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Thread: Leather vs Fabric in a slide

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hemi Makutu View Post
    Fabric is more convenient, & likely adequate for general road use,
    but AFAIK, - if any prolonged abrasion testing is done, proper leather is still boss..
    Some Kevlar stuff does pass for racing, quite a few sidecar guys in the UK were/are using it although I've seen the same comments about it grabbing and tumbling rather than sliding

    I've only once seen someone use it for roadracing bikes here and that was around 20 years ago
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  2. #17
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    Weather/road surface make a difference..

    Fabric does better in the wet, as it slides across & does not tear/melt so readily.
    Wet leather is more likely to tear/dig in & tumble you.

    Coarse chip is harsher on fabric than leather, but still more 'cheese grater' in effect than smooth hot-mix..

    Of course, if you slam into a curb/pole/tree or other solid obstruction at speed, ATGATT just becomes a body bag..

  3. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by PrincessBandit View Post
    Flared cords? Showing your age there...
    Just proving you can get to old age without cotton wool.

    Speedway riders often wear fabric suits these days....and armour and stuff. It's all a bit more high tech than just wearing leather. I've been around the block a few times and back to where I started - wearing oilskin these day, it's up for a slide.
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  4. #19
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  5. #20
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    I've been expecting a post saying something like, "When the racers wear fabric, I'll wear fabric." There always used to be one.

    Touring suits tend to be made of fabric, because it's the most appropriate for that job. Sprotbike riders like leather for the perceived protection and the appearance. Since they are less concerned with rain, leather is appropriate for their usage. Apparently there are hydrophobic leather suits available now but possibly not in NZ, and likely at a cost higher than some bikes.

    Many riders, after a year or two, will have both leather and fabric kit.

    Fit can be a bit problematic. The gear may fit when you buy it but both leather and textile garments tend to shrink while they are hanging in the wardrobe. Bastards!
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  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by pritch View Post

    Many riders, after a year or two, will have both leather and fabric kit.
    Yes and wearing the leathers less and less.

  7. #22
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    Leather is good,

    actually leather is great,

    actually leather is the only product that should be worn, wet or dry.....

    nothing protects from impact though.....trust me

  8. #23
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    ...I have exited my machine on numerous occasions, all while wearing leather, apart from the bone shit, which you can't avoid, my leather shit has always been the bit of cow that saved my bacon...but that's racing...as per my first post in this thread, nothing saves you from the hard thing you hit, and it's not the gravel rash that kills you...just ride and not depend on the hope that your gear will save you...stay upright and don't be a twat is all you can do...that doesn't always work out too...if you listen to shit on here you will never find out who you are...

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by rocketman1 View Post
    It is good to get real reports from riders that have actually been down the road on their backsides.
    They are the real test pilots.
    Just backside landings? There are so many variables that you can't really say it's leather v fabric. Road surface (coarse chip is like a grater, hot mix is much smoother), road conditions (if you fall off because you've aquaplaned or there is a lot of water, that's also going to cut you a break on friction) and type of fall. I've known people to come off at 200+ and slide with minimal injuries, and others to cartwheel off the bike at 50-100kph breaking several bones. Of course older riders don't bounce as much as younger riders as well.

    I've slid in leather, heavy scuffing and one or two minor injuries. Tumbled in fabric in grass, not a scratch (was also wearing a chest and back protector). Highsided in fabric landing on head and shoulder, still using the jacket, a few threads separated a little in the impact area but it took it remarkably well. Low sided (low speed) and high sided (aquaplane) in Draggin jeans no injuries - couldn't actually tell where the jeans were damaged...

    Damaged myself much more mountain biking... perhaps I should wear motorcycle gear
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  10. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Motu View Post
    my leather belt was nearly worn through at the hip,....and there wasn't a mark on the cords.

    Now how does that happen, if leather is so superior for abraision? Now this was a slide long enough for rivet burns, and someone on a bike to stop, park, get off and then help me up just as I hit the curb. I've been a ''leather only for me mate'' type of rider, but also crashed enough in other gear to know it's just not as simple as that. As mentioned before, sliding down the road is a small part of injuries (I've had gravel rash on my arse, arms and legs, so know about sliding down the road) but hiting things, or getting hit by other things is what causes major injury. Armour, I think I like armour now.
    Last edited by onearmedbandit; 5th November 2016 at 12:08.
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  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Motu View Post
    Now how does that happen, if leather is so superior for abraision? Now this was a slide long enough for rivet burns, and someone on a bike to stop, park, get off and then help me up just as I hit the curb. I've been a ''leather only for me mate'' type of rider, but also crashed enough in other gear to know it's just not as simple as that. As mentioned before, sliding down the road is a small part of injuries (I've had gravel rash on my arse, arms and legs, so know about sliding down the road) but hiting things, or getting hit by other things is what causes major injury. Armour, I think I like armour now.
    Pretty much how I see it. Going for a slide is one thing, impacts are nasty. Consequently I don't worry about abrasion to much, I don't ride in shorts. Armour is something I focus on. At some point I will spring for one of those one piece under armour jackets to wear under my normal bike gear, purely because the armour stays in place unlike the stuff in loose fitting gear whether it be textile or cow.

    Speaking of leather, I'm looking for a pair of off road strides with leather panels down the inside of the thighs / legs. Old school mx pants stylee. Like hens teeth.

    Leather does not melt easily on the exhaust when your having a lie down under the bike in the shrubbery.
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  12. #27
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    Sliding vs impact? I remember years ago (maybe 25yrs) my brother having a crash in denim jeans on his GSX400. Massive gravel rash etc but other than the road he hit nothing. 19yrs ago I had a crash in full leathers, no gravel rash but as I hit something solid with my shoulder I have an injury that will be with me forever. Leather helps reduce the abrasions but nothing really helps if you hit something solid ha.

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by onearmedbandit View Post
    Sliding vs impact? I remember years ago (maybe 25yrs) my brother having a crash in denim jeans on his GSX400. Massive gravel rash etc but other than the road he hit nothing. 19yrs ago I had a crash in full leathers, no gravel rash but as I hit something solid with my shoulder I have an injury that will be with me forever. Leather helps reduce the abrasions but nothing really helps if you hit something solid ha.
    Very true...

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by onearmedbandit View Post
    Sliding vs impact? I remember years ago (maybe 25yrs) my brother having a crash in denim jeans on his GSX400. Massive gravel rash etc but other than the road he hit nothing. 19yrs ago I had a crash in full leathers, no gravel rash but as I hit something solid with my shoulder I have an injury that will be with me forever. Leather helps reduce the abrasions but nothing really helps if you hit something solid ha.
    Years ago I watched a guy lose a high speed wheelie on an original CBR 1000. He ground away the seam on one leg of his jeans and grated himself from ankle (trainers) to waist. I was not too sympathetic, his bike hit mine and totaled it.
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  15. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by george formby View Post
    Leather does not melt easily on the exhaust when your having a lie down under the bike in the shrubbery.
    But leather holds the heat for a long, long time. I took the high pipes off my Rickman and made some low TT pipes for it, by the time you felt the burn in your boots, it was way too late, it just kept on burning your legs. Burnt my hand welding the other day - I had to rip my glove off to stop the burn.
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