Wear. Your. Gear.

[Utah Motorcyclist]

Glad you and you misses are still here. It's good to get a reminder of the importance of our gear.

[ozyran440]

Originally Posted by Rad032

Does she have a sister????

Yes she does, but her sister's taken.

You guys make me laaaaaaaaaaaaaaffffff!!

I agree on reminders of gear importance. I just wish I didn't have to be my own best example

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by ozyran440

Now, I went with textile, which I thought would be ok. It did the job (and did it well) but I wonder about the real durability of these textiles in an accident. This wasn't a mesh jacket, but I think mesh would have been even worse.

Your not thinking of it correctly. Textile and mesh gear is not about durability - they're about single event protection. Unlike leather, textile and mesh gear sacrifices itself to protect you during that wreck. It's like a helmet: it's not meant to continue to work in future events. For a wreck like yours, you need to replace the gear. It's no good anymore.

Leather only seems to protect better because it has longer term durability. Basically, it's meant to survive the wreck while protecting you, not just provide protection. That's also why it costs double and sometimes triple the cost of a similar textile or mesh item. Leather can take more of a beating so it can continue to work even after a wreck. Textile and mesh provide enough protection to see you through the first wreck, but will be too compromised to hold up to another.

The disadvantage of the textile stuff being essentially "single event" is outweighed by it's lower cost and hot weather comfort. You'd have to wreck a lot in order to outpace the cost of leather.

As far as the broken arm, that probably would have happened no matter what you were wearing.

Wear what makes you comfortable, but don't wear leather just because you think it will save your skin any better than the textile stuff did. It just is intended to be used differently.

[bross]

Originally Posted by ozyran440

You guys made me laugh pretty well.

And yes, I am a squid.....but only the Navy variety though. No intentional wheelies for me

The Versys came out with a bent shift lever, a damaged front rim, some seriously scraped plastic including a left turn blinker. Nothing broken, amazingly enough.

Externally, that's all as far as I can tell. I don't know if anything's broken internally on the bike.

Thanks for all the warm thoughts. It's great to have all the support

Where is the link to that "How do I wheelie thread?" I know I left it around here somewhere...

Glad you weren't hurt worse and that your wife came out even better. Heal well.

[ozyran440]

Originally Posted by CTRider

Your not thinking of it correctly. Textile and mesh gear is not about durability - they're about single event protection. Unlike leather, textile and mesh gear sacrifices itself to protect you during that wreck. It's like a helmet: it's not meant to continue to work in future events. For a wreck like yours, you need to replace the gear. It's no good anymore.

Leather only seems to protect better because it has longer term durability. Basically, it's meant to survive the wreck while protecting you, not just provide protection. That's also why it costs double and sometimes triple the cost of a similar textile or mesh item. Leather can take more of a beating so it can continue to work even after a wreck. Textile and mesh provide enough protection to see you through the first wreck, but will be too compromised to hold up to another.

The disadvantage of the textile stuff being essentially "single event" is outweighed by it's lower cost and hot weather comfort. You'd have to wreck a lot in order to outpace the cost of leather.

As far as the broken arm, that probably would have happened no matter what you were wearing.

Wear what makes you comfortable, but don't wear leather just because you think it will save your skin any better than the textile stuff did. It just is intended to be used differently.

Yes, but go look at those pictures again. That was at 20 miles per hour in a mostly straight line on concrete, not asphalt. Yes, it did its job, and I understand that it's intended for single use only. However, if I was going any faster - oh, say, 40 mph vs. 20 - that stuff would have shredded and I would still be exposing my skin. Here, I'll let this picture speak for me:



I'm thankful for the sentiments, but what I'm hearing about my thoughts on textiles amounts to the same mockery from other bikers about my sentiment to wear ATGATT.

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by ozyran440

Yes, but go look at those pictures again. That was at 20 miles per hour in a mostly straight line on concrete, not asphalt. Yes, it did its job, and I understand that it's intended for single use only. However, if I was going any faster - oh, say, 40 mph vs. 20 - that stuff would have shredded and I would still be exposing my skin. Here, I'll let this picture speak for me:

I'm thankful for the sentiments, but what I'm hearing about my thoughts on textiles amounts to the same mockery from other bikers about my sentiment to wear ATGATT.

I'm not looking to get into an argument about gear. People choose gear based on what works for them.

