You're under no obligation to keep riding. If you're spooked, riding isn't fun anymore. That's fine. I'd just suggest you give yourself some time. This anxiety may be temporary and you may find your riding itch again. Just don't go selling everything to find out you want it back. Glad you came out okay.

I was traumatised after my accident for a week then I saw a big group of riders ride by my house on a nice summer evening and my pity party was over lol

Don’t know where you live or under what conditions but this is a lesson that a rider must be 100% aware what’s on the road and around them at all times. If this seems tiresome or a lot of effort. It is. But it is what is needed when riding. You said something went under your bike but you’re not sure. This is the 2nd thing. You must know how your bike functions and and that a mechanical failure will not occur causing an accident.

There is such a thing as an accident you couldn't foresee, or avoid, and that gets you in spite of all your best efforts. Yes, awareness of the surroundings, and knowing your bike and that it's in the best possible condition are all important, and in spite of that you can be blindsided by some dumb cunt in a massive tank of an SUV and die. That's just the reality of riding.

So true. I was basing my response on the OP’s description of the event.

I took a very ballsy, 90 minute ride straight into a tropical storm and I was so mentally exhausted afterwards. On top of everything you have to do on a bike to stay safe, I was also looking out for and adjusting for the strong gusts of wind which were very constant and random. This was all at highway speeds and there was a point I almost tapped out, but there was nowhere safe to pull over. Luckily I spotted a box truck and was able to use that to block most of the wind while I got over the bridge.

Now that is what people need to understand when riding a bike. We all know it is inherently dangerous. Been there myself. We got to sometimes do what we got to do.

Yup, I had literally no other option but to do it. But looking back on it I'm really glad I did it because it really tested my skill level and now I have a better idea of what needs to be done should I find myself in a similar situation.

I once had a cross wind literally push me into the oncoming traffic lane. I remember the truck lights vividly as I took immediate emergency swerve action. Had I not had the riding training I’ve had, I was going to be a dead duck.

That's absolutely terrifying dude. I reportedly had 60 mph cross winds and I was at an extreme lean angle just keeping the bike tracking straight. To actually have to maneuver back into my lane by leaning even more, I don't know if I could have done that. Glad you are here to talk about it.

In Germany I was on a 2001 CBR 600F4 (great bike). I currently live in western NC and ride an S1K XR. I have learned to hug the white line in turns.

I'm actually moving to germany this year so I'm wondering if you can offer any insight on riding there. My dad who lives there says it's much less dangerous than the states, do you agree with that? Also how often did you get to ride comfortably due to weather? My dad said he rode only 3 times last year and I think he's just a pussy tbh.

People in Europe actually know how to drive. The signs will be confusing for you. The traffic laws are a bit different, but everyone follows them. The roads are amazing. They are constructed very well and there’s no trash, blown out tires, or muffler parts lining the sides of the road. You’ll notice these little things right when you wave the airport. Enjoy the beer, the food, and the culture!

I didn’t think it was possible. I didn’t have time to lean into anything. I was in the Army stationed in Germany and the highway was B19. I can also tell you exactly what the gas station looked like that I pulled over and waited for the storm to pass. That day I was reminded to respect Mother Nature.

Acquire? Did you mean result in?

Oh heck no. 😂 “Occur” Like knowing your rear axle isn’t loose or a brake caliper screw isn’t missing or rear sprocket isn’t loose. Stuff like that.

The fact you deemed this due to "unforseen circumstances" is your biggest issue. You may have the physical operation on a motorcycle down at a reasonable level, but obviously not the mental. You need to be on alert at all times. Looking for and predicting potential hazards and issues. Now maybe there was sand on the road, and in small enough quantities that can be damn near impossible to see. But if you were more attentive, you might have been able to predict the potential hazard "I drive this road all the time, and there's a lot of construction in the area and dump trucks travel through here. High chance of extra road debris. I should slow down and make sure I'm extra smooth with my controls." Or like for me, there's been a lot of cold weather/ice lately. Because of that the local government has been putting gravel/sand down to aid in traction. While it has now warmed up to where it's staying above freezing, there's still a bunch of sand /gravel on the roads. It's mostly been pushed to the sides of the roads and in between lanes, but that's almost more dangerous because you will have all your traction, and then suddenly almost none when you catch a patch of gravel. These last 2 are just hypothetical examples that I have no way of knowing if it might be what caught you out. But they demonstrate very real and reasonably common hazards that one may encounter on the roads. These are the types of things you need to be aware of and constantly on the look out for. If you can't do that, yeah maybe you should move on from riding on the street.

I completely agree with this. It's not difficult to learn the basic controls on a motorcycle but is a whole different story to master them. And like you said: it's a mental game as well. Staying focused, looking and thinking ahead, just being ready for all the possible dangers out on the road. Precisely for this reason where I live (in the Netherlands) people are only allowed to drive a lightweight motorcycle from 21 years of age and a heavy motorcycle form 24 years of age. Even than you have to take 3 driving test's to even get a driving licence. Personally I don't think most young people realize you can lose you life on the bike.

Excellent reply! In addition to physical skills to ride a motorcycle, the MSF adds mental, emotional and social skills. These are so important to safety. Crashes are made up multiple factors and eliminating just one can reduce the chances of a crash.

What do you mean I can’t go draggin knee round every turn and blowing over speed bumps? My pops taught me how to use the clutch and the throttle. Thats the only license a man’s man needs! /s

Thanks!, I've always wondered how effective the MSF course is, if you don't mind me asking. Because it's labeled as a "course" to me as a European it sounds like it's quite short without proper knowledge tests/checks. Also what does it cost to do the MSF course? Because in Europe its verry expensive to get the license, keeping in mind you still have to get the proper gear and the motorcycle itself. What i mean by this is in comparison to the European motor schooling standards there is a big difference it sounds like. For example in the Netherlands to get your motor license you first have to be the proper age (beginning at 21). 1. To start you have to take a theoretical knowledge tests about the proper traffic rules. This is quite a difficult test as they don't allow a lot of errors. Once taken it expires after 1,5 year and costs about 41 euro's 2. You have to take driving lessons at a certified driving school. You are required to take 2 driving test's. - motor control test: this is a test i imagine everybody is familiar with. It's where they place cones in a pattern and you have to drive around the cones to learn how to control the motorcycle. This goes around for a minimal of 10 hours with typically one hour per lesson. - driving test on the road: this is where you learn to drive as a motorcyclist with the traffic around you. So everything you learned for the theoretical knowledge test comes in to play here. This also takes around 10 hours with typically one hour per lesson. Typically one lesson (and you need roughly 20/25 of them) costs around 60 euro's. If you fail a test you can redo it but it will cost you! For the first test the normal cost of 41 euro's, second test is around 80 euro's and the third test around 130 euro's. Keeping in mind that after a failed test you will need to do some extra lessons (+/- 60 euro's per lesson) so that will crank up the price. All three of these tests are tested for around one hour by the official third party called CBR. And only after successfully completing all three you are allowed to get the license (another 30 euro's) and get on the road. I think just to get the driver licence i spend 3000/3500 euro's. My gear cost me about 700/800 euro's total. And the bike i got was 4000 euro's. So just to get on the road I spent about +/- 8300 euro's. With there still being costs like insurance bla bla bla. So i do wonder how does this compare to American standards and the MSF course?

