Biking Accident

[indianriverjack]

I don"t do a lot of posting but I thought this accident may get you checking your bike a little closer. This weekend there was a couple riding 2 up just north of Marrietta Ohio heading south on I-77 when their rear tire either went flat or blew out on their HD Glide. The bike flipped and the couple were thrown into the guard rail. Neither survived the crash. I don't know any other details other than the local news said that excesive speed or alcohol did not appear to be a factor. I don't know about you folks but I am going to check my tire pressures more often and not push tire wear further than I should. So if you are wondering if you should change that tire yet maybe you should.

[roadwarrior]

That is sobering.I checked mine today.I saw a wreck this weekend in the mountains where someone filled a pothole in a 25MPH curve with gravel.The gravel was scattered all over the road and the guy in front of me wiped out.

[Squidley]

My wife and I suffered the same thing as out tire blew out at 75 mph in Louisiana on I 10....I know we are fortunate to still be here. I have always kept a good eye on my tires and dont push the limits when it comes time to replace them. Always good to keep this type of thing in your minds before a trip or ride.

[roadwarrior]

Squidley did you have time to react or figure out which tire blew or did it all happen so quick you cant even react?

[Seaking]

I don"t do a lot of posting but I thought this accident may get you checking your bike a little closer. This weekend there was a couple riding 2 up just north of Marrietta Ohio heading south on I-77 when their rear tire either went flat or blew out on their HD Glide. The bike flipped and the couple were thrown into the guard rail. Neither survived the crash. I don't know any other details other than the local news said that excesive speed or alcohol did not appear to be a factor. I don't know about you folks but I am going to check my tire pressures more often and not push tire wear further than I should. So if you are wondering if you should change that tire yet maybe you should.

 

Sobering indeed.. we lost a squadron mate a few weeks back after he hit the guard rails at highway speeds.. not a pretty sight. (still not sure what caused it)

 

Things to ponder though.. I used to get teased a lot for washing my bike too much.. "a clean bike is not a ridden bike" etc etc.. But to me, a clean bike is a bike that has been inspected, looked at, touched, felt and given a look-see. I would think a washed bike has more hands-on time than a dirty bike, thus loose items, bent, cracked items would be caught earlier, hopefully before they break at the worse possible time.

 

I can tell that I've found a lot of stuff lose, cracked or missing on my bikes after a wash job..

 

In other words, folks have gotta start doing their pre-ride walk arounds more seriously than just flipping the lights and squeezing the brakes.. if they even bother doing anything at all.. Test your air pressures lately? I've got a bad record for things falling off my bike or coming loose so I check constantly..

 

Safety is fun.. right?

[Bob Myers]

That from what I can ascertain was a Police Officer and his wife from Ashland Ky. From wamx radio web site;

 

The Ohio Highway Patrol says a long-time Ashland police officer and his wife were killed Saturday as the result of a motorcycle accident in Washington County, Ohio.

44 year old Ashland Police Sergeant Charles Leadingham and his 42 year old wife, Denise Leadingham were riding south on Interstate 77 7 miles north of Marietta when the accident occurred.

 

The Highway Patrol says Charles Leadingham apparently lost control of his 2002 Harley Davidson motorcycle. The motorcycle then slid off the right side of the roadway and struck a guardrail.

 

The Leadinghams were ejected from the cycle after the collision with the guardrail. Patrol officers say the Leadinghams were wearing helmets, and neither speed nor alcohol appear to be factors in the crash.

Edited September 4, 2008 by Bob Myers

[Dieseldawg]

Seaking ,I thought I was the only one who spent alot of time on clean up.I'm in the frame of mind that a clean bike is a inspected bike.Nothing like looking for dirt and seeing if things are o.k. on the bike.A small piece of mind and a side benefit is a clean bike also.As for the tire pressure I check mine everytime before riding.Sometimes though all the checking in the world does not help because things happen you can not prevent.We all hope for the best when we are out there, but things can happen.So everyone get your soap and bucket give your "baby" a bath!Ride safe and check your bike!That,s terrible news about the couple lossing their life and leaving behind a teenage child.All of the best to their family and hope things work out in this terrible time.Also all the best to Big Bob and his family too.

[Squidley]

Squidley did you have time to react or figure out which tire blew or did it all happen so quick you cant even react?

