# Balls



## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

I've lost them







My hands are now ok, I want to ride but I don't have the balls, this has never happened to me before







The crash was coming, I trashed a Vauxhall Zafira in Spain and on my first day back home I trashed Carolyn's Nissan Almera, the next day I trashed the bike. I have had loads of spills before but this one has got to me, today I got my keys, opened the garage, looked at my bike (bikes) and went back inside the house







It's pathetic, any other bikers had a crisis of confidence?


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## MIKE (Feb 23, 2003)

Hi Mark,

Sorry I don't know the answer as I have never crashed bad enough to end up in hospital.









I guess the answer is, to keep trying even if you only sit on it and rev it up on the drive way and take it easy when you do get underway and go for short trips and keep exstending the distance as your confidence returns









I'm sure once you get going it will come back, easy for me to say, I'm not in your shoes.

Anyway good luck and I hope you will over come it









Mike


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

MarkF said:


> It's pathetic, any other bikers had a crisis of confidence?
> 
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No its not. It's common sense --- four wheels are safer than two.









I'm also acutely aware of the hazards of motorcycling, although I've only come off once breaking a collar bone --- that was back in 1978 (







).

Just last week, we received a letter from an ex-work collegue's wife informing us he had tragically died in a motorcycle accident in July.























I am re-evaluting things; and as soon as I get this new house sorted (i.e. new garage), _some_ bikes will be sold and a vintage 3-wheel Morgan will be purchased.









Cheers

Paul


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Sorry about your balls Mark, They are sure to return


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## raketakat (Sep 24, 2003)

You worry me sometimes Mark







.

Do you have a deathwish







?

I gave up bikes at twenty without any major spills. When I look at the roads and crap drivers around today, I don't want to go back to them







.

I don't think you've lost your "balls" but you might be starting to use your brain







.

Boring I know, but there must be less dangerous ways for your "wayward side" to manifest itself.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Life is full of risk, you just have to decide if it`s worth it for the enjoyment you get, maybe it might be worth borrowing something a little smaller then you are used to for a short time









A guy at work owned large fast bikes (kept changing them as he soon got bored) anyway he had a major smash, lots of bits (of himself) broken, it took him a bit of time to regain his confidence but he went down to a 250 (I think) and soon was back on the big stuff









Alternatively get a sidecar outfit, in my experience car drivers seem to notice them more as they are unusual


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

MarkF said:


> It's pathetic, any other bikers had a crisis of confidence?
> 
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> 
> ...


Yep, after six months in plaster I gave up.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Mark I would ask your wife and children how they feel about you getting back on two-wheels.

Perhaps that is what is on your mind?

I agree with Ian, I don't think it is a question of "balls".


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## Roy (Feb 23, 2003)

That is true John, I would problably get another one if it was not for the wife and kids.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Four months on a KH250-S1 did for me .....









Been four wheels since 1976


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

I'm giving it up







I have had a good run, 27 years on 2 wheels.







I have had the morning off mountain biking along the canal to Skipton and thinking about it all.

Jot hit the nail on the head, I wasn't worried about me, I was worried about "after me"









Who would be putting food on the table







Who would be looking after my kids







Probably the same bloke who would be shagging Carolyn









3 bikes to clean up and put on Ebay shortly. more watch money


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

MarkF said:


> Probably the same bloke who would be shagging Carolyn
> 
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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

> When I look at the roads and crap drivers around today, I don't want to go back to them


I agree with the above comment & this is one of the reasons that has prevented me from learning to ride a motorbike - finances & my mum (she worked in a hospital and has seen too many peoples lives ruined due to motorbike accidents) being the other reasons. I'd still love to pass my bike test(s) & be able to ride safely, but there are far too many cars on the roads now, more often than not driven by completely clueless numpties - anyone seen Worst Celebrity Driver, it's terrifying!!

My dad, and his friends, had motorbikes in their youth (the 1950's & 60's) but the roads were empty compared to what they are like now. I think it's just a matter of time, for any new rider, before he or she is knocked off their bike & injured (or worse). It's a car based society and I can't see that changing anytime soon (unfortunately).

Just my 2p's worth


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## DavidH (Feb 24, 2003)

Thankfuly I lost my nerve by near misses and not a real crash. And the whole lot went to pay for the wedding, except the gloves which are great for making snowballs









Remember, four wheels good, two wheels bad


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

MarkF said:


> I'm giving it up
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Glad you`ve come to a decision Mark, hope the sales go well and you get good money for the bikes


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## MIKE (Feb 23, 2003)

DavidH said:


> Remember, four wheels good, two wheels bad
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## DavidH (Feb 24, 2003)

....a mis quote from Animal Farm (George Orwell), Was on book at bedtime a few weeks ago.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I don't think it's about balls, I think it is to do with shock, pain and the realisation that we aren't immortal.









Been there a few times and life still scares the crap out of me even now.

