Busted and Broken - DUI

Icon,

I headed out on a Sunday to ride with the guys from my bike club. I jumped on the freeway to head to our local meet spot and as I was cruising on the freeway I noticed a vehicle that was swerving from lane to lane. I eventually passed the car and as I exited the freeway the same car exited behind me. As I stopped at the red-light the car didn't. I was hit while sitting at the stop sign from behind at approx. 45 MPH. I was thrown off my bike about 50 feet! I saw the ground coming toward me and I braced for impact. I hit the ground and was knocked unconscious and next thing I know I'm in the ER. Yes the cops caught the guy who hit me and yes he was drunk.

Thanks,

Nick C.

Fontana, CA

Busted and Broken - BMW'chowda

Dear Icon,


Here in New England, on Route 1 going north bound, I was going home and was on a stretch of road where the speed limit went from 35 mph to 50mph. I looked in a driveway of this supermarket to make sure no one was going to dart in front of me and all of a sudden this BMW 325 appeared. There was no way I could stop. I hit my brakes, hit the car, and was airborne. I hit the pavement on my right side - sliding and ripping holes in my jeans. Thank God I had on my Icon Skull jacket and Icon Super Duty gloves. I have to say I was a little shaken up but I was physically  fine.  I had road rash on my knee and thigh but my elbow and hands were fine. Thanks Icon for saving me a trip to the hospital.

Busted and Broken - Sha_DOH!

I just wanted to let you know that your helmet saved my life! I was involved in an accident this past weekend. A lady driving and SUV decided to make a right turn without using her turn signal directly in to my bike. I ended up doing a front flip off of the bike and landing directly on my head, continuing my roll forward and eventually landed directly on my face. Had I not been wearing my Domain 2 Sha_do helmet I would not be able to write this email to you guys today.

It is my firm belief that you guys make the best protective gear for riders out there to date and I wanted to give your company a thumbs up.

I am a SSgt in the USAF and have been riding for about 6 years now, this is the 2nd time I have been down on my bike and both times I was wearing your protective gear and I'm still here to tell the stories today. When I get the bike fixed and the money saved back up I will definitely purchase another ICON helmet to protect my head.

Thanks again!

SSgt John R.

USAF

Busted and Broken - Streetkore

Icon,

Here's some Busted and Broken for y'all to revel in. When Icon first hit the scene in the early millennium, I fell in love with the Ti Max line. I snagged up 2 pairs for the Ti Max OG gloves when they first hit the dealers. 1 shorty and 1 full gauntlet. 8 years later, and they have served me well. Rain, shine, freezing cold and the high deserts. They are the most comfortable and well designed gloves I've owned. About 3 years ago, on a beautiful Thursday morning full of empty freeway, I put My Ti Max Full gauntlets and Field Armour vest to the test. Entering the freeway aboard my trusty 900RR Streetfighter, AKA: Damage Control, I noticed not a car in site for miles. Without hesitation, I opened the flat slides and let her rip for a quick blast on my way to work. Unfortunately, that trip was short lived. The front tire managed to find a recent bit of wavy patch work in the road way, States tax dollars hard at work that night, which sent my beloved fighter into the most violent tank slapper I have experienced in 10 years of seat time. I tried fighting off the shakes with no resolve. With a death grip on the bars and every bit of energy I had trying to wrangle the bike back to the straight and narrow, the front end still twisted from lock to lock. Eventually, the momentum transferred into my body and started shaking me as much as the front wheel. At that point, there were 2 choices. Ride it out and get high sided, or bail and hope for the best. I decided on the latter. I slide off to the right side, landed on my shoulder and began tumbling at 90mph. After a few revolutions of sky, ground, sky, ground visuals, I began the slow slide to a stop, and landed in the right shoulder from the far left lane of a 3 lane freeway. My worst injury was to my left foot which took a pretty good thrashing once my shoe came loose. The rest was bumps and bruises and some skinned knees.  The Field Armour vest saved my back, as my jacket slide up during the slide, and also kept my shoulder and spine from taking the abuse of the initial fall. And those gloves that I had been riding with for years before... They saved my hands 10 fold. Not so much as a blemish. Being a bike tech, I need my hands to make a living. I was grateful I had those gloves and that they stood up to the abuse I put them through. As for the bike. It actually fared the wreck better then I did. Dented tank, busted handle bar and a twisted radiator was the only damage. It managed to park itself against a guard rail about a mile down the road from where I landed. I had it road worthy the day after I was up and walking around again. There's a couple pics of the bike before and after included.

