Motorcycle Racing Forum

How many times have you crashed in your career? Was it mostly as a novice or expert? What do you think is an acceptable amount of crashers per year?

After this past weekend at Summit I was curious.

twice on the bike while racing in 5 yrs. 1999 and 2004.

7 times total in 3 years.  4 racing and 3 at trackdays.

None racing.  4 times in three years doing trackdays over 75 dates though.

Once at a trackday a million years ago.  twice last season (3rd season racing) one was due to a mechanical, the other it started raining during the race.  I was in the lead and it was difficult to see how much water was coming down-luckily I found out so all the guys behind me could figure it out lol!

Once a year.  I'm good for the season since I've already had one this year.

hmmm....lemme think....

probably 2 or 3 times a year....and I've been doing this since 2003...
I've stopped counting...so let's say 8 or 10 total?


got my first one this year at Summit on Sunday...lowside T5

acceptable number? for me it would be zero...costs $$$$ to put the bike down...not to mention any injuries....
this lowside will cost about $300 - new rearsets and frame sliders....would be more but a little bit of duct tape on the upper and she's good to go.....

thankfully - no injuries...gear did it's job

Once back in 2005 at a trackday with new bike, and then once this season at the homestead race.   Like he said 0 is an acceptable amount, lol  1 bad crash (even with no injury) and money wise could be done for the season.

seems like once a year 2 track days 2 races  last put me out for the rest of this season [so much for my points lead] some guys seem to crash all the time and never get hurt. i must need more practice lol

avg 3/yr.  Early on it was because I was stupid.  Later it was because I got faster and continued pushing the envelope...

And before anyone gets all excited, 3/yr is nothing.  3/weekend is something to talk about...  (or 3x race right PJ?)

my question is for the fla boys . ive won at all three of our tracks homestead palm beach and jennings .but all crashes have been at jennings . which seems to be the choice track of the three.

HaHa....I fall down all the time...lol
I've crashed to many times to count....I've lost track...
Tho in '05 I crashed out of the LEAD like 6 or 7 times....I'm tough on equipment



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About 10ish times since '03

Last year, 4...
One came within inches of taking my life.

This year, I am focusing on less.

XIII

Just once, it wasn't with style or grace and it ended my racing career :banghead:

Fast guys crash lots. I barely ever crash.  :biggrin:
Who was it that said I would rather teach a fast guy that crashes a lot to go faster than a slow guy that barely ever crashes. I think if you are on the edge you are going to crash more often than once in 5 years. Crashing is part of the experience of racing. Its the good ones that can ride on that edge all the time and not crash that are factory racers but even they crash.

Im surprised to hear some of the replies.  My first season was last year, crashed 3 times of my own doin on dry pavement.  Once on wet pavement, that was still my own doin, and got taken out by my two wheel bros 3 times.  Mostly ya just slide it out while countin dollar signs, but I took one good whack that kinda hurt.  Percoset was my besssst friend 8).  My favorit crash, turn 2-3 at Shenandoah, two bikes hit in front of me, I dodged the bikes, but rider got hit and to my horror, slid right under my front wheel.  I rode over his legs, wadded, and ended up lying in the grass next to him.  I said,"man, sorry I ran ya over."  To which he replied, "sorry I landed in front of your bike!"  We all walked away.  Art.

Crashing Sucks!


Thats is all.

Paul
Polar-Optics LLC

I know I've gotten away with some that SHOULD have been crashes. 
That's when I just close my eyes and pin the throttle! 

Has anyone else wondered if riding out a nasty tanks slapper the rips the bars out of  your hands is anything like riding a pissed off ostrich?

Uh, what was the question?  Yeah, I've heard that concussions are cumulitave, but I don't believe... um,  how beautiful that butterfly is!  What was the question?

I have crashed 8 times in 7 years.  Hurt myself twice, once when leaving the track at a buck twenty and once from a highside.  The times that I did not hurt myself were all from losing the front.

This is my first year and I've highsided twice already.  I really hope this doesn't turn into a habit.

Raced 1 1/2 years before my first. Got ran off the track in practice. 2nd and 3rd were in the rain at Blackhawk, 1 each in my 3rd and 4th year. The last one was 2 years ago at the last race of the year at Gingerman. High speed front end tuck. Thank you Mark Stiles for not running over my head. 4 in 5 years. :cheers:

before this year, the last 4 times on the track i fell down. done better this year though. did 6 races at HPT and a race school today and haven't dumped it yet. but it'll come.

Quote from: Gixxerblade on May 07, 2007, 07:12:32 PM
Fast guys crash lots.

Mladin and Rossi don't seem to do a lot of soil sampling.  Even in testing and practice.


Since 1987, I kind of quit counting after 21...

Um, that's another story on it's own. 

Actually, it's probably around thirty though, really.

Worst was going down three times in a weekend.  I've had some years where I had no yard sales.

More of mine are as an expert as I've been an expert for a "few years". 

