Well the 1260 Enduro is properly dead. Car pulled across me turning right at the last second, had nowhere to go and nothing I could do to avoid. Spent just over 6 weeks in the QMC at Nottingham, then a further 2 and a bit weeks in the RVI in Newcastle. I was pretty banged up, and there were a few close calls in surgery, but I'm still here. Injuries included a broken pelvis, punctured bladder, smashed nuts, open fracture on left wrist with median nerve damage, right collarbone, separated right elbow, right tibia and knee, and a fractured left cheek, plus the usual bumps, cuts bruises associated with being fired half a mile into the air. Left wrist and hand is the worst, have very little feeling and movement but it is improving very slowly. Learning to walk again was hard, and the catheter for the bladder was a nightmare and only came out last week, so got to learn to pee again which is a soggy learning curve so far. Not sure what the future holds bike wise, but if I can ride again I will, and I'd 100% have another Ducati, maybe treat myself to a V4 PP if I can. I was lucky, I know that much, but I had all the right gear on and avoided any spinal or head injuries thanks to the kit. I'm not after sympathy or false hope, but I am curious if any other members have had a significant accident and got back in the saddle. I guess it's inspiration I'm after more than anything, as right now the thought of riding scares me half to death. I'm nearly 50 and I know I can't go through something like this again, my body just won't be able to handle it. Yet the reality of giving up riding seems worse. I know the risks, always have, and I've always done everything to stay as safe as I can. I'd be grateful if others could share their experiences, either on here or via a DM, as I feel totally lost right now with how I feel about the whole thing.
These two have incredible stories, and amazingly both came back to ride. They will probably be along soon to tell the tale! @Expat Jack @PerryL Your accident and injuries sound awful, all the very best with getting well soon.
It is frightening how messed up we can get and the time it takes to physically get back. It sounds like things are getting better for you and I hope the best and speediest recovery. Being an ex ski and downhill bike patroller, I have had many close calls and I have fractured most bones. On my dirt bikes I have also had many bad incidents. On a street bike, I fortunately have only been in one accident and it was fairly minor with an a/c separation and fractured clavicle. It was a hit and run a few years ago and it is the one that caused a ton of mental grief getting back on and riding near so many people that are oblivious and callous to my well being. I am back up and running but the look on the guys face when he cut across the lanes into me will always be with me. I really hope you can get over that first big step...life is too short to stay inside watching tv. Currently, I am one week out from a new titanium plate and screws being fitted into my distal radius...a small price to pay for one of the most fun weekends I have ever had at the BMW off road school in Whales! Cheers and good luck...
Wow, it sounds like you are extremely lucky to still be here. Good luck for the recovery. Any word back on the driver of the car?
I am a frequent race and track day crasher, so not quite the same as the motorist impact you experienced and my airbag suit saves serious internal injuries. The reason I am commenting is my eternal amazement about how the body goes about repairing itself. It is like it is pre-configured to repair bones, tissue and organs. Obviously the amazing medics play their part in the trauma triage, but I back my body every time. Most recently a serious e-scooter incident that wrecked my left side ribs. Two months later and a lot of pain and therapy I spent the weekend at the Malle Mile riding off-road.
I got hit up the arse whilst in stationary traffic back in 2009, broke my back in two places and I had to learn to walk again, very unpleasant but the only thing that kept me going was getting on a bike again. I had a replacement bike sorted before I was able to ride it but it gave me a goal to aim for.
Firstly, all the best for a speedy recovery. Secondly, are you now in the hands of your insurance appointed claims management company or companies? I have used plural as when I had a car accident in 2023 my insurer appointed one to deal with the car and one to deal with me. The car claim took 3 months before payout. The injury side was only settled this month, 2 years and 8 months after the accident.
If you are determined you will be back doing what you love again a soon as you can. Your brain will tell you that you'll never be able to do this that and the other but your heart will win the day.
best of luck with the recovery, its a slow process, especially at our age, you will improve but it will be almost unnoticeable on a day to day basis, month on month is better, if some one said you can have 90% of your wrist back by criimbo you'd take it i was in an out of hospital for about 7 years, the leg pain was un bearable, used make me cry, and yet last week i couldn't for the ilfe of me remember which leg it was (they are both pretty fucked up) the human body is incredible at healing itself and the NHS is amazing, although sometimes you might doubt them, they 100% have your back, id be dead with out them stay strong take a positive every day, for me it was important to feel like i was moving forwards (even when i wasn't) i ride although my left leg says i really shouldn't be, if i were to have an accident, or even a break theres a good chance i would lose the leg, BUT the joy i had last weekend on a late evening t shirt ride fucks all that clean off.
Wel i disagree and say that its better if you move on and find another hobby. Quite simply the odds on a bike not getting involved in a pile seem to get less given the state of the roads and the quality / quantity of driving means that its just more chance of sh*t happening. I dont want my kids on the road at all . I gave up riding a while back and still fancy a bike every now and then to potter around on but then i see some more examples of the above on my commute and say sod that i'll stay in my car !!
Physical recovery; long, frustrating, fun(yes) painful etc. Please do not dismiss the mental side of it. Trauma comes in shades and you may be absolutely fine physically after your body gets back in shape. Sometimes years down the line you may be on the road and get a weird/sudden sense of unease or flashback. Don't ignore it. look after the brain as well as the body
I was in the QMC for 1 week in 2014. Then 3 months of recovery. I thought about it for a while as I was 51 years old, but concluded that pain and death are worse than not living. I returned to the bike quickly.
That’s a very good point, I had a flash back at the first set of traffic lights I stopped at after getting fit enough to ride again and it was totally unexpected and caught me off guard. Until then it was something that never crossed my mind might happen.
