If you were told ......

[Quad18star]

That you could not be able to ride again , what would you do?

I recently had my leg severely shatted in an atv/dirtbike related accident . Things are shattered so badly , that I have a titanium rod and 4 screws holding things so they don't move and wire wrapped around whatever bone I have left . I'm still missing about 3 inchs of bone in my leg that needs to be graphed and this will be over a coarse of many surgeries . I'm currently in a cast for atleast 6 months ... then I'll have more surgery and lots of therapy . I've talked to a few guys that have broken their leg , not as severely as mine is broken , and their surgeons told them they would not be able to ride anymore , due to the hard pounding taken to the leg area . When I asked my doctor if he thought I'd ever be able to ride or race again , he didn't look too confident and never really gave me an answer .

So what would you guys do if you were told you couldn't ride again . Would you try and stay active within the industry? Find a different sport? Etc.....

I think I got myself a plan if I'm told I can no longer ride anymore ...:devil:

[SRH]

if they told me i could not ride anymore i guess id just ride, because doctors are always super cautious and when they say u cant you usually can

i guess if it got that bad id get into offroad truck racing or something like that

[LTandRaptorider]

yeah, I guess I'd find another sport/hobby to take up my time. You're young, you don't want to be cripppled by the time you're 40! We al realy enjoy riding quads, but an injury like yours... just how important is it to you? I imagine you hope to settle down some day with a wife, have some kids... wouldn't it be nice if you're able to walk and do stuff with them? Think of the future when making your decision... good luck! :)

[TCracin440ex]

if they told me i couldnt ride no more id have to take the chance and still ride, or id either stop ridding like they suggested and be an engine builder...go to college, learn all the stuff their is to learn about small engines

or id have to get into some kinda competitive racing...not mx but TT or flat track...because im sure u can handle ridding but you wont be able to handle jumping, and stuff like that anymore

[TCracin440ex]

or baja racing....that stuff looks fun

[MotoX3]

ride 50s or ute's......race/ride snowmobiles.....ride go carts.....lol something else dangerous:macho

[I-7]

I dont know what I would do :( . I think you should take up billards....

[TCracin440ex]

did u not read what he said his leg is shatterd....race snowx...come on those guys go just as big as mxers or if not bigger

baja racing looks fun...not as bad on the body as quads are because they got like 30 inches of travel on their suspension

[SRH]

Originally posted by MotoX3
ride 50s or ute's......race/ride snowmobiles.....ride go carts.....lol something else dangerous:macho


haha i dont think u could really ride 50s...there rougher on your legs than a quad, sled i dunno maybe if u sat down the whole time.....and baja is worse than mx

[MotoX3]

Originally posted by TCracin440ex
did u not read what he said his leg is shatterd....race snowx...come on those guys go just as big as mxers or if not bigger

baja racing looks fun...not as bad on the body as quads are because they got like 30 inches of travel on their suspension yeah and when u hit a tree at 100mph i think ur legs gonna feel that too:rolleyes:

[TCracin440ex]

uh baja is no were near as bad as mx because your sitting down you df....mx your in a standing position...unless your 1 of them punannys that roll over the jumps and sit down the entire time

[SRH]

Originally posted by TCracin440ex
uh baja is no were near as bad as mx because your sitting down you df....mx your in a standing position...unless your 1 of them punannys that roll over the jumps and sit down the entire time

haha um the pounding from bumps and holes and stuff is what takes a toll, ive watched baja on tv they sit occasionaly in a corner or down a smooth stretch the majority of the time there standing baja is long *** race with just constant pounding to your body....worse than mx....

[TCracin440ex]

ok im not going to sit here and argue with you....because arguing over the internet is like running the special olympics...no matter who wins....your still retarded


he could aways do rally car racing in like wrx's.....you might as well face it any kinda racing period will take its toll on the body...unless its wheelchair racing or some slow pace kinda racing

[deathman53]

well, I broke my leg, I was back on the quad before I could even walk great and I couldn't run either. doctors never told me anything about that, but in your case with shattering it, I'd say wait a 2 years before you get back on and start back up like you just got the bike and learning how to ride it. It took 6 months for my leg to be back 100%.