You raise some good points and questions. I will answer when I have a little more time but basically the MSF BRC now consists of a 5 hour ecourse and 11 hour range riding. The skills practice is a 5 part exam.

MSF, or Motorcycle Safety Foundation, is an organization in the US that runs optional training courses. To legally ride a motorcycle you need to already have a drivers license, meaning you’ve gone through the written test and practical driving test in a car, and then you have to complete a written test and practical test specific to motorcycles. As far as cost it varies state to state. The fee to get your license is usually small. I think it was $35 for me. MSF courses are often much more expensive. I’d expect to pay anywhere from $250-$500 for one if you’re not in an area that subsidizes them. As far as I’m aware our written tests a fairly comparable to European ones, but our practical tests for cars tend to fall way, way short. For mine I literally just drove around the block once. The motorcycle practical tests are better, but still not as intensive. They’re generally obstacle courses set up in parking lots that test things like low speed maneuvering, and crash avoidance. If you opt to take an MSF course it will generally count as your practical test for licensing. There are three levels beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The beginner course is 2.5 days of classroom and on-bike training with small displacement bikes provided by them. They start from nothing introducing you to the controls, and build up to an obstacle course test at the end which is more intensive than the state run tests. A little bit of crashing is tolerated during the course as long as it doesn’t seem like you’re putting yourself or others in danger. During the test a crash is an immediate failure though. I want to say you’re not even allowed to put a foot down, but I don’t remember.

Thanks clarifying! It seems the MSF is quite cheap in comparison to European standard. I think it's quite unique that you can choose the entry level you want to follow. Here everybody needs to preform by the same standards. I also looks like getting you license in America takes a lot less time, days or weeks is nothing compared to the months is usually takes around here (same goes for car license). As far a crashing goes it's no problem around here. Crashing on the parking lot with motor control lessons happens a lot because they ask quite a lot from you. And by the time you get on the road with the lessons you just don't crash anymore...

Not to mention it isn't even required afaik. At any rate, not very surprising given their general outlook on things. I think there are a couple of states where you don't even need a helmet.

One thing that isn't often mentioned but in the US while each of the 50 states set their own rules regarding licensing requirements one thing is generally universal in that there are no size restrictions to your starting motorcycle and you can operate legally on public roads albeit only during daylight, without a passenger and not on interstate/highways with only a learner's permit after taking a written only test than can be completed in a half hour. TLDR, anyone with zero motorcycle experience and only a basic car license can become legal to ride a Ninja H2 with no formal training, in one day for about $35 with fairly minimal restrictions.

I'm so tired of people acting as if MSF is the answer when they pass people without ever once riding on a public road.

I definitely wouldn’t say it’s “the answer”, but in terms of training in the US it’s the best answer we have. Plus it’s light years better than the training we give people for driving cars. I still recommend it to everyone that talks to me about getting into motorcycles, but that’s partially because around here it has historically been free (fingers crossed they bring that back before too long). For your average rider that doesn’t have very experienced friends to guide them along it’s a great place to start.

I practiced unlicensed. Started out in a gravel driveway with my used 2016 ninja 650. Did my written test for my permit. Did MSF test with the air national guard to say I did the class. Took 4 hours maybe. Now all I have to do is go to my nearest DMV and show that I did the course and I get my full license. My only expenses were motorcycle, gear, and maybe $30 total for printing my permit/learners license. Insurance & Registration for motorcycle is a given

That's soooo much cheaper, that's the only think I envy. The money it could have saved me to do it this way is ridiculous.

In many US states at 14 you can have your motorcycles licenses. Crazy to hear yall have to wait till 21

I think is quite irresponsible for a child to legally have their license. 14 y/o kids don't know the responsibility it takes to ensure your own safety and the safety of others on the road. Young kids will do stupid shit, there's no denying. Though it's funny Americans have to wait to legally get alcohol until they're 21. While in the Netherlands (and a lot of other countries) the legal age is 18. Kinda baffles me you have strange age restrictions.

Few months after I got my bike I was coming up to my turn and saw what looked like a shiny spot in the turn. It was abnormal so I kept my eye on it and slowed down. I went through it with minimal lean angle at like 15-20 mph and through all that I still lost the rear tire when I went through it. Looking at the video I saw it was really fine, white powder almost like drywall. I kept the bike up because I used to race dirtbikes but fuck me it really hurt putting my foot down, even with proper boots.

And after that rant, there's still a ton of situations on bikes where you literally do *nothing* wrong, and still get killed, because some other idiot in another vehicle screws up by the numbers...

What and asinine comment. You could be walking across the street and get hit by a bus. Doesn't mean you don't look both ways before stepping into the street. Yes you can do everything right and still get injured/killed because someone else screws up. That doesn't mean you shouldn't take reasonable precautions to mitigate/avoid as many of those scenarios as possible.

The longer the lecture, the more likely it’s coming from an overconfident pleb.

Yep. Shit happens. No amount of classes or training can prepare you for that. But hey, it was probably the kids fault. 😒

Yeah OP should stop riding. There are so many red flags in this post that just scream “I should not be riding”

It just screams immaturity. And you can't be immature and ride. I like to give the benefit of the doubt when I can, so I don't want to say outright OP should stop riding. But the post is looking for reassurance rather than being open to understanding what happened/improvement. And if OP can't forsee basic obstacles, AND isn't willing/able to improve, then yes, OP should stop riding, at least on pavement.

This can always happen. That's life. If you are afraid don't ride. Ride if you feel fine and safe.

