Another WEAR YOUR DAMNED GEAR thread...

BulletTrain

Call me Daddy...
Donating Member
Registered
Another local rider went down today. I'll start from the beginning and then post the pics...

Ok, this guy rides his tricked out, modded R6 to work this morning. Had a few minutes to kill so he rides back home for a minute. Leaves his $800+ Kobe one piece, Alpine Star race boots and full gauntlet gloves layin' on a pallet at work. His clothes were shreds but it looked like he had on some slacks made of thin, flimsy material, what looked like it prolly used to be a three button (polo) pull over type shirt, a pair of nylon "Mechanix" type gloves, and a pair of leather lace up work/dress shoes. Oh, and he had a lid but I never saw it so I don't know what kind or how bad it was fugged up.

On the way back to work he's "totin' the mail", so to speak, and a deer (spike buck with 6-8 inch antlers still in velvet) pops out into his path. Bike strikes the deer and flips over it, launchin' the rider like Superman through the air. The rider comes to rest in the roadway (according to early arriving witnesses) prolly 300+ feet from where he hit the deer. Bike was prolly right at 400 feet away in a ditch.

The damage? Both the rider's shoes came off near point of impact and were layin' in the roadway along with about 1000 pieces of R6. His left glove tore off not much farther from the point of impact than the shoes. As I said already, his clothes were turned to rags and I don't know about the lid. When I got there he was already taped to a backboard so all I saw was the front side. Severe road rash to both arms and both legs, and a chunk outta the palm of his left hand was all I could really see at that time. He was alert and talkin' to medics though.

I later found out from one of his co-workers that he also had a broken left ankle, broken left wrist (requiring immediate surgery), some lumbar fractures, and very, VERY severe grindage and road rash on his back, buttocks, and the backs of his legs. He was also still undergoin' catscans and God knows what other tests at that time. At this point I'd like to ask those of you who pray to send one up for the guy.
wink.gif


We all say it, but seein' this guy and then goin' by his work and seein' that nice ass Kobe one piece layin' there without a scratch just makes me sick for the guy. He had the gear, but just didn't have it on. I'm still guilty occasionally of headin' out without my mesh jacket that I got not long ago. I know some of you are also guilty of headin' out without the gear you paid good money for. For goodness' sake folks, let's all wear the stuff we have to avoid another sad story like this one. Please, PLEASE wear it if you've got it. If you don't have it, PLEASE get it.
rock.gif


As for the bike, it looks pretty fugged. Couldn't get great pics since it was loaded in the truck before I could snap 'em (the one fuggin' day I leave the digicam at home!
mad.gif
) but I think you'll get the idea...

This is what a 100+ mph get off involving a deer does to an R6 folks... Three more to come so give me a minute before you reply so I can get 'em all attached...

r6crash_01.jpg
 
Ok, that's it. Oh, I meant to add that he just got it painted that blue color and had a full exhaust, jet kit, etc... done. Just got it back from the shop this past Tuesday. I can't explain how bad I felt for this guy.
down.gif
 
Oh, and yes, it killed the deer. It was found in the ditch pretty close to point of impact with blood runnin' outta it's ears... DOA.
 
That sux! Atleast he did live through it, though I'm not sure how he will feel about eating venison any more?
 
Yeah, It's gotten to the point with me now, that I am afraid of tempting fate by not wearing my gear. I mean I wear everything religiously and although I am tempted once in awhile to feel the wind in my hair I just cannot bring myself to do it. If I am purposely going out around the neighborhood just to listen my bike and see if anything needs attention that is one thing, otherwise I find it just too damned brain dead to not wear the gear when it is something so easy to do.

It's just one of those things, that there isn't any excuse for. All the arguments, all the justifications and all the excuses just don't mean a damn thing, it's just stupid... Now there is allways the Consious decision to NOT wear your gear, and that is a personal decision, I'll give you a lot of poop about it, but as long as it's a decision and not a delusion, you know, accepting the risks not pretending there aren't any, then it doesn't bother me so much...

After Pac-Mans painful images I am even more convinced tht geared up is the only way to go... The potential for permanant damage and serious pain just isn't worth it...
 
Yeah, I took a ride to the dealership today to have them look at my chain "grease" problem.

I get all geared up, leather jacket, leather pants, riding boots.. wife asks why I am dressed in all my gear for just a ride to the dealership 15 miles away. My reply was, I have the gear, need to wear it.

I finally just got my leather pants last month, before then all I had was a pair of leather chaps that I wore over my jeans.. picked up a good pair of HJC pants, so now all I am lacking is some gauntlets. I have a pair of joe rocker gloves, but I want the gauntlets.

Speaking of which. My jacket has a T-Shaped padded insert in the pack that covers from the neck down to my lower back. While I am thinking the padding is ok, I am thinking about getting some 1/4 inch steel, have it cut into the same shape, just a tad bit smaller all around, and gluing it to the padding and putting it back in the jacket with the padding side against my back and the steel side out. So if anything happens and I skid on my back it has to go through a 1/4 inches steel. not to mention the protection against impact. I am thinking if I were to impact something, a small object would be prevented from penetrating my body, and a large object would hopefully disperse the energy over a larger area of my back instead of maybe focusing a large portion of energy specifically on the spinal cord..

Anyway have any advice on that? thoughts? anyone think it might be a bad idea for any reason?
 
