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[ak]

Thanks to all for well wishes and condolances.  I'm fine, little sore, dislocated finger snaped back  no problem.   The young man that died  didn't have the seat time splitting traffic and should not have been expected to run with more experienced riders. He was wearing novelity helmet backwards...don't think a dot would have made much difference with this accident.

As JC mentioned I had to retire my novelity helmet witch I used alot.  On multi state rides I also would bring my full face for cold wheather or long hours on bike to reduce fatigue factor.On saturday I wore the full face cause of the cold (glad for that) I was last bike in pack because I wanted to get used to riding with full face (I"m used to seeing more to the left and right)
 and made my mind up that I wasn't going to split traffic at 90 on this ride, knew where everyone was headed so why push.  

For whatever reason 3 of us did realize that the car on the freeway were completely stoped I went from 75 to 0 in about 1/2 a block hard breakes front, rear 125ft skid mark, upright everything fine no panic going for soft shoulder to left of fast lane someone else zeroed in on same spot figured out he was going to stop before i could so i force the bike sideways for a while a when I got within 10 feet of him grabed the front break to put her down, let the bike go out from underneath me.  Landed on right hip and shoulder back of helmit hit  asphalt. Crash bar worked great the seeg handled great all the way down. Damage inner/outer faring ,front fender,right glove box and lower,right bag gone,both floor boards.  Frame,forks,motor,are fine. I feel this site is my second home and enjoy each and everone of you,

Thanks-AK

P/S  I,m on my spare till the seeg gets fixed let's ride.

[Twolanerider]

Just glad to know you're ok.  Thanks for the heads up Andy.

[ak]

I don,t take lightly about my friend and his son not ready to go into to much detail there. I can say he didn,t have an exit strategy and ran out of time to come up with one.-AK

[GC_Super]

AK, certainly glad you'r going to be OK.  Bikes can be fixed or sold. Sounds like your experience was a big factor in your ability to avoid a worse situation. We can all learn from others mistakes. I crashed over 25 years ago, and I'll never forget how hard my head hit the pavement. The fact that I was wearing a helmet I'm sure saved me from serious injury. To this day, I always keep my head covered, just something I am used to and plan to keep it that way. My condolences for your friend and his family. Must be especially tough to go through something like that. Best of luck.   [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

Later, Robert

[MYCVO]

AK,
Never a good thing to hear about a rider going down. But, when it does happen and riding experience plays into the downing, more often the results are a much better turn out, Thank god!
 It's sucks to hear of the young guy that didn’t make it. I wont debate the helmet issue, I believe that his lack of experience would be the largest factor that he's not here now. And it's a shame.My sympathies go out to his family and friends and all concerned
 We spend a great deal of time, and money, and whatever else on these machines that we think are such a big part of our lives. ( just a machine) Fix it, don't fix it, replace it, or don't. It's just a machine, we make it more than it is.
Big thing is you came through!! cause you S.E.E. (Saw what’s coming. Evaluated the situation, and Executed the maneuvers)
Glad to hear that your up and riding and getting the SEEG repaired to roll again. You did good.
MYCVO    

[110tHunDer]

AK, thanks for the post and glad you (and the bike) are gonna be alright.  You did the right thing to back off or not to follow even though the others were pushing it.  That can be REALLY tough to do sometimes when you're in a group like that.

One thing about a situation like this, it's certainly tragic with the death of the young man, but the good thing is, you can see this has already caused a bunch of the folks here at your "second home" to think twice about the safety aspect of riding.

[spydglide]

Andy, thanks for sharing those details of the accident.  I'm always eager to learn from those situations. You know what they say: you're never too old to learn!  Har!  I'm also very pleased to hear that you're up and at 'em, ready to ride. I too, have been trying to get used to wearing a full face helmet lately....having trouble w/ the lack of side vision also.  Get the SEEG fixed, let us hear how that goes and I'm looking forward to meeting you, in person, next summer.   [smiley=2vrolijk_21.gif]  spyder

[JCZ]

Andy, thanks for sharing those details of the accident.  I'm always eager to learn from those situations. You know what they say: you're never too old to learn!  Har!  I'm also very pleased to hear that you're up and at 'em, ready to ride. I too, have been trying to get used to wearing a full face helmet lately....having trouble w/ the lack of side vision also.  Get the SEEG fixed, let us hear how that goes and I'm looking forward to meeting you, in person, next summer.   [smiley=2vrolijk_21.gif]  spyder

No Spyder..........this summer......six months from now! [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]

Andy, I'll be down Sat.  You already know how I feel.........I shared that with you on our calls......and I'll say it again, right here.  I would really, really miss you a lot if anything ever happened to you and I want you to know that I truely value you as a friend and a mentor!  I love you brother.


