Safety Gear

[eprovenzano]

I finally got a chance to gop riding this past weekend...  As usual the KX performed flawlessly.  I was planing on a short 2-3 hour ride near my home, so I packed only the necessary tools, (spark plug, wrench, screwdriver, and of course cell phone).  I always wear my protective gear, boots, long sleeve shirt, helmet, eye protection, and gloves.

I'm out enjoying a beautiful day, when I come across a bunch of guys ands their kids on quads.  Now I have nothing against quads, I just prefer 2 wheels over 4.  My question/concern is what makes quad riders think they do not need to wear any safety equipment...  Here is a group of quad riders, the kids under 15 did not wear helmets, nor did they have boots, gloves, or eye protection, while the adults, only one had a helmet on, although no eye protection, no gloves, and no boots.  We were in the woods, tight trails, with many hanging tree limbs.  I know I've knocked myself silly after not getting low enough as I pass under a tree limb, I don't want to know what its like without a helmet (I''ve been told  I'm hard headed, but...).  We end up at the hill climbs, and I watch in amazement as the adults attempted the toughest hills, one after the other.  It was if they were trying to race each other up the hill.  That's when I just sat there, thinking I'm glad I have my cell phone, so I can call for an ambulance when they flip their quad onto themselves, and bank their head against a tree.

I just don't get it, when "most" people throw a leg over a bike, they at least wear a helmet, but when "most" people hop on a quad, they only safety equipment they wear is a ball cap, (usually worn backwards).  I would never go riding without proper safety equipment, and without taking the proper tools.  I guess I'm old school, I've gotten hurt too many times, and have been stranded too many times, not to take the proper precautions.

Just my $.02 worth.

[Paul]

It's the false sense of security that four wheels gives. I personaly think they are more danger than any bike because of that.

[Danger4u2]

  In Oklahoma we have freedom of choice!  If you don't want to wear a helmet you should not have to!!  I wear a helmet when I ride dirt on the K5 or my 400EX quad.  I don't wear a helmet on my VTX 1800 if I'm in town.  I only wear one on the street if it's cold to keep my head warm, it's real sunny to keep the sun off my face or if I go on a long ride so my ears won't be ringing at the end of the ride.
  One of the groups I ride with, most of the time they don't wear helmets.  6 of them ride 3 wheelers only 2 of them wear helmets.  They have helmets and wear them some of the time.  I would say they wear a helmet only 10 % of the time.  I quit asking "aren't you going to wear a helmet"?  They'll say "It's just a fun ride were not racing".  Before the ride is over the men ARE racing, doing jumps and hill climbs.
  Do I think everyone should wear a helmet?  Only if you choose to.  I don't want to hear about how the tax payer foots the bill when "those people that get hurt not wearing a helmet and don't have insurance".  The money wasted in one week in Iraq or New Orleans will pay for all of them.
  I'm sick and tired of the news.  Every time someone gets hurt on a street bike you all the time hear "he wasn't wearing a helmet".  But when they get hurt or KILLED wearing a helmet you never hear "He was wearing a helmet and it didn't help him".

[5dracing]

In PA we have the choice to wear or not. I will say I wear one about 90% of the time. Short hops that stay under 30mph seem to be the times I don't wear one. I guess it goes bake to when I did some street racing on bicycles when I was a kid (we did'nt wear helmets and got up to speeds above 40mph). Now in the dirt I'm about the same. I've been known to ride across a hayfield on the 4 wheeler to check things without a helmet. With all that said I will now tell you I am a Firefighter/EMT. I've seen a bunch of accidents with and without helmets. Some lived because they had helmets and in my opinion a few may have died because of the helmet (whiplash type injuries so bad it broke their neck). I could go on and on.

I agree with the above statement of people feeling safer on 4 wheels. A few years back my son, feeling real cocky and having 5 yrs riding experience, decided to show off at his buddies house on my daughters quad. A trip to the ER and a soft cast on his ankle cured that feeling of cockyness. Lost out on the District 6 points race that year also. The short narrow wheelbase and a quick turn did him in. He had a helmet and riding gear on except for the boots.

Another friend of mine was out for a slow trail ride when his fire company pager went off for a trail rescue at a state park here in PA. He went from slow trail ride to gotta get there fast. Lost control and hit a tree with his head. He woke up about an hour after the incident with a bunch of EMT's swarmed around him. He had a severe concussion and broken bones around the eye. he's recovering and getting full site back in the eye. All this and the gotta get there fast only to have the rescue call cancelled.

