Crash Tested: STEEL BLACK 9 Jeans vs. Minivan

We all know those perfect days when the weather is just right, the road is calling, and we’re gearing up for a ride. There’s nothing like that awesome feeling of swinging your leg over the saddle, getting out of your driveway, and hitting that open road with nothing but the blue skies above and wind in your face, mile after mile unfurling under your tires in sun-drenched bliss.

This is exactly how the day started for Julian Schaffer, a rider who couldn’t wait to get out there and ride. “It was the end of May, and on that day, it was the first time we had some really nice weather after the COVID-19 lockdown. This was it – I could finally go for a ride after those long days of being stuck inside and waiting for the lockdown to end and the skies to clear”, Julian told us.

Based in Munich, Julian planned a short but sweet ride into the Bavarian Alps, a stunning motorcycling region right on the doorstep of the bustling city. Unfortunately, although it all started out so well, the trip ended just an hour later when Julian was almost hit by a careless minivan driver.
“I was riding smoothly when I entered a roundabout on my way heading for the next exit, when suddenly, out of a corner of my eye, I saw a large silver minivan coming straight at me. The driver of the minivan clearly didn’t see me; he entered the roundabout as if it was empty, and within a split second, I knew a collision was inevitable”, Julian remembered. He had to make a decision fast, and the only thing he could do to avoid crashing into the oncoming vehicle was to bail. “All I could do at that moment, which was later confirmed by a witness who was also a motorcyclist, was to jump off the bike and out of the way of that large car. I remember both the bike and me sliding on the tarmac for several meters, but when I scrambled to my feet, I realized I was fine”, Julian said. That day, he was wearing our PANDO MOTO Dyneema® jeans, and according to Julian, the fabric held exceptionally well. He got away with just a few scratches on the jeans despite sliding on the pavement at speed.

“Besides a 1,900-euro damage to my bike and a good scare, nothing serious happened during that crash. This was my first motorcycle accident, and to be honest, I was pretty emotional as this is something we as motorcyclists all hope to avoid. I wanted to share my story because the gear literally saved my skin, and I’m stoked I walked away from the crash unscathed”, Julian told us.

We’re just as stoked that Julian avoided injuries during his accident, and we wish him many more crash-free rides into those gorgeous Bavarian Alps.