Mark Hardy
Grey Hound
On Saturday I was out on the bike at ADA, just playing around and getting back in the saddle after not riding the whole holidays ( to much work at the farm). There is a nice jump at the farm that I have done many many times before. It has two approach lines, the one line is nice and gentle and lets you jump the bike for distance, the other kicks you up a little more. After a couple of jumps, Judy asks me to demonstrate a jump for the students that were doing the DP day course. No problem says I and ride off to line myself up for the jump. Somewhere in this time a little devil comes and sits on my shoulder, " Go for it, do a nice high one" it says. So what do I do...Yip I listened >
I pull away and accelerate, change to second and accelerate more...approach is looking good, line it up for the kicker and as I hit the face of the jump I twist the throttle a little more......and into the air I go......and then BLACK.
From far away I hear Judies voice asking questions, Mark are you alright...HUH WTF. I open my eyes and I my lying somewhere under a tree in the shade with Judy wiping my face and I am I am sore, farking sore. Turns out that on landing things went bad big time, it looked like I had grabbed a handful of front brakes as I landed and the bike cartwheeled me over the bars and head first into the ground. I think it took me a while to get my bearing right and to start thinking about what happen......Blank, no memory. Actually even now I have no memory of the jump, landing or what happened. So to say the least I was very puzzled as to what had happened.
Sunday morning I up early still not knowing what had happen, only what I had been told. Went to go have a look see at the damage and that when I see the cause of the accident.
On landing I had compressed the suspension to such a degree that The front wheel hooked up on the radiator guard, there by stopping the wheel instantly resulting in the bike cartwheeling and driving me into the dirt. luckily not much other damage, just left hand mirror broken and choke lever mount and some scratchers to the pink stickers :biggrin:
Damage to body....concussion, couple of roasties and bruising , sore right knee and left foot, stiff neck. Nothing to serious apart from the concussion.
So I think it is time to invest in some new fork springs as these progressive springs I had fitted about 3 years ago have never been to my liking.
I pull away and accelerate, change to second and accelerate more...approach is looking good, line it up for the kicker and as I hit the face of the jump I twist the throttle a little more......and into the air I go......and then BLACK.
From far away I hear Judies voice asking questions, Mark are you alright...HUH WTF. I open my eyes and I my lying somewhere under a tree in the shade with Judy wiping my face and I am I am sore, farking sore. Turns out that on landing things went bad big time, it looked like I had grabbed a handful of front brakes as I landed and the bike cartwheeled me over the bars and head first into the ground. I think it took me a while to get my bearing right and to start thinking about what happen......Blank, no memory. Actually even now I have no memory of the jump, landing or what happened. So to say the least I was very puzzled as to what had happened.
Sunday morning I up early still not knowing what had happen, only what I had been told. Went to go have a look see at the damage and that when I see the cause of the accident.
On landing I had compressed the suspension to such a degree that The front wheel hooked up on the radiator guard, there by stopping the wheel instantly resulting in the bike cartwheeling and driving me into the dirt. luckily not much other damage, just left hand mirror broken and choke lever mount and some scratchers to the pink stickers :biggrin:
Damage to body....concussion, couple of roasties and bruising , sore right knee and left foot, stiff neck. Nothing to serious apart from the concussion.
So I think it is time to invest in some new fork springs as these progressive springs I had fitted about 3 years ago have never been to my liking.