[redrunner]

Yup that would be a tough one I hate anybody telling me a "can't" I guess it is a macho thang!:macho

Anyway as you know we talked before about mine and you injuries and I read posts everyday about the hesitation to get back on and ride. In your case it is much more severe than mine and LT is right about your future. I was really bummed not being able to play football with my 11 year old this summer but I couldn't run. So you might actually not be able to ride, physically it may be stupid! I am gonna go the other next year and sell both our quads since my wreck the kid doesn't want anything to do with it, and I am gonna jump back on the horse. A bigger one that is and even a big ute might come into play. But that is just me I am goshdarn stubborn. You might be able to handle a good ute and kinda take it easy and just get to see the outdoors more, trail riding is my pleasure. If you haven't been to H/M systems just to see the sights do that. Ahh crap now I am just rambling, feel better soon, you'll make the right choice.
;)

[TCracin440ex]

R/C racing there ya go...thats something you can take up

[Ryan]

Im not sure if many of you have heard of Jorge Curtis. He has a fake leg and races atv's. Along with another guy who races and only has one arm.


If your able to walk, get your *** on that quad and ride ;) .

[LTandRaptorider]

Originally posted by Ryan

If your able to walk, get your *** on that quad and ride ;) .

That's the question... he doesn't even know if he'll be able to walk normally again. As much as we like quads, there is more to life. ;)

[SRH]

Originally posted by LTandRaptorider
That's the question... he doesn't even know if he'll be able to walk normally again. As much as we like quads, there is more to life. ;)


maybe to you but not to everyone

[TCracin440ex]

i kinda am going to go with LT on this 1....i wouldnt want to risk me bein able to walk just for some thrills

i will admit i rode quads with a broke leg...i had a cast on my leg and when i wanted to ride id ride my old honda recon, id put a trashbag over the cast so i wouldnt get no water in it, and i would shift gears with my hand

[TCracin440ex]

to be honest with you....im not in any kinda of physical pain...but i have not rode my quad since i got my drivers license....back when i was 12-16 ridding was everything to me...i didnt do nothing but ride, go to school come home from school ride till it got late then go to bed and repeat the process again....

when your young and aint got nothing to do, cant get out on the highway (leagally), then i can see quads being everything to someone, but after i got my license, and got out on the road, started hangin out with friends going places on weekends instead of stayin home and riddin....i just haven't cared for ridding as much as i did before, i have not rode in a good 6 mths....ever since april 04 when i got my permit.

another reason i aint rode is because my 400ex is tore down right now with a fugged up bearing carrier and im waiting for my brother and his friend to pay me the money to replace the damage they caused...took my quad and rode it with bad bearings and tore the carrier up.

lets face it...its a fact of life...some kids grow out of ridding..it happens every day...i bet i couldnt count on my fingers and toes how many kids get their license that has quads and their quads do nothing but sit in the shed to rust while they are out on the road

[SRH]

Originally posted by TCracin440ex
i kinda am going to go with LT on this 1....i wouldnt want to risk me bein able to walk just for some thrills

i will admit i rode quads with a broke leg...i had a cast on my leg and when i wanted to ride id ride my old honda recon, id put a trashbag over the cast so i wouldnt get no water in it, and i would shift gears with my hand


i would, if the leg was no good anymore cut it off give me a prostetic and ill ride with that

[TCracin440ex]

you have either got to be completely stupid or half dumb

if his leg does not need to be amputated, and he has a chance to walk again in his life, why in hell would he want to risk getting on a quad and having a small crash and end up never being able to walk again without crutches. stupid

or when he has kids....and they want him to play backyard football with them he cant he will have to watch. and cant join in...or what if he wants to go to a theme park and wait inline with a f-ed up leg...hes gotta think about something other than ridding....

[LTandRaptorider]

Originally posted by SRH
i would, if the leg was no good anymore cut it off give me a prostetic and ill ride with that

Uh huh... :rolleyes:

don't forget to drink a glass of milk before going to bed... good for the bones... :p

[LTandRaptorider]

Originally posted by SRH
maybe to you but not to everyone

maybe you need to expand your horizons then... :confused: ;)

and now I have to get a shower and go to bed... due to the fact I wasn't kind to my body when I was younger, takes me a little longer to do some things... :p

[roostin_dale]

I would try to ride even if he said not to. But if it doesnt work out i'd get into go-kart racing...

If it is any inspiration, my girlfriend has over a foot of wire in her elbow and two 9 inch rods in her arm...., two broken arms and a broken ankle...all within 4 months...but she is still racing dirtbikes

[roostin_dale]

Originally posted by LTandRaptorider
Uh huh... :rolleyes:

don't forget to drink a glass of milk before going to bed... good for the bones... :p

don't doubt anyone...its possible! There is a guy on the national motocross circuit that races with a prostetic leg. And another guy who only has one arm!

