Modern Vespa : For those who have crashed

For those who have crashed

Marcster UTC details Molto Verboso 2000 Yamaha Diversion XJ600 Joined: UTC Posts: 1651 Location: Closer to Philly than most.
Marcster Molto Verboso 2000 Yamaha Diversion XJ600 Joined: UTC Posts: 1651 Location: Closer to Philly than most.	UTC quote robardin wrote: I could/should have been wearing knee armor, I skinned my knees pretty badly both times. I just reviewed the knee armor I wear most of the time: REVIEW: Icon Field Armor Knee Protectors

Dutch UTC details Ossessionato LXV 150 GTV 250 Joined: UTC Posts: 2471 Location: Logan OH USA
Dutch Ossessionato LXV 150 GTV 250 Joined: UTC Posts: 2471 Location: Logan OH USA	UTC quote Didn't hurt it at all. 30 gig video I think the handle bar whacked it into my rib.

Maroy

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MP3 250

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Location: San Carlos CA

Maroy

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MP3 250

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Location: San Carlos CA

UTC quote

Joel Hamilton wrote:

I had a drive belt break and load up in the case just enough to feel like someone grabbed my back brake full blast just for an instant, in a corner, at almost 70mph. That stood me up, and sent me off the road, as I was tracking a line that left only about a foot to the outside towards the crumbling shoulder.

My GPS read: 66mph, then one second later read 5mph then zero.
I was thrown really, really far. I dont know how far. at least 50 feet. Jess? Estimates? (jess was right behind me at the time).

His description is my favorite thing ever, as he said it was like if you took a gingerbread man, and threw it like a chinese throwing star... that was me, at freeway speeds. Head over heels like so many times I lost count, and had plenty of time to think, "wow, this STILL isnt over?" I seriously thought that TWICE during the flying, and then tumbling part of the wipeout.

I got up immediately (like an idiot) and started swearing and spitting out gritty dirt/gravel that had scooped up into my FF shoei. I couldnt see a damn thing because the facesheild looked sandblasted/scraped up beyond belief. I was incredibly disappointed that a mechanical failure had tossed me, but really really glad to be standing up and swearing a lot and spitting out gravel.
I kneeled back down an took stock of my digits and limbs: Nothing.
I felt like I had been in a schoolyard fight with a couple of guys, but nothing more than that. Maybe if one of them had a baseball bat...
But with full gear on: armored pants, jacket, my GP alpinestars gloves, FF shoei, alpinestars riding boots (black label)... I was fine, an I got on a borrowed GTV and rode the rest of the 400 mile day, and continued to push as hard as I could on a borrowed scoot to come back all the way to second place in the cannonball.
The gear. It is about the gear.
Ever wonder what it would be like to wipeout on the highway at 65+ ? I did it, and kept riding.

Hell I was at least two miles behind you and I could tell you crashed because the dust / dirt cloud was enormous and visible from that distance. I remember thinking, someone just crashed or someone is testing explosives. Sure enough by the time I got to the site you were up and about, like solo crashing at high speed was part of your normal routine.

maydaverave

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bv 250

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Location: st. augustine

maydaverave

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bv 250

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UTC quote

Oh jeez, I have been in a million accidents small and major but I drive like an idiot and I am apparently just about indestructible. My last accident I was wearing no protection. I rear ended a car at about 15 mph. I put a tiny hole in the bumper of the car which I paid for out of pocket. I split my windscreen in half with my face and busted up my front fender. My back wheel came off the ground but I didn't fall over. Let me see the last accident before that I was wearing a leather jacket and nothing protective. I got sideswiped by a car I was doing about fifty. I landed on my head and shoulder. I got road rash from above my left eye all the way to the back of my head. I got road rash on my shoulder through the leather jacket but it did save me a lot of skin. There was a straight line where my jacket ended and the road rash on my hands began. I got two broken ribs, I was in the hospital for a couple hours got out and went to work. I have been riding motorcycles and scooters for about ten years and probably been in about twenty accidents under forty mph with no real injuries. Leaning scooters like sportbikes, poppping wheelies, burnouts, and rear tire slides account for a lot to. I have been in one accident over sixty mph but it was in the winter up north and I was wearing many layers, thick gloves, and a helmet. I probably flew a hundred feet through the air and I walked away without a scratch but the next morning I could hardly get out of bed. Every muscle in my body from my ears to my toes was sore from rolling down the pavement. Knock on wood I know I am not invincible my crazy ways will catch up with me one day but I have had a hell of a time.

