It hurts crashing at 45....

[Ga426owner]

Yesterday I had a very high speed crash in Alabama at one of my favorite tracks Big Cedar.....I can barely type right now and my body is in excruating pain....I ran into a rider friend of mine who forgot rule number 1.....ALWAYS KEEP YOUR LINE......he drifted from far right to far left as I came up to pass him on the left....at the point on impact I remember god please do not let me break anything....the impact took me out, my friend who can not keep a straight line out and my friend behind me that ran over both of us. My shoulder pads saved me from crushing my chest cavity and ir broke apart in 4 different places....my bike is tore up pretty bad...as I was more mad about this than my own health at the time....my new helmet is toast but my head is ok....good news.

I am praying my forks are not bent....but looks like lots of damage to other parts of my bike. Seems like the crash gods get me about every 2 - 3 yrs, but this one really has me thinking about how much longer I can continue this. I have been riding since I was a young kid 5/6 yrs old...My back is totally tweaked, my chest is sore - probably a creacked sternum and some bruised or cracked ribs and my left thumb is really jammed...size of a baseball right now. I may go get some XRays to appease myself and my wife. I would say that I was full throttle at point of impact - 45-55mph and I am just thankful that I did not get hurt worse...a 2nd time in a helecopter lifeflight is not on my schedule. Thank you God for keeping me intact....but please help me get mobile and quick....I have to work this week and fly out of town. I am not sure if I can even dress myself or get out of a bed as my wife has helped me do these simple task today....

So when is enough enough......this is what my mind is pondering right now....to retire from the 1 sport that I have been raised with and am pretty good at....this really sux.....and this was play riding....last ride of the day and I was flying...cant wait to see what my bike needs to be repaired.....I have no desire to even look at it right now.....anyway a crappy thread to start but I needed to vent......again when is enough enough?

[dbehr624]

Wow, that sounds terrible!! I hope you dont have any broken bones, and i hope you heal quickly. As for enough is enough.....in my opinion, its when you arent having fun, or the bad outweigh they good. I guess you decide that one though.

[Birdy426]

Enough is enough when you get onthe bike, start it up, go out to ride, and decide "Hell...this ain't fun any more..." I don't race, and don't ride nearly as fast as I used to. I've come to grips with not healing as fast as I used to, not reacting as fast as I used to, not being in as good a shape as I used to, etc, etc, but am not ready to quit yet, so I ride a bit slower, let the kids think they're fast, and still have a blast in the dez.

[grayracer513]

I have felt your pain, to be sure. In '04, I broke both arms in the same crash at Ocotillo Wells when the bike started swinging its tail in some whoops at 40-45, and I got slammed over the high side. That, of course, was when I was 9 or 10 years older than you are now. If I had been your current age, I would perhaps not have been so badly injured, but the same things went through my mind. I rejected those thoughts almost immediately. I gave up motorcycles once before already. But now, for me, riding with my son is just too important, and riding in general is just too big a part of who I am to be able to give it up.

But, I did re-evaluate how important it is to me to win versus be healthy, and to recalculate the risk factors involved and make some adjustments in how hard I'm willing to push in different circumstances. I still ride, and if the track is not too "modern", I'll race, if there's an age appropriate class, or at least, no one who looks like they're going to confuse getting past me in a Saturday sportsman race with winning a Pro National. I don't do doubles or jumps with steep face angles. To me, that's not real MX, anyway. I would as soon ride trails hard or the desert with a group of friends, and some of the best days are when my son and I are just out by ourselves.

You don't have to give it up, but it's a good idea to make some adjustments as you go along. Sometimes, some of us need to be reminded the hard way that we're going pretty fast, and that the sport is, in fact, dangerous, lest we actually hurt ourselves seriously.

Heal well, Dave.

