Only bad wreck was in 1971. I was on a Yamaha Enduro in a mall parking lot when a car shot out of an angled parking space right into me. Had no time to avoid being hit. The bike slid across my leg, tore my jeans, and ripped up my leg. I was stupid enough to be wearing sandals and the gear shift stuck into my foot right above my last two toes. I spent 6 weeks in the hospital mostly as the result of asphalt being sewed up in my foot.
On to the better part. Right before the wreck I had sent a deposit to Tooting Motors in London for a Bonneville I planned to travel around Europe for the summer on. I was 3-4 weeks late leaving, but went and picked up my bike and spent the next 2+ months traveling in Europe. Finally ending up back in London where I flew home and air freighted the bike home. I was still bandaging up my foot while on the trip, but it caused no problem for me. Had the time of my life.
Sidebar - when I got to London, I realized that the '71 Bonnevilles had been changed from classic look I liked - gaiters, low seat, etc. to a taller bike with Japanese style forks and new look. I decided to swap to a new '71 Daytona 500 which was a twin carbed bike (like the Bonny) that did not change to the new style as it was being phased out. I took the difference out in parts and stuff like after market megaphone exhausts, re-jet, sissy bar, etc. I met up with two friends that had bought a new Bonny and Tiger, but everywhere we went, people thought mine was the "dearer" of the bunch. I guess it was the classic look. Here I am in '71 on the bike back in the states.
