Women falls off the back of an HD

[tufftom4]

IMHO you should not have a passenger unless you have a backrest.

 

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/florida/2020/04/21/florida-woman-dies-in-fall-from-harley-davidson/

[Flyinfool]

The article does not indicate whether there was a backrest or not, I does say she went limp and then fell off. It is entirely possible that there was a backrest and she fell out the side.

[saddlebum]

I agree: I also think it should be illegal to carry a passenger on a crotch rocket which usually have nothing more than what barely even qualifies as a passenger seat.

Edited April 21, 2020 by saddlebum

[EtRider]

According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Egues, 33, of southwest Miami-Dade, was a passenger Sunday on a 2008 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Classic.

[saddlebum]

Seems odd she would fall off something like that, unless the beer box was removed. I have known passengers to fall asleep on bikes with top boxes and never fall off. But I guess its possible if she were to fall asleep and flop over sideways. But then you would think so many other variables would come into play including maybe loosing control of the bike.

[Flyinfool]

Falling asleep is not usually something that causes a sudden going limp. You can be pretty much asleep and still have enough of the brain working in the background to not let you fall over. I do it all the time falling asleep in a chair and not tipping over. If you become unconscious or become deceased, then there is nothing left to keep you upright.

 

A friend of mine lost his 28 YO son when he passed away on a bike ride with his friends, he had the cruise set and passed away at 60 MPH, when the road turned he didn't. The coroner said he was deceased before impact.

[CaseyJ955]

I agree: I also think it should be illegal to carry a passenger on a crotch rocket which usually have nothing more than what barely evenqualifies as a passenger seat.

 

First and foremost, your 100% right on how poor of an idea it is to have two on a modern sport bike. It's an unfortunate story regardless. Maybe someone going totally limp could still slip off without armrests, not sure.

 

Just like adult helmet and seat belt laws already in place by some legislatively overzealous states, it would be one more reason you could be pulled over, hassled and fined. Then non-motorcyclist legislators would start redefining what is a sport bike, and what is a backrest. Possibly it would be considered unsafe equipment and a rider could be fined for having it, even in the absence of a passenger. We know how the coastal states are with stuff like this.

 

If we self-police then we can avoid inviting the wrong people (legislators) into the conversation. A good way to do it would probably be to gather relevant safety data, approach the big 4 manufacturers and move that they delete manufacture of passenger seats on sport and supersport bikes in favor of fixed cowls. Im warming up my Gixxer1k right now, no way is anyone else getting onto the back of this already spooky bike.

[saddlebum]

You do have a point there. One of my biggest beefs have always been the fact that a lot of rules are made by those who think they know what they are dealing with instead of those who actually do know what there dealing with.

[djh3]

Absolutely no info in that article. From what you can read to me it sounds as though she had some kind of medical issue. Backrest? maybe, maybe not. Helmet? Who knows

[CaseyJ955]

You do have a point there. One of my biggest beefs have always been the fact that a lot of rules are made by those who think they know what they are dealing with instead of those who actually do know what there dealing with.

 

I was thinking about this yesterday when I was out in the hills gixxering it up, did some roll-ons and was imaging having someone back there. It would be so easy to flick a passenger off the back unless they had a death grip on one of those belt buddy things.

 

I've been riding for more than a few years, and most of that on bigger bikes, I find it odd that it comes down to salesman discretion who can buy one of these blisteringly fast, unforgiving beasts in the first place. Then what unsuspecting person would climb onto the back. I wouldn't get on the back of one of these things regardless of who the pilot is.

 

I put a backrest on my Vmax for wifey, it seems pretty safe for two people. I think the Venture with the armrests would hold someone on the bike even if they were out cold.

[cowpuc]

My kids and even Tip used to saw logs on a regular basis while CTFW with me, especially crossing longggg endless area's of nothingness out in the middle of the desert regions.. Never an issue,, and never needed arm rests to keep em aboard,, just lean back in my normal ride position with Tweeks grips laying on my knees I would capture them between me and the trunk,,, lock the throttle at 110ish and let er go..

