ATGATT ~ Time to GEAR UP!

[jetmechmarty]

I haven't been able to get on in long time. Somehow, here I am.

When I crashed last week, I was wearing the minimum. I thought it through before grabbing the half helmet. I decided it was risk I was willing to take. Amazingly, the front of it is torn up along with my goggles. Both sides are chewed up as well. It will be garage art. I can't explain why my face did not contact anything.

The rest was leather jacket with no armor, motorcycle gloves that now have holes in them, Kevlar lined riding pants, and 9" steel toe Red Wing pull-ons. Boots are wrecked.

I'm dealing with sprained ankle, badly bruised and abraded knees, and it still hurts to sneeze or cough. I had follow-up with my do yesterday and I'm going to be fine.

I could have been wearing better protection and minimized the damage. I'm still happy to be here!

[Prisoner6]

... I'm dealing with sprained ankle, badly bruised and abraded knees, and it still hurts to sneeze or cough. I had follow-up with my do yesterday and I'm going to be fine.

I could have been wearing better protection and minimized the damage. I'm still happy to be here!

It's good to see you posting again, Marty ...

I think most of us here are guilty of having worn the "minimum" protection ... like you said, we have weighed the risks, and decided to take the chance.

I haven't always been ATGATT, but ever since my one and only accident almost 30 yrs. ago, I have been.


Anyway, sounds like great news from your follow-up appointment ... take it easy and give yourself time to heal.

And we're really happy you're still here!

[MarkD]

Glad you are doing well, Marty. You said you were wearing 'minimum protection', but I think you did well to wear what you had on. On my way to a concert, a dude was actually wearing 'minimum protection' while tooling around on his Harley. He had on: shorts, T-shirt, boat shoes, and a backwards hat. Now that Michigan no longer requires a helmet, the ratio I see is about 50-50 on use of a helmet.
I wear: full helmet, jeans, padded leather gloves, sometimes boots, sometimes not, and a Cortech armored jacket.
As many have said, glad you saw the light at the end of the tunnel!

[madmax-im]

99% of all my deaf friends that ride ...are Harely bikers...they live it...dress it and generally fit the description of pirate gear bikers..All of them refuse to wear anything safety related..it blows my mind...but hey they're on thier harleys and they got to be different...They're my friends but i cant ride with them much..as all thry do is poker runs and food drives and chriistmas toy runs...thats not riding to me...and never mind that they have an American icon image to maintain... Oh yeah they do ride to Sturgis and ofc any state without a helmet law means they maybe wear a bandanna and one guy wears a plaid dress shirt with the sleeves cut off...no jacket ever...You get this picture?

[jetmechmarty]

...but hey they're on thier Harleys and they got to be different...

Ya, different.....Like everybody else. More like lemmings.

[kboehringer]

Protective "UNDER" garments.

Kurt, SNIP
I've actually been ridiculed by some for the gear I use...
and... who knows? They may be right. Nothing, given the wrong set of circumstances, may save me in a crash. But, I feel it may just work like Marty's gear did... saved him from lots more pain and injuries. To me, I've made the personal choice that it's worth it. SNIP

XS Friends,
I've been reading all these responses and getting more ideas about my gear. I am also REGULARLY ridiculed for wearing a jacket, gloves, and reflective safety vest here in ATL. The vest was required on Military installations back in the '80s (maybe still now?) and it's just something I've gotten use to.

Also, JeffH was at the house the other day grabbing up his ride from my house. When he arrived he had a BAG of gear, Not just a helmet... Before he even started the bike he put on MULTIPLE safety items. That's the role model I want to follow!!!

JeffH brought several items just for "SHOW & TELL" and described how/when he used certain items. He had some very thin armored "UNDERS" that could be worn under a standard pair of jeans to avoid some of the brush burns Marty got. I got to find some of those.

Although I am in my 50's, I still (at times) act like a little kid. Even though I have owned literally DOZENS of motorcycles my ROAD experience is limited. I've been a trail biker, enduro driver, YZ racer, and a smaller displacement street biker for 'round the town trips. Now, I'm lovin' my XS11's for a 50-100 mile street road drives and have never been TRAINED or TAUGHT the "Rules-Of-The-Road".

The AVERAGE HD driver or SPORT BIKERS are NOT good examples to follow as MadMaxim indicated. It is amazingly typical to see the HD guys and the Sport Bike idiots blastin' around wearing shorts & sneakers. The HD guys have got the "'ole lady" on the back with a tank top & Daisy Duke shorts. How good is that woman gonna' look if you take the most minor fall? How big are the bills gonna be from the plastic surgery?

I'm going to look for some of those "UNDER" garments Jeff showed me next.

I've also read all the comments about gloves and I have always used full leather gloves. I honestly prefer what are actually gardening gloves with the wrist pull string. I am so use to them that the bike doesn't FEEL RIGHT without them. They will not protect my fingers from BREAKAGE if there is a crash but I am confident I won't lose any skin when sliding across the pavement It will be hard to exchange those gloves for a more protective option since I've been using this style glove since the days when I was racing the YZ's.

KURT

[IanDMacDonald]

I wear a reflective vest, and at-least once a week at a gas station, someone tells me they were a 1/4 mile behind me, and they saw me stick-out like a sore thumb. So, it may kill the look, but I don't care. I want to be seen like a 18-wheeler.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Kurt,
You can check out what I wear...
CycleGear's Built Arma riding shorts. $30

Bohn Armour makes great stuff, too. Pricier, but worth every penny.

