The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: lairhead on May 11, 2009, 08:38:03 AM
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Going to the races on saterday i took my R65 for a ride on the highway at about 100 kph the next moment i see a man running over the highway into my path i tryed to swerve out but to no avail he changed direction as i did and i hit him and unfortunately killed him ,and got thrown off and hit the tar HARD .
i was in full rider gear BMW Santiago boots (destroyed) Bmw Pro Ralley 2 Suit (Dammaged) Boxer cub Gloves (dammaged)
Leatt Brace (like new) Arai Tour X3 helmet (utterly destroyed)
1X restored R65 ls (destroyed)
well the bike is still at the police pending investigation ,and i have been charged with culpabile homicide and i am still in hospital!!
i was out like a candle till yesterday and have huge head ache but i am fine i have broken femur (open fracture ) laceration on the face of 10 cm brussed arm and fracture to the skull and many abrasions
my whole body hurts but my kit saved my life and i was told the paramedic was on scene within 3 min after the crash and i was enroute to a trauma center within 10 min after the accident
Please ride safe and will update
till next time
Brendan
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Oh my God, Brendan !!
This is very tragic news - but I am also very relieved to hear that you seem to be under good care and will hopefully recover well from all your injuries. I am very sorry to hear of this unfortunate accident. I will pray for you, your family and the poor man who ran into your path on the highway.
Rest, and know that we shall be thinking of you and praying for the best possible outcome.
-Mike
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well the doctor just came to see me he says he wants to operate as soon as possible on my leg ,maybe tonight still ,my mother has given me an update on the pedestrian ,he was identified as Jono Kumalo an resident of the informal settlement next to the highway and fortunately for me there where witnesses to the accident ,who has put in an statement stating that the accident was unavoidable,My parents will be going to see his relatives in the next hour .
the swelling in my brain has gone down so i must go in to have my leg repaired !! the doctors say am very fortunate and should make an good recovery and they hope to repair my leg in such a manner that both my leggs will be the same length ,my left leg has been left shorter by the acedent by 1.5 inches!!
well will give an update as soon as posible
Brendan
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Oh no Brendan. This is unfathomable. Please be assured that all of us on this forum are in right behind you and thinking of you and praying for a full recovery. I am so sorry...I am just about speechless.
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This is about the worst case scenario for a motorcyclist .
A rather uncommon occurrence.
Glad to hear that in relative terms, you're not in worse shape, and with time you'll be up and around under your own power.
At least there are witnesses that came forward, and may have relieved you of any responsibility for the unfortunate death of the pedestrian.
I'll take a little liberty here, but all of the members here will have you in their thoughts, for a speedy recovery.
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Brendan, Our prayers are with you for a speedy recovery.
As the old saw goes, "Dress for the crash, not the ride". I should share your post with some of my Beemer T-shirt, no helmet and flip-flops riders.
Heal up, suit up, ride on. Monte
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Crap! :o Glad the witnesses fessed up and hope you come through your surgery OK.
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My prayers for all caught up in this misfortune.
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I wish you all the best for your recovery.
And I am sure I can speak for all of over in 'Blighty' as well.
Steve H
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Brendan,
As above, WE ALL are thinking of you and wish you anything good at this time. This is a horrible, lifechanging event and I pray for your well-being. Be strong, stay focused and seek the help of those closest to you for the suport you will need.
Thank-you for letting us here know of this event so that we may learn from it, and also be a resource for you in the upcoming months. ATGATT!! We here have many different expertises and look forward to helping in our own ways.
God speed, Peter
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Sorry to hear about the accident Brendan. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Danie
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Best wishes for a speedy recovery. It reinforces the concept of all the gear all the time.
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Brendan, I really am so sorry to read this. I didn't go to Cape Town, but where did this happen?
I can't believe you are so cool and composed ....
You wont believe this - but my daughter ended up under a articulated truck on Thurs, but got out without a scratch. She started her ETC at Lebone college today. You paramedics certainly know what accidents feel like!!
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I am being operated on tomorrow at 06H00 and i have broken my femur in 3 places ,they are going to use skrews and plates to repair the bone and i should make a full recovery!!
It looks like it is the end of my studying for a while at least till the leg heals.
My friends from the club came to see me and brought me my helmet to place next to my bed just to remind me how fortunate i am and not to feel sorry for myself ! Now i am glad i did not buy the openfaced helmet and wore my offroad arai helmet. My parents whent to see the family of the pedestrian but they just want lots of money so they are going to leave the case to the police.
Thanx for all the messages i really appreciate them !
