It has been too long since I’ve posted something purely motorcycle related (not in terms of the number of blog posts, but just passage of time). And today, I would like to talk to you all about one of my favorite topics: Helmets. Why helmets? Because they are, hands down, one of the most visible, straightforward, and important pieces of equipment for riding (apart from the motorcycle itself). In my case, the preferred helmet is a Shoei RF-1100.
First, a little bit about the helmet. The RF-1100 is Shoei’s sport-touring helmet. Constructed of fiberglass and tested to the new Snell m2010 standard, this one clocks in at a retail of $550. That said, the old adage about “if you have a $50 head, buy a $50 helmet” springs to mind. While the two I have purchased were purchased for far less than that, I would have no problem paying the full amount for one of these. Fit-and-finish on this helmet is spot on, as one would expect from one of the top two helmet manufacturers in the world.
In typical Shoei fashion, there is a certain head shape that fits these helmets. I happen to have such a head, so there is no gripe there. For those who don’t have a “Shoei head,” but would still like the same level of protection, Arai helmets offer multiple head forms (and you will never hear me knock Arai helmets, those dudes over there know what they are doing. I just don’t fit in them as well). Apart from that, though, the rest of the manufacturing is spot on as well. Vents are easy to open while riding, the latch for the visor is easy to use.
Air flow through the vents is refreshing. Compared to the rather simple helmets I have used in the past, the vents in this helmet actually work. Noise level is another important point. While no helmet will completely shut out noise, this is, by far, one of the quietest I have used (granted, I haven’t used an enormous number of different types of helmets). Also, turning my head at highway speeds to check for traffic is not a problem; especially after I have used a supermoto helmet in the past.
After those major points, one small point I would like to make is that there is plenty of space for my mouth. This may seem a little odd, but one of the reasons I originally went with a supermoto for a time was to give my mouth a little more space. With the RF-1100, it has never been an issue.
I’ve mentioned, in the past, a preference for DOT helmets. I originally based this argument on an article I read that bashed the Snell approval as unnecessary for the average rider. That 90% of all accidents don’t require the stronger shells that are required by Snell. So, when I bought my original helmet (a Z1R Venom), I patted myself on the back for getting a good helmet at a great price ($150). Well, I often try to pride myself on my ability to change my mind when presented with the right argument, or evidence, of my faulty thinking. In this matter, I most certainly have.
The argument can be broken down into two separate points: Cost and Level of Protection.
Cost: My least favorite of the two, talking about the cost of a helmet makes my skin crawl. Really, when it comes down to it, how much do you value your head? I tend to value my head quite a bit, so I am perfectly willing to shell out big bucks for the best protection I can. Other people, not so much. The opposition likes to throw this out there sometimes, “the Snell label is used just as a reason to charge more for their helmets.” Actually, when you read up on Shoei and Arai, that is quickly laid to rest. When most helmet producers say “We need to build a $300 helmet that passes the Snell certification,” Shoei and Arai tend to say, “Let’s build the best helmet we can and price it after.” When you compare a handmade helmet (Shoei and Arai) to any of the production helmets (off an assembly line), it becomes apparent that the justification for the cost is in the production values and attention to construction and not the fact that they have a Snell sticker.
Level of Protection: I could go on for days about this topic. But, in the interests of this article, I will narrow it down to the Snell vs. DOT arguments. The supporters of the basic DOT certification rally around research done by Harry Hurt. His company, the Head Protection Research Laboratory, supported the argument that a typical DOT, polycarbonate shelled, $150 helmet was preferable for the everyday rider. The basis of this comes from a study that they did showing that the layered construction of a plastic helmet actually dissipated energy better than the hard shells of fiberglass and carbon fiber helmets. They then go on to say that the DOT helmets are more suitable for the vast majority (>90%) of motorcycle accidents, which tend to take place at lower speeds, with the impact never being more than a head hitting the ground once. There was an article in Motorcyclist magazine about it called "Blowing the Lid Off" (Here is the article, And Snell's Response).
