Rib Protection that won't break your ribs in a crash !

[DoubleEagle]

What kind of rib protection won't break your ribs in a crash ? I've been racking my brain ever since my crash when I broke 4 ribs as to what kind of protection I could wear that would prevent my ribs from getting broken in case of another crash. After looking at all the protection I could find on-line I've come to the conclusion that there is no protection that won't stop ribs from getting broken because...ribs break from blunt force trauma, and when you hit something hard it produces a certain amount of pressure that ends up being compression against a piece of hard armor or soft armor that gets transferred to your ribs. Thus the ribs absorb the shock ultimately and if the hit is hard enough the ribs will break. I have the latest saftety Jackets from probably the two top manufactuers of protective /safety motorcycle gear and as best I can tell neither is going to prevent broken ribs for the reasons I have previously stated. If anyone has what they feel would absorb a 60 mph hit to the rib area and not compress the ribs and still fit under a normal leather riding jacket I'd love to hear it ( serious please).

[NAKID]

Nothing out there is going to prevent all injuries. The most any will do is absorb some of the energy from a collision. Some energy will always be transfered to the body. There is no way to avoid that. Hard armor will help with something that would cause a lot of force over a small area by dissipating the force over the larger hard surface...

[CDawg]

This is what I use.  It is CE2 rated which I believes stops ~75 joules:
http://www.johnsonleather.com/Forcefield_Extreme_Harness_Adventure.htm

Haven't crashed in it so no FHE on crash test.

[NuTTs]

This is what I use.  It is CE2 rated which I believes stops ~75 joules:
http://www.johnsonleather.com/Forcefield_Extreme_Harness_Adventure.htm

Haven't crashed in it so no FHE on crash test.

I´ve been using the Forcefield back protector for a while now and it´s saved my bones on 2 occasions. On my last spectacular, yet painful crash I didn´t have a back protector on. The medics didn´t think my ribs were affected.. well I´ve got one that´s a bit fuxed up - having tests next week to see what else is broken.

Use a back protector, if you can get a Forcefield one.. do it.

[DoubleEagle]

Nothing out there is going to prevent all injuries. The most any will do is absorb some of the energy from a collision. Some energy will always be transfered to the body. There is no way to avoid that. Hard armor will help with something that would cause a lot of force over a small area by dissipating the force over the larger hard surface...

I totally agree and took that into my conclusion. I have some ideas, but i don't think they could be made without alot of expense to develop. One idea would involve multiple small layered cells that as they absorb the impact they would collapse, then the next layer would absorb a lesser amount of force then collapse and so on until the impact that reaches the ribs has been reduced enough to not be enough to break or crack a rib.

[NAKID]

You'll never get to a point where you never run the risk of breaking a rib. Forces in a collision will always be different. As advanced as the safety systems are in newer cars, there are still people that die every day from car accidents...

[somegirl]

DoubleEagle, I'd really rather see you research how NOT to crash.  Perhaps some sort of riding school, and/or a slower bike?

[DoubleEagle]

DoubleEagle, I'd really rather see you research how NOT to crash.  Perhaps some sort of riding school, and/or a slower bike?

MY Doctor suggested I get a scooter ! .....I feel the crash was more about a lose of concentration the more I think about it and not staying within my pace.You know if you are going to run fast you can't let your mind wander even for a split second and I'm not convinced that can be taught. You have to keep your mind on what you're doing and not what is going on on the side of the road. Once you get the taste for speed in your blood going slow just isn't going to get it. I am going to attempt to slow my pace somewhat and stay on less technical roads. I have my 1098R to break in so I will be forced to ride the bike slower than I would my S4Rs . I always adher to the rules set forth in the manual for break in. As far as a school is concerned, I don't know of any road raciing schools in Ohio. I'm reading Keith Code's " A Twist of The Wrist !!" and watching the Isle of Man TT races DVD for pointers on riding over 100 mph for over 250 miles through towns and country side. But You have to find your limit and then move back to a comfortable pace .The concentration thing is really hard because there are many things that just happen that can grab your attention for just a second which is all it takes to be on the wrong line or carry a little to much speed into a curve and you have to be able to react by instinct correctly ,not have to give it a thought or it's too late to recover. Some people like to skydive, some like to go squba diving, or cilmb tall mountains...I like to ride motocyles...kinda fast.

[teddy037.2]

wow... I'm inclined to agree w/msincredible on this one.

I can't imagine that mid-ohio doesn't have any schools...

[DoubleEagle]

wow... I'm inclined to agree w/msincredible on this one.

I can't imagine that mid-ohio doesn't have any schools...

I still don't see how going around the same layout where you can see everything in front of you and you can run a few laps until you are familar with the layout and the lines relates to running backroads where you only get on chance to get it right and who knows what lies ahead of your farthest vision point.I understand the technical aspect of track racing but I never see any track guys running the Isle of ManTT or any of the Isle of Man guys running on world tracks. Maybe track schools teach you how to crash safely.

