Armor Do you use Armor, yes or no?

[schmii]

Used to wear nothing on the back of my dad's bike, took a slide wore an unarmored jacket when I bought a bike.

Cut off once, ordered armored mesh and textile.

Group rides, seen a few people go down. Full face helmet and textile only on long trips, mesh around town

Hit ice and slid once, replaced gear with motoport bearable in the hottest heat with the best protection I can afford.

Wore workboots for my 5 mile commute, got cutoff recently wore motorcycle boots always.

 

[BrianB]

My main problem is from the impact of my body with the road; 6 cracked ribs and a partically collasped left lung. I will not leave home without armor on.


I had this same injury last year, badly broken ribs and a punctured lung. Got slapped down at 40 mph and not a bruise or rash just the ribs, Darian pants with hip armour and a Olympia air jacket. I am sure that I landed on my elbow with the hard armour that Olympia puts in there, which is what broke the ribs. I have soft armour on order and have taken the hard stuff out for now. Armour, you bet just not the cheap hard stuff
Brian
Canoe B.C.

 

[Bigmak96]

Yes

 

[spotz]

Yes

As opposed to just wearing armor, Mark use's his

 

[Shuey]

Absolutely - all the time - road tested 2 times with extremely positive results!

Shuey

PS: . . . I'm done testing, if the critters will leave me alone.

 

[Bigmak96]

As opposed to just wearing armor, Mark use's his

Yep, my 'crafter is only worn on one butt cheek and one shin. It has plenty of life left in it. I need to think of a fitting patch for my left cheek.

 

[ST1300 Alicia]

The Kid was Drunk and Doing 60 MPH when he Ran the Red Light. ATGATT and I only missed 7 months of work. No Armored Gear and I would have Died. Sounds Like A No Brainer To Me!

 

[playfair]

I doubt if anyone who doesn't wear ATGATT would respond to this thread for fear of being dragged behind someones iron horse~

How about, "STGMTT" (some...most)? lol

Actually, I have YOU all to thank for taking gear seriously, as I never gave it much thought in my younger years prior to the long hiatus.
Just completed my new FG "road wardrobe" this week with some nice HT over pants!
Though I didn't go crazy with dayglo colors, I didn't skimp on CE approvals either.

Over the past 20yrs I have been involved in 2 cage incidents where "by chance" I did not sustain injury while relatively unprotected, so at this point I'm pretty confident my "luck" is used up. I feel fortunate having read many accounts of "if only" that I am able to heed the advice without having scars, and for that I am grateful to this forum.

In all honesty, a couple miles to work on 35mph back roads where you may see 5 cars isn't the most dangerous situation, and we're all personally responsible to evaluate the risks we take, hopefully without fear of being shunned to walking.
In time, I'm sure the "naked without it" feeling will kick in, until then the $$ spent will insure it's continued use, and after that if need be I'll STow the gear over the seat and handlebars of my STeed after putting her to bed such that it's easier to just wear then find a clean place in the garage to move it to!

 

[Blue STreak]

Yes, armor in shoulders, elbows and knees, a CE approved back protector in the back of my Joe Rocket jacket, and pads (not really armor) on each hip. And motorcycle specific boots, with armor at key points.

 

[Bigmak96]

My "standard" added pads in my 'crafter worked well when I checked a southern Mo. road surface for abrasive quality. I rolled pretty good from what Bob tells me and I came out w/o a scratch.
The back and hip pads do not bother me other than when trying to get into my side pants pockets.

 

[mnxs54]

Yes I do.

 

[Al Gully]

Yes we do
I think the key is buying good quaily products.
Wife just loves her coat, pants and her heated gear.
Happy wife = Good life

 

[George Couperth]

Yes to the armor and in addition I wear a Dianese Back Protector under the jacket. Bikes are more fun than wheelchairs.

 

[nhdiesel]

I've had lots of people comment about how hot my gear must be on hot days. I tell them it sure is. But I can go home and wash the sweat off in the shower. Road rash doesn't wash off.

I have to admit that I have broken my own rule about ATGATT several times. When I leave work to get lunch if I'm wearing jeans I just wear my helmet and jacket. The store is a mile and a half from work on a low speed road. I'm also limited to 30 minutes for a lunch break, so I'm knowingly increasing my risk in order to have enough time to eat lunch. If I'm wearing shorts that day, I do take the time to put my overpants on. But until just recently I wore all my gear during the commute to work and back. I'm now stuck with jeans until I can get some pants ordered. I feel naked without my pants. Normally I wear helmet, jacket, overpants, gloves and Sidi boots. I change into sneakers at work.

And yes, my jacket (and pants, when I get new ones) have full armor.

Jim

 

[Jammaman]

Embarassed to say no, at least for now...my prior riding was on HD's prior to my Wing..and just didn't do so. Although the main reason is that prior to loosing the 50lbs as of late, couldn't find anything to fit me. Looking to loose another 50 lbs by the end of the yr, and before next riding season will purchase gear...maybe the money spent will be an incentive to keep the weight off, of course being safe is the prime reason...but just was to damned fat to find anything, or spend the money to buy custom...especially since I had finally made my mind up to loose enough to do so at a cost less than a small car.

So pray I make it through the remainder of the yr, then look for some additional HiVis coming your way at next yrs events.

Doug / AG5I

 

[toypro1]

yes!!

 

[BleST]

After 3 really good falls in the first 10 years of riding, I have been wearing armor ever since for the last 20 years, but only while riding. I'm a fast learner.

 

[migresch]

I had a crash at about 50 kph (that's 30 mph) that totalled my bike; destroyed the chinbar, visor and right side of my full-face helmet; ripped up my leather jacket, glove, chaps and MC boot. Had I not been wearing all the gear I would have been in for some major facial reconstructive surgery, would have lost most of the skin and muscle off my right hand, shoulder, knee and ankle. As it was , I walked away from the crash with "only" two broken ribs and a sore shoulder. So it's all the gear, all the time. Period.
In the summer I now ride with a full-face helmet, ventillated high-vis armoured jacket, ventilated armoured over-pants, ventillated "summer" armored gloves and over-the-ankle MC boots. Always. The outfit is surprisingly cool even in 30+ degree Celsius heat. In the spring and autumn, I add wind-proof liners the the jacket and pants and switch the gloves for full leather lined with Gortex. On the really cold days (less than 10 degrees Celcius) I add a heated jacket beneath the windproof layer of my jacket.

 

[Fireball]

yes. It pays for itself the first time you slide.

 

[fabiankooij]

Always ride with armor.
However, I had the same problem with comfort and went for 'soft' armor instead of the regular ones.
The ones I use are Hein gericke Hiprotec comfort. Impact dispersing characteristics are supposedly as good as the hard protectors and they are CE approved (which is what sort of counts in my neck of the woods). Comfort is much better. I have them for shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. The back protector is rigid anyway, so I left the one in that came with the jacket.

Best regards from the Netherlands,

Fabian