My Ti Max Shorties I have recently had to retire, sadly. I deffinitly got my money's worth out of them. 8 years, thousands of daily ridden miles all over the country, through every kind of weather you could think of. Along with late night 50cc racing and regular BMX and MTB thrash sessions, they have survived it all. They're pretty battered and tattered now. Most of the leather has worn away from the joints and my fingers are falling out the ends. They've been great. I was thrilled to see that they have been reintroduced. I need another pair in the worst way.

I also picked up a set of the Ti Max II Shorties after that wreck. They served well for a few years also. Unfortunately, They were retired last season as well. I managed to wear the palms out of them. I guess Kangaroo's aren't built as tough as good old cow hide.

Keep up the great work over at Icon HQ. Looking forward to the 2011 release.

Shaun "Scrapyard" K.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Busted and Broken - Family

I awoke August 1^st to a beautiful day for a ride. I had been planning to go on this early morning pre work hours ride for some time now. I wanted to get the feel for my new KTM rc8 prior to my track day at Motegi the following week. So I headed to the glorious sweeping turns of the mountains in Okutama. I made the 45 minute trip to the base of the mountains parking area with ease really learning what this machine has to offer. To this point I only had put 300 kms on her during commuting back and forth to work, this would be my first pleasure ride on her.

As I pulled into the parking area, all other riders were fixated on my sweet new machine and possibly my sweet Icon gear (I was wearing Icon leather pants, a Contra jacket, Accelerant gloves, and a carbon Lifeform helmet). I hung out at the parking area as normal and watched a few other riders arrive and some head out to tackle the mountain.

I then decided its my turn to go rip the twisties…..this is the point where my memory of the days events stops and I will be providing info as it was told to me. You see just a few seconds after I pulled out from the parking area I was hit by another rider and his bike which he lost control of and pitched his new Z1000 Kawi right at me from the opposing lane. Yes a head on collision. Of which I have no memory or recollection at all.

My body took the brunt of the hit from his airborne Kawi. Next thing I remember briefly is hearing the rotor wash from a helicopter. I was told I died in route and was successfully revived while on the medivac flight.

I woke up 9 days later from a medically induced coma. The whole time I was out the doctors had been telling my wife to contact family because I wasn't going to make it. And if I did make it I wouldn't walk again or be the same guy I was. I had a collapsed lung, torn stomach, destroyed kidney, multiple fractures in my left arm, and a shattered pelvis. I was hooked up to every machine the ER had!  Fortunately I had been flown to the best ICU in Japan, Tachikawa’s Disaster Response Hospital, where all the top docs are. They did several emergency surgical procedures to keep me amongst the living.  The new scars I have will make a constant and daily reminder to me of what occurred and how fortunate I am, 

So here I sit in the hospital a month and a half later, lots of recovery and rehab needed, but happy to be alive. My arm has some major nerve damage and my pelvis has to mend with time. My internal damage is mended they say and I can eat and drink as I please.  I must say the docs and everyone here are shocked about how much progress I have made in such a short time.

It’s amazing how much support, well wishes, and even monetary donations I’ve received from around the globe. When times are tough you really see how much you have and who cares about you.

So why are you reading my story on Icon’s site you may be asking?  Not only was I wearing all Icon gear, it is a fact that Icon is my family. I have been directly affiliated with Icon for the past 6 years.  It is why I’ve never hesitated to entrust my life to Icon when I go out to ride. I know the folks behind the scenes, those that truly care about the people that buy and wear Icon products, the family that is ICON MOTO. Everything is from riders too riders, from the street for the street as the motto entails. You’ll never find a more dedicated bunch of people. 

