Josh is down

[DHB_imp]

Speaking to everyone as a RiderCoach, remember your 2-, 4-, and 12-second space cushions, and your 360° awareness.

Get well, Josh.

[Nortoon_imp]

After reading about Josh and The Ferret, I began thinking I was pushing my luck having spent 28 years riding motorcycles. However after one long ride in the country last week, all the anxiety disappeared.

Today it is 85F, but feels like 95F. Ordinary that's too hot for ATGATT, and I don't ride. But I have a modem sitting on my desk that I was supposed to return to my Internet provider several weeks ago.

Grabbed a helmet, and it turned out to be my full face Shoei RF1200. Paused and though too hot for that, and grabbed my open face Bell MAG-9 instead. Well since I was not going to wear my safest helmet, might as well just stay in my T-shirt, shorts and sneakers. But I did grab my deerskin gloves.

First couple of blocks felt a little odd, but that quickly melted away. Kind of reminded me of my 20s when riding was all fun and nobody worried accidents.

After the trip to the Post Office, I decided to ride to the A&W for a Teen Burger and frosty mug of root beer. Yup, tasted just like they use to many years back. Maybe I will take the long way home. Seemed like a good idea until I reached highway speed and the wind noise was too much to bear without ear plugs. Odd I though, I am willing to chance suffering severe pain in an accident, but not the discomfort of a noisy helmet.

[LongRanger_imp]

I don't understand the rationalization but I'm glad you had a nice ride!

[emptysea]

First...I love that they still call it a "Teen Burger" up there. I think the A&Ws around here just call them "singles", "doubles", etc.

Second...not much better than a frosty mug of root beer unless it's a frosty mug of root beer book-ended with motorcycle riding.

Third...wear whatever you want whenever you want to. I don't think that 85f is anywhere near "too hot" for ATGATT, but I'm not you. I would never ride any distance with an open-faced helmet, but that's just me. Enjoy the ride, that's what's important.

[Houtman_imp]

Better sweat than dead.

[misterprofessionality]

i can agree with this sentiment. I've spent most of my life riding with less than adequate gear primarily due to financial constraints. I remember what it feels like to just go out in a tshirt and jeans, no helmet, no jacket, no gloves, no nothing. It's better than skydiving. over the years i've managed to slowly upgrade my protection bit by bit, but i still remember.

I can't say i understand the wind noise thing though. even over 90mph i've never heard wind anywhere near loud enough to be uncomfortable.

[Nightengale_imp]

Just saw this post. Sorry to hear about the accident.

Something to consider for those who wonder about this and what can be done -- another rider went down on another board and I asked him about his "full MX boot". He suffered substantial foot injuries despite this gear.

Turns out that though he described it that way, it was a rather poor boot, definitely on the low end of the scale and not much better then a plain hiking boot. I did a quick search of this particular boot and found a video where a guy spent 16 minutes torturing his pair - because they left him with a lifetime injury.

The Icon Reign boot is, well, definitely not a full armored boot either. Not my intention to nitpick, especially "after the fact", but I've suffered through a terrible wreck wearing the wrong gear myself and have paid for this poor decision for decades, and will for the rest of my life. When I got back into riding, I had a change of mind about what I'd wear and what I wouldn't. Just to eliminate "me" in the equation (stuff I can do to stay safer).

Today, after decades of cutting tons of firewood and dropping trees, I opened up my leg with a chainsaw, first time, after the last and final cut dropping a large dangerous tree. Wouldn't you know it... the only thing I did right is I wasn't alone. And no, I was not wearing kevlar pants or chaps (and should have). I won't cut another piece of wood until I have this safety gear on.

[the Ferret]

Last cuts are when it generally happens. Chainsaw cuts are ugly and nasty. Hope you heal quickly Nightengale.

[Cormanus]

Crikey, Nightengale. That is not good news. I also hope you heal quickly.

i can agree with this sentiment. I've spent most of my life riding with less than adequate gear primarily due to financial constraints. I remember what it feels like to just go out in a tshirt and jeans, no helmet, no jacket, no gloves, no nothing. It's better than skydiving. over the years i've managed to slowly upgrade my protection bit by bit, but i still remember.

I can't say i understand the wind noise thing though. even over 90mph i've never heard wind anywhere near loud enough to be uncomfortable.

Mr P, I say this with the utmost respect: you may think you're fine, but if you don't act now to protect your hearing, you'll come to understand exactly what Nortoon is saying. I never want to hear you say, "I should have listened to Cormanus."

[KiowaEagle_imp]

i can agree with this sentiment. I've spent most of my life riding with less than adequate gear primarily due to financial constraints. I remember what it feels like to just go out in a tshirt and jeans, no helmet, no jacket, no gloves, no nothing. It's better than skydiving. over the years i've managed to slowly upgrade my protection bit by bit, but i still remember.

I can't say i understand the wind noise thing though. even over 90mph i've never heard wind anywhere near loud enough to be uncomfortable.

I have to agree. I spent 35 years as a contractor running all kinds of power tools without ear protection all the while with a penchant for loud music and other loud pursuits so a little wind noise seems very low on the scale to me, hardly noticeable. Maybe it's my RF1200 helmet but I'm not going to take it off to find out.

I was at my ear, nose, throat doctor last month and had my hearing tested and she told me it's normal. I said "normal for my age?" and she said no, just normal. So it's not like I can't hear it.