IBW 2015 Safe Riding- the lecture

http://youtu.be/6mQ7semx6s0

Many thanks to the Seventy Event Media Group, and especially Thanush Joesph and Shrijit Patil for encouraging me to take on this topic of riding safe in India. (http://seventyemg.com/aboutemg.php)
grin emoticon and their daring to let me wield a mic on stage.
Many thanks to Karishma and Srinivas for the video
Most and foremost - to the entire Bombay Harriers' family- for doing a fantastic job from Bhutan to Mahabalipuram and The Rann of Kutch to Chandigarh... Without you guys none of this was possible.

Innocent query on Motorcycle Safety

Everyday in the morning, I must admit that I admire Dr M Watsa- and the unique queries he gets- innocent, yet so hilarious- and then today a dear friend Tony reminded me that I had just such a query waiting for me on my favorite topic- safety on motorcycles.
Here is it copied off a forum-

From a gent named AG-

"Hi guys, i have an issue and i need help with it.. My dad does not believe i need a good helmet like a Harley or something else... I have a vega modular helmet.... I usually tape the openings, with electrical tape, of that helmet because it gives me too much wind noise.... For long runs... Also at higher speeds the helmet tends to pull upwards... The aerodynamics is horrible.... So i usually tighten the strap quite a bit.... He says that there is no such thing as a good helmet... And that i should ride slowly if that the wind is concerned. I said that city helmets are fine for vega n all... But the for 800km runs i require something robust. He is not a biker nor has he ever ridden one.. He requires proof with the difference between this helmet and the good ones out there.... Can anyone help me out? I also want proper riding gear for long runs..."

And my reply-

"AG- I assume that your post is taken in all its seriousness_
Here is a good riot act on safety wear and why.
1. Wear gloves so that when you fall in a parking lot due to gravel, or due to someone spilling diesel in a petrol pump, you don't skin your palms- and then your nurse does not have to feed you at home, nor your other male nurse have to give you a bath till your skin grows.
These events are a speed of '0 kmph'
2. Riding pants and jackets have armour in the form or padding or inserts which are meant to deform on impact or abrasion/heat, therefore protecting your joints from serious injury. This also means that when you get hit from behind by an errant rider, your fall and skin- are both protected by your gear, your elbows, your rear, your knees and spine are in better shape- enabling you to walk away-
again note that the accidents mentioned here happened at 5kmph
3. Helmets protect your brain- period. Without it, you are nothing.
Good quality helmets are usually functional in the sense that they have good ventilation built into them, better quality visors for your vision, good quality D-rings or snap-fits for latches, cheek pads for firmer fit, and a good fit around the head.
This prevents or reduces to a great extent the issues you mentioned- wind noise and helmet riding up_
As regards buying better helmets- please tell your father that a Maruti 800 (may it RIP) and a S class do the same job- getting you there- wherever. The S will give you better safety features and its the same for helmets as well.
Nothing about safety here is about speed- while riding on the Kaas Plateau I was caught in a gust of wind that took me on a meeting with a rock- my helmet saved my life as many here will attest... my speed was 35kmph. The wind that causes your helmet to 'rise' is due to a) poor aerodynamics and b) poor fit.
You need to please find and wear 5-7 kinds of helmets, that fit your forehead snug, and literally fit tight on your cheeks- so tight that you should not be able to chew gum while wearing it (thats a bad idea in any case)- so that at speeds upto 130-145- your helmet stays on, firm and not a hazard to your life, and to those riding with you.
Good Helmets like the Nola N63 start at about 15/16K and run all the way upto the SHOEI-GT Air at $700, or the ARAI-RX-V or Corsair-V Limited Editions for about $900...
There are a few articles on safety I have written here, and are now on my blog...
http://therealslimkd.blogspot.in/
If you are really sincere about this, and wish that this be taken up on a personal note, feel free to let me know.
None of this is written with a pinch of humor.
None intended."

