Terrible news about a forum member...

Doc2029 is a friend of mine. I sold him the XJ650 that he posted about on here. He was in love with it. It was his first bike. I had it for sale on craigslist. He took it for a spin, and exclaimed that it was perfect for him.

I helped him through some early technical issues, as this was his first bike and (I assume) did not have much experience working on engines and stuff. But he dove right in, figured it out, had big plans for it. He rode it more in the first few weeks he owned it than I had in two years.

We decided to go for a ride. That turned into a few more rides. That turned into watching a show. I could tell he was an all-around good guy, someone with convictions, someone who stood by his beliefs, someone loyal and trustworthy and the type of friend that's getting harder to find.

I learned this morning that Doc died yesterday in a motorcycle crash. He leaves behind a wife and daughter. I feel so bad for his family, I feel guilty for selling it to him, I'm having second thoughts about riding on the street.

Son of a bitch.

Doc, you'll be greatly missed.

 

OMG.

Doc had quickly become a regular contributor, as he had learned more and more about his bike as he solved the problems that arose.

This is terrible news indeed; my deepest and most sincere condolences go out to his family and those close to him. He will indeed be missed.

Don't feel guilty for selling him the bike; he obviously loved it. What happened was a terrible accident, one you couldn't have foreseen.

Damn.

 

I can't believe it

Never met him but you could tell Doc was one of those truly genuine guys, and that he had his heart in soul put into everything he did. We needed more people like Doc.

What a damn shame. He will be missed greatly. Thoughts go out to his family.

 

DAMN! BAD, BAD and BAD!!! Thoughts for him and his family!!!

skillet

 

A very sad loss. I also lost a couple of good friends
over the last year or so and you really miss them riding
along side you.

 

Thoughts and prayers go out to Doc's family.

This makes about 10 riders that I have known (although I didn't know Doc personally) that had a fatal accident. I know many more that have lost a limb while riding.

I have a friend that lost his leg while riding. The first thing he did when he got out of the hospital was started working on the bike he crashed. He still rides 9 months out of the year. Because that's what he loves.

Which is the reason we all ride, because that's what we love to do.

Camshaft, Doc would not want you to give up riding because of his accident. He loved his XJ too much to want that for you. He knew the risks, just like you and I know the risks. He would have bought a bike from someone else, but may not have made such a good friend as you. At least you gave him that friendship.

I think I'll go for a ride now, in memory of Doc and all that he contributed to this site.

RIP Doc, you'll be missed.

 

I was going through some of his old posts.

I really should have adjusted the valves for him.

 

Shocking, upsetting news. Tell his family there are people here praying for them!
Do you know what happened?

 

No, not yet.

Doc, his wife, and a couple of his friends appeared to be social media junkies. Facebook, Twitter, etc. I imagine he died at the scene because there were no updates like him going to the hospital or anything.

I'm sure I'll get more updates as time progresses, but sometimes it's better not to know.

I just hope it was quick and painless.

 

Wow, sorry to hear that.

 

Pegs will be down this week... so sad

 

Damn I hate to hear this kind of news, godspeed Doc....

Try not to beat yourself up over selling him the bike, he knew the risks as do we all, I went bodysurfing into oncoming traffic at 60 mph on April 11th 1999, when I recovered I went about fixing my bike because of my love of riding, from the sounds of it Doc had the same bug, if he didnt buy yours he would have bought someone elses...I believe in fate, if its your time to go, its your time, be it on a bike, in a car, in bed...

Ryan

 

Very sad to hear. I had not met him in person but we discussed him making a trip up here on a couple occasions.

I agree that you shouldn't beat yourself up over selling him the bike.

Personally I'd rather go doing something I love than go sitting in my cube at work or some place like that.

 

I think secretly most guys would like to go out in a blaze of glory. But at 42, well, that pretty much sucks.

 

Condolences to friends and family.don't blame yourself.

 

R.I.P. Doc...

 

You're absolutely right, there's not a man among us (and ladies too I would imagine) that wouldn't want to go down fighting.

But it still very much sucks, no matter how old you are.

Sometimes I feel like it's 1940 and I'm in the RAF. Don't get too close to the new guys...

Please keep us posted as details become available, and if there is anything we can do in even a remote way for his family.

This really does suck. Pegs down tomorrow, and for the rest of the season. Godspeed, Doc.

And for the rest of you: PLEASE BE CAREFUL out there. Ride Safe--- Fitz

 

That really is horrible, and that he left a wife and kids behind makes it worse. Please let his wife and/or family know the outpouring that his "other family" that he's receiving here. I agree that you should feel no guilt but I'm secretly wondering if he would want you to feel good that you sold him the bike that let him learn, explore and feel free in an experience that you only enabled and enhanced for him. Sounds to me like he had a pretty good new friend.

The last decision is yours and yours alone. I've seen others stop riding after the passing of a friend or you can choose to celebrate lost friends by thinking about then when you ride.

My condolences to his wife and children.

jeff

 

wow, we all know our passion about bikes puts us in this position but we don't believe it'll happen to us. i stopped riding 30 yrs ago because i got tired of near-misses. started up again last year and have been roundly criticised by family and such due to the the danger.
as for "going out in a blaze of glory", there ain't no such thing. if you've ever seen a body on the road (or wherever), "glory" isn't a word that comes to mind. while doc's fight is over, his family must now deal with the devastation of his passing.
i'm keeping good thoughts for his family and friends, especially the daughter.