What Happens To The Human Body In A Motorcycle Crash Without Riding Gear?

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While riding a motorcycle is considered to be more cost-effective and more effecient at navigating heavy traffic in cities, it also puts the rider at a significantly higher risk of accidents, injuries, and in the worst scenario, death.

This is why safety gear was invented for riders to help minimise bodily harm and reduce risk of death.

However, there are still a handful of individuals who think that those wearing gear of the highest safety standards are “posers” and are not “real bikers”. This is a dangerous mindset that may influence others to not wear proper protective clothing.

Although some might just be rage-baiting (posting content that induces anger for engagement), the idea might still influence younger or new riders who have never experienced a serious motorcycle crash to forgo proper protective gear for the sake of not looking like a “poser”.

No matter how fast or slow you’re going on a motorbike, there is always a risk of grievous injuries.

Here’s what happens to your body if you crash your motorcycle at various speeds and without protection

The most basic protective gear you should have on you while riding a motorcycle should be a helmet, jacket, gloves, long pants, and footwear that covers the entirety of your feet — no slippers, sandals, high heels, or any open-toe shoes.

Without all of these, your exposed skin and limbs have absolutely nothing in between them and the asphalt below.

Here is what is generally possible without proper motorcycle riding gear:

Around 60km/h

At this speed, the body would hit the road at roughly 17 meters per second.

Possible injuries include extensive “road rash” (skin scraped away, sometimes down to muscle); deep cuts from the pavement; broken wrists, collarbones, arms, ankles, or ribs from trying to break the fall.

There’s also risk of shoulder dislocation, concussion or traumatic brain injury if the head strikes the ground, and facial fractures as well as dental injuries if no helmet is worn.

This is all possible at just roughly 60 kilometers per hour, which is generally a normal speed in moving traffic around the city. Many riders survive crashes at this speed, but permanent scarring, fractures, and long recoveries are common.

Around 80km/h

While the speed increase may not seem huge, the crash energy is much greater in reality.

Crashing at 80 kilometers per hour could possibly lead to severe road rash which requires skin grafts, multiple broken bones, pelvic or spine fractures, collapsed lung from rib fractures, internal bleeding, severe traumatic brain injury if the head hits the road, and significant blood loss from large abrasions and lacerations.

Even if you survive an accident at this speed, long-term disability becomes much more likely.

Around 120km/h

At this speed (about 33 meters per second), the forces involved become enormous.

Possible outcomes of a crash at 120 kilometers per hour include massive skin loss over large areas of the body, multiple fractures throughout the body, severe spinal cord injuries that can potentially cause paralysis, major chest injuries affecting the heart and lungs, rupture of internal organs, life-threatening internal bleeding, catastrophic traumatic brain injury (without a helmet), and possibly death at the scene.

Some riders do survive crashes at this speed, particularly if they slide across open pavement rather that striking a fixed object, but survival without serious lifelong injuries is less common.

The outcome of a crash also depends on how the rider falls, what they hit (asphalt, curb, guard rail, other vehicle, grass), whether they tumble or slide, and other factors like age and health.

Two people can crash at the same speed and have very different injuries. With that said, speed has a major effect because the energy involved increases rapidly as speed rises.

What is the aboslute minimum to wear to mitigate damage in a motorcycle crash?

At the very least, get a decent full-face helmet so that your head and your face are protected. Open face helmets may be more comfortable and offers better vision, but an acrylic visor won’t keep your mouth and chin from being ripped off should you fall face-first onto rough asphalt.

A riding jacket, even just a mesh one, would greatly improve your chances of keeping your skin on your body. Sliding at 60 kilometers per hour with nothing between your naked arm and the road will definitely result in parts of your skin being left behind. Simply put, the road becomes a giant cheese grater when you’re travelling at high speed.

You might also want to get padded riding gloves, pants, and a good pair of bike shoes to protect the rest of your body in case you take a fall or hit anything.

Flip flops are a big no-no, as well as any open-toed footwear, unless you want your feet shaved down to a stump in the event of a sliding crash. Regular sports sneakers are also not encouraged, as the material is not commonly made to withstand abrasions.

Some might think that motorcycle gear is expensive, but these days there are many options to suit all kinds of budget. Of course, higher end gear that uses high abrasion-resistant material like kevlar would be an optimal choice, but putting any kind of protective gear on is better than having none.

Besides, one shouldn’t put a price on safety. A careless mistake with no preventive measures or protection could result in a rider being disabled, or worse.

There’s a saying among motorcyclists that goes “ATGATT”, which means All The Gear, All The Time.

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