Snell, or more properly, the Snell Memorial Foundation, tests helmets to a much more exacting set of specifications. The testing process is very comprehensive (In-depth Description Here), and I will summarize the bit that is most important to the argument at hand. If you take a standard plastic, DOT, non-Snell (there are Snell-certified plastic helmets) helmet and smash it against the ground with your head inside, the helmet will, indeed, take the impact. However, should the impact happen a second time (heads do, indeed, bounce) and hit the same area again, well, the DOT helmet won’t really help (some Icon helmets being an exception, since they don’t submit their helmets for testing).
What it boils down to, in the end, is whether you want to be protected against the worst possible scenario, or the most common ones. I would never presume to tell anyone, or force them in any way, to purchase one helmet over another. I prefer to give them the facts (as I hope I have done here) and let them make the decision for themselves.
For most people, cost is always going to be a factor. Shelling out even $350 for a Snell-approved helmet (HJC’s RPHA series, for example) can be a little hard to swallow, especially if you are aware of a much cheaper alternative staring you in the face. Truth is, as Harry Hurt once said, *any* helmet is better than no helmet at all (and, no, I don’t count those stupid novelty skid lid things as helmets, nor did Harry Hurt when he made that statement), even those stupid DOT half-helmets. Me, personally, I’m willing to pay the price, now, for the best protection I can get.
I also happen to be a helmet snob and the fit of the Shoei is perfect for me.
Showing posts with label Motorcycle gear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motorcycle gear. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Strangest Thing...
In my quest to get equipment for my new motorcycle, the biggest obstacle is, as one would imagine, the cost of parts and gear. To that end, being a motorcyclist requires a great deal of patience when it comes to getting the look you want for your bike. And, as a motorcyclist, it seems to be a requirement to customize your motorcycle to be exactly what you want it to be. Granted, this isn't a requirement that others tell you about, oh no. This particular part of owning a motorcycle is almost as inevitable as breathing, and comes about just as naturally. None of us get into motorcycling for the express purpose of buying a bike just to customize it... well, maybe some do, but most of us don't, it just happens as soon as you hop on the bike the first time.
Usually, it starts like this, "What can I do to make this a better ride?"
As soon as that thought crosses your mind, you're already infected and there is no cure for this, and the only treatment is to start modifying the small things. It quickly gets out of hand.
Seriously, not a day goes by that I don't spend at least a few hours thinking about motorcycles. It's a problem, sort of.
A few weeks ago, my mother asked me to help out with the religious education course at the parish she works at. Seeing it as a nice thing to do, I agreed to help. Mom was a bit excited to introduce me to one of the other teachers for the program, as he is a fellow rider. Last Tuesday, I went to Pelham for a brief orientation for the teachers and I got a chance to meet Chuck.
Chuck is a very nice guy. It turns out that his current bike is a Road King that took him at least a season to get used to. All things considered, it does not surprise me, as the Road King is a beast of a bike (kind of like a barcalounger on wheels) and would probably take anyone a while to get used to. In the course of our conversation, we got to talking about his previous bike, which was a Yamaha Road Star for which he had purchased a custom seat and saddlebags. He then asked what bike I had (and while I don't have it yet, I will soon) and I told him that it was a Yamaha Road Star.
It was shortly after that we got to talking about the modifications he had for his Road Star. He had a custom ostrich leather seat made with a gel pad (which, as anyone who has ridden all day can attest to, is a Godsend; the gel pad, not necessarily the ostrich leather) and a custom set of ostrich leather saddlebags. Those are not cheap, but that just serves to reinforce my point. When it comes down to modifying a bike to suit you, it is understood that you will have to work for it.
Then the damndest thing happened, he also offered me a bed to stay in at his cabin on Lake Winnipesaukee for the Laconia Motorcycle Rally. Granted, I won't be there for the whole week, but to offer someone you just met a place to stay, that's pretty cool. It is not the first time I have heard of this kind of generosity between riders, but it is the first time it has happened to me.
Usually, it starts like this, "What can I do to make this a better ride?"
As soon as that thought crosses your mind, you're already infected and there is no cure for this, and the only treatment is to start modifying the small things. It quickly gets out of hand.
