I'm one for using my leathers every time, one piece or two, just the thought of jeans meets Tarmac has me cringing. As for the earlier post re popping down to Tesco well just use it as an excuse to go out for a ride first. I know it's a personal choice ( bar your lid ) as to how much gear you wear, and I appreciate the comments about " riding scared " but why take the chance? I don't ride as though I'm frightened I'm going to fall off nor do I ride thinking I've got all the gear so nothing can happen to me. It there to be worn and god forbid the worst happens and I have some form of accident, then I hope it will protect me from anything too serious.
I only wear leathers on track, on the road its jeans, my alpinestars jacket, back protector and alpinestars boots, if I want to walk somewhere at the end of it I will wear my CAT boots. I just find leathers unpleasant and have no interest in getting my knee down on the road anyway, I know I will be better off in full leathers if I crash, but as figaro says it just ruins a pleasant ride and means you have to waddle around sweating in all your kit if you want to stop off somewhere.
+1 I would pop out for a ride then tesco blimey if I'm gonna dress up then I'm making it worth my while. I dont put on all the gear because I think oh I might be injured today I put it on to give me protection from whatever. Never say never an accident is just that I never thought for one minute I would be taken home in an ambulance on my last ride out.... My first one I very nearly wore 3/4 jeans as a pilling and trainers I changed my mind at the last moment Thank goodness I did Anyway I have just come back from shopping seeing a couple of kids on a bike weaving through the traffic at high speeds. The girl on the back with her shorts and the tinest of tops laughing on the bike!!! Probability says she will be ok
I/we as in me and pix are big on kit ..... Emms had a nasty off in kit and still suffers now ...... I wouldn't let her out the door without kitting up ........ If you were in the passenger side of a car and at just 30mph the driver says get out wearing just jeans trainers and a t shirt would you..... I launched my 848 at 4mph on fresh tyres about ten metres off my drive smacking my leg and bruising a toe .......I was fully kitted !!!!! ..... If you can predict your big or small off then crack on ... Leave the safety gear in the wardrobe .....take a peek at this ..... Rock The Gear
Life is all about evaluating risks - taking some risks is arguably what makes life worth living. We all have different risk thresholds. For my daily commute these days I wear Rukka textiles. I realise they won't give as much protection as leathers if I did come off, but the vagaries of the British weather (do I or don't I put my waterproofs on over leathers - sod's law said every time I didn't there was a black cloud waiting for me 2 miles down the road) meant I value the convenience of kit that will keep me dry whatever the weather and avoid frequent (soggy) misery, as compared with kit that might be better in the event of something that (hopefully) will never happen. For just a Sunday bimble, or touring, I tend to wear leathers (although since WDW I really need to get my leathers cleaned - my trousers could have probably walked back from Misano on their own!) My only concession to the extreme heat at WDW (40 ish Celsius) was Draggin jeans and leaving my jacket slightly unzipped at the top. Plenty of people were riding in flip flops and shorts, but personally I'd not be comfortable with that. The one time I rode a bike in my Doc Marten boots as opposed to proper bike boots, my feet felt ever so exposed. I'm certainly of the mindset that the gravel doesn't know if you've gone half a mile or 500 miles when you're skidding across it. Back protectors - funny, I suspect it's almost a cultural thing for me. My other half does, but I don't. When I first started riding, I don't think anyone bothered. They've become more popular only in recent years - the other half only passed his test 3 years ago. He says he can't think of a good reason not to. More bulk and more hot sweaty kit on a warm day doesn't appeal. However, I'd be dead set against any legal requirement to wear any particular kit at any particular time. It's the slippery slope to banning bikes because they're dangerous. I also can't help but feel jealous of the type of scooter rider who does just put on a helmet with their normal clothes, twist and go, as opposed to spending 10 minutes getting dressed up. Yes, at urban traffic speeds you can still be shredded when you come off a scooter, but then you can be shredded if you come off a pedal cycle at those same speeds ...
Never get on my bike without kit, I as duke said had a big off I was fully trussed up, I also have a lovely scar on my kneecap.....is hate to think what scars I would have had if I wasn't wearing my leathers infact I probably wouldn't be writing this post just looking down from the sky saying "your choice mate but it's a bad one!" it's not worth not wearing them and quite honestly I don't fancy skin graphs or any more scars! You don't have to have all the labelled kit just protective kit! Put it this way If your not gonna wear leather or textile kit or even kevlar to protect Your body why do u feel the need to put on a helmet? The short mile trip to the supermarket or local shop is your destiny to get knocked off by some Numpty that's to busy shouting at the kids when reversing out of the parking space and not watching what they are doing or who's coming! Each to ones own!