In closing I just want to say THANK YOU to Icon for saving my life. My family also extends the same sentiment as I am still here to watch my daughter grow, witness my un-born son’s birth, and my wife’s glorious smile as I will be here to take care of my family. The road to recovery will be long and difficult but, I must not forget that that I will certainly be able to put the saddle back on, turn the key, crack the throttle, and….RIDE AMONG THEM once more.

J. Fullington

Tokyo Japan

RCate

This should make for a neat streetfighter project

Airframe Carbon Lifeform shows the scars of the massive impact it withstood

The Contra Jacket performed it's duty well

The remains of a prototype set of Icon Overlord Leather Pants - post paramedic scissors

Busted and Broken - Steel Magnolias

As hatred boils from my insides, I write the post I hoped to never make.  Have you seen those dorks who put tape on their top triples that say ‘new tires!!!’? Yeah, I have too, - f*ck those guys - I thought to myself as I zapped off to work aboard my pristine 50th anniv. R1. A few corners, some braking, dry roads (for portland) and my favorite ‘chicane’ section coming up, I figured the new Rosso’s were good to go. People talk about time slowing down, seeing their life flash before their eyes, violent ragdolling over the asphalt. It wasn’t like that...more like how people describe the final moments of drowning when everything gets peaceful and quiet and death slowly takes over. Brushing myself off and surveying appendages, a concerned granny says something I can’t hear her due to the sound isolating headphones. As I finally get the music stopped, she says “what happened? You weren’t even going fast.” Later, loading up the wreckage, an old man (likely granny’s husband) says to me “hey, I put those steel posts there for a reason.” Yeah, thanks buddy. Next time, I’m putting the tape message on the triple....”don’t crash again dumbf*ck.” Thanks to myself for wearing Icon from head to toe and staying intact enough to be pissed about my bike, not hospital bills.

Branden. L

PDX

....because the posts are steel and he crashed into someone's magnolias. 

Busted and Broken - Smoke Trail

Hi all,

OK, short and sweet, I flew down to my local station for gas and smokes, less than one mile away! Im riding the legal limit (30 mph in the u.k. for residential) and I see a car waiting in a side road to my right. I think "ok i'm gonna roll off the gas a little jus in case he pulls out". He didn't move since it's my right of way. I make my choice to carry on up the street, THEN the dopey s$#t comes straight out and t-bones me! I flew straight over the hood and hit a cast iron road sign. I ride a strongarm 13, super duty gloves and field armor boots and NONE of my gear was damaged! Not a scratch. I had normal jeans on so my knees are bashed up a little and I also managed to fracture two Transverse vertebrae (the spiky bits that are on both sides of each bone). I usually don't wear my jacket on short trips down the road but the paramedic said my jacket saved my life. Sort of wish my jacket had the marks to prove it but I guess a before and after of my steed (rest her soul) will have to do. Thanx all of ICON. Now I have 8 lives left.

Busted and Broken - Midnight Run

Thank you Icon for saving my hide!

Sunday morning 4/12 at a bit after Midnight I was riding home from
work, my normal route. I was in my Icon high viz orange safety vest,
Manic helmet, Timax jacket, Merc long gloves, Field Armor boots. (did
I mention I like Icon?) I was sitting at a traffic light when a DUI
driver hit me from behind, picked the bike up and threw it sideways
into the next lane with me under it. Luckily I was able to quickly
move the bike off me and only had bruised legs and shoulder. The
police officer was amazed that I did not sustain more injuries. He
himself rides and asked what kind of gear I had, I proudly said it
was all Icon. My gloves and jacket were scuffed up and one of the
buckles on my boots was snapped, but that was all. Other than a few
bruises, I just have one scuff on my leg. My Icon armor did it's job!
I will have to get some of my gear replaced with going down and you
can count it me getting new Icon gear!

Thank you for making quality gear that looks great and really protects a
rider!


