Concern over poor protective clothing

[ready4whatever]

sounds like alot of KB guys have had accidents. no good

[vifferman]

ten fookin' characters

[marioc]

I see the motogp riders have actually started testing airbag leathers

[Big Dog]

Well purely to amuse the others reading this....

I rode for Months with just a duck hunting jacket ($45) while I lay buyed a $285 jacket (the dealer then gave me a $80 rebate when he found out I didn't just want to wear it for style reasons).

Then came some boots took me another 6 months, in the mean time I wore John bull combat boots (still do at the moment as my Boots wore out and are yet to be replaced) $45

Then came pants. Took me over a year to find some I liked and fit.
and then 6 months to buy them.

So it was that I set out for Auckland from New Plymouth for a 5 day visit. First time ever in three years of riding i had pants, Jacket boots and a high quality helmet.

Crapped it at 35kmph on gravel.

Farked my $350 pants as I slid along bike on the back of my legs on my knees.

Best $1285 I ever spent.

I had ground through 7m of leather but not the armour so although I dislocated both knee caps I can still walk today.
No other injuries for me.

Helmet did not hit the deck but I felt safe.

Jacket was grazed on both elbows, shoe polish fixed that.

Brand new never worn before pants shredded, $15 saw the leather patched and the tailor replaced the armour for nothing.

Boots grazed and sole damaged. $10 sore the sole repaired and shoe polish did the rest.

Grazes heal but some bones don't. Kneecaps, ankles, spines, hips, Skulls or the fleshy bit under it.

You may buy the gear and never crash but you won't regret the added comfort and security it provides.

You may not and never crash anyway. Good on you pass on that skill to others.

You may buy it then crash, Best money you ever spent if you bought quality. Worst money you ever spent if you bought a crap.

Sorry if this sounds like a lecture but I have had accidents at low speed with gear and low speed without and it terrifies me to think some people take that risk at high speed

If you can't afford brand new try second hand places.

I know this is dredging but I feel it may once again be time to bring this to the front for a fresh batch of readers to enjoy.

[retired motoman]

Very timely with summer around the corner . Not only for the rider to, i once again saw a kid on the back of a bike today with nothing more then sneakers and a hoody on and the rider bugger all to . Whats wrong with these people We have trademe for christ sake , a second hand set of leathers for $200 to $300 is better then a new bright flash ski jacket.

[Big Dog]

Very timely with summer around the corner . Not only for the rider to, i once again saw a kid on the back of a bike today with nothing more then sneakers and a hoody on and the rider bugger all to . Whats wrong with these people We have trademe for christ sake , a second hand set of leathers for $200 to $300 is better then a new bright flash ski jacket.

Not to mention the fillings in ski jackets have been known to catch fire in a crash and penetrate the skin still burning. I think it is Dacron (sp) that a byproduct of burning is oxygen meaning it still burns like napalm once in the skin... Juicy.