I will start with a set up of the street. The street is in the city (Oshkosh) and runs north and south. There is a 10 ft wide median between the north and south lanes. The lanes are rather wide as there is parking on the curb side(s). The speed limit is 25 mph as there are a lot of side streets that intersect this particular street.
I was traveling south on said street when a motorcycle buzzed between me and the parked cars. I made a comment to my coworker riding in the work truck that "where are the cops when you need them". As soon as I said this I saw smoke from the bikes rear tire and then the bike went vertical and the guy was tumbling down the street. A truck had moved into the bikes path to turn right on to a side street, the bike had hit the truck traveling over 60 mph. I stopped and helped due to the fact that this occurred only one vehicle in front of me. The guy was laying on the street trying to get up, others were telling him to stay still and that paramedics were on their way. His bike, a Ninja 250 was a total loss, as the frame had basically folded/buckled in the middle. He hit the receiver hitch on the truck and actually bent the rear frame on the truck where the hitch attaches. There was a flat spot on the back tire that went to the steel belts, but the actual skid mark was not that long, which, to me anyway, indicated a high rate of speed.
The rider kept trying to get up and at one point succeeded, but passed out and fell back down. I asked him a few questions and came to the conclusion that he was drunk. He stated that he had a helmet on, but it was not strapped. We found the helmet about 150 feet from the scene in a front yard. He kept asking about his "baby" which was the bike. When I asked if he had insurance he said no. The cops finally arrived and started further inquiry and started taking statements. The rider became agitated and started arguing with the cops and paramedics. The cop said he smelled alcohol and told him that he WILL be going to the hospital and that he WILL be under arrest. That shut him up and made him compliant with the EMS crew. This all happened by the way at 9 a.m. only two hours into my work day. I had rode my FZ6 on that same street to work only two hours earlier.
The whole incident was surreal, like something you see on YouTube. Now I like speed just as much as the next guy, but I would never willing endanger other motorists on the road like this guy did. There are times and places for hooliganism. City streets are not the place. Luckily for him he will most likely survive with relatively minor injuries. It also showed me that even a 250cc motorcycle in the wrong hands can be too powerful. Ride safe everyone, they are out there and some are even on two wheels.
I was traveling south on said street when a motorcycle buzzed between me and the parked cars. I made a comment to my coworker riding in the work truck that "where are the cops when you need them". As soon as I said this I saw smoke from the bikes rear tire and then the bike went vertical and the guy was tumbling down the street. A truck had moved into the bikes path to turn right on to a side street, the bike had hit the truck traveling over 60 mph. I stopped and helped due to the fact that this occurred only one vehicle in front of me. The guy was laying on the street trying to get up, others were telling him to stay still and that paramedics were on their way. His bike, a Ninja 250 was a total loss, as the frame had basically folded/buckled in the middle. He hit the receiver hitch on the truck and actually bent the rear frame on the truck where the hitch attaches. There was a flat spot on the back tire that went to the steel belts, but the actual skid mark was not that long, which, to me anyway, indicated a high rate of speed.
The rider kept trying to get up and at one point succeeded, but passed out and fell back down. I asked him a few questions and came to the conclusion that he was drunk. He stated that he had a helmet on, but it was not strapped. We found the helmet about 150 feet from the scene in a front yard. He kept asking about his "baby" which was the bike. When I asked if he had insurance he said no. The cops finally arrived and started further inquiry and started taking statements. The rider became agitated and started arguing with the cops and paramedics. The cop said he smelled alcohol and told him that he WILL be going to the hospital and that he WILL be under arrest. That shut him up and made him compliant with the EMS crew. This all happened by the way at 9 a.m. only two hours into my work day. I had rode my FZ6 on that same street to work only two hours earlier.
The whole incident was surreal, like something you see on YouTube. Now I like speed just as much as the next guy, but I would never willing endanger other motorists on the road like this guy did. There are times and places for hooliganism. City streets are not the place. Luckily for him he will most likely survive with relatively minor injuries. It also showed me that even a 250cc motorcycle in the wrong hands can be too powerful. Ride safe everyone, they are out there and some are even on two wheels.
