A Heavy Pile of Steel
Reminders that trigger thoughts of risk assessment regarding my scooter or motorcycle are never far away. A neighbor stopped by today and shared a few stories of riding friends and relatives that had unfortunate encounters with deer and ATVs. It’s not uncommon to hear such things when someone discovers that I ride.
Risk assessment, training, practice, and appropriate riding gear have always been important to me since I started riding 16 years ago. Any illusion that I knew “how to ride” based on the time I spent on motorcycles as a teenager was quickly dispelled at my first Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course class. While I could get on a motorcycle and make it go, I was woefully oblivious to how to be a rider in traffic with other human beings. And decades of successful piloting of cars and trucks did little to inform me of the unique demands faced by being on two wheels.
Moving from a scooter to a motorcycle requires adjustment. A lot of people think the challenge is shifting and a clutch, but I’ve found the biggest challenge to be the difference in weight. My Vespa GTS 250 is around 335 pounds full of fuel, fluids, and gear. My BMW K75C with side cases and windscreen comes in at around 550 pounds. That’s considerably heavier not to mention the weight is higher up giving the motorcycle a distinct feel of being top-heavy. Switching back and forth between machines requires adjustment in my riding behavior and technique.
For several years I test rode motorcycles for Kissell Motorsports and was constantly moving from one machine to another. At each change, I did some basic practice with the new motorcycle to acclimate to its unique characteristics — clutch and throttle, emergency braking, slow speed maneuvers, etc. Those things gave me a good feel for the bike and what I could expect from myself and the machine.
So you would think that I had covered all the bases when it came to the scooter and motorcycle I own. But some recent reading about motorcycle injuries had me realizing I had left something out of my protective gear as it related to the motorcycle. I was set up for the Vespa and it’s comparatively light weight.
The weak link in my gear?
Boots.
TCX X-Blend WP Boots
I read a study that suggested the most commonly injured body parts for motorcycle riders are the head, hands, and feet (ankles included). And that often these injuries take place during a drop at slow speeds or stopped and not something involving a dramatic crash. A heavy motorcycle crashing down on an unprotected foot can do some damage.
I thought about this information for a while and checked off all three in my head. I wear a helmet, gloves, and boots. Along with an armored jacket and pants. I’ve got it all covered. Let’s move on.
But then I saw an article that talked about motorcycle boots and the difference between the work boots I was using and a true motorcycle boot.
Damn. More education.
For the light scooter with its weight slung low a crushing force from a drop wasn’t a particular concern. But the BMW on the other hand was. It’s heavy and with the weight higher when it wants to go over it gets heavy fast and would come down hard. I’ve never dropped it but I did catch it once and it took all my strength to keep it from crashing down on me. And my tender feet.
So I bought a pair of boots from Revzilla. The TCX X-Blend waterproof boots. Made in Italy. CE rating, reinforced toe, heel, and ankle protection. And man are they comfortable. I particularly like the shift reinforcement. My arthritic toes don’t even feel the pressure now when I shift unlike the painful interaction while wearing my old Wolverine boots.
I’ve closed the protective gear gap and added some style in the process.
I know not every rider agrees with the need for protective gear or even what those terms mean. While I follow the “Dress for the crash, not for the ride.” approach that others can find unnecessarily dark, restrictive, and uncomfortable.
At the end of the day, we each make our own choices in regard to risk assessment and safety.
Getting Older. Getting Smarter.
More and more the subjects that seem to surface for me are related to getting older, especially as a rider. Sad to say, but I have to pay more attention now to the limitations that my age may introduce. Not that anything new has come along but I know time will eventually affect strength, balance, vision, and a host of other qualities important to a rider.
I’m getting smarter in that I accept that possibility, don’t engage in unproductive delusion, and am willing to pay attention to the changing of the seasons. It’s a new element of risk assessment.
I enjoy riding the motorcycle more now than I did when I got it two years ago. I appreciate the difference between the scooter and the motorcycle and celebrate both for their unique contributions to a ride. Part of my preparation for those adventures beyond maintenance, technique, riding strategy, and protective gear, is being honest enough to admit my limitations. Whatever they are and wherever they might take me.
