USA Motorcycle deaths on the rise

[FinalImpact]

Oh, I want the safest damn helmet. So it will be a full face helmet for sure. I don't understand why people wear those bowl helmets with the one chin strap. I wish Nebraska would make that illegal. That thing won't do $h** in a 40mph+ collision.

My life is pretty valuable to me, I gave myself a $3500 spending limit on my first bike purchase. $2300 for the bike, and I am willing to spend up to $1200 on the gear that will protect me if I ever meet the pavement. I am also buying a new backpack that is carbon fiber and supposedly protects the back/spine if I fall backwards. I always have a backpack on me with my almonds, gatorade, water, reading material, etc. So I want to have a safer backpack now.

Mark, forgive me - thread derail...

On the topic of gear, I will buy these again should mine wear out... GREAT BOOTS I have the basic none air version. Dainese Torque Pro Out Boots
Dainese Torque Pro Out Boots Review

The Good - i think they'll save my walking parts in crash (The hinge sold me). 1.5 years, ZERO issues Great looking and fitting boot!

Potential issue: If your pants are too bulky, they may not fit inside. If I wear thick denim under my leathers, I have to roll them up. Otherwise, Great Boots!

OK - back to your thread!

 

[Ssky0078]

Mark, forgive me - thread derail...

On the topic of gear, I will buy these again should mine wear out... GREAT BOOTS I have the basic none air version. Dainese Torque Pro Out Boots
Dainese Torque Pro Out Boots Review

The Good - i think they'll save my walking parts in crash (The hinge sold me). 1.5 years, ZERO issues Great looking and fitting boot!

Potential issue: If your pants are too bulky, they may not fit inside. If I wear thick denim under my leathers, I have to roll them up. Otherwise, Great Boots!

OK - back to your thread!

I don't think it's a thread derail, I mean the article mentions how gear could save lives. I mean if you suffer a compression injury to your lower unprotected leg, either go into shock or get a fat embolism from a broken bone or lacerate an artery and bleed out, or ............. It could all lead to a motorcycle fatality. I think the article spurred the discussion in the right direction as to good gear choices to save lives.

You know what's eff'd is that I know all the possible ways I could ruin my life by not wearing gear, yet I don't wear boots.

 

[PFD023]

First Snell approved Modular helmet

LS2 Introduces World’s First Snell-2010 Approved Modular Helmet

I think the important thing is that the helmet fit. I've crashed twice and only got a concussion from the poorer fitting helmet. The first crash was in a HJC CL-Max III helmet that after 1000 miles began to get loose as the padding broke in more than expected. I felt my head smack inside the helmet thus resulting in the concussion. My second crash was in an Arai Vector and the helmet fit much better, had better padding. No head injury symptoms because the helmet stayed put the whole time and absorbed the impact like it's supposed to.

The key for choosing a helmet is finding somewhere you can try them on. Try on all of them, even ones you don't like the look or color of because it will give you a better understanding of different fitment available. There are terms like Round Oval, Round, oval, intermediate oval, long oval, etc that are used to describe the way the inside of the helmet fits. Once you figure out your head shape compared to what people call round or oval, then you can better research helmets that may fit you to try on.
Motorcycle Helmet FAQ - webBikeWorld
When you get it down to 1 or 2 helmets that are in your budget and you can get a color/paint scheme you may like then go back to where you can try it on and ask to wear the helmet for 10 minutes. If you can keep the helmet on your head and take it off without any "hot spots" or points where the helmet created an uneven pressure on your head, then it is a good fit.

Good Luck AoD because I can tell you the helmet is one of the most important pieces of gear if not the most important piece of gear if it is the main thing stopping either death or becoming a vegetable.

we haven't mentioned one of the most important aspects of a helmet....the COLOUR.....same goes for the gear.

 

[turbid]

hi Army

for the safest helmets check out this website sharp.gov.uk. it rates individual helmet models of various brands on a star based system 1 being poor 5 excellent. this should at least give you an idea which brands to start looking at

once you find 3 or 4 brands that you like the security they offer go around to try them on to see which brand would fit you best. i tend to stick to shark or agv as they have impressive records in the sharp scheme and fit me well.

when you have found the brand/model that fits you focus on colour. i wouldn't buy anything black for helmet for questions of visibility. a black lid does not catch your attention contrary to a bright coloured one. rememeber that your head is the highest point on the bike and is the one of the first things to be noticed in the rear view mirrors of cars (for those who do check them) and especially when splitting lanes. if you ride at night put some reflective tape on the helmet.

 

[pookamatic]

Speaking of squids... I saw a guy wearing a tank top and sunglasses on a big SS yesterday.

It got me thinking... not only are these guys cheating death or getting mangled, but they're also giant posers. I mean, you're on one of the fastest, most aggressive bikes available... an extremely potent and dangerous machine, right? And you hop on it sporting beach-wear an lollygag over to your friends house, down main street, to the pub because it 'looks cool.'

To me, it looks like a waste of a potential in physics, mechanics, and technology.

If you need me, I'll be driving my F1 car to bingo while wearing work boots.

 

[mxgolf]

Randy this thread was to get people talking about safety now that riding season is upon us. All the gear all the time! This means gloves, helmet, jacket, pants, boots ect. You are not hijacking the thread. A lot of good points have been brought up regarding helmets and other safety concerns. It does seem the Harley crowd doesn't regard there safety as much as sport bike riders do. But then the dummys with flip flops and crap like that make me cringe just thinking about it. No Brain No Pain I guess! OUCH.