I think there's a good amount of risk as an amateur because of a lack of understanding.  But that doesn't mean that experts always have an understanding either.  But, as a rider gets more experienced, they can ride using that rather than using too much aggression

The other thing to remember is that many of the experts who are crashing a LOT (cough - DANO, Andy, etc) are also people who run 2-3x the amount of races that the rest of the people do per weekend, so their chances for crashing are much higher with that alone :-)  More opportunity! LOL...

Dave, you're right on Mladin & Rossi, but take someone with a lot of potential and a working-man's budget and you'll get more crashes...  When you're riding on the best of everything that money can buy which is serviced by a team of professionals every time you're not on the bike, there's a more consistent platform to work from.

The rest of us can get caught by suspension which should be serviced but we need to push it one more weekend, or on tires that we try to push for 1 more race, etc...  I do agree that fast doesn't always equate to more crashes though.  Fast by brains has far less crashes than fast by balls...

Ed Key is a great example...  (although I cursed him last year by saying "Ed's the guy who NEVER crashes.  Not 2 laps later he crashed right in front of me & the people I was talking to...  I felt bad...)

I usually did 4 races a weekend last year and crashed a total of 6 or 7 times last year, most of which resulted from rain or lack there of.  One time, my run off had a pond in it, another was the first time trying out rains, another got caught on a dry track with a front rain tire and lost the front on the last lap of a sprint, two times I got the front taken out by/because of other traffic, the last time I was just asking too much of the rear on a damp track and got spit off.  Thankfully Chris and everyone behind missed running me over as I slid down the back straight. 

This year, I'd really like to reduce that number, but thankfully God was watching out for me the whole season so no injuries.   8)

no "real" crashes in 2 yrs of racing!  :biggrin: (kock on wood)

i said the same thing about ed it must have been collective telepathy i felt so bad too  i tried wood too Rob it didn't work.maybe max life and disabilty ins . you never break down if you bring tools.

Quote from: Jeff on May 08, 2007, 09:29:12 AMEd Key is a great example...  (although I cursed him last year by saying "Ed's the guy who NEVER crashes.  Not 2 laps later he crashed right in front of me & the people I was talking to...  I felt bad...)

I've been chasing Ed Key since 1998. In all those years, and all those races, I think I've seen the man crash 3 times. I'm sure I've crashed a dozen or more times trying to keep up with him during that same period.

Quote from: Jeff on May 08, 2007, 09:29:12 AM
Fast by brains has far less crashes than fast by balls...

I believe I'll tack that one on as a signature line for a while so I remember it.

I crashed in the first ever practice session of my first ever race at Grattan.  No one told me the track disappears at T3! :ahhh:


I got better.  :thumb:

Quote from: Thingy on May 07, 2007, 11:05:31 PM
Hurt myself twice, once when leaving the track at a buck twenty and once from a highside.  The times that I did not hurt myself were all from losing the front.

I would like to note both times he got hurt were at BHF and wegman weekends.  Do to this I think he shouldn't be allowed to race RA during Red Flag Fund weekend.

Also, I would like to note most accidents that happen are do to saying something dumb and provoking the crash gods.  IE:

Bill the in my truck on the way to weekend at BHF "I haven't crashed in three years and the last time was at BHF during Wegman" followed by "since you are looking at new boots you should get ones like my SIDI's they offer awesome protection and there is practically no way of hurting your foot in these things"  Results from said quotes, broken leg and heal from said crash that weekend!

Me in my truck on the way to HPT "I'm swamped at work and can't get hurt this weekend.  If I get hurt don't take me back home" followed by the next day at the track after my first practice session "turn 5 or turn 9 is going to get me"  Results from said quotes, turn 5 did get me and they didn't take me home either! :lmao:

I fell off at Daytona in 2000 going up the banking in Nascar 3, hurt my foot pretty good. You know the infield care center is free. Old guys like me have to be carefull, just glad to be back after 7 years trying to get over the whole bike racing thing

Quote from: BRICKMAN on May 11, 2007, 11:37:18 AM
I fell off at Daytona in 2000 going up the banking in Nascar 3, hurt my foot pretty good. You know the infield care center is free. Old guys like me have to be carefull, just glad to be back after 7 years trying to get over the whole bike racing thing

I kept wondering when the bill would show up, kind of a nice surprise.

7 years and coming back this means I'll never get over this wallet draining,  neck breaking,no sponsor ridiculous racing for a cup. you know when I had a drag car we would not get out of bed for less than a $1000.00 to win  I love it.

Quote from: Ducmarc on May 11, 2007, 11:59:55 AM
7 years and coming back this means I'll never get over this wallet draining,  neck breaking,no sponsor ridiculous racing for a cup. you know when I had a drag car we would not get out of bed for less than a $1000.00 to win  I love it.

Well I can race for about 80.00$ if I just want to do F-40 add one more and that,s about 135.00$ new tires 300.00 driving to the track 50.00 oh plus 25.00 gate fee, Hey somebody buy my 06 F4I so I can get some exta $$ in my pocket

Quote from: klebs01 on May 07, 2007, 11:19:56 PM
This is my first year and I've highsided twice already.  I really hope this doesn't turn into a habit.

