MEANINGFULL PROTECTION

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW


I think that is a very good video Adam, thanks for posting that, it pretty well aligns with my point of view. I wrote about a replacement back protector that I bought to replace the thin foam pad in my jacket. Here,

https://www.xs650.com/threads/what-riding-gear-do-you-wear.57872/page-2#post-656770
IMG_6928.jpeg

If you think about your body flying off your bike. You are still going in the direction you were riding, but the pavement is fixed
( says Captain Obvious 😄 ) so if you have armor that can absorb that initial impact and flex, it absorbs a lot of energy that would otherwise be directly transferred to your body. They sell these replacement pads for all positions of your gear.
IMG_6929.jpeg
 
I’m surprised by the reaction this thread generated. Overall some really good points have been made both for and against protective gear. To be honest in the past when I rode track days I went ‘full on’ protective available at that time. Speeds were much higher than road riding, and so were the risks. Track road furniture is minimal, plenty of run off, gravel traps etc; so in some sense clothing protection is to reduce the risk of road rash above all else.

Road riding these days, especially for me, is much slower. I am an advanced licensed rider, police trained, and tend to ride in my own ‘safety bubble’. It’s the road furniture that scares me most on my travels; that and the half asleep myopic drivers in their fully air-bagged, laser cruise controlled tin boxes (whilst under the influence of stuff?).

I always wear appropriate gear depending on the ride I decide to take. Long motorways or tours is full protect leather kit and full face helmet etc. Short country rides is more casual; leather jacket, open face helmet, Oxford protect jeans, boots and gloves.

Bottom line is we all take a risk whatever the ride. We all choose our ‘protection’ for our own reasons. Whatever, we all enjoy our bikes and the freedom they give us. Keep safe and ride on.
 
The plastic Jesus and a pair of pants... so to say. Brother Adamc puts it beautifully. As for skidding down the asphalt, well, a big fat belt (brass and lead )buckle and steel toes, leather jacket can be an asset durring slides. if you have no gut and can arch your back... Curbs can be a problem though...hitting a gasoline spill in a hairpin turn can be fun...just a mild boom... looks very cool too! Which brings us back to the icon... cultivate luck. Fella I knew, born about 1900, "Speed Mullins", wheel man for West Coast Shows during the 20's and 30's, and graduated to the motor drome - ah seen the scrap-books of Speedy up on the wall sitting on the handlebars of a 30-50 Indian, facing to the rear, smoking a cigar...while his partner did the same going the other way... Snoopy helmet. Speed was 76 when I knew him ,and recently married to a pretty gal from a show family, she was 23...and preggers! The point being that one can cultivate luck...
 
I went to get my bike MOT today and decided to wear my old open face helmet for the first time in years. It was really strange wearing it and seemed a part of me was missing. On the return ride my brain had already re-adjusted and the helmet felt great with all that open space...:hump:
 
Great thread guys, I've been thinking about protective gear a lot lately just getting back into riding and all. A thing occurred to me, I don't really have a lot of

experience riding, especially different styles of bike and types of riding (off road). I took a training class to get my endorsement and that was it for formal

training I just went for it. I bought some armored pants and A red mesh jacket from Triumph which made my bratty little nieces giggle. They said I

looked like Michael Jackson's stunt double for the Thriller video, bitches. It was bulky and uncomfortable and I would usually do the strip down when ever I

got off the bike and it would become an expensive coat rack. Seriously one summer at the lake I turned to check on my bike and other people had hung

their shit on it. I get by with a helmet leather jacket gloves and boots/shoes. I believe the safest protective gear is the kind that you will actually wear on a

regular basis, The safety guys at work do not agree with me. Have you noticed construction workers relegated to wearing spelunking helmets now on

commercial sites? For decades we couldn't even wear a hard hat backwards because the visor wouldn't be there to protect your face from dropped objects

now we don't even have visors but we got chin straps. I would argue it more with them but Jim is right about making correlation fit your opinions. I don't

understand enough about studies and statistics but my BS detector gos off when I read a study done by MIPS stating that studies prove that their product is
best. Actually from what I understand MIPS is pretty good, I cant afford another head injury so I do plan on getting an updated helmet. So the quest for the

best protective gear will always be well a quest, I've been looking at those stretchy undershirts with the armor in them so you could wear it under other gear.

