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Fortnine at it again

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So Fortnine posted a video essentially arguing that because the standard for impact protection is so low in motorcycle gear we might as well just remove the pads. Though he says twice he’s not telling anyone to remove them.

Here is the link if anyone is interested


Not sure how everyone else feels about this but I think it’s remarkably dumb. We should be arguing for increased protection either by raising the standards or offering CE level 3 and 4 to give the market a way to differentiate the products. Has anyone here had impact armor help them on an involuntary dismount?
 
TNHoosier said:
I never have cared for his videos. IMHO, he is just a shill for his sponsors.
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I have my issues with his videos, but in this case, he’s saying that a product sold by the online seller he represents is superfluous. Yet they sell it. And they don’t sell a Body Armour Removal Kit. Frankly, it is contradictory, cynical, or hypocritical. I’m not sure which, maybe a combination.
 
My take away from watching the video is that he is not happy with the armour standard that was set by industry. Specifically related to fractures and the allowable force transmission will not protect from a fracture.
 
All I know is that I went down hard wearing an armored jacket some years ago on a wet wooden bridge---I got up and walked away--they guy in front of me also went down and he went away in an ambo with broken shoulder--jacket was none the worse for wear. I was checked out by the EMT who told me my heart rate and BP seemed elevated---well no kidding!
 
I recently bought a new pair of riding pants that included hip protectors (to replace old ones without) and I don't regret my purchase after seeing the Fortnine video.
But I do admit I find the videos entertaining.
 
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Ryan F9. Great guy; fun videos. Very entertaining. Physics major. Not sure what the issue is however; he's saying that CE 1 and 2 are inadequate for impact; needs to be better but industry is self-regulated so nothing happening. CE2 rating is 20KN or less; ouch; 4500 Lbf hit. Low speed get off, stop and flop or the like, yes armor helps. Do I leave my Aerostich TF pads in? For sure. Have they prevented injury? Yes, twice; I think; but glancing impacts. Also went down once at about 40mph in unarmored leathers; hit at a high angle of attack, so basically flat; also no impact injuries beyond lots of bruising. If I had hit something stationary at that speed, armor would not have helped. And I owned a Honda Ascot; briefly; it was not a good Honda product.
 
RC24F2 said:
Ryan F9. Great guy; fun videos. Very entertaining. Physics major. Not sure what the issue is however; he's saying that CE 1 and 2 are inadequate for impact; needs to be better but industry is self-regulated so nothing happening. CE2 rating is 20KN or less; ouch; 4500 Lbf hit. Low speed get off, stop and flop or the like, yes armor helps. Do I leave my Aerostich TF pads in? For sure. Have they prevented injury? Yes, twice; I think; but glancing impacts. Also went down once at about 40mph in unarmored leathers; hit at a high angle of attack, so basically flat; also no impact injuries beyond lots of bruising. If I had hit something stationary at that speed, armor would not have helped. And I owned a Honda Ascot; briefly; it was not a good Honda product.
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I agree with you on the point Fortnine is trying to make. But people "listen" differently today than they did even 10 years ago; especially so with online content or "influencers" like Fortnine. This seems counterintuitive for an online retailer to present this video produced this way. Companies who use online content bank on the fact that viewers listen, or view, to respond as opposed to listening to understand (it's a fact that I cannot support right now, but trust that it is true). I just think viewers, responding to what they heard but did not understand as clearly as you have, will dump armor or maybe even some gear. To your point, the video is probably accurate but the risk as I see it is that people will respond to it in a way that may cause harm.
 
RC24F2 said:
Ryan F9. Great guy; fun videos. Very entertaining. Physics major. Not sure what the issue is however; he's saying that CE 1 and 2 are inadequate for impact; needs to be better but industry is self-regulated so nothing happening. CE2 rating is 20KN or less; ouch; 4500 Lbf hit. Low speed get off, stop and flop or the like, yes armor helps. Do I leave my Aerostich TF pads in? For sure. Have they prevented injury? Yes, twice; I think; but glancing impacts. Also went down once at about 40mph in unarmored leathers; hit at a high angle of attack, so basically flat; also no impact injuries beyond lots of bruising. If I had hit something stationary at that speed, armor would not have helped. And I owned a Honda Ascot; briefly; it was not a good Honda product.
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The problem is that he misconstrued the interview and study he cited so much so that the paper’s author responded explaining why he was wrong. Additionally for a physics major he fails to understand that the horse armor he cites in the beginning is tested differently. Fewer joules are put in and less are allowed through. I find the whole thing very disingenuous. If he had made a call to action this might be ok but all I got out of it was that because the armor isn’t perfect it’s too uncomfortable to wear. He made a solid point about regulatory capture but offered zero solutions.
 
I rarely watch youtube vids, but have watched a couple of F9 vids that have been linked to in different forums. He's one man's opinion.

I'm guessing armor padding would be better if govt's mandated it to be so,..... like helmets. You mostly get the protection that's mandated and not much more. Example DOT in the US.

I don't trust that the armor in my riding gear is going to do much really, but it may help some. A helmet is the only piece of gear designed to save your life..well and maybe an airbag vest, the rest is worn to mitigate road rash and broken bones. I'd rather avoid an accident altogether, and not count on little pieces of foam, plastic or polycarbonate saving my bacon. Experience, keeping up on riding skills, not riding like an idiot, not taking unnecessary chances, and wearing visible gear will probably do a whole lot more towards keeping you safe than any gear.

Of course, not every accident can be avoided, in which case more gear is probably better than less gear, but even wearing the best helmet and an air bag vest won't protect you from dying in every instance. They just raise the odds that you'll survive. Padding won't guarantee you won't get broken bones, and textile won't guarantee you won't end up with road rash.

Motorcycle riding is dangerous, no doubt. Some guys riding with no gear will make it home safely tonight. Some guys riding with a lot of gear won't.

We all decide how much risk, gear wise, that we are willing to accept.
 
One wonders what bike racers wear.
I came off a Honda Blackbird at speed and beat myself up quite badly. All I can say is I am very glad I was wearing an armoured leather jacket and kevlar reinforced jeans with D3O armour. Jeans were toast as was my Shoei X-Spirit 3 helmet but they saved me from far worse.
 
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