Posts
111
Joined
11/7/2016
Location
MX
Edited Date/Time
1/19/2018 8:46am
To me not much.
It is true that we got better suspensions, helmets, boots, knee braces and so on than on Ricky Johnson's era, but at the same time the sport has grown so much technically that today any amateur kid at the track jumps, scrubs, goes faster and do things that most of the pros long time ago wouldn't even dream about.
A1 and Houston had some sections where it looked like BMX at 50 miles an hour. The one where Wilson got hurt and Roczen almost washed? Man, those guys are monsters.
The bikes are good. Riders and teams take it more and more professionally every year. Everyone, even amateurs take it seriously.
This made our sport to grow up a lot lately.
But safety did not. At least not at the same pace as the sport itself.
Neck braces came to save our backs and broke our collarbones. Chest protectors don't do much more than 30 years ago. Apart from boots, knee braces and helmets, what do we have to minimize the damage?
It is true that we got better suspensions, helmets, boots, knee braces and so on than on Ricky Johnson's era, but at the same time the sport has grown so much technically that today any amateur kid at the track jumps, scrubs, goes faster and do things that most of the pros long time ago wouldn't even dream about.
A1 and Houston had some sections where it looked like BMX at 50 miles an hour. The one where Wilson got hurt and Roczen almost washed? Man, those guys are monsters.
The bikes are good. Riders and teams take it more and more professionally every year. Everyone, even amateurs take it seriously.
This made our sport to grow up a lot lately.
But safety did not. At least not at the same pace as the sport itself.
Neck braces came to save our backs and broke our collarbones. Chest protectors don't do much more than 30 years ago. Apart from boots, knee braces and helmets, what do we have to minimize the damage?
We all know the risks.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Injuries will always happen in a dangerous sport, but things can be done to reduce the severity and frequency of these injuries.
You can't really counter dirt digs.
Neck braces? Maybe, it depends if you believe that they work or not. I haven't seen any actual scientific studies about that(feel free to guide me to one if you know someone that has done that).
Knee braces have been around for 20 years. The OTS braces are better now than 10 years ago but that is mostly comfort and fitment. Custom is still the way to go if you have the money for it(i don't).
I'm still waiting for an airbag system that Dainese and Alpinestars have for road racing. Like ML mentioned in an other thread, it will be multiple years before we see the first units on an MX track. But i'm sure it's coming. I think Alpinestars offers it for their offroad riders(Dakar etc)?
The easiest way to get injuries down is to slow down everything(slower tracks since the current bikes are really fast).
From this ....
To this ......
So in fact, the new bikes are way more dangerous.
Deano was going pretty fast and hit hard. True chest shoulder protection might not have prevented injury, but possibly lessened it.
Pit Row
and the guy who almost lost his arm comes back wearing nothing either. He did get used to a wrist brace because he thought he needed it..........its all in the head.........maybe some of the up and comers will realize they're not invincible and at least try to use something but I'm not holding my breath!!
Fixed the title for ya!
Post a reply to: How MX safety has evolved in the last 30 years?