I used the road as a cheese grater when I was 17 and still have the scars. I'm all for anybody doing what they want (as long as it harms no one else and is legal) but this isn't something I'd do. A local lad came off his 1098S last year and was in hospital for two months in total agony whilst he had numerous skin grafts. Not for me.
Had a small spill today I usually wear proper riding boots, kevlar jeans, leather jacket (with armour or not), decent gloves and a full face helmet.... today for the first time in ages I decided to ride in normal jeans instead of kevlar... my knees are a bit f*cked... nothing serious but it could be easily avoided. Judging by the the bits missing of plastic gloves and small bits of helmet shell missing I'm really glad that I was wearing full kit. I was contemplating getting an open face helmet for the summer but I think I'll stick to full face ones... at least I not scraping my chin of a tarmac now On a positive note - the bike survived almost unharmed It looks like the Termis acted as a crash protection... at least I have a reason to get some Zards now
Glad you're ok mate! You should see my leathers after the blind Mondeo driving twat hoe incident. All I can say I'm I'm glad it was dead cow skin and not mine!
Cant pull it out, so don't ask, but sure there was a statistic about most fatality accidents being within 10 miles of home and normally while on a mundane (commuting) journey. I remember than journo, crazy Ronnie Smith was it?? Who did some proper stupid stuff while testing bikes etc but died riding a moped to the chippy for his dinner...that for me says it all
Duh?? Read it again. I was making the point (down there in black and white for anyone paying attention) that it's a slippery slope blaming people for risky behaviour because doing so would have all sorts of unintended consequences and you wouldn't know where to draw the line. As for clichés dying hard, ha! This country is not festooned with CCTV, or gatso cameras, or pointless announcements about slippery platforms, minding the gap and the total health and safety obsession that is so prevalent in the UK. The UK is the most health and safety country I have ever visited (with the possible exception of the sterile Singapore). You want to get out more.
You're right, Blighty is H&S central, and it's getting on my tits. And what's more, threads like this prove that The Man is getting to us. How the hell did we survive the eighties when there was no armour or airbag suits? Same way we always did is the answer - by learning to ride and not crashing. The roads are safer now than they were 30 years ago, and slower thanks to ever more congestion. The difference nowadays is that people only use their bikes on sunday, and are less accomplished at riding. And yet they are the people who look down upon me and feel it their right to admonish me for not wearing the right clobber. The real truth is it makes them feel good to swagger round in two grands' worth of Dainese. I don't suffer from that affliction. If you want to sweat the entire summer out walking around like a drum-dyed cow you go right ahead, but don't expect me to do the same.
RevIt do some cracking textile kit too. Middle of Winter here and I'm still using mine with the liner. Toasty & light too.
"generally ride more carefully in skimpy kit". Not here in Australia mate. Still ride like they were fully geared up and so many pillions pretty bare lasses legs just waiting to be mangled.
Everyone is free to make their own choices but be aware that if you have an accident whilst not wearing decent kit, the insurers may well reduce any payout for injuries quite substantially.
I've always thought that guy was a nutter. Quite apart from the sartorial faux pas of wearing Speedos - and nowhere near water, to boot.
The guy is Rollie Free - an American, obviously. A lake comprising of salt, you wouldn't want to get it in your gravel rash. Thankfully he took my advice and learned to ride, so didn't fall off...
