Kawasaki Ninja 250R Forum banner

Do I call it quits?

Tags
call quits
3K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  TinyHippo 
#1 ·
I've been riding for less than a season, probably only half of one. Some of that time was spent on a CBR 600rr, but the majority of that has been on an 08 Ninja 250r.

Previously I had dropped the 600 at a sharp right turn going about 5mph. But within the span of the past two weeks, I have had 3 20+mph accidents. So four accidents in less than a season...

First one was on the CBR. Second one I was over confident through a blind turn and did not realize it tightened, and ended up in the other lane with cars coming at me, so I had to wash out to avoid getting hit. The third one I got stuck in a railroad track (I know that sounds really silly but it is completely true). The fourth one I was on a highway going about 60mph and didn't realize some one in front of me was stopped at a light. I broke really hard a few yards away from them and ended up panicking and washing out again.

I'm getting very frustrated. I'm a skilled rider. I know what to do. People have been impressed with how well I've done right off the bat. But when I get in a scary situation, I panic. I get cocky. Or I get scared. Every time I wash out it takes time for me to get comfortable again, so I keep having to practically reteach myself every time. And then as soon as I get comfortable again, I go down.

I'm pouring money into fixing this bike every time. I love riding so much. I don't want to give up. And I probably won't. But am I being stupid? At what point should I just stop? Is this going to be what kills me? I'm so tired. All I want is to be a good rider. It's so embarrassing every time. And now GP is coming up and I don't feel like I'll be able to ride there because I'll probably wreck and every one will see it. I just don't know what to do.

In your opinions, at what point does one say "this is enough"? I feel like I'll never be a good rider. Maybe I'm trying for nothing... Thanks in advance for the feedback.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
It's happens to everyone, it's just a learning curve nothing more. Maybe you're thinking too much about other things while you are riding. You are probably preoccupied about other stuff in your life such as: school, work, bills, girls, errands, etc.

You can have the best confidence, eye coordination, and experience in the world. However, if you're concerned about other stuff in life then try too work it out before you ride. I have no doubt that you are a skilled rider, see whats troubling you and work from there.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Sounds more like you need to slow down, and pay attention to your environment. If your incapable of this, then your right, sell the bikes before your luck runs out. Luck doesn't replace skill.

As a new rider, have you taken the MSF course? It's a worth the money, trust me before you end up seriously injured, or dead.

I'm a experienced rider with over 40 years, I also have children which have asked me to teach them how to ride, I've refused due to the fact over the years I've made my own style or riding, which works solely for me. I have offered to pay the small fee for them to take the MSF course, it not only teaches the skills needed, but also saves money on insurance, and in my state counts as your road test .

I hope I didn't come off too negative, I just hate to see a fellow rider put themselves in a dangerous situation, when it could be avoided.

Here is my standard greeting to all new members, you might want to consider all the points of it.

Welcome, here are just a few things to think about,

1.Get trained and licensed [URL="http://msf-usa.org/students.aspx#brc-brc";]MSF Courses[/URL]

2.ALWAYS Wear protective gear -- ATGATT All The Gear, All The Time -- including a helmet manufactured to the standards set by a government agency.

3.ALWAYS Ride unimpaired by alcohol or other drugs

4.ALWAYS Ride within your own skill limits

5.Be a lifelong learner by taking refresher rider courses, and advanced rider course [URL="http://msf-usa.org/students.aspx#expanded-arc";]A.R.C[/URL]

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=218237

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showpost.php?p=987938&postcount=26

A.T.G.A.T.T. so I may ride another day.

I'm also a advocate for A.T.G.A.T.T. I suggest you check out www.rockthegear.org I personally know Britney "Queen B" Morrow and her story is one that could have be avoided.


Here's a another story of another friend, that also could have been avoided for the obvious reasons.


I feel the need to share this posting from the EX-500.COM that happened back in 2009, but it's a timeless story,


[URL="http://www.ex-500.com/index.php/topic,19460.0.html";]the lessons from my mistake (somewhat graphic, be careful)[/URL]

It's a simple enough story, that went totally wrong, by a fellow forum member by the name of mgbenny

Here is his first post in the long thread, which has over 30,000 views.

So. I'm going to try to be direct and straightforward in hopes that anyone who reads this will learn better than I seem to have learned. I made many, many mistakes in the course of this story and I'm aware of them all. If you want to flame, flame away, but I'm already sick over what happened and just don't want it to happen to anyone else.

