SH22 protective gear test

[Sparkz]

Had to happen I guess, its too easy to get carried away on the old SH22.

Tootling along from Naruawh??? to Naike when one right-hander turned out to be a bit tighter and longer than expected. All was sweet until my right footpeg and boot slider touched the road causing a major pucker and loss of concentration. I made the fundamental cock-up of looking at the edge of the road instead of the corner exit.

If the road had been just 10cm wider, I might not be looking for a new bike now .

Anyway, the upshot is that I got to test all my gear. The only things that are untouched are the boots. The gloves look ok in the photo, but the knuckle pads are badly worn. The right glove was nearly pulled right off in the crash, but served its purpose.

I landed hard on my right shoulder and did the whole bounce around and slide thing, which must be where the helmet got stuffed. (anyone got a use for buggered helmets??? or want the Shoei Whisper kit from mine??).

The Teknic Hurricane jacket just came apart. The Kevlar shoulder pad just ripped off at the seams, but the hard armour underneath still did the job. The sleeve is also torn in patches. Abrasion resistance, my arse!

The (brand new) Teknic Sport pants now have a hole in the knee the size of my head. The hard armour in the knee was almost worn through, but again did the job.

I hate to think how I would have looked without the gear. Don't skimp on protective gear, it only seems expensive until you have to use it.

Besides all that, crashing fucking HURTS! I got bruises in places I didnt know I had places.

[Riff Raff]

Bad luck mate. Hope you heal quickly.

[sAsLEX]

bad luck dude can you describe the corner a bit better?? not on an uphill bit with some NC30 and R1 bits in the gutter??

[FROSTY:Me]

sorry to hear it dude. but as ya say the gear earned what ya payed for it --fuck the gear as long as youre okk

[bugjuice]

that sucks dude.. is the bike totalled too? At least you walked away from it, that's the main thing..
I think I'm thinking of the same spot Alex.. Was it a right hander going up hill slightly, and prior to that are some nice open sweeping corners? That corner has claimed a few bikes, that's for sure..

I was thinking of going along the 22 with some red sticks/steaks and putting them in the ground next to the road on dodgy corners, so people who don't know the road as well can use it as a caution.. for the coming corner

[sAsLEX]

I think I'm thinking of the same spot Alex.. Was it a right hander going up hill slightly, and prior to that are some nice open sweeping corners?

last time through there it claimed a NC30 a MC22 and an r1, farmer said he gets to fix his fence about twice a month at least

[vifferman]

The Teknic Hurricane jacket just came apart. The Kevlar shoulder pad just ripped off at the seams, but the hard armour underneath still did the job. The sleeve is also torn in patches. Abrasion resistance, my arse!

Indeed.
I could've told you that for free (i.e., without you crash-testing it).
My very first slide of about 2-3 metres at ~30km/h on smoothish road wore a hole the size of a 10c piece in the cordura, and subsequent spills weren't much better. I think only one involved the kevlar pad taking some of the brunt of the spill. That's why the arms and shoulders of my Hurricane are now mostly covered in leather...

Anyway, I'm sorry you wrecked your bike and your gear, but glad you've no real injuries, Sparkz.

[TLDV8]

Glad to hear you are ok except for needing some new gear....... Not that it is the case here but 22 is not a racetrack or the IoM,it doesn't need sticks,braking markers or anything similar.It is a public road and unfortunately it is only a matter of time before there will be post saying someone has been maimed,killed or collected by a car coming the other way.(imho)

[TLDV8]

last time through there it claimed a NC30 a MC22 and an r1, farmer said he gets to fix his fence about twice a month at least

I wonder if it was the same unhelmeted farmer riding his non registered 4 wheeler on the road when i came up behind him,sat there for a bit for some reason and then he suddenly veered across to the R/H side of the road without looking,if i had passed when i was going to he would have taken me out for sure.

[sAsLEX]

Glad to hear you are ok except for needing some new gear....... Not that it is the case here but 22 is not a racetrack or the IoM,it doesn't need sticks,braking markers or anything similar.It is a public road and unfortunately it is only a matter of time before there will be post saying someone has been maimed,killed or collected by a car coming the other way.(imho)

i think you missed the jist of BJs post he was by no means thinking about marker to allow people to go faster but to point out areas which could be upsetting to a newbie, ie an unsigned (natural or actual sign) decreasing radius off camber corner etc

and yes it aint a race track by any means of the term

[TLDV8]

i think you missed the jist of BJs post he was by no means thinking about marker to allow people to go faster but to point out areas which could be upsetting to a newbie, ie an unsigned (natural or actual sign) decreasing radius off camber corner etc

and yes it aint a race track by any means of the term

Its a public road,you need to assess the situation presented as you do on any road.People make mistakes,i have done it myself and ended up on my ass also,on quite a few i was going to fast for the conditions or the condition changed (wet)... One part of learning to ride or drive is just that,reading the road..if it is a twisty road and you start pushing it you risk coming off...What about all the other M/C roads ..Coro loop etc etc,we will needa lot of sticks ..if you ride at a pace that suits you,you will normally not fall off?.There are many corners on NZ roads that have increasing radius's,entering a corner slower and coming out faster can reduce the pain.

[kerryg]

I was thinking of going along the 22 with some red sticks/steaks and putting them in the ground next to the road on dodgy corners, so people who don't know the road as well can use it as a caution.. for the coming corner

Well...I dunno but I find the idea of bits of bloody meat being used as warnings just a bit too close to the bone BJ. What next? A lung? A severed head?

[Motu]

that sucks dude.. is the bike totalled too? At least you walked away from it, that's the main thing..
I think I'm thinking of the same spot Alex.. Was it a right hander going up hill slightly, and prior to that are some nice open sweeping corners? That corner has claimed a few bikes, that's for sure..

I was thinking of going along the 22 with some red sticks/steaks and putting them in the ground next to the road on dodgy corners, so people who don't know the road as well can use it as a caution.. for the coming corner

You could make it like SH16,with huge reflective signs on every corner,have a kiosk at each end selling a curve by curve booklet and instructional video.I'm with TDLV8,it's not a race track,you take it as it comes - what worries me is as more sportsbikes use it at speed and keep crashing,one will be the inevatable,the All Seeing Eye will be directed to SH22....and once again a great road will be emancapated for the actions of a few.Not critising Sparkz at all,just that as a Ring Bearer I can feel the EYE.....

[Quasievil]

Common Motu you can do better than that mate

[Sparkz]

Thanks guys.

I think the whole point of SH22 is that you don't need to be doing crazy speeds to have fun. The corners are usually challanging enough at legal speeds (some more challanging than others ) and I, for one, don't treat it like a racetrack.

Having said that, there is really not much point taking corners on a great road like that at 50km/h. You may as well just ride on the motorway. I think the real trick is not riding faster than your skill level allows.

And, yes, it was an uphill right-hander around Huntly.