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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | This posting has been on my mind for the last several weeks. I couldnt really decide how I wanted to write about my accident, the surgery, the whole F-ing healing process, OR MY VISION.
For those of you who dont care or dont wanna hear this story, feel free to proceed to the next posting.
For those of you who own a Vision prior to 2009, you REALLY need to read this for your own safety.
Not totally related to my bike crash, at this moment we would be in the Mediterranean aboard Royal Caribbean
"Brilliance of the Seas" celebrating my 50th birthday. For anyone who hasnt seen todays news headlines,
the ship was hit today by major storm in the ocean and taken some major interior damage. There are photos and stories online for people who want to see what we would be experiencing right now on our celebratory cruise. Why didnt we go? Because on Friday October 31st while heading to our monthly
bikers dinner, I crashed my vision and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Consequently the surgeon said I couldnt fly because of possible blood clot during flight, not to mention I am now on crutches until probably the end of January. No way to tour the Pyramids, see Greece etc with one decent leg and two crutches. So we had to cancel the whole cruise. Lesson to all of you BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE.
Without it we would have lost 10,000.00, since we had it we lost 172.00. !!
Here is what and how it happened. We were heading south on Courthouse Road ( a 4 lane secondary
highway divided by a 25 foot wide grassy median with a standing water ditch in the middle.). Heading to our dealership to meet up with all the other riders to head to that months chosen resturant. As I began to slow down for the approaching red light at the intersection, as flook would have it, at the same time I applied my brakes, I also had both wheels on a slick spot on the asphalt. Welcome NO Traction. The bike slid out from under me and down I went. Luckily (and i mean this sincerely LUCKILY) my speed was only about
7-8 mph since we were slowing down for the light. I hit the ground and rolled only once before stopping face down. I thought to myself "ok, this wasnt so bad". I did a full mental body check before moving.
Head/neck good, shoulders arms hands, good. etc etc and went down my body before i rolled over off my
stomach. I was wearing full riding gear, no broken skin, everything performed as it should... well almost.
Here is the part I want everyone who owns a Vision that was built prior to 2009 to read. THE BIKE DOES NOT HAVE AN AUTOMATIC KILL SWITCH IF IT DROPS !!!! I am so mad at Victory right now, i could spit.
All the bikes from 2009 to current have had it added. So, you wanna know how the "tip over protection" worked? It worked GReat, since the bike was still in gear as I was slowing down for the light, as it fell over
to its tip protectors THE BIKE CONTINUED TO DRIVE ITSELF OVER ME ACROSS THE 25 FOOT MEDIAN THROUGH THE WATER DITCH AND INTO THE OPPOSING LANES OF TRAFFIC !!!!!! before the gear ratio ran out and the bike stopped and leaned. A passerby had to run over and turn the key off to stop the bike.
I am mixed right now, while I feel lucky that my injuries were not worse, I am also angry that my bike could have killed other people in their cars even when I wasnt on it. It was just luck that opposing lane vehicles could dodge my bike until it stopped. I feel Victory/Polaris needs to recall all first edition Visions
and put a safety kill on all of our bikes for this very reason. At least, they should inform owners that
just because you drop the bike, It wont stop. Those lovely tip over protectors keep the bike on its wheels just enough that it can keep driving itself.
Results?
As i slipped off the bike, it rode over my left leg on its own. It snapped both lower leg bones under my
knee cap. After the ER took pics, it was clear that surgery was necessary. 3 days later I had a 8 inch
titanium plate and 9 screws put into my lower leg. I was out of work 2 weeks before my company forced me to come back to work threatening "we dont pay people who cant work". I can tell you that the first 3-4 weeks after surgery have been the most painful experience of my entire life. Between the outrageous swelling, blood rushes, and torn muscle repairs to my leg, there were several times i had to stand in the bedroom alone and just ball my eyes out because the pain was so bad, you either wanted to pass out
or shoot yourself. (and im not the sort of guy who cries). The doc started me on PT and the pain has all but totally stopped unless i do something stupid. I am still restricted to toe touch pressure on my leg, and everything I do has to be done with crutches. (If you have never been on crutches, its awful. Its exhausting, limiting, and like me you will probably throw them across the room several times before you can do without them. As of past Friday, my doc is very pleased with my progress and has given my PT therapist
permission for me to start using the leg and s l o w l y getting it back with the intent to go to one crutch within
2-3 weeks. The plan is to be off crutches by end of january.
