I needed mine yesterday, and it did its job. The '04 10r is a bit worse for wear, as is my left clavicle. But I'm here to share my story of how I survived high siding the widowmaker.... Pictures to come once I find a photo sharing site worth a berkeley.
Oooow, good luck. And yes, gear is amazing–find some and wear it constantly.
That is unfortunate. It's good that you can still type - high sides look like less fun than a swarm of killer bees to a naked man. What happened?
In related news... I managed a less spectacular fail with the GSA in a rocky water crossing this weekend. The fat bastard landed on the back of my ankle and pinned my leg between two rocks. I can highly recommend Sidi ADV boots. I need a new skidpad but I plan on going for a run today. Hooray for gear.
Ouch. ATGATT represent! I totaled my SV1000 last month. My gear was unscathed, but it was there nonetheless. Camry turned left in front of me.
Imgur.com or Flickr is what I use for photos.
Ouch, glad you are okish.
GPS - I always wear my Alpinestar scouts when offroading. Saved my ankles many times.
Glad to hear that you're still mostly in one piece.
I get funny looks out here because I don't ride in shorts and T-shirt, but after lowsiding an ST1100 about 10 years back, I'm also a fully subscribed member of the ATGATT club. Walked away from that one with a bruised hip, would've been much worse if I hadn't worn the right gear.
I've had issues figuring either of those photo sharing things out...
As far as what happened, it was a combination of a on-off-on camber sweeping right turn with a hill crest and warning a truck w/horse trailer that there was a harley about 10-15 seconds behind me around the blind corner. I ended up off the inside of the turn and couldn't come back onto the road cleanly due to broken pavement that dropped 6+ inches to the side. I chose to put it down onto the roadway versus going down the 60° hillside filled with trees. Got flipped up, over, and in front of the bike and came to a rest in my lane 10ft further than the bike.
I hopped right up and realized I was actually hurt when I tried to pick up the bike. Part of me wishes I had the gopro running at that point, but it was inside the tail at this point. I'm pretty sure the bike barrel rolled as it had zero damage on the left side, and aside from the plastics being screwed, the bike appears to be fine. My friend(who was riding the Raptor that day) was able to ride the bike up to a state park parking lot until we could come back to pick it up.
I just got home from going to orthopedics specialists to check out the clavicle further. Good news is they think it will be able to repair itself versus surgery.
Silver lining of the day, seeing me get up relatively unscathed from that crash, the couple on the Harley behind me decided they needed to wear gear....
Just another note on ATGATT....talk to your insurance agent. It can be covered for minimal cost as well.
We all know good gear gets VERY pricey to replace.
Very happy to hear yours worked, and sorry to hear about the bike.
In reply to Grtechguy:
Bike will need new plastics(which it already needed front plastics from its previous life) otherwise I'll need new bar ends, levers, clip ons, and that appears to be the extent of it. 
Won't know for sure until I heal and can start tearing it apart.
I'm saying your jacket, gloves, helmet, etc
Grtechguy wrote: Just another note on ATGATT....talk to your insurance agent. It can be covered for minimal cost as well. We all know good gear gets VERY pricey to replace.
This, I did not know. When you add it all up... yeah, it's a lot of $$$. I've paid half as much for a decent car.
Ouch. While not on something with a motor, I was happy to be wearing protective gear when I was at a DH race on Sat. I was on my third practice run and berked up a jump near the end of the course. Landed way nose heavy and went OTB from about 12 feet and landed flat on my back. Upper body armor with spine protector took the brunt of it, but I'm still sore as hell and probably will be for awhile. Fortunately, nothing seems to be broken.
Grtechguy wrote: I'm saying your jacket, gloves, helmet, etc
Gear wise, even though the helmet only has 2 spots with light scratches/scuffs, the jacket and gloves all have slight rash....I'll buy all new as IMHO, their shelf life is one saving occurance.
G. P. Snorklewacker wrote:Grtechguy wrote: Just another note on ATGATT....talk to your insurance agent. It can be covered for minimal cost as well. We all know good gear gets VERY pricey to replace.This, I did not know. When you add it all up... yeah, it's a lot of $$$. I've paid half as much for a decent car.
