feet (bike slid a bit more). Entire right side of the bike was ripped off and I had to ride it 80 miles home with a mauled front brake, accelerator and handle-bar and no right foot peg or rear brake... plus dripping lots of blood.

I think that the avoidance of accidents has absolutely nothing at all (within reason) to do with driver skill and has everything to do with caution, common sense, and self control. I have heard of very few accidents where a biker can honestly say they couldn't have done something to avoid it (in my first one above, I sensed that guy was doing something weird but I gunned it into the yellow instead of braking, in the second that was the one corner I didn't spot for gravel on the way up and I KNEW that type of road would have gravel in that section). The best riders in the world can get creamed on the street if they don't ride with caution.

So, I wouldn't worry about "when" that accident is going to come. Or, rather, worry about it - but only when you're riding, and only in a healthy manner to keep you safe.

One thing I will add - so far in my ~1800 miles of scooter experience in the US I feel that people treat me with FAR more respect and caution than they do when I'm on a "real" bike. It's a very different feeling.

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:21 pm

Scooter is in the shop right now, but I NEARLY got taken out this morning by some chickaboo in her ginormous SUV as she plowed right through a red light. I laid on the horn and she gestured at her red light with her latte, then looked at it half a second later, noticed that it was RED for her, then looked at me with a look of horror on her face as she slammed on the brakes.

Idiots are everywhere, the risk of death or injury is everywhere too-I believe that I read a statistic somewhere (and from my own professional experience, back in the day) that more people die on the toilet-or at least in the bathroom-than anyplace else. I know that we picked far more people up from their homes than we did scraping them off of the tarmac.

So, put numbers on the front of your house, non-slip stickers on the bottom of your tub, toss out the damn throw rugs in the bathroom, if your left arm is numb don't assume that it is indigestion, and what your mom said about why to wear clean undies... yeah it usally does not matter anyway.

Oh, and watch for latte drinking SUV drivers...

-v

BootScootin'FireFighter · Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:26 pm

trackpete wrote:Second was completely my fault. Had a great day of hiking and was high on endorphins and tearing through some back country roads. I powered hard out of a corner and ripped into some heavy gravel, laid the bike down at around 60MPH and rolled over a hundred feet (bike slid a bit more). Entire right side of the bike was ripped off and I had to ride it 80 miles home with a mauled front brake, accelerator and handle-bar and no right foot peg or rear brake... plus dripping lots of blood.

One more piece of evidence to prove you're either a terminator or some bionic cyborg from the future. Way to go Pete!

Anachronism · Post by **Anachronism** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 4:06 pm

I don't think crashes are inevitable, but I also think people should accept it as part of the risk of scootering. Chances are MUCH higher that you will be involved in an injury crash on a scooter than in a cage. If you are not prepared for that, or have existing health issues that could conceiably be exacerbated by common crash injuries, I would think very carefully about your decision to go two wheels.

Just ask the shop mechanic that laid my bike down- it can happen at any moment, and no matter how good you are, there are things that can and will happen that are not avoidable.

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:49 pm

awesome posts, guys!

i hope i am able to post in this thread in a couple years and several thousand miles. great stuff to keep in mind

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:44 pm

6000+ miles on my Buddy, nothing yet, I expect I may/will sometime but don't live in fear of it. When I ride I do sometimes have that 'geeze that will hurt' thought when I see a potential for a wreck or if I suddenly find myself doing something 'stupid'. My son tells me all the time I'm gonna, and we almost daily have the gear/lack of gear arguement, due to my riding style and exposure out there.
I guess that's it, exposure, the more you ride, the bigger your risk!
Just like all here who've logged miles I've had my share of close calls with inattentive drivers, I was once rear-ended while on my Met by a 'Chickypoo' in a Jeep who "just forgot" I was in front of her! (That WAS exactly what she said) No real damage except for a cracked milk crate and my head light capsule shattered (?)

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:23 pm

The closest I've come to a "crash" was when one of my wheels slipped on some wet leaves turning a corner at about 10mph, and the bike slid out from under me. I scuffed up my jacket.

