Leatt 6.5 Body Protector

[@longzero]

Great to hear a perspective on the difference between motorcycle crash and EUC crash.

[@EUC_Senior]

Thank you for putting together this video Dawn!

[@christams8863]

That's right. EUC crashes do involve a lot of "splashing!" LOL! I really like your zebra suit: you look great in it!

[@DawnSChampion]

Thank you!! Getting custom suits was the only way to get proper fitting gear! Now I'm stuck wearing boy gear! 😆

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

You are very thorough and intelligent. Your videos are very beneficial for the EUC community. Your knowledge and experience shows Thanks for these videos ! Something I wear also, that isn't talked about much, is some well padded impact form fitting undershorts. My tailbone and hips are important as well. Especially at 60years of age.

[@DawnSChampion]

Thank you!! ❤. Yes, hip protection is very important too, since hips are almost guaranteed to take a hit. I've been using Legendfit ones, but I'm waiting on the Leatt Impact Shorts.

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

@@DawnSChampion I wear an old MX jersey over this type of set up to visually tone it down a bit.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

I guess I am new to dirt bike riding because I took 18 years off and came back into a bit of culture shock. Not only was my bike way too tall, (so I lowered the seat and suspension myself. Yea, we worked on them before 18 years ago too. haha), but I don't know what EUC is,---and I never want to be stuffed into a "community" because it has no brain. I like a line from W.C. Fields. "I would never join a group that would have me for a member.". I go riding to get exercise and enjoy what little freedom we have left. Which means get away from "the community". I find I "think" better than the entire group, as an individual. :) Community? leave me out please. No intelligence there.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

@@DawnSChampion I will say it. I will risk the "assault with the compliment", nonsense. The community does not scare me, and you deserve it. I don't know your mind, (which is the important part that makes us human), but you are pretty. THERE!!! TAKE THAT!!!! :) Doug in Michigan

[@ElectricUnicycles]

I can't wait until you start riding with us. Let me know when you're ready. We can do a partial ride up GMR.

[@DawnSChampion]

I can't wait either!!

[@ElectricUnicycles]

@@DawnSChampion That's why I said "when you're ready" 😃

[@keithmurakata5359]

It was great to meet you at Amped E Games---I wish I had picked your brain more when I had the chance---BTW great run on the Thunder Dome on that big Sherman--- So the Ce-level Upgrade is great and shows your experience, creativity and attention to de-trail (😉)----and and Love the insight /description of how crashing on EUC's on the track vs trail vs motorcycle differs ((also can you make a video of how to best protect yourself in a crash??))---Thanks again SilverBack Samurai🦍

[@mpatta2004]

You may want to check if the SASTEC armor is in the right way. I recall the smooth fabric side pointing outwards and the foam side to your body. But agree it is really a good level2 insert. Great review , very detailed.

[@DawnSChampion]

I think you're right. Smooth side out. Bumpy side to body. Thank you!!

[@barriemacleod9347]

Love the details and the insights ! Exactly the info I want/need :)

[@nogoogle6349]

Absolutely 💯 Gorgeous

[@epona9166]

OMG Dawn you look like you should be in a superhero movie!!! How amazingly cool!!! I'm mostly here for Lasair and Scoot Boots. Is everything OK with him and you're still riding? My fav video was you guys crossing the 6 lane highway and how blasé he was about it all. Take care.

[@DawnSChampion]

Thank you!! Yes, he's doing great!

[@shooter_ric5722]

Can't you cut/trim to size? Did that to a Alpine back protector to a Dainese suit. Barely cut anything but a little bit of the bottom corners to fit in the liner.

[@Spazzfrom.1989]

From a nutrition stand point..i find when i gain 5-10 pounds theres a indescrepency in my eating (sugar/processed) and unfortunatly those 5-10 pounds are noticeable..this video is a bit old so im sure you handled it..but yeah typically it invovles just being more conscious of what you grab to eat..keep plenty of fruit around if you like those sweets. Pilates would be good to if you dont want to do anything high impact/intensive..pilates will get you toned and strengthen that core and those glutes..dont forget to hit the medius glutes (side hip raises) those will give you strentgh to balance more as it sets all the weight on that medius..so one legged squats or just standing on one leg is significantly easier..also a strong medius will help with any knee pain as it will help the patella track properly..the other think is to make sure you dont walk wiith opened hips..but perfectly straight..all things that took me a while to figure

[@newbie101]

Don’t you think fabric motorcycle jacket would protect better specially from road rash? I have the leatt 6.5 armor, didn’t wear it yet, maybe by summer time..so now I usually wear mesh motorcycle jacket and I feel more protected and not look like a warrior 😂. So come summertime, I will find if the leatt armor is better, but right now I am liking the moto jacket.

