Who here swears by their chest protector?

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,788
35
Originally posted by jcramin
A handle bar in the chest ??????????????????
It was 87 or 88 near Reedsville, NC.  Damon Bradshaw was still riding local races in the A class.  I was riding 250C and got the front tire in one rut and the back in another going around a turn.  The bike lowsided but I went over and caught the bar in the chest on the way.  It was about a 4" cut at the time, but the scar is much smaller now.

I have always torn up/off the upper arm guards on mine (I usually get the Acerbis Zoom Plus for fat guys).
 

MrLuckey

Fire Marshall Ed
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 9, 2000
3,715
0
I always wear mine but I don't swear by it. Now SFCcrash's CP, that one I swear by. I saw that thing take some hits this last weekend that shoulda killed him :laugh:
 

MDA

Member
May 27, 2002
106
0
Ok, one more CP story.

Last summer I was following my brother in law on an unfamiliar trail. Someone had cleared some brush during the winter for the snowmobiles. The brush was tossed to the side of the trail. Once the snow melted one of the pieces was sticking out into the trail. It happened to be the end that had been cut at an angle. That piece of cut brush turned into a spear planted into the ground. I got it square in the CP.

I damn near got knocked straight off the bike (good thing I had the clutch pulled in when it happened).

Would I have been injured had I not been wearing a CP? I don't know and I certainly don't ever want to find out. I for one will always continue to wear a CP. I have never heard of anyone saying that their injuries would have been lessed by the absence of a CP.

Well, that's my $0.02 worth.

-Mark-
 

Philip

Dirtweek Junkie
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Feb 15, 2002
878
0
Spend the money its not that much $$$ considering it will protect your body. It might only cost $10 to make but when my son ripped his chest protector from his body in a bad crash he was glad it was the plastic and not his skin. I know of another instance were a guy lost his life from not wearing one. He was doing a photo shoot in this area and decided to not wear one so the pics would look cool. He ended up short on a double and impaled himself on his handlebar. The investigation showed had he been wearing one he would have walked away from it.

Food for thought :think:
 

Jeff Gilbert

N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 20, 2000
2,963
2
I didn't but a chest protector when I got my bike. I did get boots, gloves, pants helmet, goggles, etc but I didn't want to cover up that pretty jersey. Besides, who needs a chest protector? After I sheared my handlebars off with my chest I changed my mind. Broken ribs, bruised spleen and back aint no fun when it could have been lessened or prevented with a $80 peice of plastic.

I have had a mishap since wearing the cp. During the arenacross I came up short on a triple that I didn't intend to do. The cp cut my belly where it buckles when my chest slammed into the crossbar. My chest didn't even get tender but I was aware that I had hit it. If not for the cp I gurantee I'd had more broken ribs. Do what you want but I promise after the 1st time you get hurt not wearing one you'll be out buying one and swearing by it.
 

OKKX'er

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 10, 2001
713
0
My chest protector has many scrapes and scratches in the tough plastic that would otherwise have been in my not-so-tough skin.

Once on a tricky hill-climb, I was so concentrated on these tree roots that I didn't see the tree limb chest-high. WFO in 2nd, I still got to finish my Colorado vacation because I was protected.
 

GeoffM24

~SPONSOR~
Jan 19, 2003
182
0
I have only been riding 4 times this year I have already been hit right in the chest with a rock!

The other thing to remember is that it is very easy to break your collar bone due to your helmet and a CP can help prevent that.
 