I had my first wreck Thursday night. I had a passenger, which changed the handling of the bike, and I wasn't careful enough. A turn snuck up on us in the dark, and I ran out of lean and lowsided at about 35 mph. We were just going around the corner for a burrito; no gear, no helmets. (not even going to begin to rationalize any of this. Like I said, this was all a result of many bad decisions on my part, and I completely accept that).

I'm sure we only slid for a second or so but I remember it vividly. The bike threw up a storm of sparks, she landed on me and we went over and over. I remember every time she came over me, I was trying to keep her off the asphalt. Then everything stopped and was silent, and the sickest single moment of my life occurred as I thought "I've killed a person. I've killed her." Then time started up again and she started crying. I called my friend from around the corner who took us to the hospital, where I sat with her for 8 hours while she got checked out.

The damages: I've lost lots of skin. I mean, lots. I've never hurt this badly in my life. It was just skin and I'm uninsured, so I thought "I'll take care of it myself." and declined admission to the ER. Scrubbing it out without morphine is the single most painful 30 minutes I've ever felt.

As far as she goes: she's pretty damn rashed up. Probably worse than me. She split her head open over her eyebrow, and it's swelled her eye shut. Two inches to the left and she would have died instantly. She came down hard on her hip and knee, and can't bend them for the swelling. Her x-rays came back clean, so no broken bones. She's medicated, safe at home, and never wants to see me again. I wouldn't either.

Listen up kids. When you ride 2-up, you take somebody's life in your hands. You had damn well better be prepared for that responsibility. I've spend quite a bit of time today sitting on the floor of my room sobbing that I'm such a jackass that I almost took a life. I took responsibility for another person and failed miserably. It's the sickest feeling in the world and I want to spare you all from it. I would give anything in my entire life for the last two days to have never happened.

Pictures below for the strong of stomach, in hopes of scaring you all into being wise. I would accept this unblinkingly as a damn good warning, had I been alone. But someone I care about is in even worse shape, and I am 100% responsible. I never wanted to know what that feels like.

All but the last photo were taken in the hospital bathroom while she was being x-rayed.

Right arm:



Left arm. This one bled for 10 hours:



Left hand. Note the missing skin. By now, 2 days later, it's peeled back about another half-inch around the abrasion:


Left leg. These were my good, heavy pants. They lasted about 6 inches:



Shoulder to waist. If you look closely, you can see all the buttons ripped out of the shirt and I dragged on that side. There's gravel so deep on my pec that I'll never get it out:


At home:


The nurse sent extra stuff with Catie so I could get cleaned up too. What she didn't send was the several vials of morphine that Catie had in her when then scrubbed her out. Tylenol isn't the same. I screamed, threw up, and passed out cleaning these. And the whole time I'm dealing with the fact that I knew better and was in control, and I did this to somebody else who did NOT have control. Day 2, and it's not any easier to live with.

I tried to be completely frank about how I'm feeling in an effort to make the truth set in on you guys. I was a literal 2 inches away from killing her, because I thought we didn't need gear to go 5 blocks, and because she liked the thrill of leaning and I wanted to impress her. Nobody's impressed now.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2009, 12:54:14 AM by mgbenny »

I consider MGBENNY, my close forum friend, and that is why I'm sharing this, along with my other personal friend Britney "QUEEN B" Morrow's story and website (www.rockthegear.org) on all my post as part of my signature.


And why I'm such a strong supporter of her cause, and A.T.G.A.T.T.

If this post saves just one person, it is worth it, and makes one think before riding with no gear.



Hope this helps you, ownership of a motorcycle comes with responsibility, not only for yourself but others as well, family, friends, and your passenger.
 
#5 ·
You guys are all awesome!!! Thanks so much for the advice. I will be taking everything into account. I think mainly I need to stay more focused and learn to have better reflexes.

I do wear all of my gear, wiyh that many accudents in that short of a time span and no gear I'm sure I wouldn't be writing this right now. Haha. I'm also about to get hired on at Cycle Gear so I mean, yeah. I wear everything everytime. I also have taken the msf course. We call it ABATE here. I got lucky, because when I took it two years ago it $75, but if you passed at the end of the course, you coukd put $25 of that towards subscriptions and insurance or you could have it back. Now they charge $200 for the exact same course. Not sure what happened there but who knows.

Regardless, I've taken it. That's why I say I'm a skilled rider. I know WHAT to do. I know HOW to execute it, I just panic so I don't really do it effectively. But I do appreciate the suggestions. As far as everything else goes in that post, I feel like I follow those rules very strictly. I didn't plan on getting a liscense wiyh oht an MSF cert and I have read enough statistics about people not wearing gear to not feel like I need to have it every time I ride.

You guys are awesome, thanks for the advice, suggestions, and links. I really appreciate it.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top