[Russkie]

I've seen European companies producing full motorcycle armour mainly designed for motorcycle racers. They have a back spine protector, chest foam, shoulder cups, practically every extention of your body is covered. You look like a cyborg with it on.

Here's a brand:

Like most of our other armors A3J also surpasses EU quality standards for back protectors. It has multiple layers providing ultimate protection from high energy impacts. The back plates of A3J can absorb up to 90 % of the energy from a 50 KN impact which exceeds the requirements of the EN 1621-2 test for motorcycle back protectors. EN 1621-2 is EU quality standard for back protectors.

If 50KN = 50,000 Newtons and each Newton is .22481 of a pound then this Level 3 Armour can absorb 10,116.45 pounds of force.

In a worst case scenario: you're hit by a car on the highway, can you literally walk away from the accident with this Armour and Helmet?

[the Dealy Lama]

That looks like something that would be worn by a fetishist of some sort.

[Smilin' Dave]

The first problem I can see is the same as you would have with most armour. The armour itself is pretty tough... but all that force has to go somewhere... its going to go into your body. So you are likely to end up with various internal injuries anyway. Maybe this will be less than the injuries sustained without armour but it means that wearing it doesn't give you a free pass.

The next problem is practicality. I'm assuming you would ride this motor cycle to go somewhere. You can't really wear all that crud most places. I frankly laughed at the pictures of it. Bikers might well laugh at it too. Unlike a helmet or a heavy jacket, you can't just slip this stuff off either.

Just my 2 cents.

[Boondock Saint]

I'm assuming you would ride this motor cycle to go somewhere. You can't really wear all that crud most places.

I would think it was for a specific high speed racing circuit myself.

The armor is fantastic for preventing blunt trauma to the rider, of course twisting trauma is something completly different and twisting trauma is a major issue in a high speed motorcycle accident.

So you might not have the bruising or broken bones that you might have had without the armor but your intestines won't be protected, your ligaments and tendons won't be protected and your brain will still bounce around inside your skull.

Basically it's not perfect but I bet someone would fair better wearing it then not wearing it.

[Russkie]

I frankly laughed at the pictures of it. Bikers might well laugh at it too.

When your brains and flesh are smeared across the road, who's going to be laughting?
Me with the helmet and armour!

[Smilin' Dave]

When your brains and flesh are smeared across the road, who's going to be laughting?
Me with the helmet and armour!

You still won't be laughing because you probably broke all your ribs anyway, not to mention internal organ damage. Particularly to that brain of yours. Consider the fact that most brain damage from car accidents isn't actually caused by hitting your head, but the jerking and twisting on impact.

[motojackal]

Most modern motorcyle suits incorporate some armour, typically at the elbows knees and back. The suit I wear has some armour.
I can't comment on it's effectiveness because that would require me to crash and I try hard not to do that.
It is not uncomfortable to wear, I have just riden back from Scotland, an 430 mile trip, that took 8 hrs, the suit remained comfortable throughout.
I think it is as important to be warm and waterproof, if you are cold and wet, you don't make such good decisions.

[Unperson-S]

I always thought you were from america, motojackal.

When I was doing my CBT (I never had any other lessons, as I only had a 50cc moped) the instructors advised us (well, the people that had 125's, that were going to go on to ride proper bikes) to get clothes with armour already in them.

[unbalanced zealot]

I didn't notice this thread.

This is one thing I know something about. Not specifically but
I've slammed into a car doing a sharp left hand turn suddenly
from the right hand lane. Straight into the side at 85 Kph on
a 2 stroke 250.

I would 1 billion percent encourage people to wear as much stuff
as they can. When I hit the car I had a full face helmet and a really
solid leather jacket I got in the UK thick enough for UK conditions.

My helmet was grazed in across the chin by about 1 a cm. I walked
away after a night in hospital with minor bone fractures, but if I
was in a t-shirt I would have been fucked up badly.

Even on long rides in Australia Adelaide/Sydney is 2000 KM +
I'll weat full stuff unless it's really hot. Even in Asia I'll at
least wear a full face helmet.

motojackal - how is it riding in the UK ... that black ice shit
on the roads must be hard to deal with.

[Unperson-S]

Ill answer that for him, black ice only happens in the winter.

Winter isnt year long.

[Biker Dude]

If you have ever been in brush up with a cager or a fixed object, you would never doubt the usefulness of armour, full face helmet, leather, boots, etc. I know all this, but sometimes I choose to not avail myself of it all.

Around here, we have riding weather all year long, if you have warm gear. Black ice is not much of a problem, wht is a problem is the sand they put down. THAT will wake your happy ass up in a corner with a nice lean angle going on to come across a patch of loose sand...

[motojackal]

motojackal - how is it riding in the UK ... that black ice shit
on the roads must be hard to deal with.

I live in the S.E. between London and Dover, we don't get very bad winters. Snow is rare, maybe a couple of days a year. Black ice can be a problem, but it is only usually below freezing for a few weeks. I don't ride if I think there will be ice, don't mind fresh snow though.
The biggest problem with the UK is traffic, the recent trip to Scotland, 430 miles took 8 hours, including stops. It is difficult to average much more than 50 mph, because of traffic.
I used to make better times 20 years ago on slower bikes.

I always thought you were from america, motojackal

I was born in England of Irish parents. Brought up in Bermondsey (2 mile from Millwall's ground, hence my affiliation to them), moved to Chatham 13 years ago, because I could not afford London anymore. I support England in all sporting competitions except against the Republic.

I never had to do the CBT, I have been riding since 1959.

[naked_turk]

You look like a cyborg with it on.

Yeah, either that... or just gay.

[Biker Dude]

Uh, it is designed to be worn UNDER your leathers fellas. Not IN PLACE of them.

[Howie]

For your normal rider this level of protection would become annoying to put on, unless it was all incorporated into a suit.

However it's definately going in the right direction. Motorbike driver are basically screwed when we are in a crash and a few times when I thought I was going to be in a crash what I'm thinking is I hope I don't die painfully, and I hope I dont have to go to ICU.

The idea of just a broken bone doesn't even cross my mind.

[Grun tu Molani]

I live in Scotland where black ice is rather more prevalent, but even at that its not as common as people make out. Also, thanks to global warming, the weather is so fucked that I've been able to ride almost every single day through the winter. I'd say a slightly bigger problem in Scotland (certainly where I live) is wind - one well timed gust once nearly threw me into the bonnet on an oncoming Mercedes SLK

[Klontius Pilatus]

I have been a serious motorcycle driver for the past 15 years. I have had two major accidents. One with, and one without armour. Needless to say what happened. My Jacket has kevlar fixed inside the elbows, the back, neck, shoulders and hips.At a 190Km/h crash i walked away. The second time was without my jacket. I crashed at under a 100km/h and lay in hospital for 2 months. I think i'll wear the alien looking armour. I don't like broken arms and legs.

[GodSpeed]

Stuff is legit. Use common sense though- it's not going to save you from going 125mph into a truck. It will help save your bones from breaking.