ATGATT

[Warren]

Its better to wear your gear than not to....or is it ?

Your Helmet Does Provide Impact Protection
If you thought that jacket you wear while riding provides you with good abrasion and impact protection, then you’re really only believing a half-truth. Most gear that you wear provides little to no impact protection according to a recent study reported on by the German publication Motorrad. Your helmet is the only type of gear that provides adequate impact protection.

The study was conducted by German UDV (Accident Investigators of Insurers). What it found is that jackets, riding pants, boots, gloves, and most other gear are good at providing abrasion resistance. You can slide across the pavement and come out relatively unscathed. However, when it comes to making contact with hard objects, like a car, you’re gear is woefully lacking.

Siegfried Brockmann, head of the UDV, said, “No practicable protective clothing is able to prevent a fatal injury in a collision with normal highway speed.” Basically, over 15 mph, that armor in your jacket and pants is more or less useless.

With that said, airbag jackets and vests do help. However, at speeds over 43 mph the airbag’s effectiveness is nullified. The UDV suggests further development in airbag technology. The UDV would like to see if it can be improved to be helpful at higher speeds.

 

[ARKNT]

One study will say one thing. A different study will negate that and say something else. An accident is just that--an event that happens in an unpredictable way.
The answer is to be able to predict when an accident is going to occur and not ride that day. I'm still working on the crystal ball thing.

Brad

 

[mikesim]

While I agree that the armor in jackets, pants etc. will not protect you from injury, it has to by virtue of its design mitigate the injury to some extent. I'm willing to wear it to receive that protection. Sumpin' is better than nuffin'.

Mike

 

[Brillot2000]

We all face the risk of death when we venture out into the world each day.

This is website has provided some odds of various types of death over one's lifetime. Preventable Deaths - Odds of Dying



Motorcycling is between both Pedestrian Incident and Drowning.

 

[Warren]

While I agree that the armor in jackets, pants etc. will not protect you from injury, it has to by virtue of its design mitigate the injury to some extent. I'm willing to wear it to receive that protection. Sumpin' is better than nuffin'.

Mike

Mike, I read that our governor vetoed the repeal of Missouri's helmet law. Guess we have to put our beanie's away and put our helmets back on

 

[DirtFlier]

On almost any typical summer night, the ERs are working on riders who don't believe in gear. There are no guarantees in life but having some protection is a lot better than no protection.

ps. if you look at the motorcycle accident stats, Friday and Saturday nights are the absolute worst times to ride!

 

[mikesim]

Mike, I read that our governor vetoed the repeal of Missouri's helmet law. Guess we have to put our beanie's away and put our helmets back on

Yeah, it's my understanding that he would have signed it but there was some other stuff attached to the bill that he didn't like. I think the helmet thing should be a personal decision, but my personal decision is to always wear one.

Mike

 

[Miairhead]

I know a good jacket, pants, and helmet keep you from a more serious injury. I still wear the pants and jacket, but helmet was replaced when I broke 5 ribs and ankle. I had not scratches, just the slamming of my body broke a few things, but no cuts or abrasions.

 

[bearbait51]

Road Rash, Street Pizza, of whatever you call it, is very painful when the dirt and stones are scrubbed out! I crashed more than once racing bicycles...I'm more than happy wearing ATGATT. BB

 

[ARKNT]

The bicycle comparison makes you think. Bicycle road riders wear very little protective gear. Some can reach quite fast speeds. Also being on a road they can hit immovable objects like cars.
I've crashed a bicycle a couple times several years ago. Didn't like it. Small patches of road rash once and a cracked rib the other time.
Whatever you ride keep the rubber side down.

Brad

 

[Coyote Chris]

One study will say one thing. A different study will negate that and say something else. An accident is just that--an event that happens in an unpredictable way.
The answer is to be able to predict when an accident is going to occur and not ride that day. I'm still working on the crystal ball thing.

Brad

So true......I will tell you one thing and you can take this to the bank. If you have a choice of sliding along at 50 mph, are you gonna take out your armor and throw it away?????

 

[Coyote Chris]

On almost any typical summer night, the ERs are working on riders who don't believe in gear. There are no guarantees in life but having some protection is a lot better than no protection.

ps. if you look at the motorcycle accident stats, Friday and Saturday nights are the absolute worst times to ride!

So true....pardon me if I dont rush to take out the armor in my motorcycle clothes....
(I have some unkind things to say about bicycle riders but I will keep them to myself)

 

[Phil Tarman]

A Denver motorcycle police officer crashed his Harley last night while doing speed control on I-70 west of I-25. He was taken to the hospital and has had surgery for "several" fractures. The Chief suggested that some of the problem might have come from the fact that the highway had been rotomilled. At the end of the story on NBC affiliate, they showed another officer riding away on his identical Harley. He was wearing, as do most Denver and Colorado Highway Patrol officers, an open-face helmet, short gloves, and a short-sleeved shirt. I'm guessing that the injured officer has a good deal of severe road rash in addition to fractures.

Last week I talked to a CHP moto officer who was sitting in a gas station when I pulled in to fill up. He was riding an oil-head BMW RT1200RT. CHP had used some BMW RTs back in the early 2000's and then gone back to Harleys. The officer told me that they're 100% BMW again and that he's thrilled about it. He says they're much better for enforcement use and much easier, faster, and safer to ride. Before I left, I asked him if he was ever uncomfortable riding in the short sleeves. He said he wasn't. I told him I'd hate to go down with that much skin exposed and he said he wasn't worried about going down.

