By: by Robert Vaughan
Clothes Make the Man
When Harry Hurt at the University of Southern California (USC) did his famous study of motorcycle accidents, he found that though clothes may not make the man they certainly help protect him. Covering yourself with leather or another thick material such as Kevlar or Cordura can offer a very high level of protection.
Cycle magazine tested materials for their abrasion resistance. The two types of tests Cycle did gave similar results. If you weight 75 pounds and have a body like a milk crate then your wardrobe would fall into three classes: Denim and lightweight leather for minimum protection, Cordura Nylon and Kevlar for five times the protection, and competition weight leather for twenty times the protection.
If, on the other hand, you have a tendency to sit on grinding wheels, you can stay seated twice as long wearing Cordura Nylon or Kevlar as you can wearing Denim or thirteen times as long wearing competition weight leather.
Road rash isn’t the most serious injury motorcyclists face, but it’s certainly one of the most painful. While you may not look like a milk crate or sit on grinding wheels, you should know that the better materials do give you something for your money besides a flatter billfold.
As a rule, riders buy non-specialized clothing such as denim and then wear it for a very specialized purpose. The best material for abrasion-resistance should combine a smooth texture in a thick layer to promote sliding, some rigidity to discourage adhesion, a flexible internal structure to stretch under abrasion, and enough thickness to withstand sustained abrasion. A deficiency in even one element can spell injury.
However, even the best materials won’t prevent injury if the garment is not well made and properly fitted. And, even if those criteria are met, if the garment isn’t fastened, it can’t do its job of keeping the rider unharmed.
It’s worthwhile to put as much money into the clothes we wear as we do into the accessories we put on our bikes.