I've recently been on a crash scene in which a Yamaha R1 broadsided a passing car. I said to the rescue truck driver "I wonder where the body is" after seeing the carnage all over the road. The guy driving said he's down there sitting in the middle of the road talking to the EMT's. I was totally amazed at the fact he was alive. He had full gear on for road racing. He only had minor injuries. The funnier side of this was he told the officer he was doing the posted 40mph speed limit. There was over 130' of skid marks and he pushed the car off it's course which was evident by the skid marks from the car that went sideways.

Sorry to ramble on so long, but I've seen so much on this topic in my 25yrs as a FF/EMT.

[Danger4u2]

  The helmet manufacturing lobby is behind the helmet laws.  It's not a safety issue, if it was they would ban motorcycles.  Like speed limit laws.  They say they write tickets for the safety aspect.  WRONG!  It's a money issue, if it was for safety they would park the cop car in the middle of the hiway so people would slow down.  They would not hide behind a sign or building.  If it was safety they would write tickets for people driving slow in the fast lane.

[eprovenzano]

I didn't mean to start a helmet no helmet issue...  I just think its odd/strange, that when "most" people throw a leg over a bike, they usually put on at least a helmet, while those who ride quads, its rare that I see someone wearing a helmet.

I do agree its the individual's decision, no it should not be regulated.  I just thought it seemed odd.

[Danger4u2]

  On the street you dress for the ride.  You dress for rain, day to night temperature changes you get the idea...You want to look cool also.
On dirt you dress for the crash not the ride.  I'm big on safety gear, the first thing I bought for the quad was nerf bars.  All quads should come with nerf bars as a stock part.  On the K5 unless I'm going over to the neighbors I always "motocross out".  Helmet, goggles, gloves, long sleeve shirt, padded riding pants, motocross boots, and most important a good nights sleep. BTW if your pants have pads in the knees and a zipper in the back they are not motocross pants.

[Paul]

BTW if your pants have pads in the knees and a zipper in the back they are not motocross pants.

Those are CR pants...

[alan]

I wear it all including a neck roll which is the latest addition! I really would like to ride my street bike without a helmet, but that would really be stupid! My riding buddies give me a hard time about how long it takes me to suit up to ride, but I am 60 and still riding and I have worn safety gear 99% of the time since I was 14.

[gowen]

I guess that 1% was in your pictures of you shirtless and no helmet? lol!

[alan]

I guess that 1% was in your pictures of you shirtless and no helmet? lol!

Yep! you got that Gabe! 

[gowen]

  Awesome pictures!

[Timbowe]

I never ride without the skid lid! Spose cause its been drumed into me for my whole riding history. 25 years. I just dread to think of the consequences of a lid free waste out. And I've had some beauties!(allways lidded up). Couple of rippers on the road at 90+ mph.

[Danger4u2]

This relates to safety but not gear.  I have a track behind the house and shop where I live on the weekdays.  I got the bike warmed up and headed to the track.  I was hauling a#$  in the field, when I rounded the corner into a straight away I noticed a tree limb about 100 yards ahead laying across the track.  We had a strong storm 3 nights before.  I did a slow prerun of the track through the woods and found many more big limbs down on the track.  From then on I do a slow prerun to check the track.  This morning I broke my own rule.  I wanted to change oil so I warmed the bike up on the dirt road.  The dog was going nuts so I thought I would give her a run.  I popped the garage door and put on my helmet.  We did a run through the field real fast a couple of times.  Now back to the shop to change oil before work.  The dog took the short cut though the woods at top speed and I took out after her.  It was kind of muddy because of a storm the night before last so I had slowed before I went over the blind hill.  I ate tree limb for breakfast.  I didn't get hurt and did not hurt the bike just my pride.  I was a muddy mess.  I wrestled the bike from the brush and it started 2nd kick.  I went to the house and changed clothes so the guys at work wouldn't know I wormed out.  I felt stupid after breaking one of my own rules.
Danger

[alan]

I guess I feel like If anyone doesn't want to wear safety gear I think we should let them if the are over 18! If you are old enough to sign up your are old enough to die any way you want!