The bike? 3000.00 in cosmetic damage only. Since it basically drove over me, and landed on its side,
all that got damaged were my ugh,,,, custom painted panels, chrome, and under body pieces. All of which have been ordered and insurance paid. The bike is spending the winter at my dealership and should come back perfect. The insurance company is also replacing my riding gear eventhough it doesnt really need it. The battle scars were minimal and distressed leather looks macho, but they want to replace it anyway.
Yeah, Im thankful I was not a statistic. Im thankful that no one hit me, and I didnt hit anyone else. I thank
Victory for making a bike that couldnt crush me and cause more permanent damage. And I am thankful that I will have full recovery (with patience). But I am still mad as hell that the bike kept driving well after
I was off it. To think that I could have caused a huge accident because of a run away bike, on friday evening traffic just kills me. I will say it again, Polaris/Victory should recall all Visions and install the kill switch so that this never happens to any of you guys. Clearly Polaris knew it was important or they would not have
made it standard on every Vision starting in 2009. My dealer is checking into whether it can be added to 08
models. Hopefully so. Victory should do it at no charge.
........if one more person asks me "well i hope you are getting rid of that death ride".... ARGHHHHH
i want to ask them if they got rid of their automobile after their wreck............. or if you tripped on the sidewalk, will you never walk on sidewalks again? if you dont ride a bike, you dont get it.
thanks for listening guys, have a great holiday.
Mac.
Edited by VaParadox 2010-12-12 9:32 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 523
seattle, wa | Sorry to hear of your mishap.
I don't agree with you about the kill switch but that's not important, what is important is that you are alright.
I wish you a speedy recovery. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Mac,
Thanks for writing this up. Sounds like you are well on the road to recovery. Like I have said since High School, "Pain, nothing hurts quite like it!"
After my 2008 Vision went down I reached up and hit the Kill Switch. Now that I think about it is was not in gear and it rolled back when I lifted it. The engine was still running when I hit the kill switch.
I know what you are saying on many levels. I am not sure if you read about my low speed cornering drop a few weeks ago when the front tire slipped on a mud pie in the street. A few have asked me the same question about selling the Vision or to stop riding. Sounds like we give them the same answer.
The wife and I always buy the travel insurance. We are RCCL Platinum members and we cruise every year....it is the only way to get away from work.
Take care and heal up soon.
Paul |
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Tourer
Posts: 520
Simi Valley, CA | Mac
Glad you are on the mend, and I hope Polaris hears you call for recall.
Stay safe buddy, heal quickly.
Tim |
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Cruiser
Posts: 131
Edmond, OK 2012 Vision, 2012 Cross Country | Mac,
I totally understand where you are coming from, my 09' was totalled on 9/4/10 my 49th birthday. I was on my way home from a college football game and some fool did not tie a bbq grill in the back of his pickup and in the middle of traffic at 11:30 PM I hit the grill at 70mph is where the cruise was set and the ride was on. I am doing ok and have made almost a full recovery my bike on the other hand was DOA at the wrecker yard. I have since bought a 2011 and have ridden it about 700 miles since delivery. I am asked by people all the time why i want to ride again and I tell them 2 things 1. If riding my bike kills me then just remember I was doing something that I enjou and makes me happy 2. If you were in a bad enough car wreck would you take public transportation from now on?. I ride to make me happy not anyone else.
I most certianly wish you the best and hopefully you will heal with no complications from your injuries. Please take care and everyone ride safe itis a jungle out there and we are the pray. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| Hope both of you heal quickly. VaParadox and RDuvall.
I don't agree about the kill switch either. For years bikes have had kill switches on the bars. I got my license long before good DMV training but learned to use a kill switch from day one. I can't expect any company to foresee the future safety requirement of every rider out there. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3204
Memphis | I've had bikes with the kill switch in the kickstand and in a tipover switch. Both types have been known to short out at the most inopportune time. As an inconvenience they will leave you stranded, worst case scenario is shorting out in the twisties or when pulling out into traffic. I've always bypassed the one in the kickstand. Glad your bike didn't hit anyone else. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 162
Northern NJ | Sorry to hear about your accident. Best wishes for a full & speedy recovery. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | I think you guys are either mis reading what i mean about the kill switch or im using a wrong term. On all 2009 bikes to present, if the bike goes over to the tip over stage the motor automatically cuts off. I dont mean a switch on the bars that you have to manually hit. I think when an accident hits "oh heck lemme hit this switch" is even a thought in your mind. When the bike goes over and loses a rider, it needs to turn off.