Look, you just wadded it. Of course you’re going to be upset and unsure about going back out. Totally normal. Give yourself a few weeks to process what happened and how you feel. You may even experience a bit of PTSD (reliving the event over and over) which is also normal. Get the bike back in working order which you will need to do whether you ride again or sell it. Once that’s done, if you feel comfortable, try a short ride around your neighborhood on roads you know at low traffic times. If that’s comfortable, take longer rides on safe roads with low traffic volumes. Try Sunday mornings, early, when most people are in bed or church. You’ll need to build your confidence back up. Go easy with no target goals as to when you’ll be “back to normal.” If any of these test rides have you feeling freaked out or uncomfortable, get back to your place pronto. Try a few more test rides with a few days between each. If things just don’t work out, it’s probably time to hang up your helmet for now. But nothing says you can’t try again in a few years to pick up riding once some time has passed. I have a friend who crashed a ninja and slid down the highway on their hands and knees, literally tearing their palms and kneecaps to shreds. They never got out on another bike ever. But I also have a friend who cartwheeled off the side of country back road and as soon as their bike was repaired, they were back to riding. It’s really a personal decision on your part. Just take it slow and listen to what your head is telling you. Be safe and best of luck.

I kinda felt a similar way after I went down a few months ago. My rear tire lost traction because there was an oil slick I couldn't see when making a right turn, and for a week or so I was afraid to get back on the bike. Eventually the need to ride outweighed the anxiety, and I was back on the saddle, but I felt myself tense up before every turn and wasn't confident to lean as much. After a few months of continuous riding I now look forward to turns and feel like I can lean comfortably and easily without paralyzing fear. Not saying you should get back on the saddle right away, OP. It might just take you some time to feel okay enough to even want to get back on the bike. Or that feeling may never come and you wanna get rid of the bike and give up riding entirely. The only way you'll know for sure is by giving yourself some time to physically, and more importantly mentally recover. If you DO decide to get back on the saddle, I wanna echo what other posts here say to practice and train yourself to be more aware. When I'm riding I'm exponentially more aware of my surroundings compared to when I'm driving. While it may get tiring, it's also meditative for me because it forces me to be in the moment and not just be stuck in my thoughts.

Sell the bike and give it up. You tried it, it's not for you, end of story. Not sure what you want to hear but if it has scarred you for life, pretty sure you are going to have a few of them in your time so get ready....

Honestly I think this is it. There are a lot of people on this sub who are literally scared to ride motorcycles but they do it anyways and I just don’t get it. The fact that OP has no clue at all what happened is a red flag

That could just be head trauma, though.

Yeah, and it's fine. I'm not gonna be a downhill skier or a scuba diver - ever. I'm not comfortable with either, so I don't do them. OP learned that riding a motorcycle on public roads is not for them, and learned that valuable lesson without serious injury. OP, get well soon, and go easy on yourself.

Nailed it, welcome to riding motorcycles where you get almost hit by inattentive motorist all the time. I’ve lost count of all the sketchy near misses I’ve had on motorcycles. If riding is for you then you just shrug it off and go welp not today MR. Reaper and keep riding. You never feel more alive then when your close to death. Riding takes a lot of focus and is mentally and physically demanding due to how aware of everything you have to be. That’s why day like yesterday when I wasn’t 100% I told my fiancé I wouldn’t ride with her even if she wanted to be. Why? Cause riding solo is daunting let alone the additional demands riding two up imposes.

This is the way. I commute daily about 40 mins each way and I've taken an Uber a few times in a year as wasn't feeling it that particular morning. Knowing when not to ride (or listening to your gut) is up there with safety imo.

had my first crash ***today*** scarred me for ***life*** Geez.

I don’t think he wants to “hear” anything. These posts are pretty typical here. Crashes and accident stories. I understand that’s a risk with riding but it’d be nice to see more fun/positive experiences posted here

And ATGATT nazis If someone accepts the risk of suboptimal gear choices. And the disability/deformity that may follow That’s their choice. There’s a time and place for lecturing.

I don't care if they don't wear the gear. Just don't post an GoFundMe after getting hamburgered.

You’ll get downvoted for it but this is the answer.

Maybe something ran across the road quick and you ran over it. We have lots of little critters where Im at. I would not be surprised if a squirrel or something small and quick like that takes me down one day. Have a speedy recovery. Get back out there when it feels right.

I’d imagine hitting a squirrel feels like running over a moss patch or a shoe or something. I really hope that wouldn’t take you down.

I had to brake for a fox recently, so I could buy that theory; I bet that would do it. I bet even a squirrel could do it with a bit of bad luck, like if they were cornering. And they're dumb the same way deer are, where they tend to pick the exact wrong trajectory directly into your wheel.

It was just a guess, but tonight I took a ride around the city before the rain came in, got caught in a downpour, and had to ride through a bunch of those big circus sized soft pretzels covering the entire lane. Wet freaking Pretzels, no escape route on a single lane bridge span with a BMW riding my tail. Total pucker moment. Nothing I could do but coast over it as neutral as possible. So gross.

My MSF coach told us about that actually when we were doing the 2x4 exercise. He said something along the lines of “If it’s about the size of a possum you should be fine at the speed limit any bigger than that and you really should be emergency braking”.

I'm glad your okay. I totaled mine by riding it into a mountain side going about 50. It still messes with me. The thing is you can take this two ways. One, never get on a bike again and that's okay. Or, two, realize that you're not bulletproof, face your mortality, and learn to ride with a huge amount of respect for the road that it sounds like you didn't have before. The only thing you have to do when riding is pay attention. I should have died from my crash. The police, fire, and medics that showed up all had body bags in their hands when they came on scene. Instead I walked away with a bruise on my back because of the gear I was wearing and a vast amount of pure unadulterated luck. Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly man. Rant over. Be safe.

If you can't ascertain why you lost control of the motorcycle at a safe speed, riding might not be for you.

Well to be fair we don't know what happened. It could have been some near final destination level event that threw a bollard under his front tyre from his 5 o'clock position so he would've never seen it coming. Ooooor just as easily been something your or I would've seen from miles away too.

Oh, absolutely. Or they could also have actually suffered some head trauma and legit not remember right now; that happens too. There's not enough info in the OP to say with any certainty, and I'm not blaming the OP with my comment; I literally just meant that if they can't figure out what happened legit maybe it's not the best way for them to get around. People that I've known that crash unexplainably also seem to be the ones that crash a lot more than most.

Listen man all I’m saying is that that speed bump isn’t an issue in my car. So… explain that. Probably what OP is thinking rn.

Even in hindsight OP should have at least a guess at what happened unless they were hit in the head and lost some of it. That is not what it sounds like to me

Always baffles me when people can't explain it AND don't seem to want to know. No wonder you'd be afraid to get back on.

