A Poll on the Effectiveness of ATGATT

[Aluminum_Butt]

After reading another post looking for examples of not wearing ATGATT, I decided I'd like to put together some data on wearing it. I don't think the board's poll engine will support what I'm looking to do, but if you will provide the data, I'll try to do some sensible statistical analysis and post the results.

 

For those of you who've had a crash (which I'd like to define as a speed of >5 mph for either your bike or the other vehicle), I'm looking to collect three points of data: severity of crash, extent of injuries, amount of ATGATT. For each point, I'd like to use a scale of 1-5 using the following descriptions:

 

Severity of Crash:

5 - Impact resulting in bike being totalled

3 - Impact resulting in significant bike damage, and/or a high-speed "low side"

1 - Low-speed "low side", and/or minimal impact

 

Severity of Injury:

5 - Life threatening, possible permanent disability

3 - Time in hospital, weeks to heal completely

1 - Bruised, otherwise walked away

 

Level of Protective Gear:

5 - T-shirt and flip flops

3 - DOT Helmet, MC jacket

1 - High level of quality gear - DOT Helmet, armored jacket and pants, boots, gloves, etc.

 

Feel free to use "2" and "4" if you think your situation fits between the descriptions.

 

So, again, for each crash you've had, please provide three points:

 

Severity of Crash

Severity of Injury

Level of Protective Gear

 

Clearly this won't be the new Hurt report, but I'm hoping for something persuasive.

[russell_bynum]

Crash #1: (Street - probable hit and run)

Crash Severity: 3

Injury Severity: 3

Level of ATGATT (I hope you realize that's a nonsensical question.): 1

 

Crash #2: track. High-speed lowside

Crash Severity: 3

Injury Severity: 0

Level of ATGATT: 1(+) (racing leathers, racing boots, racing gloves, full-face)

 

One potential flaw in your survey is it doesn't take into account the vast differences in the quality of "full gear". A Joe Rocket mesh jacket/pants with sport touring boots and a flip-front helmet are ranked the same as more substantial street-oriented gear like the BMW stuff, Roadcrafter, etc....not to mention the really good stuff: racing leathers/boots/gloves.

[Aluminum_Butt]

[ATGATT] I hope you realize that's a nonsensical question

 

I do in the sense that the actual words behind the acronym don't fit. It just seems to me that the term ATGATT around here often seems to refer to the gear itself. Perhaps "Level of Protective Gear" is less confusing. I edited the post accordingly.

[jgrant]

Severity of crash: 1. Low side on gravel.

Severity of injury: 2. Pretty good road rash (I still have some scars 20 years later). Took months for my wounds to heal.

Level of protective gear: 2. Helmet, jeans, t-shirt.

 

That accident is why I won't ride without my gear anymore.

[Tony_K]

3 crashes total same bike in order

 

I lowside

1 - Low-speed "low side", and/or minimal impact

1 - Bruised, otherwise walked away

1 - True ATGATT - DOT Helmet, leather jacket , boots, gloves,

Light damage to bike mostly

 

2 Car turns out from street parking forcing a near t bone.

I choose to lay the bike down resulting in another lowside bike came to a stop under a on coming car (lightly)

 

2 - higher Low-speed around 30ish "low side", and/or minimal impact

2 - Bruised a bit worse than before, otherwise walked away

1 - True ATGATT - DOT Helmet, leather jacket , boots, gloves,

 

3 Lowside in the crest at speed 60ish in a s turn.

I was well versed in this road riding it 2 3 times a week on weekdays only.

What I did was look down for a split second at a squrrel crossing my path.

I hate to admit it but I touched the break... bye bye.

Bike and I parted ways it stopped hitting the mountain I slide down the road.