I hate the boredom of this bed and i cannot move freely because i am hookedup ,will update as soon as i can ,ride safe and wear you kit till next time Brendan
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Brendan,
I haven't even had a chance to welcome you to the group, and I'm already hoping that you'll recover fully. By this time, it's "tomorrow" in South Africa, so if you haven't begun surgery yet, I'm sure you will, shortly. Here's to a successful outcome!
I'm thinking of you, as I'm certain all of us are.
John
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Gees mate, serious problems eh, hope all goes well for you, it is a wake up call for us all, just how simply everything can change in an instant.
Get better, and soon.
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Brendan - what more can I say? Peter is so right about this being a life-changing event. It's good to hear you have family and friends around you. I'm glad you were protected well and you have at least survived this. The body will heal with time and so will your mind.
I'm amazed you have updated us so much today (but then you're sitting around very bored?). I cannot even begin to imagine the feelings you'll be dealing with in the days ahead of you.
My prayers are with you and all that will be effected by this horrific tragedy.
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Brendan,
Holy Moly! This is why I thank God every day I can step on and off an airplane or throw a leg over my R65/A65. Hope all goes well. Stick to your guns. You did the best you could do. Glad you still have your marbles. Prayers on the way.
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Hi Brendan ............ hope everything went well.
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Wishing you a speedy recovery Brendan, I hope the operation went well.
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Hoping all has gone well in the operating room and you have 2 equal length legs and that work! I am so impressed with your composure. Keep up the good work and if we help you by writing back on this forum, we'll be doin' it!
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I am so glad you were not hurt more than you were. This seems to be a hard year on our riders. It makes us all cringe a bit when a rider goes down. There is a collective............. ouch. Know that you are in our prayers........all of you that have fallen this year.
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I'm sincerely sorry to hear about your experience. At least you were well suited up - I'd hate to think what may have occurred had you failed to be!
I hope that your op goes well and by the time you read this your body is on the mend.
Take care and please keep us posted with regular updates when you are able to manage them.
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That's horrible. I always worry about hitting a deer, but it never occurred to me that a person would act the same way. Was he committing suicide on purpose?
I hope you get better and don't have any legal problems from it.
Here in Oregon it's legal to kill pedestrians with your vehicle, though most people use cars.
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There by the grace of god...... wishing you a speedy recovery and ps welcome to the forum!!!(belatedly)
Lou
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OMG! OH shit is right! I've been off the forum for a few days and here I come right into this! I'm so sorry to hear you've had such an unbelievable accident. Thank goodness for good gear!
This is Wednesday so you must have been through surgery already. I'm sure they've got you on some good drugs to take care of the pain, so I don't expect to hear from you for a few more days.
But WOW! Please feel better really soon! You've still got a young body and I'm sure you will heal pretty fast. Please keep us posted so we know how you are doing.
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I hope you are doing well Brendon.
You mentioned that the incident took place on the highway - I suppose you mean the N1 to Johannesburg ? If so - I wonder what on earth he was doing there ?
We also do have the same problem with pedestrians in this area - many are completely undissiplined, and often put their own lives, and the lives of other road users at risk. I am just glad that other witnesses came forward to give statements, otherwise things could get very complicated.
Keep well
Danie
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Hi guys
sorry for the long delay i was not alowed to use my cell in high care !!
Thanx for all the messages of encouragement and prayers
i got through the op with just good news and i am still on pain meds but will be walking hopefully with a steel frame bolted into my leg for 8 weeks.
the accident happend on the N7 between Cape Town and Milnerton just before Dunoon (informal settlement)
i was interviewed for the first time by the police today and the Sarge was very profesional and kind and told me the case is just a legal formality and that my parents can go and fetch the bike in there own time (??)
cant stop thinking about the pedestrian and how i might have acted differently ,but what could i do ?
as soon as i can I WILL RIDE AGAIN !!
but for now it is me my bed ,tv and pain medication
hopefully i can go home soon but i will see
Pls ride safe and wear the gear !! IT SAVED MY LIFE
till next time
Brendan
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Glad to hear your leg 'rebuilding' was successful !!!
At least, it looks like there will be no legal problems with the incident.
Take it easy and heal before getting back on a two wheeler again.
This incident will be replayed over and over in your head, and you really were a victim of bad timing, wrong place at the wrong time, and I doubt that you could have done much, given the speed you were traveling at when it happened, to have changed the outcome.
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Good news that you are slowly on the mend Brendan.
Take care and get on the bike when it feels right for you.
However, I don't think it would be a good idea if you were to attempt it with the frame still on!