Thanks for all your well wishing, ride safely guys. M. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 273
Midlothian, Va. | I saw your bike and you did come out much worse. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | vaparadox I too am glad that you are recoverying well after your accident.
I'm curious on this auto-shut off on the 2009's and later as I've not heard of this before. One thing a rider should be aware of, so I have been taught, to go for the kill switch when things really get bad, like going down. I will agree that might be the last thing I would think of, but hope I would do it. If there is an auto-kill, when is it activated? I would hate to be on a radical twisty and the bike would go beyond that lean point only to have the engine die, and me along with it when I no longer had control. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl |
Glad to hear you will be back to ride again. Sometimes things happen so fast you can't kill the bike with the handlebar switch. When I went down it happens so fast I don't even know what I hit by forearm arm causing a big gash. Windshield I suspect. Really bad noise (bike hitting the ground) and next thing I'm lying next to the bike running in gear. Bike was all the way over so the rear wheel was off the ground. Reached over and hit the kill switch. How does a tip-over kill work? I might not want that. I've hit the tipovers on the ground riding real hard. If the bike turned off it would be very bad in that situation.
Edited by cw1115 2010-12-13 8:17 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 3204
Memphis | Auto shutoff is designed to shut the bike down when it leans beyond a certain angle. Sport bikes have them and, when they work, you can't lean hard enough to make it shut off while riding. The bike has to go down before the auto kill kicks in. The problem is that if that switch does fail, it will stall the bike in any configuration. Not common, but not unheard of either. |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| Every one should write the national safety board and make them aware of this problem. There should be a tip over switch on all bikes.
Please let us know if dealer can install one.
You can do it pain is hard to deal with and sleep will come in time. By spring I hope your back riding and in joying your ride and new life. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 262
Flowery Branch Ga | I have used the Auto Kill on my '10 8Ball Vision. The first time I ever rode a passenger was my wife on the 8Ball. We came to a stop sign and as I went to put my leg down I caught the front edge of her foot as she had her feet too far forward on the passenger boards. I already knew the I was in nuetral so when I sat it down on the tipovers I turned my attetion to her instead of the kill switch. I assumed it would stay running. After about 30 seconds it shut off. I don't know what the factory says it should take to reset, but I sat for 3 or 4 minutes before it restarted. I did try to restart immediatly with no results. I think it kills the fuel pump from the way it sounded. I agree that they should retrofit the older bikes with this switch since the design of the bike allows for the rear tire to remain in contact with the ground unlike the conventional design that most all bikes use. I'm sorry this was so long, but I felt it would make more sense with the back-story. I hope ya'll recover quickly and completely.
Wayne |
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Ripon, CA | I've "tested" the tip-over shutoff on my CC.
I was so busy trying to hold the bike up and hold onto the clutch lever that I didn't even have a chance to use the handlebar kill switch.
When the bike reached about 45 degrees the tip-over shut the engine off.
I like it.
If it wasn't a good thing, they wouldn't have added it to later models. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | SongFan - 2010-12-13 8:15 AM
Auto shutoff is designed to shut the bike down when it leans beyond a certain angle.? Sport bikes have them and, when they work, you can't lean hard enough to make it shut off while riding.? The bike has to go down before the auto kill kicks in.? The problem is that if that switch does fail, it will stall the bike in any configuration.? Not common, but not unheard of either.
actually i have personally known a few people with kawasaki's that had this exact problem. they were on a trip and that "sensor" caused the bike to NOT start as it thought it was doing its job i guess. so basically it caused a problem.. i am shocked my 08 doesnt have it.. hell im even shocked my 08's headlight comes on BEFORE the engine starts... i guess 08 was the "learning" year? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 742
North Orange County CA | VaParadox:
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Could have used that auto cut-off feature on my '68 Husky. Once had a muscle memory "brain fart" (left side / right side shift thing) and instead of lightly dragging the rear brake to adjust the height off the ground of the front end under power; I instead downshifted into a false neutral as we (bike and I) approached the top of a jump.
