Motorcycle body armour upgrades - Page 2

yellowfever · 16-09-2019, 12:17 AM

Thanks for the further kind comments, agree on ATGATT (heard this phrase too on US sites) Having my armour integrated into my riding kit makes it less likely I leave home without it. Of course protective gear is a trade off, and if you go overboard (for your own tastes) and your kit is too uncomfortable for you there is a good chance you might not bother to wear it... personally, despite the odd transgression in the past, these days the thought of sliding down the road in useless kit whilst cursing myself for leaving my expensive protective gear sat at home is enough to keep me on the straight and narrow...

I do have a real bugbear for guys with good kit taking pillions with crap/no kit. If unavoidable as not enough decent kit to go around, they wear mine and I wear the **** stuff... would rather have a skin graft than the guilt if they needed one because I crashed the bike... also keeps me extra sensible which is an added (though not foolproof) bonus. See it a lot though and it often seems to be guys showing off with a girl on the back. I'm old school enough to freely admit enjoying the combination of barely dressed hot girls and motorbikes, but only in pics/parked up... so if taking a pillion please ensure they've got reasonable gear on too. Sure they're making a free choice to get on the back, but they're trusting you, so deserve that trust! Sorry for the safety police mini-rant, a bugbear like I said...

Yellowfever

Mark64 · 16-09-2019, 12:35 PM

+1 to ATGATT, you can't choose when you have an accident, it gives me the creeps when I see people riding in shorts & t shirts!!

Pedro · 16-09-2019, 08:24 PM

I’ve only ridden in shorts and a t shirt a few times when at WDW a few years ago, too hot to be fully suited and booted tbh... quite liberating but felt quite vulnerable.

Another question or two for Yellowfever... gloves and boots? Any data supporting glove and boot choice? Again I use a “premium” brand, Alpinestars GP Pro’s, as they are well made and appear to offer excellent protection and Sidi Vertigo boots.

Uncle Bob · 17-09-2019, 10:23 AM

I take a very simple view on this, and that is basically some armour is better than no armour, assuming it's fit for purpose i.e. motorcycle gloves not ski gloves!

The other factor for me is to make sure that whatever the protection is, it's easy to use and live with. For me that means 'built in' as it doesn't require any additional effort to use. I've used all sorts of kit from different manufacturers, including Forcefield, however I don't use my Forcefield back protector since I bought the Dainese Pro Armour insert for my jacket. It's not super light, but it's extremely well vented.

I think the majority of the biking community frown upon riding with little or no protection, and to be totally honest if it's 30 degress outside I'm probably going to take the car rather than suffer! One recent exception to this was the British MotoGP where it was 32 degrees, and yes we wore all our usual protective gear, and yes it was extremely unpleasant in and around the traffic, but riding without protective gear is just not an option for us.

Wasta · 17-09-2019, 07:09 PM

Like a lot on here I have a Forcefield back protector for under leathers and a few jackets. I also have a Dainese protector that I use on a Dainese jacket.
I also have an A* chest protector but stupidly have never used it! Lately I tend to ride in jeans ( Held bike specific) and a jacket. Always bike boots (A* SMX Plus).
Having said that when abroard I have ridden in shorts and a tee shirt on 35° plus heat.

An interesting piece, thanks for posting it.

16-09-2019, 08:24 PM	#18
Pedro Ciao, come stai? Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Somewhere Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 4,158	I’ve only ridden in shorts and a t shirt a few times when at WDW a few years ago, too hot to be fully suited and booted tbh... quite liberating but felt quite vulnerable. Another question or two for Yellowfever... gloves and boots? Any data supporting glove and boot choice? Again I use a “premium” brand, Alpinestars GP Pro’s, as they are well made and appear to offer excellent protection and Sidi Vertigo boots. __________________ Monster 1200R! KTM 990 SuperDuke

17-09-2019, 07:09 PM	#20
Wasta Registered User Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Durham Bike: M900 Posts: 390	Like a lot on here I have a Forcefield back protector for under leathers and a few jackets. I also have a Dainese protector that I use on a Dainese jacket. I also have an A* chest protector but stupidly have never used it! Lately I tend to ride in jeans ( Held bike specific) and a jacket. Always bike boots (A* SMX Plus). Having said that when abroard I have ridden in shorts and a tee shirt on 35° plus heat. An interesting piece, thanks for posting it. __________________ 2018 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100RR 1998 M900 monster

16-09-2019, 12:17 AM	#16
yellowfever Bronze Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: London Bike: S2r 1000 Posts: 245	Thanks for the further kind comments, agree on ATGATT (heard this phrase too on US sites) Having my armour integrated into my riding kit makes it less likely I leave home without it. Of course protective gear is a trade off, and if you go overboard (for your own tastes) and your kit is too uncomfortable for you there is a good chance you might not bother to wear it... personally, despite the odd transgression in the past, these days the thought of sliding down the road in useless kit whilst cursing myself for leaving my expensive protective gear sat at home is enough to keep me on the straight and narrow... I do have a real bugbear for guys with good kit taking pillions with crap/no kit. If unavoidable as not enough decent kit to go around, they wear mine and I wear the **** stuff... would rather have a skin graft than the guilt if they needed one because I crashed the bike... also keeps me extra sensible which is an added (though not foolproof) bonus. See it a lot though and it often seems to be guys showing off with a girl on the back. I'm old school enough to freely admit enjoying the combination of barely dressed hot girls and motorbikes, but only in pics/parked up... so if taking a pillion please ensure they've got reasonable gear on too. Sure they're making a free choice to get on the back, but they're trusting you, so deserve that trust! Sorry for the safety police mini-rant, a bugbear like I said... Yellowfever

16-09-2019, 12:35 PM	#17
Mark64 Bronze Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Hondon de los Frailes Bike: S4r Posts: 293	+1 to ATGATT, you can't choose when you have an accident, it gives me the creeps when I see people riding in shorts & t shirts!!

17-09-2019, 10:23 AM	#19
Uncle Bob Registered User Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Milton Keynes Bike: M1100evo Posts: 233	I take a very simple view on this, and that is basically some armour is better than no armour, assuming it's fit for purpose i.e. motorcycle gloves not ski gloves! The other factor for me is to make sure that whatever the protection is, it's easy to use and live with. For me that means 'built in' as it doesn't require any additional effort to use. I've used all sorts of kit from different manufacturers, including Forcefield, however I don't use my Forcefield back protector since I bought the Dainese Pro Armour insert for my jacket. It's not super light, but it's extremely well vented. I think the majority of the biking community frown upon riding with little or no protection, and to be totally honest if it's 30 degress outside I'm probably going to take the car rather than suffer! One recent exception to this was the British MotoGP where it was 32 degrees, and yes we wore all our usual protective gear, and yes it was extremely unpleasant in and around the traffic, but riding without protective gear is just not an option for us.