EXACTLY ONE WEEK BEFORE THE CRASH THE REAR BRAKE FAILED TO STOP ON THE MOTORCYCLE. I HAVE BEEN RIDING FOR OVER 20 YEARS WITH MANY DIFFERENT MOTORCYCLES AND BRANDS AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER EXPERIENCED A BRAKE FAILURE. I THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE TO TAKE THE BIKE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT BUT DID NOT, CHOSE TO GO HOME TO MY DAUGHTER INSTEAD. THE NEXT WEEK ON MY WAY HOME ON THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC STOPPED I TRIED TO STOP BUT AGAIN THE REAR BRAKE DID NOT ENGAGE. I KNEW I WAS ABOUT TO CRASH INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AS I WAS TRYING TO STOP THE BIKE I WAS ALSO ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER BETWEEN THE CARS BUT TO NO AVAIL. I FINALLY THREW HE BIKE SIDEWAYS AND SLID INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I BROKE MY LEFT LEG TO THE POINT THAT THE HOSPITAL TOLD ME THEY WERE CUTTING IT OFF. I WOKE THE NEXT DAY TO FIND THAT A SURGEON CAME IN AND WAS ABLE TO SCREW THE BONES BACK TOGETHER. WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THE MECHANIC THAT PUT MY BIKE BACK TOGETHER HE STATED THAT THE REAR DISK WAS GREATLY DISCOLORED AND LOOKED LIKE THE BIKE HAD GONE DOWN A STEEP HILL WITH THE REAR BRAKE APPLIED THE ENTIRE WAY.