 

3 - Impact resulting in significant bike damage, and/or a high-speed "low

side"

2 - Bruised and scraped with a bit of a limp, otherwise walked away

1 - True ATGATT - DOT Helmet, leather jacket , boots, gloves,

 

Pants are my weak point. I need a good pair of riders

Jackets and gloves were always my strong points. I got abrasion on my left fore arm when the zipper failed due to me sliding on shoulder with my arm pinned to my chest until I kicked it out. Helmets are always full face!

Heads like to hit the ground as the grind marks on that lid show. I have both the jackets that I slid in still and both are very thick drum died units. I prefer leather because I personally know it's benefits. Boots everytime

[leikam]

Persuasive to whom?

 

The Crash: ~20-30mph lowside

Severity of Crash: 2 (the bike couldn't be ridden away, but wasn't what I'd call "significant")

Severity of Injury: 0

Level of Protective Gear: 3

[Amac]

Severity of Crash - 5

Severity of Injury - 1

Level of Protective Gear - 1

[Paul Mihalka]

Two major crashes:

1. Severity on bike: 5, Injury: 1, Atgatt: 1, 197x style.

Head-on with car. Car crossed over into our lane to turn left at next intersection. Bike got encrusted into nose of Rambler and broke its radiator. We (then girlfriend, now wife) must have flown over. We both had serious damage on full-face helmets, probably life or brain threatening without them. Both helmets flexed in so much that the paint on the fiberglass popped off - not scraped off. Rest of gear leather jackets/pants/boots/gloves. General not immobilizing bruises, minor headache for the lady. Small scuff through one pant knee. It definitely was good gear and LOTS of luck.

2. T-boned a deer. Severity bike 5, injury 3, ATGATT 2. Bike bent out of shape. Injuries broken arm/wrist fixed with permanent titanium plate, separated shoulder. I put ATGATT level 2 because I had a open face helmet with shield. Rest BMW jacket, leather pants/boots/gloves. Helmet had serious scratches. I had a sore spot on my lip which I did not understand until I saw the helmet. Looking at the faceshield, I was sliding face-down and the plastic shield melted and burned my lip.

A few others without incapacitating bike or rider. Three racing get-offs, each time picked up the bike and finished the race - speeds were slower then. Couple of slide-outs on oil, diesel fuel, other snot. Always close to ATGATT.

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Crash #1: Rear-ended another vehicle (long story) with passenger

Crash: 2, broken headlight, lenses, some plastic damage. Bike was ridden home 200 miles after liberal application of duct tape.

Injuries: 3, non-emergency trip to the ER after we got home, nothing broken or punctured, 12 months to 95% recovery with twice weekly massage, chiropractor and accupuncture visits for both of us.

Gear: 1 for me (Roadcrafter, Arai, BMW boots, leather gloves with gauntlets), 2 for my wife (Arai, Helly Hanson jacket, jeans and good boots).

 

Crash #2: Low-side in the mountains, off into the pine needles

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

Gear: 1, same as above

[RichEdwards]

Severity of crash: I guess a 2. Thirty-five mph low side. KLR needed some repair by the local school teacher in Muleje, Baja Mexico, who was the local cycle mechanic as well.

 

Severity of injury: 1- Bruised shoulder and sore knuckle.

 

Level of protective gear: 1- High quality everything (almost). The Darien jacket had the shoulder armor EXACTLY where I hit the road. The helmet was gouged, the shield scratched, my head perfectly o.k. The gloves I was wearing were thin summer perforated leather covered by AeroStich Triple Digit Rain Covers (yes, it was raining.) The road surface ate through those and I had some soreness and road-rash on one knuckle.

Without the right protective gear, I would have been severely injured and stuck in a small town about 600 miles south of San Diego.

 

One other important point. I was with a group that was headed to bottom of Baja. If I was injured, I would have screwed up their trip because they would have had to tend to me. This is another example of wearing ATGATT to protect yourself and make life easier for those around you.