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I am so glad to hear that you are on the mend and that you are looking forward to walking and riding again. And especially glad to hear that the police action is merely a formality. I just do not see how you were at fault legally or otherwise. It really was bad timing and bad luck what happened to you, so please resist thinking that this would not have happened if you had done things differently. You did the best you could in that split second of time.
Tradgedies like this remain tradgedies if nothing good comes out of them. Everyone here reading your story will now be much more vigilent about gearing up for every ride and about being more observant of pedestrians. Crashing into a pedestrian is not something I ever even thought about, and now I do, every time i see someone who could potentially cross my path. So please take some comfort knowing that there are people all over the world that are learning from your tragic accident, and your experience may very well help to save a life.
Once you're better, we do want to hear about the R65 and its fate as a project or a parts bike. Till then good luck with your therapy and a speedy recovery. And good luck n general. You are due a big fat portion of good luck. ;)
John M
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Sorry to hear about the accident. Glad to hear you are mending, and hope all heals well.
<snip>My parents whent to see the family of the pedestrian but they just want lots of money so they are going to leave the case to the police. <snip>
Can't speak about the legal system where you are, but here if his family were to sue I would recommend countersuing his family for your injuries, suffering, and property damage. Of course, that assumes that there are any assets.
k_enn
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K enn ... it's bit different here. The family don't want to sue, they just want money. A nice simple quick cash payout of a few hundred USD would be more than enough.
Sad fact of life here is that there are 100s of these so called informal settlements (squatter camps) and the idiots tear down fences or anything else that might be in their paths. Laws mean nothing to them. This one is huge and grew rapidly. It is only a few hundred metres from the track. I use the road mainly coming back from the track.
I know the road well and what happened to Brendan could have happened to anyone. A few months ago a motorcyclist tavelling at very high speed hit a pedestrian not far away (near N1 split) with fatal results to both.
Brendan .... glad you're awake ... enjoy the morphine, bud!!
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HI guys
well it has been a week since the accident and i have just left my bed on my own for the first time feels strange to walk with the frame but i must just be glad for modern orthopedics!!well the frame got cought on the bedding and i neerly fell on my face,saw a picture of my bike for the first on my fathers phone it does not look that bad needs a new front end ,tank ,tappet covers a left crash bar and footrest and exhaust,should be able to salvage my bike from the donor bike and EBAY ,but i will see how the bike realy looks once discharged ,the ortho doc says it maybe up to 9months till i can ride again and advises against it (says will bikers never learn!!)
No complications yet from the op so i may be able to leave the hospital on Thursday thanx for all the well wishes and keep then going
till next time ride safe
Brendan
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..... and you're already up and about! Keep up the good work.
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With every step we are all behind you.
Don
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Brendan! Good for you! YAY! What DonBMW said above!
It does feel good to be up and about again, eh? Well, sort of about anyway. Now, just do what the doc says for the next 9 months and you'll be near to new. After that, well....................... ;)
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9 months, huh? Are you in practice to say to any prospective spouse that you know what it's like to be confined for this time period and that you can empathise with their frustration? ::)
Good to hear that you're up and about already - God they just shunt you out pronto don't they?
Take care and let us know what the final outcome is for the bike - oh and you.... ;)
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Hi guys
well i had to pay a high price today for moving around yesterday with the pain killers in my system i was invinceble ,but today i can not move for the pain in my leg ,they are starting to slowly remove me from the drugs ,i saw the gash on my face today after they removed the dressing for the plastic sturgeon , i told him why stop at the gash why not make me pretty ,he did not think it was funny
all is on course for going home on thursday and i have dropped out of university because of my fall but i can resume my course next year !!
gave good week and ride safe
Brendan
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I'm back online after a trip to MI. All went well despite horrific wind. Brendan, I want you to know that you willl be back riding too just as you say! I love your confidence and up beatness, Brendan. You are an inspiration! Sounds to me that you are the lucky type of person who gets things done if they put their minds to it.
Please don't spend too much time trying to analyse this horrible event as it may just serve to depress ya enough to slow down healing. A big smile is hard to come by I realize but even little smiles and happy thoughts may help the healing.
Boy, the bike looks salvageable eh??? We all will have something to look forward to in the coming months.
Keep up the good work!
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Take your time Brendon. Your body has taken a terrific beating! Take the time to heal it. Hang in there!!!
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Brendan
I hope that you got through surgery and that you are healing well.
the fact that you came out of the accident alive and without serious damage to the most important parts, ie. your head and your hands because your were dressed correct will be in my mind every time I feel tempted to ride without dressing up!
You will be in my thoughts.
greetings from a sunny and slightly windy north
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Yo Terror!