I've put just short of 7K on my scooter, and I attribute this mostly-incident-free record to 1) a lot of previous experience on a bicycle (both recent commuting and a 1000-mile road trip when I was young and spirited) and 2) a very cautious approach to riding. I take risks (e.g. crossing the Mackinac Bridge), but only after careful deliberation, and I take every effort to minimize them. For example, I'll take my 50cc scoot on a 55mph road, but only if it's for a short distance or if I know traffic will be light enough that I won't get a dozen irate cagers stacked up behind me. (And if I do... I pull over and let them pass.) Meanwhile, I prepare for the crash, in case it happens in spite of my best efforts, with reasonable gear properly worn.

I guess I should also credit my cage-driving experience, or maybe just experience in general. I totaled a car within a week of getting my license, and in the decade or so that followed I put the car in the body shop several times. But in the past 15 years, I've only had one accident. So maybe I'm just a better motorist than I used to be.

BootScootin'FireFighter · Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:12 pm

TVB wrote: I take risks (e.g. crossing the Mackinac Bridge), but only after careful deliberation, and I take every effort to minimize them.

My bridge of fear is the Bay Bridge, crosses the Chesapeake at Annapolis and has a very long span/causeway, nearly 5.5 miles total. I figured I'd call the Bridge Authority in advance and see if I can schedule a time to have a trooper ride behind me for the trip. They're always crossing it on routine patrol and escorting oversized loads, figure they could be talked into it.

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 12:46 am

I've been hesitating to post on this thread, what with the jinx factor and all. But I'm really not that supersitious... I think...

I've had two low/no speed drops. Once on my Honda Rebel motorcycle, shortly after I got it, while practicing in a parking lot. And once on the Buddy when I was surprised to find a garbage can in my path as I was begining to execute my usual Y Turn to back into the garage. I wouldn't consider either of those to be "crashes".

I'll give myself credit for about 2 years worth of riding. I started about 15 years ago with the Rebel, but I didn't ride it a lot and I sold it after we moved to Portland. I've been riding the scooter for a bit over a year now, 5 days a week commuting. I took the MSF course 15 years ago, when I got the Rebel.

I'd like to attribute my lack of a crash to my stellar riding skills, but I know there's a fair amout of luck involved as well. It can happen to anyone. I do take extra care to be visible at all times. I change my lane position as I approach intersections so that anyone trying to turn can see me, I never hang out in anyone's blind spot, and I wear a bright orange 5.0 jacket and a white helmet. I don't do a whole lot of riding in unfamiliar conditions, so I generally know where the hazards are. I'd also say that experience counts; car driving experience and life experience. As a
middle aged-ish woman, I'm just pretty cautious. I've got a kid at home and he needs me alive and intact, so I don't take stupid chances.

Major Redneck · Post by **Major Redneck** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 12:36 am

out of the 40,000 miles iv put on scooters from 2007 till today iv manage not to have hit nothing,,, dump it,,, slide out,,, or in gen. crash to have done any damage to my scoot nor my customers or myself...

i pick good times to ride,,, i ride in command,,, i ride it like i stoled it,,, and as if everyone is trying to hit me...

now that the mojo monkey is on my back ill take extra care... i think my jinx is having my picture taken on my bike... only after the two times iv had a picture taken of my on my bike iv had major crashes that changed my life both times...

accidents dont just happen there is a cause...

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 5:30 am

I have been riding for just few years. I have over 8000 miles on my Buddy and now I have over 6000 on my Super Sherpa and I have not crashed. I did "lay down" a bike, a very heavy CB550 at a dead stop, where basically I lost my balance and could simply not keep the bike up once it started to lean. I lowered it gently, got off, and lifted it back up from a better position. This was when I had maybe 1/2 mile of riding experience and was going around my immediate neighborhood, and I do not consider it a crash.

I know that it may happen some day, and I try to ride that way. I wear protection, always helmet, always jacket, always boots, always gloves, and always long pants, and almost always motorcycle pants. I admit that on the scooter I sometimes where regular pants (although never super thin) and the 3/4 helmet. On the motorcycle (where I do ride faster) I always wear my motorcycle pants and the full face.

bunny · Post by **bunny** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 3:05 pm

A crash is inevitable. I have yet to experience my first crash. I've been riding a little over two years now (see my post about Bonheur's entry into toddler-dom). I am careful. I like to think I'm careful. I'm more likely not as careful as I could be.