[steve_97060]

It's a question I think about alot also and I am 4 years older...I just got back on the bike in august after a 20 year layoff, when I quit 20 years ago I was racing expert level and virtually all of my major joints in my body ached or made funny sounds when I moved them, I also had a displaced disc, so I was in pain virtually all the time. I was actually getting concerned with the amount of pain killers I was constantly taking...I needed surgery on my shoulder blade and during the healing time I decided to give it all up and try and get healed, it took years to feel normal again...

Fast forward to last summer, my son finally talked me into getting him a bike after putting him off for years, I had held off because I didn't want him to end up all injured like I had been. But I decided to go ahead and buy one, after riding it, I knew I had to have one again so I bought the YZ450. I have had only a couple of get offs so far, nothing too bad.. But I love the time me and my son (and brother and his 2 boys) have riding together, but I constantly find myself looking back and checking on him whenever we go over a double or big jump to make sure he cleared it ok...

I know this sport is inherently dangerous so I worry about him, and I make sure we both wear all of our protective equipment at all times, I am thinking about replacing our neck rolls with Leatts now...When he asks if I am going to do a big jump or something, I tell him I have to go to work tomorrow so unless it is something I know I can do without too much worry, I don't do it. I still worry about getting injured though, not much you can do about that though except try to ride safe and smart, and as you found out, be careful of the riders around you, and the ones you are trying to get by...

I ride to have fun now, not impress anyone or try to beat anyone, I have picked up alot of my old speed fairly quickly, but like Clint say's.. " A man has got to know his limitations".. So, even though I know I can clear this big triple that no one else is doing, and the kids ask if I am going to do it, nut gunna happen...

So, I guess what I'm saying is, this is a decision that only we can make, taking into account the risks and the rewards... It's not an easy decision, and either way you go, chances are you will wonder, worry, or second guess yourself.....good luck, and more importantly, get well soon....

[Ga426owner]

Guys thanks for the responses....plain and simple, I am still hving fun riding, and I choose to play ride/test and tinker these days more than racing. But damn, I hurt like hell right now. My friend who edged over feels like total crap as he realized his mistake immediately....it could have been worse. There was only one way to avoid it...and that meant no last ride for the day...as usual I had to go back for more, and was having a big time all the way up to impact.

Geez, where is that bottle of pain killers and muscle relaxers.....time for another pill or 2.....it stinks getting hurt like this at 45.....?

[Yamahafan]

GA426,

I feel your pain but from a different angle. I have played almost ice hockey my entire life. Six years ago I was playing A level hockey against 20 year-old college kids and semi-pros. My ice hockey team has won the B league championship 3 of the last 4 years and I was the leading or second leading scorer on our team. I can still play at a high level, but I am dead tired the next day and at almost 43 it is almost time to hang it up. Every season I get a little slower and sometimes it is hard to deal when the body won't move where the mind tells it to. I am tired of the facial scars, chipped teeth, elbow hyperextensions, etc. from playing and would rather put my energy into riding.

Since I stared riding MX 4 years ago I have progressed to a High C / Low B level. From day one I decided to only ride hard enough to have fun, get a little better every time out, avoid taking chances that would prevent me from going to work on Monday. I have been tempted to try racing in the 40+ class, but I am afraid that I am so competitive that I would end up riding above my ability and I might have less fun due to the pressure. One of the reasons I enjoy MX so much is that I have nothing to prove.

It is hard to play/ride at a very high level and accept that you need to change your expectation mindset as your body ages and you take on additional (family) responsibilities. If you want to keep riding you have to decide what level you can ride at and still have fun without taking on too much risk.

It sounds like your recent accident wasn't caused by you taking excessive risks, but by your friend making a bone-headed move. Work on your bike until you heal and order a Leatt brace NOW so you are protected from the ultimate crash injury from other bone-heads. I won't ride again without mine.

Good luck with your recovery

[642MX]

You ask when is it time to quit? I say when the risk isn't worth the reward.

At 28 years old, I've already learned to slow down a bit if I want to be doing this when I'm in my 50's.

