Nordschleiffe crash

01-08-2009, 01:31 PM

Well last weekend I set off to ride on the Nordschleiffe,
The day began with a boring part on motorways till Francorchamps and from then on it was just fun on smaller roads till the Nordschleife.

Baught myself a one lap ticket and off I want.
at 3/4 off the course I caught up on a white Porsche GT3, since the Nordschleife is considered as normal road (22km of closed German autobahn without speed limit) you're only allowed to overtake on the left.
Approaching a right / left combination, the Porsche went to the right side of the road and I made my move to get past.
Halfway thrue the corner I was next to the Porsche as I notice he's coming to the left (where I'm driving), I try to avoid a collision and put the bike up and start to brake as hard as I can.
There's no more asfalt left, I hit the outer curbstone and since they are very short and high on the Nordschleife, I had the feeling the bike came of the ground with both wheels.
When landing on the grass I loose control and fall off, hitting the ground with my left shoulder first, sliding thrue the grass, back over the track (right - left turn combination) all the way to the other side off the road ending in the grass again.

I have no idea if I had been out, but for my feeling I could stand up immediately, and notice the Porsche is gone. Next I remove my helmet and gloves and try to put the bike up, at this moment I notice my left arm is just hanging there and realise the collarbone is broken. Meantime another guy from our group and some track officials have stopped and put me and the bike on the side of the track.

After that I'm loaded into an ambulance and from then on I only remember bits and pieces.
Got moved to a hospital, next day my collarbone is fixed during surgary by a DTM race doctor and I've spend the rest of the week in hospital.

On my last day the German police came by for my side of the story telling me they have 4 possible Porches that are suspect. I'm affraid the case will be closed pretty soon, since me and the Porsche where all alone at the time of the crash (checked mirrors before the first turn to see if I could go the left and overtake the Porsche.

So for all you people who want to ride the Nordschleife, my advise is to do it on a motorcycle only occasion, because those idiots of car drivers don't really care about others when they're ou there.

Best regards

01-08-2009, 01:33 PM

And here are some pics,

01-08-2009, 01:34 PM

and some more

Yorkie · 01-08-2009, 01:43 PM

Sorry to hear about your off!!!!

As you can see on this site the collar bone seems to be the break to have this season .... Me and Albie to name a few im sure! Although yours seems to be the most spectacular!

Get well soon, and i hope the bike gets sorted soon as well, either that or streetfighter it!

All the best....

Yorkie.

Albie · 01-08-2009, 01:46 PM

OH jan noooooooooooooooooooo. feel for your pain. at least you was doing some racing. hope your ok and by the sounds of it you are. im only 2 weeks in but feeling bones must be doing something. looking forward to belgium trip and thats it for this year. take care fella.

i think my collar bone was nasty enough for surgery but obviously not. glad they have really fixed you anyhow. mine was double break.

01-08-2009, 01:40 PM

And the last one,

It will take about half a year to recover, but around a full year before I'll be able to ride a bike or motorcycle again.
So I have about a year to save money and think about what I will do, get this monster fixed or get a new one, which would be just on time for the World Ducati week next year, hopefully me and the bike will be ready then.

For those who're wondering, I just shifted back to fourth on the brakes coming from a sixth gear straigth, so it all happened at about 120 to 150km/h.

uksurfer · 01-08-2009, 01:50 PM

sorry to hear of your accident, wishing you a speedy recovery, hope they manage to catch the car driver and string them up.
Isn't it just terrible that people can leave bikers at the side of the road crashed, it could have been a life or death situation where the minutes are critical, and just drive away regardless of what they have just caused.
________
Genetically Modified Food

crust · 01-08-2009, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uksurfer

sorry to hear of your accident, wishing you a speedy recovery, hope they manage to catch the car driver and string them up.
Isn't it just terrible that people can leave bikers at the side of the road crashed, it could have been a life or death situation where the minutes are critical, and just drive away regardless of what they have just caused.

Stopping on the Nordschleife is an absolute no no!

Many of the corners are very fast and blind, its narrow and there's next to no run off.

Bad enough to cause one accident, would be criminal to cause another.

Overtaking at the Ring is always problematic, I always flash the car just to let them know, then give them a thumbs up afterwards so they know the flash was only a warning.

TBH, the place is vastly over-rated, the surrounding roads are better and faster

As for bike only days they are very few and far between and cost lots.

Get well soon, from another member of the long term injured club

crust

Nickj · 01-08-2009, 04:13 PM

Nicely broken there Jan.. but looks like the bikes not too bad, that'll give you something to do until you feel up to riding next.

BTW I've seen much worse and know people who have been back and riding Enduros on pace a few days after having a collar bone plated, one guy even raced the next day at International Championship level in the States but he is, as they say over here, 'well ard'

Hope you feel better soon

CK & AK · 01-08-2009, 05:43 PM

Jan - what can I say mate, except get mended soon fella.

..and what Crust said about the roads nearby being better & safer then the Ring

C
xx

LouSCannon · 01-08-2009, 02:13 PM

Just been talking about the Nordschleiffe with the guys stopping out in Germany after the Belgium trip, and I said that exact thing, the bikers are most at risk from the drivers.

Hope you get better soon!!

JerryXt · 01-08-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouSCannon

Just been talking about the Nordschleiffe with the guys stopping out in Germany after the Belgium trip, and I said that exact thing, the bikers are most at risk from the drivers...

it's always the way...

Glad the bump wasn't worse - I haven't done the 'ring and I'm not convinced I want to.

BTW, shame about the bike - looks ok until you realise the radiator has gone. Real shame.

slob · 01-08-2009, 07:08 PM

Ouch! Get well soon... At least your drinking arm is ok.