I wear ATGSOTT; however, I'm usually wearing SOTGATT. I also ride to work in stiletto pumps and slacks. *I'm* okay with my riding attire (or lack thereof, sometimes).

I am what I consider a zen rider. It is what it is. It will be what it will be. You need to pass me or cut me off? After you. I'm busy loving my ride. You need to ride next to me because 'dude, that scooterist has bunny ears on her helmet!' I'll watch your wheels to make sure you stay in your lane.

No one's chased me down. But I've had quite a few cut-offs. Yeah, whatever, dude. You may think your destination is more important, but I look way cuter on my scoot than you do in your cage. And let's face it, I don't have road rage. I'm having infinitely more fun and calm then you could ever hope to experience, so really? It's not worth my time to get upset at you for being an idiot.

Am I jinxing myself? Who knows. A crash is inevitable, right? What I am doing is paying attention, enjoying my ride, staying relaxed on the seat. If/when/whatever it happens, I hope that I remember to tuck my head, curl up and roll, swing myself away from the bike and have a good grip on my phone so I can call 911 when I land.

peabody99 · Post by **peabody99** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:13 pm

crashes are not inevitable. Many people have gone their entire lives without one. That said you are more likely to crash on 2 wheels than 4, and it is going to hurt more.

GrittyTacoman · Post by **GrittyTacoman** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 5:45 pm

I'm glad to be able to post this in the "who hasn't crashed" vs. "the who's crashed" thread. Had my first really close call on Friday.

Was riding up a street, passing the entrance to a shopping area. One driver was waiting to pull out of the shopping area and another was in the left turn lane facing me, waiting to turn in.

I saw them there and was trying to be vigilant. Then I was getting close and they hadn't moved and I started to feel safe when the person in the left turn lane suddenly went for it, obviously not seeing me at all. I couldn't believe that they were pulling right in front of me and I instinctively hit the brakes hard. (I didn't have time to Stebel horn them until it was all over.)

I pulled the brakes so hard that I think I did a stoppy. It felt like my rear wheel left the ground for a half second. (Don't know if this means I braked unevenly?)

The hard braking did the trick. The car was able to get past me without me plowing into the side and doing a cartwheel like that guy in the Chinese youtube video.

But my Buddy promptly died and I had to pull over to the side of the road to restart it. But not before I gave the stebel horn a good long blast hoping that the other driver realized what they'd done.

Very sobering! Those dang widow-making left turns. Watch out for them! I know I will even more now.

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 6:23 pm

well i am at almost 700 miles of total lifetime riding, and so far, so good. i will hopefully post here again at say, the 3000 mile mark

i too have had some close calls, but nothing too dramatic, and certainly nothing which has caused me to hit my brakes hard to avoid a collision. mostly just people turning left or out in front of me, which has made me slow and brake at times

the closest i have come to "going down" was by my own accord. approaching an intersection i was looking too far down the road and became fixated on a car pulling out of a driveway. i looked up and noticed the intersection had arrived and the light had changed red since my eyes went fixed on the car. to avoid entering the intersection on a red i hit the brakes hard, did a little skid at the end, and fishtailed the bike, the rear wheel breaking loose for a second or two. i came to a stop in the crosswalk, but not the intersection. good thing i was on the Blackjack. had i been on my Agility i would have come to a stop well into the intersection. one way or another

killbilly · Post by **killbilly** » Sun Oct 31, 2010 7:30 pm

Crashes are NOT inevitable, and to believe that they are is an abdication of your responsibility as a rider.

I've had one serious get-off on a motorcycle and it was entirely my fault. Was scouting a route for a group ride near Mt. Rainier one fine Saturday morning, and coming down from Packwood I ran wide on a turn, target fixated on a boulder, and by the time I realized what I was doing it was too late. Locked up and highsided into the boulder.

Helmet saved my life, for the left side of it was destroyed. I've been an Arai believer ever since. Tore up the bike some, but it was rideable, and I managed to get another 50mi toward home before the broken collarbone and twisted forks became too difficult a situation to handle. Dropped the bike in a parking lot.

It was stolen the next day.

