Riding Gear Revisited

[IronFist]

Sorry, yep you're right. Gear is just a statement for the image people. I'll never wipe out, I don't need gear. Gear is over rated. I never be suckered into paying for gear again.

[suprf1y]

I have my M, which I took wearing my usual gear of helmet, work boots, jeans, and sweatshirt.

[SpeedSouth]

knothead, Thanks for the info.
Those boots are on my "short list". They look to be a nice upgrade from my Icon boots.

[IronFist]

Originally Posted by suprf1y

I race expert, and vet expert classes with Steel city riders motorcycle club.
I have my M, which I took wearing my usual gear of helmet, work boots, jeans, and sweatshirt.
Fist, you're reading a lot more into this than there is.
I have nothing more to say.

I have much more to say, but as I'm not a member, I'm not allowed to state what I think . You are right, I am wrong. I know for a fact that there is at least 1 Moderator spot open here, I'm sure you could fill my seat.

[IronFist]

I have my M, which I took wearing a sweatshirt.

That is a bold-faced lie! :evil:

[Jim]

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/crash.htm

More than 38,000 motorcyclists have died in single vehicle motorcycle crashes between 1975 and 1999

Helmet use among fatally injured motorcyclists below 50 percent

High blood alcohol levels are a major problem among motorcycle operators

Half of the fatalities are related to negotiating a curve prior to the crash

Almost 60 percent of motorcyclist fatalities occur at night

Collision with a fixed object is a significant factor in over half of the fatalities

Almost one third of the fatally injured operators did not have a proper license

1998 Motorcycle Accident Statistics:

*

2,284 motorcyclists died and approximately 49,000 were injured in highway crashes in the United States.

Per mile traveled in 1998, a motorcyclist is approximately 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile occupant. And 3x (times) as likely to be injured.

NHTSA estimates that motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of a fatality by 29% in a crash.

In 1998, 500 motorcyclists lives were saved due to helmet usage; 307 could have been saved.

[Jim]

This girl was wearing a sweatshirt...

WARNING, GRAPHIC PICTURES AHEAD, MAY NOT BE WORK SAFE

The pictures:
http://www.motortopia.com/album/view...760/i/roadrash

The story:
http://www.motortopia.com/blogs/view...h_cause_effect

The pictures are a year later (not all of them, but you'll figure out which ones)


Here's a chart on abbrasion resistance.... I don't see sweatshirt listed, but kevlar, various forms of leather, and denim...



And one on helmet impact areas...



Findings from the Hurt report:
http://www.magpie.com/nycmoto/hurt.html

Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures

Findings

Throughout the accident and exposure data there are special observations which relate to accident and injury causation and characteristics of the motorcycle accidents studied. These findings are summarized as follows:

1. Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved collision with another vehicle, which was most often a passenger automobile.

2. Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway or some fixed object in the environment.

3. Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle accidents, and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control was lost due to a puncture flat.

4. In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.

5. Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident cause in 2% of the accidents; animal involvement was 1% of the accidents.

6. In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.

7. The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.

8. Deliberate hostile action by a motorist against a motorcycle rider is a rare accident cause. The most frequent accident configuration is the motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left turn in front of the oncoming motorcycle.

10. Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident, with the other vehicle violating the motorcycle right-of-way, and often violating traffic controls.

11. Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.

12. Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin.

13. The view of the motorcycle or the other vehicle involved in the accident is limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles in almost half of the multiple vehicle accidents.

14. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.

15. Fuel system leaks and spills were present in 62% of the motorcycle accidents in the post-crash phase. This represents an undue hazard for fire.

16. The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.

17. The typical motorcycle pre-crash lines-of-sight to the traffic hazard portray no contribution of the limits of peripheral vision; more than three-fourths of all accident hazards are within 45deg of either side of straight ahead.

18. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is most critical for the frontal surfaces of the motorcycle and rider.

19. Vehicle defects related to accident causation are rare and likely to be due to deficient or defective maintenance.

20. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly overrepresented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30 and 50 are significantly underrepresented. Although the majority of the accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident data.

