ATGATT- less, more or same

[jbim]

Hello

A question about protective gear.

Do you find you wear less, more or same protective gear when riding your Spyder than you would riding a two-wheel motorcycle because you feel you are less likely to drop the bike?

Thanks

JBIM

[2RTsGV]

I find that I am wearing less of the heavy duty gear ie: leather or knee / elbow pads etc and what I do wear is mainly for protection from the sun &/or elements. In my mind, if you fall off one of these machines, then something pretty bad has happened and all the ATGATT isn't gonna do much protecting.

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

the only difference for me is i don't have to dress as warmly underneath

[JayBros]

​I cannot justify in my own mind not wearing it.

[blacklightning]

I tend to wear less gear when on my spyder. I will wear regular shoes and a 3/4 helmet on the spyder, while on the M109, I always wear a full or modular helmet and 3/4 height shoes or boots. As for the rest, it remains the same. Always a jacket with armor (mesh in summer) and long pants.
My reason for the "more gear on the M109" is because I tend to ride a little more aggressive when on the 2 wheeler and doesn't have as many safety items.

[olsarge]

There are old motorcycle riders
There are bold motorcycle riders
There are no old, bold motorcycle riders

[PistonBlown]

When I got my learners licence at 17 I went every Sunday to a motorbike trainimg course the local cops we re running. Some of the trainees were pretty lax with gear.

One week they showed us a slide show of photos from the local emergency department from people who hadn't been wearing the right gear. Lets say it was an education, everyone was fully fitted out the next Sunday.

I've had a few offs over the years including a couple of nasty ones - but I've never had gravel rash and I'm still riding. So will continue to wear the level of gear that has saved me in the past.

[Highwayman2013]

Same

[MNBK]

I'm not worried about falling off, but I am protecting myself from the knuckleheads that aren't paying attention to their driving and could possibly hit and hurt me.

For me it's ATGATT.

[Lew L]

ATGATT---- Admittedly ----- I don't wear the chaps on the but all the rest of the gear all the time. I'm to old for road rash.

Lew L

[Arion]

ATGATT---- Admittedly ----- I don't wear the chaps on the but all the rest of the gear all the time. I'm to old for road rash.

Lew L

Sure do agree with the too old for road rash sentiment. Still wear almost all the same items I wear when riding two wheels (shorter boots while riding the Spyder). Old habits are hard to break at an advanced age apparently.

[HayRog]

There are old motorcycle riders
There are bold motorcycle riders
There are no old, bold motorcycle riders

And, true that ^^^^^^

[UtahPete]

I find that I am wearing less of the heavy duty gear ie: leather or knee / elbow pads etc and what I do wear is mainly for protection from the sun &/or elements. In my mind, if you fall off one of these machines, then something pretty bad has happened and all the ATGATT isn't gonna do much protecting.

[ARtraveler]

I use most of the gear, most of the time. No pads, because they never fit my gear in the right places for my body. I have a whole box of assorted pads from various gear--that I cannot use.

I usually dress for the weather--that takes care of the proper layers--which equal some protection.

When hot, I go to fingerless gloves, mesh jacket, and Kevlar jeans. A calculated risk.

The big problem, you never know when "bad" is going to happen. I try to be ready for it most of the time. You are not going to fall off the , but a smack from behind or running up on someone's rear end can result in an ejection. Those are never good.

[CA-SPYDR]

ATGATT for long-range trips.

For short trips I still wear my riding boots, jacket, gloves, and helmet but -

The helmet is now 3/4
Wearing regular jeans without chaps
Sometimes just a regular can-am leather jacket without reinforcements.

[UtahPete]

Hello, A question about protective gear. Do you find you wear less, more or same protective gear when riding your Spyder than you would riding a two-wheel motorcycle because you feel you are less likely to drop the bike? Thanks JBIM

WHERE you ride makes a big difference. You don't have a location in your profile.

[asp125]

Look up "debridement" (WARNING, not for the squeamish)- That alone makes me gear up. I've gone down at speed on the track, but while my race leathers were toast I limped away with a broken ankle and collarbone, but nothing worse than a mild rug burn on my skin. Now, some of you will obviously say you're never going to hit racing speeds so why bother? The corner speed at the end of the 130mph straight was about 60mph. How many of you reach 60mph on a daily basis?

[UtahPete]

Look up "debridement" (WARNING, not for the squeamish)- That alone makes me gear up. I've gone down at speed on the track, but while my race leathers were toast I limped away with a broken ankle and collarbone, but nothing worse than a mild rug burn on my skin. Now, some of you will obviously say you're never going to hit racing speeds so why bother? The corner speed at the end of the 130mph straight was about 60mph. How many of you reach 60mph on a daily basis?

Really? You've gone down on a Spyder at the track? How does that happen?

[asp125]

Really? You've gone down on a Spyder at the track? How does that happen?

I'm a klutz! No, it was on my track bike. But the point is, the pavement doesn't care what kind of bike you're on; 60mph contact with asphalt is like sitting on a belt sander (not that I've tried that, either).