Seriously, not a day goes by that I don't spend at least a few hours thinking about motorcycles. It's a problem, sort of.
A few weeks ago, my mother asked me to help out with the religious education course at the parish she works at. Seeing it as a nice thing to do, I agreed to help. Mom was a bit excited to introduce me to one of the other teachers for the program, as he is a fellow rider. Last Tuesday, I went to Pelham for a brief orientation for the teachers and I got a chance to meet Chuck.
Chuck is a very nice guy. It turns out that his current bike is a Road King that took him at least a season to get used to. All things considered, it does not surprise me, as the Road King is a beast of a bike (kind of like a barcalounger on wheels) and would probably take anyone a while to get used to. In the course of our conversation, we got to talking about his previous bike, which was a Yamaha Road Star for which he had purchased a custom seat and saddlebags. He then asked what bike I had (and while I don't have it yet, I will soon) and I told him that it was a Yamaha Road Star.
It was shortly after that we got to talking about the modifications he had for his Road Star. He had a custom ostrich leather seat made with a gel pad (which, as anyone who has ridden all day can attest to, is a Godsend; the gel pad, not necessarily the ostrich leather) and a custom set of ostrich leather saddlebags. Those are not cheap, but that just serves to reinforce my point. When it comes down to modifying a bike to suit you, it is understood that you will have to work for it.
Then the damndest thing happened, he also offered me a bed to stay in at his cabin on Lake Winnipesaukee for the Laconia Motorcycle Rally. Granted, I won't be there for the whole week, but to offer someone you just met a place to stay, that's pretty cool. It is not the first time I have heard of this kind of generosity between riders, but it is the first time it has happened to me.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
New adventures in Planning Madness
And if you can make any sense out of that title, you're doing better than I am.
I started another blog ("Another one!? What are you thinking?") in an effort to do two things: 1) Keep track of my preparations for my motorcycle trip this year and 2) to have some guidelines of all the preparations and supplies needed in case I decide to try this lunacy again in the years hence.
It also helps me sort things through. When I first decided to go on this trip to the Beartooth Highway, I didn't really have all of the logistics in my head. Mostly what I was thinking, if I was really thinking at all ("How is that different than normal?" Shut up, brain), was how cool it would be to ride across country and see the Rocky Mountains; logistics, planning, and all of the "boring" aspects didn't really enter my head until I started actually looking at the map and how long it would take to get there. It was shortly thereafter that I figured two weeks worth of vacation would be plenty of time to see the multiple locations I wanted to visit (Seriously, trying to go down the Blue Ridge Parkway, then over to the Beartooth Highway, then around to the Utah Patchwork Highway in 14 days is doable, right? Over 6,000 miles should be a cake walk!). Given that I've never actually done this kind of thing before, and assuming I could ride 10+ hours a day, that seemed reasonable.
Then I received a jolt. I decided during the summer to try and see exactly what I could handle on a motorcycle. 6 hours on an uncomfortable seat just about did me in. I was sore for a day or so afterwards. I knew then that I needed to change my thinking a little bit.
First off, I decided that such a trip should not be attempted by someone like me on an 800cc cruiser. Not necessarily because the engine isn't up to the task, but because a bike that small would be challenging to deal with riding all day. Secondly, having to quickly ride through areas without being able to really enjoy them didn't seem all that appealing, and I wanted to be able to savor this experience. Thirdly, coming to grips with what would actually be required to pull this off smacked me upside the head when I roughly calculated just the cost for fuel alone.
In the end, I discarded every other location I had set for myself so that I could focus on the one place I really wanted to see. I've dreamed of seeing the Rocky Mountains (I've seen them from the air, but that really doesn't count) and this has become part of that. The fact that I want to do it on a motorcycle? That, in my mind, seems to be a given.
As I mentioned to one of my friends, if it wasn't a challenge, it wouldn't be as rewarding an experience. To quote one of my favorite movies, out of context, "if it was easy, everyone would do it. Being hard is what makes it great."
I started another blog ("Another one!? What are you thinking?") in an effort to do two things: 1) Keep track of my preparations for my motorcycle trip this year and 2) to have some guidelines of all the preparations and supplies needed in case I decide to try this lunacy again in the years hence.