TurtleGT UTC details Banned Joined: UTC Posts: 6032
TurtleGT Banned Joined: UTC Posts: 6032	UTC quote Dutch wrote: Didn't hurt it at all. 30 gig video I think the handle bar whacked it into my rib. Sounds like that was one tough iPod!

TurtleGT

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TurtleGT

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UTC quote

Maroy wrote:

Joel Hamilton wrote:

But with full gear on: armored pants, jacket, my GP alpinestars gloves, FF shoei, alpinestars riding boots (black label)... I was fine, an I got on a borrowed GTV and rode the rest of the 400 mile day, and continued to push as hard as I could on a borrowed scoot to come back all the way to second place in the cannonball.
The gear. It is about the gear.
Ever wonder what it would be like to wipeout on the highway at 65+ ? I did it, and kept riding.

Wow! That certainly puts my (small) adventures into perspective

mstevens

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'05 LX 150 "Rosso Dragon"

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mstevens

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'05 LX 150 "Rosso Dragon"

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Location: New Hampshire

UTC quote

Crash 1:
15 mph
HJC CL-SP helmet
Ducati armored jacket
Levi's Jeans
Ducati leather (non-armored) gloves
Hiking boots

Outcome:
Shredded right arm of jacket, ripped left glove nearly in half. No jeans damage.
Minor fracture of left thumb and sprain injuries to other fingers. Left knee badly skinned with huge effusion. Was on crutches for a week.

Crash 2:
45 mph
HJC CL-SP helmet
Olympia Airglide II armored jacket
Olympia Airglide II armored pants
Rev'It GT Corse armored gloves
Rev'It Fusion armored boots

Outcome:
Jacket and pants got slightly dirty. Scuffed glove.
No injury - not even a bruise.

The right gear makes a definite difference.

Orange Flash Gordon

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Member

Vespa GTS 250ie

Joined: UTC
Posts: 15
Location: LA

Orange Flash Gordon

Member

Vespa GTS 250ie

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Posts: 15
Location: LA

UTC quote

All the Gear All the Time

Armored jacket
Armored gloves
Motorcycle boots
Full face DOT/SNELL helmet

Every ride, all the gear all the time over my dress clothes for work...take it off...run some water through hair to get out helmet head, change boots for dress shoes, hang up jacket, tuck glvoes into helmet.

Black BMW 3 series turned left in front of me recently. I was doing 45mph. I stopped in time but would have been terrible crash...all the gear all the time.

Angry Penguin

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Enthusiast

2007 GTV. It's green, so am I.

Joined: UTC
Posts: 57
Location: Ventura, CA

Angry Penguin

Enthusiast

2007 GTV. It's green, so am I.

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Posts: 57
Location: Ventura, CA

UTC quote

Outside crash while prematurely braking on a u-turn (real newbie act, I know).

Ended up totally on the sidewalk, landing flat on my back, two feet beyond the Vespa, also totally on the sidewalk.

G-Max FF
Joe Rocket Leather Jacket and Pants
Sidi Boots
Icon leather gloves

I did not slide at all. People watching said I was totally over the scooter.

I felt nothing but elbow, shoulder, and back armor. I was laughing, hard.

Very little damage to the Vespa, too. Cowl trim scrunched, and very minor paint chips (thanks to recently installed crash bars).