Chris R.
St. Louis, Mo

Busted and Broken - Date Night

Date night turned into deer night. I had just dropped a girl off from a nice evening ride to a classy sit down dinner and a little waterfall trip. It was about 930 at night, on a country road that I am familiar with; twisty and turny and ordinarily fun to ride on. I was crusiing along and came up on a moderate 90 degree turn that I have taken before, I go in at about 35mph, I come out of the turn, and there stands a huge deer right in front of me. I swerved to miss the deer......successfully. However, my rear tire caught the edge of a ditch and dropped down in it, taking the rest of the bike, and myself with it. The bike went in the ditch upright, and managed to come out of it upright, only problem was that it went up a 6 foot tall embankment which now had become my ramp. The bike and I launched off the embankment, flipped twice end over end, slid about 20 feet together, then I was tossed another 20 feet where I proceeded to land head first and face down on a dirt and gravel path. My bike was essentially torn in half, I was lucky to have missed the barb-wire fence and trees that lined the road. When I landed on my head, knowing I had my Icon helemet on was the only comfort I had.

Thanks-
Nick M.
McGraw, NY

Busted and Broken - Barrel Roll

Dear Icon,


My boyfriend and I had spent all day riding in the mountains of Western North Carolina, like we usually do on sunday afternoons. On our way back home we got behind a truck running about 60mph on a two lane highway. Then all of a sudden out of no where the guy in the truck decides to turn to the left up a side road, with no turning signal. As Brandon (my boyfriend) hit the brakes to try to keep from hitting the truck in the back, the back tire of the bike starting going sideways. I lost my balance and fell off to the right side of the bike. As I feel off my right leg kicked up under the bike and the back tire ran over my knee. Along with that, my head hit the pavement first. Thank goodness I had my Claymore Airframe Helment on. Out of the accident I had no neck or head injurys, road rash down my arm and a pinched nerve in my knee. The doctors said they couldn't underdstand how I kept from getting a concussion or a broke neck with the way I landed and after rolling forty feet up the pavement, one answer: My Icon helment. Thank you so much for making great, lifesaving gear!!!!


-Stacey A
Madison, NC

Busted and Broken - Columbia Crash

I had an accident on my motorcycle but fortunately I was wearing my Domain 2 Serpecant helmet. If I wasn't I would probably be dead right now. The doctors at the hospital were amazed because I didn't have any head injuries. Thank you Icon!

Juan A.

Bogota, Colombia

Busted and Broken - Young Drivers

A 17-year-old girl pulled out in front of me as I was riding my 06 Buell Lightning home from work last Friday.  She ran her stop sign and crossed over the street I was riding down, and didn't even see me. I crashed into her passenger side fender, was thrown over the handlebars and about 10 feet up in the air according to witnesses. I landed on my pelvis, then rolled/skidded onto my head and shoulder.

I was wearing my Icon Mainframe helmet, Icon Pursuit gloves, a set of Icon FieldArmor shin and knee guards, and my Icon Accelerant boots.

The helmet took the brunt of the impact from the road, but the FieldArmor guards saved me from getting road rash on my legs, and don't have a scratch on them.  The gloves are also perfect, and saved my hand skin 100%.

I ended up with a severely broken pelvis and some bruising, but the Icon gear definitely saved me from becoming a vegetable, severe road rash, or having facial surgery. I cut my nose on my sunglasses and ended up with two black eyes as well. My leg was in traction for 4 days, and I am having surgery this afternoon to repair my pelvis.

Leo K.

Busted and Broken - Crash Master Chris

I just wanted to write and tell you guys how wonderful your gear has been to me. I have been riding for 15 years on pretty much everything from dirt bikes to street. No matter what I ONLY RIDE WITH ICON!!! I have been in three accidents and Icon saved me every time. To this day I have no road rash scars or serious injuries from riding. I not only stand by your product I even got the battlecry tat to prove it!! I will not ride without my Icon gear no matter what.  Thanks for putting us first when so many others don't.

Chris L.

Youngstown, Ohio

Busted and Broken - Deer Hunting

The morning of Oct 1st, 2008 I received my first lesson in extreme deer hunting. A rather large six point buck decided to step onto the road I was traveling. I had no time to react, not even a stupid face. I slammed into the deer at about 50 mph and was thrown from my VTX1300C. Luckily my shoulder broke my fall. Had I not been wearing my Icon Motorhead jacket I am sure I would have sustained more than a broken collar bone. I have a nice scar and can now set off metal detectors, but I am alive and no road rash. The jacket is still in use and only suffered minor abrasion and a few popped stitches on the left shoulder vent zipper.

