Road rash

[mise en place]

After a 30 year motorcycle hiatus I'm loving my new '15 FJR. Through my twenties and three HDs I never owned a helmet much less any other protection other than a leather jacket. So getting used to my first ever full face helmet and wearing gear in hot weather is new. I've done a couple errands nearby sans gear, but after an experience last Sunday that mindset has changed- and it didn't even involve the FJR.

While riding my bicycle I went down hard. Minor injuries, but I tell ya folks- painful and a hassle. Bike shorts and a long sleeve jersey did nothing to mitigate the cheese grater tarmac. Less than 15 mph doesn't sound like much, but after four days of dressing oozing road rash and being unable to sleep on my right side all I've been thinking is this: imagine hitting the pavement like that at highway speeds on a motorcycle.

I've gleaned some great insight from these pages, so I thought I'd offer my new perspective. I'd hate to survive a crash relatively unscathed and be laid up for months due to skin grafts. Now about those new riding pants...

 

[Panman]

As a kid on a bicycle I did as you describe more than once and went on to the M/C thing without much thought to what I wore. Did that into my Fifty's, I was lucky I guess as I never had a mishap.

I gave up on the Harley as I couldn't get my back and shoulders to quit hurting. After taking a few years off I started renting different types and found the ST platform to my liking, but also realized that my riding style was also changing and started reading the ATGATT theme here and adopted to that. Glad I have as I have seen a few things happen to folks that they would not have survived it they hadn't worn ATGATT.

Now when I see guys without good gear I pray that their Angle is watching.

 

[Pterodactyl]

When I get asked by folks why I wear all the protective gear I can be pretty damn sure they've never experienced the wonder of sliding along asphalt at 45 MPH while wearing jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. In my case I did have a helmet on and it had a hole in it from scraping along the road. I was young and some alcohol was involved. Absolute misery as described above. For weeks there was no position I could find in bed in which I did not have oozing skin cement itself to the sheets.

 

[Klubis]

Awesome thread and a good reminder for me! I'm good about boots, helmet, riding jacket, gloves, but for some reason I struggle with the riding pants. I don't know why. It makes no sense. Why is it more troublesome to don riding pants than it is to don jeans? And I hate road rash. Plus when you're my age your skin starts getting thinner and brittler. OK, I'm in all the way again! ATGATT

 

[BigOgre]

Sorta funny timing as we were just talking about this at EOM. Somewhere along the way the BRP we came down an over-look turnoff that involved a tight, twisty and damp section. All noticed it even had slick green mold/moss growing on the roadway. What I also noticed was thin, bicycle tire tracks along the way. That led into a conversation about ATGATT and the speeds we see bicyclists doing wearing nothing more than gloves and a foam lid. We all agreed it was kinda crazy.

 

[900gc]

Anybody that has fallen down on pavement just jogging in shorts and T-shirt knows that skin does not fare well!

 

[hppants]

I'm not proud of it, but I've gone down 3 times. All the gear each time, and my most recent crash was at high speed (opinions vary but at least 40 mph when I actually hit the belt sander) The ONLY road rash I have ever gotten was on my forearms because the jacket sleeve Velcro did not hold and my sleeve slid up my arm. Never again - if the sleeve doesn't zip, I won't wear it.

For that matter, please remember to zip your pants to your jacket every time. I've slid twice at least partly on my back and the jacket did not ride up.

Very good gear is very expensive. Good gear is affordable. No gear is plain stupid. I agree with Pterodactyl- riders not wearing gear haven't fallen yet.

To the OP - hope you heal well. At 50 years young, I have found the major difference between now and 20 is recovery time.

 

[escapefjrtist]

One story of what I'm assuming are many, that come up with a quick search. Take a look at Rock The Gear for a young woman's experience recovering from asphalt surfing. Sobering reminder for all of us that ride.

Timely post from the OP, thanks!

--G

 

[Bugnatr]

Remember to wear a jacket that zips to your riding pants or it can ride up while sliding down the road.

