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Neck Protection for Streetbike Riding

3K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Mxslick 
#1 · (Edited)
Do you think neck protection for everyday streetbike riding is beneficial or necessary?

What makes streetbike riding so much safer than closed course racing such as MX, SSB Racing or the Isle of Mann TT, that would not make a protective neck device necessary?


It seems most riders have armour for their backs, knees, elbows and ankles, nice helmets for their heads and fancy jackets and gloves for their hands etc... but why no protection for the neck. Did you know that the average human head with a helmet can weigh up to a little under 15 lbs? That's a lot of weight to have bobbling all over the place, not to mention having to try to control it and protect it in an accident.

The potential for injuries resulting from axio-loading (compressed vertebra), hyper-flexion, and hyperextension, make quite compelling reasons to have and use some type of neck protection....no?

I believe the majority of sport bike riders wear a helmet for one reason or another. Many wear some type of helmet which covers the whole face/chin region, whether it be a full face or modular type helmet. Often times riders will state that they wear a full face helmet to protect their face just in case they have an accident in which they “face plant”.

Neck injuries are the second most common type of upper torso injury. 11% of serious motorcycle accidents have some form of neck injury. Although most face plants are not fatal they will result in some type of neck injury. For that fact, any time the head strikes an object with a degree of force, there is a potential for neck injury. So, why do most riders go without neck protection?

No doubt you've seen the neck braces worn by MX racers and even NASCAR Racers. What if the neck device was simple and helped support the weight ball on top of your shoulders, help prevent neck and back strain. Would your wear it ?

If you been riding for a while, you’ve probably have seen a whole bunch of videos of a number of riders being slammed and having their heads smack the pavement when they crash, some even running head first into guard rails, curbs, vehicles, or even run over by their own bikes. On that rare occasion, there’s that rear impact from a vehicle that is 5.5 times heavier than you and your bike combined. So just how much protection can a neck device give?





If you look at a lot of the cycle apparel /equipment stores, you'll notice what used to be seen as protective MX gear, being marketed and sold as protective street gear. So are neck braces becoming the future of streetbike and road racing. What are your thoughts?

LEATT has released a neck device specifically for road riding. This Revzilla review is quite interesting, it doesn't look restrictive and is designed specifically to be worn over a jacket.



http://www.250r.net/forum/www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1hPZYxMspo
 
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#6 ·
I met guy in 2011 at a Ninja 250 Rally @ the Dragon who wore a neck roll. I've been debating since to get myself one. I find myself getting that head bobble thing going when the wind is high or on long super slab trips (got a XLG helmet). If a brace or roll can minimize head bobble or even hyperflexion/hyperextension, it might be worth to me. I got all my other body parts covered, might as well protect my neck too.
 
#7 ·
I don't think these things are preachy. They're very informative and exactly the type of advice that new riders are looking for, and that veteran riders need to hear again and again. At the very least, it raises awareness about certain issues about protection and rider safety in general



 
#8 ·
I have the Leatt for my mx riding and really like it. (Hopefully I never have to test it's protective quality though.) As I was told and promised, after the first few minutes of wear and riding, I really didn't notice it was there.

I do wonder about the value of a neck brace for street riding though. Not saying it wouldn't help (a lot) in a crash but I'd like to know how many head/neck injuries happen in street crashes. (The percentage and probability is higher for mx/offroad IMHO.)

All that said, if funds permit I'd look into getting one.
 
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