Crashing....it sucks but what did you learn?

[volcom415]

I know that this could easily get derailed with the jokes but I think that its a great tool to learn from. I have learned so much from my crashes that I havent had any repeat offenses.

Crash 1: On the streets....on a road I had never been on, trying to keep up with the group and ended up target fixating on a 20mph sign...ended up standing the bike up on a righthander into the oncoming traffic lane and crashed in the dirt. Just cosmetic damage to the bike but it was my first lesson in not trying to go fast on a road you dont know. Knowledge of the roads are key and to just ride my own pace and not try to keep up and ride outside of my skill level.

Crash 2: On the track...on a new bike(01 gsxr 600) and started passing people finally as in comparison to an F3 that I had. Got over confident and tried to gap a bike I had just passed and ended up target fixating on my braking points beacuse I came in there too hot. I just didnt let go of the front brake and tucked the front....too much load on the front tire on turn in ...Since then I have learned to trail brake and scrub off the speed that way.

Crash 3: On the track...Cold tires.....warm up those tires as they cooled off in hot pit lane as I was talking to someone for a couple minutes...ended up crashing like all the other rookies on a turn notorious for that type of complacency...

These are just some of the things that I have learned from my crashes....any others look at crashes in the same way?

I personally have a hard time with people who try and blame something like dirt, or something other that their own self as the cause for their crash.

There may be dirt on the road, but thats not why you crashed. You could be scanning the road further up ahead, taken a different line?....the list goes on

[Tragic]

Stay away from debris. I blame it for the cause of my falls(one in loose gravel, one in wet leaves)--as a noob freshly freed of the jitters, you sometimes don't realize that a slight reroute can be just as quick, especially if you don't have to pick the bike back up afterwards.

But it was my fault that I ran through it in the first place.

[CANE]

My first taste of "ground sky ground sky" came in the form of a left hander over a slight hill. I blew the corner and got off in a field. I had it slowing down in a straight line and I noticed a guide wire and grabbed all the brake I could get my hand and foot on. Bike fishtailed and high sided me. I was probably only going 15-20 mph but it felt like I had been dropped off of a roof top. I tumbled between the guide wire and the telephone pole. Was able to ride the bike home with chunks of sod and broken plastics dangling. Got some funny looks at a few redlights. What I learned. If you ride out of control then it is over with and you better have your affairs in order.

[Railing]

No matter what I blame it on, it's the fact I rode over my head and I crashed. What I learned is to ride at 80% of pushing it. Be in control, watch the rodes, and don't feel like I have to beat the person that is behind me. Don't fixate on guard rails or the edge of the road. If you are afraid you are going to hit something look in a different direction and just lean the bike that way. I wouldn't have blown the corner if I was riding within my limits, and I wouldn't have gone down if I didn't fixate on the edge of the road or the guard rail.

In other terms, ride at your own pace.

As far as watching other people, take it easier on roads with debris. Deer season, just be a bit slower. Keep the bike in good repair, and keep good tires.

[volcom415]

oh yeah full coverage is a must for me....and lots of it I think I have 300/600/300 plus uninsured motorist

[Good2me]

Great post! I've been real lucky and have had none on the street, have had two on the track. It took couple of months of thinking and rethinking on the first one, to get it figured out. Like you said, rider error almost always the cause.

[KHORNOCKER]

i learned to look for crap in the road. but since my lowside i have slowed down alot. i figure i can save that crap for a track. if i can ever afford to get to a track

[JBalls]

Pay attention to road conditions. If you know it's nasty, don't risk it. There are too many good roads to risk it on a bad one.

[The Black Guy]

My lowside...

1.) ALWAYS look in front of you...
2.) Ghetto booty combined with other bikers is NOT a good distraction
3.) Panicing and front brakes don't mix.

[97nismo]

1st crash - don't ride above my limits when trying to keep up with people that are faster then me.

2nd crash - don't really know what happened that time on deals gap other then I may have hit some gravel with my rear tire mid corner and spun out.