[@DawnSChampion]

The great thing about textiles is that they are super easy and blend in better in a casual environment. The bad thing is that they are usually not form fitting, so greater chance that the armor will move away from impact. They might also be too hot to wear in summer, like for me in SoCal. I would choose my textile in the winter, if I just want casual protection, and want to not look so alien. Features you want is a tight fit, upgradeable armor, minimal buckles/fancy things that can dig into you or catch and turn a slide into a tumble. Pay attention to Cordura ratings and Kevlar lining is ideal. The hard parts on this body protector holds you off the ground and that's what protects you from road rash. It also encourages sliding, which is a preferable form of energy dissipation. The low speeds of eucs might not be enough to make textiles and leather to slide very well.

[@RocABye]

I am also someone who has raced motorcycles. This is exactly what I have told others who find themselves shopping for leather jackets. Though they do offer better protection they also limit your joint mobility. EUC riders need to be much more limber than a motorcyclist. The most common form of protection EUC riders wear are elbow and knee pads however I have fallen (cut out) five times, twice at speeds of 50+ mph and therefore I highly suggest wearing a chest guard and a good set of gloves that have thick padding over the palm area. When you fall from a high-speed cut-out you are propelled forward and therefore slide. There’s not much of an “impact” at all. You fall with your arms just above your chest level and sometimes above your shoulder level. When you shop for a motorcycle jacket you are told that it is to fit snug but loose enough so you lift your arms to place on the handlebars. You need more range of motion than that on a EUC especially when you fall so you can freely lift your arms. Both times I fell my gloves did their job and protected my hands. They were both torn to shreds but my hands were not harmed at all. God forbid you don’t have a great pair of gloves to protect your palms. Ouch! Say goodbye to the flesh on your hands because they are the first to touch the ground then your knees and side of the thigh and/or oblique. Side note: Though I wore gloves the kinetic energy from my palms sliding on the pavement gave my hands a burning sensation for about 10 minutes. As far as your wrist is concerned because your hands are not as flexed during a fall at high speed your wrist won’t break. It is on those slow-speed EUC falls that do most of the damage to your body because you get slapped down to the pavement.

[@czaras_]

Having such 'a great experience' you're the one I can ask ;) Is it worth of using a hand metal protectors so you have metal things on outer and inner of your hands (they mainly used by skate rollers) so your palms can't bend up in un-natural way and also you get palm slider on inner metal piece in case you slide on hands.

[@RocABye]

@@czaras_ I’m not sure if you’re addressing me or Dawn but I will give you my two cents. Hard plastic tends to be more slide friendly and less likely to catch or dig into the surface compared to metal. Additionally, I’ve fallen once without palm sliders and was scared to look at my hands because I was 1000% confident my palms were destroyed. However, they weren’t. Fortunately the gloves I wore despite not having palm sliders protected my hand BUT there was a burning sensation that lasted for about 5 minutes. Ugh! My point is when sliding on your palms at high speeds the friction between the ground and your palms generates heat. I would think metal will get extremely hot when sliding. Hard plastics are generally more heat-resistant and can handle sliding better without heating up.

[@DawnSChampion]

I agree with RocaBye. I am testing out some very promising new palm sliders. So stay tuned

[@syirrus]

I was just looking for gear when your video popped. What are your thoughts about Modeka textile motorcycle pants and jackets for protection? I was looking at the Leatt gear, but it doesn’t seem like it would help all that much with road rash. I’m still trying to decide. Im still getting to know my EUC. I’ve travelled a proper 30km on it so far. I’m Im still just taking it slowly. Thank you for posting your experiences with gear :)

[@DawnSChampion]

The great thing about textiles is that they are super easy and blend in better in a casual environment. The bad thing is that they are usually not form fitting, so greater chance that the armor will move away from impact. They might also be too hot to wear in summer, like for me in SoCal. I would choose my textile in the winter, if I just want casual protection, and want to not look so alien. Features you want is a tight fit, upgradeable armor, minimal buckles/fancy things that can dig into you or catch and turn a slide into a tumble. Pay attention to Cordura ratings and Kevlar lining is ideal. 🙂

[@DawnSChampion]

The hard parts on this body protector holds you off the ground and that's what protects you from road rash. It also encourages sliding, which is a preferable form of energy dissipation. The low speeds of eucs might not be enough to make textiles and leather to slide very well.