[Popeye the Sailor]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                I still don't see how going around the same layout where you can see everything in front of you and you can run a few laps until you are familar with the layout and the lines relates to running backroads where you only get on chance to get it right and who knows what lies ahead of your farthest vision point.I understand the technical aspect of track racing but I never see any track guys running the Isle of ManTT or any of the Isle of Man guys running on world tracks. Maybe track schools teach you how to crash safely.

Ever lift weights?


You know, pick it up off the bench, down to chest, back up.

Knew exactly what you were doing, no? Within your limits?


Then after some time of training, go and do something totally different like picking your girlfriend up? Notice it was easier this time, after the training? That's sort of the point. It makes you a better rider. Period.


Now it's been hinted at by some people here, but it needs to be said, straight out.




You bought an S4RS some time ago. You dropped it in a corner. Then you did it again. And then....again. You were warned about maybe having some training....or slowing down a little.


You, did nothing.


You then went out....with very little seat time in this season, in less than ideal conditions, went out, and rode as hard as you could. Unsurprisingly to everyone BUT you, you had a serious accident. You should probably be dead. Your surgeon has told you not to ride this year. Your only living relative who lives with you has vowed to leave and never return if you continue to ride. The people who've been on this board the whole time you've owned a Ducati have told you not to ride. This should be setting off some warning bells in your mind.


YOU SHOULD NOT BE RIDING!!!

You are incapable of going a reasonable speed on the street. You are incapable of bringing yourself you a place where riding at excessive speed would be the responsible thing to do. You're consistently looking for some miracle "rib protection" or extra special gear that would somehow protect you in anything. No such things exists or ever has. You blame a lapse of judgment-well....you've had them more times than everyone on this board. Think about that. Two thousand plus riders.....and you've crashed more than the ones who've just taken it up. You claim to have forty years of riding experience, but I don't see it. Keeping the rubber side down of a motorcycle-at any speed-is an integral part of being a motorcyclist. You can't do that, you don't acknowledge that you can't do that, and you refuse to do anything that would make you capable of doing that.


PLEASE, for the love of all things holy, think about what you're doing. Because really, we'd love to see you not die.


And if nothing else, tell your brother where to post up when you bin it for the last time, so we'll know.

[somegirl]

Once you get the taste for speed in your blood going slow just isn't going to get it. I am going to attempt to slow my pace somewhat and stay on less technical roads. I have my 1098R to break in so I will be forced to ride the bike slower than I would my S4Rs .

Someone who is addicted to speed needs to be on a smaller bike, not a larger one (if any at all).

See this comment ducvet made yesterday about riding superbikes (emphasis is mine):

I Personaly own a 851 that i have put 40,000 miles on and love to ride. It has been sitting for the last 7 years because I prefer my m750. Odd? well After a while I figured it was not in my best interest to be traveling everywhere I went at 100mph, The bike was just not much fun to drive slow.

...

I like My little monster because I can beat the tar out of it and it feels fast (even though I know it is not fast). and the lack of a full fairing means I will spend very little time above 100mph.
Heck I get more kicks from scaring myself silly on my 65 lambretta scooter at 45mph

I made this comment a while back about riding a Ninja 250:

]It was great fun to be able to ride as if I were on a racetrack, taking on-ramps WOT.

Riding a little bike (or a scooter) means you can still get the thrill of pushing the bike to its limits, but go at saner paces and be less likely to kill yourself. 

And about the track school?  Don't knock it until you try it.

Furthermore, a lot of riders say that getting to ride all out at the track helps them keep the pace down on the streets...the track fulfills that need for speed.

[DoubleEagle]

I am almost speechless. I don't know if you folks really care if I kill myself ....or if you are just tired of reading my posts on this forum. Most people don't like to see someone kill themselves when it can be prevented. I called my Surgeon last Wednesday and asked him for a pathalogical reason why I couldn't ride for the rest of the year and he told his Nurse to tell me I could ride now . He said he didn't want to see me back as a patient and I agreed with that ! I could have ridden yesterday or today as the weather wasn't too hot or raining, but I couldn't do it. I guess part of it is that so many people have shamed me into a place where I feel like I'd be commiting a crime just to ride 10 miles , and the other part just isn't ready to put myself back in harms way. If I don't ride soon I may never ride again. I know that's what you want but I really don't know why I could forget over 2 months of pain that still requires a pain pill now and again to be able to sleep. A pain that will be with me for along time to come. I guess it's time to go.

[somegirl]

I am almost speechless. I don't know if you folks really care if I kill myself ....or if you are just tired of reading my posts on this forum.

We care...I don't want to read a death notice from your brother, nor do I want your posts to stop and we forever wonder what happened to you.

[Popeye the Sailor]

We care...I don't want to read a death notice from your brother, nor do I want your posts to stop and we forever wonder what happened to you.

+1. We just want you to be more careful.