Am I the only one who wears a protective vest/back protector as extra protection?

Zoodles95

Zoodles95

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There was a squid on a GSXR riding really dangerously on highway 6 on my way back from Turkey Point. The only gear to speak of was a motorcross sort of helmet and... Well, the Icon Stryker Vest.






No gloves, shoes, jacket... Just tshirt, shorts, and sandals... Wow... What the heck is that vest really going to do? Odds are his arms and hands and knees are going to get all rashed up if he comes off of the bike.

I am seeing more and more of this type of rider around and I find it so weird that they bother with the vest. They would be much better off with any kind of jacket to mitigate some kind of road rash on their arms.


Sorry for the quasi rant. I just do not understand why these vests are being used as a jacket substitute.
 
Perhaps they don't care about road rash and instead focus on their spine?

I dont know about you but id rather have rash all over my body vs being paralyzed
 
well point of the vest is to protect your major organs. So with that and a helmet, he's somewhat covering the most important parts. If you're going down, the least of your problems will be broken shoulder/arm/wrist/hands and major road rash. Just like a cop vest, it protects whats important . Obviously the more gear the better, but sometimes you just wanna go hang out with some buddies and not be all suited up and be a massive puddle of sweat. the least i've worn was shorts, shoes, helmet and gloves...yes its silly but i'd never go on a highway like that. If thats how they ALWAYS ride...then he's just asking for trouble...especially with no gloves, stone chip flying at your hands will cause you to maybe make a jerking motion and lose control fairly easily.
 
I agree with the concept of the protector. This is why I wear it in addition to some sort of jacket. My mesh jacket is nothing compared to a proper motorcycle leather jacket but at least there is some armour and abrasion resistant materials in the areas likely to slide on the ground.


Crazy to think enough to protect their spine and not even bother to wear any boots (let along shoes) or gloves. Not all squids go gloveless but it is amazing how many of them do.

It's crazy that with a really well vented mesh jacket they would be just as comfortable...
 
People wear whatever they feel like and im sure they have their reasons. Ill wear a full suit when going on long spirited rides, meanwhile when going to a store near by or bank or whatever ill just wear a helmet, jeans, tshirt and some gloves. I know the risks and im sure others do as well...
 
Paul1000RR said:
People wear whatever they feel like and im sure they have their reasons. Ill wear a full suit when going on long spirited rides, meanwhile when going to a store near by or bank or whatever ill just wear a helmet, jeans, tshirt and some gloves. I know the risks and im sure others do as well...
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Yup, its your choice to stay safe. I know for a ride any longer than 10 minutes i will fully gear up, as for a quick ride to get something, the minimum is helmet/gloves/shoes
 
Ninja10 said:
Yup, its your choice to stay safe. I know for a ride any longer than 10 minutes i will fully gear up, as for a quick ride to get something, the minimum is helmet/gloves/shoes
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Well, I have started to compromise on my safety as well so I am just as guilty as anyone else for not being entirely fully geared up all the time. The weather was so hot that I went with a mesh jacket which is less comprehensive than the textile jacket I have. I pretty much just throw it on and go. No donning specific elbow guards etc.
 
I stopped at the scene of an accident a few years back, with the rider wearing one of those vests.

It looked good, his sneakers, small gloves, jeans and wife beater were mangled somewhere in his bloody mess.

Carry on ..
 
I like the armored shirt idea tho not the vest. Cooler and easy mobility even tho my mesh jacket is light.
And under the mesh it's extra armor that stays in place even if my jacket is not snugged up.
 
They look bad *** gangsta...only reason to wear them.
 
There are two types of riders.... those who have wiped out, and those who have yet to experience the pleasure. I am in the aforementioned group, so I wear full mesh gear almost every time I go out (although sometimes I wear jeans instead of riding pants.) I never felt really protected in any gear (not enough adjustments to keep the armour/padding from shifting if I wipe out again) so I bought a Fox armoured compression shirt to wear under my mesh jacket, and Dainese knee/shin protectors to wear under my riding pants. When the weather cools down a bit, the leg gear will go well with my Velocity kevlar jeans (which I hope to receive soon!) I'm in no big hurry to experience extensive road rash. Skin isn't any match for asphalt or gravel when you are sliding down the road.
 
(not enough adjustments to keep the armour/padding from shifting if I wipe out again) so I bought a Fox armoured compression shirt to wear under my mesh jacket, and Dainese knee/shin protectors to wear under my riding pants.
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I'm less atgatt but I think you are bang on about the shifting as may have happened off road on what should have meant a minor lowside yet hammered my shoulder and I really think the jacket shoulder armor was not in place.

So the mesh armor represents a good approach as it stays in place and it's cool for riding on it's own with just my riding shirt over it. Same on the knees tho I did get a mesh over pant today.

Layers are good.
I actually find the mesh easier to get on with the sore shoulder than the jacket and I don't mind wearing it sitting around at the Forks - one less thing to take on and off.
 
MacDoc said:
So the mesh armor represents a good approach as it stays in place and it's cool for riding on it's own with just my riding shirt over it. Same on the knees tho I did get a mesh over pant today.
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In almost every jacket or pant sold today, it seems inevitable that the armour/padding will shift in a wipeout. There simply are not enough adjustments to keep the armour snug on your body (esp. in the elbows/knees.) To be really effective, the armoured compression shirt should probably be protected from abrasion that will result when involved in a street wipeout. If the fabric on the armoured compression shirt gets ripped to shreds by abrasion, all that extra armour/padding will be useless. IMHO, the compression shirt and knee protection should be worn under some type of clothing that will offer abrasion protection while the tight fitting under armour does its job to protect against impacts (and secondary abrasion protection.)
 
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Zoodles95 said:
No gloves, shoes, jacket... Just tshirt, shorts, and sandals... Wow...
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I travel for my job alot , all over the world. This is only common in the US and West GTA. Never, ever seen anything like this in Europe (eastern Europe/Russia its all wife beaters and flip-flips).

Rash is what you get from crashing a bicycle at 20km/hr or less. Fall off a bike at >60km/hr, the thickest jeans are gone in 5 metres, then you lose skin, bone, muscle, toes, fingers...and that cannot be fixed.

Guys around here are wearing those vests as fashion statements. "lookit me, im a steetfiter"... then 15-20 years later (assuming they are still walking), "lookit me, im in biker gang with a nazi helmet"
 
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Ah the gear thread.

Dude, you can't really look down on what other people choose to do. It's fairly clear what is safer, but hey, we're all adults....choose what you like.
 
Paul1000RR said:
Ill wear a full suit when going on long spirited rides, meanwhile when going to a store near by or bank or whatever ill just wear a helmet, jeans, tshirt and some gloves. I know the risks and im sure others do as well...
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Apparently you don't.

You are a LOT more likely to get into a crash on a short local trip. Why bother with the gloves? do you plan on getting thrown of the bike and landing on a perfect hand stand? Have some gymnastic prowess?

Maybe the vest-helmet guy knows a way to land off the bike on only his head and spine.
 
As many others have said, to each their own.

I'll still ride squid if it's way too hot but after seeing some crashes irl....

I would say jeans lasting 5 meters is an understatement, they shred the second you go down. This was on a 40km/h low side.
 
JFD said:
It's fairly clear what is safer, but hey, we're all adults....choose what you like.
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That's fine if you live in the US, where you fall off a bike and throw your family into bankruptcy, and everyone has the "better him than me" attitude.

But up here, its the taxpayers that need to deal with the consequences of stupidity, and 6-10 skin graft surgeries, disability, welfare, etc., over years runs up big costs.
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