Removing Jackets Extra Padding?

[morrobaybum]

So I was playing around with my new jacket last night and found that I can remove the elbow and sholder pad from the jacket. I really like the feel of the jacket with out the extra pads cause I feel like I can really move around now. What do you guys think, is it safe to ride without them. Should I sacrifice that little bit of extra safety for the amount of mobilty that it grants.

 

[CanadianFZ6]

It's your a** dude... they were put there for a reason.

 

[wrightme43]

The way it was explained to me. We are up on top of the center of gravity of our motorcycles. When we go down we get levered into the ground.

Say a person can survive a compound arm fracture, and a busted spleen, and some road rash.
Say a person cant survive a compound arm fracture, a busted spleen, some road rash, and two broken collar bones. (this is all speculation and is different for everyone)

Say the pads and leather just lower your injury rating by one level on most of your injuries.
I.E. a compound fracture in your arm becomes a just a broken bone, the two broken collar bones is just one, the road rash isnt quite so bad, your spleen is still busted, but not busted so bad. Thats all they do in my mind. Any little thing to tip the odds in my favor.

 

[Scorphonic]

when you hit the ground, would you rather your body take all the impact and allow the force produced have its way with you in all its entirity or would you rather the armour (which has been produced to absorb energy and for extra abrasive protection purposes) take up the added and most likely the bulk of "life threatening" energy before you body receives the remainder?

I know your question is for help, but you must know yourself the implications of removing safety equipment. Remember that the more padding you can get the better, you have survived this long with the "restrictions" of the armour...your best off surviving and leaving the armour where it belongs!

EDIT: I'm just after coming back to this and noticed one thing...when you say padding do you mean the armour or extra padding on top of the armour? If the latter is the case then my post above is rubbish. Armour is essential, if its extra padding then its not necessarily required but of course, the more the merrier!!

 

[mikebike]

I would leave it in.....

 

[pedwards89]

I read on here somewhere or on a link from here, that armour is most effective protecting from low side slides typically on a track. However, I'm with Wrightme, if there is just a slight chance that one piece of armour could make the difference between survivable injuries & or an appointment at the Pearly Gates, I'm gonna be wearing the armour :Sport:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

So I was playing around with my new jacket last night and found that I can remove the elbow and sholder pad from the jacket. I really like the feel of the jacket with out the extra pads cause I feel like I can really move around now. What do you guys think, is it safe to ride without them. Should I sacrifice that little bit of extra safety for the amount of mobilty that it grants.

I did the complete opposite. I recently bought a Yamaha Endurance textile jacket, which came with no armour but with some minor padding in the shoulder and elbow area, with no back padding. Like you, I was playing around with my new jacket and found that I can add extra armour to the elbow and shoulder area, along with padding for the back. So since I no longer wear my mesh jacket since it's getting so cold here in Vegas, I took out all of the armour and padding out of that jacket and placed it inside my new textile jacket for addtional protection. I really like the feel of the jacket with the extra pads cause I feel like I can't move around inside the jacket as much anymore. You want the jacket to fit snug, so that the armour and padding remains in the area that suppose to protect. If it's too loose, the jacket may shift during the fall or after the initial impact and leave the areas that you want protected, actually unprotected.

 

[Maverick]

Maybe you have been lucky not to know what it is like to crash a motorcycle - well let me tell you - it hurts. Keep the armour, you will get used to it...

 

[codeblue]

i would leave the armor on, you paid for it anyway. Taking it off/out and surely you will PAY for it. I laid my bike down a week into getting my bike because of a damn cager on a cell phone ( technology.. some people don't deserve them), i slid on the tarmac a good 6-9 feet. My revit jacket was shredded by the elbows but the armor saved my hide. Thanks in part of my superior sliding skills, LOL and of course the armor. I did wish i had a gun to share my opinion to that damn cager.

 

[Bo67]

Keep the armor in place. You'd be suprised how much good that little bit of extra padding will help if you take a tumble.
If I take a fall I'm all for letting the armor grind and bounce on the pavement versus my bones. If you absolutely can't stand the feeling you have when wearing your jacket then maybe underarmor is an option for you.

 

[sportrider]

+1 for leaving the armor in, anything that helps absorb the energy of a fall is a good thing. besides road rash hurts!!!

 

[jamesfz6]

So I was playing around with my new jacket last night and found that I can remove the elbow and sholder pad from the jacket. I really like the feel of the jacket with out the extra pads cause I feel like I can really move around now. What do you guys think, is it safe to ride without them. Should I sacrifice that little bit of extra safety for the amount of mobilty that it grants.

If you have never fallen then i say leave it in because it can save your life. If you have fallen then we shouldnt have to tell you what a big advantage armor can give you. (hence the name ARMOR)

 

[clunk]

Just took a ride with a buddy of mine this weekend (I'm a complete newcomer, he has a little experience with smaller bikes). At a certain 90 deg left turn in our road (that also continued in another direction as a gravel road) my friend got just a touch wide (due to the beetle bug in the oncoming lane), touched some gravel with his front tire, and laid his bike down in the grass. He was probably only going 5 mph when it went down, but the slow laydown threw his shoulder into the pavement rather harshly. He was OK enough to continue home, but during that half hour ride, his back tightened up to where he was in excruciating pain by the time he tried to dismount. Many Vicodin later, he's starting to feel a little better now.

Long story short (too late?) ... he had on a jacket with padding/armor. The doctor said that there was no permanent injury, he just jarred his muscles fairly well. Without the armor to absorb some of the energy, who knows? Broken shoulder? Collarbone? Neck?

I'm with the rest of the group ... every little bit helps.

 

[morrobaybum]

thanks for th input guys, i decided to put the armor back in. the jacket is a little more stiff now but i will live with it.