Yeah, It's gotten to the point with me now, that I am afraid of tempting fate by not wearing my gear.  I mean I wear everything religiously

 After Pac-Mans painful images I am even more convinced tht geared up is the only way to go...  The potential for permanant damage and serious pain just isn't worth it...
what he said
 
Working and living in Sarajevo, Bosnia, I get to see a lot of ridiculous activities and levels of dress on motorcycles. There are no laws here dictating protective gear requirements. You see jackasses cruising downtown with their helmets off their heads and on their forearms. They are out to be seen at any cost. Yesterday while attending a motorcycle rally/gathering near the Croatian Coast I was witness to a number of such examples. Guy on R6 with buddy on back wearing shorts and wife beater, driver wearing jeans and t-shirt, no helmets, gloves or boots. Good time to show off to my group of newfound motorcyclist friends lining the right side of the street with our six bikes. Hey let's do a few wheelies and show em what where made of... If you are going to do that do it on your own without risking your passenger's skin and wear your gear. The weather was hot for the two days I spent there. However I hold to my MSF training and wear my Two piece Corona Suzuki suit with custom pants to match the top. It's about 90degrees all day from 1100 til 1900. There all salt stains on my underclothes but I only take the stuff off to take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea. Wish you could be there. Pics to come.
 
Payer for the guy on the way and I also wear my gear all the time. It saved my A$$ last December when I had my low side. Not one bit of road rash, just a broken collar bone. Here are some pics of the gear that saved my A$$
smile.gif


DSCF1032.JPG
 
I don't have any pics of my pants or boots, but I was wearing jeans and Harley boots at the time while waiting on my Icon Recon Pants and AGV riding boots.
 
I don't know about the steel. If it got caught some way, would it be the type of thing to stab into your back severing your spine? They make armor for jackets, just check around.
 
That sux!  Atleast he did live through it, though I'm not sure how he will feel about eating venison any more?
Hehehehe... He was quoted by one of his buddies as sayin' that when he heals, he's buyin' a gun and shootin' every f**king deer he can find!
biggrin.gif


The guy that lived nearby and took the deer is prolly sittin' on the front porch this mornin' waitin' for someone to hit another one. His taste for venison is still goin' strong!
laugh.gif
 
Yeah, It's gotten to the point with me now, that I am afraid of tempting fate by not wearing my gear.  I mean I wear everything religiously and although I am tempted once in awhile to feel the wind in my hair I just cannot bring myself to do it.  If I am purposely going out around the neighborhood just to listen my bike and see if anything needs attention that is one thing, otherwise I find it just too damned brain dead to not wear the gear when it is something so easy to do.
 
 It's just one of those things, that there isn't any excuse for.  All the arguments, all the justifications and all the excuses just don't mean a damn thing, it's just stupid...   Now there is allways the Consious decision to NOT wear your gear, and that is a personal decision, I'll give you a lot of poop about it, but as long as it's a decision and not a delusion, you know, accepting the risks not pretending there aren't any, then it doesn't bother me so much...

 After Pac-Mans painful images I am even more convinced tht geared up is the only way to go...  The potential for permanant damage and serious pain just isn't worth it...
I won't give excuses, but I have reasons for not havin' leather yet. At the same time, I also know the consequences and have to accept them right now or just not ride. I choose to ride and risk it until my situation changes. Not comfortable with that by any means, just don't have much choice. Not ridin' until I can get leather is simply not an option for me. I may wish I had chosen that option some day though...

My last few rides have been extremely tame. It seems like I get a little less comfortable ridin' without full gear (as in leather) every time I ride. Seein' things like the R6 and what happened to the rider really contribute, too. I've been wantin' to go to Deal's Gap really bad. After seein' that guy yesterday I've decided that I'm not goin' there until I have full leathers though. I should be in full leathers by next spring. The wait is worth it for me. I'll stick to Cheaha Mountain and some local roads and just roll easy for the most part until then. I think the wait is worth it. Like you said, Rev, the risk and pain isn't.
 
Yeah, I took a ride to the dealership today to have them look at my chain "grease" problem.

I get all geared up, leather jacket, leather pants, riding boots.. wife asks why I am dressed in all my gear for just a ride to the dealership 15 miles away. My reply was, I have the gear, need to wear it.

I finally just got my leather pants last month, before then all I had was a pair of leather chaps that I wore over my jeans.. picked up a good pair of HJC pants, so now all I am lacking is some gauntlets. I have a pair of joe rocker gloves, but I want the gauntlets.

Speaking of which. My jacket has a T-Shaped padded insert in the pack that covers from the neck down to my lower back. While I am thinking the padding is ok, I am thinking about getting some 1/4 inch steel, have it cut into the same shape, just a tad bit smaller all around, and gluing it to the padding and putting it back in the jacket with the padding side against my back and the steel side out. So if anything happens and I skid on my back it has to go through a 1/4 inches steel. not to mention the protection against impact. I am thinking if I were to impact something, a small object would be prevented from penetrating my body, and a large object would hopefully disperse the energy over a larger area of my back instead of maybe focusing a large portion of energy specifically on the spinal cord..

Anyway have any advice on that? thoughts? anyone think it might be a bad idea for any reason?
I dunno, man. Sounds like you might be creatin' a dangerous piece of equipment there. I could see makin' some panels out of Kevlar or other strong but somewhat flexible material, but I don't think I'd like the idea of ridin' with a big chunk of metal back there. Spreadin' the trauma is a good idea, but I don't think steel is the way to go. Maybe aluminum, and a little thinner (maybe 1/8" ?) but not steel...
 
Back
Top