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First Crash or what NOT to do on a motorbike...
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First crash…
It had to happen… Poor kid. His first bike, and his first “real ride” Up Mullholland, breakfast at the Rockstore, and then up, up, and away! Piuma rd, get to the top, and well, we wait… And wait, and wait.. Ok time to turn around, and check on the rest of the tag- alongs. Sure enough a few miles up the road, and we find two motorcycles and two bicycles stoped on the shoulder.
I revert back in my mind to my “crew” We keep a very, VERY select group of guys. Interlopers are not welcomed with open arms, and are normally dropped within the first few miles, as a “lesson” of sorts. Rather than politely ask them not to ride with us, we simply smoke ‘em and they don’t want to ride with us anymore. We ride well within our limits, only about 50 or 60% of our maximum, with the occasional burst to 70 or 75% but only on a short section of road, and one that we know well. That pace is a lot higher than most people can go, so we keep our group known, safe and small.
Over the last month or two, we have added three new guys to the “Crew” one is a client, who although inexperienced, has mucho enthusiasm for the sport, and puts in the effort and the hours of work. Learning how as well as just burning the miles. Paying his dues, and following us every Sunday, his riding prowess has grown exponentially, and although he has some lessons left to go, he is right behind us most of the time, and has become a smooth, fast addition.
The two other guys, well.. Crazy Italians we three; Ride based more on instinct, and big handfuls of throttle. Not so smooth, but SO into learning the ropes, and putting in the effort. Every time out is a lesson, a riding session followed by intense question and answer session, and the next ride shows the type of improvement that pays dividends, from a couple of guys fairly new to riding motorbikes, but long time scooter riders back in The Old Country.
Our newest interloper showed up, quite literally on the shop doorstep about 2 months ago. A wide eyed 16yo kid, with a old, beat up Ninja. No money to fix it, but he could sweep the floors, and a deal was made to trade hours for hours, and work began on his junkpile. After pouring in TONS of hours, and finding the head gasket on his beloved Ninja leaking vital fumes, he bit the bullet, robbed the piggybank, and purchased a Suzuki DRZ400SM. A Supermoto style bike really should be the jumping off point for most all riders, excellent brakes, a decent chassis, and minimal horsepower to get you into trouble.
Warp back to Sunday morning, and the last words, said in front of the entire Crew, was, DON’T TRY TO KEEP UP, WE WILL WAIT FOR YOU. After the first stretch of road, or greenhorn commented that he thought a guest of our crew, who is a LAPD Motor Cop, was pretty slow, and that he should pass him. The bravado continued with talk of how sedate the pace was, and how he thought we would go faster. I pulled him aside and told him that we run this safe pace, every corner, all day, and that he really needed to cool his jets and check his ego at the door. Typical response from a 16yo kid, filled with pride at his own accomplishments was “let’s GO!”
So we find ourselves on the side of Piuma road, Ambulance, Fire truck, and Police units in attendance. A Collie fracture of his left arm, and a broken collarbone, bike lightly damaged, and his ego shattered. Luck was on his side, and he didn’t find himself off a cliff or piled into the front of some cager’s Volvo.
Only time will tell how he shakes out. If he rides again, or hangs it up, if he repairs his ride, and what he blames the crash on, but he, like the rest of us, broke his cherry, and did so without any major damage.
Good luck kid, you're gonna need it.
Will
For more info, or any comments or concerns, please email - examiner@retrosbk.com
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