Motorcycle fall: when Site bought a log for Christmas
By dint of trying motorcycles, looking for their strengths, their weaknesses and their limits, Site came across the obvious: the fall spares nothing and no one. Better to prepare for it. Le Journal moto du Net looks back at its 2018 Christmas log ….
When we search, sometimes we find. During the first press test of the Triumph Scrambler 1200 for example, Site did indeed overcome the grip and the electronics of the motorcycle … but also tested its equipment and marked its flesh.
For the first time in 20 years, the Journal moto du Net has experienced the often tedious journey of the injured motorcyclist, slightly injured in this case and in a foreign country moreover. It was well worth an MNC article that only appeared a year after the drama, but you’ll see why…
- Crash test :
- MNC special file :
- MNC special file :
You had to be a little stupid – and a journalist test-driver – to ride over your boots on this very sad December 18, 2018 in the far south of Portugal: thick fog, temperatures in the air and on the ground cool, various surfaces and varied – sometimes dry, sometimes wet. But until then everything was rolling…
In the wake of our opener Triumph and two colleagues, MNC played the yoyo: gravel which bounced at times on our beautiful brand new helmet encouraged us to give up the gas, then sections of the road cleaner allowed us to glue back to the "leader "English.
These short climbs were also the opportunity for the Journal moto du Net to put the bike to the test by accelerating a little harder, putting a little more angle, pulling more on the brakes … good driving conditions, this type of exercise is always a pleasure. Not that day…
In the overwhelming majority of cases, modern motorcycles – even those with a classic look – are completely satisfactory, even when taken outside their area of expertise. But some are so effective, so exciting or so well "sold" by their manufacturer that we exceed the limits. !
The grip of the Metzeler Tourance, the contribution of the inertial unit and the finesse of the Continental ABS, the docility of the "High Performance" twin, the quality of the Ohlins suspensions, the feel of the Brembo calipers … In the context of reasonable use, the Scrambler 1200 XE will undoubtedly satisfy its owners.
Until the entrance of this left which kill Hurts, Site was pleasantly surprised by the handling of the new Triumph trail-neo-retro. Unfortunately, the loss of the front at the entry of a curve (at around 70 km / h) could not be avoided, neither by the supercharged pilot, nor by his over-equipped motorcycle..
Hypersophisticated – much more than the last generation of sports cars at Hinckley for example (the Daytona 675 stopped in 2017, not the very limited series of 765 Moto2), the Scrambler 1200 XE has nevertheless spread out all along on the asphalt "grouille" "Portuguese. Like what, the technology…
On a motorcycle, better not enough than too much
The dazzling loss of grip left the tire no chance to hang up. As for the elbow released by MNC – by pure reflex! – he could in no way straighten the 220 kg beast, which got out of the road very quickly and stopped outright by a post … or was it a tree? No matter.
Likewise, the rare and distant judo lessons given at school did not have time to reappear and soften the reception on the ground. You rarely learn to fall in everyday life, nor do you learn it as a biker. Only a few top-level drivers try to work on their position: Sete Gibernau in particular, crossed his arms and put his hands on the collarbones. Efficient? MNC lets you test !
Site’s first reflection on getting up from this "low-side": "you’re stupid, you’ve done too much and you suspected it" … A piece of advice: when a little voice invites you to slow down , listen to her ! On the road, you should never overuse the throttle or the brake lever. There is the circuit for that.
Second remark that came to mind much later: you should never relax your attention even – and above all? – after having overcome a difficulty. For the record, the press presentation of the Scrambler 1200 took place in two very distinct stages.
"To prove to us that their bike is capable of tackling all types of environment, the managers of the Hinckley brand invite us to test their novelty over two days: the first has the off-road theme (it is not not the specialty of MNC, therefore caution) and the second will take place on the road (there, it will gas!) ", reported the Motorcycle Journal of the Net in its essay.
A month before this involuntary "crash test", another fall – without any consequences this time – had already called the Site to order: a simple crossing of a roundabout strewn with a fine trail of diesel had earned us .
Two weeks later, a second warning was kindly issued to us by two colleagues, trapped at the controls of Z125 and Ninja 125 by a small Spanish road that was slightly shiny and excessively slippery. Worries often cascading, we should have been wary…
"Are you okay Matt, nothing broken?"
