Sad Day For Brother Speed

[mxgolf]

There was a bad 24 motorcycle accident south of Portland Oregon this past week. The brother speed motorcycle gang was coming north to Portland for a club reunion on I-5. They were traveling at 70 in formation like the gangs do. The traffic in front of them stopped and there was a big chain reaction. All 24 went down with 2 fatalities. I always ride with my friends stagered and not in formation for this very reason. It's too bad this could have been preventable. Please read the attached article. My heart goes out to all the bikers families.

 

[Kriswithak]

Sad to hear
Like you said even worse because its preventable.

 

[Botch]

24, Holy Crap!!

 

[mstewar1]

Oh man, that's terrible.

I get uncomfortable when I have a rider riding in what I consider to be the "wrong" position in relation to me. So much so, that I'll change lanes and let them pass. I have no idea if that's what transpired here, but I've seen enough groups riding to assume that they were riding side-by-side rather than staggered.

On a side/lighter note: I recently visited my brother up in Hood River, Oregon. On the drive back home I actually passed the original poster (mxgolf) on I-5 heading south -- and you were driving the little blue truck with the bike in the back, just like in your avatar. But I just figured it'd be weird if I waved at you, since I was in a car, too.

 

[RJ2112]

There was a bad 24 motorcycle accident south of Portland Oregon this past week. The brother speed motorcycle gang was coming north to Portland for a club reunion on I-5. They were traveling at 70 in formation like the gangs do. The traffic in front of them stopped and there was a big chain reaction. All 24 went down with 2 fatalities. I always ride with my friends stagered and not in formation for this very reason. It's too bad this could have been preventable. Please read the attached article. My heart goes out to all the bikers families.

I've been following this incident on the news channels..... there were two folk life flighted; but no fatalities as of yesterday afternoon. Maybe that's changed...... The 2 by 2 thing is the major part of what trapped them when the crunch came; that and following too closely behind an SUV. The whole group accordioned, a couple of bikes hit cars in the lane adjacent, trying to avoid the pile up. Pride goeth before a fall..... these folks got arrogant, and complacent.

8 more were taken to local hospitals with broken bones and the like.

http://www.katu.com/news/59798742.html?video=pop&t=a

http://www.kptv.com/traffic/20994591/detail.html

http://www.katu.com/news/59789107.html?video=pop&t=a

The Wilsonville area is just South of the I-205 split. That's the diversion around Portland's downtown that reconnects with I-5 in WA state. The off shoot comes first from the south, and the inflow occurs right after that. I-5 is 6 lanes, joined by 3 or 4 lanes from I -205. It's a known 'choke point'..... used to ride through there all the time, even on light traffic days, it's a bad place to be on a bike.

Just because there's 24 of you in the parade, doesn't mean anyone is going to notice.

Here's a link to video they have on their website showing their 'typical' formation, gear, etc....

http://www.brotherspeedmcoregon.com/content/brothers-speed-videos

48 hours later..... still no fatalities

http://wilsonvillespokesman.com/new...stories/more.crash.details.released/news.aspx

 

[fz6Soldier]

I wonder what kind of gear they were wearing. Hear in Michigan, most cruiser guys go sleeveless. Ouch!

 

[vrsbrazil]

I am sorry to hear that, may them be in peace and may the survivor´s wounds heal up nicely...

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Very typical, saw their video, no helmets, no gear, and most importantly, zero safety margin. It was bound to happen. I really don't feel too sorry for them, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

They'll need to update the pics of their accident on their website.

 

[Tailgate]

Yup, when a group rides like that they're, in effect, all tailgaters en masse. I haven't seen the formation that they ride in but, how else could 24 riders all go down like that?

 

[FZ1inNH]

Sounds like a Lemmings adventure... one drops off the cliff and the rest simply follow.

Sad but 100% avoidable. I can see maybe a few in the front getting jambed up but you have to be pretty ignorant of group riding if you're the 26th biker that fails to stop.

 

[chihuahuastud]

I wonder what kind of gear they were wearing. Hear in Michigan, most cruiser guys go sleeveless. Ouch!

Exclusive video from the Brother Speed clubhouse!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP_ul18KrJk[/ame]

 

[Tailgate]

why that much of speed people are going in the bike they dont bother about the family members that are back side of them to care them.

click the link to see the problem rises regarding


Google

What link?

 

[steveindenmark]

Sad that 2 guys died but what a bunch of no brainers and they will attend the funerals doing exactly the same thing.

Steve

 

[RJ2112]

Sad that 2 guys died but what a bunch of no brainers and they will attend the funerals doing exactly the same thing.

Steve

Don't feel sympathy for deaths that did not occur. This is the situation as of 24 hours ago.... No fatalities, both persons life flighted have been upgraded from 'critical'......

Wilsonville Spokesman | Top stories | More crash details released

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Sounds like a Lemmings adventure... one drops off the cliff and the rest simply follow.

Sad but 100% avoidable. I can see maybe a few in the front getting jambed up but you have to be pretty ignorant of group riding if you're the 26th biker that fails to stop.

+1, you make a great point Eric.

 

[Wavex]

Sorry for them, but I am sure they knew the risks of riding like that and without gear...

This reminds me of this old thread (WARNING, lots of scary opinions in that epic debate): Safety vs. the “cool factor” - Harley Davidson Forums