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lowering front pegs
Has anyone had any experience/knowledge re. lowering the front pegs on the zl900?
Has anyone had any experience/knowledge re. lowering the front pegs on the zl900?
Was over in the US last week on business. Had a weekend to myself so I hired a car and drove up from DC to Connecticut. On Saturday, I was driving east over by Rhode Island when I saw a couple of cop cars with flashing lights ahead on the road. Of course all of the cars heading my way slowed to a near dead stop. Some guy on a harley came off his bike on an off ramp and the HD rolled on ahead into some cable crash barriers. The chromed HD was in bits, chrome parts scattered all over the place. But what took me more was the injuries he had sustained. Severe head lacerations and road rash to his face and his left foot was pretty bad too. His girlfriend was wearing a vest top and shorts and she had pretty bad road rash on her legs and arms. He was wearing white tennis shoes denim 3/4 shorts and tee shirt... I didnt see helmets anywhere and by his injuries guess he wasnt wearing one.
It looked like he fell off as he rounded the corner and the bike kept going ahead into the "cheese grater".
For the rest of my time driving around (especially on Sunday) I was stunned to count how few bikers were wearing helmets. Is it a "freedom of the road" thing for guys not wearing a helmet while driving their bikes over there? A US flag 'bandana' seemed to be the headgear of choice...
It is against the law over here to ride without a helmet thank god...
Dont think this is a "bash" post, just stunned at lack of safety gear over there. Just curious, what do you guys think about helmets and safety gear? Do you wear full on Kevlar suit with full face helmets.... skull cap , boots and medium protection clothing (like me...ahem
) or do you ride free to the wind....???
It looked like he fell off as he rounded the corner and the bike kept going ahead into the "cheese grater".
For the rest of my time driving around (especially on Sunday) I was stunned to count how few bikers were wearing helmets. Is it a "freedom of the road" thing for guys not wearing a helmet while driving their bikes over there? A US flag 'bandana' seemed to be the headgear of choice...
It is against the law over here to ride without a helmet thank god...
Dont think this is a "bash" post, just stunned at lack of safety gear over there. Just curious, what do you guys think about helmets and safety gear? Do you wear full on Kevlar suit with full face helmets.... skull cap , boots and medium protection clothing (like me...ahem
) or do you ride free to the wind....???
zlMark
Cult Leader
I always wear denims and boots. Helmet and jacket about 50% of the time. I really like the air through my hair, but I also like the feeling of security with a riding jacket and helmet.
i always wear denim jeans, & usually a jacket. occassionally, i wear my helmet, except for when i travel on highway, or longer distances, then i wear full riding gear. Ohio is one of a few states in America, where helmets are optional for riders over 18 yrs. of age, but some of the states here require the use of helmets. i also like the feel of the air passing through my hair, but at the same time, i do like the saftey of proper clothing. i have mixed emotions about helmets. i have had a few friends, & have heard some stories from my ex-wife that works in a hospital, about people who have brain damage from wearing helmets ! let me explain !!!!
helmets are very good at protecting your head from scratches, & roadrash, but, if you wear the proper size helmet, you know they are to fit snugly (a little tight ), & depending on the type of impact your head makes, you get swelling ! i've actually witnessed a friend, at the race track have to have his helmet cut off, due to his head swelling, & he suffered slight brain damage, because the did'nt get the helmet off quick enough !
i'm sure the impact had a role to play, but the thought of having to go through what my friend did, freaks me out !
CHRIS
helmets are very good at protecting your head from scratches, & roadrash, but, if you wear the proper size helmet, you know they are to fit snugly (a little tight ), & depending on the type of impact your head makes, you get swelling ! i've actually witnessed a friend, at the race track have to have his helmet cut off, due to his head swelling, & he suffered slight brain damage, because the did'nt get the helmet off quick enough !
i'm sure the impact had a role to play, but the thought of having to go through what my friend did, freaks me out !
CHRIS
beeZLbub
"Strip Warrior"
I wear jeans when I ride for me & cargo pants when I commute to work. Always wear boots, always wear gloves. I've got a leather jacket, a textile jacket & a mesh jacket - all armored. In NJ the law states you have to wear a helmet, in PA where I work it's helmet optional.
I wear a jacket if the weather calls for it, when it's 80º at 7am when I leave for work, I just wear a t-shirt. I'd prefer it to be cool/cold all the time so I can be comfortable in my safety gear, but also like riding in jeans & a t-shirt when it's sweltering out. When I go out to lunch for a ride, I usually leave my helmet in my office.