So far, the journey continues to be satisfying!
An interesting parallel (or two) here: my “basic training” for riding my Vespa on the open road and street came partially from my off-road riding experience decades ago, but mostly from some 40+ years as a cyclist in NYC, which involved more than a few close encounters of the automotive kind. I developed my peripheral vision, among other survival skills, fairly quickly. Learning what not to do in mixed traffic was also an important lesson.
This past experience extended to riding gear: as a cyclist, I was among the very first to adopt wearing a helmet (the Bell Biker was about the only game in town back in the late 1970s), and also among the first to use a helmet-or-eyeglass-frame-mounted rearview mirror. Riding gloves were nice to have in case of a crash where you were likely to land on your outstretched palms; saved me from making hamburger out of mine on several occasions. This is why, shortly after getting hold of Melody, I went the full Monty with gear, head-to-toe, especially since I hit the highway with Mel one hell of a lot. 70mph is still 70mph, regardless of what’s being ridden.
And, yep, the older you get, the smarter you need to be out there, if for no other reason than the fact that if you do get hurt, the healing process is a bit bumpier and longer in duration than it might’ve been, say, twenty years back.
Glad to hear you’re getting on seriously well with that blue Beemer!
As I think of my old off-road riding from the late 60s and early 70s I can only remember dirt, mud, water, and crashing. And no gear at all except for a helmet. But by the time I started riding road bicycles in the late 70s a helmet, gloves, and rearview mirror were standard equipment. And of course, the spandex riding shorts that protected nothing. I’m grateful I only ever took one spill at a very low speed. But like you, I suppose I did develop some peripheral vision.
But for me, most of my meaningful skills were developed when I bought the Vespa LX150 back in 2005. I’m not sure now the motivation, but I definitely was moving toward all the gear, all the time pretty rapidly. My first fall in the snow led to armored pants.
It is funny isn’t it how people seem to think a scooter is safer and therefore the need for protective gear is nil. But like you say, fall down on the road at almost any speed and the injury maker doesn’t care if you were on a Harley or a Vespa.
I’m older, smarter, and happier! Thanks in part to riding.
Hope all is well with you.
Great piece for all us riders …That slogan dress for the crash not the ride is really sound advice.I mostly ride solo,so this summer had my 13 yr.old grandson on back wow extra extra careful ,so each time we came back he would say Great ride Pops we didn’t crash…Thanks again for the post man those riding boots look like the ultimate foot gear,will check on a size 11.5 for my 66 yr.old feet👍
I used to imagine taking my granddaughter for a little ride on the back of the scooter but I think her parents would never allow such madness. I’ll just have to wait until she’s grown up and on her own maybe. If I’m still breathing!
Regarding the TCX boots — depending on the shoe I usually wear an 11.5 or 12. They didn’t make something akin to an 11.5 so I went with the 12. Talking to someone at Revzilla they suggested sizing down to the 11. I’m glad I didn’t. I went with the bigger size because in the winter I wear some pretty thick socks. And with a lace up boot I can tighen it so it’s never loose. It’s the first time I’ve purchased a mail-order shoe that I didn’t have to return for a different size. Success!
I’ve been riding for 50 years. My personal choice has always been ATGATT (all the gear all the time). In those 50 years I’ve wrecked on motorcycles 5 times. The very first one when I was 17 was the one that almost killed me, and the only one of the 5 that happened when I was not wearing protective gear other than a Bell Super Magnum helmet which is what saved my life then. Since then I’ve always worn the gear from head to toe, no matter how long or short the ride would be.
So besides an excellent helmet, gloves and boots, my gear evolved into an Aerostich one-piece suit. It really does go on or off in about 10 seconds as they say, so it makes the formerly tedious task of donning all the gear super fast, easy, and convenient. And now I have no excuse not to wear ATGATT, which I do.
