Would this be counter productive? (back protectors)

[bosslady]

Yeah Yeah .. I've binned it 11 times in my riding career (or is it 12?) ... and apart from the off-road mishaps, I've worn a leathers ... and walked away (well, limped a couple of times) ... including binning it in a sweeping right hander at 110klicks (tank slapper)... hitting two cars (their fault) ... and miscellanious other contacts with the road ...

A good helmet and leathers (gloves, pants, jacket, boots) is all you need ... the rest is marketing strategy handing money to salesmen - or a very good idea for racing ...

Don't get carried away spending money you don't need to ...

Leathers will hopefully be my next Xmas pressy to myself, only got textiles. I guess really, all depends on where/how you fall, eh.

[haydes55]

Having too much protection can't hurt you. But no having enough can. Id rather give myself more of a chance of survival in the worst case scenario than put all my eggs in the never crashing basket. What we can change to make ourselves safer we should do. Whether that is more gear ir more training. However no amount of training will make you immune to crashing and no amount of gear is going to make you impervious to injury.

Train enough to be sure you wont crash. And wear everything you can to protect yourself from any misfortune that may arise.

What would you want to be wearing if you come across a foreigner on the wrong side of the road around a blind corner?

[Maha]

What would you want to be wearing if you come across a foreigner on the wrong side of the road around a blind corner?

A Mack Truck?

[swbarnett]

Having too much protection can't hurt you.

That's a very sweeping statement. If too much PPE is uncomfortable and takes your mind of your riding it can be extremely damaging.

But no having enough can. Id rather give myself more of a chance of survival in the worst case scenario than put all my eggs in the never crashing basket. What we can change to make ourselves safer we should do.

Whether that is more gear ir more training.

We can stop riding. Would you advocate that?

However no amount of training will make you immune to crashing and no amount of gear is going to make you impervious to injury.

Train enough to be sure you wont crash. And wear everything you can to protect yourself from any misfortune that may arise.

What would you want to be wearing if you come across a foreigner on the wrong side of the road around a blind corner?

My brain at full attention (both conscious and subconscious).

[haydes55]

That's a very sweeping statement. If too much PPE is uncomfortable and takes your mind of your riding it can be extremely damaging.


We can stop riding. Would you advocate that?


My brain at full attention (both conscious and subconscious).

I meant anything we can do to make us safer doing what we enjoy.

So are you comfortable riding in shorts singlet and sneakers? I would wear no protection if i could guarantee I wouldn't crash. No matter if I've been riding for 50 years and havent crashed in 40 years. I couldn't guarantee I wont be involved in a crash. I wear the gear for the "what if". If you think you wont crash because you are too well trained and too good at riding then you are sorely mistaken. Nothin is 100% in your control.

[swbarnett]

I meant anything we can do to make us safer doing what we enjoy.

I hear ya. An important distinction.

So are you comfortable riding in shorts singlet and sneakers?

I used to be. I've gotten more paranoid with age. I still ride in jeans a lot of the time. Really the only time I wear the armoured trou is when it's too cold not to. Although I will sometimes wear them with shorts.

I would wear no protection if i could guarantee I wouldn't crash. No matter if I've been riding for 50 years and havent crashed in 40 years. I couldn't guarantee I wont be involved in a crash. I wear the gear for the "what if".

Agreed. What I'm getting at is that the amout pof PPE "required" has changed over the generations since the motorcycle was invented. To me it's getting to a ridiculous level. Perhaps that's because I'm from the "previous" generation and, as such, have been conditioned by a diferent set of values when it comes to what is and isn't risky.

If you think you wont crash because you are too well trained and too good at riding then you are sorely mistaken. Nothin is 100% in your control.

No, never 100%, but it can get close enough so that, to all practicality, it makes no difference. How close this has to be depends on the amount of risk you're willing to accept.

[nakedsv]

What would you want to be wearing if you come across a foreigner on the wrong side of the road around a blind corner?

I've always wandered a bit about this kind of scenario, are full leathers and armour really going to do much to reduce the effects of a head on collision at 100kph? I have my doubts

[bosslady]

I've always wandered a bit about this kind of scenario, are full leathers and armour really going to do much to reduce the effects of a head on collision at 100kph? I have my doubts

armour might help a little but I doubt leathers would in that scenario? besides that may just kill you, both you and them at speed, straight towards eachother..

[FJRider]

I've always wandered a bit about this kind of scenario, are full leathers and armour really going to do much to reduce the effects of a head on collision at 100kph? I have my doubts

I've seen it happen and the rider got up and walked away. (ok ... limped away)

But some scenario's you wont walk away. Bike gear is risk management ... not risk removal.

[Maha]

I've always wandered a bit about this kind of scenario, are full leathers and armour really going to do much to reduce the effects of a head on collision at 100kph? I have my doubts

Not alot will help in a front on impact...maybe a wee bit of luck.

[bluninja]

Not alot will help in a front on impact...maybe a wee bit of luck.

and not going faster than your guardian angel

[swbarnett]

Not alot will help in a front on impact...maybe a wee bit of luck.

This actually happened to a friend of a work colleague of Irene in the early '80s; 230kph on a straight road, tyre blows out, bike swerves into the path of the only other vehicle around - direct frontal impact. The impact pushed the engine of the car into the back seat. The only injury to the rider was to his legs as he flew over the car and impacted the top of the windscreen.

[Banditbandit]

This actually happened to a friend of a work colleague of Irene in the early '80s; 230kph on a straight road, tyre blows out, bike swerves into the path of the only other vehicle around - direct frontal impact. The impact pushed the engine of the car into the back seat. The only injury to the rider was to his legs as he flew over the car and impacted the top of the windscreen.

And if it had been a Mac truck instead he would have been a multi-coloured hood ornament ... proper gear or no proper gear ..

[swbarnett]

And if it had been a Mac truck instead he would have been a multi-coloured hood ornament ... proper gear or no proper gear ..

Indeed. Maybe that's a reason for an ejecta seat? Mind you, they'd probably get tangled up in power lines. And the landing would be a bitch.

[R-Soul]

Neat vest, wonder if there is something like that in a female cut. I'm just never sure about the usefulness of foam padding. But it is probably better than nothing. That back protector will at least stay where it is supposed to be. Must be extremely hot in summer though.

I see there is one with hard armour front and back. I like that.