Speaking of accidents - we just had a bad one here early last Monday morning. Seems a sport bike guy was traveling pretty quickly over the Ben Franklin Bridge (NJ to PA) - he ran into the back of a pickup truck and that sent him flying off the side of the bridge down to the street below. Scarey stuff!
http://www.nbc10.com/slideshow/news/13980837/detail.html
I wear a jacket if the weather calls for it, when it's 80º at 7am when I leave for work, I just wear a t-shirt. I'd prefer it to be cool/cold all the time so I can be comfortable in my safety gear, but also like riding in jeans & a t-shirt when it's sweltering out. When I go out to lunch for a ride, I usually leave my helmet in my office.
Speaking of accidents - we just had a bad one here early last Monday morning. Seems a sport bike guy was traveling pretty quickly over the Ben Franklin Bridge (NJ to PA) - he ran into the back of a pickup truck and that sent him flying off the side of the bridge down to the street below. Scarey stuff!
http://www.nbc10.com/slideshow/news/13980837/detail.html
I always wear a helmet, leather bike jacket with armour, I am looking for the same in pants. There was a study done that states "In a 50MPH lay down on asphalt denim lasts 4 feet, leather 90 something and armour longer kevlar I don't remember but it was slightly longer than leather i believe.
Indiana has no helmet law either. As for me, it depends on what type of riding I'm doing. Going to work, probably just my denim jeans and steel toed boots, and some type of eye wear, maybe some gloves. If I'm going to be out all day covering distance or going to "play" ride, I wear whatever I've got - full face helmet, gloves, jacket, etc. But if the weather is threatening - and it usually is in Indiana (if you want to know what the weather will be like in Indiana, wait 5 minutes and I'll tell you because it constantly changes - hahahaha) - I'll wear whatever is needed. I don't mind riding in the rain or bad weather too much as long as I've got some gear on. Later.
Stormy
Senior Member
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...always, without fail I wear when riding, a full-face helmet, seasonal gloves, leather jacket / leather vest or "Dri-Rider" type CE armoured jacket, woven kevlar riding jeans and either touring boots or steel-capped workboots (depends whether I'm going to work or going for a relaxing short ride). I like feeling of security from wearing helmets and the other gear, it probably might save some skin or my death if I come off in a really bad accident. It's better to be safe, than sore and sorry.
We have mandatory helmet laws in all the states here in Oz, but there was a time when you could get an helmet exemption certificate from a doctor, so you could legally ride without a helmet because you got migraine headaches caused from wearing helmets or the pressure from your helmet affected your balance or vision or any excuse like that, but unfortunately, all the outlaw club members (1%'s) abused the system and it was revoked.
Mick.
We have mandatory helmet laws in all the states here in Oz, but there was a time when you could get an helmet exemption certificate from a doctor, so you could legally ride without a helmet because you got migraine headaches caused from wearing helmets or the pressure from your helmet affected your balance or vision or any excuse like that, but unfortunately, all the outlaw club members (1%'s) abused the system and it was revoked.
Mick.
I normally wear jeans, jacket, boots on short rides. If I am gonna be out for a while I wear my helmet. Very rare that I get on the freeway without my helmet. Almost always wear my helmet at night. I wouldn't mind if helmets were mandatory, I really don't mind wearing it.
Check out this link for a map of US and which states require helmets.
http://usff.com/hldl/frames/50state.html
Check out this link for a map of US and which states require helmets.
http://usff.com/hldl/frames/50state.html
zlMark
Cult Leader
I could think of a good place for this link,lolwuputt said:
Being one of the few fortunate ones how have totaled a bike and literally walked away without a scratch, putting around town it's jeans, t-shirt, sneakers and a helmet. Anything else is a jacket with armor or heavy leather, usually gloves, and boots. When I first started riding, helmets were optional. I can't count the times i wore nothing more than Ray Bans, Vans and a pair of board shorts, goin' down the freeway, usually going faster than I should have. Now that I'm older and have kids, I cannot afford to be laid up, or worse, laid out. There was an accident about 2 blocks from home where this kid crossed the centerline and went head on into a late model truck. The bike was going 30, the truck was going 25. Rider was DOA. Makes you think how vulnerable you are.
acp
Senior Member
The minimum I wear is full face helmet, leather jacket with armour, gloves, Denim jeans and Bike boots. I used to wear trainers, but after my crash my foot swelled up because of the bike landing on it as I went down, so I always wear bike boots now.
I'm looking at getting a pair of Draggin' Jeans
UK site
US site
Australian site
They're Kevlar lined denim, and some have internal pockets for armour.
The only time I don't wear a helmet is when I'm at a bike rally, as soon as you're on private property the helmet law doesn't apply. But you're only doing about 5/10mph.
I'm looking at getting a pair of Draggin' Jeans
UK site
US site
Australian site
They're Kevlar lined denim, and some have internal pockets for armour.