This is a post from another forum.....no pic to show you the bike but trust me it was a mess. this is / was my mates T595 last night after he decided it would look better in a field between Kippen and Fintry near stirling.. the night started great as we met up, cracking night for a ride.. on a left hander he lost the front and went down. the bike flipped over a fence and cleared the ditch which jamie didnt... he only bought last week.. hes ok, broken big toes bizarrely... he was wearing jeans so you can imagine the state of him.. spent 30 minutes in the police car giving a statement.. take it easy out there.... stevezx7r 09 Aug 2012 at 9:50pm Quote Reply Ouch! Could have been much worse for him though. Jeans !?! A82addict 09 Aug 2012 at 10:03pm Quote Reply yip jeans!! thing is the pace was brisk i thought he was pushing his luck but each to their own.. the ambulance guys gave him it tight...in a very non judgmental way of course. He knew the risks but after what i've seen (and smelled) as we waited for the ambulance its leathers all the way for me... bloody horrible..
I fell off 4 times from various 250's in the 70's only once was it above 50mph, always in jeans and trainers plus leather bike jacket, there wasn't much else in those days, leather jeans maybe. Sure the jeans ripped, but falling off a 50cc bike in jeans will hurt, but I doubt your clothing would disappear!!
I saw some tit yesterday on an XJ1300 wearing shorts and a vest, the desire to shout abuse across the road was enormous, I did manage to contain myself. I hate dressing up like a xmas turkey in fine weather and occasionally get berated for it, but better that than gravel rash and all the other associated injuries. You can't guarantee that you're not going to get hurt whatever you wear but you can minimise the risk. Crashing generally happens when you least expect it - you only die once - wear the kit.
My post was a statement not a criticism to be honest I actually don't care if you ride naked that's your call
Each to their own as far as I`m concerned. I always wear leathers and a back protector, my choice. I`ve rode with guys in jeans and trainers before, doesn`t mean they`re wrong because I wouldn`t do it, it`s just their choice. As for a 1/2 mile ride to go shopping at Tesco? booted and suited or buck naked doesn`t really matter, just never, ever, ever, should you do it on a Ducati :wink:.
This is exactly the sort of comment that bites my ass. What on earth gives you the right to be judgemental of other people?
Once on a hot Summer day in 1971 I went for a ride wearing nothing but boots and a pair of white Speedos. Crash helmets were not compulsory in those days, and I was extremely skinny, young and hare-brained. Ride was OK and fun, only problem was sunburn. Wouldn't do it now, but I don't see why youngsters shouldn't.
Personally after a nasty back injury i always wear full kit. However in hot weather wearing full kit you sweat a lot &become dehydrated easily. If you become dehydrated by only 2% its equivalent to having had a beer which is never good for your bike control! So sometimes less is more,as in the foreign bike cops attitude to wearing short sleeve shirts &chinos to keep cool. Im not judging anyone elses attitude to wearing less or more kit but the more people who are injured in accidents badly because they're not wearing protection just gives ammo to the ban biking/safety legislation moaners
Without a doubt I usually wear 'all the gear' but if I choose not to, then I don't want other people criticising me. I know the risks after nearly 40 years of riding, but sometimes it's just nice to decide to take a different approach. Riding a bike is supposed to give a sense of freedom, not to make you feel constrained by whether you're wearing the latest hi tech safety gizmos or not. However, it's everyone's choice...or should be. :wink:
"OI FIG..... Get some kit on ya daft bastid" ......... That me being judgemental ( or just a bit mental) and shouting at ya from across the street !!!!! No need to bite your ass mate , the Tarmac belt sander will do that ....:biggrin:
There's a social aspect to this as well. A few years back I moved to a quiet part of Gloucestershire; I bought a trail bike to explore the area, and also bought an open-face lid to better enjoy the low speed lanes. And I found that people were far more willing to approach and talk to me, because I looked less threatening than someone in a full-face lid, I guess. Dressing head to toe in armoured leather, with a full-face lid and tinted or blacked out visor is bound to put a fairly sizeable social barrier between you and the great unwashed. Making out like a riot patrol officer is never a good look. There's a great viral going round of a group of riders touring the alps in the 1950's; I'm sure someone can find the link. Dressed in regular clothing, but with great coats and helmets when riding, I'll bet the locals found them much more approachable than the modern option of obscured-faced power rangers with super-loud race cans...