Safety Gear- Everything other than Helmets

After the note put up on the Helmet, friends like @RajeevS and a few asked for pointers on safety wear for the rest of the body- here is my attempt at listing my thoughts on the same. These notes are focused on cruising and not for sportbikers, who face far more wind resistance, and need special clothing like full body suits to protect them against the elements. Their bike shoes dont fit on bikes like the Bullet nor suit most of the Harleys- bikes who's background I come from- so its by no means comprehensive- just my thoughts.
NECK- Go to any army supply store and purchase a round-neck warmer for about 80-180 bucks depending on quality, the kind that extends on the chest and over the upper back. The Army trusts it from uniform to ambush... you should too.
GLOVES- Leather palm lined, full finger, with mesh for air intake on the top side, knuckles made of hardened plastic or kevlar, so that if you run into a bush or -ugh- a wall, with your fist clenched once the front brake- you avoid smashing your knuckle. The leather lined palm- more than any accident, is to prevent leaving your skin on the ground, in case of an accidental fall or tip over in your building compound or at a signal when a foolish motorist tanks you from behind.
UPPER TORSO- Wear two or three light T shirts then go and try- Zeus, Rynox, Cramster from the Indian stables (5-7000) to AlpineStars, RJays, Joe Rocket, Rev'it, Harley (8-28000) from the overseas types. There should be lined pockets for armour- on the shoulders and the elbows, as well as a pad for the back. The jackets should come with a detachable rain cover inner, which can be removed and carried alongside to be worn when it rains. The slightly loose fit permits layered clothing in mild winters. The jacket should have adequate mesh and/or zippered openings to control entry of air to keep body cool in the 9 months that India has summer.
INNER WEAR- there are many companies like Icon Stryker and Thor Sentinel (about $110-140), that make products that provide 'hard' protection for the upper torso. There are various Indian companies that make variants, and a quick visit to stores that retail the jackets etc would help you see the range available in India. The strange effect is that this guard fits you like a cosset, and eliminated fatigue from wind and fluttering jackets and give your a nice and comfortable feel by holding your girth in place. Once you get used to this, no way you like riding without the inner guard.
LOWER BODY- My personal preference is to wear riding pants- the kind made again in India like Zeus (which is one of the pants I use) along with a Rev'it which I find more comfortable when riding for anything over 3-days. The pants come with rain-inners, but the main points are- padding for the waist, the rear, and thighs, not to forget integrated knee pads as well. The pants sit snug and secure and in case of an impact they resist tearing for those few crucial seconds more than your plain jeans. The Zeus cost between 5-6000 while the Rev'it came in for about twice as much. For those tasking about local riding- Wrangler came out with 2x and 4x jeans that seemed a reasonably good investment for the ride to office, or the local breakfast ride. Dainese D6, or Alpinestars Hellcat- my current favorite being the Draggin Kevlar Jeans. Price ranges from $130-200. Given the restricted use that could be foreseen- you should invest in riding pants and what follows below-
KNEES- Knee Guards- are a must if you don't have riding pants or riding jeans- Indian ones are available- dime a dozen, however stolen dies for the popular Alpinestars model have got the market flooded with cheap chinese imitations that you cannot tell- except when they shatter in a put-down. Funny, to recommend but here, again Thor Force or Icon Strykers that really don't cost much when you compare it to skinning your knees. Price ranges from 1400-4000 for most products.
SHOES- Any ankle high boot- starting from Caterpillar or Timberland to your Woodlands and Army 'type' boots anything to prevent small stones at high speed hitting your feet, and to prevent- as far as possible the skinning of ankle in a fall. Price range would be from 1500-7000.

HELMETS- and how to buy them

I was discussing a helmet buying issue on the net with @Augustus23- and here was my reply to him-
CHEERS TO CHOOSING HELMETS-