 

 

Mike,

I knew it was the rear as I lost control of the rearend as it started sliding sideways. I did have time to react, which is surprising because in 10 seconds it was over from start to finish. I was able to countersteer 3 times before I blacked out just before we entered the median between the freeway. I was happy to realise that I didn't think at all, I reacted to what the bike was doing faster than I could think. I might have been able to save it if we were going somewhat slower, but we were at freeway speed

 

 

 

I would think a washed bike has more hands-on time than a dirty bike, thus loose items, bent, cracked items would be caught earlier, hopefully before they break at the worse possible time.

 

I can tell that I've found a lot of stuff lose, cracked or missing on my bikes after a wash job..

 

 

Lots of sound thinking there, I know just the other day on my '08 I found loose bolts holding on the trunk rail where it connects beside the rear fender. I always take off my saddlebags when i was too and I look at the rearend and tire good.

[tmodel]

There is no substitute for performing safety maintenance checks. I found my rear tire cracking back in May during a cleanup one day before leaving for a 4 day road trip. I had not seem that just 4 weeks previous during a cleanup. I replaced it before leaving on the trip.

 

During cleanup 2 weeks ago I found the front tire cracking. Ordered the new Avon and will have it installled Saturday.

 

I check the tire pressure one a week. Every time I start to mount my iron steed I take time to look at the tires for noticable air loss and check the ground and engine for oil leaks. Lights, blinkers and brake lights are check before the first ride any day that it is ridden.

 

You only get one chance to do it right... the first time! I was hurt several times back in my younger wilder days when I enjoyed racing some. Now... I am older and have no desire to test the hardness of asphalt or concrete.

[sarges46]

During our trip to PIP...besides BigBob crashing...we discovered that Lenny's bike was acting weird from the rear end. It had a waggle and wiggle. Being justly concerned we found the problem....it appears that there may have been broken belts on his rear tire. It had two huge bumps on them.

 

He rides a 1800 vtx and the tire was Dunlop radial if that means anything. We kept on him with our concern and he ended up replacing it in GrandForks...at the harley dealer no less.

 

We all felt better for him after that as we sure didnt want another of our group going down.

[NL Rider]

Some good points here. I find it a little funny that this thread is here today. I was out on a day ride yesterday with my father and noticed that the bike was handling a little loose when I hit a pothole patched with fresh ashphalt. Turned out my rear tire was a little low. I guess that in the rush to get moving I didn't take the time to do much of an inspection (guilty of squeezing the brake and flicking the headlights). The old man gave me a good talking to about taking more time to look the bike over before riding.

There's a serious lesson to be learned here. Luckily it wasn't a big deal, but things can happen. A little bit of caution can save you a whole lot of trouble sometimes. I always gave the guys with the sparkly bikes a hard time, but I think that from now on I'll keep mine shined up too. (At least as shiney as I can get a faded blue 1st gen!!)

[mraf]

Sorry to hear of anyone going down much less a husband and wife. I was the paint and shine man on my brother-in laws racing sled. He used to have a couple of beverage coolers for his mukuni carburetors. On one the saying was "Better to be overloved than overlooked" this saying helped keep the sled winning. There were many things fixed because of the show and shine. The same can be said for our bikes. Squidley, what was the cause of the flat did you ever find out? All so were you using Ride On?

[Gearhead]

Squidley,

 

I'm sure this info is out there but I couldn't find it just now. What kind of rear tire blew out on your bike? How old was it, and did it just shred?

 

Jeremy

[indianriverjack]

I have not been able to find out any more details other than it was reported that the tire did in fact blow out. If I find any additional details I will post them........................

[Bob Myers]

I have not been able to find out any more details other than it was reported that the tire did in fact blow out. If I find any additional details I will post them........................

 

Post #6 is all the public info available. Seems a bit weak on reporting news for that area.

[steppenwolf]

While I am new here and still lurking around and do not ride a venture I had new tires on my bike three days ago for safety sake and handeling but as an x truck driver one other factor than should be on your mind at all times while near a truck "what happens if a wheel falls off or a tire explodes" I have lost a wheel in the past,no one was hurt.Had a steel hauler pass me last year and about 100 feet ahead he blew a tire and it sounded like a shot gun,lucky for me I was in the work truck as the carcus hit the cab and flew on over...if I were on the bike I would not be here.Steer clear of trucks and stay away from them and don't ride in the blind spots..if ya can't see their mirrors they can't see you............

 

Sad story,hate hearing things like that especially here in Ohio.