[Florida_426]

Man the crash sounds brutal. Sorry to read you are dinged up. The x-rays may be a good idea if you took a hard chest hit. I am 50 now and a veteran of 12 surgeries, all non moto related, and cautious now. the titanium in my back and the lack of abdominal muscle panels makes me leery of a bad get off.

Only you can ever make the decision to finally call it quits, except when the wife puts her foot down, of course. I hope you feel better and heal up quick, Ii enjoy reading your posts and hope to make it up your way some time to ride. Be safe and best of luck. You are in my prayers.

Bill

[cubera]

Guys thanks for the responses....plain and simple, I am still hving fun riding, and I choose to play ride/test and tinker these days more than racing. But damn, I hurt like hell right now. My friend who edged over feels like total crap as he realized his mistake immediately....it could have been worse. There was only one way to avoid it...and that meant no last ride for the day...as usual I had to go back for more, and was having a big time all the way up to impact.

Geez, where is that bottle of pain killers and muscle relaxers.....time for another pill or 2.....it stinks getting hurt like this at 45.....?

I can feel your pain. Sounds like you're hurt pretty bad but you'll heal....that's the good news. You'll be back on the bike sooner than you think:thumbsup:

[BergArabia]

Pain is a great teacher and the older we get it seems the more pain is involved in a get off.. I don't really ride competitively, just for fun. But I have slowed down a bit after breaking a few bones. I think it is pretty normal.. I am 50 and don't need to be the fastest or best jumper but I do still like to have some fun. I hope that you can keep enjoying what you love without the pain...

[torqueme]

Happens to all of us sooner or later and as deeply as most of us are involved in motorcycle culture, it makes the decisions that much harder. Speaking only from my personal experience, give yourself a chance to heal physically before contemplating this decision too much. Work on your bike while you heal & the answers will come. I gave up the track at 41 but still ride challenging trails almost every weekend & still come home sore. I get as much joy from passing on the sport to my son & his pals today. Godspeed in your healing...and remember, HAVE FUN!!

[Super Dude]

Yesterday I had a very high speed crash in Alabama at one of my favorite tracks Big Cedar.....I can barely type right now and my body is in excruating pain....I ran into a rider friend of mine who forgot rule number 1.....ALWAYS KEEP YOUR LINE......he drifted from far right to far left as I came up to pass him on the left....at the point on impact I remember god please do not let me break anything....the impact took me out, my friend who can not keep a straight line out and my friend behind me that ran over both of us. My shoulder pads saved me from crushing my chest cavity and ir broke apart in 4 different places....my bike is tore up pretty bad...as I was more mad about this than my own health at the time....my new helmet is toast but my head is ok....good news.

I am praying my forks are not bent....but looks like lots of damage to other parts of my bike. Seems like the crash gods get me about every 2 - 3 yrs, but this one really has me thinking about how much longer I can continue this. I have been riding since I was a young kid 5/6 yrs old...My back is totally tweaked, my chest is sore - probably a creacked sternum and some bruised or cracked ribs and my left thumb is really jammed...size of a baseball right now. I may go get some XRays to appease myself and my wife. I would say that I was full throttle at point of impact - 45-55mph and I am just thankful that I did not get hurt worse...a 2nd time in a helecopter lifeflight is not on my schedule. Thank you God for keeping me intact....but please help me get mobile and quick....I have to work this week and fly out of town. I am not sure if I can even dress myself or get out of a bed as my wife has helped me do these simple task today....

So when is enough enough......this is what my mind is pondering right now....to retire from the 1 sport that I have been raised with and am pretty good at....this really sux.....and this was play riding....last ride of the day and I was flying...cant wait to see what my bike needs to be repaired.....I have no desire to even look at it right now.....anyway a crappy thread to start but I needed to vent......again when is enough enough?