It also helps me sort things through. When I first decided to go on this trip to the Beartooth Highway, I didn't really have all of the logistics in my head. Mostly what I was thinking, if I was really thinking at all ("How is that different than normal?" Shut up, brain), was how cool it would be to ride across country and see the Rocky Mountains; logistics, planning, and all of the "boring" aspects didn't really enter my head until I started actually looking at the map and how long it would take to get there. It was shortly thereafter that I figured two weeks worth of vacation would be plenty of time to see the multiple locations I wanted to visit (Seriously, trying to go down the Blue Ridge Parkway, then over to the Beartooth Highway, then around to the Utah Patchwork Highway in 14 days is doable, right? Over 6,000 miles should be a cake walk!). Given that I've never actually done this kind of thing before, and assuming I could ride 10+ hours a day, that seemed reasonable.
Then I received a jolt. I decided during the summer to try and see exactly what I could handle on a motorcycle. 6 hours on an uncomfortable seat just about did me in. I was sore for a day or so afterwards. I knew then that I needed to change my thinking a little bit.
First off, I decided that such a trip should not be attempted by someone like me on an 800cc cruiser. Not necessarily because the engine isn't up to the task, but because a bike that small would be challenging to deal with riding all day. Secondly, having to quickly ride through areas without being able to really enjoy them didn't seem all that appealing, and I wanted to be able to savor this experience. Thirdly, coming to grips with what would actually be required to pull this off smacked me upside the head when I roughly calculated just the cost for fuel alone.
In the end, I discarded every other location I had set for myself so that I could focus on the one place I really wanted to see. I've dreamed of seeing the Rocky Mountains (I've seen them from the air, but that really doesn't count) and this has become part of that. The fact that I want to do it on a motorcycle? That, in my mind, seems to be a given.
As I mentioned to one of my friends, if it wasn't a challenge, it wouldn't be as rewarding an experience. To quote one of my favorite movies, out of context, "if it was easy, everyone would do it. Being hard is what makes it great."
Sunday, September 4, 2011
New Seat Coming and Group Rides
I was finally able to get my bike from my sister's house in Danbury, CT yesterday. Coming back was a beautiful ride. It was a little chilly starting out, so I threw on my jacket, and near the end it started to get a little overcast, but nothing really came of it. To top it all off, it didn't take anywhere near as long as I thought it was going to take, given the amount of time it took me to get down there. The icing on the cake was the fact that I wasn't anywhere near as sore as I was on the trip down.
Still, I'm getting a better seat for the bike.
Or, I should say, I ordered a better seat for the bike and now I'm waiting for it to come in. According to UPS, the new seat should arrive on Sept. 8th; which means that I will be able to break it in that weekend when I ride the route for my group ride on the 17th. (I'll post more about the seat, and some pictures, after I've installed it.) Hopefully I'll be able to get someone to come with me, so that I can test it out in a "group ride" situation.
Speaking of; I had a good ride today (not great, since it didn't last that long). I met up with another member of the Wetrowest Riders group I'm a member of. Brenda was experienced leading group rides: me not so much. She offered to teach me the ropes so that I'd be ready for the 17th ride to Mt. Greylock. We met up for breakfast in Arlington, then headed out Rt. 117 for a bit so I could get a feel for leading rides. Overall, she seemed to think I did all right.
I'm still nervous about the ride, since I have to do a lot more planning (this is an object lesson in riding the route far in advance of the actual ride, several times, so as to not be as nervous about the route), but I should be ok to lead the trip, particularly if Brenda gets a friend of hers to come along who has a headset, and can ride sweep.
Note: For those who are unfamiliar, a "Sweep" is the last rider in a group, and is the one who makes sure to keep the stragglers from getting lost or separated from the group.
As I do not have communications gear yet, and I have to lead the ride, Brenda has offered to be a relay rider to communicate with the sweep rider and let me know when the sweep has everyone rounded up if we have to stop for some reason. That alone makes me feel better.