Bambi put me sliding down the asphalt at 55 mph. With full quality gear from head to toe I had no skin touch the pavement and no rash at all.

ATGATT

 

[Intech]

Bambi put me sliding down the asphalt at 55 mph. With full quality gear from head to toe I had no skin touch the pavement and no rash at all.ATGATT

It produced a memorable picture, though!

 

[huron52]

You can wash off sweat but you can't wash off road rash!

 

[Uncle Hud]

As said above, but it bears repeating: zip your jacket to your pants.

A quality manufacturer will provide both sides of the zipper on their garment, so you can attach the "other" side of the zipper to the "other" garment. Make sure it's attached where you will feel right when sitting in the saddle.

 

[Pterodactyl]

You can wash off sweat but you can't wash off road rash!

Well, you can, sorta. It's called debridement and involves removal of embedded asphalt and dead tissue from the wounds with, among other things, a brush. It is done to lessen the chance of infection which can be a serious consquence of road rash. As one can imagine, it is a real treat to undergo.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Hey, mise en place, forgot to wish you a speedy recovery. And remember: "Chicks dig scars," as long as there's a good story included.

 

[Poolboytoo]

Probably the biggest reason why I wear the areostich one piece suit is, I found myself wearing the jacket but not the pants on the short rides, makes ATGATT very easy. Plus I figure one trip to the hospital would pay for all the gear i could use in a life time.

I find it funny how people see me in my gear and they feel the need to share the reasons why they don't wear gear.

 

[mise en place]

Thanks Uncle Hud- gonna have to embellish a bit to make that story work though!

 

[wfooshee]

I've related this before, but it's worth noting for anyone that still thinks it's too much hassle to gear up.

Severe road rash is treated at burn centers, because the result is the same. Sheets of skin go missing, leaving open, seeping painful wounds that have to be kept antiseptically clean to keep infection from setting in. Gee, i wonder how much it hurts to have someone working those flaps of live, loose skin with metal instruments to remove dirt and gravel, and how much does it sting when they apply medicines to those open sores?

I didn't know this kid but was loosely acquainted with a family member. Some years ago he low-side his cruiser.at 30-something miles an hour. Bike was undamaged but for scrapes, could have been ridden home. Rider, however, was nearly naked by the time he stopped sliding, and had muscle and bones showing where skin should have been. He was airlifted to a burn center in Montgomery or Birmingham, I don't remember which, where he died within the week from the infections. No broken bones, no internal damage, nothing even sprained, and had he been geared up he could have picked up the bike and gone on his merry way.

 

[hppants]

In October after I crashed and went to the hospital, I was interviewed by the nurses, the Doctor, and again by the nurses. I got an X-ray on my knee and once everyone was satisfied that there were no broken bones, no organs in distress, and no concussion, the doctor gave his orders and went on his way. The only thing left to deal with was the 3" x 6" road rash on my left forearm.

Then Lavergne and Shirley came in.

(names changed to protect the innocent)

Shirley, with her short and sweet stature, was carrying the supplies. She was smiling at me, but behind that smile, I could see concern in her face.

On the other hand, Lavergne was taller and more intimidating. As she doned a pair of gloves, the cuff snapped aggressively on her wrist while she stared at me with a voiceless look.

(Shirley) "Hi, my name is ______ and this is _________. We are here to clean and dress the wound on your arm."

(Pants) "I've been looking forward to this part."

(Lavergne) "I'm not going to sugar coat it. This is going to hurt like hell. We have to remove the rocks and pebbles from your open skin. There is only one way to do that."

(Pants) "I know. I want it clean as a whistle. Keep infection out of it. This is one of the risk we take when we ride the bike. Do what you gotta do."

(Shirley) "You were very lucky. We have seen much worse from motorcycle accidents."

(Pants) "My riding gear took most of the rash, but my jacket sleeve slid up on me here."

(Lavergne) "Well, sit still. Let's get started."

(Pants, thinking) "HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Repeat after me..... ATGATT

ATGATT

ATGATT

A.......

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Now about those new riding pants...

https://www.motoport.com/