Sorry to hear, but to put the blame on your pal is LAME. You don't know if hes coming up on a rut or boulder and needed to change lines (passing is always a big risk). I supose that if your partner slams on his brakes and you hit him its his fault too. Sorry to say but yes i think you should retire before you really hurt somebody by riding unsafe. Before i pass a buddy i drop a rev to let him know im there.

[tammie]

i always liked that saying,

"You don't stop riding cuz you are old, you get old cuz you stop riding"!!!!

Hope you heal up ok.

[NVDESERTPETE]

Yesterday I had a very high speed crash in Alabama at one of my favorite tracks Big Cedar.....I can barely type right now and my body is in excruating pain....I ran into a rider friend of mine who forgot rule number 1.....ALWAYS KEEP YOUR LINE......he drifted from far right to far left as I came up to pass him on the left....at the point on impact I remember god please do not let me break anything....the impact took me out, my friend who can not keep a straight line out and my friend behind me that ran over both of us. My shoulder pads saved me from crushing my chest cavity and ir broke apart in 4 different places....my bike is tore up pretty bad...as I was more mad about this than my own health at the time....my new helmet is toast but my head is ok....good news.

I am praying my forks are not bent....but looks like lots of damage to other parts of my bike. Seems like the crash gods get me about every 2 - 3 yrs, but this one really has me thinking about how much longer I can continue this. I have been riding since I was a young kid 5/6 yrs old...My back is totally tweaked, my chest is sore - probably a creacked sternum and some bruised or cracked ribs and my left thumb is really jammed...size of a baseball right now. I may go get some XRays to appease myself and my wife. I would say that I was full throttle at point of impact - 45-55mph and I am just thankful that I did not get hurt worse...a 2nd time in a helecopter lifeflight is not on my schedule. Thank you God for keeping me intact....but please help me get mobile and quick....I have to work this week and fly out of town. I am not sure if I can even dress myself or get out of a bed as my wife has helped me do these simple task today....

So when is enough enough......this is what my mind is pondering right now....to retire from the 1 sport that I have been raised with and am pretty good at....this really sux.....and this was play riding....last ride of the day and I was flying...cant wait to see what my bike needs to be repaired.....I have no desire to even look at it right now.....anyway a crappy thread to start but I needed to vent......again when is enough enough?

Hope you're doing OK? I'm 51 and screwed up pretty good last year on an RMZ450 in 3rd gear, RMZ450's only have 4. Don't quit! Just realize that you are getting older and that you will recover but it's going to take longer. I used to race Motocross and Flattrack when I was younger. Just staying ahead of my 18 year old these days takes some doing! Not that your skills have diminshed but when it does happen the results are worse. You don't have to quit. Just hit the kill switch and enjoy watching the young bucks do their back flips! Hope you're feeling better.

[Captaincautious7]

Boy this question has drawn a large crowd. I'm constantly thinking of when I will have to hang it up myself. But, its so much fun and I agree, that until you sit on that machine and it isn't enjoying to do, stay with it! Think of all the people who break bones and become paralyzed doing the most benign things. No doubt this is inherently dangerous, but what a true blessing it is to be able to participate in such a great sport. Everytime I throw a leg over my bike I say a little prayer and go have fun! Life is just to short to crawl into a corner and miss out on things you can truely enjoy. Good luck in your decision and I hope you heal quickly.

[____Kurt____]

hope you heal soon and are good to ride again soon. i know how you feel about the bike by my own personal experiences. thanks for the story though, it was a lesson wel learned for him hopefully

[____Kurt____]

btw. which bike was it that you wrecked?

[DPW]

First of all good deal you are not hurt bad. I know exactly how you feel...I paid a visit to the ER room one year ago and watching bikes jumping over you as you lay on the ground in pain trying to move wakes you up to the whole reality and pain thing.

All I can say is keep it fun, but the reality is when it is your time it's your time.

Again I'm glad you are OK...the bike can be fixed, but when I crashed and was crawling on the ground trying to figure out what time it was I asked the wife as soon as she ran up to me...."how is my bike?"

[aford541]

I hope you feel better soon.