I see lots of riders riding in t-shirts, shorts, with no helmet, and even wearing flip flops. That’s their choice and everyone is free to do as they choose. But for me, when I’m cruising along at highway speeds, I sometime look down at the asphalt wizzing by under my feet, and I realize how unpleasant and painful it would be to hit that asphalt at those speeds. So for me I wear all the gear and that’s my personal choice and it makes my motorcycling more enjoyable.
By the way I enjoy reading crash and accident studies when I can find them. Do you care to post a link to the study you referenced in this article? Thank you.
There it is again — the Aerostich suit. My friend Dan will probably read your comment and jump on me yet again to get one. I’ve considered it a number of times and choke at decision time when I see the total charge in the cart! But it would be so nice to be able to gear up quickly. It’s not that it takes a long time now but it clearly takes 5 to 10 minutes to get ready.
I’ll take another look at the Aerostich. Thanks for nothing. *grin*
I still cringe when I see riders with bare skin showing. I could not enjoy the ride without all the gear.
Regarding the things I read, and I’m sure I’m forgetting something, I’ll share two things that influenced me that I can remember.
The first is a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that showed injuries to the lower and upper extremities the most common.
And the other was a video from Ryan at Fort Nine.
Thanks for the links. FWIW I couldn’t handle the price of an Aerostich 1-piece suit new, so I bought it on Craigslist for about $400. I had to wait a while until one popped up in my size and in the color I wanted, but finally one did appear that fit both of my requirements and I jumped on it. These suits generally never wear out and Aerostich will gladly refurbish, upgrade, modify, or tailor them on demand anyway. But before I bought my suit I sent all of my body measurements to Aerostich and they replied and told me exactly what size I should buy for a correct fit. This was a free service then and I’m sure it still is. Because of their durability and longevity I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone to buy a pre-owned one. Plus with a search engine like SearchTempest for instance, you can search all Craigslists in the entire US in one pass. And with their suits’ easy-on easy-off fast ten second use, there is no reason for me to EVER ride anywhere without it on – even if it’s a very short trip. I accumulated all of my safety gear (except for a brand new helmet) on Craigslist, and there are always tens of pre-owned Aerostich products on there. So if you see some lady in Pennsylvania riding and wearing an all florescent yellow Aerostich suit – that could be me! ~ ATGATT & Safe Riding! ~ Kitty
The prices certainly are eye-opening. I’ve seen them on eBay in the right size but not the color I wanted. I’ll keep my eyes open.
Thanks for the information on the suit and Aerostich. I’ve always admired their company and products. Maybe it’s time to buy something.
I love Aerostitch! However I now ride in the Darien version. My first was a roadcrafter which I loved the speed of entry/ exit from – mine was a 2 piece zipped together to have have a jacket for campground/ walking. The original could leak at the upper leg seam in all day rain however – perhaps a concern for a used suit- however I believe the newer R3 is reportedly improved for that 1 weak spot- you might prefer that option?
I really appreciate their genuine support, knowledge and responsiveness- I think you’d like their business ethics😉 and love the gear!
Enjoy!
https://www.aerostich.com/blog/it-leaks-in-the-crotch/
You might enjoy this link to Andy’s blog😊
I keep waiting for someone to supply the negative review of the Aerostich line. I don’t think that will happen other than concerns regarding the cost. I’ve been looking at the newer R3 line. Speed of entry/exit is my main concern, perhaps even more than the safety factor. And with the sort of riding I do I’m not worried about walking around somewhere. At least I don’t think I am.
On an unrelated note — toss Steve’s open-face helmet in the trash. Tell him the riding goblins must have grabbed it.
Cute!
A timely article, though a bit too late for my brother, who was clipped from behind last week while riding to work. I just returned from visiting him: broken pelvis surgically restored, 7 broken ribs, broken clavicle, ligament damage in both knees. Luckily, no head trauma (full face Bell helmet) or spinal injury. Road rash on right arm. No internal organ damage. It’s a 5-mile commute to his work (suit and tie job) with no roads over 40MPH. He bought the bike strictly for his commute to work, so he doesn’t own any full riding gear other than a light jacket. Hit by a driver who didn’t see him while entering an intersection from a dead stop. He will recover, but has a long rehab road ahead.
