Armor Do you use Armor, yes or no?

[Bob Bertich]

Always, in the summer I ware jor rocket mesh pants over my jeans with armor in the knees and hips and the jackes that ataches to them with armor in the elbows, showlders and back. In the winter I wear a one picer Aerostich Roadcrafer with their best armor in all of the same places.

 

[racinj]

Yes I wear armor. Would much rather wear it and never need than to not wear it one time and wish I had had it on.

 

[JZH]

I always wear armor including a chest and back protector. The thin piece of foam that most manufactures call a back protector should always be replaced with a CE rated model.

Which is one good reason to NEVER buy anything from Bohn. Questionable business practices and a history of dubious "CE" marking. I am a "Bohner", but never again...

I'm not sure what is available in the 'States these days, but, like Fabian, I always replace my 'Stich armor with Hein Gericke CE-marked Hiprotec armor (available online and at Hein Gericke shops in Europe). Aerostich has its reasons for using foam (and not using the CE mark), but another advantage to the HG stuff is that it greatly reduces the bulk of the garment (whilst increasing weight, however).

As for the Harley guy in the vid, he was trouble from the beginning, counter-leaning in the turns (forcing the bike lower to the ground--crazy on a floorboard bike!) and he actually put a foot down and ended up in the opposing lane about a dozen corners prior to his get-off. I hope he gets some training.

Ciao,

 

[klaproth]

Put succinctly, there are two kinds of folks who don't wear full (armored) gear, and a full face helmet:
1. Those who don't understand simple physics
2. Those who understand , and choose to NOT wear.

Unfortunately, those who do NOT wear full gear help the public to paint us all with a broad brush (" my friend wrecked, and it cost $$$$ to save him, and he'll NEVER be right again!!!Motorcycles are dangerous!").

just my .02

 

[Imrubicon]

Yes my jacket 99.99% unless just moving it down the drive as I liek to live on the edge.

If you take the armor out why wear the jacket at all ?

 

[Jeff F]

Yes ...

 

[geoqwest]

When I started riding as a university student back in the 1970's, armour was a bit hard to find and was expensive. Mostly it was just leather. But as broke as I was, I did buy a decent leather jacket and wore new denim if I hit the road (figuretively and literally).

Today, it's full on armoured ballistic jacket (glow green), armoured pants, gloves and boots. If the weather is hot and I have a choice I head to the mountains for a ride. Consider sweat simply a badge of honour and wisdom.

The only compromise I make is an open helmet. Yeah, I know full coverage is best but I find them just too confining and isolating. I have no decent arguements to support this choice other than comfort. But some bugs do actually taste ok.

 

[jahoobob]

I use the armor in all but my leather jacket.

 

[Bigmak96]

Yep!! Armor works.

 

[indypup]

Aerostich is now selling a Roadcrafter light version without pads? Why?

 

[Quicksilver]

Yes, deffinatly! The Bat-Suit saved my life!

See thread here: https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?93063-T-boned-and-still-here&highlight=


Ask the guys here that have seen it. Its for real, with carbon fiber, kevlar, CE, and Balistic armor, along with the leather

It gets noticed plenty, out on the road, and is quite stylish.

 

[racer1735]

To resurrect a dormant thread, looking through the posts, I'll raise the question as to who wears 'hard' armor ('real'? armor) under their jackets. By this, I don't mean the EPS foam that is part of most jackets. I have a 661 Core Saver back/chest protector and am contemplating removing the foam back pad and wearing this underneath.

 

[nokesy]

Armour all the way

 

[Mick]

To resurrect a dormant thread, looking through the posts, I'll raise the question as to who wears 'hard' armor ('real'? armor) under their jackets. By this, I don't mean the EPS foam that is part of most jackets. I have a 661 Core Saver back/chest protector and am contemplating removing the foam back pad and wearing this underneath.

If you cosider Kevlar plates as real hard armor, I do. I wear a Bohn back protector that velcroes into my Aerostich. It can also be worn independently via the straps that are on it:

http://www.actionstation.com/catalog/bohn-aerostich.php

 

[Humhead]

Yes! My armor/suit saved my *** when I lost control on a slippery road at ~60 mph. I walked away with a sprained ankle, scraped elbow & 2 jammed fingers. The police & EMTS were grateful they didn't have to clean up a bloody mess.

 

[omniron]

I'm ATGATT. Full armor -- padded jacket, padded pants, boots, gloves, helmet. Always. Even in summer temps. It's the only way I want to ride. It's the way my wife isn't (as) worried about me.

 

[drrod]

Many of the riding jackets you get come only with a soft, thin foam back protector that fits in a pocket in the jacket. There is a relatively inexpensive way to upgrade it if you want. Alpinstar has a back protector that is made out of hard rubber and is relatively inexpensive. It is level 1 CE certified.

http://www.alpinestars.com/moto/protection/bio-armor-back-protector-insert.html#.UbxHpndIGrs

If you are handy with an exacto knife, you can trim it to fit into the pocket of your jacket. I picked one up and trimmed it to fit in my Firstgear Teton jacket. I am not sure what the trimming has done to the CE level protection, but it has got to be better than the soft, thin original foam pad.
Rod

 

[T_C]

riding jackets you get come only with a soft, thin foam back protector that fits in a pocket in the jacket

Don't think that this is just plain foam, like carpet padding. Well, on some jackets it may be. But the better pads are non-newtonian and react differently between when they are slowly compressed, (like when you squeeze or lean on them, like bend your elbow) as opposed to how they react when given a sudden jolt. When quickly compressed a good armor pad will actually get very hard to distribute the point of impact out over a larger area.

 

[richpeabody]

I'm a tee shirt and tennis shoe guy.....although I usually wear long pants when I ride.....and always a helmet....
Have fun....

 

[sennister]

Don't think that this is just plain foam, like carpet padding. Well, on some jackets it may be. But the better pads are non-newtonian and react differently between when they are slowly compressed, (like when you squeeze or lean on them, like bend your elbow) as opposed to how they react when given a sudden jolt. When quickly compressed a good armor pad will actually get very hard to distribute the point of impact out over a larger area.

Yeah my Firstgear pants I got this spring have D3O Armor in them.

Check out the demo at about 2:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwq-oQrxjvY