Dear VTwin Mama,
My wife, Brenda, always felt a kinship with all the riders she reads
about on the VTwin Mama website and newsletters.
She asked me to let everyone know she is currently recovering from serious
injuries she incurred when she struck large a dog at a relatively low speed
(Honda VLX 600 Shadow with lowering kit). She has road rash on her left
shoulder, a broken left arm, broken right wrist, several broken ribs and had
to have an emergency splenectomy.
Her bike is repairable and I am in the process of repairing it. She has been riding this bike (her third motorcycle) for about three years and loves it very much. She has said she will never ride again, but I hope she changes her mind. She would always come home from a ride in the countryside with a better outlook and high spirit, now matter what kind of bad day she had had.
The accident occurred on the same street we live on and happened about 30 yards from her sister's driveway (her destination). Judging from the damage to the bike, the impact with the dog must have made the bike tumble. There were scrapes on the top of the handlebars, and sissy bar. Apparently, her body cushioned the bike's fall. Our community has a leash law, so Animal Control picked up the dog.
My wife' name is Brenda Pettis and her e-mail is bpettis@alltel.net. Sincerely, Loren Pettis
Dear Loren and Brenda,
Our collective sincerest condolences on the accident and
resulting injuries. There isn't a rider around that doesn't understand how
such an event impacts the "dream." The photo
you included of Brenda shows her beautiful smile and the joy she felt.
IMHO the mental healing is about time. Eventually the choice has to be made about riding again or selling the bike. There is no reason to push this decision too early. An experienced rider will at some point gaze upon the motorcycle and process all the good and bad and weigh the future risk choices. At the same time, an accident survivor has also been busy assessing what they may have done better (if possible), along with riding gear choices and the bike's set-up.
For instance, I see from the picture that the bike does not have an engine guard (often called a highway bar). As this is an older picture, you may already have made this addition, but if not, consider it. If a bike goes down, it keeps the bike pitched at an angle and gives more time for the rider to get "from underneath" the bike and the whole weight of the bike will not land on the rider. As to gear, that might be a switch to always wearing a jacket and pants with built-in padding points at the most likely vulnerable body parts and are available in both lighter summer and heavier winter weights.
I'm glad to hear that you are working on fixing the motorcycle Loren . . . having the bike in good running and cosmetic condition will allow Brenda to get back on should she wish to do so. Letting Brenda process the accident in her own good time is the best course of action otherwise. Mama
Friday, July 7
Dear VTwin Mama,
Thanks for the reply and thanks for
posting my letter. Brenda is recovering nicely and has both casts
removed (after only three weeks) and is taking physical therapy to improve
her hand and wrist mobility. She has been reading all the e-mails she has
received since you posted my letter and she says she will get them all
answered as soon as she can type a little better.
Thanks for the tips on the engine guard and riding gear. If you look closer at the (original) picture, you will see there is an engine guard, but no highway pegs. It did help to minimize the damage to the bike. Thankfully, the engine is not damaged, the frame and fenders are ok, and I believe the engine guard also prevented possible injuries to Brenda's legs. The helmet was also a life saver. Your humble opinion is always accepted graciously. [oops, yes, upon closer look I see the guard now . . . it wasn't immediately apparent as I was looking for something jutting out more!]
You are also right about the need to wear proper riding gear. The picture was made just as we returned from Thunder Beach in Panama City Beach, Florida. It gets hot in the summer months here in middle Georgia. The temptation to stay cool is pretty great. I am already checking out what is available in summer riding gear.
I already have some of the new parts to repair her bike and hope to be finished in a few weeks. If she returns to riding, I plan to work on her front braking technique. She uses the front brake perfectly to start on a hill or hold the bike in place when her right foot is down, but not for emergency stops. She has a tendency to lock up the rear tire (and subsequently fishtail). I had not pushed the issue, but will in the future.
Thanks again, and thanks to all the readers who wrote to her. It really does help to brighten her spirits. By the way, for your readers enlightenment, Brenda is 4' 11" tall, but she feels 6 feet tall when she's riding her bike. Loren Pettis
Dear Loren,
It is joyful to hear that a number of readers at the
VTwin Mama site wrote in to Brenda to let her know we are here for her!