The pictures you posted didn't say whether the guy was going double or triple digits when he went down - or if he was stunting when he did. Pictures can imply a lot when the full story isn't given. There have been plenty of members here who have gone down way harder than you did in textile gear and have barely a scratch on them. The same goes for leather.

However, as I said in my original post, wear what makes you comfortable. If that's leather, than there's nothing wrong with that.

I just didn't want you to have the wrong idea about textiles. It's like when someone sees a small car after a huge wreck - they assume the vast amount of damage implies an unsafe car. In reality, the vast amount of damage is what kept the occupants safe from harm.

[airforce1]

Hey!
Yep, you are blessed.
You have another opportunity.
Suggestion? Get the missus her own bike! (grinn)
She will have plenty of time for the training course...
Insurance companies say that most motorcycle accidents happen with the first 6 months... It's not good to be a stastic, but it's really not good to be a casulty!
She must really care about her (Navy) squid!
Take good care, be in peace while you wait out the recovery.
You were a lucky man to find out that no amount of gear is a substitute for avoiding an encounter with "Mother Earth". We are no match for asphalt and concrete. I'm sorry to hear about your hurt, I admire your faith and respect you for learning the lesson.
Blessings!
t.

[Ronin47]

Originally Posted by CTRider

I'm not looking to get into an argument about gear. People choose gear based on what works for them.

The pictures you posted didn't say whether the guy was going double or triple digits when he went down - or if he was stunting when he did. Pictures can imply a lot when the full story isn't given. There have been plenty of members here who have gone down way harder than you did in textile gear and have barely a scratch on them. The same goes for leather.

However, as I said in my original post, wear what makes you comfortable. If that's leather, than there's nothing wrong with that.

I just didn't want you to have the wrong idea about textiles. It's like when someone sees a small car after a huge wreck - they assume the vast amount of damage implies an unsafe car. In reality, the vast amount of damage is what kept the occupants safe from harm.

I got nailed (damn near broadsided) by a van jetting out of a parking lot trying to cut across 2 lanes of traffic to get into a 3rd (left turn) lane close to an intersection. I went down at around 35-40mph on asphalt. Police report indicated the collision sent me airborne where I landed 12 feet from point of impact, then measured my skid distance at 51 feet upon hitting pavement. This was confirmed by witnesses who were in the car behind me. One of the witnesses refused to leave her car because she "didn't want to see the dead guy".

Along with my helmet, leather gloves, and leather boots, I was also wearing a textile jacket. Joe Rocket, in fact. Paramedics cut it up as they were examining me but outside of insane scuffing caused by the skid it held up fine. No upper body road rash, no upper body injuries except for some bruising. If I wore riding pants instead of just thick denim, the leg I broke probably would not have had as much road rash. I ride with an armored textile riding pant now.

Textile works. They may not be the best, but they work.

[ozyran440]

I'm not convinced. How many of you had an extra 180 lbs land on you when you hit the ground?

I did. In fact, that's why my arm is broken - my arm took the full force of my body and my wife's body as well - and it was pinned as we slid, her weight bearing down on top of me. *edit* This has nothing to do with the gear. It is my explanation of why my arm is broken. No amount of protective gear can prevent a broken bone. *edit*

I was carrying the full weight of my wife and her gear when I hit and slid. That's why the textile shredded and that's why it won't work for me anymore. I carry a passenger on a regular basis and when that passenger lands on me, it's my gear that has to take the extra force provided by the weight of my passenger. My wife's gear is almost unscathed.

So, if I was solo - still leather. Since there's a chance that the gear will have to withstand both my weight and my wife's, I won't go with anything except leather.

If I'm gonna spend a couple of hundred dollars on the gear anyway, I want something durable.

[janeika1]

But you are making it sound as if the leather would have stopped your arm from breaking. By what you are explaining, the force of her weight caused your arm to be broken, not the type of gear you were wearing..... or is it just me?

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by janeika1

But you are making it sound as if the leather would have stopped your arm from breaking. By what you are explaining, the force of her weight caused your arm to be broken, not the type of gear you were wearing..... or is it just me?

No, it's not just you.

Perhaps a bit of bubble wrap might be in order under whatever jacket he chooses to replace his gear with.

