CRASHED! Could you have avoided it? Tell me what you would do...

[LSHD]

Had a decent get-off on Monday at Manchester State Forest (near Santee, SC). Part of my warmup is to hit the long whoops field before heading to the trails. It warms up the bike and let's me decide whether to fine tune the suspension based on conditions. Last time I was here was August, but I didn't notice anything different about the whoops field as I headed up the side trail. It was a gray day, so the sand was all the same color. I didn't notice a large berm in the middle of the field, where guys were exiting the little track on the left and hitting a corner onto the whoops field (red line on photo). I saw the berm in time to slow from 35 to around 31 (per GPS) and hit it head on like it was just another whoop. It was steep and over two feet high, directly facing my path. This made it a pretty good kicker, and I ended up doing a front flip over the bars and landing about 30 feet in front of the bike. Thankfully I had on full armor and just got the wind knocked out of me, a bruise on my left wrist/hand, and some bruises on my lower back where my turtle-shell hard pads dug in a little. My nephew, who is a paramedic, checked me out and was surprised I wasn't more banged up (at 56 years old).

My question is, could I have cleared this without crashing by using some sort of technique? Not sure I had time to seat bounce, but I think I could have leaned back before I hit it. It was almost like hitting a tall log at over 30 mph. Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[vossman23]

Not much input other than glad you are ok. Could’ve been ugly.

 

[LSHD]

2 minutes ago, vossman23 said:

Not much input other than glad you are ok. Could’ve been ugly.

Thanks! Definitely got lucky. Looking at the sky I remember thinking landing was going to hurt. Did knock the wind out of me pretty good, but thankfully a few bruises (left hand-severe, lower back (the bones on either side, right above my butt)-moderate, right ribs-mild) is the worst I got.

[turbo dan]

The kicker was too short to be doable at that speed, no way to save it other than to see it sooner.  There is no way around the rear tire getting a kick and sending you over the bars.  You could handle something like that at a much lower speed but at 30 MPH all you can do is pucker up.

 

[LSHD]

Thanks Dan. It didn't help that I was in full "whoops mode", staying neutral while accelerating. I usually get to the end of that line of whoops at 45 mph+.

[Bill_B]

I ride both MX, trail, and enduro I think most MX guys will agree that it is imperative to do a sight lap when hitting the track for the 1st lap, just getting a feel for all the obstacles gives you a better sense of how to hit them on your next go around. I never really hit a jump too hard on the 1st lap, especially because much of the time you can not see the landing witch sounds like the case with this berm.  That's why the pros have a track walk in supercross. So taking that same mentality since you were in warm-up mode may be something to put in to practice in your warm-ups. I to am an older rider at 54 and at our age crashing sucks we need to take it slow and ramp up our intensity. Glad you ok. 

[LSHD]

2 minutes ago, Bill_B said:

I ride both MX, trail, and enduro I think most MX guys will agree that it is imperative to do a sight lap when hitting the track for the 1st lap, just getting a feel for all the obstacles gives you a better sense of how to hit them on your next go around. I never really hit a jump too hard on the 1st lap, especially because much of the time you can not see the landing witch sounds like the case with this berm.  That's why the pros have a track walk in supercross. So taking that same mentality since you were in warm-up mode may be something to put in to practice in your warm-ups. I to am an older rider at 54 and at our age crashing sucks we need to take it slow and ramp up our intensity. Glad you ok. 

Bill, totally agree! And many thanks.

One of the first things my nephew asked me was when was the last time I rode here. Wife said the same thing, "It's been months; didn't you check it out first?"     I was just so used to blasting the whoops field I didn't even think about it. And I couldn't see the difference in the terrain because it was all gray sand and an overcast day. No shadows to contrast sharp vs smooth bumps. That will not happen again. Next time I'll do a sight lap first. Imagine if this had happened at 45 mph or more? Ug! 

[Couchfit6]

Hitting the brakes would have dropped the suspension and put the bike off balance. Though it's hard to imagine, if you just stayed on it you might have been ok.

But, as bad as things are they can only go the way it was intended to go.