I still would not want to ride with bare arms.

 

[Coyote Chris]

A Denver motorcycle police officer crashed his Harley last night while doing speed control on I-70 west of I-25. He was taken to the hospital and has had surgery for "several" fractures. The Chief suggested that some of the problem might have come from the fact that the highway had been rotomilled. At the end of the story on NBC affiliate, they showed another officer riding away on his identical Harley. He was wearing, as do most Denver and Colorado Highway Patrol officers, an open-face helmet, short gloves, and a short-sleeved shirt. I'm guessing that the injured officer has a good deal of severe road rash in addition to fractures.

Last week I talked to a CHP moto officer who was sitting in a gas station when I pulled in to fill up. He was riding an oil-head BMW RT1200RT. CHP had used some BMW RTs back in the early 2000's and then gone back to Harleys. The officer told me that they're 100% BMW again and that he's thrilled about it. He says they're much better for enforcement use and much easier, faster, and safer to ride. Before I left, I asked him if he was ever uncomfortable riding in the short sleeves. He said he wasn't. I told him I'd hate to go down with that much skin exposed and he said he wasn't worried about going down.

I still would not want to ride with bare arms.

I have always wondered about US Motor units not wearing quality textile jackets or at least leather. Actually, after having served in the patrol for 13 years, and working on the bikes and knowing the guys, I have to question the very usage of motor units.

 

[bearbait51]

So true....pardon me if I dont rush to take out the armor in my motorcycle clothes....
(I have some unkind things to say about bicycle riders but I will keep them to myself)

I will agree and keep the armor in my jacket and pants. Although, I sense your comment concerning bicycles deserves my attention. As I stated, I've ridden over 125,000 miles on the road. I feel there are inconsiderate bicycle riders, as well as motorcycle riders. Pennsylvania law states a bicycle is a vehicle and "Should" obey the laws like other vehicles. It is also legal to ride two abreast, although myself and those I ride with do ride single file, and in small groups to allow motor vehicles to pass. It is taught to ride on the road where the right tires of a car travel, so vehicles have to commit to a pass when the road is clear. If the shoulder of the road is about four feet wide, I ride on the shoulder, if it is less than that, I ride on the white line. So my point is, we all need to be considerate of others, if something impedes your travel, leave a little earlier. Nuff said, sorry for the rant. BB

 

[Brillot2000]

There has been a swift in the past 20 years regarding motorcycle riding gear.

Many of us wore what we had available such as leather jackets, fuffy insulated jackets, snowmobile suits, artic mittens, and etc during the winters. In the Summer we mostly wore a T-shirt, jeans, tank top, shorts just to name a few without any gloves, myself included.

In the '90s more and more riding apparel was becoming mainstream such as one-pieces suit, jackets, better gloves, and etc...

In the past 6 years, I added riding pants to my arsenal. I always wore a helmet, jacket, and gloves. After one morning the bike going down while making a slow speed turn and scrapping up my knee beneath my jeans. I then decided to add riding pants to my gear.

Ever since then it has been ATGATT, on or off-road when on two wheels.

 

[Mellow]

I like the Klim stuff as they incorporate D3O armor in some of their stuff. You can get other types of similar molecular armor as well to put in your existing jacket/pants. Sliding isn't as much of an issue as impact in my opinion for most of the riding we do... you're more likely to hit something when you come off a bike vs sliding 300 ft like a motogp rider might. The molecular armor is reusable so it can take a hit.. then another... and another.. whereas the typical foam stuff in most offerings will compress once, and that's it.

 

[DirtFlier]

Yup, it's the sudden stop against a hard, fixed object that hurts so much!

 

[Coyote Chris]

I like the Klim stuff as they incorporate D3O armor in some of their stuff. You can get other types of similar molecular armor as well to put in your existing jacket/pants. Sliding isn't as much of an issue as impact in my opinion for most of the riding we do... you're more likely to hit something when you come off a bike vs sliding 300 ft like a motogp rider might. The molecular armor is reusable so it can take a hit.. then another... and another.. whereas the typical foam stuff in most offerings will compress once, and that's it.

Hey, I wonder if she needs an boy friend???
I wear First Gear clothes and I have D30. I am not removing any of my armor. I havent falled off of a moving motorcycle since 1979 but who knows what will happen tomorrow? How many times have you seen an old Harley guy walking around with a cane? Let them be the organ donners. I like my head and I like my body. I'm kind of attached to it.

 

[Coyote Chris]

There has been a swift in the past 20 years regarding motorcycle riding gear.

Many of us wore what we had available such as leather jackets, fuffy insulated jackets, snowmobile suits, artic mittens, and etc during the winters. In the Summer we mostly wore a T-shirt, jeans, tank top, shorts just to name a few without any gloves, myself included.

In the '90s more and more riding apparel was becoming mainstream such as one-pieces suit, jackets, better gloves, and etc...

In the past 6 years, I added riding pants to my arsenal. I always wore a helmet, jacket, and gloves. After one morning the bike going down while making a slow speed turn and scrapping up my knee beneath my jeans. I then decided to add riding pants to my gear.

Ever since then it has been ATGATT, on or off-road when on two wheels.

We grow too soon old and too late smart. I didnt start riding with real gear till the last decade, thanks in part to Frosty pushing me.....