I wrecked my 2002 raptor two weeks ago I broke two ribs and my collarbone.

Me and 3 of my friends decided to go the mounds and have some fun, within the fist twenty minutes my buddy flipped his 2001 raptor two times. The first time he was going around a mud puddle and caught a fence pole with his front tire and the bike tossed him into the mud, other than a sore hand he was fine. He got back on and took off but a few minutes later he got stuck in a deep rut and tried to power his way out of the hole and his bike shot up in the air throwing him on the ground again, he got up and took off again. My luck was not as good we rode around for about another ten minutes or so until we came to the open sand area with the two big cement objects. Next to one of the objects there is a hole from an old mud pit, when I came up to the hole I decide to jump the rim (witch I have done 100 times before) When I got into the air my nose was dipped down slightly (the bottom of my front tires were about two inches below my back tires) witch means you’ll hit hard but noting to bad, NOT this time when I came down I hit the up side of a mogul driving my front end into the dirt and flipping the bike over on top of me. I don’t know how long I was on the ground before the guy’s noticed me but I knew I was in trouble. They help me get my composure back and tried to drive me out of the mounds but I had to walk out because every time we drove over a mogul it felt like I was being stabbed in the chest.

This post is a special thanks To Milan, John, and Dan Thanks for your help
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Donz,
Ouch [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] Been there done that. Hope you get through it okay. I broke my collarbone, 3 ribs and punctured my lung about 15 years ago during by bike riding days. Speed and unfamiliar logging road. Came down from a jump doing about 60. Road went right I went straight into the woods and down in a ravine. Body tackled a log laying accross the bottom. Happened to fly over a rotting cedar tree log with about a hundred limb/spike coming of of it. If I hadn't had on my helmet and riding gear, Who knows?? Off roading is a very dangerous hobby. Serious injury is just a flick of fate away. Gotta respect what ya ride.

 

Donz: good to hear you can still wiggle your toes and pick your nose...were you wearing any riding gear? Helmet/chest protector? if so, did they take any punishment for you?

 

I had my helmet, but I don’t have a chest protector, or boots. ((((((((I know Meso stupid)))))))))

 

if you had big lunky boots on it would have been a pain in the **** to walk

 

The boots hurt my ankles and I have a hard time shifting. Yea they may be great on a dirt bike where you stand 90 percent of the time and have to stick your legs out to catch the ground, but once my feet hit the foot pegs and the wheels start turning, my feet are planted firmly on the pegs until I stop or until the bike decides it dose not want me riding it anymore.

 

Went over the H-bars at speed on my raptor. The bike collected me on the follow through breaking my leg. My femur was snapped in half. I couldnt move an inch and was lying in long grass, so no one could see me. I lay there for what seemed like forever, shouting for help. 15 mins later my freinds heard my shouts and found me.......whew!!

Note to all riders....Respect your machines. Theses babies are awesome fun, but will allways bite you in the a$$

 

After you have had a wipe out, boots, chest protector, pants, and any other padding becomes a necessity.

Spend the money on the right boots. I can't tell you how many times my boots have saved my ankles. I almost broke my ankle, and then I bought the Alpinstars. Best investment in equipment (other than my helmet). I have drove over my foot, hit rocks, etc. and my feet are protected. No discomfort when riding, and with the steel shank down the center of the foot, it makes riding more comfortable. Just get 'em.

As for the chest protector, I almost broke my collarbone on a jump 4 years ago, so I bought one. This past weekend, I was already riding with cracked ribs on both sides. Just exploring on the dirtbike, no crazy stuff. I was in a new gravel pit I found, and was going to leave. I decided to follow the quad tracks down the sand pile, and when I got to the bottom, I noticed that a loader had taken a bucket of sand out at the bottom of the pile. I endoed, and the bike drilled me in the back. Man, that hurt. But I actually think I hurt myself when I hit the ground, and the bike didn't really hurt my ribs.

When I got up, my chest protector was in pieces, but I am sure it reduced the injury. I going to buy another one tonight.

Buy the equipment, and wear it. It really reduces the healing time......

RM

 

I've had some bad dismounts (i'll spare you the details)...all with boots, gloves, chest protector and helmet...i'm sure i would ve broke something by now. i've hit trees, other quads dead on (by the way, Raptors go through 250R's like a cruise missle) and ejected from my quad 25ft. i've even bent the frame. in every single one of the accidents i walked away i did however manage to injure the one part of my body not protected...The knee's. AXO came out with a set of knee protectors that have a hinge and move freely with you (i think they were like $30). i've had them for 5 months now and there banged to hell...in fact, it realy makes you wonder when cleaning your gear, how your body would have absorbed the damage. i'm at the point now where i don't even realize i have the equpment on.

even with all this stuff i'm always spraining or pulling something...Ice is my "best" friend.

 

I rode for a long time with just helmet, gloves, and goggles. Then, about a 6 weeks ago, I screwed up coming around a corner, going too fast, went over a rise, and the trail dropped down about 400 feet on a 45 degree angle. There was a set of nasty 14 foot triples, and I couldn't slow down. While flying through the air about 20 feet off the ground for around 45 feet, I was doing a 3/4 handstand over the handlebars. I managed to get seated before I nosed into the ground. Ended up hitting just before the face of the 2nd jump, and the whole scenario happened again. Managed to stop before the 3rd jump. Both me and the quad lived. Anyway, while looking at the ground, just at that point between deciding whether to ditch the quad, or hold on, I was feeling like I wouldn't make it. The one thing that came into my mind was how busted up I was gonna be, and that I wish I had all the safety gear on. When I came to a stop, I had to walk around for a while, and throw my underwear in the bushes. I swore to myself that I was going down that day to buy every piece of safety gear that was humanly possible to strap onto my body.

Fast forward to yesterday. The fright of that close encounter had faded pretty fast, and all I was wearing was helmet, goggles, gloves, and a new pair of boots. By the way, the boots are very comfortable, and I adjusted the shift lever so I can shift fine. Also, I notice that when cornering, and pushing off with the opposite foot, I feel stronger because of all the extra support. Anyway, I hit a straight coming down a steep hill, wound it out in third, hit fourth, and about 150 feet up, the road narrowed again to a real tight trail, and turned sharply to the left. I start applying break real hard, then harder, I go into a slide for about 80 feet, I shot up the side of a hill, right between two large pine trees, and come to a stop in front of another one. By just a few inches, I kept from hitting a tree pretty damn hard. I ordered the pants, jersey, chest protector, and the knee pads last night. I refuse to go out again without it all on. The stuff works. I watch the guys on two wheels go down constantly, and they get back up, with pretty minor injuries. Usually nothing broken. I can't help it, I push the limits everytime I go out. A wreck is coming, but that's just part of it for me. I can't ride any other way. Invest in all the equipment, because you will eventually go down, it's just a matter of when.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents...