I'm head over heels!

[R_Lefebvre]

Strange thing happened yesterday. 2 friends and I were doing some trail riding on our enduros in Ganaraska Forest. Mix of single track and ATV trails. At one point I took the lead to try and guide the group back to the truck using the GPS. We were going down a wide ATV trail at a pretty good clip, and approaching an intersection, I started to slow to about 50 km/h (I think) to make a turn. I may or may not have glanced down at the GPS... I'm not sure, it all happened so fast.

All I know for sure is that as I approached the intersection, my bike suddenly reared up, the back end shooting for the sky. It's amazing at these moments how time seems to slow. As I'm flying over the handlebars, I was trying to think ****** just happened. Did a stick somehow get stuck in front wheel, because that's what it felt like! Over the handlebars I go, I think I landed on my back and rolled. The bike landed upsidedown behind me.

The "accident reconstruction" revealed that a 1" by ~3 foot stick had been lying on the ground, I think maybe it was kicked up by the front wheel. All we know for sure is it SPEARED the chain guide! The odds are astronomical. It speared the chain guide on the bottom of the swing arm, and the other end must have dug into the dirt and the bike went up like a pole vaulter.

 

[Doin_It]

Good to see you are here to tell the tale. I know it wasn't funny at the time, but it'll be one of those stories your buddies will tell with a giggle in their voice, of you going over the front on a short flight path to the ground.

Reminds me of my uncle, back in the day, when I was growing up in Afric, he was the maintainence eng. at a large hospital there. Anyway, he had a Honda 90 he would zip around the large compound on, (you had to know him, he was a real character) anyway he see's a pop can on the ground and decides to run over it for fun. The can wraps around the front tire, comes up under the fender and just like you, he took a short flight over the front. Few bumps etc, not funny then, but we do laugh now. Take care............

 

[805gregg]

Wow, you must of had good riding gear on. ATGATT.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Actually yes, I do have good gear. I wear a Fox Launch suit, shin protectors and MX boots.

It's the only way to fly. :elkgrin: I find typical roost protectors next to useless in a fall. They only protect you from roost. These suits are great. The most important part is the spine protector, not really visible in that image. Also, the shoulder pads and elbow pads are actually in position where you need them, as opposed to flopping around on roost protectors.

I know it wasn't funny at the time, but it'll be one of those stories your buddies will tell with a giggle in their voice, of you going over the front on a short flight path to the ground.

In fact, once I completed a "systems check" and all was well, I was laughing. It was kinda funny, no harm no foul. I mean, what are the odds. A friend was right behind me, he said the bike went pure vertical, then rolled over sideways and landed on it's side, and would have cart wheeled if the ground hadn't been sandy.

I had another good fall last year I think it was. Bike got out from under me on some rocks, I went over the now-sideways handlebars and landed flat on my back, right on some sharp broken rocks. The back protector really paid for itself then.

 

[sinuhexavier]

 

[Scott Brady]

holly crap Sinuhe, nice find! yard sale. . .

 

[R_Lefebvre]

****** did that guy do? Looks like he jumped over the crest, saw the turn coming and slammed on the front brake as he landed and did an endo. And looks like street boots from the look of it, MX boots would never come off like that. Even on road, I greatly prefer MX boots.

 

[Maximus Ram]

Good to read your ok...how's the bike ?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Bike is fine. Nice thing about enduros, they're pretty hard to damage. I mean, the bike isn't pristine, it obviously looks like it's used. But that's what any raced bike looks like unless you're a sponsored rider getting a new bike or two every season.