[Bob Palin]

#1 Puch 50 - fell off back doing wheelie while showing off (a junior Gleno, I was only 16 though )

Severity 1 Injury 1 Gear 2

 

#2 CB175 - ran off into ditch

2 2 (broken wrist) 2

 

#3 CB175 - car pulled out in front - t-boned, broke her axle

3 2 (shock, bruises) 3

 

#4 CB400F - locked rear - long slide on wet road at 70ish

1 1 4

 

#5 CB400F - head on with car in my lane (drunk driver)

4 3 (3 broken bones in foot) 3

 

#6 CB750F - rear ended, pushed into car in front

1 2 (chipped teeth) 2

 

#7 CBR600 - ran wide in turn

2 2 (some blood, hurt like *&*%) 3

 

#8 CBR600 - low sided - oil in road and heavy rain

1 1 3

 

#9 GL1200A - ran wide in turn

1 1 3

 

#10 GL1200A - tankslapper and down bank

1 1 3

 

#11 ST1100 - low sided - some sort of snot in road

1 1 5

 

#12 KLR650 - missed turn in dark, bike went down bank into river

1 1 3

 

#13 KLR650 - ran wide in bend

1 1 4

 

#14 I hope not

 

There are probably a couple of others I can't remember from my teenage years but nothing significant and of course

this doesn't include a couple of dozen dirt spills (at least).

 

Before you lot go slamming me for my appalling record let me say in my defense that numbers 1-12 are all more than 15 years ago and even number 13 is well over 100,000 miles ago.

 

Do you want to know about my soccer injuries - many more of them and some broken bones too.

[jgrant]

#1 Puch 50 - fell off back doing wheelie while showing off (a junior Gleno, I was only 16 though )

Severity 1 Injury 1 Gear 2

 

You did a wheelie with a Puch 50? Wow!

[Bob Palin]

You did a wheelie with a Puch 50? Wow!

It was a 3 speed with a dual seat, if you sat on the back seat and pulled the bars up it was possible due to c of g not power I had done it several times but this time was showing off to a girl on my street who I rather fancied, naturally I over did the pull up part and went right over backwards. She thought it was pretty funny, I think she had never forgiven me for running over her head with my bicycle when we were younger. Those were the days...

[Bobmws]

5 1 1

I give thanks to Arai every day!

[Bob Palin]

5 1 1

I give thanks to Arai every day!

How can you have a 1 for gear if you were wearing an Arai? Has to be at least a 2 surely otherwise I can't see the value in the poll at all.

[Mike O]

Severity of Crash - 1

Severity of Injury - 1

Level of Protective Gear - 1

 

Mike O

 

P.S. Maybe you could turn this into a real 'poll' so we could all see the results?

[Paul Mihalka]

How can you have a 1 for gear if you were wearing an Arai? Has to be at least a 2 surely otherwise I can't see the value in the poll at all.

Bob, what would be a number 1 for you? A Davida?

[Bob Palin]

Bob, what would be a number 1 for you? A Davida?

As far as helmets go I guess a 1 would be no helmet at all. I had to look and see what a Davida was

 

 

That's better than what I wore when I started, my mother got my first helmet from a friend of hers for me.

[Timmer]

Geez Bob, no wonder they call you "Killer." If I counted correctly - you "killed" 9 bikes. You da man!

 

My crash #1

Me, 19 year old male, checking out a good looking female, riding too close to the car in front of me, had to make sudden evasive maneuver to avoid rear ending said car. Slammed on front brake, turned and dumped the bike.

 

Severity 2 - bent handlebars, dented tank, broken fork lock.

Injury 1 - sprained wrist, bruises and slight forearm road rash

Protective gear – 3 Helmet and leather MC jacket blue jeans and boots.

 

Crash #2

Little old farmer lady turns left in front of me as I'm going 60 down a country road. 20 feet of skidmarks, we collide and I fly over car across road and land in soft freshly plowed and irrigated field next to the road.