My point in sharing is that I think, when riding, the biggest temptation is not putting on full gear for the short commute. I am guilty of this as well. A short trip to the store for bread and milk. A one-mile jaunt to the park to take my morning walk. My commute to work when I was working was 3 miles, seldom in anything but the required helmet. On pleasure rides, I suit up. Not so much on short commutes. It is a hassle to gear up to buy bread and milk, or get to the office. Yet, it’s no dangerous than taking that 100-mile day trip at high speeds.
I haven’t been on my scooter since hearing about my brother. I eyed it the other day for that 1-mile drive to the park. I took the car. As this riding season comes to an end, as I stare 70 in the eye, and as I talk with my brother in the hospital, I wonder, and I question. The spring will probably bring the answers.
I’m sorry for your brother and the ordeal he faces moving forward. Nothing is more sobering than an accident close to home. I’ve had three friends suffer critical injuries in a moto-crash and all three eventually either quit riding or drastically changed their riding lives. Periodically I think about my own situation and risk and like you wonder and question. So far the answer remains “keep riding.”
I have changed my riding habits though. I seldom take the scooter or motorcycle on errands. I no longer have anything to prove in regard to how many bags of groceries I can carry on the scooter or feel the need to get out on two wheels. The car is fine. So all my rides now are intentional in the fact that I am going for “a ride.” I’m always geared up and probably statistically safer in that most accidents happen close to home in familiar routes.
Recently I read something that said that 99% of motorcycle crashes are preventable. I wish I could remember where I read that. The idea is that in every case something could have been done differently to avoid the crash. Usually, it involves better riding strategy and awareness. Or sharper avoidance skills including practice. Many riders freeze when faced with sudden danger and end up just crashing. I’ve thought about it a lot and know that I have much work to do to become more fluid in the application of swerving or braking. All I need is to have a squirrel or rabbit jump in front of me to see how paralyzed I become.
Anyway, I’m not trying to suggest any fault with your brother, but rather using it as a touchpoint for my own concern of something similar happening to me. I appreciate you sharing the information and I hope you find the answer that makes sense for you.
Thinking of the day when I choose to stop riding is scary territory.
Thanks for your insight on the question of riding on errands. I always felt guilty taking the car when I could be taking the scooter from an economical/environmental viewpoint, but perhaps it’s time to change that thinking, and do only “intentional,” fully-geared riding. It’s good advice. When my brother talked about the accident afterwards, he said that in his gut he did not trust the car driver, and he should have waited longer to be 100% sure the intersection was safe. That’s what he could have done differently, he says. So take that extra five seconds to see that everything is clear, and always let that driver have the right-of-way no matter what the rules of the road may say.
I think it becomes more difficult over time taking the extra 5 seconds when riding in familiar territory. We’ve been in the same place dozens of times with no problem so you figure this time will be the same. And then it isn’t.
Perhaps my willingness to surrender rides for chores and errands is related in a decrease in desire to ride all the time. Hard to say but whatever it is I don’t miss trips to the grocery store on the Vespa.
Whenever you ride, be safe!
Been known to backslide some when it is warm to hot meaning I often ditch the armoured trousers and don a pair of jeans and as such I do feel more comfortable but vulnerable too. I suppose it’s time to shop around for a fresh pair of armoured jeans? Been meaning to do this for awhile now, it’s an inertia thing? Big bone of contention in our household is my affection for the Open Face helmet. Once again Steve, thanks for the thoughtful prod.
Like you, I have sometimes ridden with jeans instead of armored pants. And there is an element of vulnerability to it. When I started riding 16 years ago jeans were part of my protective gear. I’ve been looking at actual motorcycle jeans but Kitty’s comment about the Aerostich suit is probably a better choice for me.
The open-face helmet makes me squirm because of a photo I saw years ago of a guy who had his jaw ground off in a crash. It’s one of two crash images burned into my gourd that I wish I could get rid of. The other is too horrible to discuss in public.
