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Why is this in my Icon jacket?

XJ650RJ said:
OK, so look at it from Icon's standpoint. They put the St Christopher's medal into every recently-made jacket. They don't know the faith (or lack) of every customer. They hope it assists every rider who wears their gear to travel safely, with or without faith.

Sort of wishing someone a nice day, hoping it comes true, without knowing the end result.
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This.


I'm not a Christian, nor religious at all for that matter. Others' beliefs don't put me off (unless it involves mistreatment of "infidels" or "pagans"), and I don't take offense to a religious icon being sewn into a piece of protective gear, providing that it was installed in good faith to help protect the wearer.

If someone gave you a four-leafed clover, would you take it to the ACLU? How about a rabbit's foot?

In essence, it's a good luck charm - and whether you believe in luck, karma, the FSM, whatever - we could all use a little bit of luck when we're riding.

If you don't think that riders become superstitious over time, examine your pre-ride "ritual", the way you don your gear, check your bike, the routes you take, your "spidey sense" when in traffic - humans tend to develop personality quirks (read: OCD) over time, and in high risk situations it becomes more apparent.

FWIW, I HAVE to put my left glove on first. I just feel "off" if I don't - don't know how it came to be; it just is. My daughter insists on giving me good luck charms for every new bike I get - my last bike, it was a toy caterpillar stuck to my front fender. This bike, it's a Hello Kitty magnet on my tank - do I think they work? Not really - but I do feel that if I removed them, I may run the risk of messing up my karma by offending her good wishes...

Many of us have similiar tendencies towards riding or our bikes in general - a routine becomes a superstition, anticipation of events becomes superstition, etc....

FWIW, I bought my Motorhead jacket back in '05 - no St. Chris. ICON, if you're reading, should I expect mine in the mail, or do you offer retroactive blessings online? Can I sue for the crash I had in the past since my jacket didn't come with a lucky charm? I'm sure I wouldn't have crashed if I had a religious icon hidden in my jacket - that's the ticket!!! $$$ :rofl:ride


-Q!
 
07chuck said:
....Although if I was me that found it I'd sue the pants off of Icon.
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Well, if you found a lawyer to take the case and managed to win, then you'd get one of these. And they'd probably have a little St. Chris in them.

These would be nice if you got the rider that fits them.
 

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spddrcr said:
maybe it was the fact that all of their jackets had a warning tag in them that stated that the jacket you are wearing is not meant to protect you in a crash"
I shit you not:wtf

maybe the little trinket is in there for there protection:teeth
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:rolleyes

I'm sure that if you read the fine print either in the gear or in the product literature that you'd find the same statement from most other motorcycle gear manufacturers.

Here's a quote from the tag in my Motorhead jacket:
ICON said:
This garment is not considered to be "Personal Protective Equipment" as defined in or within the scope of the Personal Protective Equipment (EC Directive) regulations 1992 (S.L. 1992 / 3139) and has therefore not been examined or tested in accordance with those regulations. no liability will be accepted by the manufacturer or supplier of this garment arising out of the garments not-compliance [sic] with such regulations."
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This means that the gear has not been crash tested to meet any safety gear regulations, so ICON will not accept any liability if a rider crashes in their gear and gets injured. Does anyone have evidence that any motorcycle gear manufacturer crash tests their gear to any standard or certifies a level of minimum liability regarding crash protection?

The armor is CE approved, but there really is, AFAIK, no regulations or testing procedures outside of OSHA, ANSI, or other workplace regulations regarding PPE (other than helmets) in the US. Shock lanyards and safety harnesses, hard hats, steel-toed boots, protective eye wear, kevlar gloves, etc. - these are designed to protect the user from a defined hazard, and are certified to do so. Motorcycle gear, on the other hand, can not physically be designed to protect the user from all types of potential hazards all the time, and is not considered to be PPE by any type of legal specification.

The jacket is 1.4mm cowhide, double and triple stitched, has CE armor where it counts, is comfortable and was reasonably priced. Even high-end gear fails under certain circumstances, so I wouldn't talk trash about ICON even if I wasn't a customer - funny how a culture like ours that stomps all over misinformation regarding riding technique allows the spreading of misinformation regarding riding gear, typically coming from those with no experience with the product...

:thumbdown



-Q!
 
FWIW as a "hardcore atheist" lacking any quasi-Gods thank you very much, if for some reason I determined I wanted to buy an Icon jacket, I would neither care that it had a little St. Whoozits thing in it and I wouldn't be bothered to remove it.
 
um...

congrats on the purchase of a nice jacket...:cool
 
lefty said:
For all of you folks who are on your way... Do me a favor, which will benefit both of us; Give me ALL your money. ...
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OK, but will you buy me dinner? Do you love me?
 
moriya said:
Isn't atheism lack of belief as opposed to belief itself? I would be under the impression that to an atheist, a medal of a saint sewn into their jacket would be of no more consequence than any other famous (semi-famous?) dead guy, like Elvis or Thomas Edison.

