The importance of protecting the rest of you

**Lucy** · 7th January 2007, 15:36

Is it just me? I read the first post of this thread and took it to mean that you may as well not wear a helmet, because the other injuries would have killed you anyway.

**Motu** · 7th January 2007, 15:57

As someone who has ridden over several decades....from just wearing street clothes,ordinary shoes,T shirts,no gloves or helmets....to wearing every damn bit of protective gear I can strap on my body - I am concerned at how physically constrained I am now.While not exactly a gymnast,I do consider I had pretty good reflexes and could damn near land on my feet like a cat when thrown.Now with all my armour and padding I feel like a dull witted slow moving thug,I can't lift my arms above my shoulders,my neck has limited movement and can hardly move at the waist.

But I still ride my trials bike in jeans and T shirt,good boots and light helmet.I feel much more confident with my body,and when I take a tumble can take avoiding action,tumble and roll etc,get my bike out of tough spots.Wearing armour I hit the deck like a sack of coal.I wonder if this is also contributing to injuries....can't get out of our own way.

**Hans** · 7th January 2007, 17:16

Originally Posted by Lucy

Is it just me? I read the first post of this thread and took it to mean that you may as well not wear a helmet, because the other injuries would have killed you anyway.

Yeah in the most extreme cases. But what it really means is, that when you take a slightly less serious hit, you might croak because the you have a perfectly healthy head and a broken back.

**James Deuce** · 7th January 2007, 17:22

Originally Posted by Hans

Once again, I agree, the point being that I'd much rather end up with internal organ damage, which although it sounds nasty, can be recovered from to a reasonable extent /unless it's a ripped off aorta or the likes/ than a neurological injury such as a severed spinal canal or other vegetable-producing injuries. In that case I'm not so sure i'd want to survive anyway. Hence all the back protectors etc...

Errr - no you don't. Lacerated liver - pray you don't sever the artery feeding it. Kidney injuries - like dialysis do we? Spleen goes pop - on drugs for life and you die if you sever even the smallest artery. Ask Stonechucker about lacerating your aorta and detaching your heart from your chest wall. He was one of a tiny percentage of people who suffer that injury and survive. Nerve damage? Ask me and OAB how that is to live with. There have been times when I haven't wanted to keep living.

No organ damage is is preferable to bony injuries. Your bones are designed to break to protect muscles, soft tissue and internal organs. Bones are easy to fix and even when you are reduced to say 10% movement in your ankle after breaking your tibia and fibula just above the ankle joint (common motorcyclist injury), or even losing a foot due to poor circulation is preferable to going on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.

**98tls** · 7th January 2007, 17:24

interesting stuff..........fwiw i cant understand leather stuff without the body armour.........ive got a crook elbow and knee from seperate bike accidents years ago..sure the leather saved a bit of skin but simple armour in the elbow and knees like i have now could have saved me a lot of pain over the years............

**Jeff Sichoe** · 7th January 2007, 18:01

I own the gear, but when pottling around the City I usually flag putting my gear on, stick with the helmet, gloves for the low-speed / distance work-home run.

But yeah, if I know i'm going to be riding for a while i'll chuck all my stuff on.

**Edbear** · 7th January 2007, 18:24

Well far be it from me to start the disagreeing! I support the ATGATT philosophy, All The Gear, All The Time! At my age I appreciate living and mobility and I really want to do my best to avoid stuffing that up! So I may not have ther flashest gear, but it's modern, armoured and hopefully I won't try it out!

Having come out of a wheelchair and 6 years off work, spending 22hrs a day in bed, taking 16 pills a day plus injecting myself for recurrent migraines - getting a second chance at life kinda focuses you as to what's really important!

I never thought I'd walk again and while it's been a long hard road back, I'm determined to be an active husband and father for as long as I possibly can. So I ride with care while enjoying the performance only motorcycling can give you. Each ride is undertaken with the goal of coming home the same way I left. I'm off for a tiki-tour tomorrow as my wife goes back to work while I still have one more week off. I'll be back by Friday as she only works 4 days and we might go off together, (hey, that sounds like a good idea...

), for a 3-day weekend before I go back to work!

**James Deuce** · 7th January 2007, 18:38

Originally Posted by Lucy

Is it just me? I read the first post of this thread and took it to mean that you may as well not wear a helmet, because the other injuries would have killed you anyway.

Originally Posted by Hans

Yeah in the most extreme cases. But what it really means is, that when you take a slightly less serious hit, you might croak because the you have a perfectly healthy head and a broken back.

Hans, you've got it Arse Backward.

You've completely inverted the intent and meaning of the Hurt report.

Your body can take repairable hits that your head can't. So wear a helmet.

**Hans** · 7th January 2007, 18:44

Would you like me to have it arse frontward? I never said a thing about not wearing a helmet. Please find the place where I even implied anything like that. Of course you HAVE to wear one.

**James Deuce** · 7th January 2007, 18:48

Umm - in the quote I used. If your intent was different then it didn't make it through my comprehension filter. Sorry.

You only HAVE to wear a helmet thanks a law passed due to 12 year olds riding 750s with no brakes and spaghetti frames in the '70s.

**Hans** · 7th January 2007, 18:50

Originally Posted by Jim2

You only HAVE to wear a helmet thanks a law passed due to 12 year olds riding 750s with no brakes and spaghetti frames in the '70s.

Those are fun. No problems at all. Right at the beginning of the thread I was just pointing out how important all the gear is.

**86GSXR** · 7th January 2007, 19:12

Hey Hans, got that motor fixed yet? I saw a guy out today wearing nothing but jeans, tee shirt, boots and helmet. I thought God mate, I hope you don't come off. Very tempting in this weather, but what if?

**XP@** · 8th January 2007, 08:45

The solution is obvious : You need an airbag!
Whilst it will have it's limitations, and is probably a bit of a pain to plug in, todays jacket is a start in an interesting direction.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcycle-air-bag/

In a few years we could be riding down the road, make a mistake and end up hitting the ground in a zorb style protective bubble... now how fast would I go if I had one of those???

**ManDownUnder** · 8th January 2007, 09:00

Originally Posted by Jeff Sichoe

I own the gear, but when pottling around the City I usually flag putting my gear on, stick with the helmet, gloves for the low-speed / distance work-home run.

But yeah, if I know i'm going to be riding for a while i'll chuck all my stuff on.

How do you choose which rides you're going to have an accident on?