Lessons learned from that:

1) Target fixation will kill you if you're not careful. I was lucky.
2) Theft coverage, and gap insurance if you're upside, is a good thing.
3) Helmets will save your life.
4) After a crash, stop riding. Call a tow truck. Roadside is your friend.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:53 am

I have to seriously thank the skills they taught me at the MSF in Troy, Ohio. I've had 3-4+ near crashes that would have probably killed me, and I was able to avoid them all using things I learned in class.

+1 MSF.

MYSCTR · Post by **MYSCTR** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:00 pm

Coming from a background of riding bikes way long ago as a kid through high school (reading a book on the way to school) and paper routes (no hands) even in the winter with a ski cap pulled over my face (no holes for eyes or mouth yet you could see through the stitching) and then the past 25 years riding and racing MTB and road bikes in the family has made a pretty good base for riding a scooter for all of us. We also believe the MSF is another must have for any new riders.

I am right at 1,100 miles and counting without going down on my St Tropaz and a few hundred before that on a 2007 Italia.

The wife has close to 10,000 miles between three Italia (2007/2008/2009) scooters and well yes, she dropped her 2008 scoot in the driveway using the kick stand and then kind of a mis-communication in a turn lane took herself down at 2-3 mph. Taken MSF course.

Our daughter has never gone down on her 2009 Red V3GAN Buddy with about 2,100 total miles under her belt. Taken MSF course.

Don’t fear; have respect – and stay alert!

gtmotor · Post by **gtmotor** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:49 pm

JHScoot wrote:well i am at almost 700 miles of total lifetime riding, and so far, so good. i will hopefully post here again at say, the 3000 mile mark

I'm similar in experience level as you (have about 1600 miles of total logged riding) but I've definitely crashed

I went down twice on my Zuma within the first 500 miles of riding. First time I was practicing hard braking maneuvers trying to see where the tires would lock up in a controlled environment. I succeed in locking up both tires and went down at like 10 mph. Second time I was going around a corner as fast as I could and hit a patch of gravel. The bike went down so fast I didn't even have any time to react. That one hurt a lot more and parts were damaged on the bike (right mirror and cracked up the front and rear fairings). I was wearing my gear so I wasn't seriously hurt... just a twisted ankle and some road rash.

Both times were totally my fault. I blame it on being a young(er) male rider trying to find the limits of the machine. If you always ride cautiously and don't do stupid stuff like trying to scrape the center stand around corners you'll be fine

Stormswift · Post by **Stormswift** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:02 am

My bike got away from me when I was leading it powered to it's spot . I was not riding it at the time but I have to say I learned my lesson that day about what not to do. I probably had the longest prior to getting licensed practice in history of riding. I think it helped. The drop happened 3 days after I started practicing last spring. I was ticked off at myself , There was no damage to the bike aside from nearly invisible couple of scratches thanks to the whole fiasco having happened on the grass. I do not ride enough to have any claim to having avoided accidents. I have several rules I hold myself to which I am hoping will improve my chances of avoiding mishaps. One is to never let anyone force me into riding beyond my ability or comfort level. Second rule is : let the morons go first. Rule # 3 is to always wear full gear no matter how hot it is. Rule number 4: homicidal maniacs also have drivers licenses. Rule # 5 is not to ride after dark especially on Fridays or weekends

basil46 · Post by **basil46** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 1:28 am

After I got a brand new Buddy 125 then 200 miles , I crashed!
I was confused with throttle and brake gears . Motorcycle and scooter are not same.
My scooter was minor damaged but recovery speedy with replaced parts and paints myself . I learned my lesson and now I know which websites I can order the parts for the future If I need.

tommyred · Post by **tommyred** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:06 am

Been riding 4 years without a crash. I did go ass over tea kettle a few weeks back though cause I forgot I put my cable lock on the front tire and tried to take off with it still on. I never put the lock on the front tire, but I parked in a different spot and hadn't ridden it in a while cause of surgery, and just completely forgot. No injuries, and the only thing wrong with the scoot was I pulled the speedometer cable out of it's socket so it doesn't work.