The two last major pieces of setup I have to do:
1) Figure out all of the stops that we will need to make and communicate them, and some basic instructions, to the rest of the riders in the group
2) Prepare a small prep talk for the day of the ride so everyone is on the same page.
This should be a blast. I can't wait.
Still, I'm getting a better seat for the bike.
Or, I should say, I ordered a better seat for the bike and now I'm waiting for it to come in. According to UPS, the new seat should arrive on Sept. 8th; which means that I will be able to break it in that weekend when I ride the route for my group ride on the 17th. (I'll post more about the seat, and some pictures, after I've installed it.) Hopefully I'll be able to get someone to come with me, so that I can test it out in a "group ride" situation.
Speaking of; I had a good ride today (not great, since it didn't last that long). I met up with another member of the Wetrowest Riders group I'm a member of. Brenda was experienced leading group rides: me not so much. She offered to teach me the ropes so that I'd be ready for the 17th ride to Mt. Greylock. We met up for breakfast in Arlington, then headed out Rt. 117 for a bit so I could get a feel for leading rides. Overall, she seemed to think I did all right.
I'm still nervous about the ride, since I have to do a lot more planning (this is an object lesson in riding the route far in advance of the actual ride, several times, so as to not be as nervous about the route), but I should be ok to lead the trip, particularly if Brenda gets a friend of hers to come along who has a headset, and can ride sweep.
Note: For those who are unfamiliar, a "Sweep" is the last rider in a group, and is the one who makes sure to keep the stragglers from getting lost or separated from the group.
As I do not have communications gear yet, and I have to lead the ride, Brenda has offered to be a relay rider to communicate with the sweep rider and let me know when the sweep has everyone rounded up if we have to stop for some reason. That alone makes me feel better.
The two last major pieces of setup I have to do:
1) Figure out all of the stops that we will need to make and communicate them, and some basic instructions, to the rest of the riders in the group
2) Prepare a small prep talk for the day of the ride so everyone is on the same page.
This should be a blast. I can't wait.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
It's Definitely Later
In my last post I mentioned posting about my personal views on motorcycle safety in a later post. Well, today is later (technically so is anything after the last post. Shut up, brain). I just think it's too important a topic to not talk about. With enough idiots out there on the road already, what we don't need are the moron "SQUIDs" who make things that much worse.
SQUID: Stupidly Quick, Underdressed, Idiotic, and Dangerous
These are the idiots you see riding around wearing a t-shirt ("It's cotton blend protection!"), shorts, sneakers, no gloves, maybe a full-face helmet ("Gotta protect my perfect face, dude."), and generally riding a sport bike of some kind (any Ducati, a Honda VFR or CBR variant, Kawaski Ninjas, and the like). You can also readily recognize these idiots because they're weaving in-and-out of traffic ("Dude, I saw this in a movie once. It kicks ass! Also, No Hands! Woo!"), accelerating really hard ("Woah, look at me I'm going so fast!"), only to squeal tires to stop at the next red light ("Stupid red lights, spoiling my fun, brah!"), and more-or-less give a lot of motorcyclists a bad name (biker gangs generally don't, contrary to The Wild One).
Most people who truly call themselves "riders" are the majority. They generally obey the rules of the road, wear a hefty compliment of protective gear, and don't ride like jackasses. It's this latter group that I am eager to call myself part of. At the moment I own a Tri-Tex level 3 armor jacket, Johnny Rocket armored gloves, a Z1R Venom full-face helmet, and I plan to ride wearing at least a tough pair of jeans and my steel-toed boots.
The course I took was enough to get me motivated to buy the equipment (not to mention the fact that Sam would kill me if I didn't), but there was some extra motivation. In the late 70's a professor from USC studied over 900 motorcycle accidents in the United States and correlated the results into one of the most widely published reports on motorcycle accidents in the world. Called the Hurt Report (after Prof. Harry Hurt), it has been called "the most comprehensive motorcycle safety study of the 20th century" by journalist David Hough. In 2001 (so, not the 20th century, Mr. Hough's comment stands), the European Union released the COST 327 report. This report, unlike the Hurt Report, was focused on motorcycle helmet effectiveness in crashes, but is still a valuable source of information on motorcycle accidents.
