What level of protection are you comfortable with?

[skyway]

I'm curious as to what level of protection you guys are comfortable with? With so much gear out there and most of it being supplied in the US without any recognised standards, what do you consider to be ample protection in the event of a get-off?

 

[twowheelnut]

Well, Trojan XXXXXXL always protects me from, um, get-offs... :haha:

Full CE and integrated back protectors, here.

 

[evil_henchman]

Well, Trojan XXXXXXL always protects me from, um, get-offs... 

I looked at those but they're not a good color match for the '05 and the head gear's not DOT approved...

https://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h312/pjr...nt=untitled.jpg

 

[staledonut]

Tennis shoes, baggy jeans, hooded sweat jacket, and a gaudy Suomy helmet. If there's any $ left after having the wheels and frame polished, gloves.

Aerostich for me. Gotta work on a back protector though.

 

[Kaj]

Always full gear, except back armour, only the small one on the back pocket of my jacket...but it also has EN1621-2 approval...

 

[wheatonFJR]

What I ride is not max protect I'm sure, but it is what is is:

Leather jacket, Draggin' Jeans, Oxtar Jupiter boots, full-face helmet, Held gloves

Until I got onto the FJR websites, the only protection I had was a leather jacket and a full-face helmet.

 

[panthercity]

The "worthless foam" that came in my `stitch has worked well several times.

 

[FJR_pig]

The "worthless foam" that came in my `stitch has worked well several times.

:blink:

 

[Rogue]

I'm looking for gloves to go with this:

 

[skyway]

The "worthless foam" that came in my `stitch has worked well several times.

No hard shell armor in the stitch eh?

 

[kaitsdad]

Stitch Roadcrafter +hips + back, Caberg Justissimo, Oxtar Matrix, Tour Master gel gloves.

 

[waldmana]

Rukka APR2 Jacket, Rukka APR2 Pants, Full helmet, boots, held gloves.

 

[skyway]

The "worthless foam" that came in my `stitch has worked well several times.

I should have been more specific, I am referring to the worthless temperfoam that a lot of manufacturers supply in their gear.

I looked at the stitch armor and if I ever went that route would probably go with their hard shell option to aid in impact absorption.

 

[black mamba]

After dumping one of my other bikes last year....and getting a load of road rash.... I don't even get near a bike any more with having on all the protective gear I can beg, borrow, or steal.

 

[panthercity]

The "worthless foam" that came in my `stitch has worked well several times.

I should have been more specific, I am referring to the worthless temperfoam that a lot of manufacturers supply in their gear.

I looked at the stitch armor and if I ever went that route would probably go with their hard shell option to aid in impact absorption.

Well, golly gee whiz, I don't know. I bought the stitch in `94 and have updated the armor once. All four times I hit the tarmac, twice during track days and twice on the road, I walked away muttering.

Butt, then again, SWMBO says i do that regardless...

 

[Mike-H]

There were articles in a few of the mc rags a few months back...they stated that the one big advantage of CE approved apparel (including helmets) is that the European approval was much more rider friendly than any other (including dot or Snell)...(interpet that as better for your body or head in the event of a get off)...something to think about because they do have set standards that do evolve as equipment changes & evolves unlike North America

 

[TWILKIN650]

Aerostitch Roadcrafter, hip pads, back protector. SIDI All Road touring boots, Olympia armored gloves, Shoei RF900 helmet. Thinking about ordering a set of Aerostitch hard pads for Joe Rocket mesh pants and jacket to upgrade them. Anyone tried this or CE armor in the JR stuff?

I'm a believer in the "all the gear, all the time" concept. I commented by e-mail on most recent Cycle World article in which Dave Edwards says that Harley's move him to the "jacket and jeans" approach to minimal protection as he doesn't want to look like a "bomb squad tech". He stands by his statement in a reply to me by e-mail, saying that if he had to dress up like a "bomb squad tech" EVERYTIME, he'd look for a safer hobby. I don't see having different criteria for protection, based on which bike you decide to ride today. But that's just me. His mileage may vary, I'm sure. Hope no one turns left in front of him when he's "just going down the street to the hardware store" on the Harley.

My boss who also rides, is recovering from surgery on a bad shoulder separation, and will be sidelined for 9 months after a 1 mph fall while turning around at the end of his street WITH all the armor on. Might have been worse without the armor. So...........

I made a deal with myself about wearing the full outfit everytime to give me an extra edge should something to wrong, and like they say about the guy who told everyone he was going to live forever, "so far, so good". Above are all my subjective views and opinions.

 

[Mike-H]

One thing that everyone seems to forget is the longer you've been doing something ie....riding, your outlook is usually coloured.... for some of us that have been riding a long time (racing included) know the value of proper gear...but....I for instance....right or wrong don't wear full protection armour while street riding..just full leathers...been doing that on the street for I think 35 years....yet if I test or set up a bike for someone on the track or am doing a track day (instructing or just riding) I wear the latest protective gear on the market.... may sound weird & crazy but I don't totally relate one to the other....right or wrong....but I also find that it keeps me riding at a sane level on the street that way....60-70% absolute max....but hey it works for me :blink:

 

[JimLor]

Ride w/the Kili II as is. For the FirstGear Mesh Tex II (mine and Lorie's) I added an extra back pad for her and added the FG CoreComp armor to both our jackets (shoulders/arms). Didn't remove the existing stuff, just added to it.