Knox KNews

Knox Athletes made a flying start this season, with victories in the opening three rounds of British Superbikes, Superstock 1000 and 600 and Supersport too. Meanwhile on the roads Michael Dunlop chalked up multiple wins on the Irish circuits.

James Ellison has relied on Knox protection for many years and is a frequent visitor at the company’s Cumbrian factory. His return to British Superbikes after a year in the MotoGP CRT class was eagerly anticipated and James made his mark immediately, with a win in the opening round at Brands Hatch. Riding the Milwaukee Yamaha, James has mounted the podium in every round and is currently fourth in the Championship, the highest placed Yamaha rider. Ellison wears a Knox Track Vest, Handroids and Dry Inside technical base layers.

Former British Supersport champion Alastair Seeley chose Knox Handroids and a Meta-Sys back protector with Sport chest protector, plus the Dry Inside technical base layer for his 2013 season on the Gearlink Kawasaki and the Irishman has been in unstoppable form. Alastair claimed victory at Brands Hatch and Oulton Park and has posted podium finishes in every race this year. As a result he leads the Supersport championship.

At 6’2” Victor Cox must be one of the tallest riders in the Superstock 1000 class. Coxy finished third in the 2012 championship and is currently second in the 2013 championship. The Wiltshireman took the win at Oulton Park, riding for ILR Kawasaki. Like James Ellison, he chose the Track Vest (with a chest upgrade), Handroids and Dry Inside.

It’s not only on track that Knox Athletes have shone; Michael Dunlop has dominated the opening rounds of the Irish road racing calendar. Michael won both the feature race and open event on his superbike at the Cookstown 100 in April and took the lap record with him. In May Dunlop followed up with an emphatic double in the superbike races at the Tandragee 100 in May. Michael opted for Biomech gloves, from the Hand Armour collection, plus the Track Vest and Dry Inside.

All of the products used by Knox Athletes are available off-the-peg for regular motorcyclists.

Superbike racer and team manager of Ice Valley Racing Paul Shoesmith was racing at the Frohburg street circuit in Germany in September 2012, when he was involved in an horrific crash. Fortunately he was wearing a Knox back protector.

“It’s remarkably safe as far as road circuits go” says Paul. “There are only two corners that you can’t run into without brakes and get away with it … I picked one of them”.

Having completed race one, Paul was approaching turn 1 on the 2nd lap of the superbike race when the front brake failed;

“Without panicking, I pumped the lever to no avail. I had to avoid hitting two riders in front of me then lay the bike down at about 130mph”.

“We slid into the large bales and I don’t remember much but I do remember being face down with the bike on my back and it took ages for them to get it off!” Paul recalls.

In fact not only did the bike land on Paul, but also a straw bale, which the marshal struggled to lift off because it was coming apart! His hip was dislocated, he snapped one the the wings off his pelvis and fractured L2 and L3 vertebra.

“I dread to think what I would of been like without the Knox protection” says Paul. “I know I was a bit broke up but without it does not bare thinking about. On inspection the back protector has looked better but it absorbed the blow and dispersed energy over a wider area. I think this is why I’m walking and riding still and asking for more of the Knox protection”.

“Probably the best foam type armour on the market.”

That’s the verdict of Ben Johnson, editor of Moto magazine who has been testing the new Guerilla Vest from Knox.

“Not only does it provide protection front and rear – many foam items don’t – but also the coverage of the protection is more comprehensive too, covering the square of the back and down to the stomach on the chest panel”.

Ben was also impressed with the padding over the shoulders and that “most importantly, the foam is thicker than on other foam guards … without restricting movement.”

Add in the fact that the Guerilla Vest is neck brace compatible and it’s no wonder that Ben thought it was “a well thought out product that offers the best protection going for those who don’t like to wear plastic roost guards.”

Designed and tested for off-road motorcycles and mountain bikes, find out more about the Guerilla Vest and matching shorts here.

Knox, world leaders in personal impact protection systems, have responded to demands from off-road riders for lightweight kit by introducing the low profile Guerilla padded vest and shorts to its Off Road range.

Designed and manufactured in Britain by Knox, the padded vest and shorts, intended to be worn under protective clothing, are suitable for general sports (not just motorcycling) and for those who feel the need for extra protection, Knox CE armour can easily be added to either vest or shorts.