Speaking of the all mighty Liter Bikes and their ability to bust the myth that there is no replacement for displacement (unless we are talking about pulling a car with a motorcycle and short shifting a high torque scoot like a semi to do it),,, I asked my Grandson what he wanted for his 18th Birthday.. His response was "I want you to take me out on Maggie (my R1) and show me what +160 mph is like".. After explaining to him the protocol for doing such a feat (things like: arms around my waist - fingers locked together at all times, dont panic when Maggie lofts front end at high speed, lean with me, never remove feet from pegs, stay directly inline with me at all times when in gears above 3rd = air stream above 150 is dangerous and will drag you from bike if you get in it) away we went.. I remember his scream of "HOLY S*&$" as Maggies front wheel lifted slightly in a rise Maggies personal private race track as we broke 150 so I knew my Grandson would never be the same and was having an 18th birthday the likes of the type that 99.999% of Americas youngens will never have..

 

It's probably obvious to you if your still reading this that I happen to be one of America's few that still believe in the American way of life that encourages pure American individual freedom.. I am one who believes that as long as my/your choices in life do not infringe on anothers inalienable rights that any form of Governmental over reach that seeks to protect me from me is a no no.. I lean so strongly in that direction that if we were talking our homelands 2nd Amendment,, I would be one to stand firm with a few other Americans that believe we non-felon, clean U.S. citizens should be able to own fully automatic weapons as easily and affordably as we can handguns or long guns.. Way I am,, way I always will be.. Helmet? Yep,, when I choose to wear one.. Seat belt? Yep,, when I choose to wear one.. Back rest on my bike? Yep, if I choose to put one on it.. And on and on..

 

Win lose or draw,, way I am..

 

As far as the article goes? Hey,, it happens... Biking is a risky hobby to say the least.. Those that choose to participate in it would have to be brain dead to miss that point when signing up for such a fine, noble and fun hobby,,, IMHO of course

[RandyR]

While no fatality or injury, I had something like this happen to me a few years ago. I took a ladyfriend for a ride on my Tour Deluxe. We went about 20 miles and were heading back when I felt her grip on my waist go limp. I looked back and she was partially hanging over a side of the bike (with its backrest) and did not respond to my shouts or hand on her leg. There was a gas station immediately in front of me and I slowly pulled off the 65mph highway into the gas station. Stopped, put my feet down, and kickstand down, and slowly shook her leg and she responded and slowly gained consciousness and sat up by herself, still on the bike. I got off, while keeping hands on her and helped her off. It seems she was diabetic, and the heat, and situation caused mild diabetic reaction. We hung around the gas station for about an hour while she drank some fruit juice and water and was able to walk around ok. We were only a few miles from her house, and I did take her home, albeit slowly, while talking to her the whole time.

 

I don't think I've had a passenger on the back of one of my motorcycles since then.

[Venturous Randy]

Both my ex and Linda have gone to sleep on the back of my 83 and I have armrests the swing out, rather then swing down. I would know when they would dose off as they would thump my helmet with theirs.

I can sure understand the diabetic thing as Linda had an event that could have killed her a few months ago. I was planning on going somewhere without her and got delayed for about a half hour. As I was leaving, I spoke to her and she did not respond back and when I checked on her, she was pretty much unconscious. I grabbed her Libra glucose monitor, the one that works off a sensor on her arm, and her sugar was so low that all it would read was low. I went to the kitchen and grabbed some sweets I could get in her mouth and then used the blood test with the stick monitor and she was in the 30's and that is getting deadly. After feeding her some banana, some sweet drink and when she became more cognizant I gave her some glucose tablets and in just a few minutes she was awake and okay.

Lack of sugar control for a diabetic can kill you two ways, fast and slow. Low sugar can drop to the point that your bodily functions, like your brain can shut down and you die very quickly. High sugar levels can destroy many body organs and you die slowly.

We were lucky that I got delayed and did not just think she had dozed off.

Randy