And although I'm not learning much in MSF school, what I AM learning is great!

mgg

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Hooked

2007 BV500

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Posts: 313
Location: Racine, WI

mgg

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2007 BV500

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Posts: 313
Location: Racine, WI

UTC quote

I was hit by a 1990 Cadillac on Harley Week Aug 31st. The car was turning left in front of me. I think the driver saw the car behind me and thought he could make it. I don't know when he saw me.

I saw him start and gripped the breaks tight. I was going down when he hit me the scooter went one way and the car ran half way over me.

I was wearing a Aria Helmet, gloves, genes, a t-shirt, and sketchers.

My head was trapped in my helmet between the frame of the car and the concrete so it is scrapped up on one side but my head is OK. Also the gloves kept my hands from getting scrapped up.

Lots of bruises and scraps on the rest of my body and some of them still hurt. Also fractured my rt ankle. The doctor at the emergency room saw my helmet and thought it may have saved my life.

MGG

iamjoemckim

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'81 Special

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Location: Wolverhampton, UK

iamjoemckim

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Location: Wolverhampton, UK

UTC quote

I got hit Side on by a bus and shattered my right sholder blade and most of my right arm was shattered. But i didn't know about this, as i went through the bus windowscreen and ended up inside the bus.

My gear faired well, with my open face helmet giving a 10 by keeping my brains safetly inside my head with minimal dentage. My Jacket, an old parker i brought off ebay didn't fair well, i mean, sure it was padded, but its no subsitute for a riding coat. MY jeans worked well keeping the glass out of my arse. 10 Laughing emoticon

[/quote]

surfan

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06 VG GT200/07 VR GTS

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surfan

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06 VG GT200/07 VR GTS

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UTC quote

Quote:

Clothing: Levi red tab jeans and a tie-dye t-shirt. Rate a 10 in this particular case. Nothing happened to any of my street clothes until the paramedics arrived. Pissed me off, because they chopped up my clothes and I (personally) didn't feel there was a reason to. My fave jeans at the time, unfortunately. A previous accident, however, jeans didn't do squat, and actually seemed to aid in gravel getting stuck in my knee.

The reason, Witch, is to check you for other injuries and do it with minimum movement in case of spinal injuries. Many times accident victims are in some degree of shock and do not feel injuries. Bit if you move wrong or are moved wrongly you could end up with paralysis. So quit crying about a few dollars worth of clothes and let the professionals do their job!

whaley

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vespa gt 200

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Location: Pensacola

whaley

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vespa gt 200

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Location: Pensacola

UTC quote

Quote:

Helmet-Arai FF
Gloves-none
Footwear-docs
Clothing-5.0 corazzo/jeans

no helmet but skull held up well... only mild concussion.
Gloves - wasn't wearing any but skin on hands held up great as I didn't hit hands
Elbow protection - Not wearing any, skin did not hold up and got skin rash on elbow.
Footwear - I don't remember what I was wearing but I think it was sandals. no foot damage.
Clothing- shorts and tank top. again skin didn't hold up and got nasty road rash on knee. Bones didn't hold up either. Broke wrist.

I don't recommend skin being used as only protection. Safety gear has GOT to be better.

Kabuleiro

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Demon Black 500

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Location: Austin, Tx

Kabuleiro

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Demon Black 500

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UTC quote

First time: Tank slap at maybe 20mph dumped me on my left side. Me and the bike slid some forty or fifty feet due to a big load of gravel on the road.

Gear:
Arai Full-Face helmet
Suede leather boots
Simple leather gloves
T-shirt
Khakis

Outcome:
The helmet suffered a small chip and some scratches but held up beautifully
The boots held up great
The gloves never touched the road, fortunately, because they were not meant for riding
The pants just got some dirt on it
The dirt never washed out of the shirt
Got road rash on my left arm and down my back; hurt my back a bit (or aggravated on old lower back problem)

2nd time: slick road conditions at maybe 10-15mph. I made a right at an intersection straightened out and hydroplaned.