After reading the Hurt Report, and part of the COST report, I can't understand why anyone would ride around without a helmet. The most telling piece of evidence I found was that, when a motorcyclist wears a helmet, the majority of fatal accidents were not caused by head injuries alone; indeed, in many of those cases, had it not been for other bodily injury, many of them would have survived. If that isn't a hidden endorsement of proper body armor, I don't what is ("But, dad, chicks dig the asphalt scars!").
Part of the reason I know about these two particular reports derives from my search for the best helmet to buy. For some reason, it's really difficult to find information on helmet comparisons. That was until I stumbled upon an article written for Motorcyclist Magazine in 2005. The article (called Blowing the Lid Off) all but came out and said that, for the most part, the polycarbonate DOT helmets are actually more effective in the typical crashes that motorcyclists face than the high-strength, Snell Approved, carbon fiber helmets.* The helmet maker that won the Motorcyclist Magazine study (including a more damaging impact than the Snell requirements), was Z1R. Guess why I bought the Z1R helmet? ("It makes you look like an extra in some cheesy 80's sci-fi action movie?" Well, that too.)
The jacket, that was a whole 'nother adventure. I was shopping around Amazon.com for a decent jacket (i.e. one that contained protection of some kind. "Bring me my armor!"). Leather jackets are way out of my price range. The cheapest leather jacket that had armor that passed any kind of standardized regulation was over $300 (and that's with amazon's crazy price cuts. You'll see why I say that in a second or two). The jacket I did buy was a 5XL, Tri-Tex armor jacket that passed the highest European Union impact ratings, and was on sale. The standard price of the jacket was around $170; shipping included, I paid $77 for it. Granted, it's a textile jacket and not leather, so it loses a bit of the abrasion protection a good leather jacket has (particularly one designed for motorcycling: triple kevlar thread stitching, reinforced joint protection, you know, the usual), but I think I did all right.
(The jacket is what prompted me to start losing weight. It fits through the shoulders and arms, but I can't zip it up. I'm hoping by spring that I will have lost enough that the jacket will fit beautifully and get me all the girls. 'Cause, quite frankly, it looks pretty awesome.)
As far as leg protection goes, I'm either stuck with leather chaps (blech), or armor pants (also blech), or dealing with the consequences of crashing without leg protection (umm... what?). I think I'll go with the chaps on this one. There are a few companies that make armored chaps, and they aren't nearly as expensive as the jackets are. But, I figure getting those now, before I've lost a lot of weight is probably shooting myself in the foot as far as money goes (why buy a huge pair now, which are more expensive, then have to pay to have them re-sized again when I lose the weight?), so I'm going to hold off on those. And as far as boots are concerned, the style of motorcycle I really want means that my steel-toed boots are perfect (leather construction, over the ankle, non-slip sole). So I guess I lucked out there.
Long story short: If you're riding a motorcycle, don't be a squishy cephalopod.
*Author's Note: I would like to add that I have nothing but respect for the Snell Foundation. At a time when nobody was truly looking into better head protection, the Snell Foundation pushed for better manufacturing techniques and increased helmet usage. I merely made the above point about the differences in protection based on research and an article read.
SQUID: Stupidly Quick, Underdressed, Idiotic, and Dangerous
These are the idiots you see riding around wearing a t-shirt ("It's cotton blend protection!"), shorts, sneakers, no gloves, maybe a full-face helmet ("Gotta protect my perfect face, dude."), and generally riding a sport bike of some kind (any Ducati, a Honda VFR or CBR variant, Kawaski Ninjas, and the like). You can also readily recognize these idiots because they're weaving in-and-out of traffic ("Dude, I saw this in a movie once. It kicks ass! Also, No Hands! Woo!"), accelerating really hard ("Woah, look at me I'm going so fast!"), only to squeal tires to stop at the next red light ("Stupid red lights, spoiling my fun, brah!"), and more-or-less give a lot of motorcyclists a bad name (biker gangs generally don't, contrary to The Wild One).