I'm agnostic, but strong atheism (active rejection of a god) always puzzles me - if religion is laughable, isn't getting offended over a religious medal in your jacket equally so?

Alright, I'm done...now let's go petition ICON to stencil the Flying Spaghetti Monster on their Field Armor.

...actually, that would be awesome :D
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Well said. I'd classify myself as an agnostic as well. Though the atheistic point of view is possible valid as well. 'Won't find out until after I die, though. And maybe not even then.

As for putting the medal in there, I kinda think it's tacky. But unless I had some seriously intense religious beliefs that ran counter to those of Christianity, I'd just chuckle and cut it out. I can't see getting all cranked up about it regardless.
 
Yes it is "hilarious" until you reflect upon the fact that they are the first who took truly cutting edge graphical design and street esthetics and translated it into fat margins, huge profits and became the envy of the rest of the industry. And guess what? Some of their stuff is actually pretty good, although sadly some of the most fun gear with the demons and skulls and shit is hugely overpriced, at least for a product cycle or two, after which it tends to get marked down to more reasonable, less premium levels more in line with the actual BOM. Seems many of their leather jackets go thru a $600 > $450 > $300 evolution as the older designs age and are replaced by newer designs. Largely same materials and engineering, but different graphics allow huge premiums.

Have you not noticed how just about all the other gear makers have taken to copying them? Regardless of whether or not you think a bunch of wanna be hoods and thugs with tactical vests, baggy pants and LP enfucked bikes are Straight Outta Compton or Straight Outta the Toolbox, Icon is setting the pace and the others are, regardless of their merit, playing "me too" going after the lucrative market niche that these bright boys have carved out.

Bordiga said:
This thread caused me to go to the Icon website and browse a little. Their product descriptions are hilarious :rofl

"We at Icon have often been credited(blamed)for the complete 180 in the street motorcycle gear market. Since our first 'Hero' jacket way back in the day Icon has redefined how motorcycle gear should look and function. Now, years later, we continue on this unchartered course clearing a path through the urban jungles. If you were feeling our vibe before then you'll definitely appreciate the Automag 'Hero' offering. Besides the utterly sick leather chassis, hella flex shoulders, louvered exhaust panels, and plethora of internal CE armor, the Automag Hero is equipped with enough molded rubber badging to make any GP star sick with envy. Icon Moto - Remember who started this gangsta sh*t."

OAKLAND?
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All I can really say I guess, is that if you can ride and say you have no little glimmer of some hint of a sparkle of some belief in a higher power to pray to... Be it in the traditional book form or something you made up on your own one day when you were bored and the power was out, Then...

You've never really and truly braked way too late... Or really -really- overcooked a corner, or found yourself in a sudden traction optional situation with wheels pointed in directions and angles in no way relative to what inertia has to say about things....

...and made it out the other side on the rubber and unscathed.

These things will make you at least believe in some form of patron saint of fools and do-overs.
 
socialDK said:
07chuck have you ever found your self saying "Oh my god someone sued for that? What an idiot." People that think like you are the reason
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Since you quoted me out of context(quote the whole post), how is hiding an Icon different than sprinkling bacon grease on an observent Jew's sandwich, or to a Muslim where that type depiction is considered apostacey..


I guess you've never had religion crammed down your throat or been beaten for not believing in "god" or refusing to go to Mass....

I guess that you never knew anyone that commited suicide after being "outed" after being named a witness (he was also a victim) in a lawsuit against clergy for a sexual abuse case.

Try those on for size and then tell me how you feel about religious medals sewn into the clothes that you just bought without it being disclosed.

As for those who complain about "Militant Atheism", keep your imaginary friend out of my life and I'll stop making fun of him and you...

Religion is called the "Opiate of the Masses" for a reason, for while people are under it's influence they make the same irrational choices as an addict...


BTW.... Faith=Belief in the face of no evidence....
 
GET OVER IT YOU WHINY BITCHES! snivel waaaa medallions in my pocket waaaa waaaa I got a free Qu'ran in a box of Wheaties you dont hear me crying like a lil baby girl
 
07chuck said:
Since you quoted me out of context(quote the whole post), how is hiding an Icon different than sprinkling bacon grease on an observent Jew's sandwich, or to a Muslim where that type depiction is considered apostacey..
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It's different because you're supposed to be rational. Get over it.
 
I am staunchly anti-religion and the St. Christopher medallion does not bother me at all.
 
Another storm in a teacup. So they have a medallion in the pocket. So it's a religious icon, a neat and clever pun on their brand name. So some atheist doesn't like it. I wonder if it had a pagan symbol there if the atheist would be sympathetic to a theist who found it offensive? I'm guessing not, since people of that persuasion often tend to be one-way tolerant.

Any way, as my dad used to say, "An atheist is a person with no invisible means of support."

:):):)

Lighten up, guys, don't look for offense where none is intended.
 
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