calgarymx

Member
Dec 17, 2006
2
0
Ok we've all been there, we've all crashed. When you know for sure your coming off the bike. Lets here some advice on how to reduce injury in a crash. For example if your going through corner and lose your balance. Whats the safest way to lay down. Im bringing this up because I did an endo on a 70ft tabletop last weekend. Broke my heel in three places. I tried to jump away from the bike so it wouldn't crush me. Now Im stuck in bed. Any advice would be great for us novice riders.
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
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Jul 18, 2006
5,548
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Amo, IN
calgarymx said:
Ok we've all been there, we've all crashed. When you know for sure your coming off the bike. Lets here some advice on how to reduce injury in a crash. For example if your going through corner and lose your balance. Whats the safest way to lay down. Im bringing this up because I did an endo on a 70ft tabletop last weekend. Broke my heel in three places. I tried to jump away from the bike so it wouldn't crush me. Now Im stuck in bed. Any advice would be great for us novice riders.


I knew I was gettin off hard a couple weeks ago as I left the lip of a pretty big stepup, but still didn't have time to even think about doing anything to prevent injury.. I guess I got pretty lucky..
 

FruDaddy

Member
Aug 21, 2005
2,854
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Watch a few FMX contests, see how they fall. Typically, it's feet together, knees loose, arms in. The skaters and BMX'ers have it pretty together as well, but they often have the ramp transitions to slide down. If you watched the kid on the skateboard at x-games, you may have noticed that he brought his feet together right before impact and they hit first.
 

rmc_olderthandirt

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Apr 18, 2006
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I would always try to stay on top of the bike as long as I could. Unless I thought that the bike would end up on top of me.

I generally don't have time to plan my crash. It is more of a sudden WHUMP and I'm on the ground. Once on the ground I am thinking of the body parts that don't have any protection and trying to keep the padded parts against the rocks.

Occasionally the greater concern is what (or who) is coming along next and if they will be able to avoid me. If I still have my bearings I will try to roll out off the path so the next guy doesn't run me over.

Laying the bike down has rarely been a problem. Inside leg is already out, trying (unsucessfully, obviously) to keep the bike up so I generally end up standing over the bike. If I am not immediatly run down by the next guy I simply pick the bike up and get going again.

It's when I underestimate what might be over the brow of the hill and end up flying over the handlebars as the bike and I tumble down a steep, rocky cliff that I wish I could just hit the panic button and be teleported out. By the first bounce I am way beyond being able to do anything.

Rod
 

joey450

Member
Jul 14, 2007
59
0
rmc_olderthandirt said:
Occasionally the greater concern is what (or who) is coming along next and if they will be able to avoid me. If I still have my bearings I will try to roll out off the path so the next guy doesn't run me over.
That is my first thought as well, :nod:
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
I almost never give up and leave the bike until it is torn away from me (or lands on me). I figure that I would rather try to use whatever the suspension can do for me that land directly on the ground.

If I still have my bearings I will try to roll out off the path so the next guy doesn't run me over.
I caught some much crap at an indoor race in Greenville, SC when I kept rolling after a crash so I could get off the track and out of the way!
 

calgarymx

Member
Dec 17, 2006
2
0
Ya, actually after I crashed my biggest concern was the next rider. My bike was right in the middle of the landing ramp. I knew that if I didnt hurry to warn the next guy, he would have been way worse off than me.
 

cnielse5

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Feb 22, 2005
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I genarally stay limp and try to make the impact take more time. (Like "flop" when I land.) Also I try to use the bikes suspension as much as I can. For me the biggest worry is who is behind me.
 

SpeedyManiac

Member
Aug 8, 2000
2,378
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Unless I'm going over the bars I stay with the bike. Other than that, keep your limbs in (don't put out your arms!) and relax. If you tense up chances are you'll tear some soft tissue.
 

MOTO ON RM250

Member
Aug 10, 2007
114
1
Lets here some advice on how to reduce injury in a crash.

Instead of trying to reduce injury, reduce crashing. But I know what your saying. Anyways, know where people are around you is the main thing. I race 250 beginner class and kids in there tend to wreck each other. Yesterday I got a 2nd place finish (1/2 second behind 1st) in the 1st moto because the top 3 wrecked due to one riders mistake. And this was the after the 1st turn. I had the chance to take 1st a couple of times if I was more agressive but I didn't want to wreck the kid.
 

redsput

Member
Feb 13, 2005
37
0
Good advice so far. Important to keep limbs close to the body, but not rigid. Rag doll is good - bones and connective tissue break/tear when you get rigid and try to stop yourself. Not crashing - yep - obvious. How about Protective gear? I slapped a tree last weekend at about 30+ mph woods riding after catching a squirly root out of a fast corner. Shoulder glanced off a tree then I flew like superman (or maybe stupidman?) till I landed very much not like a superhero across a down tree laying off the trail. Broke my Fox chest protector. Arm cap ripped off and the chest plate cracked in two places - but it did it's job. Yea - ouch and will be for a while, but xrays show nothing broken. I attribute that to good gear. Boots, helmet, neck nut, chest protector, knee pads, and if you're a woods rider, a good set of hand guards also to spare those mashed fingers. Wouldn't ride without!
 

psycho_rider

Member
Sep 24, 2007
4
0
Not crashing is great idea, but I know I'm only human and I've gone over the bars before and it dont feel good. nothing like hitting trees of course but still. I probly either ragdoll or get away from the bike(if major crash :yikes: ) and roll or somthing.
 

JD_MXRacer

Member
Nov 27, 2006
411
0
i usually dont have time to think about it. last race i did i went off a jump with a guy coming up fast behind me. i knew he would hit me in the air and it was the weirdest feeling. in the air everything was in slow motion and i remember thinking o no hes gonna hit me! i couldnt do anything even if i wanted to i was just in shock already. and he hit me and i was knocked out when he landed on me. so dont remember what i did when i hit the ground.

moral of the story, most of the time you cant do anything unless its just a little crash. or tipover.
 

trial_07

Play with gravity
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Apr 26, 2004
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It all comes down to your instincts basically, you generally don't have time to think about what you're going to do. Take a look at this vid (I'm #807):

<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i105.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid105.photobucket.com/albums/m214/trial_07/aout%202007%20Octane%20Parc/backup.flv"></embed>

On another day, I would've probably jumped off from my bike and crashed, but I really didn't feel like crashing. If you look carefully, I stretch a leg backwards to try to slow down the bike's nose dive. I really didn't think about it, instinctively my leg just stretched back there; it worked. I hate kickers... :bang:
 
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