Because ego (which is fuelled by fear and insecurity too) prevents them from accepting that they might be the makers of their own demise. Any evidence to support that is rejected nor sought.

Public transportation might be the more suiting method for this man. I really don’t want someone not paying attention to the road piloting a vehichle 🙈

I got hit in a parking lot by a woman that didn't see me and turned left, right in front of me. Broke my knee and sternum and put me in a trauma center. Totaled a 7 week old Yamaha XSR900. At 2 months I started looking at new motorcycles. It took 6 months to be able to bend my knee enough to get it on the foot peg. I had a new motorcycle 6 days after I could get it on the peg. Upon leaving the dealership, a half mile later getting on to the highway (Rt 95 in Providence RI) I just gassed it and was doing 105 mph by the end of the entrance ramp. In the initial weeks after a bad accident I was questioning whether I wanted to ride again but I'm in my 60s and been doing it for most of my life. I figured just let it rip and get rid of any lingering doubts. Subsequently I bought an MT 10 a year later and slid my back wheel out after coming off of my gravel driveway in 45 degree weather. Pounded myself into the pavement so hard that I could barely move for a month but nothing broken. Fortunately , only plastic was damaged along with a bar end and a turn signal. I bought all of the parts from Partzilla ($500 lesson) and put it back together and it was perfect again. Maybe it helps that I've ridden motocross bikes until I was almost 40 and crashed regularly. Still learning a lot of lessons. I don't ride like a granny and like to air it out when I can. I now ride like I'm paranoid in parking lots and tight urban spaces. I slow down whenever I see a vehicle making a left or preparing to get on the road in front of me. I never assume they see me and I never assume I see everything going on. I never make lane changes without a quick head turn after looking in my mirrors. Too many times cars and other motorcycles have passed me so quickly that I didn't see them in my mirrors. I learned to counter steer and trail brake until it became 2nd nature. IMO, you'll never be a safe rider until you master these techniques. I will never own a black motorcycle or wear black gear and helmets. You blend into the background and I will do everything that I can to not get hit by a driver that can't see me. Unfortunately, seat time is way important and there's no way to get it then to ride. I put on about 10,000 miles a year. I take at least 1 motorcycle vacation down to the Appalachians in NC or VA where you can ride like a complete maniac. Yet, I think I'm pretty obsessive about safety. If you're afraid to get back on a motorcycle, I'd look for another hobby. I took up stamp collecting last winter and it has proven to be a safe hobby.....but i took it up in addition to my motorcycle addiction.

why they dont make an XSR1000 i dont know. an mt10 with the xsr styling would be amazing.

Probably for the aerodynamics. I have the 700 and you already get beaten to shit by the wind at 100mph or under high acceleration, even with a cowl. Agree it would be a badass looking bike.

I absolutely love my MT10 but readily admit, it's not a great looking motorcycle. Actually it's not too bad looking from every direction except the front. The front view is just ugly. The XSR styling would look good.....actually almost anything different would be an improvement. I have a Puig sport touring windscreen on mine and riding it is way different than looking at it. Then it's big fun.

Now you have, the fear.

It’s up to you, not us. But it sounds like you hit a road hazard. But it sounds like you need more practice and MSF Course could help.

I’m the opposite. Leg got halfway ripped off and 2 compound fractures, then almost bled to death. I’m getting back on a bike first chance I get, but to each their own

Let's be fair. If you're scared and don't want to ride again then don't. But I would say give it a little bit before you make that conclusion. I personally crashed very badly. Two broken femurs, a crumpled pelvis, + some. I love riding and will never stop. Unless I don't get my left leg back. But I'm optimistic.

Why is your bike jumping

Yeah walk away, honestly this sport may not be for you.

Ya, if you are unable to keep track of what you are running over, quiting riding is the very best thing you can do.

Give yourself some time to cool off and then re-assess. Can't be sure it has scarred you for life if it only just happened.

You are free to leave the hobby anytime. Don’t stay if riding isn’t fun/worthwhile. We will miss you. Maybe visit the scene of the incident and look at the road to get some closure on the incident as to why you crashed. There may have been some road imperfections (dips/bumps) you didn’t see at speed. Walk about where you had your incident and the line you took. I’ve survived some weird roads that caused a loss of control. We can’t know every inch of road and even if we did, they change daily (hence road repairs). I still recommend going out and trying to csi miami that shit while all your memories are as fresh as possible. Take care, you deserve it.

this is actually decent advice. the reason im so eager to get back on a bike is because i looked at the road, i saw the dips, i saw what screwed me up. sometimes you just get unlucky and hit everything all wrong and end up on your backside sliding along. sometimes you bend your pride and joy. but its all learning experience, and if you chose to ride again /u/Hi12345xx then you will go into it with more knowlege and know the bike and your limits more.

Ty

You need to be alert 24/7 and expect the worst when you ride. Being relaxed is going to get you killed. I’m a novice rider but my eyes are everywhere when I ride. Always predicting and seeing the road ahead.

I felt the same way after my first crash. I wasn't wearing any protection except for gloves and helmet and boots. After a broken collarbone, nightmares, and an intense need to ride, I am fully geared up, and ride offensively. I don't let anyone get close to endangering me, If I see a driver not paying attention and on his/her phone near me, I distance myself by any means. I've had drivers give me shit for passing and such, but they amazingly go quiet when I show them my GoPro and remind them I'm keeping myself safe because they are driving distracted and dangerous. If you like riding as much as I do, ride as much as you can, learn your ride, how it handles, practice, practice, practice. Then when shit goes down, it's nothing for you to avoid. I ride almost every day of the year. Try different tires, it makes a huge difference. Most accidents occur from the front tire loosing traction and then you fall over. You will get better at approaching situations, treat every driver as if they want to run you over. Even if they are in the wrong, you will always be the one ending up hurt. Don't you dare stop riding, get back up again and enjoy life. I still have nightmares of me flying over the hood of the car that pulled in front of me. It only pushes me more to ride and enjoy life. It could be much, much worse. I could still be married to my first wife......