You are going to die, that's certain. But, when you face death a few times you just ignore the process until it really happens. A few near misses mean nowt, you will get cocky again until the next "scrape", but you'll soon forget it.









I've heard it said that you never die when you think you will, I'm counting on that theory.























When your time is up you won't have a choice.









But, while you're here you do.


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## marius (Mar 11, 2005)

Glad you are about again.

I dont think you are afraid of the bike at all. Your last experience on it just was not good enough to make you wish you were riding again. Fortunately (or unfortunately) we are not able to actually recall pain, we just remember that it was sore. if you are thinking of getting rid of the bikes, I would suggest keeping at least one somewhere under a blanket. Once a biker, the itch never really goes completely away. I admit, I never had a serious bike accident that put me in the hospital, but I did turn over a few cars, and I am still driving a car.

After a while, you forget the scare and the pain, and you start itching again. When I started realising how reckless I had been, I gave it up for all of 6 months, and then "downgraded" to a shaft-drive tourer. I am not riding at all now, but the itch is getting stronger every week-end when the bikers move through town up the mountain towards the canyon. Soon now....

Hope you get completely strong again soon, Sir.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Don't forget motorbikes when they could have been a safe fast form of transport with relatively empty roads were just a very cheap way to get mobile, nothing more.

And as we say in the industry....motorbikes are just cars....with all the safe bits taken off!!!!!!!!!

Keep it up, and don't be a donor.....

Best regards David


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

marius said:


> I would suggest keeping at least one somewhere under a blanket. Once a biker, the itch never really goes completely away. I gave it up for all of 6 months, and then "downgraded" to a shaft-drive tourer. I am not riding at all now, but the itch is getting stronger every week-end when the bikers move through town up the mountain towards the canyon. Soon now....
> 
> Hope you get completely strong again soon, Sir.
> 
> ...


I did keep one







The NTV650 and the C90







have gone but I don't think I can jettison the Kawasaki Spectre just yet, it took me years to find a standard one and I'd have no chance again.







The trouble is it's 23 years old and it really needs to be ridden regularly, I am in a quandary









I once downgraded to a shaft drive tourer too, a GTR1000 (Concours) it was so good I went through 3 of them, they are superb bikes and unbeatable value for money.


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## AlexR (May 11, 2003)

Mark,when we first heard you had had a spill.My first thoughts were that fine handling Kwak







had tried to throw you off







.

Don't give up biking,slow down,buy an RE


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## USEDMODEL (Mar 26, 2005)

> Jot hit the nail on the head, I wasn't worried about me, I was worried about "after me"
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Mark, you haven't lost your balls and you certainly haven't lost your sense of humour.

I think it was, in my case, realising that I was not 18 again, as flexible, as quick to recover and as happy go lucky.

You have made a wise choice ...................







Live long and prosper









PS and buy more watches









Roy


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

hi mark

even cars are not totally safe,back in '84 i had a humber hawk,whilst travelling to my parents house with the 710 & sprogs,we were involved in a head on collision at fairly high speed with a ford escort,the outcome was,the missus was in intensive care for three weeks with a ruptured liver,and was very close to death,the kids had had bruising and abrasions from hitting the back of the bench seat and i had broken ribs.

as with you,i had a bit of a job getting back behind the wheel,but eventually the fear is overcome, at first my eyes were everywhere,looking for the next idiot to overtake a stationary car at sixty mph,but as they say 'time is the greatest healer'.

although i've never really been into bikes,i applaud you for keeping one just 'in case'.

regards,john.


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## dave993cars (Aug 12, 2005)

Hi Mark

New to the forums, I read with interest and it strikes me that the best solution might be to sell two bikes and use the third for track days, that way you are safer than on the road and the wife might just agree.

Regards

Dave S


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

dave993cars said:


> Hi Mark
> 
> New to the forums, I read with interest and it strikes me that the best solution might be to sell two bikes and use the third for track days, that way you are safer than on the road and the wife might just agree.
> 
> ...


Hi Dave, Nice idea but er..........have you seen my Spectre







I can just imagine sat on it at the front of the grid amid all the dayglo warriors on their gsxr/zx/cb/fzr's

























John, that sounded a bad bad crash, seems like your kids were saved by the bench seat!


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## Smitty (Aug 31, 2005)

I had a motorcycle accident 1.5 years ago. It was my second in 17 years of street riding. After the case came off from a dislocated left thumb, I was back on a friend's bike until I got a new one last spring.

Everyone handles crashes differently, do what you feel is right since there is no wrong answer to the question "Should I ride again?". Don't rush your decision to get back on if you don't feel ready. You have the rest of your lift to decide. Lack of confidence in your skills while on the road is a bad thing. In a minor situation where you used to handle well might turn into panic.

If you do decide to ride again, take it slow. Go for a nice relaxign cruise outside of congested areas where to can knock the rust off your skills and get you full confidence back.

If you don't have balls to ride, you can always add them to your car.


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