What Good Gear Looks Like After A Track Crash

[Clint Love]

Well. I do fast group now and doing my ACU so I can race so to answer your questions with one sweeping reply, I push but read on..

I've had two spills in 12-18months of track riding. I went from novice on a road bike, to open pit session, fast groups etc on a race bike. I'd say I do one or two sessions per month, more than average , I'd say it's about riding better and smoother.

I'd argue that the track isn't far safer than roads. I'd be dead if that was on a road but saying that I wouldn't be doing 100+ on the roads but even at 40mph most falls tend to be nasty due to benches, cars etc.... Tracks allow you to cock up and get away with it, learn from it. It's rare now but I've ran onto the grass a good couple of times and learnt way more than I would on the roads etc.. Tracks isn't about full pelt And knee down. They're about throttle control, thinking three corners ahead while avoiding others etc...you can't learnt that quick on the road, well be allowed to cock up, unlike a track


Watch an race or bsb etc and pros fly off all the time but they still get up and they're shit hot riders. I'm not putting myself in that league lol, just making a point. You push, you learn, you sometimes cock up

Here's a relevant question: Having just been through a tough spill, is there anything you would add to your kit to better protect you in the future, or that you wish you had on during that particular spill that would have saved you some hospital time?

 

[dandoolittle]

Here's a relevant question: Having just been through a tough spill, is there anything you would add to your kit to better protect you in the future, or that you wish you had on during that particular spill that would have saved you some hospital time?

Yep - A chest protector!

I've never worn one or owned one. I've never seen a track day or race mate use one either. I was told by a doc that my collar bone would have most likely popped, maybe, but my ribs would (most likely) have stayed fine and not gone into my lung aka way way less time in hospital, maybe not even a visit at all, maybe...

I for sure will be wearing a complete chest and back protector for sure, without a doubt going forwards!! (I've always worn a back protector and also the one that came with the leathers)

It makes sense if you think about it. When you go down, you tend to go forwards in most cases, sometimes the bike is the 'weapon' - Even if you land on the floor, you're going head first where your lid will bounce but your shoulders/chest keeps going.

I'm lucky, the UK isn't so hot that it's silly stuffy and tech of most of them, you'd struggle to notice it on

 

[BikerCam]

Wow they held up well! So worth spending the extra money for some decent gear, like what's already been said I'd send the pictures to RST and show them how well there gear stood up, you may get a goody bag from them!

 

[Grimfaith]

So some of you may know that I crashed while on a track called Cadwell Park on the 18th August. I was in hospital for about 12days. I did it properly I guess but apart from a broken collar bone, ribs, bit in my arm split , blew a bit of my brain up (sounds more dramatic than it sounds but cool as fook) I think I got away lightly

I don't remember the crash at all but the NHS/Docs notes said that I binned it 100mph and simply hit the deck.
The bike is barely touched!

Here are my leathers and my lid after the crash

Shows how good gear is these days...When you wear it!

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Gezz insanity...good thing I wear all my gear just riding the street =P

 

[dandoolittle]

Gezz insanity...good thing I wear all my gear just riding the street =P

Well worth it

I'm alive because of that gear and air ambulance

 

[Grimfaith]

Well worth it

I'm alive because of that gear and air ambulance

Well glad you made it out ok, especially going 100mph gezz...keep safe!

 

[RealRider]

I'd love to see what textiles would look like in this sort of slide.

 

[dandoolittle]

Well glad you made it out ok, especially going 100mph gezz...keep safe!

Well that's what the hospital said I hit the floor at...

 

[SwissMotard]

I'd love to see what textiles would look like in this sort of slide.

Obliterated, but they should still keep you in one piece if they're great quality.

 

[dandoolittle]

keep you in one piece

This is what a couple of paramedic friends have said! Good gear may not stop things breaking on a body but the key for any gear is to be like a body bag, they just stitch the broken bits up

 

[SwissMotard]

This is what a couple of paramedic friends have said! Good gear may not stop things breaking on a body but the key for any gear is to be like a body bag, they just stitch the broken bits up

That's where I heard it from too, most likely a different friend though

They also said that on tracks you can crash far faster and survive, as it's the street debris (lamp posts, verges, other vehicles etc) that do the real damage, not the slide/roll.

 

[Lurch]

Internal injuries on road crashes are often from your body coming to a complete stop at instant deceleration, less likely on a track, although some high side bucking bronco moves look like they might have hurt.

 

[dandoolittle]

Speed doesn't kill people, stopping does

 

[biker1968]

Hi Dan, glad your okay, I note your gear is RST which is what I have. Thanks for the photo's as they demonstrate the gear was upto it... I was starting to doubt mine a bit, simply because my other RST textile gear turned out to be crap.

Do you have or do you know if you can, insure your gear, I mean that's gonna cost you a bit to replace all that and was wondering if insurance companies had policies around this stuff.

when I am out riding my bike, top to toe with camera I have calculated it about 2 grands worth of stuff, obviously my bike is covered but nothing else.

 

[dandoolittle]

Don't you have gear cover with your bikes insurance?

For the track I have something called a laid up policy but I'm allowed to remove the bike from my garage (laid up is supposed to me storaged bikes). I can't insurance the k7 1000 like normal as it doesn't have a v5 (race bike)

I have my gear added on that

 

[biker1968]

Don't you have gear cover with your bikes insurance?

For the track I have something called a laid up policy but I'm allowed to remove the bike from my garage (laid up is supposed to me storaged bikes). I can't insurance the k7 1000 like normal as it doesn't have a v5 (race bike)

I have my gear added on that

Cheers mate, my insurance is coming up for renewal and I will specifically ask for the gear cover, have never been offered it so just kind of assumed it was not available.
Should have known really, you can pretty much insure anything if your willing to pay the premium.

 

[dandoolittle]

Well road gear cover is kind of a con when you claim and it's not your fault as you can claim that anyway from the third party, same as bus fares because you need to use one etc

It's when it's your fault, that's the sting

 

[CBRHoonigan]

Ive got rst stuff always thought it was a bit budget but ive had a spill in my rst stuff and it just took the colour off the leather which aint too bad, although the knee sliders feel abit softer than other kinds

 

[Lurch]

I think the extras cover on insurance depends who and where you get it from. Bennetts used to do a £50 extra which was UK/EU recovery, helmet and leathers, keys and legal. The bundle was worth it as the individual bits would be at least £20-£40 each.

However, they will argue like hell if you claim for them. Told one guy that the damage was only cosmetic and it's tough luck basically. Argued over helmets too, and of you've gone down, you're just not going to chance it that your helmet was OK.