The sleeveless Guerilla Vest is made from stretch mesh for maximum breathability and coolness, with lightweight Polyethylene (PE) embossed padding on the chest and back.

However, when full impact protection is required, optional Knox CE armour can easily be added to the chest and back using Velcro attachments. With stretch loops on the shoulders for connection to the many compatible neck braces on the market, this vest is truly versatile.

Complementing the vest are the new Knox Guerilla Shorts. With a soft elasticated waistband for a comfortable but secure fit, the shorts are made from breathable Meryl Lycra, a superior British-made fabric chosen for its wicking and fast drying properties. Incorporating PE embossed padding to the hip and thigh area, the shorts also have inner pockets for optional Knox CE approved hip protectors.

The Knox Guerilla Vest is in black/white and available in sizes S – XXL at £60.

The shorts are finished in black and are available in sizes XS – XXL at £45 . For further info call Knox on 01900 825825 or visit www.knox-armour.co.uk.

Ems Davies races in the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) downhill mtb series. He’s a winner who’s recently switched to Knox Armour. This is how he rates it;

“The Oryx gloves performed brilliant. I was a little skeptical that the protective palm pads would get in the way at first, but once I rode with them, I forgot they were there! Really impressed with them good to know if I do crash with my hands out there’s something there to help.

Upon trying the new crosslites long you sent me I was impressed. They sit real comfy on the knee and don’t move while riding. It is good to see comfy knee pads that protect your shins as well. Really comfy fit, wore them all day long. I managed not to crash all weekend, so I couldn’t tell you how they perform in a crash situation. But from initial riding I feel confident wearing them.

I used the Crosslight short Knee pads for xc and dirt jumping, just because they offer a bit more freedom of movement. But again comfy, don’t move, and they look good to boot.

As a product designer myself, I’m stoked to see Knox is such an innovative company”.

Having dominated the fist round of the 2013 Triumph Triple Challenge Triple at the British Superbike Championship, Knox Athlete Freddy Pett was looking set to repeat his dominance again at Thruxton up until a coming together with another rider whilst battling for the lead of the race. It resulted in a very heavy crash that catapulted Freddy over the handlebars of his Triumph 675 race bike. Luckily he was wearing a Knox Aegis back protector.  This is how Freddy describes it in his own words;

“I took a hard landing on my back and head.  My leathers burst upon impact with the track but luckily I was wearing my Knox race back protector, which did a superb job at protecting my spine. Despite having some nasty grazes to my back, the Knox back protector saved my spine from serious trauma and I managed to walk away without any broken bones. I even managed to avoid sustaining any bruising as well, which is truly amazing given the impact I took.  The protector did its job perfectly and absorbed the impact. Last season I had a crash whilst not wearing a Knox Back protector and I ended up fracturing my T12 vertebra and spending the next 12 weeks in a body brace. I will never be going out on track without my Knox protection on in future, it truly is the best safety equipment out there and I owe it to the Planet Knox guys for keeping my championship campaign alive. I can’t recommend their safety equipment enough, especially the back protectors! Thanks.  Freddy Pett #66”

British impact protection specialists KNOX have been chosen as the first ever protection partner of the SDA [Scottish Downhill Association], the organisers of downhill mountain bike races in Scotland.

Committed to safety, the SDA introduced compulsory back protection for riders competing in the Juvenile, Youth, Junior and Female categories of their championship several years ago.

“Everyone at our Lake District factory is thrilled to be working with an organisation that openly appreciates the potential for injury when racing in downhill events and accepts the responsibility to try to protect its competitors. Knox will be pleased to work alongside the SDA in promoting lightweight, comfortable and unrestrictive armour” says Knox managing director Geoff Travell, who personally tests the company’s products in Morzine every year.

Colin Huston, Chairman of the SDA, adds; “We are delighted to have Knox join us as our first product sponsor and protection partner for this year and we hope for a long and successful relationship. Knox is a trusted and reliable protection brand and indeed we would want to work as closely as possible with Knox to promote protection within the sport, not just at grass roots but also with the governing bodies”.

See the full range of Knox protection for MTB riders, including the revolutionary HAND ARMOUR range, at www.knox-armour.co.uk/mtb.

As the racing season kicks off with a vengeance this weekend Knox Athletes will be relying on British-made Knox protection in some of the most competitive race series on road and dirt this year.

