As one that's bounced down the track here's my observations on the topic thus far (I guess all of mine have to do with the rider & not the bike!)
I agree with Jason on the back protector however we take it one step further. Our additional back protectors also have a chest protector. I chose a vest type add on protector because I liked the way it stayed snug on my core & the chest protector was just a bonus. After going down it was proven to me that it was a great benefit. The leathers wore through on the chest and the protector was there to offer extra protection rather then my skin. (We’re talking about four inches or so down from the shoulder top not actual booby area so guys don't think it was just booby protrusion that caused the chest impact area - those of you that know me know that will never be the cause!) It also offers some protection for potential puncture and that I like as well. If something on the bike was somehow positioned to impact my chest there’s an extra layer there to help out.
Here’s my old one that I was wearing when I went down. As far as I can tell it’s a level one impact rating.
This is my new one, which I chose because it’s a level two impact rating. I upgraded because they felt I may have had a bruised lung from the impact. A level two is supposed to dissipate and lessen the impact more so that was an easy choice. I also like that it’s women specific, which makes it more comfortable. (It has booby cups rather then a flat chest plate. I also don't look like a flat chested boy with the suit on so that's a plus!!!) I got the jacket with armor in the arms but once I got the suit on I couldn’t move so I cut off the sleeves & continue to use the armor that came in my suit. They offer both the jacket and just a vest for men.
Knee cups! I ground through 2 layers of leather and at least an 1/8 inch of the plastic knee cup. There was only one more layer of leather so if I didn’t have the knee cups that would have been my knee cap that ground down!!! A lot of people remove them because of the bulk but it’s not a great idea. Knees stick out, protect them!!
About the parachute, that whole idea scares me. I’ve watched the turbulence of the chutes on cars at Maxton and I’m just not sure I want that on my body. My worst injury came from the initial impact with the ground. I was still pretty well attached to the bike at the time so any kind of ripcord pulled during separation wouldn’t have deployed on time. The only thing I’ve seen that could possibly help with the shoulder injuries on initial impact is those air bag vests that are made for MC riders. Again something attached to my body, and when deployed I’m bouncing & rolling. And what is my neck doing during all of this? And where is the bike. What happens if/when the bike & the cords tangle? Am I now tied on to the bike & it’s flipping around on top of me instead of me being away from it? (All rhetorical questions of course – no need to actually try to answer me here!)
All of that is extra bulk & weight and in the heat of Bonneville, I’m looking for less not more! I don’t want the fatigue of wearing all of this to cause me to wreck!!!
There’s just no way I’m using a parachute on my body or an airbag on my body until someone does extensive documented testing of several scenarios of MC wrecks and proves to me that either/both will in fact slow me up, keep me away from the bike and lessen injury without causing additional other injury. It would seem that someone with some funds could rig up some crash dummies on a bike & let them loose on the salt via remote control & see what happens. Maybe we can get Myth Busters involved, that would be right up their ally!
Fireproof unders is a good idea imo and something I’ll be looking into in the future as funds allow. I have a bunch of questions before I buy so I’ll need to be in touch with a manufacturer before I do it. Of course I’ll share my thoughts once I get that done! If anyone else has any data on the fire proof unders I’d love to hear it.
Deb