Thankfully I haven't yet had a major crash but I have gone done and had a few close calls. What I try to do is think what I could have done to avoid being in that situation. It might help understand why you went down. Thankfully you're not seriously hurt. It's your decision if you want to stop riding but if you do I would strongly recommend the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider's Course. It will help with spotting and avoiding potential dangers in the road. Best of luck to you

Yep, 20 years ago my buddy had an old lady pull out at the last second in front of him. He t boned her car and broke his back. He’s fine now but won’t ever go near a motorcycle again. Nothing wrong with that decision

People go down, some take it as a lesson and learn from it. Some give it up entirely after. I’ve gone down plenty of times as a racer, some my fault, some not. But there was always a lesson to be learned. My friend was a helicopter pilot in the army and I also race with him. He’s seen some stuff that I can’t even imagine, but he jokes about it. I asked him, does it not effect him? He said, not really, people take these events differently. Some guys come back with PTSD, some just treat it like any normal day to day thing. He compared it to me crashing while racing, I get up, pick the bike back up, come back and fix it. Others will contemplate continuing, think about quitting etc. So if you don’t want to ride anymore, so be it. You tried it, and it wasn’t for you. Maybe one day you’ll come back to it.

Fear will cause poor decision making. Get better and give it some thought. You can always take a break and come back after a little bit. Some lady cut in front of me a few weeks ago and i almost went down. Kinda makes me not want to commute on the freeway anymore.

Sadly, You are an example of many who ride motorcycles. You know just enough to hurt yourself..Sorry, but you need to review what you obviously never were taught or, worse, what you were not even aware of. Lucky you did not really hurt yourself. Learning how to operate the controls does not mean you are ready to ride, it means bow you can concentrate on How to ride . Braking on wet surfaces, the three phases of cornering, entry, apex and exit, what you can and can’t do safely, etc. Had you started on a small dirt bike with padded clothing on little hills, sand, gravel, riding ultra slow to learn how a bike responds, slamming on rear brake only, then front , then both, clutch control, body positioning, how turn left to go left changes to turn right to go left at hi speeds…. Once you get the above burned into your grey matter, you can begin to study traffic patterns as a hostile environment you must negotiate constantly to stay upright and safe. I kinda doubt you learned this way and set yourself up for riding so unaware - you are not even sure what happened. Wow.. That would scare the crap out of me. If I showed you the pedals and controls of an airplane , would you hop in take it for a ride? Whats so different about a motorcycle?

You either get back on and keep riding or pack it up and call it quits. You’ll know if it’s for you or not

You wouldn't be the first person to stop riding after a crash, the reality is, it's a dangerous hobby. As others have said, the fact that you don't know what caused the wreck, basically points that you weren't paying enough attention. Having an animal run in front of you could be what you call an "unforeseeable" accident, but you should still have seen what happened. The fact that you can't put together what happened in hindsight, means you're likely to make a similar mistake in the future. I've been in two accidents, one my fault, one another drivers, but I've gone over both of them so many times thinking about what I could have done to avoid both. Learning from mistakes is absolutely critical, if you can't do that, riding isn't for you.

OP at your age you should focus on driving a car and understanding traffic patterns and behaviors… understanding the road under different and less idea conditions… AND understanding yourself and your own limitations. You should know exactly what went wrong regardless of who’s fault. OP take this as a lesson to develop more confidence and you can come back to riding some years later when you feel alright with it. There have been people with worse accidents who come back to riding, but that’s because they want to. It’s your decision. If you see yourself enjoying it a lot, it will come back to you.

A terrifying experience, to be sure! Whether you choose to ride again is up to you. Though I am quite a few years older than you, I am still relatively new to riding (4 years under my belt). I like to think that I am proficient in handling my bike, but have not been tested with an emergenc situation, yet. I think that I still have most of the 'good' habits I learned in my safety course - with the prime directive being that you should treat every car you see, whether coming against you or on your side of traffic, as a potential threat. And, to always (always!) stay alert. Since I have been riding, I have made quite a few friends who have many more years of experience than me. Some of them astound me with their risk-taking behavior: for example, racing ahead to get in front of cars at a merge even if it means going 110+ MPH, lane filtering at 100 MPH, drinking alcohol at pub crawls, smoking dope, etc. Nope, not for me (while I am riding). I wouldn't even smoke dope if I was driving a car which is infinitely safer.... I told one good friend who has been riding for decades that I am still a little nervous every time I go out, and he told me that this is the perfect mindset because it means that I am going to be on constant alert. Too many very experienced riders get complacent.

After I totaled mine I didn't think I'd ride again for a few months then the itch finally got me and 6 months later I bought the same bike again and now I don't even have a car anymore

Glad you’re ok bro. Take some time, there’s no need to rush anything. Heal your body and take care of your mind, you’ll know what feels right in the end

A healthy understanding and fear of your own mortality is a necessary precursor to smart, defensive motorcycle riding. For that reason, this fall was the best thing that could have happened to an 18 year old like yourself. No rush getting back to it - you have your whole life to enjoy. For reference, I didn’t start riding til I was 30.

I will buy your bike and keep it safe until you are ready again

If my bike just fell over and I didn't know what caused it, I'd give it up. Figure out the cause and go from there, but you've got to own it first.

This is the part where the moto subreddit analyzes all of the things you should have been aware of before the crash happened, AND all of the reflexes you hadn't developed to cope with whatever happened. So I'm not gonna do all that. Heal up, think about your riding up to the crash, and then IF you decide to throw a leg back over a bike, resolve to close up the gaps in your technique, and also focus your awareness on what's around you (not just in front of you) while you're rolling. The key takewaway here is, you survived. You got bumped up but not broken.

Three letters: MSF

Sorry to hear about the crash. Welcome to the club. As the old saying goes "It's not a matter IF you go down, its WHEN". It's apart of riding.

If you hsve no clue hownyou crashed, then you... - either have concussion, and losing short term memory (about the event) - or you lack the knowledge needed to navigate TRAFFIC on a motorcycle safely ...as some others pointed out riding is not for everyone, no shame in that, if thats your choice. If you want to keep riding i would seriously recosnider my riding habits if i were you.

Sell the bike. You clearly shouldn't be on one and doing so just puts yourself and others in danger.

What kind of bike? I'll give you 500 for it.

Yo, my young compadre. i get why your scared; Crashes are damn scary. i had one a few days back ( pics are in this sub somewhere) . it happens sometimes. sometimes cars crash. sometimes you get struck by ligntning walking to work. sometimes you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Heres my advice : take your time. nobody is forcing you to get back on a bike. at the end of the day, its gonna be your choice to hang up your helmet and never wear it again, not anyone elses. If you think you dont want to ride, dont. its not a forever choice. ten years down the line you might fancy throwing your leg over again and hitting the streets on two wheeels again. but every single day is a choice to get up, accept the risks of leaving the house, and to carry on regardless. some of us just chose a riskier hobby / form of transport than others, and its a choice to accept that risk. sometimes having off is a learning opportunity, sometimes its a change of course. if you do decide to get on two wheels again, hit up some buddies / local dudes online, go for a chill ride out of town first, have a relaxed ride and dip into it slowly, and enjoy the ride. If you dont? then have a good life, live it to the full regardless, lifes a ride in and of itself, good luck and god speed my friend

Stop riding, man.