Former MotoGP rider James Ellison returns to British Superbikes the Milwaukee Yamaha team. James has ‘unfinished business’ in BSB and is one to watch. He’ll be wearing the Aegis, Handroids and Dry Inside technical base layers. If it doesn’t warm up soon, he’ll also be using the Cold Killers mid-layer.

John McPhee makes a full time entry in the Moto3 World Championships wearing Handroids, Aegis and Dry Inside.

Multiple winner at the Macau GP and NW200, Michael Rutter will be trying out Knox Hand armour, body armour and Dry Inside base layers while he races for Bathams Honda in BSB and in the Endurance World Championship for the Honda TT Legends team.

His EWC team-mate Michael Dunlop has opted for Hand Armour, the Track Vest and Dry Inside, which he’ll also wear for his campaign on the Irish road circuits and at the Isle on Man TT. Joining Michael on the roads, veteran racer Ian Lougher (ILR Kawasaki) will be using the Track Vest with chest protector upgrade, Biomech gloves and Dry Inside too. Meanwhile Maria Costello MBE will be taking to the roads in her Biomechs and Aegis back protector.

In the World Suportsport class, Christian Iddon is riding an MV Agusta F3, protecting himself with an Aegis back protector, Sport chest protector, Biomech gloves and Dry Inside base layer. In British Supersport, 2011 champion Alastair Seeley returns with the Gearlink Kawasaki team, using Handroids, Meta-Sys back protector + Sport chest protector, Dry Inside and Cold Killers, so he’s covered whatever the weather.

Victor Cox will be riding for ILR Kawasaki in the litre-capacity Superstock class, wearing the Track Vest with chest upgrade, Handroids and Dry Inside.

On the dirt, long-time Knox test rider Jamie Law is riding a KTM in the Maxxis MX1 motocross championship wearing the Knox Warrior and Off road Hand Armour. Twice ACU British Supermoto Champion Tom Booth Amos moves up to the 450cc class for 2013 and has opted for Knox once again.

And it’s not only racers. Stunt man Rick English, who performed bike stunts in the James Bond Skyfall movie, relies on a variety of Knox products to keep him safe, including the Track Vest, Meta-Sys back protector, Venture Shirt, Handroid, Handroid Pod, Cross Shorts, Cross Lite Knee guards and Dry Inside.

Keep up with the news about Knox Athletes at www.knox-armour.co.uk.

John from Sussex contacted us recently  to tell us about his experience with Knox Handroids. In August 2012 he was riding my Suzuki Hayabusa on the A13 in Essex when he was in a collision with a London Taxi;

“I was catapulted into the side of the taxi due to heavy braking, which caused the bike to throw me over the handlebars. I hit the Taxi doing approx 50mph. I remember the first body part to impact was my hands, which I put out to protect myself. They were in turn ‘crushed’ against the car by my body – I weighed approx 95kg.

I went for the Handroids as like the BOA system and how it protects my wrists as I have pins in my left wrist from a previous accident.

My Injuries were:

• Broken femur 2 places
• Broken Sternum
• Broken Clavicle
• Punctured lungs
• Split Liver
• Bruised heart

I was in a coma for almost 1 month and considered a fatal accident by the police investigating, until 1 week after I came out of the coma. My hands and wrists had no injury at all

I slid down the road and the scaphoid ‘savers’ did their job very well. I fully believe these gloves have saved me from very serious injury and cannot compliment Knox enough on this fantastic product”.

We’re extremely grateful to John for giving us his feedback after such a traumatic accident.  As you can see from the picture, the Handroids are still in tact although missing an aerofoil) and John has ordered a new pair in all-black.

Knox Handroids – voted Most Wanted by Fast Bikes (May 2013)

Maria Costello MBE, who held the Guinness World Record for being the fastest woman to lap the Isle of Man TT course at an average speed of 114.73 mph until 2009, shows off her GIMOTO race suit and Knox Biomech gloves in this photo of her 2013 racing kit.  Maria, who has been a Knox Athlete for many years, is delighted with her new Biomech gloves from the Hand armour range.

“They feel amazing when you put them on, like a second skin and almost like you don’t have any gloves on at all. The leather is so soft that the level of feel you get is amazing. It has protection in all the right places and I love the large cuff and the BOA lacing system – it feels really secure. They’re such a great fit too – like a glove!”

Photo by Scott Chalmers