Thoughts on that? One of my concerns with the loose fitting over gear is that the armor wouldn't stay where it is supposed to during a crash. I just bought a

pair of summer mesh pants that will most likely slide completely off of my in a crash because they are too big and have no belt loops. I kind of like the idea


of the exterior armor if it would work. the knee and shin braces could make good cowling for wind and rain as well. They could design a fairing into them.

of course you would look like a Transformer once off the bike. Then there's air bags? The best piece of gear that I should invest in is more training and

understanding of my vehicles. I think my most dangerous practice is forgoing the pre trip inspection, maintenance, not understanding suspension set up or

ergonomics oh and riding past my abilities. Aren't most bike wrecks single vehicle accidents? My goal is to be smooth and not fast and stay upright. Anyway

enough rambling for now
 
Great thread guys, I've been thinking about protective gear a lot lately just getting back into riding and all. A thing occurred to me, I don't really have a lot of

experience riding, especially different styles of bike and types of riding (off road). I took a training class to get my endorsement and that was it for formal

training I just went for it. I bought some armored pants and A red mesh jacket from Triumph which made my bratty little nieces giggle. They said I

looked like Michael Jackson's stunt double for the Thriller video, bitches. It was bulky and uncomfortable and I would usually do the strip down when ever I

got off the bike and it would become an expensive coat rack. Seriously one summer at the lake I turned to check on my bike and other people had hung

their shit on it. I get by with a helmet leather jacket gloves and boots/shoes. I believe the safest protective gear is the kind that you will actually wear on a

regular basis, The safety guys at work do not agree with me. Have you noticed construction workers relegated to wearing spelunking helmets now on

commercial sites? For decades we couldn't even wear a hard hat backwards because the visor wouldn't be there to protect your face from dropped objects

now we don't even have visors but we got chin straps. I would argue it more with them but Jim is right about making correlation fit your opinions. I don't

understand enough about studies and statistics but my BS detector gos off when I read a study done by MIPS stating that studies prove that their product is
best. Actually from what I understand MIPS is pretty good, I cant afford another head injury so I do plan on getting an updated helmet. So the quest for the

best protective gear will always be well a quest, I've been looking at those stretchy undershirts with the armor in them so you could wear it under other gear.

Thoughts on that? One of my concerns with the loose fitting over gear is that the armor wouldn't stay where it is supposed to during a crash. I just bought a

pair of summer mesh pants that will most likely slide completely off of my in a crash because they are too big and have no belt loops. I kind of like the idea


of the exterior armor if it would work. the knee and shin braces could make good cowling for wind and rain as well. They could design a fairing into them.

of course you would look like a Transformer once off the bike. Then there's air bags? The best piece of gear that I should invest in is more training and

understanding of my vehicles. I think my most dangerous practice is forgoing the pre trip inspection, maintenance, not understanding suspension set up or

ergonomics oh and riding past my abilities. Aren't most bike wrecks single vehicle accidents? My goal is to be smooth and not fast and stay upright. Anyway

enough rambling for now
The protective clothing options are hugely varied in this modern age. You can buy anything from fully armoured air-bag race suits to more casual clothing that looks ‘normal’ but offers full protection, both are spendy however. Of course there are options between these extremes. My advice is buy the best you can afford for the type of riding you do. Safety before fashion is my moto.
 
Wearing protection gives the rider a false sense of security. Wearing protection has the potential for the rider to increase risk taking behaviour based on the false sense of security. This always made sense to me.

I ride sometimes with a padded jacket, jeans and leather boots. Other times im in Thai workboots (flip flops) shorts and a T.

Either way I always ride defensively and paying attention. The best protection is paying attention at all times.

Touching wood for all those who may disagree with me😉
 
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