Most people who truly call themselves "riders" are the majority. They generally obey the rules of the road, wear a hefty compliment of protective gear, and don't ride like jackasses. It's this latter group that I am eager to call myself part of. At the moment I own a Tri-Tex level 3 armor jacket, Johnny Rocket armored gloves, a Z1R Venom full-face helmet, and I plan to ride wearing at least a tough pair of jeans and my steel-toed boots.
The course I took was enough to get me motivated to buy the equipment (not to mention the fact that Sam would kill me if I didn't), but there was some extra motivation. In the late 70's a professor from USC studied over 900 motorcycle accidents in the United States and correlated the results into one of the most widely published reports on motorcycle accidents in the world. Called the Hurt Report (after Prof. Harry Hurt), it has been called "the most comprehensive motorcycle safety study of the 20th century" by journalist David Hough. In 2001 (so, not the 20th century, Mr. Hough's comment stands), the European Union released the COST 327 report. This report, unlike the Hurt Report, was focused on motorcycle helmet effectiveness in crashes, but is still a valuable source of information on motorcycle accidents.
After reading the Hurt Report, and part of the COST report, I can't understand why anyone would ride around without a helmet. The most telling piece of evidence I found was that, when a motorcyclist wears a helmet, the majority of fatal accidents were not caused by head injuries alone; indeed, in many of those cases, had it not been for other bodily injury, many of them would have survived. If that isn't a hidden endorsement of proper body armor, I don't what is ("But, dad, chicks dig the asphalt scars!").
Part of the reason I know about these two particular reports derives from my search for the best helmet to buy. For some reason, it's really difficult to find information on helmet comparisons. That was until I stumbled upon an article written for Motorcyclist Magazine in 2005. The article (called Blowing the Lid Off) all but came out and said that, for the most part, the polycarbonate DOT helmets are actually more effective in the typical crashes that motorcyclists face than the high-strength, Snell Approved, carbon fiber helmets.* The helmet maker that won the Motorcyclist Magazine study (including a more damaging impact than the Snell requirements), was Z1R. Guess why I bought the Z1R helmet? ("It makes you look like an extra in some cheesy 80's sci-fi action movie?" Well, that too.)
The jacket, that was a whole 'nother adventure. I was shopping around Amazon.com for a decent jacket (i.e. one that contained protection of some kind. "Bring me my armor!"). Leather jackets are way out of my price range. The cheapest leather jacket that had armor that passed any kind of standardized regulation was over $300 (and that's with amazon's crazy price cuts. You'll see why I say that in a second or two). The jacket I did buy was a 5XL, Tri-Tex armor jacket that passed the highest European Union impact ratings, and was on sale. The standard price of the jacket was around $170; shipping included, I paid $77 for it. Granted, it's a textile jacket and not leather, so it loses a bit of the abrasion protection a good leather jacket has (particularly one designed for motorcycling: triple kevlar thread stitching, reinforced joint protection, you know, the usual), but I think I did all right.
(The jacket is what prompted me to start losing weight. It fits through the shoulders and arms, but I can't zip it up. I'm hoping by spring that I will have lost enough that the jacket will fit beautifully and get me all the girls. 'Cause, quite frankly, it looks pretty awesome.)
As far as leg protection goes, I'm either stuck with leather chaps (blech), or armor pants (also blech), or dealing with the consequences of crashing without leg protection (umm... what?). I think I'll go with the chaps on this one. There are a few companies that make armored chaps, and they aren't nearly as expensive as the jackets are. But, I figure getting those now, before I've lost a lot of weight is probably shooting myself in the foot as far as money goes (why buy a huge pair now, which are more expensive, then have to pay to have them re-sized again when I lose the weight?), so I'm going to hold off on those. And as far as boots are concerned, the style of motorcycle I really want means that my steel-toed boots are perfect (leather construction, over the ankle, non-slip sole). So I guess I lucked out there.
Long story short: If you're riding a motorcycle, don't be a squishy cephalopod.
*Author's Note: I would like to add that I have nothing but respect for the Snell Foundation. At a time when nobody was truly looking into better head protection, the Snell Foundation pushed for better manufacturing techniques and increased helmet usage. I merely made the above point about the differences in protection based on research and an article read.
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