robermv32
Active Member
As I was getting my first bike from my neighbor a local Ma and Pa Harley Dealer ( sold about 10 bikes a year ) he said that he wouldn't sell me one until he taught me a few things first. ( I was only interested in the new 90cc. model, yep, I'm old ) The man took me to a grassy field and showed me how to get out from under a bike as it's falling. He made me practice braking so that you can direct the bike where you hope it will go. He also told me that there were two kinds of Motorcycle riders, those who have been down and those that are going down. I progressed from that little 90cc up to the Superglides in a few carefree years of riding. Then in 1976 it happened to me . March 26th, a beautiful spring day in Upstate New York. I took my brand new 1976 FXE 1200 out for it's first ride. In a S-Curve with a road connection I was doing about 30mph when the cage just turned in front of me. I saw it coming but there wasn't enough time to avoid hitting him. I slammed the rear brake and turned the bars hard left. I let the rear wheel come out, then hit the front brake hard. She went down and slid out from under me and to the left.
Me, I Hit him right in the passenger side door almost head first. The police said I did almost $2000.00 worth of damage to the side of his car with my helmet. The bike was skidding off to the left so when I became part of his car, it continued along the roadway thereby saving me it's momentum and inertia. I woke up in the road and first thought it was a dream, until I saw that machine laying on it's side down the road. My leather jacket sleeve got caught on his hubcab extentions and I got a "severely twisted fracture of the upper arm just above the elbow.It took 11 months to get the arm fixed up. The only thing I can say is that when it happens it happens fast. Ride like it's going to happen and you ride safe. Show off .....well, youtube is full of those fellas. I stayed off bikes for almost 30 years ....until I saw the new Softail Custom. Now, I'm always looking at the other drivers ...I know they're not looking at me.
Me, I Hit him right in the passenger side door almost head first. The police said I did almost $2000.00 worth of damage to the side of his car with my helmet. The bike was skidding off to the left so when I became part of his car, it continued along the roadway thereby saving me it's momentum and inertia. I woke up in the road and first thought it was a dream, until I saw that machine laying on it's side down the road. My leather jacket sleeve got caught on his hubcab extentions and I got a "severely twisted fracture of the upper arm just above the elbow.It took 11 months to get the arm fixed up. The only thing I can say is that when it happens it happens fast. Ride like it's going to happen and you ride safe. Show off .....well, youtube is full of those fellas. I stayed off bikes for almost 30 years ....until I saw the new Softail Custom. Now, I'm always looking at the other drivers ...I know they're not looking at me.