[@syirrus]

@@DawnSChampion oh okay, I understand. I think it's taking me just a long to make a decision about gear as it did for my EUC.

[@DawnSChampion]

There are definitely a lot of choices! I just ended up having them all. I have full leather suits, a cordura jacket, and now this body protector. It's been too hot to wear my cordura jacket. Plus, have you seen how people crash when they get a cutout? It's often when their arms outstretched and they land straight their wrists, which then slide out in front of them because of the wrist guards (a good thing because that saves their wrists from breaking), making them slam on their chest and then slide. This is very different, sliding on the chest is something I've never done and why I wanted a really good chest protector that can handle that impact and slide. Choosing just 1 is too hard. Get what you need for now and be open to getting more gear as the need arises. Just like trying to decide what 1 tool is best for your toolbox. Should you get the hammer or the screwdriver? In the end, your toolbox should be filled with a variety of tools.

[@syirrus]

@@DawnSChampion Indeed, the tool analogy is certainly apropos. I was originally thinking about the Xion protection suit, but that won’t offer the slide protection. The route you went is probably the best one given how we fall of of the EUCs

[@fazebusta47]

Please tell me where you got the custom suit!!! Love the videos!

[@DawnSChampion]

Z Custom Leathers. 🙂

[@fazebusta47]

@@DawnSChampion TYSM! Keep up the good work😁

[@DawnSChampion]

@@fazebusta47 you're welcome and thank you!

[@matefromvirginia4959]

Nice review. I have the Alpinestars 6700517-213-XL2 Unisex-Adult A-10 Full Chest Protector White/Black/Red Xl/2X (Multi, one_size). I use heavy duty braces to keep them in place. Ride safe🙏

[@marioschristofi3145]

Hello and thanks for the video. Are you not able to cut the sas-tec protection so that it fits in the jacket better? I have the Leatt 6.5 body protector and I liked your idea of adding level 2 padding.

[@DawnSChampion]

You can cut it down, yes. I just haven't done it yet because I'm not sure about it yet. I can use the sas-tech armor in my hip/knees as well - so I'm still feeling out where I want them to go. I'm also debating about just making bigger armor pockets so that I don't have to cut them down. Just not sure which direction I'm going with it yet. In the meantime, I did switch back to the original pads they came with. I like the preformed fit of those... . So many choices...

[@marioschristofi3145]

@@DawnSChampion Thanks a lot for your reply!! Have a nice day!

[@douglaswinton826]

Would a neck brace help stop the armour riding up???

[@iRA_mkb]

Really nice review gorgeous, keep it up. 🏍💨💨

[@DawnSChampion]

Thank you!

[@Fishfood007]

Do you not wear the chest and back armor? Never seen it on you in your videos…

[@DawnSChampion]

I don't wear the Leatt chest protector. I wear a separate Dainese back protector

[@theanimalplanet7031]

If body armor failed you because you do not have sufficient of it! For those that doesn't want to armor up are just waiting to break a few bones to switch side...Thats the reality of it.

[@galynnedavis2996]

Great video - thank you for being thorough! So, I bought this same full upper body protection, and found that it didn't fit with my Leatt STX Neck Brace, so just broke down and bought the dirt 5.5 Neck Brace, but having a dickens of a time trying to get the fitment right - especially with my helmet on (Klim Krios Pro). PS - am large chested woman and 175lbs currently, so ya...female fit would be nice, but frankly I still have to get mostly men's moto attire because of my upper body dimensions are too large in many brands. I do have an excellent Dainese d-Air Carve Master in a women's 52 that is great, but needed the armor and neck brace for dirt/adventure stuff that I don't want the Dainese airbag going off during!

[@DawnSChampion]

Yea, it's so hard getting all the pieces to fit together right! Sorry I can't help with neck brace, never used those.

[@dimos15]

Nice

[@andrewg9677]

Hi Dawn, is the mesh material silky to the touch or rough like netting? thanks

[@DawnSChampion]

Soft and comfortable.

[@room2162]

Hi the kidney belt should go lower but as you mentioned you have some hip action but look on some review sites videos and you will see it wrapped around lower

[@DawnSChampion]

Yup. I know. But it won't stay on lower because my waist is smaller and my hips bigger so all it does is ride up. The whole thing rides up and I have to keep pulling it down. That's part of how men's gear don't fit women. But you look at their Jacki protector, which is made for women, the protection level is significantly lower. So I have to choose.

[@jessecote8929]

😞 P r o m o S M!!