[SRH]

yeah well some people are focused on something and not running around drinking and partying putting a system in there civic, going to college and talking about families

[One_Bad_400]

well i would probly sit there and stair, and all my past and future pass by me, i dont know what i would do iff i couldnt ride, ive ben riding sence i was 5, ya the doctor's are always over causious, i broke both my wrist and my doc. told my i couldnt ride for a month, i went home and and hoped on my quad, had a few wreks and i was still ok, so id say you could ride, mabey race, in a few years,you might not be able to ever race

[LTandRaptorider]

Originally posted by roostin_dale
don't doubt anyone...its possible! There is a guy on the national motocross circuit that races with a prostetic leg. And another guy who only has one arm!

I know it's been done. that was strictly for SRH... ;)

[LTandRaptorider]

Originally posted by SRH
yeah well some people are focused on something and not running around drinking and partying putting a system in there civic, going to college and talking about families

I don't do any of those things, which is why I still... ride! But if I was told that from an injury like quadstars that to continue to ride, I may never walk again... sorry, walking and functioning is more important. Let's not lose sight of the original question here... and no flames intended, just my opinions. :cool:

[hondarider2006]

If I could never ride again...I really do not know what I would do. Become rich and sponcer some kid, and enjoy watching him race or somthing. Build bad *** quads for a living...

[FourFiftyFour]

off road truck racing, any type of car racing (drag racing, rallys, etc etc), starting up a quad shop and build custom bikes or build new products, learn to fly airplanes, shifter karts, go mudding, or save up and travel around parts of the world, pick up photography and maybe take pics at events, help out at the races still to stay involved....

of course its easier said than done b/c im not sure what i would do, but i know if i quit racing, i would get involved somehow or start another sport i could still participate in

[MichaelS693]

take up drag racing.. its still a quad related sport and you would be around quads that go extremely fast 24/7

[Tommy 17]

i shattered my left femur... i was told i'd never ride again and barly be able to walk... my left leg is actually 1\2 inch shorter then my other leg... just take it easy when u come back and don't rush it....


some people break a bone and then like they thing they can use it when the doctore says dont... he told me don't walk for 6 months on it... didn't walk till he told me 2 and then he told me don't run or ride anymore... i dind't for another 6 months and i'm fine now!!!


just do what he says...

[chris450R]

i think i would be like WTF ever! i would still ride. i would go through surgery and therapy and try reall hard to do go and then when i was healed all up, it would be time to load up and hit the track, trail or where it is you ride. hell yeah! and plus i mean you won't be ridin for awhile now you will have plenty of time to completely pimp your YFZ out and i mean PIMPED!!!. shoot you could get the absolute best shocks that you could and hell they would sook up the bumps and crap plenty good to not bother your leg. i had surgery on my shoulder about 2years ago and the dostor said i probably wouldn't be able to throw a baseball the same again but know what....i sitll can't....jk...naw i can throw damn good still. no worries man you will be able to ride again maybe not wide open but there is always still some ridin you can do on a quad. trust me!

[Quad18star]

WOW ... I didn't think I'd get so many replies in such a short time frame .

Like many guys have said .... to me walking is a bit more important than racing .... and I do hope that one day I'll be able to run around with kids outside and stuff. I know what happens when you injure yourself and push it even after the doctors told you to take it easy . My dad injured his back working in the mines when he was younger and now at the age of 55 not a day goes by that he's not affected from it and this has been going on for as long as I can remember . I really hope that I can one day get back on a quad and ride again because it was something that I really enjoyed doing .... it was kind of a freedom for me .

But .......... IF im advised to kinda chill out on the ridding and focus on something else , I think I know what I'd like to do . I've kind of narrowed it down to a few things ... first would be to either get my Helicopters license ( been a dream since I was a kid) ... second would be to open up my own snowmobile and atv store ( kind of like the one I manage) ... 3rd would be to get into automobile drag racing . My family was heavily into the drag racing scene a few years ago and I think I'd like to get back into it . I've always enjoyed building cars ( going on the 4th one as soon as I find one I want to build) and if speed is involved you can count me in .

Keep the replies comming ... it's interesting to see everyone's opinions .