It's also great to hear that she is healing, the bike is being worked on,
and that riding techniques will be reviewed if Brenda decides to ride
again. I might suggest, if she has not done so already or wishes to do so
again, to sign up for the MSF
Experienced RiderCourse . . . it would not only be a chance to ride
again on her own bike under the watchful eye of an instructor, but also to
review more specific techniques. Why not call the local course offering
and talk with an instructor to noodle this out. Quick stops are part of
the course instruction!
I'll also add that while more protective riding gear has long been the province of sporty style clothing, I've now seen leather riding gear with the same protection built in. Our continued best wishes to Brenda's healing process, both physical and mental. Mama
Dear VTwin Mama,
Thanks for your AutoTranny page
and all the really helpful comments from your readers. Im brand
new to the field never ridden before and because I live in LA and my
work commute involves a lot of hilly street traffic, I wanted a bike with
an automatic tranny. I started out thinking Id get a scooter but
discovered that many of the affordably priced ones (around $2,000) dont
go much faster than 40 mph if that much. There are a few Kymcos
that are reasonably priced but eventually I came to the realization that
Id just feel safer in a bigger bike.
I sadly discovered there were few motorcycles with automatic transmissions and the ones that do exist are prohibitively expensive (at least to me). The Ridley's start at $14,000 and even large scooters are around $5,000. After Ive got a few years of riding under my belt I might decide to make a big investment, but at this point just entering the field --- most auto tranny options were too expensive.
So, Im going to go check out the CFMoto
V5 (cruiser style) which retails for $3,000.
Dear Di,
Glad letters posted to my Auto Tranny pages and my Auto
Tranny chart (still being worked on) of auto tranny motorcycles was of
help to you! Yes, prices vary and pocketbooks need to be consulted! I
appreciate that you don't want to pour a lot of money into your beginning
adventure and hope that in looking at the CFMoto V5 you found something
that appeals to you! Mama
Wednesday, July 12
Dear VTwin Mama,
About auto tranny motorcycles:
Honda makes a scooter called the Silverwing. It is 600cc's. It has
110 miles on the speedo. A salesman at Cycle World told me that he had
ridden one faster than that.
Bobbye
Dear Bobbye,
This mega-scooter is proving to be an interesting model because not
only is it an auto tranny, it can be converted into a trike! Read on . .
. Mama
Dear VTwin Mama,
Hi trike riders! I have a Silver
Wing that I'm putting a trike kit on since I am still recovering from sliding
in loose gravel and falling on my chest. I am sure I will feel better with
extra support.
I have decided to buy the Danson trike kit [vs.
one from Voyager or Tow-Pac]. He is a new designer and builder
specializing in Maxi-Scooters. He has been making the Honda Silver
Wing trike for a year and now is building one for the Suzuki Burgman 650.
He has one trike conversion with more than 10,000 miles on it with no
problems. These are not slide on kits but are actually bolted on the
bike. I talked to two of his customers that love his workmanship and
the quality of the bike. One man I talked to had had a Voyager in
the past that he drove for 17,000 miles but he likes this trike conversion
much better. No dragging going over speed bumps and this bike has
independent suspension that makes a huge improvement in the ride. I think
your readers interested in trikes would like to know about a really good
looking trike costing only $4,000 on an automatic 600 or 650 cc scooter.
Dear Nancy,
As I noted in an email to you, I couldn't find a website, and you
kindly wrote back and said that Danny, the owner of Danson,
is working on that, but meanwhile, a basic look-see could be found on eBay.
Thanks for sharing! Mama
Dear VTwin Mama,
I finally bought my bike and thought
you might want to share with the others. I bought the CF Moto V3, the more
sporty style vs. V5 cruiser style [auto tranny],
and I love it. It handles very well and pick up is awesome, let alone it
is very good looking. I did pay extra to have it fully assembled but it
did arrive not fully assembled, front tire, center stand, and few extras
needed to be applied, which you will need a little help with. Stereo is
great also, tested it with a cassette, mp3, and radio. Haven't taken the
bike out just for a spin . . . still waiting for final paperwork
being done. Just got the bike Thursday.
Marie
Dear Marie,
Congrats on choosing a motorcycle and getting ready for your
adventure in riding. I'm glad to hear you are pleased already! I'm looking
forward to getting a photo of you and the bike and a really big grin! Mama