LS2 is at one end of the spectrum while at the other end like SHOEI GT series, and the ARAI RX or the Corsair Series- which would set you back between 65000-80000 depending on model and replicas of particular riders. Having given you the spread financially- here is the user issues-
1. NO one can tell you which helmet fits you- you have to try ten helmets and see which one fits you firmest. The helmet should have no wobble, or ability to lift- which means that it should not lift off your face and make you peer down (imagine here by lifting your head backwards, nose to ceiling)- The cheek pads are a must and should not slide up and down your cheeks when you push up the chin with your fingers- it should want to raise your chins along with it- which means that the fit should be firm, almost a tad on the tight side.
2. Short comings of helmets are that
- if they are not well designed, they will lift upward- and you cannot test this on Bullet or a Pulsar, you have to ride it out in the open on your Harley
- poor fittings, like the Maahindra Scorpio doors, will allow air inside with an irritating whistling sound, which when you will do 10-12 hours on your Harley, will annoy the daylights out of you, and you will land up riding with ear plugs
- poorly made fittings will enable the visor not to sit firmly on the closed postion and causing a very dangerous phenomenon- at speeds between 120-145 the visor snaps open- and the open visor catches the rushing air and almost yanks the helmet backward causing a very very critical moment in your riding career.
- improper ventilation, besides the obvious discomfort also causes fatigue and the more dangerous thing- fogging due to breath in cold weather, and also during the rains which in India last for 3-4 months a year.
3. SNELL and DOT testing- there is just no end to which is good, bad, better, and on and on. Which brings me to a point, that it is rumoured - rather strongly- that HJC makes Harley helmets, of which there are half, modular and full face available. These are the same that H-D sells around th world, and am sure they pass atleast some mandatory testing and meet/exceed some minimum certification standards. So if anyone asks you not to buy the helmets- hmmmm- I would discount such advise.
4. Try the LS2, try Cross, Try the SHOEI RF1100 a hugely popular budget item, try the Arai Vector. Others like NOLAN, SHARK and SCORPION meet the various price points on the system.
5. What I wear- I started riding with a full face and I do not use nor subscribe to half-face or modular helmets.
I ride with the
NOLAN- N 63 in the city, and on extremely hot days
SHOEI GT-AIR which has saved me when I head-butted a wall on an off-road event- replaced and remains my favourite highway runner in groups needing communications, as my Scala sits firmly screwed into the helmet, and finally-
ARAI Corsair V- Isle of Man TT Limited Edition- which I use for long rides alone when I dont need the Scala which stays embedded in my Shoei.

Do feel free to try on a few helmets across the price ranges of 3000-45000 before finding the right fit. Helmets that ride up at speeds are just as bad as ones that will slide around when you fall and impact on the road. Choose wisely and choose tight.

Importance of safety gear while riding.

"Dress for the crash" and "You skin looks better on you than on the road" are slogans you hear every day or on the signature of many riders across Forums from Canada to Australia. 
This Sunday, on the Seven Islands ride to Igatpuri, about 110Km on NH 3 towards Nasik, we had an incident inspite of following a brilliant leader to sweeper team of 9 riders. 
Light drizzle, and absolutely just 'a' shower described the beautiful ride. Average speeds of 100-110 and light traffic with the absence of the usual jokers wanting to chase you to take pictures. The ride was as good as it could get.
So what happened next- Sachin, who was riding on a sweeping left hander coming down the Kasara Ghats, doing about 100- had a dog come across and his bike t-boned the dog- and Sachins bike fell to the right, into his angle of lean. The road was clear- no traffic, the Dog came from nowhere-
Amidst 10 riders, clear roads, dry downhill- fast- no reason to worry about gear- and that changed in a fraction of a second- and everyone who hit the brakes to avoid Sachins falling bike must have had their ways in blessing that everyone, save one, was dressed in almost as good as gear-cover can get.
Sachins crashguard- worked as his talisman- and it was amazing to watch for the 6 bikers behind him - that the FatBoy went skidding for about 25 meters or maybe more, before responding to Sachins endeavours to control the bike and it righted itself- and after stabilizing, the bike stopped about >100meters ahead of the stunned riders who braked to avoid running over the spill.
The rider was lucky, but the rider was geared well enough and i would even hazard a small bit that the subconscious knowing he was dressed well, allowed him to concentrate on regaining control rather than wondering which palm to ground to brace for impact.
Being involved with the Chapter here in Mumbai, I get to see riders who come in, barely dressed for the ride, let alone for the act. It feels so distressing and patronising when you tell them that these bikes weigh a good lot more than themselves- and that this one-degree of comfort that possibly allowed Sachin to look more for control than brace for the crash saved him from a nasty spill.
The Crash guard, which almost every rider tells a newcomer to the group did its job. The safety gear worked at a mental level- It is so important. So Important.