How's Yeti

[The Yeti]

Hospital bills are starting to roll in...beginning to get depressed.   

I don't know MY final bill, but Life Flight (the helicopter) has submitted a charge to my insurance of $16,297!   

This hobby is getting a lot more expensive than I ever expected.   

[iceycold]

Are you well enough to make it to Deadwood? Geeze Alan, Allan, Allen that is the cost  of a fully decked out F 800 GS.  Granted not a light bike but you might be safer on pavement.  Hope the mending is coming along. And thank God for work and even work at home in the current economy so many are out of work with no insurance. Be well Yeti, the next rally is getting ever nearer. 

[The Yeti]

>>>9 WEEKS LATER<<<

Just thought I'd update you guys:

No pain in the back anymore, still have some pain (to pressure) in my right hip/butt area. Swelling & bruising completely gone. Back is still numb to the touch in an area about 6" x 6", from what I've read, this may be permanent.  No big deal, just won't hurt as much next time I hit there.  

The lifeflight bill was negotiated (by my insurance company) from $16,000 down to only $600 out of my pocket....I was VERY happy! My total out of pocket is gonna be around $3500 for everything.

The bike came out pretty much unscathed. Just a couple scratches and a broken blinker lens.

I've only been on the bike once since, though.  I didn't feel particularly nervous, and wasn't "baby-ing" it or anything. But, then again, I didn't go through anything even remotely resembling Camp 5.  

I do find myself not riding as much anymore....not sure if this has anything to do with the crash (maybe sub-consciously  ), but I just don't feel like riding as much as I did last year. It seems I always have an excuse...too hot, too cold, too rainy, too busy, too lazy.  

Anyway, thanks again guys and see you all in September!

[loingrader]

>>>9 WEEKS LATER<<<
I do find myself not riding as much anymore....not sure if this has anything to do with the crash (maybe sub-consciously  ), but I just don't feel like riding as much as I did last year. It seems I always have an excuse...too hot, too cold, too rainy, too busy, too lazy.  

this will wear off in time i'm betting.  hard to kill the bike bug that easily.

[mommer]

that's not good to hear! get on that bike, put a bullet in your mouth, and BITE it... you just need some go fast juice runnin through your blood.. it was great to meet you.. but i still gotta ride with ya!! don't go into the light!! not just yet anyway! haha!!

[iceycold]

Yeti

>>>9 WEEKS LATER<<<  and you gota get some moto-vation so I send you a euro group from YouTube: these guys ought to get the ole Yeti interested some... or it's the doom of the eternal goldwing and slab life. although I myself have slacked some this summer 3k on the DR and about 5K added to the RT, unknown on the ole DL (I actually miss it from time to time when on the RT). Truth is it's all good. As long as I don't have to heal from anything else 
  if nothing else it's fun 4 mins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881R8KHNrqg&feature=related

[The Yeti]

>>>>8 MONTHS LATER<<<<

Time for another update since I just got a bill from LifeFlight this past Saturday - they now are claiming that I owe them $11,305. 

Of course, I get this in the mail on Saturday, so I can't make any phone calls <grrr>, isn't that always the way?  Called my insurance rep this morning and she is checking into it....fingers crossed for a good outcome.

Sill have quite a bit of pain in the right hip/butt/lower back area from the crash.  Saw the doc a month ago and he says that whatever is still there after a year is most likely permanent.  Hurts most when I wake up in the morning and when I exercise.  Still have the numbness in the same area, and doc says that is most likely permanent as well.   

Dealing with all this has me second guessing how important riding off-road is to me.  Will have to wait and see how I feel after that first ride of the season....shouldn't be too far away with the weather we've been having around here!   

One thing I know for sure - I won't be trying anything 'new' or 'challenging' on my bike in quite awhile.  I'm gonna stick with what I know and am comfortable with.

[loingrader]

since you are my friend yeti, i will haul that devilish bike away before it causes any more harm. 

i will make sure it never bothers you again, and i will do this for free!

but only because i care about you bud!   

[Hank]

loingrader is a true friend for such an offer!

Yeti I don't blame you for second guessing things after that and all those bills.  But.... I think you'd really miss it if you quit and we'd all miss you too!
Just take it easy and don't smash into any more car sized rocks at high rates of speed.   It will all be good 

[loingrader]

some people have a scare on a bike and walk away forever.  not worth the risk to them.  a buddy of mine, kurt, works at midamericamotoplex in sf at the service desk.  he had a low speed low side many years ago.  didn't get hurt but it scared him.  he hasn't been on a bike since and he is around motorcycles all day every day.  just not worth the risk and he has no desire for it anymore. 

i would prefer to minimize risk without giving up all the amazing things about riding motorcycles. 

case in point.  you got rid of the connie because you knew you would kill yourself.  you minimized the risk by making that decision.

i know you are a big guy and that the yammy fits you well, but it certainly allows you to go pretty damn fast on some pretty rough territory.

the more i ride, the more i see the "coolness" of minimalist motorcycling.  maybe a tw200 is calling your name?  before you knock them, i dare you to spend an afternoon on one out in the hills.  they are addictive and make everyone look like a hero with little risk of overdoing it or getting injured.  true you would need some tall bar risers, etc, etc, but i would certainly rather you do that than miss out on bikes entirely!  there are obviously other bikes that are much tamer than your wr that would fit the bill too. i chose the tdub cause i love them, but there are options out there!

some people can moderate their riding style no matter what type of bike they are on.  i am not one of those people and don't think you are either.  you like to push the limits and pushing the limits on a wr can get you into a lot more trouble than pushing the limits of a tw. 

anyway, you didn't ask for it but there's my $0.02.

food for thought my friend.