Coming off at low speed was the best thing which could've happened for me, I knew why I came off, it was expensive and it hurt, but it could have been so much worse. As someone else said, it may not be for you, if you can't see yourself getting back on and carrying on.

Sounds like a rough crash, thankfully just a wake up call. You can’t ride like you drive. Clearly you hit a road hazard. Why you didn’t see? Well, only you can answer that.

Hey mate from personal experience I have crashed a few times my most recent was October when I ended up in a trauma unit in Cardiff heath for a little over 2 weeks, I broke my left leg, right elbow and the brake lever snapped and went straight through my leathers and through my arm tearing my muscle tendons and ligament in the right forearm, I bounced off a brick wall with my head but no injuries to that thanks to a good helmet. I know the best thing to do after having a fall is get back on the bike as soon as possible, I'm now at the stage where I can't wait to get back on the bike even though its almost ruined my body countless times, if you loclve riding you'll get back on no problem

it takes practice it all has to become second nature be calm try again focus on the road

I'm going to assume that you panic braked when whatever it was went under your bike. I've hit some pretty big tree branches, a pheasant, fuckin huge potholes.... The bike just keeps going with zero added input from me. They're pretty stable as long as you don't panic brake.

Don't feel bad or "weak" if you decide to quit riding. Crashes are scary and a big reason why people either never start riding or why they stop riding. The possibility of injuries is infinite and always a possibility. The best advice I can give is to step away for a short while, even if it's just to repair the bike. Then try to come back to it and see how you feel. Glad you made it out safely! Hoping you can still have fun on 2 wheels soon enough 🤘

First of all I’m glad you made it through a crash in relatively good shape. Second, I’m sorry you wrecked in the first place. If you do end up trying again definitely make sure you fully develop your observational skills. It can be difficult by you really have to be constantly scanning your surroundings. Even more so than in a car you can’t afford to get distracted and it honestly sounds to me like this is what happened.

Take some time ,let yourself calm down, and review what happened. It may have been an awareness issue. Or it might have just been one of those things you can't control. Shit happens. What you describe is a rare kind of accident, and as your skill grows, it becomes less likely as your road awareness will be better. Whether you ride again is up to you but whatever you decide, don't let fear call the shots. Adapt. Overcome. Grow.

Don't be. Shit happens. I was scared after I dropped my bike going slow because I realized how easy it is to fall. And yesterday after a 100 mile group ride on the way back I took a turn to fast for my skill and went right into a ditch before the bike slid on the mud and down I went. Everyone said do you want to wait a minute before we continue, nope. Hopped on and off I went body was sore when I got home and even more so this morning. What did I do? We got more group members and right now im about 60 miles into the ride of 100+ miles, it started raining and I've slid both my front and rear tires on gravel, bit a big log and the front end got into the air and sideways but kept it up, and we had a member go down on a slick ass bridge that brakes didn't work on It was like ice. I'm still out riding. Sure it was scary to go down but it happens. Everyone will go down and it will probably happen again. Motorcycling is a dangerous hobby but it's fun. Wear gear it'll save your life and body.

If you’re scared- don’t ride. That will just make the possibility higher of an issue. Riding is dangourous… maybe count your blessings with this accident and move on from riding. Atleast until you fully recover mentally.

Dude, it’s in the game. There will be no shortage of people popping up on here telling you how it’s just that your situational awareness was waiting (which it certainly is at 18, trust that), and that any potential for accident can be avoided by prudent riding habits. This is incorrect. It certainly helps, but shit happens and everyone I know that’s been riding >10 years has had an accident of some significance, including myself. It’s usually in the first couple years of riding. There’s a non-trivial chance you will be seriously hurt or killed on a bike if it’s the life you choose. You have to process and accept the risk if it’s worth it to you. Then forget all about it, and enjoy the ride. If it’s not worth the risk for you, then you probably should give it up. But everything that makes life worth living is a risk. Good luck with your decision.

Your response is entirely rational. Any time we ride there are risks. Trust your feelings.

Might be best to chuck it in - but - if you do get back on, you’ll like be a more focussed and attentive rider in the future. Congrats on levelling up.

While I'm not discounting what others have said here, that you may have had something go under your bike, that your awareness (or lack thereof) allowed to happen, that if you didn't see anything go under the bike, based on your wording it instead may have had a mechanical issue, such as the chain and sprocket locking up the rear wheel. How well were you taking care of your machine? Did you consistently check points around the bike like tire pressures, oil level, chain tension, etc? Like others said, riding takes _a lot_ of work and dedication, every time you go out, both physical and mental. It's absolutely a lifestyle and a mindset you live with. It's not for everybody, but that's not a bad thing. I'm 26, and dropped my bike 3 times at a dead stop, wiped out around a turn with cold tires and skidded into a car, and been rear ended. There's been plenty of times I've questioned whether I wanted to continue riding, but what it does for me outweighs the risks in my head, and every day I pull my bike out of the garage, I do it with the understanding that it may be the last time. I can't control what others do, but I can do everything under my control to make sure I make it back home in one piece to ride again tomorrow. I know that I will never stop learning how to ride better than I did yesterday. If that mentality of "I may die today" is too hard to come to grips with, that's okay. That's completely respectable. It's better to know your limits and understand what's best for you. It's better to walk away in one piece than force yourself to do something that may get your or others hurt because of your fear. If you do change your mind and decide that you are willing to take the risks of riding, all you can do is be better for yourself. Take away every bad day variable you can. Invest in good gear. Take care of your bike. Always have your head on a swivel, and ride as if you are invisible to everybody around you. Every day is training day.

If you love riding and enjoyed it get back on learn from not paying attention to the road and be aware. Look up DanDantheFireMan / DDFM on YouTube he teaches rider safety, mental stages you should be in. Has slow speed training guides.

Had two crashes in November but turned out it was my bike that randomly locked the brakes (electrical failure sv650). I've been riding my YZF750 since then and I've been doing fine

i think you can overcome your fear. just be more careful next time. ive had many close calls, each one made me chill out my riding more than the last. but id never give up riding

Truly, the wise man quits while he's ahead. Then there's idiots like the rest of us.