 

Severity – 1

Injury – 1*

Protective gear - 4 full face helmet and leather MC jacket, blue jeans, and boots.

 

*NOTE: The lack of injury is more due to my brilliant skills in picking a great landing area. I can highly recommend soft, freshly plowed, and irrigated fields as a most excellent crash landing site.

[brennaman]

severity of crash -5

severity of injury-1

level of gear-2

[Bob Palin]

Geez Bob, no wonder they call you "Killer." If I counted correctly - you "killed" 9 bikes. You da man!

Almost all of my crashes were severity 1, only a 3 and 4 damaged the bikes badly, no totals at all.

[Bob Palin]

Oops, I just realized I have the gear scores the wrong way round - here's my adjusted raw data again

 

Severity 1 Injury 1 Gear 4

2 2 4

3 2 3

1 1 2

4 3 3

1 2 4

2 2 3

1 1 3

1 1 3

1 1 3

1 1 1

1 1 3

1 1 2

 

my mistake on the comment about the Arai, apologies

[bobiverson]

Too fast into left hand turn at 60MPH-ish, went into a 15' deep ditch.

 

Severity of Crash: 5

Severity of Injury: 1

Level of Protective Gear: 1

 

ATGATT, baby.

[Ken H.]

5, 2, 1

[Woodie]

Ummm...uuuhhh...

 

#1: 5, 2, 2 (chrome is expensive!!!,,the deer got away w/ bruises only too)

#2: 1, 1, 3

#3: 5, 3, 3

[SageRider]

#1: 3,1,4 (1978)

Broadsided on a Honda CB400F. Bike bounced off of front of car into curb, crash bar hit pavement and bounced bike back upright. Wound up back in control and able to stop.

Bike had 2 bent rims, bent shocks, bent frame. Tank dented where leg was pressed into it.

Wearing jeans, T-shirt, western boots, leather gloves and Snell helmet.

Injuries: Bone bruise to leg from contact with car bumper. Crashbar / shocks saved leg.

 

#2: 2,1,4 (1983)

Road snot downed me on a Suzuki GS1100GKZ.

Bike lowsided and slid on crashbars with me on top. Damage: Cracked fairing and tail trunk and cosmetic.

Wearing jeans, T-shirt, western boots, leather gloves and Snell helmet.

Injuries: Minor road rash to one forearm. (Chinbar of helmet hit road)

 

#3: 2,0,3 (1985)

Knocked off Yamaha Vision while lane splitting on the 91 freeway in So.Cal.

Bike handlebar went up trunk of car. When it came down with steering cocked, highsided me.

Bike damage: holed oil filter cover and cosmetic.

Wearing slacks, motorcycle jacket, western boots, leather gloves and Snell helmet.

Injuries: None. Shoulder rolled then came up standing between the lanes with all traffic stopped. Slacks torn, but no road rash. (Chinbar of helmet hit road)

 

#4: 2,1,3 (myself) & 2,1,3 (passenger) (2000)

R1100-RT with new tires (Z4s), cold and overinflated, Freeway cloverleaf onramp. Lost it exiting cloverleaf. Lowside then partial highside when tires dug in while sliding, throwing both wife and myself from bike. Both landed on helmet faceshields and jacket shoulders then slid to a stop.

Bike damage: Right saddle bag abrasions, right mirror and cosmetic.

Both wearing jeans, motorcycle jacket, western boots, leather gloves and Snell helmet.

Injuries: Minor road rash on knees (both) and wrist (myself: elastic band on leather gloves)

 

Note: #4 made a believer of me. I currently ride with gear level 1

[ghaverkamp]

#1

2: low-speed (20-25 MPH) high side, bike saved by landing in bush (photos here)

1: But for the gate opener in my chest pocket causing lightly bruised ribs...

2: Jacket, helmet, gloves, boots. Just jeans.

 

#2

1: low-speed lowside (photos here)

1: No injuries

2: Jacket, helmet, gloves, boots. Just jeans.