After its short slide on the grainy and wet Portuguese asphalt, Site thought it would be able to leave as "dry". But doubt settles in front of the crestfallen face – even downright disgusted! – from some of our fellow travelers: "Are you okay, don’t you have too much pain? Don’t stay standing …" Obediently, MNC goes back to the ground, this time on purpose.
No pain or dizziness, not even discomfort or discomfort. And yet, are we advised to sit down and stay calm? Le Journal moto du Net therefore undertakes a quick assessment … All members move, all senses are preserved. This is the main !
Take a look at the helmet (Shoei Ex-Zero) that we ourselves took off immediately after the fall: it is slightly scratched above the left temple. Mandatory to drive a motorized two-wheeler, the helmet has just saved us a big headache, a nasty scar or much worse.
By the way, MNC strongly recommends wearing a full face helmet: in this case our chin has not tapped, but you never know where, when and how you will fall on a motorcycle or scooter. The jet is good for fighter pilots. The modular, then? Yes, as long as you close the chin bar as soon as you ride…
Mandatory in France since the end of 2016, the gloves (Segura Cassidy) also saved us from nasty injuries. The reinforcements on the upper right hand are ragged but held up. A hole appears in the thumb – which bleeds a little but is not painful.
The pants (Segura Julys), with their hip and knee protectors, seem to have fulfilled their role perfectly: the jeans are damaged and dirty, but in one piece. Stigmata are also present on the left tibia, but the very high boot absorbed the shock.
Precisely, our boots (old but hard-wearing Alpinestars SMX Gore-tex) are filed in new places: until now, only the outer toes had sometimes shaved the ground, in turns on motorcycles with low ground clearance. This time, the plastic parts protecting the malleolus are squarely rectified..
First assessment: only the jacket broke
It is only at the level of the jacket (Segura Stripe) that Site is disappointed. The snap on the left sleeve popped off and the zipper snapped, leaving the forearm bare. Yes, bare against the asphalt … Hence the blood flowing, fortunately not too abundantly.
"Planted" in the middle of the Algarve, MNC patiently waits for the ambulance to arrive. The wait is long – almost an hour! – in the Triumph technical staff van, but at least it is hot there and the first aid kit made it possible to roughly clean the wound on the elbow.
The diagnoses of fellow journalists are therefore diverse and (a) varied: it’s superficial or it’s super deep, we can’t see anything or we see the bone, we will need stitches or a skin graft. Thank you guys, but we will wait for professional advice to be relieved or worried !
While the paramedics carried out first aid on the spot, the police on the move stopped in turn. Driving license, vehicle registration, insurance … Everything is scrupulously controlled. A report is written in Portuguese with the help of a Triumph manager who, very conveniently, masters the language of Oliveira (Miguel, of course).
A good hour‘s transfer to the hospital follows, at the back of the ambulance, to see pretty winding little roads scrolling backwards. Burp! The right thumb begins to swell and the left elbow to tingle, but it is all perfectly bearable.
As soon as we arrived at Faro hospital, a secretary asked us for our European health insurance card (EHIC). Ah, it’s nerd, she stayed in Paris. It will be necessary to be satisfied with the French identity cards and vital ones. And the credit card too, yes.
On the way to the waiting room, a nurse asks us: "Are your vaccines up to date? When was your last booster for tetanus? You know, DTP." Big pressure from our interlocutor, little sweat on our part. Recent the recall, recent (11 years, after verification. They must now be done at 25, 45 and 65 years and then every ten years).
Nothing bad can happen to us now…
The waiting room is full, but not packed. Here again, MNC takes its trouble patiently. Easy to say and do when you’re not in pain. We breathe quietly, we keep the survival blanket on us and we change our ideas by chatting.
Our neighbor allowed himself to open the discussion – the monologue – at the sight of the "Triumph" t-shirt worn by the press manager who accompanies us kindly and efficiently. "I am English! I have lived here for 20 years and I am absolutely delighted", he explains..
The little old man, apparently in very good health, tells us about the better weather here than in England, the food more to his taste and the more reasonable cost of living … He lives here with his wife and rarely goes up to see his family which he obviously does not miss. A real paradise, Portugal !
But what is our new friend suffering from? "Oh, I had my shoulder surgery here two weeks ago and the wound is infected." Atmosphere … With that, the nurse reappears and asks us to follow her. Not the operating room, not the operating room…
A doctor receives us… in French! Quick summary of the situation, look at the wound in the elbow, auscultation of the thumb, examination of the other joints, control of the touch, check of the sight, etc. The results are quick but seem complete.