As for the full face helmet thing........it was damn hard for me to get used to.  I too, am one of those that has a wide range of perrephreal vision (side to side while looking straight ahead) and that was something.  I can tell you that I just kept thinking about my jaw (was still wired when I first got back on the bike, after my accident and left side is still all numb like I just came from the dentist and I'll live with that the rest of my life, according to the Dr.).  Two weeks after wearing that helmet, I was totally used to it.  Four weeks into it, I could not ride without a full face helmet without feeling vulnerable as hell.  This coming from a guy that's been riding since the early 70's and most of that with no helmet.  For that grace period, I thank God!  JMHO

[spydglide]

No Spyder..........this summer......six months from now! [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]

Two weeks after wearing that helmet, I was totally used to it.  Four weeks into it, I could not ride without a full face helmet without feeling vulnerable as hell.  

JK, the NEXT summer....THIS summer is long gone!...it's COLD here on the East Coast!  Har!  I have a question for those of you that have gotten use to the full face helmet......I'm talking about the kind you've got w/ the chin bar........how do you wear glasses?  The helmet I've got fits so tight on the temples and around the eyes that none of my glasses/sun-glasses can be left on when putting on or taking off the helmet w/o mashing the temples of the glasses, etc., and no way can you slide 'um on after that bad boy is on your head.  Right now, that along w/ the loss of side vision are my biggest probs w/ making the transition.  Any thoughts?  :-/   spyder

[SEUC-OCD]

P/S  I,m on my spare till the seeg gets fixed let's ride.

Excellent!   [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]

JK, the NEXT summer....THIS summer is long gone!...it's COLD here on the East Coast!  Har!  I have a question for those of you that have gotten use to the full face helmet......I'm talking about the kind you've got w/ the chin bar........how do you wear glasses?  The helmet I've got fits so tight on the temples and around the eyes that none of my glasses/sun-glasses can be left on when putting on or taking off the helmet w/o mashing the temples of the glasses, etc., and no way can you slide 'um on after that bad boy is on your head.  Right now, that along w/ the loss of side vision are my biggest probs w/ making the transition.  Any thoughts?  :-/   spyder

Sypder,  I found 2 things that worked:  
 
- I found (after looking long and hard and many tries) that there are glasses that are completely flat from front to back.  Amazingly enough, the most comfortable pair I found was at a harware store as protective work glasses, but they look sporty enough, block the sun and fit under the full face.  They are hard to find, but they work and slide right in.
 
- I now buy helmets a size bigger, and wear a leather do-rag (untied) under the helmet.  It helps protect the lining, covers helmet head, and allows for a little more room for glasses (just enough it seems), while still allowing for a snug fit.  It is not as tight on my cheeks (that's why the glasses fit) but it is still tight from top down, and no bobble.
 
Oddly enough, I have switched to a half-helmet since I moved to TX because it is just too damed hot for a full face in summer.  I may be able to live with a 3/4, which I am seriously contemplating so I can take advantage of the intercom/cb/bluetooth.

[Twolanerider]

Oddly enough, I have switched to a half-helmet since I moved to TX because it is just too damed hot for a full face in summer.  I may be able to live with a 3/4, which I am seriously contemplating so I can take advantage of the intercom/cb/bluetooth.

SEUC, if you're considering a 3/4 one to at least look at is a model called a Classic/M from Arai.  When I went to a 3/4 a year and a half or so ago it's what I settled on.  One of the reasons why was some really effective and adustable venting through the helmet to keep it from being so darned hot.  

[JCZ]

JK, the NEXT summer....THIS summer is long gone!...it's COLD here on the East Coast!  Har!  I have a question for those of you that have gotten use to the full face helmet......I'm talking about the kind you've got w/ the chin bar........how do you wear glasses?  The helmet I've got fits so tight on the temples and around the eyes that none of my glasses/sun-glasses can be left on when putting on or taking off the helmet w/o mashing the temples of the glasses, etc., and no way can you slide 'um on after that bad boy is on your head.  Right now, that along w/ the loss of side vision are my biggest probs w/ making the transition.  Any thoughts?  :-/   spyder

Hijacking this thread for just another moment.  Spyder I subscribe to Motorcycle Consumer News....it's the Consumer Reports Magazine of the motorcycle industry and they do not accept advertising of any sort from anybody.....so they are not beholding to anybody and can stay objective.  They did a test of all the flip face (full face, where the entire front end opens up to talk or whatever, when you stop, without having to take the helmet off) helmets and the Nolan N-100, while below average in cost of all the helmets they tested, came in #1 for two years in a row, now.

That's the one that I bought and I wear sun glasses with it every time I ride.  I put the helmet on first, then the glasses.  I remove the glasses first, then the helmet.   I have tried other helmets on at the store and have experienced what you referred to......the tightness of the pads around the temples.  So, I think it's all in the design of the particular helmet.  I'm very happy with my Nolan N-100 (black, of course!)

Now, back to Andy's thread........................

[erniezap]

Andy,

Like I said on the phone, I'm 10 minutes and a phone call away if you need anything.  Let's get together this weekend.

[ak]

I,ll give you a call planning on seeing Jim at cow palace-AK

[erniezap]

I,ll give you a call planning on seeing Jim at cow palace-AK

Same here.  I think that JC will down and I'm checking on the group that I ride with...