vf1000ride Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 Well, I kinda alluded to it but didn't want to bugger up oldschoolsdime92's thread about buying his Sprint. Now that I am home and not trying to do everything from my cell phone I guess I can tell my story for you guys. I crashed the heck out of my Triumph Sprint last month while down riding the Dragon area. Long story short, while riding Cherohalla Skyway, about 15 miles south from Tellico Plains I was watching too much scenery and not enough of the approaching downhill decreasing radius righthander that kicked my butt. Panic braked and did not let off enough before leaning into it. Locked the front tire and lowsided across the oncoming lane and hit the uphill side of the mountain, got super lucky with no guard rail,oncoming traffic or cliff to fall off. It was just me and the dirt thank goodness. I don't think my buddies got any pictures but they say I left a nice pair of black skids before any of the hard parts hit. Bike ended up resting in a tree, I was in the ditch about 10 feet from it. Ended up spending 8 days at University of Tennessee's trauma center in Knoxville and a little over a month in a rehab center. Just got home today and it is so nice to be sitting on my own furniture again., Injuries were, broke both bones in my right forearm right at the wrist. Was not compound but my hand was displaced from alignment with my arm by 1.5 inches. It was noticeable through my riding gear. One small 2x4 inch section of road rash on my RH calf were my textile pants wore through. Dislocated and broke my RH hip, the ball on the femur is good but I broke out a piece of my hip socket. Other than a couple bruises, that was it. I have all kinds of new metal plates to hold my wrist and hip in place till the bones finish healing but luckily pain is in check. I got lucky and the riding gear did as much as I could ever hope for, no head neck or back injuries. Sorry to preach but wear your gear folks. The textile pants didn't hold up as well as leather but they are a whole crap ton better than blue jeans. I probably wouldn't have a calf on my right leg if I was wearing armored jeans. The sad pictures. I was already on the way to the hospital by the time these were taken so you can see the gear they cut off me in a few of them. The dirt was my path, the tree in the background is what stopped the bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaCinci Posted October 27, 2016 Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 Wow, could've been much worse...I can understand how the scenery became a distraction, it's beautiful down there. What kind of textile pants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted October 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2016 Pants were a roughly 8 year old pair of the Fieldsheer Mercury overpants. They were a closed weave (originally waterproof) heavier overpants with pretty good armor in the knees and hips. Coat was the Icon Compound line, Shoei helmet, Held Phantom II gloves, Sidi st-air boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Ouch! Glad you're on the mend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted October 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Forgot to mention, as much as I didn't add a piece of the bike to the tree of shame at the Gap store. My buddies did hang a piece of my fairing in the tree that stopped the bike so I could start my own tree of shame on this road. It's always awesome when your friends have your back like that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinNck1 Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 The good thing is you are still here to tell the story. I'm glad your gear did it's job. Heal up and get back out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Glad you're (for the most part) OK. That sucks about your bike but at least you and it tangled with a tree/ditch instead of guardrail. You've got the winter to recover and look for something new for next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekClouser Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Glad you're okay.... Learn from the mistakes and get better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman1 Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Wow, your bike looks like mine when it ping ponged off a couple of trees when I went down a few years ago. I am glad to hear you are ok and able to tell your story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Ouch. Glad you're okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmh_sprint Posted October 28, 2016 Report Share Posted October 28, 2016 Wow, wasn't expecting you to be beat up that bad. Glad to hear your on the mend Dave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 Sorry your jacked, Dave. Mend well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschoolsdime92 Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 Man, I had no idea you were still in the hospital during our sprint discussions. Glad your here to tell the story. Heal up soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted October 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 1 hour ago, oldschoolsdime92 said: Man, I had no idea you were still in the hospital during our sprint discussions. Glad your here to tell the story. Heal up soon! I crashed back on Sept 13th. Got to spend the first 8 days at the University of Tennessee's trauma center down in Knoxville. I came back up and spent a little over a month at a local rehab/assisted living center on the east side of Columbus. Just came back to the house on Thursday last week, it's so nice to be back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted December 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 So a quick update from the land of the (recently) walking wounded. Doctor gave me permission to start full weight bearing on my injured leg this morning. I finally get to start driving again and the worst part is I now have a date to start back to work (dangit ). Anyways, if you wanted to see my metal detector test kit I won as a door prize for this whole event. The picture of my pelvis doesn't show much but the metal, this one of my wrist though you can see all the fracture lines between the left set of screws and the one that's roughly in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F4iguy Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 Glad to hear things are moving in the right direction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsonian Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 OUCH! Glad to see you're on the mend! Be prepared to set off the theft deterrent devices at stores. My fake knees do it ALL the time. Kind of embarrassing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 13 hours ago, vf1000ride said: The picture of my pelvis doesn't show much Same here, but I'm white...so I've learned to accept it Glad to hear you're alive and healing man. Once you're mended, we should all get together again for steak and beer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vf1000ride Posted December 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 1 hour ago, Hellmutt said: Same here, but I'm white...so I've learned to accept it Glad to hear you're alive and healing man. Once you're mended, we should all get together again for steak and beer! It's an x-ray, that doesn't show up anyway. (or maybe just couldn't find it) Always up for steak and beer. Will do my best to try and make a couple of the monthly get togethers this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alienpi Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 Man, those tires look brand new in the picture. Glad you're healing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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