Thank you Icon
Chris P.

Busted and Broken - Icon Girl for Life!

Dear Icon,


 As I was coming into a left turn lane I was hit by a driver who decided he didn't want to sit in traffic any longer and changed lanes. When he hit me on my right side it spun my bike halfway around and I slammed against the side of an oncoming car with the right side of my body and bike before I went down on the right side. As you can see from the pictures the right side of the bike has broken fairings, lights and mirror. I am still trying to figure out how I dented the left side of the gas tank so bad when everything happened on the right side! As you can see from the helmet pics the damage was minimal. I have seen people go down and never seen a helmet come out so clean. I just wanted to thank you for your high quality products. I will be a Icon Girl for life!

Busted and Broken - High Side

Over the past weekend I high sided my motorcycle at 50 MPH due to poor road conditions.  I was wearing your motorhead jacket and just wanted to write to inform you that it withheld the impact amazingly well. No rips, No tears and just a few scuffs. I can honestly say without your product the results would of been a lot more severe than just a bruised shoulder and ankle.  Thank you for making such an outstanding product and I look foward to using your gear much more in the future.

Andy B.

Viginia Beach, VA

Busted and Broken - Search and Destroyed

Dear Icon,


This is a letter of thanks and appreciation. My boyfriend owned a 2009 Yamaha R6 that he loved and he worked very hard for. His parents bought him an ICON jacket that he had wanted but he was wearing a snowmobile helmet because he didn't have the money for a better one.  While browsing in a power sports store, he saw the ICON Search and Destroy helmet and fell in love with it.  As a surprise, I bought it for his birthday.  Now he felt as if he was complete, and he was so appreciative.  

That July, while he was riding his bike home from a friend's house, he hit a deer going 60mph.  He was thrown from the bike and skidded across the pavement on his head, shoulder, and side. When the rescue squad arrived he was barely conscious. On the way to the hospital, the EMTs were able to better examine him to see his injuries.  From what they could tell, he had major gashes on his knees, his hip, and his knuckles were scrapped to the tendons. We had to bring the helmet to the hospital so the doctor could look at it. When the doctor came back into the room, he looked at me and said, "thank God for that helmet, without it your boyfriend would not be alive." I was shocked to hear that, but I soon got used to it as about a dozen other doctors and nurses said the same thing. That day we spent five hours in the Emergency Room as the doctors had to carefully clean out all the wounds. The doctors and nurses were amazed that there were no head or upper body injuries. I am so thankful for that helmet, and every day I think that without it, or if he had been wearing the snowmobile helmet, he would not be here in my life today.

- Elizabeth T.

R6 vs. Deer

Think it can't happen to you? This is why Icon will never make open face helmets

Busted and Broken - ZX6 vs Rocks

Our first Busted and Broken video comes from Sportbikeclub.com. It illustrates just how quickly a casual canyon blast can turn into a helicopter ride to county general. Wear your gear!

If anyone knows who this rider is tell him to drop us a line.

Busted and Broken - Lane Changer

Saturday March 13, 2010 My husband and I were out enjoying the weather since it had rained the 3 previous weekends. While riding side by side in the far right lane a SUV decides to pull out as soon as we approached. My husband veered to the left and I attempted to do the same, however the next thing I recall is flying in the air and hoping that it would all be over soon. After several flips on the asphalt I came to a rest and immediately noticed I had no feeling in my left knee. I ended up taking a field trip to the trauma center where I learned, to the amazement of all the doctors, all I ended with was a sprained knee. My ICON jacket & gloves were to thank!!! As a new lady rider I have truly been convinced of the importance of proper riding gear. From here on out I will remain dedicated to ICON.


Thanks,
Tawyna R

Busted and Broken - Surfing

I was on my way to work the other day and had to react fast. Except I reacted the wrong way. I hit the both front and rear brakes hard and lost control. I managed to get on top of my bike and “surf” down the thruway. Better the bike than me sliding along the grooved pavement. I managed to walk away with some bruises and a couple of blisters on my hand thanks to the chukka boots and my icon gloves. I had just recently purchased the chukka boots and glad that I did or my foot would be toast.   

- Steve  A.