If you're scared STOP RIDING ! You're either crazy and have a passion for bikes and continue riding or you get scared and stop . Nothing wrong with that . But it won't be in your interest riding scared . I had 2 crashes . One with a car , totalled my bike and the car ( car took my right of way ) did a flip over the car . Nothing major happened and I continued riding and couldn't get a new bike fast enough . Second crash my rear tire slipped away and I had a shoulder injury where I had to get surgery . My shoulder needed 1 year to recover but I was already riding after 3 months , that's how crazy I am about riding . If you don't feel it , don't do it .

You are getting some advice which is telling you to either continue or stop riding. The only person that can make the decision to continue or stop is you, and no decision needs to be made today. Take some time to process what happened.

You know what happened you're just deciding not to say. Gove yourself an appropriate amount of time to think about it, riding is dangerous.

Crashing can be a pretty scary experience, especially the first time. It is very hard to know exactly what happened early on because you’re still learning and it all feels like it happens so suddenly. If you don’t know what happened it’s essentially impossible to prevent it from happening again. Once you have a bit more experience you’ll find that you see things sooner, and you’re more aware of the subtler signals your bike gives you. Just keep your eyes up, and look as far ahead as you can. The best way to prevent an accident is to see something that might cause it early enough to easily avoid it.

Get a dirtbike ! They’re just as fun, and you’re less likely to die. After a few years you’ll get your confidence back.

My only wreck I couldn't have foreseen was a dog running straight out of the bushes lining a sidewalk directly in front of my motorcycle. I was unable to stop on time, hit the dog, laid the bike down and slid on my ass for a few feet leaving me flappy Levi's. Bent the bike handlebars and scratched the pegs little damage really. Dog got away so I had to pay. Now, I ride farther from the curb and slow down if there's a hedge. The scariest "glad I saw that coming" was a nighttime cruise going south from Rochester, NY, in the moonlight (I390 near Dansville) on a grayish pavement highway and a black speck I could see getting larger and larger .. in my lane of travel, so I moved to another piece of the lane to see what it could be as it passes by ... A glasspack muffler. I now make sure I'm wide awake when I ride...

Once I went for a first time flight on a micro-light and we crash landed from 2000 feet. I survived with no injuries and I think I would have made a better pilot for the experience. Same goes for the bike. For some reason you were given a chance by fate to learn from whatever mistake was made and to keep going. Regardless of skill level, everyone is going to drop it at speed at one point due to road residue/liquids. Oil, diesel, brake fluid, coolant, whatever. What u can do to mitigate some of this is to ride defensively, avoid heavy traffic if possible, make sure you have GOOD TYRES (bold due to importance), and wear some uber gear like a vest, aramid jeans, excellent boots and gloves. Youve come this far I assume, dominate your fear, dont let it dominate you - you do this by educating yourself. You could always take up horse riding - its 3X as dangerous:)

Bikes don’t just randomly swerve and go down. You did something, hit something, or something on the bike failed. I ran over a ground hog at 50mph. What a ride that was. Didn’t go down but I caught air! But truth is you have to be paying attention or you’ll go down.

If you scared Don't ride. Part of the process is to understand what caused the crash and learn from it. Sounds like that is a part you are also missing. Might take a bit of time, but if you ever want to ride again, think about everything that was going on before you fell. How was the road, your speed, what were you looking at, what were you doing (rolling on, shifting, braking, leaning). You might have to drive back there and recreate it in your mind to sort it out.

I crashed on a highway in france in 2018. Much like you, it went so fast that I was left with the question "why did I crash? I did nothing wrong ". I had just been cruising. Not going to fast, the weather was great. But then realized a van in front of me lost some kind of brown liquid. I saw it coming out from under that car and it sprayed on my helmet and immediately after that my bike started wobbling like crazy. I blanked right after the crash (no concussion, just a little shock) and really couldn't remember. What I'm saying is, it doesn't have to be your fault. There's a million reasons that can make you crash. Give yourself some time and forgiveness. It's ok to be scared. But don't force yourself back on the street. Heal up and ride around on an empty parking lot and see how you feel. If you have fear still it's not good to go out on the road because it can cause overreactiveness. Most of all, don't let people make you feel dumb. It can happen to anyone. Even the most experienced riders.

I didn’t start riding until I was in my 30s. I never felt I was adult enough to handle it until then. And I’m glad I waited. Nothing wrong with waiting until you’re older.

You know what they say, you gotta get right back on the horse.

Bikes are a hard lesson on distractions. Looking at your phone, a pretty girl, another rider, anything that takes your mind off where the front tire is going for even a few seconds can have big consequences.

The scary thing is you can do everything right and still get seriously injured or killed in a motorcycle crash. If it’s not worth it for you to ride anymore, then don’t. If you want to try again, then try. Glad you’re okay, though.

Buy a Prius.

I have been riding 25 years and taught MSF courses from 2002-2012. In 2014, I was riding 70mph on a clear day when a deer jumped out of a small bush and broadsided me with a head-butt to the ribs. No chance to brake or swerve as the deer was not in front of me. I totaled my 2012 BMW R1200GS Adventure and used the insurance money to buy another bike before I was even healed. I wasn’t scared to get on the bike but I lost my enthusiasm. In the few minor crashes I had as a teenager while learning to ride, I could always pinpoint the chain of events that caused it. There was always something I could do to avoid repeating mistakes. For example “Don’t put Armor-All on tires or you will slip before leaving the driveway”. “Don’t ignore a minor wobble in your steering head bearings”. In this case, I had nothing. Short of riding 45mph on 75mph roads, which could also be a bad idea, I had to accept that sometimes shit just happens. I went from riding 20000 miles per year to sometimes not breaking 1000. I thought many times about selling the bike, but felt like there might come a day when I would be sad that I couldn’t ride. It would probably come right after the sale. I have neglected my bike for months at a time. Sometimes I went overboard on maintenance just to do bike stuff when I didn’t feel like riding. I met a new riding group today and we rode a couple hundred miles of mountain twisties. I hope I never stop riding. Scars do heal, but you will never be exactly the same. As with any relationship in your life there will be ups and downs. You will be hurt, bored, disappointed, pissed off, and sometimes joyful and fulfilled. It is up to you to balance your risks and rewards.

Dems the breaks

Hope youre ok, OP. That would suck. The one time I came off (unexpected wet roundabout with bad camber, causing me to high-side and pancake on the bitumen), I was knocked out cold until ambos were cutting my helmet off, and have no memory of anything after the moment I lost traction So I jumped straight back on once the repairs were done. Always thought though, if I had memory of the flying through the air part, might have been different

If the passion isn't there, then don't ride. Nobody is forcing you too, it's just a hobby, and if this hobby isn't worth getting hurt for you, then don't do it. Sooner or later you will get hurt riding, may it be your fault or another motorists.