I'm intrigued .... how, where etc did you get a gash on your face wearing a f/face helmet?
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HI guys
although Arai helmets are the BEST the visor is not absolutely shatterproof and the chin bar is made to deform and brake to reduce injuries the helmet did its job and in doing so took a huge force to hte front and top of the helmet,i am seriously considering sending the helmet to the Arai agent in south Africa to be used for advertising ,cant believe the damage it took and i got away only with swelling of the brain and an laceration ,i was not conceious for for a day after the accident so i do not know if it was the visor or the protective fiberglass shell of the helmet that cut me because the whole helmet inside is thickly lined with blood .
i am doing much better and do not have much pain anymore ,i am not on a drip anymore and use tablets for the pain (not many) i am returning home tommorow and can wait for the ortho doc to release me ,the cut on my face has healed well and i did not have any plastic work done as yet but may in the future!
the case against me is not closed yet but it is about finnished (No worries) first thing tommorow i am going to have a propper Guys meal and going to say away from the meds so that i can enjoy a beer :D
thanx for the suport ride safe
Brendan
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Hey Terror,
Firstly enjoy being at home ..... then let me know if you want to send the helmet to the importers (Kawsaki SA), I know them and am on good terms with them - in fact I'm getting a road test bike bike from them soon. I'm pretty sure we could turn it into a positive story in exchange for you getting a new lid.
Just say when, and I'll get the ball rolling. In the meantime I suggest taking some pics of your battered face before it gets too pretty again!
Cheers
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Hi guys
asked the the doc if i cant go home yet because i am not hooked up to anything and YES he said i am packing my stuufs and my bestest friend is picking me up at half past,cheers and will send the helmet to Renegade Kawasaki so that more people can see what a difference an exellent helmet and neck Brace can make to your chances of surviving an huge and very fast accident
ride safe Brendan
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How was the night at home?
Brendan, pse pm (or email: info@sa-racer.co.za) your contact details so I can forward them to Arai
cheers
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Brendan,
I apologize for just now catching up with your tragedy. I'm so glad you are doing better. Take care of that leg. Don't push it, do everything the physical therapists say, and don't be shy about asking them questions.
Re: the sqatters - wouldn't it be nice if we could use all the resources we use for waging war, to make sure everyone had a place to live, food to eat, and a job to go to every day? Then no need for poor folks running about on roadways!
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I'm not a long time resident here either. And have not visited for sometime. The R65 is like a life force and I hope yours is restorable. Most importantly is that the real life force (your habitation is in restoration). What an heroic story.
I wish we could print this off and share it with my tough Honda/Harley friends. Who wear niether head gear, nor body armor. It just may open eyes.
Have you considered writing a book?
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Hi all
all is well with me ,had to stay over at my fathers place because of problems moving around it has nearly been 2 weeks after the collision and i am getting better slowly but surely, the unpopular men are going to bring me my bike tomorrow so that i can see it for the first time since the crash :-/
they tell me that they can fix any bike but i dont know (they have stockpile of old bmws in pieces)but i am not so shure might have to give up on that one and rebuild the donor bike !!
I dont know about writing a book because i do not spel corectly and my grammar is horrible ,but never say never ,i do have alot of time on my hands :D
well enjoy the weekend and Ride safe and remember (all the gear all the time)
Brendan
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Good to hear that you are getting better Brendan. I really feel sorry about the fact that your studies have been disrupted by this accident. I can just imagine that this incident also do have a negative impact on your plans for the immidiate future, not to speak about the negative financial implications.
I do agree with you Rob, it would be wonderful if this unfortunate people would have better opportunities for a better future.
Like Steve said, things do work slightly different at this side of the pond. Hopefully our new goverment will start cracking the whip on everyone who does not obey our laws - perhaps they can start just by ensuring that our law enforcement outhorities do start pulling finger........and also start educating scholars to obey our laws, for their own well being.
Unfortunately our undissiplined taxi industry also play a major roll in contributing to many deaths on our roads, as indicated by the photograph below. By not obeying basic traffic laws, local taxi drivers often put the lives of unfortunate pedestrians and road users at risk...........
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will send the helmet to Renegade Kawasaki so that more people can see what a difference an exellent helmet and neck Brace can make to your chances of surviving an huge and very fast accident
I'm interested in learning about the neck Brace you mentioned. Is that the "Leatt Brace (like new) " you talked about in the first post? I've never heard of them. We wear back protectors but never even considered a neck brace.
Glad to hear you're up and about (as much as possible in your condition!).
