Biker in 100km/h fall

THE rider of a flash Italian super-bike must have been thanking his lucky stars yesterday.

Despite coming a cropper in a Captain Cook Highway 100km/h zone yesterday, he and his 1000cc Aprilia bike emerged almost unscathed.

The force of the crash sent him skidding 25m down the highway and flung him into a dry creek bed.

It tore the handle, mirror and foot peg from the $20,000 bike, crushing the exhaust and leaving deep gouges in its racing-red paint job.

Witness Phil Cullen found the rider lying in the creek and the bike on its side leaking fuel when he pulled up at the accident scene about 10km south of Port Douglas at 2pm.

“He’s very lucky,” Mr Cullen said. “He could’ve found a tree, not a creek”.

While the Aprilia was damaged it was not a write off, Mr Cullen said.

Queensland Ambulance Service Port Douglas and Mossman area director Warren Martin said the rider, a man in his mid to late 30s, was saved by his full-body protective gear.

“He was very well protected, with a helmet, full leathers and gloves,” he said.

“You can see where his helmet’s taken a belting.”

The rider was taken to Mossman Hospital, but Mr Martin did not expect him to have any severe injuries.

Port Douglas Police said the crash happened after the bike rider, travelling south, braked hard to avoid smashing into the rear of another vehicle doing a U-turn.