Always wearing leathers!

[BadApple]

I will be from now on.

www.cmyoung.com/bikewreck.html

[zorro]

Sheesus, thx for posting that. After my off tonight this certainly leaves me in no doubt about wearing the right gear.

[BadApple]

Me too!
I rode today & yesterday without them on

[iguana]

Nowdays its 99.99% full leathers for me- did do some daft stuff as a kid when I thought I was indestructable tho, like 150mph+ in just a borrowed & ill fitting helmet & normal clothes, aghh i shudder at the thought now.

Just as bad was blatting along on 90cc scooters on holiday at 60mph in just a pair of shorts & a pair of sunglasses on & not even a helmet- my only protection was my suncream!, yes I know- very very stupid, christ the damage I could have done to myself just makes me feel very uncomfortable now )

I've luckilly (if you can call it that) only had low speed 'offs' i.e 40mph max, yet you should see the mess it made of my leathers.

In the last few yrs as I've grown up a bit I think I have ridden in just a jacket & gloves only about twice, & only on like 90 degree sweltering summer days when I've had to go across town at 30mph.

The Europeans & the north americans find it odd we brits seem to generally always wear leathers, as a Canadian mate over on a visit comented that back home its very rare to see a biker in more than a leather jacket & full race style leathers are very rare, where as over here its rare to see someone on a sports bike not fully leathered up.

Then again the hospial staff & doctors in the states usually refer to bikers as donor cycleists as they get so badly damaged after falling off! so im happy to get a bit warm on the 2 days of summer we usually have here in my leathers.

I would consider the kevlar type trousers I I had to ride through citys on the sweltering hot days tho.

[bosshog]

In this part of the world ( Rsout of France) very few people wear leathers. Its that bad that its hard to find leathers in the shops - I've just had to mail order some leather pants with sliders!!!
I went out on the bike yesterday (in leather jacket thick jeans and boots) and pulled over to get a drink at one point - the abient temp was 35 degrees. I know its hot - but I don't see the big deal - you just sweat - a small price to pay IMO...

[t-c]

On Thursday, we left for Holland on our annual sabbatical to the Dutch TT at Assen.

When we got to Urecht one of the guys ploughed into the back of a car on the Motorway and was seriously injured

1 punctured lung,
1 collapsed lung,
9 broken ribs,
2 fractured collar bones one of which is a compound fracture,
1 broken shoulder blade,
2 fractured neck vertabrae.

He will thankfully make a full recovery in due course as he is now stable.

Anyway, having examined his leathers, there is no doubt that had he been wearing anything else, the chances are that we would be talking fatality rather than serious injury, and even the Doctor at the Hospital admitted that the leathers reduced the severity (although they were bad enough as it was).

The neck injury by the way was caused by his back protector jamming up into the base of his neck.

This is an area of biking I have studied for a long time, and as I always tell students, buy the best kit you can afford and then buy the bike, the machine can be repaired or replaced, your body is a sight more difficult to put right.

[bosshog]

I've wondered this about back protectors. I ahve one for motocross, and I believe it helps lot especially on the rocky local track, but I always have the feeling that if a fell a certain way it would jam up into the back of my neck, whcih is the last place want anyting going.
Anyone got information on how 'safe' these back protectors actually are?

[dern]

I've never liked the look of those solid shell type back protectors and wear a knox roll up protector which has horizontal ribs of sturdy stuff and plenty of padding.

Sorry to hear about your mate t-c, hope he makes a swift recovery.

Mark

[huge_ego]

Hi T-C: What advice in chosing a back protector then?

[atom290]

Dianesse do an all in one that is a jacket, this is great as it doesnt move.

[t-c]

huge_ego said:

Hi T-C: What advice in chosing a back protector then?

The memory foam ones built into the suit or jacket are the best as they cannot distort or break. The hard ones have caused two riders that I know of to become paraplegics for similar reasons to what happened to my mate.

Remember, because they are used by racers is a somewhat different scenario to on a track as they have nice smooth wide run off areas which we don't have on the road.

The memory foam built into the suit will disipate shock and impact, it can't break and will absorb energy far better than the race style back protectors.

[huge_ego]

t-c said:

The memory foam ones built into the suit or jacket are the best as they cannot distort or break. The hard ones have caused two riders that I know of to become paraplegics for similar reasons to what happened to my mate.

Blimey! Many thanks for the info! I'd best check out which brands make a jacket with this type of protection.

[Badapple]

I have just bought one of these



It's called the dainese wave. I can highly recommend it. Really thin compared to most, so you hardly notice it. The guy in the shop told me that he had just sent toseland two. If that's true it can't be bad.

[eliminator]

I had always understood that when chosing gear it is important that the armour does not move around - will not do the job intended if it is in the wrong place, and can add to the injury. Sewn-in kit is preferable.

Thanks for posting. Showed my daughter - always wants to come on the back but doesn't want to wear protective gear in sumer. I think she may have revised that idea now, but I must go and clean the floor! She is quite squeemish

[DennisTheMenace]

Owch painfull ive been out a few times in jeans and t shirt but that just to pop down town , going to sling the leathers on from now on .

Badapple was that your duke at pistonfest ?

[Ballistic Banana]

I think that is a bit of an eye opener to a few people and fair play to the guy for trying to help change peoples minds through his own mis fortune.

Personally i always wear leather jacket,Helmet and gloves as the minimum. wear/worn jeans and trainers on short trips before but on long rides or any time i am gonna blast about wear the lot.

i think fortunatly(for Bikers) in UK its a bit more barable to wear full leathers due to the cooler weather.

BB

[Badapple]

Dennis the Menace said:

Badapple was that your duke at pistonfest ?

Afraid not, we came in the car instead. I did see it though, parked by the burger van.

[jvaughan]

wow... I wear full gear on the scooter too. sqw a great one last night .. girl on a new scooter, skirt, blowse, high heals, and a helmet.
Hmm lots of skin to come off.

I came off my scooter last year before I did my DA. totalled the scooter and my new leather jacket(not bike leather). ok I wasnt hurt, but the 6 inch gash in my right elbow and the stones in my knee (wearing jeans) hurt like hell!

Now its propper jacket, trousers all the time.
On the trails, I wear body armour too.

[hertsbiker]

wow guys, you're only making me less likely to return to 2 wheels! sounds like I've got away with murder the last 5 years. I can recomend the Dainsese Techno range of gear - tested it for real, and no major injuries.

Be careful out there.

C

[sagalout]

Just back from 2 weeks in Italy where the temp was mid 30's. Saw most riders with short sleeved shirts or blouses, shorts or skirts, trainers or court shoes. 50cc Scooter or 999 Duke all the same gear. Frightened the life out of me. Always wear the leathers.