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We received the following account of a man’s injury, recovery and growing love affair with his new Victory Hammer.
Tim Marquess, Sr.: Man Claims Victory
On August 1, 2008, during what was suppose to be a 30-minute family ride with his oldest daughter, his nephew and a family friend – all with new bikes with less than 1,000 miles on them – Tim Marquess, Sr., struck a deer head-on at highway speed (not on a Victory) outside their hometown of Marshall, Missouri.
He had to be life-flighted to the nearest trauma center an the University of Missouri Hospital with major injures. He sustained a very badly broken right wrist, broken nose, road rash over 75% of his body, 48 stitches in his head on two different gashes and he was in the ICU burn ward for six days.
The motorcycle was totaled and the deer did not make it either.
After leaving the hospital and heading home in a burn suit and with an external fixator that would be on his right arm for at least eight weeks, among Tim’s biggest concerns were the fact that his bike was gone and the question of when he could ride again. Tim has always had a bike to ride since he was 9 and he is now 45. This was his first motorcycling accident.
Tim made several trips to see his orthopedic surgeon and was told it would be at least a year before he could ride again. That just didn’t sit right with him. He is a true rider at heart and knew that, despite his circumstances, he had to get back on a bike as soon as he could.
Not being able to get out and about yet, he started searching the internet for a new bike. His nephew told him he had seen the new Victorys on their website and he should give them a look. So they visited the Victory website and Tim – who had never previously owned an American-made bike – really liked what saw.
On September 6, 2008, 30 days after being released from the hospital, Tim and his wife and kids headed to the nearest Victory dealership, about 75 miles from home. When the salesmen saw him walk in with the fixator on his arm and the scars on his head, they thought he had to be crazy, but he was really excited about being one step closer to being the proud owner of a new Victory Motorcycle.
He looked around at all the bikes and found a bright yellow Hammer. He was in love with the bike and knew it was the one for him. So he purchased the bike and it was loaded on a trailer for Tim. He smiled all the way home even though he knew it would have to sit in the garage. Yet he started it daily and wiped it down often, just waiting for the day he could ride it for the first time.
The fixator came off on September 29, 2008, and Tim started therapy on his wrist. After three months of healing time, on a really warm day in early December, he couldn’t wait any longer. He got the bike out and climbed on.
He just went around the block at first, but that was not enough. He then went a little further and then even on a short ride outside of town. By mid-February, he had put 300 miles on his new bright yellow Victory Hammer and he can’t wait for summer.
He is planning a family motorcycle trip to Spirit Lake, Iowa, to see the Victory Manufacturing Plant.
It just goes to show what determination and the love of the ride can do for healing a wounded mind, body and soul.
Thanks for writing, Tim. We are delighted that you have recovered and we wish you all the best as you regain the maximum use of your arm. Have a great riding season and keep enjoying your great-looking Hammer.
Send Us Your Photos
We invite all of you Victory Riders to submit your photos for possible posting online as well as possible use in Victory Rider magazine.
Send your photos and some information about you and your Victory to the Victory Mailbag.
We love to see your Victory motorcycle, of course, but please be sure to include at least one photo that shows you because people always like to be able to put a face with a story. Let us know where you’re from, what you’re riding, how you have customized your Victory and who your Victory dealer is.
Happy 10th Anniversary to Victory and to all Victory Riders!
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