Roadskin motorcycle jeans save biker from more serious injury

Thanks to the AAA-safety rated Taranis motorcycle jeans that he was wearing when he collided with a motorhome in the Alps, Roadskin customer Mark Lee’s injuries were not nearly as severe as they might have been.

How Roadskin’s protective motorcycle jeans were put to the test in a real-life crash

Roadskin customer Mark Lee got in touch with us in July, shortly after his return from the French Alps, where he sustained injuries in a nasty motorbike crash when he collided with a motorhome. He was thrown off the motorbike and lost consciousness. Home now, and stitches out, he told us about the crash and how wearing Roadskin’s single-layer, AAA-rated Taranis bike jeans had saved him from worse injuries. Due to the impact, Mark’s leg was cut deep enough for stitches, but the jeans did not tear.  

Roadskin motorcycle jeans performed just as they are designed to do. It’s great to hear how well they are protecting our customers in real life.  As Mark explains, ‘The pair I was wearing were cut off to get to my injuries, but I was very happy with the performance of the jeans - they’re a lot tougher than my leg!’

‘Can wearing quality motorbike jeans protect you if you have an accident? Yes!’ 

Here is Mark’s story in his own words: 

‘Thanks to the Taranis motorcycle jeans that I was wearing when I crashed, all I suffered was bruising and a deep cut from impact. My jeans did not hole or tear. 

I was on holiday in France with some friends. On that particular day, we had just had a drink stop. I led us out of the village of Julien-du-Verdon and up on to the D-road that would eventually take us to our lunch stop. I exited the junction on to a clear road, but I wasn’t as attentive as I should have been and I drifted on to the wrong side of the road. Unfortunately, before I had the chance to correct my positioning, a motorhome came around the corner in front of me. Instinct took me to the left, meaning I caught the motorhome on its front left-hand side with the right-hand side of my bike (a BMW R1250RS). I flew forward and over the bike, apparently gaining height like an Olympic diver off the springboard. My legs obviously caught the engine cylinders on my travels. I crashed to the ground like a rag doll and lost consciousness. 

My bike was thrown some distance. My tracker recorded my maximum speed at 19mph but I think the motorhome was travelling closer to 40mph. When I came to, I was in pain! However, the jeans armour cushioned much of the impact from the landing and hospital X-rays confirmed that I hadn’t broken any bones. I wouldn’t have even known my right leg was cut were it not for the growing patch of blood on my jeans. The cut was a result of bashing my leg on the engine cylinders. It needed stitches, but my jeans didn’t tear at all. The medic who attended had to cut my motorcycle jeans open to get to the injury.

‘I’m thankful for the protection Roadskin’s motorbike jeans gave me’

Riding in Roadskin’s single-layer jeans is my preference because they’re comfortable in warm weather, both on and off the motorcycle. I often wear them on a night out; the flexibility of these jeans is a real plus, especially if you’re touring. I bought the Taranis jeans based on the safety rating, and so it’s great to see how they do what you want them to when it comes to the crunch.’