I hope you find your way so you can ride with confidence! *grin*
Shirley shares your open face helmet sensibilities as she has just reminded me!
Man, you should do right by her and acknowledge her superior wisdom.
Oh my, what a scenario!
So true! 👍😁
After my get off, almost 3 years ago, I was taken to the trauma unit were they very happy with me and my Areostich Darren riding gear as well as my Sidi boots. Even though I had to have screws & plates in my knee and ankle they had to do no skin dermabrasion or grafts. They also said they thought if I had not been wearing the boots I did that I might have lost my foot. I am still waiting to ride again but I will be able to.
Mike D… you must be sent from Heaven with the good news of Aerostich. While I have “good” gear, I’m certain it’s not as good as a Roadcrafter suit would be. I just saw the prices now — over $1300 — but considering years of use a minor investment for insurance against dermabrasion and grafts.
I hope your healing progresses quickly and positively. Thanks for sharing your experience. I appreciate it.
Steve, to quote your excellent post: “…most commonly injured body parts for motorcycle riders are the head, hands, and feet (ankles included). And that often these injuries take place during a drop at slow speeds or stopped and not something involving a dramatic crash.”
I’m a prime example of that. About 5 years ago, I dropped my KLR650 while trying to put it on its center stand IN MY DRIVEWAY. Since I was just going to clean the chain, I figured no riding gear was necessary.
I immediately got an appointment with my podiatrist. Turns out I broke four toes, two on each foot. The injury wasn’t debilitating, but my toes have never been the same since the drop…now disfigured, sometimes pain, no more sandals, etc. Well my feet weren’t all that pretty to begin with, but still.
I wanted to share this as it clearly proves your point from the studies you read. Glad to hear you got the boots.
Ugh. It hurts to read of your KLR misadventure and the toes being broken. My feet are the epicenter of my arthritis and they are tender far beyond comprehension. Sandals? I don’t even walk in the house on bare feet. I’m almost always either booted or in hiking shoes.
I hope all is going well with you otherwise and that the days are unfolding nicely.
Good post! They say there are two kinds of motorcyclist: Those who have been in an accident, and those who haven’t been in one… yet. I always wear protective gear when on longer trips and day-long rides, but when commuting to work generally wear regular pants with a riding jacket, gloves and helmet. Not a sensible thing to do, but just can’t bear getting into an out of riding pants at work. Aerostich is a good alternative, but tough to get here in Germany, and I’ve got so many jackets and pants already. I had a nasty accident about 20 years ago when a car crossed right in front of me. He was looking for a parking spot and didn’t see me at all. I flew over his hood, so I was OK, but the bike was totalled. Took me a long time to feel comfortable on a bike again, even though I started riding right away. I was wearing my standard commuting gear that day, which helped alot. Still, I was lucky, and dressing for the slide is the way to go. Those are nice boots too! Stay safe and take care!
It’s difficult to get past the riding jacket, gloves, helmet, and regular pants thing. That’s how I rode for the first year and didn’t think anything was wrong with it. When I went down in the snow at slow speed and felt how hard the road was on my knee, that’s when I decided to buy armored pants. And they’ve served me well for 15 years. It may be time to replace the pants with something a bit easier to deal with. Like the Aerostich Roadcrafter.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. It helps to hear other voices.
I’ve been riding scooters for nearly 40 years (more if you count years of riding back seat to my grandfather) without ever dropping it, but I am pretty neurotic. One of the things I tried to impress on my son (for the most part successfully) when he got his license is – it may look like a toy, but it’s registered as a motorcycle, and you can get every bit as torn up. The 2nd was “always assume people don’t see you.” I don’t gear up like I should, but it’s always helmet, jeans, leather jacket, gloves, work boots even on the scooter. I cringe when I see people riding the little 35cc’s around town in flip flops and t-shirts.
You’ve shared some important riding ideas with your son Mark. It makes one wonder what the parents of those T-shirt wearing flip-flopped riders told their children.
You’re exactly right, you can get every bit as torn up on a scooter as you can a motorcycle. The only difference may be that you won’t get torn up at 120 miles per hour. But a fall on the pavement at 20 can kill you just the same.