22. Craftsmen, laborers, and students comprise most of the accident-involved motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and craftsmen are underrepresented and laborers, students and unemployed are overrepresented in the accidents.

23. Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and accidents are overrepresented in the accident data.

24. The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends. Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents.

25. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.

26. Lack of attention to the driving task is a common factor for the motorcyclist in an accident.

27. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.

28. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel, and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance deceleration. The ability to countersteer and swerve was essentially absent.

29. The typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist just less than 2 seconds to complete all collision avoidance action.

30. Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not overrepresented in the accident area.

31. The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with the motorcycle are not distinguished from other accident populations except that the ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are overrepresented. Also, these drivers are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.

32. Large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents but they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in accidents.

33. Any effect of motorcycle color on accident involvement is not determinable from these data, but is expected to be insignificant because the frontal surfaces are most often presented to the other vehicle involved in the collision.

34. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are underrepresented in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to conspicuity and the association with more experienced and trained riders.

35. Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.

36. Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the semi-chopper or cafe racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.

37. The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle accidents-98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single vehicle accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45% resulted in more than a minor injury.

38. Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot, lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.

39. Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction of injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the thigh-upper leg, knee, and lower leg.

40. The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in preventing or reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but rarely severe injuries.

41. Groin injuries were sustained by the motorcyclist in at least 13% of the accidents, which typified by multiple vehicle collision in frontal impact at higher than average speed.

42. Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size.

43. Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved motorcycle riders used no eye protection, and it is likely that the wind on the unprotected eyes contributed in impairment of vision which delayed hazard detection.

44. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

45. Voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle riders was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders on hot days and short trips.

46. The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to the chest and head.

47. The use of the safety helmet is the single critical factor in the prevention of reduction of head injury; the safety helmet which complies with FMVSS 218 is a significantly effective injury countermeasure.

48. Safety helmet use caused no attenuation of critical traffic sounds, no limitation of precrash visual field, and no fatigue or loss of attention; no element of accident causation was related to helmet use.

49. FMVSS 218 provides a high level of protection in traffic accidents, and needs modification only to increase coverage at the back of the head and demonstrate impact protection of the front of full facial coverage helmets, and insure all adult sizes for traffic use are covered by the standard.

50. Helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and neck injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.

51. The increased coverage of the full facial coverage helmet increases protection, and significantly reduces face injuries.

52. There is no liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet; helmeted riders had less neck injuries than unhelmeted riders. Only four minor injuries were attributable to helmet use, and in each case the helmet prevented possible critical or fatal head injury.

53. Sixty percent of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear helmets because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply had no expectation of accident involvement.

54. Valid motorcycle exposure data can be obtained only from collection at the traffic site. Motor vehicle or driver license data presents information which is completely unrelated to actual use.

55. Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents had insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.

[Jim]

As well as good gear a proper rider training course is always a good idea.

I bought the red (or orange) Lifan as opposed to the black one. In stead of removing mandatory reflectors (I don't know why people do this), I have added additional DOT reflector tape (NOTE: RED IS FOR THE BACK ONLY) to increase the conspicuity (see the bright spots below, ). Granted this doesn't add to front or rear conspicuity, but I always ride with the lights on.

[IronFist]

Both of those charts were given out at my riding course.

Have you ever seen a rider with a telephone pole up the butt and through the belly? Want to see it? ride2die.com He lived, but pissed into a bag for the rest of his life. Real cool pics for the kiddies. ride2die.com check it out. Started by people who lost loved ones to riding. Lots of pics of bikes that have cut through cars killng both drivers. Real cool vids too. The day after I checked out ride2die, I took my course. I wanted to see what I was getting into. My first name on this site was new2riding. I took it from ride2die, no mystery. Gear will not make you safe, but it lowers the chance of death in a wipeout. Absolutely proven to reduce physio, the numbers of skin grafts, and pain medication costs. A full face helmet ain't cool on my 1972 honda. Gear ain't about being cool, it's about being honest and intelligent.

