If you've ever crashed on a motorcycle, you probably don't need me to tell you that it does a number on your head. I'm not talking about physical injury, though that may also be true depending on how you crashed.
No, I'm talking about the mental toll that most crashes that aren't simple low-side tipovers in parking lots take on riders. So far, I've crashed a few times in my 20-ish year riding career; while thankfully none of my crashes have so far been super serious, I have had times when I've been sidelined from riding for at least a few months as I've recovered. And I've watched loved ones recover from their own (more serious) injuries as well.
It's a thing that's very personal to each rider, and a question that only you can answer for yourself. Do you want to get back on a motorcycle, particularly the one you were riding when it happened (assuming that's a real possibility, and that it wasn't totaled)? If you do, should you do it as soon as possible, or should you wait until you're ready?
There's no one right answer; as I said, it's very personal. As the person who's crashed, your feelings about it may change from day to day. That's part of processing what you've gone through, what you're still going through, and what you may have learned from the event that you want to incorporate into your future riding plans (if there are any).
That last part is where Doodle on a Motorcycle has been for at least a few minutes. Since a bad crash sidelined her in spring 2025, she's been working through both physical and mental recovery. Ultimately, she decided to get back on the motorcycle that she crashed on, after it was completely fixed and even improved over how it had been configured when she went down.
For her own personal peace of mind, she decided that she needed to complete the cross-country trip that she'd initially been about to start when the crash happened. She decided that she couldn't leave that particular piece of business unfinished, and that she wanted to learn as much as she could about both herself and that Janus Halcyon 250 as she could.
Her insights into what she learned and how she moved through it are very valuable. Sometimes, the only way out is through.
Have you gotten back in the saddle after a bad crash? What did it take to help you move through it, and would you say you were able to do it quickly, or did you need some time to work through what had happened in your mind? Feel free to share your stories in the comments below, and remember: This is one of those things where there's truly no one right answer, only the answer that's right for you.
