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Woman trapped under Harley during class
#1
Woman trapped under Harley during class
Lawyer: Other riders in danger
Updated: Saturday, 04 Jun 2011, 5:14 PM MDT
Published : Friday, 03 Jun 2011, 10:29 PM MDT
Reporter: Alex Tomlin

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/health/woma...ring-class

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - She took the course to learn how to ride a Harley safely; instead she was severely injured and now worries the class and its instructors are going to kill someone.

The woman was in this class for beginning motorcycle riders taught by Thunderbirds Harley-Davidson on Alameda Boulevard NE in Albuquerque.

“They had to literally cut her clothes off in order to get her loose,” her attorney, Jesse Quackenbush, said.

He said that the company knew his 4-foot 11-inch client was too small for the bike they put her on.

“One of the technicians at the store literally told the training instructor don't put her on any bike under this roof because she is simply too small," Quackenbush said.  The woman had already had a spill the day before, he added.

This time she lost control hitting a pole. A metal chain hanging from the pole wrapped around her and the bike, pinning her under the 360-pound Harley.

“She lies on the ground for like four minutes while this thing is burning through her leg,” Quackenbush said.

The woman did sign a waiver saying she knew the risks, but Quackenbush said, “The waiver is not worth the paper that it is written on.”

Quackenbush said trainers violated the rules by having the chain on the course.

Now, the woman is suing Thunderbirds and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company in federal court for the accident.

The bike his client crashed on is the smallest model Harley makes. Quackenbush said Harley only wants people training on Harleys so they will buy Harleys.

“The simple truth is that Harley-Davidson would not sell as many motorcycles if they put their students on Yamahas,” said Quackenbush.

Which he said are smaller and easier to handle for beginners.

No one from Thunderbirds dealership or from Harley's corporate offices in Wisconsin got back to us to comment on the lawsuit.
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often and for the same reason.
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#2
they need to talk to my instructor for the msf, i think she was 4'10" and road a harley

but if the instructors thought she was a hazard to herself they should have stopped the course

wonder if it was a msf course? or riders edge, but i think they are msf also
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#3
That dealership offers Rider's Edge.
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#4
Maybe its just me...  But...  I dont know if I would want to hire a lawyer named "Quackenbush".  Sounds like the makings of an uban legend, but I did a google search and this appears to be real.  I wonder if they had refused to let her in the course if she would have hired said Mr Quackenbush to sue for discrimination.

I have to agree, the instructors need some instruction in comon sense me thinks.

Good news article!  Thanks for sharing!
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#5
Riders Edge classes use the Buell Blast exclusively for their training. The curriculum is the same as the MSF, BRC with some modifications as to the length of time the exercises are run and a good deal of Harley marketing is added.

It will be interesting to follow this to see the outcome, there are minimum range clearance rules regarding the distance to hard objects like poles and curbs, if those rules were ignored the defendant could well prevail in this case. It sounds as if that is her lawyer’s best chance to defeat the waiver, not that she was too short. At any rate, and this is just speculation it sounds as if the accident was caused by an uncontrolled runaway and not her height.

I am not a big fan of using the Blast in training, they are top heavy, have no friction zone, the brakes are grabby, geared all wrong for the lower speed parking lot training and most of all they are just too powerful for a new inexperienced rider.

All too often in training new riders, some will have an issue with unintended throttle roll on while using the front brake. Sometimes they are surprised by the sound of the racing engine and not sure why, they panic don’t squeeze the clutch and usually are just out of control hanging on for dear life.  These events usually end poorly as they don’t stop until they hit something. The Japanese machines used in the BRC are typically 125 to 250 cc , while the Blast Is almost 500 cc.  You can imagine for yourself the difference in an out of control 40 HP Buell versus a similar event on an 11 HP Kawasaki Eliminator. It ain’t pretty.

The Blast has not been produced now for over a year, it will be interesting to see what Harley replaces it with as a training machine in the Riders Edge when the remaining machines are no longer serviceable. 
Rider Coach/Motorcycle Safety Instructor
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#6
I rode a friends Blast once.  Had the feeling the whole time I was about to careen headfirst over the handlebars.  Brakes def grabby, power....  Uh...  This one didnt have much to speak of, but i suppose compared to a 125cc Kow it would be alot.
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#7
That's a funny description of the position the Blast puts you in.

It's like the opposite of saying, "Hey, that scoot is so bad
that it looks like it's doin' a buck-fifty, sittin' still."

The Blast looks like it's gonna endo on the kickstand!
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often and for the same reason.
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