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:03 pm

I haven't crashed since my last crash!

eyesopened · Post by **eyesopened** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 8:30 pm

Got my Pamplona Buddy 2008. Never down yet. Close 3 times. (9,000 mi.) Crusing down Pet. Hill Rd. a redtail hawk atacked me. she hit my windshield and mirror. I came so close to losing it. She flew faster than I was going (55mph), doubled around and came straight at me a second time. It was freaky! I uncracked the throtle, didn't swerve at all, and hit her headon. Didn't lose it, but came close. She bounced off, and flew away satisfied with her victory. Strange enough, me too! So far so good. Best of luck to you, Allen

RickandSue · Post by **RickandSue** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:55 am

I am picking up our Buddy 125 this Saturday from the dealer. This is my first scooter. I am not really concerned about dumping because I rather doubt if I will ever go above 35mph since the scooter is for errands and a commute through residential neighborhoods. Beyond that, I tend to be very cautious and never rode my bicycle in the dark and do not particularly enjoy driving my convertible in the rain so I am feeling pretty confident.

The principal feature that sealed the decision to purchase the Buddy was the fact that both the wife and I can put our feet flat on the pavement at stoplights...to me this is a big deal if you are ever skidding.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:48 am

RickandSue wrote:I am picking up our Buddy 125 this Saturday from the dealer. This is my first scooter. I am not really concerned about dumping because I rather doubt if I will ever go above 35mph since the scooter is for errands and a commute through residential neighborhoods. Beyond that, I tend to be very cautious and never rode my bicycle in the dark and do not particularly enjoy driving my convertible in the rain so I am feeling pretty confident.

Don't be too assured by the fact that you won't be going above 35mph. It's true that if not for other faster traffic, slower would always be safer, and that's one of the reasons I got a 50cc instead of something faster:I don't want to be able to go as fast as a 125cc can go. But there's still plenty of opportunity to wipe out at slower speeds. My worst mishap (slipping on wet leaves) was going around a corner in a residential neighborhood at just a few mph, and my closest calls have all been while starting or stopping, where it doesn't matter what your top speed is.

The principal feature that sealed the decision to purchase the Buddy was the fact that both the wife and I can put our feet flat on the pavement at stoplights...to me this is a big deal if you are ever skidding.

While there are circumstances where this will help (starting or stopping on slippery surfaces), at faster-than-bicycling speeds putting your feet down is likely to do little more than mess up your feet. Keep them close. (Same thing with the instinct to break your fall with your hands: don't.)

RickandSue · Post by **RickandSue** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:51 am

Advice taken

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:13 pm

My crash happened on a side street in a nearby neighborhood at 5mph. I landed on my shoulder and upper part of the helmet (think temple area). I couldn't lift my arm for 2 days, and it took the better part of a week for the pain in my shoulder to go away. Luckily I was wearing a Corazzo jacket with shoulder pads or it may have been worse. I might of actually gone to the ER to get it checked out. Instead I just rode home in pain and put ice on it for the rest of the weekend and took lots of Advil.

HowHH · Post by **HowHH** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:13 pm

eyesopened wrote:Crusing down Pet. Hill Rd. a redtail hawk atacked me. she hit my windshield and mirror. I came so close to losing it. She flew faster than I was going (55mph), doubled around and came straight at me a second time. It was freaky!

That is freaky. Although they don't look so big when they are soaring up high, they are really large birds up close, with some serious predator beaks and talons. Given how fast you were going you were fortunate to keep the bike in control. It's also surprising that the hawk was able to fly away after the collision. Never mind coming back for more

Poursuivant · Post by **Poursuivant** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 9:57 pm

No special training except a lot of bicycle riding for 35 years since middle school. BMX, road, fixie and mtb. If anything, skills from riding a mountain bike has been most useful in avoiding wrecks.
Around here, it's the human obstacles that I have to look out for. A kid ran out into the street and tried to punch my face.

Post by **ericalm** » Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:01 pm

Poursuivant wrote:A kid ran out into the street and tried to punch my face.

Wha' happened?

Modern Buddy

Who HASN'T Crashed?

Who HASN'T Crashed?

Re: Who HASN'T Crashed?

Re: Who HASN'T Crashed?

crashed after 200 miles!

re:Who HASN'T crashed？

I don't need to bust my tail

Re: I don't need to bust my tail

Re: I don't need to bust my tail

2 years of urban riding and none so far. Knock. Knock.

Re: 2 years of urban riding and none so far. Knock. Knock.