Chance of a Crash?

I want to take a quick poll and get some feedback from you guys and gals...

Basically I want to know what you would wear in summer if you only had to travel 15 minutes on back roads (light traffic) at a max of 60km/h.

I ALWAYS wear my helmet, gloves and light jacket. But am guilty of shorts!

The way I see it is my chances of coming off under these conditions is reduced (notice I didn't say could not happen   ). If I am in the twisties or on a freeway etc I always wear a more protective jacket and pants etc!

How about you all? Do you take into account the degrees of risk, or is everywhere to risky?

Let me know, should make interesting reading!

Stay Safe!

[JeffD]

Full gear. All the time.   Besides having the abrasion resistance, your gear also prevents sun burn/ wind burn/ bugs etc.  and it holds moisture next to your body (sweat) yes you get hot but unless your sitting at a light with the engine running for 5mins its not bad at all.

[snapper]

Helmet
Heavy jeans
Cortect Air Jacket
Gloves
Boots

:mrgreen:

Never know what could happen.. not a boyscout but I like to be prepared!
"Just in case!"

[zoltan]

i'm new to motorcycles, but i've been biking for a long, long time, and there have been countless time when someone's doing a jump or move they've done 2138174146081 times before, and something really weird just happens and they bite it. it's usually when you don't think you need your gear that you actually need it the most.

[octane]

Did you see that post a few weeks ago with the pictures of the guy who "went for a 15 minute ride to the store" and was in ICU for 27 days? Always wear your gear. Sh!t happens when you get complacent.

[Sideshow]

I gear up for 3-city-block long rides.  Like was said.  You'll need it when you least expect it.

[V8Pinto]

FULL GEAR ALL THE TIME>

Helmet
Gloves
Leather jacket
Heavy jeans
Boots

When you get on the bike you shouldn't be thinking "geeeez it's hot and I'm only going a little ways" you should be thinking

"when I get creamed, what do I want to come home looking like?"

Seriously...Take a moment and think about what you will look like in those shorts when you high-side and skid 50 feet on hot asphalt and HOPEFULLY land out of the flow of traffic.  In my last crash I was only going about 20mph and there's yellow paint from the lane stripes on my helmet and my LEATHER is all skidded up.  LEATHER dude....

[V8Pinto]

And for only a 3-block ride I take my kids BMX bike.  Keeps some of this fat off me and makes me feel like I'm 14 again...

[mrblink]

Well, I walk the 3 blocks...  I actually take my car on shorter adventures now, mostly because I can't justify the time it takes to gear up and down, and I don't want to crash in a t-shirt.  I actually totaled my Ninja ZX6E on a patch of oil, on a short 5 mile ride to work, and completely shattered my wrist.  I had good gear on (except for the jeans), so I was unharmed except for the dangling wrist.  At minimum I wear:

Joe Rocket Phoenix jacket
Joe Rocket Atomic jeans (with hip and knee armor)
Joe Rocket Highside gloves
Magnum boots
And a helmet of course

I sound like Team Joe Rocket or something...

[Joris]

I have 2 kind of day`s:
1. The day`s I use my GS to go somewhere where I need to be.

2. The day`s I want to have fun with my GS. :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:
For the first day (1) I wear a helmet, gloves and a jacket.
For the second day (kneedown day) I wear all the stuff, so helmet, gloves, jacket, leather trousers, motorcycle shoes, kidney belt. But those are the most risky day`s, but also the most fun!!!    

[vegbiker]

It's tough justifying all that gear in the hot weather, but the JR Phoenix stuff (or equivalent) is really comfortable on scorchers. I just proved the need for full gear on Saturday. I must have been traveling only between 10 and 20 mph (15-30 kph), and every piece of gear I had was scuffed when I got up. I wouldn't ride with bare skin - full leathers might be exessive, but at minimum the JR pants or kevlar jeans...something.

[Casimir]

Full gear, full time. You can get rear-ended standing at a stop sign and get launched down the road. The idiots are everywhere.

On a similar note, I stripped out of my gear after a ride saturday, then went out to put the bike in the garage in shorts (engine off). I burned my leg on the crankcase! I don't see how people ride in shorts and topsiders.

[96gs]

well all i ride with is:

Helmet (of course)
leather vest
jeans
boots

somethings gotta kill ya right (just kiddin) thats all i have to protect me right now. i dont realy have alot of cash because im 14 and dont have a job. and i havent dropped my gs yet.but my first had 3 fall overs at like 5 mph while i was tryin to do a u-turn on sloped road. shows my luck, huh

[Wrencher]

I am usually pretty good about wearing "proper" gear, but I somehow can't seem to find the will power to wear anything more than a t-shirt here in AZ. Full face helmet is mandatory in this heat or you will pass out in a matter of minutes it seems. When it goes over 115 degrees, my armored jacket is totally intolerable.

Lest this become a thread of flames, I understand what riding without gear means and I don't need a lecture.

Everyone should at least one time before dying, should go for a long ride without a helmet, and a short ride naked.

[JeffD]

Actually I agree with the statement about not riding with a helmet once before you die.  I was working on the ol' gs and had to move it from front yard to back yard and didn't feel like gearing up for 500' so I rode in Tennis shoes, no helmet, no gloves.  I enjoyed the ride without the helmet (it was just different) but I cant ride without gloves because its way too hard to keep good grip on the throttle/brake (I 2 finger brake).  

[tmckay]

Ditto on full gear, all the time, no matter what.  I have ridden in 100 deg. F. with full gear and been fine. Much hotter and I wouldn't ride.

Two things people scrimp on: gloves, and jeans vs synthetics or leather pants.  

If the palms of your hands hit the road without gloves, look out.  My brother lost a lot of skin that way and it was very painful for a long time.  The risk of infection is huge.

Even "heavy" jeans will shred to nothing in a few seconds of friction with the road.  I think the faith in thick denim is misplaced.

Trev

[mrblink]

I'd much rather wear shorts under my Joe Rocket Phoenix pants than a think pair of jeans.  It's much cooler, and way better protection.

[Cris]

Helmet
Gloves
JR Ballistic Nylon (Phoenix) Jacket
Heavy Jeans
Pepper spray (You never know what's on folks minds...) :mrgreen:

[pantablo]

I am usually pretty good about wearing "proper" gear, but I somehow can't seem to find the will power to wear anything more than a t-shirt here in AZ. .

What about the JR mesh jackets-they're supposed to be better than wearing a T-shirt cooling wise and anything is better protection-wise than a t-shirt. Teh jackets can be had for as low as $65 at newenough.com so its worth trying at least.

[JohNLA]

Did you see that post a few weeks ago with the pictures of the guy who "went for a 15 minute ride to the store" and was in ICU for 27 days? Always wear your gear. Sh!t happens when you get complacent.

I remember that post. The thing that bothered me about it and kind of defeated his own arguement was the fact that he was doing 100MPH!.
I agree that gear is good but if you choose to go without it just ride accordingly.