When coupled with armoured kevlar jeans or armoured mesh riding pants, I found they give extra padding and protection in areas where the pants don't have any.

Like you said, probably won't prevent a broken bone, but can help with bruising and road rash by cushioning the fall/impact.
Plus... here's another bonus... they help you stay in the saddle longer on LD rides! Helps a lot with preventing soreness... added padding.

Gloves are good for the road rash. First thing a falling person instinctivly does is stick there arms/hands out to break their fall. So, hands... especially the palms... take the brunt of most of the initial contact with the pavement.
Abrasion resistant materials in the palms of the gloves are more important than the top sides. But, ya gotta watch for that when you shop for gloves. I've seen expensive, big name brands have some of the weakest, sorriest materials in the palms, but look awesome on the top side. It takes something strong, tear resistant, abrasion resistant to stand up to the friction from asphalt! So, always watch for that when shopping for good street gloves. But, it still has to be flexible, soft, and bendable, too. That's why leather work gloves, while tough, usually won't do well on an LD ride.
I bought a pair of Alpinestars SMX-1's, went on a long trip to Utah, hit some heavy sleet w/temps around 36 and lots of rain... for days of riding. I have grip heaters on my C14. They work...well! So well, that by the time I got back, they had MELTED the synthetic crap Alpinestars had used in the palms! Just imagine how poorly they would have faired if they had contacted asphalt at speed in a crash? I'm guessing not well, nor would my hands. I sent them back, they refunded my money, and I wised up a bit before I bought my next pair.
Without my hands, I'm out of my career!

I also have chosen a similar mindset as Ian... but, instead of the vest, I went with hi-viz yellow for my jackets and my helmet. Gotta do something to be more visable when you ride a black bike, ya know?
Bob

[madmax-im]

lots of undergarments out there... have 2 pair of LD Comfort shorts cut like bicycle shorts...same type of material...and a few pairs of Wickers America shorts cut as boxer briefs.. everything is super comfortable and wicks away sweat amd moisture...dries fast and can even be washed and dried in a bathroom...LOL
I never wear cotton underwear and even off the bike i tend to favor the Wickers briefs...
I ahve numerous people gawk and laugh at me in my gheeky hi viz stuff...in the summer time they d=say stuff like arent you hot or it s much cooler in shorts and a tshirt...I always have a prepared response.." I dress for the crash not for the rash" or "I'd rather sweat than bleed"...
"Its not a matter of IF but only a matter of WHEN you are going to go down are you ready for that day?"

[jetmechmarty]

What has happened to me in every accident is painful contusions on my hips.
It would be nice to have hip armor under my trousers when I crash!

[kboehringer]

Not available in MELLON HEAD SIZE!

SNIP I went with hi-viz yellow for my jackets and my helmet.

Bob,
I want one of those Hi-Viz helmets BAD! Unfortunately, I have a HUGE MELLON HEAD. Currently, I wear a 2X HJC Modular. It's a relatively inexpensive helmet (<$200) but it FITS VERY WELL and I like the modular for several reasons.

When I was at Cycle Gear they had NOTHING available in 2X Hi-Viz. The rep at Cycle Gear said they are not made in MELLON HEAD SIZE. I checked several brands they had on the shelves including the extremely pricey offerings. I've done no further in-depth investigation but plan to do a double-check of the reps. statement of non-availability.

I really don't give a hoot about cost. I want the Hi-Viz but I also want it to FIT!.

Kurt

[jetmechmarty]

Arai makes the hi viz in every size and shape. Unfortunately, they are not budget priced. I love the Arai helmet! Whether your head is round or long oval, they have you covered. You have to go try them on if you don't know what the shape of your head is. These are $500 to $700 and Arai does not make a modular helmet.

[madmax-im]

Kurt...Check into Shoei Neotec...modular and I think you can get it in Hi viz Yellow about $500 -600... Edit:they have it in yellow not hi viz yellow...another alternative hi viz color is White...

[XJOK2PLAY]

Bob,
I want one of those Hi-Viz helmets BAD! Unfortunately, I have a HUGE MELLON HEAD. Currently, I wear a 2X HJC Modular. It's a relatively inexpensive helmet (<$200) but it FITS VERY WELL and I like the modular for several reasons.

When I was at Cycle Gear they had NOTHING available in 2X Hi-Viz. The rep at Cycle Gear said they are not made in MELLON HEAD SIZE. I checked several brands they had on the shelves including the extremely pricey offerings. I've done no further in-depth investigation but plan to do a double-check of the reps. statement of non-availability.

I really don't give a hoot about cost. I want the Hi-Viz but I also want it to FIT!.

Kurt

Kurt,
Here's mine... Scorpion EXO1200 JAG in 2XL. (You're not alone! Plus, I wear glasses, and it helps to put them on!) Bought mine through Motorcycle Superstore online for $159. Great fit, visibility, drop down sun screen visor, it has a lever that allows you to crack open the clear visor about a quarter inch for foggy mornings or if you need air, but don't want the visor fully open, antifog on the sheild, lots of vents... Good interior padding, and those can be washed/ replaced... also has a pump up air bladder for custom fit...and- very quiet.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Kurt...Check into Shoei Neotec...modular and I think you can get it in Hi viz Yellow about $500 -600... Edit:they have it in yellow not hi viz yellow...another alternative hi viz color is White...

+1 about the Shoei Neotec. If you want a modular, they're great.
Lots of Connie riders swear by them as their #1 choice.

But... they are pricey!

Get ready to spend $6-700, depending if you want a solid or graphic...

Not sure if you can get a Neotec in yellow, but can get one in white.