Edited January 12, 2019 by Couchfit6

[RichieGoatGruff]

I'm 60... I'd probably have tried to clutch the front end up, gassed it hard and tried to jump it. After slowing as much as I could.

[William1]

23 minutes ago, Bill_B said:

I ride both MX, trail, and enduro I think most MX guys will agree that it is imperative to do a sight lap when hitting the track for the 1st lap, just getting a feel for all the obstacles gives you a better sense of how to hit them on your next go around. I never really hit a jump too hard on the 1st lap, especially because much of the time you can not see the landing witch sounds like the case with this berm.  That's why the pros have a track walk in supercross. So taking that same mentality since you were in warm-up mode may be something to put in to practice in your warm-ups. I to am an older rider at 54 and at our age crashing sucks we need to take it slow and ramp up our intensity. Glad you ok. 

This^^^

Never ride blind at speed. Practice/warm up lap then go at it. Not a track in the world I'd not walk or ride the first lap real slow to study nuances.

[Bill_B]

30 minutes ago, LSHD said:

Bill, totally agree! And many thanks.

One of the first things my nephew asked me was when was the last time I rode here. Wife said the same thing, "It's been months; didn't you check it out first?"     I was just so used to blasting the whoops field I didn't even think about it. And I couldn't see the difference in the terrain because it was all gray sand and an overcast day. No shadows to contrast sharp vs smooth bumps. That will not happen again. Next time I'll do a sight lap first. Imagine if this had happened at 45 mph or more? Ug! 

Yes, I did not even get into conditions of dirt and the terrain, so you can never assume the lay of the land is ever the same, again think of an MX track.  Conditions are always changing every lap.  

[MentalGuru]

About all you could have done was wheelie the front tire so it hit the top of the lip hard and shifted your weight back.   Odds are you still would have crashed though.

Glad to hear your ok.   ?

[DEATH_INC.]

2 hours ago, RichBaker said:

I'm 60... I'd probably have tried to clutch the front end up, gassed it hard and tried to jump it. After slowing as much as I could.

Same...ish. All you can do is hit it head on with the gas pinned and hope that it doesn't kick the rear too high, then just the usual rev the snot out of it in the air and on landing to try not to go over the bars.

If nothing else the crash will be way more spectacular.

[Edgecombe]

I second the sight lap. I do it with my own trails, especially after a heavy rain with wind or after a ice storm. Its always important for us older fellas to suit up with protective gear too. Glad your not to jacked up. It could have been worse. As far as if you could have none anything to not crash, maybe clutch and go to get the front wheel up and try to keep the back end from chunking you over the bars. It's hard to make a good decision in a split second.

 

[EmpireofDerp]

I wouldn't think about it, much less dissect it. I try and eliminate a crash from my head right away. Shit happens.

[OKDinosaur]

I woulda sent it full throttle, launched off that sweet lip and cleared all the rest of the whoops, then rode back to the truck and banged my smokin hot big titty wife. It’s a good technique you should try it. I’ve also hit a log going 30mph like you describe, PM me for details on that technique it’s too raunchy for the public.

[Charles De Mar]

Pin it to win it!

[Motox367]

It happens sometimes when you're not expecting that kicker. Seat hits ass you go head first into ground.  I think is what happened you weren't ready for it. Been there done it just part of it . I bet you go threw  now you'll be ready to counter the kicker

[highmarker]

Easy to say from here, but the ass end started kicking up as soon as you chopped the throttle closed. May have been better to shift weight back and gas it.

[LSHD]

1 hour ago, Motox367 said:

It happens sometimes when you're not expecting that kicker. Seat hits ass you go head first into ground.  I think is what happened you weren't ready for it. Been there done it just part of it . I bet you go threw  now you'll be ready to counter the kicker

Not sure I could have saved it. I didn't chop the throttle, just gradually backed off as I was noticing what looked like a slightly darker sand whoop. Was in the full whoops position, so well off the seat and back a bit. Might try hitting it starting a 5 mph and work up, see how it feels. ?

Edited January 13, 2019 by LSHD