02-08-2009, 09:55 AM

After reading your description of the crash I'm surprised there isn't more damage to you or your bike. At least everything is fixable. Take care and get well soon.

alan c · 02-08-2009, 10:28 AM

Sorry to hear this Jan, hope you start to mend well, as you said you have plenty of time to think about bike.
hope we will see you in September ? as slob said your drinking arm is ok so we can start on the Kwak

all the best

alan.

01-08-2009, 01:31 PM	#1
Jan (Belgium) Guest Posts: n/a	Nordschleiffe crash Well last weekend I set off to ride on the Nordschleiffe, The day began with a boring part on motorways till Francorchamps and from then on it was just fun on smaller roads till the Nordschleife. Baught myself a one lap ticket and off I want. at 3/4 off the course I caught up on a white Porsche GT3, since the Nordschleife is considered as normal road (22km of closed German autobahn without speed limit) you're only allowed to overtake on the left. Approaching a right / left combination, the Porsche went to the right side of the road and I made my move to get past. Halfway thrue the corner I was next to the Porsche as I notice he's coming to the left (where I'm driving), I try to avoid a collision and put the bike up and start to brake as hard as I can. There's no more asfalt left, I hit the outer curbstone and since they are very short and high on the Nordschleife, I had the feeling the bike came of the ground with both wheels. When landing on the grass I loose control and fall off, hitting the ground with my left shoulder first, sliding thrue the grass, back over the track (right - left turn combination) all the way to the other side off the road ending in the grass again. I have no idea if I had been out, but for my feeling I could stand up immediately, and notice the Porsche is gone. Next I remove my helmet and gloves and try to put the bike up, at this moment I notice my left arm is just hanging there and realise the collarbone is broken. Meantime another guy from our group and some track officials have stopped and put me and the bike on the side of the track. After that I'm loaded into an ambulance and from then on I only remember bits and pieces. Got moved to a hospital, next day my collarbone is fixed during surgary by a DTM race doctor and I've spend the rest of the week in hospital. On my last day the German police came by for my side of the story telling me they have 4 possible Porches that are suspect. I'm affraid the case will be closed pretty soon, since me and the Porsche where all alone at the time of the crash (checked mirrors before the first turn to see if I could go the left and overtake the Porsche. So for all you people who want to ride the Nordschleife, my advise is to do it on a motorcycle only occasion, because those idiots of car drivers don't really care about others when they're ou there. Best regards

01-08-2009, 01:46 PM	#5
Albie Fanactical volunteer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kent Bike: M900 Posts: 9,033	OH jan noooooooooooooooooooo. feel for your pain. at least you was doing some racing. hope your ok and by the sounds of it you are. im only 2 weeks in but feeling bones must be doing something. looking forward to belgium trip and thats it for this year. take care fella. i think my collar bone was nasty enough for surgery but obviously not. glad they have really fixed you anyhow. mine was double break. __________________ http://albies93m900.blogspot.co.uk/ Last edited by Albie; 01-08-2009 at 01:51 PM..

01-08-2009, 01:50 PM	#7
uksurfer Its all grey now Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: southampton Bike: M1200s Posts: 2,940	sorry to hear of your accident, wishing you a speedy recovery, hope they manage to catch the car driver and string them up. Isn't it just terrible that people can leave bikers at the side of the road crashed, it could have been a life or death situation where the minutes are critical, and just drive away regardless of what they have just caused. ________ Genetically Modified Food Last edited by uksurfer; 01-04-2011 at 01:22 AM..

01-08-2009, 04:13 PM	#9
Nickj Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Forest Of Dean Bike: S2r Posts: 3,205	Nicely broken there Jan.. but looks like the bikes not too bad, that'll give you something to do until you feel up to riding next. BTW I've seen much worse and know people who have been back and riding Enduros on pace a few days after having a collar bone plated, one guy even raced the next day at International Championship level in the States but he is, as they say over here, 'well ard' Hope you feel better soon __________________ "The final measure of any rider's skill is the inverse ratio of his preferred Traveling Speed to the number of bad scars on his body." Song of the sausage creature

01-08-2009, 02:13 PM	#11
LouSCannon These must fit a Monster? Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Stockton Heath Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 1,036	Just been talking about the Nordschleiffe with the guys stopping out in Germany after the Belgium trip, and I said that exact thing, the bikers are most at risk from the drivers. Hope you get better soon!! __________________ "Sometimes it takes a whole tankful of fuel before you can think straight."

01-08-2009, 01:43 PM	#4
Yorkie Anglo-Saxon Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Yorkshire Bike: M900 Posts: 2,485	Sorry to hear about your off!!!! As you can see on this site the collar bone seems to be the break to have this season .... Me and Albie to name a few im sure! Although yours seems to be the most spectacular! Get well soon, and i hope the bike gets sorted soon as well, either that or streetfighter it! All the best.... Yorkie.

01-08-2009, 05:43 PM	#10
CK & AK flob-a-lob-a-lob Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: NW Surrey Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 3,306	Jan - what can I say mate, except get mended soon fella. ..and what Crust said about the roads nearby being better & safer then the Ring C xx

01-08-2009, 07:08 PM	#13
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,731	Ouch! Get well soon... At least your drinking arm is ok.

02-08-2009, 09:55 AM	#14
gremlin Guest Posts: n/a	After reading your description of the crash I'm surprised there isn't more damage to you or your bike. At least everything is fixable. Take care and get well soon.

02-08-2009, 10:28 AM	#15
alan c alan (blockhead) c Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: dartford Bike: M1100 Posts: 2,228	Sorry to hear this Jan, hope you start to mend well, as you said you have plenty of time to think about bike. hope we will see you in September ? as slob said your drinking arm is ok so we can start on the Kwak all the best alan.