 

[lawlberg]

Per the gear talk - a video I came across today
We're easy to see when we're not on the bike.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKg0o7KixOw]En auto, pensons moto. - YouTube[/ame]

 

[outasight20]

Per the gear talk - a video I came across today
We're easy to see when we're not on the bike.

En auto, pensons moto. - YouTube

As others have said, it's not that we are hard to see. It's that we are slightly more difficult to see than cars. As a rider, I find that my awareness when driving a car is heightened. I cannot recall a time when I "didn't see" a motorcycle or car while on the road.

I don't think the gear one is wearing makes it noticeably easier to spot a biker from far away. An exception is high-vis stuff. It simply requires a great amount of attention and awareness to drive safely and avoid accidents, something that most car drivers think they have, but don't. More and more drivers are distracted and paying little to no attention of what is going on around them. Yet everyone thinks they are a good driver. Go figure.

 

[lawlberg]

As a rider, I find that my awareness when driving a car is heightened. I cannot recall a time where I "didn't see" a motorcycle or car while on the road.

THIS! :thumbup::thumbup:

 

[SweaterDude]

Oh, I want the safest damn helmet. So it will be a full face helmet for sure. I don't understand why people wear those bowl helmets with the one chin strap. I wish Nebraska would make that illegal. That thing won't do $h** in a 40mph+ collision.

My life is pretty valuable to me, I gave myself a $3500 spending limit on my first bike purchase. $2300 for the bike, and I am willing to spend up to $1200 on the gear that will protect me if I ever meet the pavement. I am also buying a new backpack that is carbon fiber and supposedly protects the back/spine if I fall backwards. I always have a backpack on me with my almonds, gatorade, water, reading material, etc. So I want to have a safer backpack now.

at least brain buckets keep the road cleaner than no helmet...

also besides just safety you want the helmet to be comfortable. im not talking about fit, the liner quality will make a big difference, if you're not comfortable you wont be relaxed and some of your focus will be on the helmet instead of on riding. I know i hate my helmet, but it is snell and it fits pretty darn well. but its loud, wierd pressure points, cant wear sunglasses without going crazy, and heavy.

my next helmet will be the Arai RX-Q, but ive tried on everything out there (except Shark) and i tend to p*ss off the Parts Dept. because i walk around the shop for 30-45 min with each helmet. its best in the summer when they have the big fans out, i sit in front of those to try to get a feel for helmet noise.

 

[SweaterDude]

...when you have found the brand/model that fits you focus on colour. i wouldn't buy anything black for helmet for questions of visibility. a black lid does not catch your attention contrary to a bright coloured one.

Black lids are also very hot in the summer, the last part of me that i want to be hot is my head.

 

[Ssky0078]

It does seem the Harley crowd doesn't regard there safety as much as sport bike riders do.

I think the difference with a lot of the Harley and cruiser riders is that you don't feel that exposed. When I am on my Fz1 I feel like I'm perched upon a rocket or a wild horse that can scare the **** out of me at any moment and throw me off. When I did demo-rides on a cruiser I felt like I was reclining on a couch or driving in a convertible. There felt like minimal risk factor on a cruiser and maximum risk factor on a sport bike. So, I don't think it is a disregard for safety but rather more of an illusion of safety or minimal risk on a cruiser.

Per the gear talk - a video I came across today
We're easy to see when we're not on the bike.

En auto, pensons moto. - YouTube

I want that guys track suit. I'm 6'4" and can't for the life of me find any type of store bought track suit that will fit. I will probably have to go custom and that jumps the price from $1000 to like $3000 fack

 

[ArmyOfDarkness]

I am waiting at work for my VS02 headlight kit to arrive. Once that arrives I am leaving work early so I can go get all of my gear! :BLAA:

This thread really helped me with thinking about my helmet. I can't remember the brand, but I was going to purchase a $189.99 helmet because it fit well, it was clear visor and it had this button on the top that would release a tinted mini-visor. I can't remember the terminology, with time that won't be an issue.

I will take photos of the gear though. Pretty excited about all of this! One more week until my MSF training course. I am stoked! :rockon:

 

[DownrangeFuture]

Even the GSXR riders think the squids are stupid.

squid of the day : GSXR.com Forum : Suzuki GSX-R Forums

 

[dpaul007]

Even the GSXR riders think the squids are stupid.

squid of the day : GSXR.com Forum : Suzuki GSX-R Forums

Too bad you can't see 3/4 of the pics without being a member.

 

[FIZZER6]

I would never even consider getting on a motorcycle of any kind riding in any location without a helmet!

I do not wear a helmet because it's the law. I wear it because it does not take a genius to realize that high rates of speed, the constant risk of a crash at some point and nothing between your brain and the pavement but 0.5cm of bone and some skin...ARE YOU FRIGGIN NUTS!?!!! :spank:

 

[FinalImpact]

I would never even consider getting on a motorcycle of any kind riding in any location without a helmet!

I do not wear a helmet because it's the law. I wear it because it does not take a genius to realize that high rates of speed, the constant risk of a crash at some point and nothing between your brain and the pavement but 0.5cm of bone and some skin...ARE YOU FRIGGIN NUTS!?!!! :spank:

To your point - When riding my Jet ski I wear an M-X helmet. 300lbs of stand up JetSki will ring your bell so it just makes good sense to keep a lid on. Some basic tricks can go wrong or others can and will ram you. Sh$t happens.

On another note; I have a nurse friend who used to live in AZ where I believe there is no requirement by law. The trauma she endured from looking at bashed, bruised, battered, and disfigured skulls was crazy. Then think that members of their families (riders) had to see that too as they lay there on a ventilator because they no longer breathe on their own.

When you're numbers up and BAD THINGS HAPPEN, a bucket is cheap insurance. Don't know why you'd ride without it.