Why is it most riders treat their bikes like gold,
but some treat their body like scrap metal?

http://home1.gte.net/res0ak9f/bike.htm

Motorcycle rider fatalities in the past five years increased by 47 percent.

Loud Pipes Save Lives
Are you kidding? Do we need to cover this again?
- The vast majority of bike accidents are from the front. To have any chance of alerting those motorists to the presence of a motorcycle with exhaust noise would require that the tailpipe be pointed forward. LOL. The chances of rearward-facing straight pipes making a bike more obvious are very slim. The reality of the loud pipe is that all you'll succeed in doing is irritating all the people behind and beside you who don't pose much of a threat anyway.
- You are pissing off everyone around you. So who cares if you gun the throttle past an open driver's-side window and scare the hell out of the occupants? At least they see you, right? Maybe, but take a look at what happened to personal watercraft in Minnesota. Take a look at what happened in Yellowstone. Put it another way: how much do you appreciate the "music" blaring from other people's cars: the throbbing car stereo that shakes the very ground with some indistinguishable bass crap? How interested in someone else's music are you? Perhaps nobody else wants to listen to it. Perhaps they don't like the sound. Maybe they're trying to concentrate, or talk, or watch TV, or sleep. Maybe their kids are trying to sleep.
- Loud exhaust pipes are illegal. Even HD has finally stopped installing them.

and .... loud exhaust pipes actually REDUCE the performance of the bike in most cases, due to the reduction of back-pressure needed by tuned engines.


For riders:

Always wear a helmet

Always wear protective gear

Never ride under the influence

Ride only in good weather conditions

Ride responsibly

Assume you’re invisible, constantly scan the road

Ride extra defensively

Take regular MSF courses

Please check out ride2die
http://home1.gte.net/res0ak9f/bike.htm

[Jim]

And if you don't have it, you can grab the "You and Your Motorcycle" Riding Tips MSF booklet from the American Lifan website.

http://www.americanlifan.com/lifan3/customer.html

[suprf1y]

Originally Posted by IronFist

I have my M, which I took wearing a sweatshirt.

That is a bold-faced lie! :evil:

Well I was finished, until you called me a liar.
I assume you're insinuating that there is some type of gear requirement in Ontario, and I could not have had my test in a sweatshirt?
There is.
I always wear my helmet.
It is the only requirement.
Read the motorcycle handbook.

[Jim]

Let's try to put the arguments behind us, and carry on with the topic at hand.... Gear and Safety.

*Said in general to anyone, not directed at anyone in specific*
It is up to you to decide what you ride in. However it is a good idea to take a look at the statistics, what can happen, and so on. I don't think it is ever a good idea to recommend that a new rider go with out gear though.

[frostbite]

I've never heard anyone say after a spill, "I wore way too much gear". In contrast I've read numerous accounts of people stating that helmets and jackets have saved their lives/hide.

To be honest, I don't feel comfortable on the street without my Jacket/gloves anymore. The more gear I wear the more relaxed I feel.

[suprf1y]

To be honest, I don't feel comfortable on the street without my Jacket/gloves anymore

I know the feeling.
Since I bought a neck brace, I can't go on the track without it.
I feel naked without it.
That, and my helmet.
I won't even ride down the driveway without a helmet.

[knothead]

I'm not going to brow beat you about this (well, maybe some!), but you'll find out that riding on the street is a whole different animal than riding mx. The dirt is way more forgiving when you go down and you don't have brain dead houswives or pissed off-late for a meeting salesmen in 6000lb SUVs trying to kill you on the track.
You can't predict when or where it will happen, but you can bet that it WILL sooner or later. I've seen too many of my buddies laid up in the hospital w/multiple surgeries(skin gets ground away, then muscle, bone too)... the right gear would have let them walk away unhurt.
It's your choice, but you really need to take what we're telling you to heart.

Originally Posted by suprf1y

I know the feeling.
Since I bought a neck brace, I can't go on the track without it.
I feel naked without it.
That, and my helmet.
I won't even ride down the driveway without a helmet.