[Timmer]

Almost all of my crashes were severity 1, only a 3 and 4 damaged the bikes badly, no totals at all.

 

Oops! Got things turned around. Severity on my #2 crash should have been a 5.

[dsl]

You are attempting to correlate ATGATT with injury. While there is certainly a relationship, I would argue that gear is only one factor, among many, that will determine extent of injuries in a crash. The thing with ATGATT is that is primarily designed to protect against an unobstructed fall and slide situation (ie, not hitting an immoveable object). And what really racks people up is hitting the immoveable object... sudden stop syndrome. (Helmet being the exception... it will protect with hitting the immoveable object).

 

Other factors equally important to ATGATT in determining extent of injury (IMHO):

1) Understanding physics: a) Kinetic energy is proportional to the square of speed. This means if you double your speed, you quadruple: the distance it takes to come to a complete stop, the distance your body will slide if you come off, and the impact force should you hit an immoveable object. b) Objects in motion will continue in motion - ie, you will slide in straight line if you come off the bike. Do not attempt to push your limits on corners which have cliffs, guardrails, stone walls, trees, and especially opposing traffic (itself doubling speed and quadrupling impact force) on the outside of the corners.

Bottom line... leave yourself increasingly wider margins of error as speed increases and run-off room shrinks. If you really respect these basic laws of physics, chances are that you have never fallen when it’s most likely to rack you up.

 

2) Knowing how to fall: If you are/were a football player, skier, gymnast, mountain biker, etc, the chances are you’ve fallen a lot, and as a result, you have developed a healthy, natural instinct on how to break a fall without injury. You can’t learn this from a book, at the moment of true, only instinct will prevail, and you can only develop this instinct from lots of practice.

If you don’t have this instinct.... don’t take the chances.

 

3) Fitness: Are you thin, fit and flexible? Do you lift weights, run, and eat well? If so, chances are your bones are strong and joints, muscles, tendons are flexible - much more apt to withstand the forces of impact. If you’re overweight, that excess carries a significant momentum penalty on what is, more than likely, supported by a fixedish bone density - you can do the math.

Once again, if you overweight and sedentary..... don’t take the chances.

 

I live and ride by these factors. Admittedly, I do ride on the edge (eg, with some track guys) and take chances. I’ve also been down 7 times in 30 years: 2 large animal strikes, 2 their-fault vehicle strikes, 3 my own fault (2 of which as newbie teenager). A few were without a helmet, a few wearing </= business shirt and slacks. Yup, got quite a bit of road rash but, knock-on-wood, never broke a bone, barely scratched my helmets(or bumped my head), and worst injury (aside from some rash), was a 2-month limp. IMHO, the factors above served me better than ATGATT... YMMV.

[Green RT]

#1 Ran wide in turn at low speed

1 - 0 - 3

 

#2 Low side on freeway ramp in rain

1 - 0 - 3

 

#3 Low side at 35-40 mph on cold tires and misjudged traction

4 - 0 - 3

 

Not even a bruise in any of the three. The last one was $6000 to fix all the broken pieces. I wear full gear on long rides, but these were all local where I am generally in helmet, jacket, boots and gloves.

[WeirdHarold]

 

 

Crash #1 (Lost control in a curve due to lack of experience)

3

3

1

 

Crash #2 (Front wheel slipped on Diesel at a gas station at 1 mph)

1

1

1

 

Crash #3 (Dropped bike while taking it off center stand at a gas station. Foot slipped.)

1

1

1

 

Crash #4 (low side on rain slick street. 20 mph)

1

1

1

 

Crash #5 (deer strike)

2

1

1

 

 

 

Don

[russell_bynum]

The thing with ATGATT is that is primarily designed to protect against an unobstructed fall and slide situation (ie, not hitting an immoveable object). And what really racks people up is hitting the immoveable object... sudden stop syndrome. (Helmet being the exception... it will protect with hitting the immoveable object).