A friend of my son, laid his Ducati down on the interstate, after a car changed lanes into him. He was running 65mph when it happened. He had on full gear and walked away with only bumps and bruises. Even the ambulance driver thanked him for wearing the gear, they apparently HATE responding to motorcycle crashes.
The car's insurance company wanted to quibble about the price on bike, but paid for his gear, no questions asked, at replacement cost. Pretty sure they know exactly how much money it saves them for the rider to have gear on. $500-$1000 in quality gear vs $100,000 in medical bills is a no-brainer.
Glad you are okay for the most part Yamaha. Hopefully you don't find anymore damage on the bike.
You should see some of the looks I get out here from other riders when it's 100 plus and I'm in my full gear. Especially because I'm on a Harley. I'd much rather keep most of my skin than to be a fraction cooler.
Thanks for the reminder, yamaha. I've been slacking a bit lately. I'll get back in ATGATT RBN*. Glad you are, for the most part, OK. Rest easy.
*Right Berking Now
I had so much energy the day I dumped the MurderCycle (adrenaline), I could have flipped over cars. The next day is when it hurt. Badly.
Yamaha- Glad you are ok.
Nick- I get those same strange looks on insanely hot days when I put on all my gear.
I'm actually thinking about upgrading some of my gear now. Specifically my boots and pants could use an upgrade.
I also don't know about some of you guys, but I couldn't imagine me having a motorcycle when I was in my 20's. I drove like a tool so I can only imagine I would have ridden like one too. Nowadays, when I see people driving like arsehats, I simply shake my head and try and go about my business. In my younger years, I know it would have been a lot of "well my bike is faster than your car so watch this."
We get a lot of the penis helmet, shorts/jeans, and t-shirt guys around here. I see sport bike guys at least where full face helmets. HD/Cruiser guys must not be allowed to even buy full face helmets in TN cause I never see it.
octavious wrote: I also don't know about some of you guys, but I couldn't imagine me having a motorcycle when I was in my 20's. I drove like a tool so I can only imagine I would have ridden like one too. Nowadays, when I see people driving like arsehats, I simply shake my head and try and go about my business. In my younger years, I know it would have been a lot of "well my bike is faster than your car so watch this."
I still feel like this a bit. It's why I drive low-powered cars and a minivan; and still get myself into trouble now and then. And the first moto I've bought is a 400cc dual-sport. I'm not sure I'll ever be "mature" enough to own a real sport-bike. Hell, while I have a serious "want" for a new Mustang GT350, I'm a bit hesitant about buying a car with over 500 hp - almost more than all 6 of my existing cars combined.
Octavious:
I had a bike in my teens and 20's. All I can say is sometimes it's better to be lucky than good but it helps to be a little good too. I had driven in traffic before riding on the street and I had ridden dirt bikes in old strip mines many times before combining the two things. I rode my first street bike on the way home from buying it. In the rain. In a t-shirt, shorts, sneaks, Oakleys and the sparkly orange 70s looking half-helmet that came with the bike. 
There are plenty of pics of me on FZRs and GPzs and later CBRs and VFRs in preppie work clothes and boat shoes with no socks from the 1980/90s. Cute girl w/ no helmet, in shorts and flip-flops on the back sort of silliness. I am an ATGATT convert... it didn't come naturally at all and was way out of character for anyone I knew or rode with.
I didn't really think about classes or gear for the street until I wanted to go racing much later (somewhere between '89 and '91) - the Keith Code at Summit Point school required full leathers. I REALLY wanted to go to that school and so I rented all the goods.
At the school I learned three things:
Even though it dashed my hopes of wearing the MotoGP #1 plate... it was still the best money I ever spent and it probably saved my bacon many, many times over.
EDIT: I also geeked out on how to ride better, gear, books and everything else as a direct result of sucking really bad at the school... So, it wasn't exactly the school itself... but it started the ball rolling.
I figured you learned that rented gear is nasty.
Appleseed wrote: I figured you learned that rented gear is nasty.
And tight. Way too tight.
In reply to yamaha:
Glad to hear you were smart enough to wear gear. When I see dudes/chicks on bikes wearing t-shirts/shorts/sneakers/flip-flops, all I think is, "you're doomed if you put that bike down". 
Heal up quickly.
In reply to gamby:
That's the plan, I'm already browsing for even better gear than what I had.....but I have to admit, my overly broad shoulders probably aren't helping with preventing an injury like this. 
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