[allmixedup047]

if its any inspiration for you, my step dad rapped his leg around his handlebars racing and had many surgeries to fix it. you name it and he has had it in his leg. he took it easy for a while like the doctor said and stayed involved in the sport in other ways untill he got back on his bike. he went over the bars right off of a burm and got his foot stuck under the gas tank and his leg and knee went around the bars, breaking it about about every inch from his knee to his ankle. this was years back and hopefully with the newer technology they can even get you back in a speedeir recovery. hes a pipe fiter and is always on his feet working with pipe and metal and his leg doesnt bother him too much at all. he still has all of the rods and screws that where taken out of his leg to this day. another family member was riding snowmobiles through the wood and caught his leg on a tree and broke his femar and ripped his leg away from his pelvis. he also took it easy for a while and still rides to this day. hope you get a good recovery and stay in the sport and on exriders.
best of luck, Chris

[ohski]

If you really want to keep riding I would buy a UTE and do some trail or mud riding... obviously this would be after you have healed up well enough to do this.

[sharkinthepool]

Dude I never really shattered bones like yours (seen the x-rays) but I had a dirt bike accident where another rider came down the side of my leg at a super-cross event and the foot peg/axle sliced into my right leg. It carved a huge chunk out of my knee sheering some of the knee cap and bone out and shredding the rest of the front of my leg and foot.

After months of surgery and about 480 stitches I had in rehab. I was told I would never race motor-cross or dirt bikes for that matter.
There was so much damage done to my foot that there was no-way I would be able to use the brakes and holding balance would be impossible for me.

That was about 13 years ago. I am 30 now and racing quads and loving life. The only time I have any problems is when it is raining and nasty out (it seems to ache. Arthritis is inedible; you can not get away from that after that kind of damage). But, I just keep working out and making the muscles as strong as I can to take more of the blow from the jumps than the bones.

Dude what I am getting at is, If you really enjoy doing it you will push yourself to find away to get back into it!

If you don’t you don’t, that is your decision!!! Not someone on hear to give you the advise if you should try it again. I would not make these comments if I had not been there myself.


Oh and the blows of landing and the punishment from the bumps and whoops can be overcome by better shocks and good boots, which could be your best friend when you get back to it.

I say that because I have seen pictures of that yfz and I would say you will not be off of it for long.

[sharkinthepool]

Hey man if you get down and can not get yourself back up you get a hold of me!!! I mean it!

Going through what you are going through is hard. If you need something you get on here and get a hold of me!

[MY450R]

take this injury as a serious thing
hopefuly it makes you a stronger person and you can come back to the sport and be better than you were
get well soon

[lil400exman]

greg i was in your shoes and still am. I messed m leg up real good and i know how it is. I love riding myself but it wasnt worth it not to be able to lose the ability of walking. The road of healing is tough enough i dont want to go through it again. It only takes seconds to happen but the effects can last a lifetime. So now i am buying a harley sportster and doing some modifactions and selling it for some cash. i am buying a hobart ironman 250 and now i dont miss riding anymore. Sell your YFZ and maybe get into fabrication. I love welding and your still heavily involved in the sport. You could maybe build and install gussets and the like!:cool:

[Quad18star]

Well I've been doing a bit of thinking lately, and I don't know how much longer I'm going to stay involved with ATVs . This is now my 2nd serious accident and I think everyone around me would like for me to get out of this sport .

Now for what I have been thinking about doing , if I am able to ride again , is try my luck at snowcross or freestyle snowmobiling. I know It's just as dangerous as ATV racing , but I think my friends and family would feel more comfortable with me involved in a sport such as snowmobiling. My parents were heavily involved with the sport in the late '80s right through till mid 1990s where they sat on the chairboard and made decisions about snowmobiling trails , laws , and clubs .

Also I have a better chance of "making it" in the sledding industry and scene , because of the company I work for and the contacts / connections I've made while working in the snowmobile industry . Our company has a large snowcross racing teams which has won almost every class that we have riders entered in . We also have Ski-Doo snowmobiles as a main sponsor along with many other sledding companies like Woodys Traction , Camoplast, Kimpex, Motovan , etc .

You will see I have my ATV posted in the For Sale section and I am just checking interest right now . I am going to wait for a doctor's opinion before I make any decisions on riding an ATV again . Let's just say I might not be in the ATV scene much longer ... but maybe you'll see me in the Braaaappp Videos or Sledneck series . ;) :blah:

[bansheeguy77]

when i had to sell out i took up lifting, fighting like boxing, and mma, and becoming a man whore. its fun and all, just a new part of life. also ya can take up builidng up a car or whatever u want its hella fun. but yeah quads are very dangerous and its not worth it to risk your life and future happiness on one thing. there are so many things out there in life to experience the possibilities are endless so keep trying new things till ya find what you like and are not paralized :p