Be well and continue to ride safe.
Several years ago my late wife overshot a turn on her Honda Rebel and went down in the grass at speed. The only part that suffered and required cleaning were her knees. She was wearing jeans which were worn through by gravel in the grass. The State Troopers that arrived were both happy and amazed that she was wearing a good full face helmet, a leather jacket and gloves along with boots. She modeled her attire after me in addition to her extreme common sense.
Personally the safest gear I wear is between my ears. “What if?” Is constantly buzzing in my cranium.
Jeans aren’t really protective and certainly not on pavement or gravel. Like you say, they’ll rub through pretty easily.
I agree with the idea of what’s between my ears perhaps having the greatest influence on safety. But it doesn’t eliminate the need for the protective layers. It’s all part of how I manage risk.
Good post regarding the hazards of riding. In the past, I almost always wore the Roadcrafter one-piece. As others have said, very easy and quick to get on and off. Maybe closer to 30 sec and not 10. But the long zipper is wearing out again which makes the zipper jam occasionally which leaves me very annoyed. So, I usually only use it on longer trips or when it’s raining. It is still rainproof. Even after a few hundred miles in the rain, no detectable water leaks. I guess I’ll have to send it in again to have the zippers replaced.
On shorter rides around town, the leather jacket and jeans are preferred. The Sidi boots are nicely waterproof and very sturdy but are generally used for longer and/or higher speed trips with ankle high leather boots used for running around town. Plus the Sidi boots squeak when you walk.
I really recommend the on-piece Roadcrafter. If I got one again, I would opt for the regular Roadcrafter instead of the Light version.
I’ll have to confess that part of me thinks I’m being soft and lazy to think I have to cut a couple minutes off the gearing up time by buying a Roadcrafter suit. But when I think about safety, I do see an advantage of the one-piece suit. You don’t have to worry about your jacket pulling up in a slide, or the pants coming down, both cases potentially exposing flesh. And for my cold weather riding it cuts off a lot of the air infiltration opportunities.
I have a question though — how warm is the suit? Is it insulated or do you just layer up underneath?
There is no insulation in the Light version that I have. Just layer up as needed but with the lack of air infiltration, I found that a fleece liner would be fine to about 45°F and the heated liner good to well below 0°F. Below that, I generally used both.
Hmmmm, a lot to think about. I would rather not rely on electrics. But I probably won’t ride much anymore below 25F so layers will probably suffice.
Oh yeah, flannel lined jeans are great….
Another trip to the LL Bean website!
My Aerostich suit is lined, and when it’s zipped shut all the way with the rest of my gear on (gloves, boots, and full helmet) I’ve worn it down to about 10 degrees F and I’ve been super warm with nothing on underneath but a short sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans. Amazing! If I was looking to buy a brand new one-piece suit now I would consider a Joe Rocket Survivor suit from Revzilla since it seems to be a low-priced one-piece clone of the basic Aerostich.
Thanks for the heads up on the Joe Rocket suit. I looked at the video on Revzilla and that suit is much like the expensive Olympia one-piece suit I had. That suit was so difficult to get into that I gave it away. It certainly was warm though.
The Roadcrafter seems like it would be much easier to get into. Price remains a hurdle. I’ll have to do an honest appraisal of the gear I have and really determine if a switch makes sense in terms of ease of use and safety.
I think the new R3 is not lined- is more waterproof then the original 1 piece . Layering works well.
Lots of choices in those suits.
After seeing fortnine’s youtube video on the helite turtle airbag and reading other people’s reviews about it, I couldn’t rationally justify not having it. Whatever the cost, it doesn’t weigh up to possibly saving your life and decreasing injuries. And yes, in fluo yellow as well, I couldn’t care less how I look. If only I could have one for my legs as well.
I’ve read about the air bag system and it does seem to provide yet another layer of real protection. I suppose in my head there’s a line between protection and just driving a car. I’ve not seriously considered the turtle but after reading your comment I’ll take another look. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate them.