 

That's not entirely correct. The armor in good gear (or I guess I should say "good ATGATT" since everyone else seems to be misusing the term too) will help reduce the affects of impacting an immovable object.

 

I have a right elbow today because the Elbow armor in my Roadcrafter absorbed the impact.

 

You're definitely right, though...what you run into after you fall makes a big difference. My 2nd crash was a ~90mph lowside with a VERY long slide afterwards. But because it was a lowside and I didn't tumble, and because it was at the track where there's generally not guardrails, trees, oncoming traffic, buildings, etc to slide into, I basically just slid along on my back until I came to a stop naturally. I didn't have so much as a scratch.

[rocks]

Bob, What's your insurance premium?

[Bobmws]

5 1 1

I give thanks to Arai every day!

How can you have a 1 for gear if you were wearing an Arai? Has to be at least a 2 surely otherwise I can't see the value in the poll at all.

 

So what do you have against Arai helmets?

My first impact was on the top of my head, I did suffer a hairline fracture of a cervical vertebrae, fortunately no ill effects from that.

Look here for pics of the totaled bike and the helmet:

http://home.earthlink.net/~rweis699/

[Bob Palin]

So what do you have against Arai helmets?

It was a mistake on my part which I corrected in a followup - I had the scale backwards and thought a 1 was no gear, I have been wearing Arais for many years now.

 

People are putting 0 for injuries - does that mean your health actually improved as a result of the incident since 1 is no injuries?

 

My insurance premium: actually it has never been raised, the big damage done to the CB400 and the CB175 (both in England) were paid for by the other, at fault, party, no other claims. Also most occurred 15-33 years ago so they are long gone. I did actually have one more claim when I swapped bikes with a friend and he totalled it (GL1200A), I didn't include his crash but I guess I could, it was 5-4-1 (totalled, bad injuries with significant time off work, all the gear). He left the side stand down (he rode one of those twangy BMWs with the spring) and was catapulted high side off in a corner into a deep ditch at speed, hit a culvert, GoldWing fell on him, very nasty. Led Zep was playing on the tape player...

[DaveRT]

Severity of crash------------5

Severity of injury-----------1 O.K. cracked ribs

Level of protective gear-----2

40 MPH high side get off. (sand) M.C. jacket torn and scratched up, one boot torn off, gloves scratched up, not a mark on my helmet, never hit my head. 1983 Honda 1100F totaled, I had 68,000 miles riding experience up to then. I remember the tree trunks and green leaves as I was flying thru the woods with out my bike. I was lucky, not good. I have over 134,000 miles now. ATGATT

[rocks]

Led Zep was playing on the tape player

 

 

"Stairway to Heaven"

[Aluminum_Butt]

First, thanks to all who have responded. I have about 50 data points so far. I hate that so many of those were from the experiences of one rider (Killer).

 

A couple of notes:

 

1. There has been some confusion over the rating system. "5" is "bad" - bad injury, bad crash, NO protective gear. "1" is "good" - no/little injury, little damage, FULL protective gear.

 

2. Someone posted scores of a friends's crash. That's great, and I'd like to encourage more of it to get more data points. As long as you are sure of the details, please go for it.

[dmenace]

Crash:5

Injury:5

Gear:5

 

I quit riding for a couple of decades after that. I have a whole new outlook these days: ATGATT+less aggressive riding style = longevity (hopefully).

[gamecock]

Severity of crash: 5-Low side on gravel at 60mph. If I had insurance, bike would have been totalled. I rebuilt it!

 

Severity of injury: 2-No scratches or bruises but broke my wrist and collarbone due to tumbling/flailing.

 

Level of protective gear: 1-Full cycleport kevlar mesh pants and jacket/BMW aeroflow gloves/BMW boots/Shoei X-11 helmet

[Carl_T]

Nephew's accident, 45mph in the ditch.