No gear is 100% protection. Even good boots can allow a broken ankle to occur. The armour in textile jackets is exactly the same as leather jackets. It's the outer covering of the jacket that is different. Neither will completely prevent a broken bone. They only reduce the chances of it (particularly at the elbows and shoulders) in certain collisions.

In reality, it was probably the armour itself that broke the arm. Seriously. It's meant to protect you when you land on your elbows or shoulders. However, if you land flat on your arm under yours and another person's weight, the edge of the armour can provide a concentrated spot where the impact will go. It would be like slamming your arm onto a 2x4 with your full weight behind it: it's gonna break where the board hits. In this case, the way you landed probably caused the armour to do more harm than good.

[bross]

Impact Jackets, LLC - Personal Airbag Jackets


Motorcyclist saved from serious injury by Airbag Jacket - Autoblog

Motorcycle Air Bag Vest - webBikeWorld

Your welcome.

[ozyran440]

I never once stated that leather would have kept my arm from breaking. Please, tell me all the instances where I stated leather would keep my arm from getting broken. I know leather and textile both provide no protection against a broken bone. Not even the airbag jacket will prevent a broken bone.

Come to think of it, even if I was driving a cage, there wouldn't be enough protection to fully protect me from getting a broken bone.

My issue is that the jacket would have been less likely to shred.

Let me make this perfectly clear: I am not trying to prevent broken bones.

I am trying to buy gear that will not shred at 20 mph. That is what I have been trying to say this whole time.

[Saleenguy]

Originally Posted by janeika1

But you are making it sound as if the leather would have stopped your arm from breaking. By what you are explaining, the force of her weight caused your arm to be broken, not the type of gear you were wearing..... or is it just me?

Well if you could wrap your entire body, from the top of your head, to the tip of your toes.....in say 18 feet thick of really durable foam, that should help reduce the G-forces a lot, and also offer good abbrasion protection.

Still if hit head on, or run over your dead anyways.

Ride more, and worry less is my motto.

Many seem to have the motto though...." Worry lots, and be paranoid about stuff we cannot control anyways"

Glad to see your one that worries less Janeika.....yes, I mean that.

[janeika1]

Originally Posted by ozyran440

Yes, but go look at those pictures again. That was at 20 miles per hour in a mostly straight line on concrete, not asphalt. Yes, it did its job, and I understand that it's intended for single use only. However, if I was going any faster - oh, say, 40 mph vs. 20 - that stuff would have shredded and I would still be exposing my skin. Here, I'll let this picture speak for me:



I'm thankful for the sentiments, but what I'm hearing about my thoughts on textiles amounts to the same mockery from other bikers about my sentiment to wear ATGATT.

This part implied that you were thinking leather would have protected you better. We can see clearly now the clouds are gone, what you were trying to say.

So next time just say that you want leather because it looks cooler. LOL!!

[ozyran440]

What I was saying is that at high speed mesh/textile would have shredded, meaning it would have been less protective against abrasion. Against abrasion leather does protect better. Against impact, nothing really provides good protection, especially in bike v. automobile.

As for looks, I've found some nice looking textile gear before. I just want the higher abrasion resistance that leather offers.

[janeika1]

My last statement was a joke! Just enjoy riding, get the wife her own 2 wheels, and look out for the RCD!

[kemkid]

My wife had been on me about wearing proper gear and helmets. I was dragging my feet cause I only wanted it for the highway. She saw this post and brought it to my attention. While a full set of armor will take me awhile to acquire (4 kids back to school shopping), I have changed my attitude towards helmet wear. Glad to see both of you are ok and waiting to get back out there. Thanks for giving my wife the evidence she needed to get through to me.

[ozyran440]

You're welcome. I'm glad you could take something positive from my fall and that you're thinking about it with a great perspective.

I think riding is great and something we should all live another day to see

And honestly, after reflecting a great deal on leather vs. textile, I've decided that I was being thoughtless and CTRider was right. Textile will give you great protection the way leather does, but it's a one-time deal.

[Obsidian16825]

I thought about you the other day. I showed up to go on a group ride and one one of the ladies on a trike said that I'd burn up, seeing me in my gear. I told her that was alright with me, I'd rather wear my gear than have my skin torn off. Along the way, I dropped my bike going around a turn at a stop sign when I wasn't agressive enough on the throttle to keep the engine running. A couple of us picked up my bike and we all resumed our ride. Later, that lady came up to me and said my point was proven.