Discobikers.com is our website for our 4 month trip around europe(we took discosuits with us to bust out at weddings, parties...anything). My friend Damien Daniel some of you have corresponded with. 3 weeks ago we stopped at the top of a canyon in Durmitor Nat. park, Montenegro to take a photo. As Damien dismounted his bike, it toppled (the ground was uneven) and pushed him over a retaining wall and down a 40 metre cliff. Not straight down, rather he bounced off rocks all of the way down which ironically is what saved his life. By the time I reached the place he fell from, he was lying motionless at the bottom. I flagged down a car with 2 men who were champions that day, I don´t know what I would have done without them. After a few mintutes we saw an arm move and one of the guys found a safe-ish route down to where he lay conscious and lucid but in a state of shock and with obviously broken legs. There was little we could do besides keep Damien company and wait for the police and rescue team to arrive 40 minutes later. After an extremely difficult evacuation he was whisked away in the back of a car to the local hospital 30 minutes away where his clothes were cut off, the extent of his injuries revealed and packed straight into an ambulance 2 hours to the capital Podgorica where he went straight into 5 hours of emergency surgery and had a blood transfusion. His travel insurers were very helpful and got straight onto the case, and he was flown to Frankfurt the next day. He has since had another 15 hours of surgery on his legs, and operations on both shoulders. His fiance Hazel has been in Frankfurt for the last 2 weeks and he was flown home to Australia last night. His injuries include- multiple fractures of both legs, 3 fractured ribs, 2 stable thoracic vertebral fractures, non-displaced cheek fractures, dislocated left shoulder, both AC joints (shoulder)busted, torn cartilage in one knee, a floating bone chip in the other, both of which need surgery back in Australia. plus he was pretty bruised up, oh, and a dislocated finger which i reduced at the scene. On the positive side, his head and spine are ok and he should make a fullish recovery eventually, but will be in rehab for about 12 months. Thats my understanding of the injuries anyway, no doubt they can be elaborated on/updated later. He is alive only because he was wearing all of his protective riding gear when he fell, including his helmet which was absolutely trashed from connecting so many times with the rocks on the way down the cliff.
ps the bike, a 2002 BMW f650GS is in great condition in a garage in Montenegro(it didnt go over the cliff) and i suspect a great bargain can be obtained for anyone who wants to fly to Montenegro and ride it home, its kitted out for traveling with 2 metal mules

WOW! Such bad injuries just by getting "off" the bike.Hope he is ok in the end.

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Dean

I'm sorry to hear about the accident, but relieved your friend should make a full recovery. It was fortunate he was wearing all his riding gear when he took the tumble.

My best thoughts for a speedy recovery.

Euan

Hi, I just read about the bike in Montenegro. Rather than a cheap bike I'd be prepared to go and collect it to take it to it's rightful owner if that's practical. Where would it need to be taken? Serious offer as I'm bored and could do with a bit of a journey. Linzi. In UK at moment.

I just thought that if a collection is agreed I'd have to collect the registration document and arrange or have insurance. Interested? Only a small amount to cover some of the travel expenses at most would be needed. I hate to see someone down and kicked. I can leave in a couple of hours and can afford a couple of weeks. Linzi.

best wishes for a speedy recovery to damien. hope to hear it'll be ok in the end.

Thanks for your generous offer Linzi. Damien is from Australia, bought the bike for the trip and was going to sell it in the UK before he went home. In any case it will all have to wait until he is out of hospital and back into communicating with the world etc. He has other things on his mind for the minute. The bike is quite safe and secure. But...it would be an awesome trip- I know this cos Ive just done it myself to get back to the UK. Montenegro is a stunningly beautiful country (and great for riding), then along the Croatian coastal road then through the Alps.

Hi, the offer stays open. I have checked up on visas and it's quite simple. Good that it's safe and secure. I can go and get it for free as I'm sure the story would interest a magazine. You've got my e-mail address from your website. I'm likely to depart for Morocco in two weeks till about xmas but would be able to make the trip somehow/sometime. It is soul destroying to feel all is against you and uplifting to feel supported/understood/valued. Christ he was lucky in the fall though. Bad as it is it could have been much worse!!! Nae problem. Linzi.

now that really was a freak accident!
hope your buddy recovers ok from what sounds like a really nasty experience.

Wow, what a screwed up way to end a trip. I hope everything works out.

-Dave

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Not Ted Simon since 1970!
http://nokilli.com/rtw

Kudos to Linzi for such community-spirit - that's the HUBB working!

Thanks Pottsy, it's better if we all try and help, and there's no debt other than to help someone else when the opportunity comes along. Passing the favour rather than the buck!
An idea for Damien when he's a little better. Read Joe Simpson's book "Touching the Void". This is a really inspiring story of an incredible survival and recovery when a climb in Patagonia goes wrong. Incredible is appropriate! I broke my hip and a few other bits a few years ago and this book really impressed me, plus it's an excellent book in its own right. But I think it could help Damien. Linzi.

If the bike is going to be left idle for past, say, 2 weeks it would be a godd idea to disconnect the battery ... might keep some more charge in it.

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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

Linzi- its a great philosophy - karma, you reap what you sow, what goes around comes around, do unto others.... i believe they are all different ways of saying - be good and kind and the world will be a better place.

I will talk to Damien about the bike, he's back in Australia now, had a very brief chat to him this morning, he's not so doped up on morphine anymore. He's got alot on his mind, I suspect he'll be happy to deal with the bike later, there's a few logistical issues- rego, insurance etc.

Good idea re battery, i'll organise that. Thanks Frank.

Thanks everyone for your wishes and thoughts, I'll pass them on to Damien.

Dear Fattony, just thought about the road tax situation assuming the bike is UK registered. You'll know of course the bike needs to be taxed and road legal or SORN and off road. If the road tax runs out overseas it is a bit of a risk to return to UK. ie it is simplest to get it back here and off road before the registration runs out. Beware the incompetent DVLA!
You're sure right about the beauty of Montenegro. I spent some time there in the communist days and it struck me as awesome. Linzi.