Bike 3

Injuries 5

Gear 3

 

He is a very large heavy guy flying high through the air. This contributed to the injuries which included ribs through lungs and elbow where wrist should be.

 

These kinds of additional factors can outweigh gear from time to time the way hitting something with the riders body can.

 

Oddly enough, he had on jeans and his legs were unhurt. Luck does play a sometimes role. ATGATT can add luck to your side, either a little or a lot depending…

[philbytx]

Crash 1 - Me

Severity - 3

Injury - 1

Gear - 1

 

Crash 2 - Deb

Severity - 5

Injury - 1

Gear - 1

[RickP]

single bike crash

2

<1

1

[Green RT]

People are putting 0 for injuries - does that mean your health actually improved as a result of the incident since 1 is no injuries?

I think I was the first to use 0 for injuries. I did it because the description for "1" says "bruised, otherwise walked away". I was fortunate enough to have no bruises, so "0" seemed appropriate.

[RussL]

My only crash, about 3 months after I first started riding...

 

3 - ran wide in a curve, low sided on a grassy shoulder; about $4k damage to the bike

1 - either broke or separate a few ribs; was very sore for about 6 weeks

1 - full gear from head to toe; Arai helmet was toast after impact with the road

 

If I didn't have a helmet on, I'd probably be dead or a vegetable.

[russell_bynum]

People are putting 0 for injuries - does that mean your health actually improved as a result of the incident since 1 is no injuries?

I think I was the first to use 0 for injuries. I did it because the description for "1" says "bruised, otherwise walked away". I was fortunate enough to have no bruises, so "0" seemed appropriate.

 

Same here. When I went down at the track, I recieved no injuries. (unless you count injuries to my pride...which by now has been pretty well obliterated. )

[cranezilla]

1 accicent in 400,000+ miles of riding.

70 year old man made sudden left turn in front of me, my speed 40mph hit his bumper with my left knee high curb with the right side of the bike.

Level of bike damage, 4 1/2, ripped right side off the bike including breaking the engine crankshaft.

Level of injury, 1 bruised left knee.

Level of protective gear, 4.

Experience riding and evasive action made the difference.

I could see the expression on his face change and knew that he didn't see me and and that he suddenly realized he needed to turn left into the grocery store parking lot.

[YamadogR1]

Severity of Crash-5

Severity of Injury-1

Level of Gear-1

This happened back in 85 in Colorado Springs, CO on US 24 going up the backside of Pikes Peak to Woodland Park, CO. Went into a corner going about 60-65 when the front tire washed out on my 85 K100RS and I was instantly down and hit on left shoulder and started sliding on my back. Slid for awhile and tryed to get up(mistake, can't crawl 35mph)so I tucked my shoulder and went back to sliding and this was when the helmet went onto the ground. Finally quit sliding, got up and ran to the bike. Did about $150 damage to leathers(German Harro leathers),toasted the Shoei RF100helmet, destroyed the Italian gloves and scuffed up the Ray boots and no injuries to me(other than pride). Bike was totalled, bent the frame, plastic totally wiped out. Rode it home and wife said that it was time to stick a fork in it as it looked like it was done. What happen was that I was a cheapskate bastard and had toasted the Pirellis the weekend before at the track in Pueblo and did not go get new tires. Tires were heat cycled to death. Local dealer put the helmet on display and sold many a Shoei. Gear is your buddy, wear it. The only reason I am here is because of it.

[rdfrantz]

Severity of Crash:

2

 

Severity of Injury:

2

 

Level of Protective Gear:

3

[leikam]

People are putting 0 for injuries - does that mean your health actually improved as a result of the incident since 1 is no injuries?

 

On the contrary, 1 is: "Bruised, otherwise walked away." A bruise counts as an injury in my book and zero is no injury whatsoever. (We'll ignore the dubious health benefits of walking for miles after a crash that disables the bike but not the rider... )