[Dr Psyko]

Now here's a topic. There are no "safe or not safe" decisions, only "more or less". Less safe to ride motorcycles then to walk, but I'd rather ride (most of the time). Now wait until your son or daughter start to ride, THEN start doing the calculations (Jake rides a R6 around town). It's all risk calculus.

I got hit on my R100RS back in the early eighties, and as I was sliding down the pavement, I was sure the car that hit me was about to roll over me from behind. As I was tumbling, I saw sparks from my bike as it slid down the pavement and I thought the car was still behind me. All took about 2 seconds, but I had big time wobbly knees after that and it took awhile to get back up. We've all had close calls. What's the old saying? 2 types of motorcyclists, those who have been down and those who will be? I had many close ones back in my "dangerous" days. Had a messed up old chopper with bad brakes and even worse handling. After about a dozen beers I thought I could ride anywhere. Used to try.

[The Yeti]

...Just take it easy and don't smash into any more car sized rocks at high rates of speed.   It will all be good 

Of course I've analyzed the crash in my head about a thousand times, and I think what it came down to is me over-estimating what my bike can do. (I must qualify this statement though - I know that I'm far from proficient enough to make the little WRR do all that it is capable of and should share the vast majority of blame here.   )

I'd been staying up on the pegs just about all the way through Camp 5 that day (an unprecedented feat for me!), then I bobbled, got off line and started straight at the big rock.  In about .25 seconds, all this went through my tiny Yeti brain - "Well, this little bike has got me over everything without fail so far, it should be able to get me over this little rock too" and "when in doubt, GAS IT!".  These two thoughts were my downfall.  

When I gassed it to hop over the rock = flying Yeti!  

some people have a scare on a bike and walk away forever.

After some more introspection, there is absolutely NO WAY I can walk away from riding off-road.  I will most certainly be taking it easy for the short-term...but walk away?  Not yet!  

i would prefer to minimize risk without giving up all the amazing things about riding motorcycles.  

case in point.  you got rid of the connie because you knew you would kill yourself.  you minimized the risk by making that decision.

Now that's kinda funny...I've been really jonesing for a new street bike, and the C14 is at the top of my list!    I've never missed a bike more than I miss that one.    Been saving my pennies to this end....and then I get an $11K bill in the mail <grrr>!    If I don't have to pay that ridiculous bill, I should have enough for a new (used) Connie in about a year (give or take a couple months).

...there are obviously other bikes that are much tamer than your wr that would fit the bill too....you like to push the limits and pushing the limits on a wr can get you into a lot more trouble than pushing the limits of a tw.

After the KTM nine-fiddy, the WRR is tame as a puppy.  Don't think I could go much tame-er and still enjoy my ride.  

I got hit on my R100RS back in the early eighties...

I've never (yet) had a big get-off on the pavement. I don't really know how that would effect me...and don't want to ever find out!    I've had my share of parking-lot-speed tip-overs, but nothing worse than a skinned knee.

Thanks again to you all for all the encouragement and support!  Really helps me through some of my thought processes just writing up my posts sometimes.

[The Yeti]

UPDATE: 10 months later

Just got my FINAL bill from Lifeflight - $601.  I was actually giggling as I wrote the check!  Very happy to come down from $11K to $600 to say the least.  My insurance guys did a great job in negotiating it down for me, I can't thank them enough.

Still have pain and numbness from the crash...most likely a permanent reminder of my carelessness.     Can't wait for the trails to dry up to get out there again!!

Now, what to do with that $10,400 I just saved....hmmm, I see that Sportfaller has a GS for sale.....   

[fringefan]

Glad to hear your getting excited to get back on the horse. 

[The Yeti]

UPDATE: 7 years later...

Hey guys! Yup, I'm still alive and (mostly) well!

I haven't been on the forum in a very long time and came to see how the June rally went (where's the pics/vids??) and ran across this old thread. A big thanks to Hank for organizing the past rally threads so well!

On to the update...

I haven't been riding...well...pretty much at all the last few years. I still have the 1200GS ADV that I bought from Sportfaller a few years ago, and I do love riding it when I do...it just seems that life has been getting in the way. I put in a new battery and gave her an oil change about a month ago and have been meaning to get out for a ride, but is just hasn't happened yet. I think I've rode probably two or three times a year the last 4-5 years.   

I never (ever!) thought I would lose interest in riding like I have. It's very surprising to me being a rider since I was 15 years old.

As far as the injuries from the crash of 2010; that area on my back is still completely numb to the touch and I have aches and pains in that area that I'm sure I wouldn't have without the crash. No big deal though.

Well, that's all I got. Just wanted to let everyone know I'm still around and I drop by the forum to check up on you guys every once in a while.