[UtahPete]

I'm a klutz! No, it was on my track bike. But the point is, the pavement doesn't care what kind of bike you're on; 60mph contact with asphalt is like sitting on a belt sander (not that I've tried that, either).

[Desert Spyder]

Good question. I am curious how many of you do not wear a helmet when you wear the other gear?

[TicketBait]

Hello

A question about protective gear.

Do you find you wear less, more or same protective gear when riding your Spyder than you would riding a two-wheel motorcycle because you feel you are less likely to drop the bike?

Thanks

JBIM

If your reason for wearing protective gear is for dropping the bike, on 3 wheels you will not drop. I have only gotten the spyder on 2 wheels only once. Knowing what that took to do, probably won't happen again accept in accident avoidance under extreme severe circumstance you would probably flip doing a 90 degree turn at speed. , however........

my experience on a 2 wheeler, I was a passenger and when we got broadsided I flew about 20 feet and landed on my back with my backside fancy pants ripped up, embarrassing getting into the ambulance, my right dress boot was ripped apart at the back seam and came off. Was wearing no helmet, and luckily not injured there. Only my right shin was scraped up. This happened on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood CA in 1971. Needless to say I did not get to play football my senior year

So when my Dad picked me up at the hospital my parents talked me out of getting my own Honda 350 chopped that I had my eye on. Instead I got a 68 Dodge van and joined a van club

So now I am reliving my youth on 3 wheels.

However I ride ;
100% with a helmet and attached chin guard
100% with gloves
100% with protective shoes boots
85% with armor in jackets. (BRP makes the best) for summer and winter!
100% with jeans,
on long cold trips leather chaps over jeans

I was broadsided in 2011 in a parking lot going 12 mph, still flew 20-25 feet.
Luckily missed the metal shopping cart return railing by a few feet.
The Helmet saved me from brain injury,
I had all my gear on, and landed on my back, when the back of my head hit the pavement the helmet made a sound of "cuusssshhh".
I will never forget that sound or being able to open my eyes and say, I am Alive!

I consider each ride each time with how much I am willing to risk. Locally on a warm day I ride with less jacket protection, yet defensive riding concentration will be at 110%

[UtahPete]

If your reason for wearing protective gear is for dropping the bike, on 3 wheels you will not drop. I have only gotten the spyder on 2 wheels only once. Knowing what that took to do, probably won't happen again accept in accident avoidance under extreme severe circumstance you would probably flip doing a 90 degree turn at speed.

However I ride ;
100% with a helmet and attached chin guard
100% with gloves
100% with protective shoes boots
85% with armor in jackets. (BRP makes the best) for summer and winter!
100% with jeans,
on long cold trips leather chaps over jeans

I was broadsided in 2011 in a parking lot going 12 mph, still flew 20-25 feet.

I consider each ride each time with how much I am willing to risk. Locally on a warm day I ride with less jacket protection, yet defensive riding concentration will be at 110%

Not sure if you're saying this was on a Spyder or what....

[trikerbiker645]

I dress for whatever weather I'm riding in, shorts, tank top, crocks, sweats, jeans, mesh jacket, shoes, boots. Whatever.
I do however wear my helmet most the time, probably more so because I listen to my music thru my bluetooth phone to headset. I also like the less wind noise as well, and don't have to crank volume up like using factory radio. I'm of the notion like a few others, that if I get knocked off this baby, I'm probably in a more world of hurt than what any ATGATT will help. When I rode two wheels, yes because that's easier to lay down and that's different. But when I went to trikes in '08, not so much. Each person has to decide what's good for them.

[White Lightening]

I find that I am wearing less of the heavy duty gear ie: leather or knee / elbow pads etc and what I do wear is mainly for protection from the sun &/or elements. In my mind, if you fall off one of these machines, then something pretty bad has happened and all the ATGATT isn't gonna do much protecting.

I work at one of our mountain National Parks. We have several MC accidents each year, some involve other vehicles but most are single bikes. Usually one or two fatalities each year. I have worked a number of these accidents but only one Spyder accident. In that Spyder wreck i was first on the scene. 35 mph road coming into a hairpin curve. Spyder was likely going too fast to make the curve, left the road at the peak of the curve and hit a boulder. Probably going 15-20 when he hit the boulder. Passenger was ejected from the spyder slid across the roadway and stopped about 10 meters from the Spyder. She was wearing full textile top and bottom, touring boots and full face helmet. She was unconscious with no other apparent external injuries. Skid marks on helmet and clothing. The driver impacted the handle bars/windshield area with his chest and face. Ended up with one leg trapped under the spyder with his head on the roadway. Spyder was upright and in one piece. The driver was also in full gear. He was conscious and lucid. He had a fractured leg, possible broken ribs and we found out after he was transported to hospital fractured vertebrae in his neck. Both survived. Point is in this relatively low speed accident not being hit by another vehicle there were severe consequences that would likely have been devastating if not for ATGATT.