Pls get advice from others more experienced than me, but I had similar luck earlier in my race career. Counter-intuatively, you are likely not entering the turns fast enough and not carrying enough cornerspeed, ... which makes one greedy with the throttle mid-turn and on the way out. Something to think about and/or work on during practice.

Quote from: klebs01 on May 07, 2007, 11:19:56 PM
This is my first year and I've highsided twice already.  I really hope this doesn't turn into a habit.

Quit highsiding, that shit hurts. Lowsiding in where it's at !

Quote from: xseal on May 11, 2007, 02:21:28 PM
Pls get advice from others more experienced than me, but I had similar luck earlier in my race career. Counter-intuatively, you are likely not entering the turns fast enough and not carrying enough cornerspeed, ... which makes one greedy with the throttle mid-turn and on the way out. Something to think about and/or work on during practice.

Now that I think about that, It kinda makes sense.  I think I have something to work on next time at the track.

Well never on the roadrace track. Now on the street or the dirty track; well more than I can count and more skin left on tress and blood on the street. Worst accident though was on bicycle.

10 years of racing 96-05 . As I started really pushing the edge I moved into a safety position and my attention on track started being concentrated on what I needed to do when I got off track to the point I felt I was becoming a hazard (head was not in the race). My racing slowly dropped off from sprints and endurance each weekend to just endurance then just sprint (yes one a weekend) then last year(05) I ran just two endurance stints on others' bikes( :thumb: K3, and Randy Kale). I had more to do than race on a weekend so that is what I did.  Strange I don't miss racing as much as if I was not around it, I went 4 years without a street bike 89-93 and that messed with me more. I know that the people in racing are just as great as any rush I ever got on the track. boy I ended up on a side track there :poke:

Quote from: xseal on May 11, 2007, 02:21:28 PM
Pls get advice from others more experienced than me, but I had similar luck earlier in my race career. Counter-intuatively, you are likely not entering the turns fast enough and not carrying enough cornerspeed, ... which makes one greedy with the throttle mid-turn and on the way out. Something to think about and/or work on during practice.

I am not sure I totally agree with that. I see your point xseal and I'm sure that what you say is true for some, but what if someone is on a faster bike than you? Say you are both around the same spot mid corner.  As you approach corner-exit, you know damn well no matter what your drive out will be, that guy is probably going to pull you in on the straights (think straight like summit main).  so as corner exit approaches, you whack the throttle a little earlier than him.   I have seen high sides happen from this.  When someone is absolutely ringing a bike's neck. In my example, I would say poor throttle control is the culprit

Of course, I could be way off. You may have meant opening the throttle mid corner. I am talking corner-exit.

Thoughts ?

Quote from: Court Jester on May 07, 2007, 11:25:30 PM
...but it'll come.

and it came

Quote from: Court Jester on May 13, 2007, 09:22:58 PM

and it came

How you feeling by the way?

I almost don't have an actual real number.. But let me try to count - it has to be in the 25 range.. I started at the end of 03' - in 05' I think I fell off 12 times??? This season I fell off 3 times at the Daytona AMA's - twice in practice and once in the 200....I have had more get offs as an expert - but like Dave said - I have been an expert longer then I was an amateur... Some of them were my fault - some other peoples fault - some just shit that happens (oil on track - or the like).. If you ride on the edge you are more likely to have shit go wrong - it's how fast you can process the information and react to what is happening.... If you watch Rossi closely - you can see that he has stuff going on almost every lap - but he can minimize problems better then anyone I have seen.....   From motocross I had the mentality that the only way I was going to learn where my limits were was by going to far - well that's all fine with a bent set of handle bars on a dirtbike - but it's more expensive in road racing... So I had to learn to push to the limit - and once I went just that little bit past it - I knew that was the limit of my ability/chassis set up/tires/track/ and at that point I would have to make a change to at least one of those things(if not all of them) before I could go further.... It's all a learning process :)

Crashed my first year when I was 16-17 in Wera 6 hour practice.  Pre-tire warmers. First practice, first session, sixth turn, lost the front.  100% my fault.  2 broken ankles, tibia, wrist.

Crashed my first year back to the sport in over a decade.  2001, at TD putnam.  100% my fault. Got into the second-to-last-corner a bit hot.  Squeaked off the edge of the track at the exit, wet grass, stood it up and saved it....was entering the woods at highspeed so I locked the F brake and pulled the bars to the stop to put it down.  Freak injury...broken ankle.

2002, hit the wall at Gateway in GTU but saved it.  Broke a couple ribs.

2002, got 100% taken out (that's racing risk we take...never any hard feelings).  Big-highside...Unconscious, possible severe (thankfully not) neck injuries, 3 days hospital observation.  Looked at racing a lot differently after that one.  Was never the same.  Lacerated my kidney, no big deal.

It's still fun, but I am not nearly as serious about trying to go fast anymore.  Not worth it.

now that I can read rrw cover to cover 'with the hospital bed and all'  there was a letter to the editor about reverse rotating rotors reducing high sides. did I miss something?