Post-crash gear performance evaluation

**clint640** · 3rd October 2007, 12:47

I was on a bit of a practice ride for the Grand Challenge on Saturday night when I was taken out by the stupid sheep suicide squad. The woolly bastards ran out of the shadows & right under my wheel, this resulted in me going over the bars at around 70km/h, flying for a bit & then tumbling down the cold hard tarseal of SH35 for about 30m.

Helmet: KBC TK8, there was a small scratch on the back. I don't think it hit very hard. My head does not hurt.

Jacket: Teknic Sprint, this did very well. there were some small holes in one sleeve & some scuff marks on the shoulder. The waterproof layer is all good though & the zip-off outer construction means it will be easy to patch up. I've got a slightly sore shoulder & elbow, no skin missing. Given the size of the hit I think the jacket did it's job brilliantly. The std Knox armour in it is good stuff.

Gloves: RJays Leather/Cordura, they were damaged a bit but my hands are sweet.

Pants: RJays cheap ones, the arse & one knee were well shredded, scuffs all over. No damage to me. The basic CE knee & foam hip armour obviously worked well. They'd already been patched up after a couple of minor offs so I reckon I've got my moneys worth out of them!

Fly Kidney Belt: I mainly wear this for back support on the long rides but no injuries to my lower back or puku so maybe it helped?

Boots: Stylmartin Active Trail, they've got some scuffing up the inside on both, the ankle cups have obviously done their job, but they're both perfectly servicable. I had a pretty sore ankle which an x-ray revealed to be just a sprain & it's getting better steadily. I'm not sure if it's from getting a foot caught on the bars as I flew off or from rolling the ankle as I landed on the road, I suspect the latter. The heel on the other foot was a bit bruised too, probably from the hard landing. If I had my full MX boots on I may have come out a bit better but I think I'd have a broken ankle if I had been wearing my old road boots.

Cheers
Clint

**Bike-aholic** · 3rd October 2007, 13:42

Man 70k and nothing broken, the force was with you young skywalker

.

Bloody farm animals i remember a few years back riding home (dark as hell)through east coast bays rd (when that was one of the main highways north) and some poor bugger on a chopper got taken out by a runaway horse. I saw the bike mangled on the side of the road and found the guy in a ditch he was awake but couldnt move but said he was ok so i took off at light speed to silverdale to get the ambulance (had no cell ph back then) and the ambulance crashed into that fn horse they were like 10 meters away from the guy in the ditch and the horse was dog meat, was so glad i was not leading the charge

.

**tri boy** · 3rd October 2007, 14:23

Crikey Clint, glad your OK. Over the bars and then slam'n onto tarmac is one hell of a "off".

Not the best question, but hows the KTM?

**koba** · 3rd October 2007, 14:33

Ouch! Glad to hear you are ok

Those Technic jackets are really getting my attention aye, friends of mine have bought them thinking they will be a relitivley cheap one hit wonder sort of job and have crashed numerous times and been ok with servicable gear afterwards!

Im talking a total of about ten crashes between both my mates who have them!

And they are warmer than leather...

I sound like a salesman

**SVboy** · 3rd October 2007, 14:40

Thank you for going to all taht trouble on our behalf!! Glad you are ok and the gear proved itself. How is the bike?

**Hitcher** · 3rd October 2007, 14:42

I've got a Teknic GoreTex jacket that has been down the road once, with me inside it. They're well-made kit, that's for sure. In my experience with helmets, how well they hold up depends on how hard and sustained their impact is. Irrespective, a new one should be procured. If your bike insurance policy doesn't have a helmet option, some home-and-contents policies will stretch to a couple of hundred dollars to help with replacement costs. Vero certainly did for one of my accident-related helmet replacements.

**Ocean1** · 3rd October 2007, 14:52

Ow dude, bummer. Glad the armour did it's job.
Also pleased to know my Teknic jacket sounds like a good buy.

Duno about the MX boots, I've stuffed my knee partly because my anke wasn't able to take some of the rotation force...

Don't do it again OK?

**clint640** · 3rd October 2007, 16:04

Originally Posted by tri boy

Not the best question, but hows the KTM?

That's the first question! - crash bike, tumble down road, run over to bike & inspect, then realise ankle is hurting quite a bit...

It looks like the bike did a perfect cartwheel then landed off the road, the headlight, dash etc & everything on the handlebars is mash, & there's damage to the carrier & tailight. Either side looked ok. As long as the forks aren't bent it shouldn't be too much of a major. She's all insured anyway, including the gear, Classic Cover have been great so far.

Originally Posted by Ocean1

Duno about the MX boots, I've stuffed my knee partly because my anke wasn't able to take some of the rotation force...

Yeah thats definitely a good point, the Stylmartins being just a bit less rigid than MX stuff are a good compromise I reckon.

Cheers
Clint

**Ocean1** · 3rd October 2007, 16:11

Originally Posted by clint640

That's the first question! - crash bike, tumble down road, run over to bike & inspect, then realise ankle is hurting quite a bit...

Cheers
Clint

Yup, sounds like me every time. What's more the pain (when it arrives) is usually significantly proportional to the damage to the bike.

**GaZBur** · 8th October 2007, 20:12

Originally Posted by clint640

I..going over the bars at around 70km/h, flying for a bit & then tumbling down the cold hard tarseal of SH35 for about 30m...
Clint

Wow... You have maybe damaged some nice gear but proved that good gear is so essential. Isn't it good to be able to limp away from an off like that! I have had a couple of offs recently too and am amazed at how well the gear takes it as I have only had to replace the helmet. I do think the back protector saved me from some pretty serious damage though and will consider wearing one more often even though I really don't like to wear it.
Let us know how you get on and when you back on the road.
We all know there is a possibility of pain from riding bikes and it a price you accept, lets hope you have now filled your pain quota and have a trouble free run from here.
Good luck!