Not exactly sure of the sequence of events; but I ended up with a couple hundred lbs of screaming 2 stoke on my back, my face in the mud, and an 18" knobby tire trying to saw through the back of my neck at full throttle. Lucky I wasn't riding alone that day.
I suppose there is always the "contact points and guitar pick on a lanyard" solution modernized; as is done on Sea-doos and other personal watercraft.
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Cruiser
Posts: 196
| Mac, Glad to hear/see you're on the mend! Saw your scoot and you did get the worst of it. Fortunately, folks were able to miss your ride and there was no more damage do to you, the scoot or other folks. Can't say I agree with the auto cut off, but each to his own! Heal quickly and we'll see ya on the road! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 277
Apopka, FL | It would be a simple fix. My boat has a kill switch with a lanyard that I'm 'supposed' to attach to my shorts. NOT! I just have it rigged to stay there full time. But I digress... every car today has a switch in the driver's (and passenger's) seats. Wire a switch in the rider's seat of a bike. Have it tied to the tranny somehow; if the bike is in gear and the switch opens up, i.e. loss of rider, the bike kills. Problem solved. Now, I'll let the engineers figure out the schematics.
Mac, glad you are almost healed. God is good!
Edited by DrDecay 2010-12-13 5:46 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | Arkainzeye - 2010-12-13 11:59 AM
i guess 08 was the "learning" year?
Loved every minute of it! Would not trade it for a Yamaha...  |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| VaP, so sorry to be reading this. I wish you a speedy recovery and nothing but good rides in the future. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 60
not far from hustler wisconsin | Merry Christmas and new years.....really glad to hear your still on the right side of this one. could have been so much worse. heal well |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 639
Tri Cities, WA | Mac sorry to hear this bud. You and I have had many discussions about our rides and how close they look a like. Hell I even got the same personalized plate as you with your permission. I'm glad your mending now and when I read your story I felt your pain bro. I'm not the type of guy who feels sorry for folks very often but your story about being in your bedroom alone really hit a spot for me so just know I'm thinking about you now and your in my thoughts brother. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 639
Tri Cities, WA | Double post sorry
Edited by VisionNWRider 2010-12-14 8:53 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 123
Marysville Washngton | Went down on my Buell a couple years ago. Broken collar bone and some road rash. Was a bit tentative for a while but nothing like the open road to call you back. Heal quickly and ride again. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | Sounds like anti-lock would have helped too with the slick spot. You are making me wonder if it might be worth an upgrade for these two options. God speed on the recovery. |
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Tourer
Posts: 457
Green Bay, WI United States | Never rode a bike that had an auto-kill switch on it. Just hope you heal quickly and get "back on the horse" as they say. My attitude is that this could happen to any of us. I am glad your somewhat OK and this will be a rider thing we should always be on the look-out for. I wish you the best. One point I will make is that you need to do everything that PT tell you. My lady is a PT tech and she says bikers are the worst because they are going to show them, not the way it works. As an X-Rodeo Cowboy I have learned that doing what they tell you is the best advise. Heal well and ride hard again Brother.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Wayne, which side did you drop the bike? Mine won't run on the kickstand when I'm low (real low) on fuel. If to took that long could it have just been sucking air? |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 38
| Sorry to see you went down, glad you're on your way back though. A leg injury that severe is tough to get over.
Who is your dealer now? I thought Katlins was gone?
Edited by BING 2010-12-17 2:14 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 156
dinwiddie, va | The shop is closed, but I am still servicing bikes in the back. I am doing it full time until I start my new job, then I will be doing it more on the side. I can't just stop working on the Vic's. I love them and need to help take care of them at least until another dealer gets in here |
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Tourer
Posts: 323
Troy, NY | Glad to hear you are on the mend. Sounds like you will be ready for Spring riding in no time. Take care all and Happy Holidays!!! |
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Tourer
Posts: 432
Gettysburg, 2008 Tour Premium | My best for you and yours this holiday season. It sounds like you live to ride again, just hope the pain of healing is on the downturn.
Edited by wroman 2010-12-20 11:39 AM
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Been gone 2 months, crashed my Vision