The only time I don't wear a helmet is when I'm at a bike rally, as soon as you're on private property the helmet law doesn't apply. But you're only doing about 5/10mph.
no helmet unless it gets down to 35 or 40 degrees, will wear gloves when temps warrant it. Wear boots 90% of the time 'cause I have to have them for work. Other than that shorts and a shirt. OK guys start yelling at me I'm ready. Buy the way both times I have been down I have had a helmet on.
acp
Senior Member
I won't yell furchin, it's up to everyone's individual choice on what they wear, mine is a self imposed minimum on what I'll wear. Legally over here you only have to wear a helmet.
Stormy
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In New South Wales (the state where I live in Oz, but I'm assuming it is the same in other aust. states) the only mandatory requirement for riding a motorcycle is you must wear a helmet, any other protective or safety conscious clothing is only a recommendation and therefore is not enforceable by any law.
I quite often see younger, small sports bike riders wearing just a full face helmet, shorts and a t-shirt or singlet, when riding around town in summer, I've even seen them riding with thongs / flip flops / a soft rubber "sandal" type summer footwear, popular with just about all aussies (I don't know what you guys in the states call them, but the U.K guys might know). I'd hate see someone come off wearing thongs, imagine grinding your toes down to the bone, as you go sliding down the rough bitumen road, no thanks.
I quite often see younger, small sports bike riders wearing just a full face helmet, shorts and a t-shirt or singlet, when riding around town in summer, I've even seen them riding with thongs / flip flops / a soft rubber "sandal" type summer footwear, popular with just about all aussies (I don't know what you guys in the states call them, but the U.K guys might know). I'd hate see someone come off wearing thongs, imagine grinding your toes down to the bone, as you go sliding down the rough bitumen road, no thanks.
acp
Senior Member
Called flip-flops or sandals over here Mick. Seen a guy wearing them, with t-shirt, shorts and a helmet on a ZXR400 before now, at 60mph
Stormy
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I thought they were called flip-flops there, the kiwi's call 'em "jandles", god knows why?
Young blokes will come off a bike once with shorts, t-shirt and thongs and they'll learn the hard way, eh, acp?
Young blokes will come off a bike once with shorts, t-shirt and thongs and they'll learn the hard way, eh, acp?
acp
Senior Member
Yep. When I got knocked off I was wearing cotton jeans, leather armoured jacket, helmet, gloves, and trainers.
I had a couple of small friction burns on my legs but nothing major, the jeans didn't even have any holes in, except one about 1cm long where the stitching got worn through.
The only other damage was a small cut on the inside of my left ankle where the gear lever hit it as me and the bike went down. And my foot was swollen because of the impact of the bike on it.
I still wear jeans, but as I said, looking for some draggin jeans when I can get them (i.e. once I've lost some weight) and I now wear my bike boots at ALL times.
Of course, the ironic thing is that the part of me that had the greatest injury was well protected. My shoulder had armour around it and it was still screwed up from the crash.
I had a couple of small friction burns on my legs but nothing major, the jeans didn't even have any holes in, except one about 1cm long where the stitching got worn through.
The only other damage was a small cut on the inside of my left ankle where the gear lever hit it as me and the bike went down. And my foot was swollen because of the impact of the bike on it.
I still wear jeans, but as I said, looking for some draggin jeans when I can get them (i.e. once I've lost some weight) and I now wear my bike boots at ALL times.
Of course, the ironic thing is that the part of me that had the greatest injury was well protected. My shoulder had armour around it and it was still screwed up from the crash.
I wonder how bad it might have been if you didnt have a good biker jacket on... Or do you think it wouldnt have made a difference? interesting...
Those draggin jeans are costly, but... I know.. I know...cheaper than skin grafts...
greg
Well-Known Member
all ways wear leathers gloves and boots and full face lid.
came off head first at around 20 mph on a slippy drain cover.
came down on the side of my jaw on the curbstone.
with out the full face would have shattered my jaw.
hit by a bus and bike landed on my foot wearing boots got off with a bruise.
seen loads in A&E where i work coming of bikes the ones in leather ect get bruised and the od busted bone /dislocations but the ones with t shirts no proper gear have the gravel rash busted bones ect but are generally a lot worse off and for longer.
came off head first at around 20 mph on a slippy drain cover.
came down on the side of my jaw on the curbstone.
with out the full face would have shattered my jaw.
hit by a bus and bike landed on my foot wearing boots got off with a bruise.
seen loads in A&E where i work coming of bikes the ones in leather ect get bruised and the od busted bone /dislocations but the ones with t shirts no proper gear have the gravel rash busted bones ect but are generally a lot worse off and for longer.
