The need for Good Gear

[T.W.R]

Doesn't matter what your wearing when it comes to a high impact accident, But sturdy boots & appropriate apparel do minimise severe injury to a point. but mainly safety gear only reduces gravel rash, burns,& abrasions.

I've seen a completely shattered leg & the guy was wearing Walden Miller trousers & sidi Boots, he snapped his ankle & broke his shin bone in 3 places with one piece pushed out through both the boot & leather trousers.

and when i destroyed my elbow ( shattered ulna head & compound fractures to the ulna shaft) there wasn't a mark on the jacket itself but the old arm just flopped around anywhere it wanted to go. And when they finally took my arm out of the jacket the eblow area was just like a bag of mince.

[Nicksta]

duely noted... ouch... took a while to heal? thats a serious looking repair job...

[T.W.R]

duely noted... ouch... took a while to heal? thats a serious looking repair job...

that was 10yrs ago, had to learn to use my hand again due to nerve damage.

its had 7 ops including 2 grafts, 2 sets of metalware etc. only roughly 25deg of movement next stop artificial elbow or fuse it in place because its permanently broken & floats on fibrerous tissue. seen to much of the

[Karma]

shoes dont protect your ankles, that guys ankle was broken, seen the connection yet?

Whilst wearing boots would have prevented his ankle breaking in half, what I was referring to was that his ankle wouldn't have broken in the first place if he wasn't fucking around.

I wear shoes to and from work on the commute, but I wouldn't wear them if I was going to start popping wheelies in front of cameras (not that I'd know how of course )

[Brian d marge]

and it get worse on those mean streets of Picton ( here)

I personally feel thaat there should have been a camera at this black spot and a loss of licience for the driver

Stephen

[Sniper]

$%^& me, that aint cool.

[Sniper]

and it get worse on those mean streets of Picton ( here)

Bahahaha, thats one of the funniest things I have rear in a while. I know exactly who the scooter rider/driver is too.

[boomer]

yeah seen this one before;

THanks for the reminder Patch, it wasn't me you saw in town with my trainners on


and lol @ the spray on band aid comment.. good old kiwi mentality

[notme]

I just don't get the gear thing aye. It's

Surely (IMHO) it is simple FACT that wearing any gear is better than shoes, tshirt and shorts right? So the argument that proper boots wouldn't have stopped his ankle getting broken is a moot point - proper boots may not have stopped the break, but surely they might have limited the damage, and in the end if they do nothing more than shoes would, then hey, what have you lost by wearing them?

I was at the BP down the road before xmas in full leathers, boots, gloves, even back protector, on a hot-ass summer's day when a guy on a big Ducati (996 i think) said to me "jeez mate you must be hot in all that".

I have a standard reply because I've had this a few times, so assuming the guy isn't a patched mob meber or somthing, I say something like: "Sure am bro.....I can feel the heat on my SKIN as i RIDE my motorcycle around the place. Let's compare notes in a few months and see which of us can still say that huh? Later."


Gear issues bring out the worst in me - but i stand by my attitude. If you want to be a motorcyclist, get proper gear. If you want to be a fucktard, get a bike and ride around in shorts and a tshirt - you'll get disparaging looks and thoughts from REAL bikers, you'll increase our negative image in the minds of the public, and you'll hurt youself.

[Disco Stu]

Ouch indeed, but I have no sympathy for the guy... I mean, if you're gonna pull risky stunts, you wear full protective gear. Isn't that just common sense??

On that note - can any Melbournites point me in the direction of good stores for gear? I'm going to be getting that before getting a bike... reduce that temptation to ride to the store to get the jacket, only to crash out on the way...

[Brian d marge]

Uming and ahh ing on this , but ill post my preference.
This is just me and I have no opinion as to what other want to wear * EXCEPT JANDALS and Bare hands..
Theres a level of stupidity that is .. beyond even my reach ,,,and they would have to be it !!

Roadcraft . thats the most important gear you will ever need. If you dont fall off you dont need the gear ,

A bit simplistict but true. There was an accident which I could understand the poor fella thought the road was clear but actually there was a hidden dip ,,,I could see that ,,but then I rarely travel fast enough on the road for it to be a worry -My Enfield chugs along at 110 ,,and bits are falling off at 130 km/h -

My preference is an open face Helmet Strong boots and gloves, trousers MIN. I wear a Leather Jacket 99 percent of the time and I have a cordura ( sp) if I am going somewhere posh or sitting on the motorway.
But I used used to ride all day in tee shirts ( London city in summer .... and when I was in Greece as a mechanic, most of the time only in shorts -went over the hadlebars on a Garrelli wearing said gear!)
That vid of the popped ankle, Strong MX boots may have reduced the injury by spreading the load, not popping the wheelie in the first place would have lessened the injury even more !
I came to my personal conclusions after 6 years or so as a London DR ( love the rain I made lots of money !!) and a goodly few years as a MC mechanic
So been there done that sort of thing .( put that in there to show I ve a wee bit of riding experience and base MY decisions upon that)
Now I race MX and even there I have dropped away some of the protection ( Here I ALWAYS USE a back protector no mater what !) but the roost deflector I binned
To sum up ...If you use good road craft , the risk of crashing is almost nil( I mean u cant have a bike accident sitting here typing on the computer!!! a bit silly I know but thats one end of the risk spectrum)
, If you pop monos in jeans and tee shirts , your call but the risk has gone up and the price you pay to the Reaper man can be expensive
your personal call on this ........
Me I dont like pain so I dont crash ( I do enough of that on the track ) !!!.

Stephen

This is JUST ME ,,your call on things,, is just that,, YOUR call

[XTC]

My god you don't ride in an open face helmet do you!! Prepare to be told by all those that KNOW (ie their brothers fathers mates grandad saw a guy once who crashed wearing an open face......) that you're gonna scub your face off WHEN you crash and you'll most probably die. There are lots on this site you think a crash will happen but still don't adjust their riding to the conditions to ensure that they have the best chance of this not happening. If you think you will crash then you will crash!

Wear what you like people just ride to the conditions leaving a safety margin and you'll be alright. Trust me.

[Aiolos]

and it get worse on those mean streets of Picton ( here)

I too have been struck down by a mobility scooter. Luckily I was wearing will protective gear (of course, all REAL pedestrians do) and only suffered bruised pride.