Rider Protection

[Spencert231]

i am just finishing off 3 glorious weeks on the south and east coast of Australia it has been great: Sidney, Ayres Rock and Port Douglas. Along the way I spoke to and envied loads of bikers making their way in their daily life I did not see anyone that resembled an adventurer, but maybe he/she was disguised

[Spencert231]

The full text did not appear but what my observation was we in Europe are kitted out in all conceivable forms of rider protection. I either wear Rukka or Klim Badlands with chest and back armour I get the feeling that type of kit is reserved for Europe because I have not seen any over here. Mind you I would boil like ham in a bag if I was riding in that kit. However, I wonder what the stats are on bikers being injured in offs?

[Levisp]

One of the downsides of riding in the heat is how to protect yourself. I bought a Rukka Airider jacket from Germany last Summer and what a revelation it was. The whole jacket is made from a loose weave which lets the air pass through really easily and so is very cool to wear. It has the usual armour for protection and for Rukka not too expensive. Downside not waterproof.


http://www.rukka.com/motorsport/product ... irider-jkt

[guest2360]

They stole the idea from BMW. Its called an Airflow suite. Think it came out about 12 years ago and now called Airflow 3. A full suite with full armour.     

[fstubbsjr]

OK, I've been doing my research on the two suits, so I've got some questions.  I'm in jacksonville where it gets really hot and really humid.  The Rukka looks so huge, can it keep one cool in 90+?

[guest2360]

I've heard it said "hot air in, hot air out, so everything has its limits.  On the odd occasion we see 30C over here I have survived in my Airflow kit. When its on it feels very light. 

[Levisp]

OK, I've been doing my research on the two suits, so I've got some questions.  I'm in jacksonville where it gets really hot and really humid.  The Rukka looks so huge, can it keep one cool in 90+?

Which Rukka kit are you referring to ? If you look in their brochure they have a temp chart showing the suitable range of riding temperature for their kit. In 90+ heat with high humidity you are going to struggle. The Airider jacket I have is very light and extremely breathable. The first time I wore it I was amazed how much air flows through the whole jacket. It felt I was not wearing it. I would think the BMW Airflow kit would be similar but I have no experience of it. However as RTman10 says, hot air in is well, hot.

[Spencert231]

Sorry guys I could not have explained my observations correctly as it seems to have developed into a suit comparison going on: BMW v Rukka. I agree it's on the topic of safety i.e. Body temperature and comfort. However, what I was getting at is we wear cordura, Kevlar, or other rip tear resistant material with Knox armour or such like. In Oz they appear to get away with denim (no Kevlar) and trainers or sandals and tee shirt or sweat shirts.


Now I have been involved in a big off and got off relatively lightly i.e. Still here to tell the tale. I always wear my motorcyle gear all of the time. However, it's does not appear to be the case in Oz. So when there is an accident involving motocycles how do these people fare without rider protection. The temperature in Ayres Rock was 43c a bit like opening the oven door I could not have ridden in my Badlands or if I did for short periods with huge amounts of water/electrolytes.

[Wilburbrooks]

We are not all like that. I wore klim latitude jacket with Draggin Jeans when  I  traveled to Ayers Rock. It was 45c. I now live in Queensland and I wear revit mesh jacket with the Draggin jeans. We Australians are not all crazy aussie safety boot (thongs) wearing riders.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[guest2360]

The world over you see idiots riding bikes in trainer, t shirts and shorts.  There are less and less of them by the day though.  Not wanting to upset our southern hemisphere members but have we discovered why its so sparsely populated down there. There is always a trade off between comfort and safety.  As you get older I find the latter is winning. 

[stelyn]

The world over you see idiots riding bikes in trainer, t shirts and shorts.  There are less and less of them by the day though. 

Reminds me of an RTA I once attended, a similarly dressed idiot  came off his new trials  bike showing off to his mates whilst doing a `wheelie' on a newly gritted road at over 40mph.... :not speak:  no cuts,  not much blood,  but one whole  side of his body resembled being  put through a `cheese grater'  and  then dunked in a mixture of grit and tar..  :-X

[step2534]

Stelyn,, I once went to one similar, one  bike involved ,rider already been carried to hospital.  Scene sorted plus recovery of bike sorted,it had minor damage  just slid up road. Witnesses stated he was conscious when transported.
Went to hospital, to be informed he was in intensive car and might not survive, lost all flesh (not skin,flesh)  on left thigh ,shoulder and upper arm was now in induced coma and not expected to live. 

Big panic now status changed from injury RTC to possible fatal RTC.  Turns out rider is 50 yrs old, been riding for 20yrs just off to shop for some fags,  vest , shorts, plimsolls travelled about  one and half miles.  35/40 mph dog runs from behind parked car, swerves to offside too much front brake tries to correct swings bike to left and down he goes, slides maybe 20 yds.

Fortunately he survived but is now disabled muscle and flesh doesn't grow back ruined his life.      I used to stop bikers dressed like that but it was like talking to the tarmac it was like  (what do you know)

  Its same as the A.E consultant said to me ,"the human body can only take so much trauma so we have to protect it the best we can"

[stelyn]

Hi Step2354,  that one sounds a lot worst, and I really wouldn't wish it on anyone,  at least at the scene,  mine could still winge, whine and swear ,  especially when I  `reported'  him for various RT offences -  at least and no one else was involved or injured......`life's a bitch'  sometimes.... :whistle:     
( no driving Doc's and then NO BIKE )

[Spencert231]

We are not all like that. I wore klim latitude jacket with Draggin Jeans when  I  traveled to Ayers Rock. It was 45c. I now live in Queensland and I wear revit mesh jacket with the Draggin jeans. We Australians are not all crazy aussie safety boot (thongs) wearing riders.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

That's really good to know had a chat with a couple of riders in Port Douglas, Queensland nice guy on a Kwaka Vulcan 1700 with short sleeve shirt and denims. Now there's a place I could live lucky buggers.


I am a safetyman in construction, rail and nuclear (industrial) and even though I have pictures of injuries and videos of people giving testimonies of how they could have prevented the injuries by following simple guidelines. The audience (some not all) [size=78%]still drift of into a world where it cannot happen to them. [/size]
[size=78%]
[/size]
[size=78%]
[/size]