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Hi all
doing much better and moving around all the time ,if it was not for the satelite tv at my fathers place i would not have made it (boredom)
for all interested look at Leatt-brace.com for the neck brace i am using and that i had on when i had my collision i can recomend it and you do not notice it while you are riding.
going tomorow for a scan of my leg to see if the bone graft on my leg has filled in the space or if i will need more traction on my leg i hope for the best
well till i type again ride safe and be carefull
Brendan
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http://www.leatt-brace.com/
Interesting!
Were the doctors/emergency crew impressed with it?
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Leatt Brace was originally developed as an alternative to the FIA (i.e Grand Prix racing) HANS system and has got rave reviews.
HANS system relies on seatbelts to be effective, but leatt brace doesn't which is why it is suitable for use on motorcycles and karts.
I would say that close to half of all kart racers here are using Leatt Brace and it's also used by a fast growing number of off road/enduro motorcycle competitors. It is also becoming popular with circuit racing and track day riders.
Most motorcycle accessory shops sell them and report a brisk trade to day to day, regular and commuter riders.
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That is great that they are in shops. It would be great to be able to try it on, like a helmet.
I won't buy a helmet without trying it on, and I feel like a bastard to use a local shops inventory for fitting, and then buy it cheaper from an online discount house.
So I don't! :)
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Hi all
well scan turned out very positive and all is well,getting back to the neck brace in S.A they are very popular and are sold in the U.S.A ,i spoke to the Agent here and he asured me there are agency's in the states.
In south africa there are 3 models for motorbikes the entry adventure model ,sport ,and club they are expensive but are worth it 3% of bike accidents here result in neck and or spine injuries according to our road management corporation ,i long to ride a bike again although i cannot bend my leg and i have a steel frame screwed into my leg !i have been invited to the races tomorrow and will be cheering my friends on in there races ,hopefully there will be BMW F800 cup races tommorow ,because i cant drive a car maybe i must try to ride a Vespa and let my leg dangle ;)
JUST JOKING (MUST RIDE SOON ) withdrawl simptoms
ride safe
Brendan
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Hi guy's
the unpopular men took my bike this weekend and they say they need only about a week to repair her,the only thing is they say that the speedo and front fairing is worthless and unrepairable but they do have a R100CS fairing and light they are going to fit as well as a R80 set of forks as one stanchion of my suspension is buggered as well as my tappet cover ,they only asked me to try and get a clutch lever and indicator switch unit so off i went to my local BMW dealer (WITH LOTS OF HELP)to buy the switch is was impossibly expensive at $160 luck would have it that i still had an clutch lever on my donor bike .
the frame of my bike did not get damaged because of the cylinders and crash bars but alas my left crash bar has done its job and is in two pieces both still connected to the bike,i need a new seat surround and indicators ,but i will leave it all up to them as they LOVE stripping and building old beemers (hence being unpopular with there wife's) my injuries are getting better and i am dying to ride again and be mobile it is hard not being able to go somewhere quickly!!
well enjoy your week and ride safe
Brendan
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Hey.... that's a bit of luck for you.
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Repair mode for the LS sounds very positive Brendan. Sure wish I had friends as talented as yours!!! Sounds also like you are healing well and given your age a lot quicker than I have. The neck brace is certainly worth a second thought so I will investigate. I know...one more thing to put on!!! I wait all winter long to shed the heavy winter boots and coats and what do I do?!! Put on even heavier gear to go riding and encase my head to boot! But it works doesn't it Brendan?!! We know it does.
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That brace looks interesting - I recall seeing some riders with one doing severe downhill mtn bike racing. I may look into one for myself, though I can see where it can make the process of adjusting one's rainsuit a bit problematic. Still, there is no better advertisement than a happy (and protected) customer!
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I haven't had any personal experience of Leatt Brace, but by being involved in motorsport, on both 2 and 4 wheels I can vouch for it.
HANS devices work well, but can't be worn without seatbelts.
hmmm, wonder if we can invoice Leatt Brace for the marketing!!!!
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Terror
Have see any post lately. Wanted to see how you are doing.
Don
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Hi all i back on my feet and doing very well ,have not posted for a while as i had my laptop in for an fix .
my bike is on its wheels again and nearly ready to go ,still need a light atachment ,headlight and fairings to complete it ,but it starts and runs ,i will be posting on a more regular basis as soon as i have time because i am trying to catch up with tests and practical work so to complete my studies .
ride safe Brendan
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Glad to hear everything is going well.
Don
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Wuz starting to wonder about you! Good to hear you are recovering.
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Hey, good to hear from you again....
how far are you through your studies?