Always wear your gear!

I generally wear all the gear besides pants...always thought it was too much of a pain. I recently came across some knee/shin armor from Shift for around $13 so I figured it would be better than just jeans like I normally wear. MAN am I glad I got them - hit a 2" thick patch of loose gravel a few days ago and they helped immensely. Was only going 10mph or so turning through an intersection but the rear end just washed right out on me.

Here are my jeans afterwards:


I don't have a picture of the leg armor yet but it was pretty bad, had a bunch of pieces of gravel ground into it...that would have been my knee! Ego and my hip were bruised a little but that's all. Was also pretty cold riding home in those jeans haha.

Bike isn't too bad, T-rex slider saved most of it, but I had the longer slider from their new design on the right hand side of the bike...if I had the correct (shorter) one on there, the damage would have been worse....getting extended sliders to replace these...T-rex has gone too short on their new design:




Anyhow, what I learned is always use some type of leg protection, be it armor or riding pants (probably will be getting some now). I would have been in the ER getting pieces of gravel pulled out of my kneecap otherwise.

Hey man, I'm very sorry you had this ugly experience. Hope you're OK...

I have one question though, what's this T-rex thing you're talking about? The bike fell right onto it? Seems like a really useful stuff...

I'm Glad you're okay..... Bought some Icon shin and knee guards a while back and always wear them when I'm not in leather. Want to get some Kevlar pants from Motoport.

You would have look like this..
http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/19231-down-out.html
Good thing you got the knee shin guards just in time. heal quick and ride safe.

People don't realize just how rough/abrasive roads are.

Glad you're OK and thanks for sharing. :thumbup:

Joshua Redman said:

...I have one question though, what's this T-rex thing you're talking about? The bike fell right onto it? Seems like a really useful stuff...

Click to expand...

It's a frame slider - it's the thing that's totally messed up in the 2nd photo.

lupusobus said:

You would have look like this..
http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/19231-down-out.html
Good thing you got the knee shin guards just in time. heal quick and ride safe.

Click to expand...

OUCH! Was that from asphalt or gravel?

Was going to get a new mole piece for the front but it actually sanded out really well. Went from 320 grit up to 600 and it's hardly noticeable now.

Glad you are OK. Perfect timing on purchasing the leg armor!! :thumbup:

Glad you're ok man. I finally got some pants recently also. Now that I ride with them all the time, riding in jeans is scary as hell. Much like riding without a jacket or helmet, I feel unprotected and very uncomfortable. Once you get used to ATGATT, hard to ride without.

nccoder said:

I'm Glad you're okay..... Bought some Icon shin and knee guards a while back and always wear them when I'm not in leather. Want to get some Kevlar pants from Motoport.

Click to expand...

Is this what you got?

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.co...ID=80003&zmam=88421133&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=635

I have knee armor in my touring pants (for colder climate). For warm climate, I use velcro attached knee pads I used back when I did speed inline speed skating. I wear the knee pads under my kevlar jeans but I'm always worried the knee pads will rotate in a crash and not protect my knees. The above knee/shin guards look like they'll do the trick.

Are they a pain in the butt to put on/take off?

I think that's really the issue with ATTATT is that it's such a hassle to put on/take off folks don't do it knowing full well, if they crash , they're screwed.

Thanks,

Dennis

I will never ride without my riding pants, including when it's 115 degrees during the summer. Even if it's just down the next corner to the store.

I feel naked riding without them.

However, I will ride with my jeans during the demo rides during the BRC just because it's in a closed range, and it's at relatively slow speeds. And if we ever crash as instructors, we're fired.

Do yourselves a favor. Buy a 1-piece suit. Make sure you always wear it. Stick some very nice chest armor in it. Those ribs are very painful if they break. Believe me, I know.