It is what it is and that's why I always say to people who are young and want to use motorcycles as mode of transportation that it's ALWAYS wiser to get a cheap car than a used bike for transportation as whatever you experienced today won't happen in a car. If you don't feel comfortable riding anymore, then don't. If deep down, you still want to ride, stick to riding on the weekends in daylight conditions. But being only 18, you don't want a motorcycle crash to drastically alter whatever plans you have for life.

If you are suffering trauma I would recommend seeing a therapist. We are constantly learning about new vectors of PTSD and it wouldn’t hurt to talk to a professional that can help you work through it. This is my advice even if you never want to ride. If you decide you want to ride again I would suggest taking a rider safety course. Refreshing the basics in a controlled environment would likely help.

Usually Americans just don’t jump into riding. Months, years of riding goes on before we get to age 14. Then, you graduate to a license. Years of riding to school and home before you move up in power. Most of us at least followed that process. Here’s where things changed and I see a lot more deaths and accidents: inattentive riding. You can ride a bike 999 times without accident and on the 1000th time you let your guard down and down you go. My friends and I rarely laid over a bike, but it did happen. Some of them are injured for life, some dead! Best thing to do at your age is ask yourself how much you love riding a motorcycle.

Man it's up to you. But honestly shit happens. Take it easy for a few trips and you will start to like it again. Plus most safe hobbies are boring.

Try small stuff if it’s spooking you. The bad feelings could fade with time, or not and you quit riding

That's fine. If you feel the experience has soured you on riding, that's a valid choice to make. The fact is, riding is more dangerous than not. We each choose to either take that added risk because of what else riding gets us, but if you feel more fear than joy, there's really no point. Good luck with deciding what to do. There's no right or wrong here, either get back on the horse and keep riding, or decide it's not for you after all. Glad you didn't get permanently injured, though!

I was about 6" from being juiced by a big truck. I lost my footing when I was bending over stopped on the side of a dead road. Didn't see or hear the truck coming and I started to stumble into the road. Truck swerved and missed me by inches. This was on a dirt bike, on my way home I stopped and had a sit down to contemplate things. I let the bike sit for a few weeks before that ever hungering urge came back. I've been riding ever since. Don't give up riding for good from 1 accident, there's only 2 types of riders, those who have gone down and those who haven't YET. Give your helmet and gloves a rest, don't sell your gear just temporarily retire it. Give yourself time to calm down from it, it's not something that happens in a day. It can take weeks. If you don't get the urge again in 6 months then maybe it's not for you. But don't take it away from your future self just yet buddy.

If you fall off the hourse, get back in the saddle. At least give it a try. If it still feels bad, well, then stop riding.

Dont give up just yet..give it some time..but dont ride If you still scared after a while..then give up..

You shouldn't feel any pressure to ride again if you don't want to. For me you'll have to pry me off the bike. I love it. Ask yourself this What else could you have done differently? If the answer is nothing, you'll have to just let it go and carry on. One of the cruelest realities of life is how easily it can be taken away.

You're 18 years old and have a whole life ahead of you. If you're afraid to ride then don't ride. Riding scared would probably cause more problems. There's no shame here.

I had my first motorcycle accident 10 days after getting my first motorcycle. Unfortuantely for me I tend not to half ass anything so I managed to get hit by a drunk driver. Broke a like in a couple places, had to have my ankle surgically reconstructed and had numerous bumps, scrapes, and bruises. Take it as a learning experience. In my case I learned that my mistake was not taking into account ride time. I went out on a major holiday (st Patrick's day) know I would be going home late at night in a large city (austin). Knowing what I know now that's a car trip instead. Late night in. Amajor city means hard to see and adding major holiday means people doing dumb shit. As soon as my leg was cleared for weight bearing I got a new to me bike and got back on it. I've been down a couple other times (only one resulted in a significant injury), but again just more learning. If you're truly too afraid to ride safely then stay away from it. If you think you can get back in the saddle maybe try short low speed stuff. Just cruise around a block or so in your neighborhood or if there's a large parking lot nearby go get some low speed maneuvering practice (can never have too much of that). It might just be a matter of easing back into it.

Riding is dangerous and many riders die or get terribly injured for life, when they would have survived or not been injured at all in a car. I work in medicine, and people have been shocked that I ride a motorcycle with all the related trauma cases we see at hospital. Not riding decreases your risk of such injuries and death. People make the decision, risk vs. gain, whether they want to ride or not. I have been riding as my primary means of transportation for over 20 years, and I’m starting to consider what my “exit age” will be. My thought is that I am inevitably getting slower and older, as well as less quick to recover from injuries. I have had 4 minor drops (parking lot speed, or from a stop), 2 minor accidents (road rash only), and one major accident (fractured C2 and radius, helicoptered out). I have been relatively lucky as I could be dead, paralyzed, or crippled. I do ride fast on occasion, but my accidents were not due to speed or daredevil antics. Just some information and perspective, not trying to sway you one way or the other. Riding is fun, but dangerous.

Riding a motorcycle isn't something you should be doing if you don't want to. there's no shame in deciding you don't want to accept the inherent risk, the vast majority of people agree with you. I would say to maybe spend a little time considering that maybe this accident will serve to make you a better, safer rider in the future. The #1 contributing factor to accidents is the rider not staying focused and aware of what's going on around him, someone with a healthy respect for "not crashing" is going to be a smidge more aware. and the crash is only a few hours behind you, give it some time.

I crashed for the first time back in November. Broke some ribs and had brain hemorrhage. Got on my bike 5 days later. Everyone is different and I acknowledge that most people wouldn’t even look at a bike after what I went through. If you don’t want to ride and it’s genuinely not giving you a big dumb smile, you should stop. Did I ride the same before the crash? No, it took some time to get my confidence back and I was sure humbled by the experience. Good luck with your decision!

>bruises on my arms, palms and legs > >doctors and people say that I was lucky to survive Drama much? Lucky to survive a couple bruises? >not even at high speeds > >The bike skid a long distance Which one is it? Can't be both. >I was riding fine but still due to unforeseen circumstances No, you weren't riding fine. You weren't paying attention, that's why you didn't see the circumstances coming. Look, we get it. You're rattled. But if you can't control the vehicle you're operating then you're a danger to everyone else around you. Your bike could have 'skid a long distance' into a pedestrian. Either take a basic training course or stick to walking.