"Nothing serious in the end", reassures us the Doc: "we clean, I prescribe antibiotics and painkillers, you return to the hotel now and then to France tomorrow as planned. Once at home, buy greasy tulle and Vaseline to change the dressing every 24 hours. You can go back. " OK doctor, obrigado a lot !
That same evening, some comrades were quite surprised to see us at dinner. The most experienced recommend that we take a second medical opinion and deal with it as quickly and easily as possible: go to the emergency room as soon as possible, rather than making an appointment with the attending physician..
At the hospital, better too much than not enough !
Site therefore goes a second time to the emergency room, French this time. There, the doctor widens his eyes: "They didn’t sew you up? It’s a shame with such a deep dermabrasion. At the end of 48 hours, nothing can be done. The healing will be much longer and the scar will be much less pretty "…
How to tell him that the Journal moto du Net was relieved to leave the Portuguese emergency as quickly as possible … wrongly, no doubt! Our second doctor performs another check on the right thumb, which is now well swollen and colored: "Mmmm, don’t you have pain when I move it?" Uh, no doctor. "So we leave him alone." Very well. You are the doc, doc.
Pass the happy holidays of the end of the year, but not the unfortunate pain in the thumb … Impossible to brush your teeth with this hand, difficult to hold cutlery … But as long as you do not jerk them, your finger and the hand do not hurt. So we wait. A month.
Elbow care continued and the wound gradually closed. The rest of the thumb allows it to resume its normal appearance and MNC can resume the handlebars: unable to do a push-up or shake a hand without shuddering, we are perfectly able to hold a handlebar, accelerate and brake..
Certainly, a furtive pain appears in the morning when putting on the right glove, but that does not dampen our enthusiasm! As the day progresses, the pain becomes more present and stabbing, but never becomes disabling. Nothing to complain about, no really.
At the end of January 2019, Site received a letter from Portugal: "to complete your file, please send us the following supporting documents: European health insurance card, employer’s certificate, accident report, etc.", let us know hospital management.
Fortunately, MNC carefully preserved all of his little "memories" of Faro and didn’t throw anything away, including that insignificant piece of paper filled with police! Everything will be in order. This same well-classified file accompanies us on each visit to the nurse, the doctor … or the physiotherapist. !
Knowing how to listen to the little voices around you
Because in March, tired of our faces and sighs, Mrs. MNC persuades us – finally! – to consult a physiotherapist. He wants to know the type of sore from which we suffer before manipulating us. "What do you mean, you’ve never done radio?" Well no, my wife wanted but not the emergency doctor…
Flash pass to X-rays and the verdict falls: it is a fracture of the metacarpus 1, osteo-articular relationships preserved, normal bone structure. Finally, it was a fracture, today it is consolidating … imperfect, hence the discomfort felt for three months.
On the advice of a specialist in the upper limb, the decision is taken not to operate: "an operation would be tedious, the result uncertain and osteoarthritis in the old days inevitable", tells us our umpteenth medical interlocutor. Better to wait and see if the discomfort sometimes felt disappears little by little.
Morality: on the handlebars as at home, we must listen to the little voices that push us to take care of ourselves. What deceived us? There was nothing dizzying about the fall (like falling from a chair) and the impact seemed light. Then the painkillers allowed us to sleep, eat and work almost normally … but their effect distorted the first diagnoses. A thumb strain? You speak !
Next time (!) MNC will be less reluctant to complain or sound like a dumbass. It is necessary to check that everything is in order, both physically and administratively. MNC indeed spends quickly on the lost hours to exchange with the Secu about the initial medical certificate which had not been given to us when we left the emergency room in France….
Christmas 2019 is already here, and our medical file is closed. Temporarily closed, because Site has small after-effects on the right thumb. The latter no longer has quite the same mobility and it also reduces the endurance of the right hand … to carry a baby, what did you expect ?!
The fall also left some traces in the head: during the recent baptism copiously sprinkled with the Z900 for example, the angles taken were less sharp and pronounced than before. Between two turns, it was necessary to test the new electronics of the Kawasaki roadster. Seek the limits of the motorcycle and its tire … But without falling, this time !
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