Moto Squid

~SPONSOR~
Jul 22, 2002
853
0
I've always worn one, and will continue to do so. Unfortunately they don't protect your sides and objects such as footpegs or large rocks :( can sneak in for the kill. I always wear my kidney belt underneath to help protect below the chest protector and bottom of my sides. But if nailed hard enough a chest protector will crack quite nicely, not that I'd know anything about that :silly:
 

Can Can Kev

Member
Feb 24, 2003
233
0
when i first started riding before i bought a chest protector i go thrown over the bars landed stomach first in a real rocky area, about fist sized, didnt feel too good i lyed there for 5 min trying to catch my breath too, after that incided i promtly went out and bought one, i never ride without mine... i ride with it when im on the track, trails woods everything... its also a nice thing to have when your buddys in front of you and grabs a fist full of throttle :) .....
 

piney jim

Member
Oct 14, 2002
3
0
I fractured my sternum and collapsed 1.5 of my lungs in a crash while attempting to jump a creek at wfo in top gear. I came up short and hit the opposite side (wall) which fortunatly was sand with my chest. My buddy found me floating downstream by the heels of my boots. My Orthopedic Dr. said the CP saved me.
 

Amadeus

Member
Apr 10, 2003
127
0
Damn Jim, next time you try something that smart again be sure to give me a call;) Im sure Id get a kick out of it (CP or not).
 

BSWIFT

Sponsoring Member
N. Texas SP
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 25, 1999
7,926
43

I swear! :cool:
 

mattwr250f

Member
Jul 21, 2002
18
0
What do you all of you think is the best CP around???

I have only been riding about a year and a half or so and I this summer I plain on doin some serious riding, with my new 300EXC. So what CP is the best for woods/screwin around. I'm not much into motocross but who knows.

thanks
 

Smit-Dog

Mi. Trail Riders
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 28, 2001
4,704
0
I was fighting my way down the side a very jagged moon rock in the U.P., meaning clutching it in 1st gear just to inch forward slowly, while keeping my one foot on the up-side of the rock hill for balance.

Well, I hit something just enough to move the bike's center of balance towards the downside of the jagged moon rock. That's right - I was about to do a standing-still high-side down a 20° slope. Did I mention all the jagged rocks?

As the bike started tipping over, all I could see were the rocks rushing towards me from about 6' below. I was also falling on the same side where I broke my collarbone 3.5 months previous, and this was my first real ride back since then. As I was falling towards the rocks, I could hear my ortho saying "you should be fine, just take it easy, and whatever you do, don't fall on that side".

Well, the split second before impact, I twisted my body so that my chest would hit the rocks first, and raised my arms and shoulders back behind me as far as I could.

WACK! The CP hit the rocks first, followed closely by the face of my helmet. The plastic on the CP was pretty galled up, and the visor of the helmet snapped off.

Other than being embarrassed high-siding while standing still like I did, no physical injury. Had I landed on my shoulder/collarbone, I'm sure it would have snapped again. Had I not had my Thor Aftershock on, my sternum would have been crushed.
 

JPIVEY

Sponsoring Member<br>Club Moderator
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 9, 2001
3,177
0
Right now I'm using a EVS ballistic, kinda nice
 

minicharge

Member
Apr 25, 2003
3
0
you guys wear cups too (priorities!) ? :p
I got one of them cool looking clear No Fear Stratus jobbies but trading it in cuz can't adjust the chest straps for height. gonna' try the axo vortex next.

as to wearing gear or not I see so many go down on the streets with just jeans and their knees get all chewed real good when every time a simple knee guard woulda' saved them easy. off roading with no C.P. is the same thing.
 

OnAnySunday

Big Pig
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 20, 2000
997
3
lost in the deserts of NM
Well, i'm the oddball everywhere else, so why not???
No.
Been riding since 1971.
Never wore one. Never needed one.
(even though ive got 2 in the shed out back that my son wears when riding BMX.)
Guess ive lived a charmed life.
Or else im just that danged slow.
AHEM, o.k. so im THAT slow. :ugg:
No wisecracks VD. :cool:
Well , how fast can ya go on an old XL anyways????? :confused:
 

Smit-Dog

Mi. Trail Riders
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 28, 2001
4,704
0
...Well , how fast can ya go on an old XL anyways?????

I was going about 10mph when I broke my collarbone. Life is funny like that.
 
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