Gear:
Arai Full Face helmet
Same boots
Armored leather riding gauntlets
Barney's Leather Scooter jacket
Inferum Rain pants (left the top at home)

Outcome:
No scratch on the helmet
The boots held up really well again, though some of the stitching stretched a bit
The arm on the jacket got a little scuffed
The pants ripped up along the side and the khakis tore underneath.

I got a small scrape on the elbow and re-aggravated that same area on my back

You do get a lot out of the MSF courses, but you learn the most when you go down.

nigelthefish

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Ossessionato

ET2, PX150

Joined: UTC
Posts: 3410
Location: Denver CO

nigelthefish

Ossessionato

ET2, PX150

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Posts: 3410
Location: Denver CO

UTC quote

Gear:
Helmet: Atomic (wish they were still made, comfortable)
Gloves: Some dirtbike riding gloves, can't remember the brand right now.
Jacket: Old leather jacket
Pants; Jeans
Boots: Docs

Outcome:
Helmet: not horrible, scratched and the visor got peeled off, broke the visor mount hinge thingy
Gloves: wore them another 8 or so years untill I left them in my glove box in a car I traded in
Jacket: No impact protection, pretty serious internal injuries, not sure if armor would have helped, couple broken ribs, punctured spleen, both collar bones and one shoulder blade broken.
Pants: not great, not horrible. ripped but no road rash. Hard to get road rash when I mostly bounced.
Boots: Fine. Broke the laces (yeah, not sure how caught on the break I think) on one of them but no foot injuries.

Bike: 1977 suzuki 125 or 150, can't remember. Broken lights, broken speedo cable, clogged tail pipe. Got up, a friend cleared the tail pipe and it started up and I rode home. Tough little bike.

TheOldSquid

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Hooked

250gts ie

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Location: Friday Harbor WA

TheOldSquid

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250gts ie

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Location: Friday Harbor WA

UTC quote

Hit a deer on a cycle 2.5 years ago. Here's the complete story in my column:
http://sanjuanislander.com/columns/old-squid/46.shtml

Now to the gear and performance.

Gloves were Olympics, leather and kevlar but no hard armor. my wrist was banged up but no scrapes showing. They done good but my hands were stiff and sore for many months. Carbon fiber bits over the knuckles might have helped.

Jacket was a First Gear touring job in fabric. It was sumer so the liner was out and the right sleeve ripped thru and I got a good scrape on my forearm. armor is a thin padding and not the harder CE approved stuff. My left elbow was back and blue from bicep to wrist from impact. No other major damage to upper body. My wife has repaired the tear and I still use the jacket but I'm looking for a replacement with better armor and comparable comfort.

Helmet was an Arai. No damage to it(!) or my head. I don't know how that happened!

I was wearing bib overalls and tho they were intact, my knees and shins were a mess.

I was wearing ankle high work shoes but the worst damage was to my off side (from the deer impact) ankle. Lots of soft tissue damage with some stiffness and weakness to this day.

Damn glad I had on what I did but I sure wish that I'd had on my real no shit riding boots to protect my ankle.

snapshot05 UTC details WHOoligan 1985 PX200E Arcobaleno : 2010/14 GTS300 S: RIP GTS250 @ 40K Joined: UTC Posts: 6695 Location: Los Angeles Kings, Stanley Cup Champions X2
snapshot05 WHOoligan 1985 PX200E Arcobaleno : 2010/14 GTS300 S: RIP GTS250 @ 40K Joined: UTC Posts: 6695 Location: Los Angeles Kings, Stanley Cup Champions X2	UTC quote Scoot flipped from under me at 40mph, hit dried oil while braking, savas turned to dust and didnt grip. HJC helmet, check, small scratch Shorts, threw them away. motorolla phone, needed replacement Skin on leg and elbow, grew back Tennis shoes survived. Gloves never tested. Yep, I had on a Tshirt, with shorts, modular helmet open. Yep Im guilty of stilling riding like that.

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