Where do you leave your gear..

[MrDan]

..when you're parked for the day?

It seems like all the bikers in my office building are now riding to work.  And I've noticed that most of them leave their helmets on the handle bars or seats.  And these aren't cheap helmets.  A guy with a beautiful green Triumph leaves his Arai sitting out, and there are a pair of Shoei's for the taking as well.  Today I pull in next to an SV1000s with the helmet on the handlebar and a nice Joe Rocket jacket laying across the seat.  Nothing is locked up (accompanying picture didn't save on my phone for some reason).

I always bring my gear inside.  In fact, if I'm at a store, I generally bring my tank bag in with me so it doesn't present an easy target.

Maybe I'm just paranoid ... 

[LimaXray]

It really depends where I am... if there aren't too many people around and I'm in a niceish area, I'll leave my stuff on the bike (jacket over the seat, helmet on the ground).  Otherwise I'll either carry all my stuff with me, or lock my helmet to the seat and carry everything else with me.

If I'm somewhere it's easy enough to bring my stuff with me, like work where I can just plop it all on my desk, I'll bring it in regardless.

When I do leave my stuff with my bike, my thought is "why would someone want to steal my dirty clothes?"  This thought of course doesn't apply in the crappier areas where people steal anything.

[l3uddha]

no f*cking way I'm leaving my gear outside for the day.

5-10 minutes is different but I'm still paranoid.

what if some asshat were to sit on his bike or check out that pretty Arai and DROP IT? $500. down the toilet. If you leave your gear with your bike for an extended period if time it's an invitation for someone to mess with it; I think anyways...

[dgyver]

I never leave gear on the bike. If I have it with me, it cannot walk away. Sometimes I would lock the helmet to the bike but if it going to be in a lot of sun, it comes with me. I hate putting on a helmet that has been baking in the sun.

Also, I never sit my helmet on the seat or hang it on the mirror. I have seen too many (other rider's helmets) hit the ground. I always place it on the ground, it cannot fall to the ground if it is already there. I would rather brush off a little dirt then have grind that does not brush off.

[MrDan]

Ok - so I'm not crazy.  The bikes are all parked in an open air garage.  Some can be seen from the front door of the building, the rest are hidden in a corner behind cars (very few striped line places to park here).  None can really be seen from the street, but still.  I used to lock my helmet to the hook on the bike, but between a crappy key and now no seat lock (need to find a locksmith - just using the pull to open the seat for now), it's not secure there. 

I think the only person other than me who doesn't leave at least his helmet there is the brand new BMW with the license plate FAZER1.  He just upgraded haha.

[Wrecent_Wryder]

%%f

[Yankee Punker]

 They are nuts, I work for the Florida Hwy Patrol and still I worry about what might happen to my bike when I'm out, thankfully my helmet and gear just fits into the little lockers we get.

[onefastgs500]

get a cable lock from home depot i got one made by master for $20 bucks you thread it through jacket sleeve and chin bar and bike keeps it from walking away.

[l3uddha]

I hang my helmet from the kickstand-side passenger peg if I do leave the helmet for a short period of time. It works out pretty well.

[MrDan]

get a cable lock from home depot i got one made by master for $20 bucks you thread it through jacket sleeve and chin bar and bike keeps it from walking away.

That reminds me   .. I was at Home Depot yesterday and there was a little scooter with a 50lb chain running through the helmet, jacket sleeves, and rear wheel.  The chain was one of those thick ones (about the size of a soda can) and at least 8 feet long.  Rather amusing ... I need to start carrying my camera with me on my bike.

[ducati_nolan]

Good call on the cable lock! I'm going to have to get one.

I usually take all my gear with me but I often lock the helmet to the seat hook (It's not a flashy one). Sometimes I'll lay the sleve of my jackett and the leg of my overpants under the seat then lock the seat down on top of it. It seems to be pretty secure. I figure that you can only do so much with securing your stuff to your bike, if they really want it, two big guys could throw the whole bike in a pickup.

[scratch]

My gear goes with me.  I live in my helmet; if I can ride 8 hours in a helmet, I can wear it anywhere; now that's a comfortable helmet!  My helmet comes inside with me, even if my fingers turn purple, and sore from carrying it.

[pandy]

I don't usually leave anything on my bike unless I can see it at all times AND have the perimeter alarm on... 

[FearedGS500]

leave my gear on the bike .. are you kidding me ? i live in texas theres no area safe no matter what the area looks like . all it takes is the right person at the right  time to be there . some guys driving by .."ohhh look at all the helments ... i need one ! ohhh and a bouns a jacket to !! " alarms only keep an honest man honest . if they really want it they will take it

[brett]

My helmet comes with me at all times. How else can I prove that I'm not just a poser in a Dainese jacket?

[annguyen1981]

I bring my ICON helmet everywhere, especially to class with cute girls in them.

[Queso]

I'll put my helmet in my topcase if it's on. Gloves, too, if I'm wearing them. It's the jacket that goes everywhere with me if it's not at home. I don't leave anything of value exposed on the bike, though I've never seen any evidence of someone messing with my tankbag. I figure best not to tempt the honest.

[Alphamazing]

When I ride to campus I carry all my gear with me. I have only once locked my helmet in the seat lock and that was because I had a bunch of other stuff to carry. Even when going into a restraunt I will pull all my gear and luggage off the bike and take it in with me. Even then I try to keep an eye on the bike by sitting next to a window (I use the excuse that my bike is pretty and I like to look at it).

Some call me paranoid. I just don't want to have to buy new gear.

[rangerbrown]

my old icon mesh i left on the seat to keep it cool my new arai helment is like my baby i take it to bed with me, and rightly so for the 600$ price

[bubba zanetti]

I bring my ICON helmet everywhere, especially to class with cute girls in them.

Do you take it off in class? ( the helmet Pandy, the helmet)

I never leave my gear on the bike. especially my helmet it goes where I go.