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 :nono: ). 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!
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.
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!"
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.
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 gear up for 3-city-block long rides. Like was said. You'll need it when you least expect it.
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....
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...
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...
I have 2 kind of day`s:
1. The day`s I use my GS to go somewhere where I need to be.
:thumb:
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!!! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
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.
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.
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
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.
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). :thumb:
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
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.
Helmet
Gloves
JR Ballistic Nylon (Phoenix) Jacket
Heavy Jeans
Pepper spray (You never know what's on folks minds...) :mrgreen:
Quote from: WrencherI 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.
Quote from: octaneDid 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.
With my luck, the one time I didn't wear any gear will be the one time I go down. Which is why I always wear something.
Helmet, gloves, jacket, and pants.
Occasionally I will get weak and ride up the the corner store and the auto zone a few blocks up road with just a helmet and gloves. But I ALWAYS wear gloves. I've had my share of roadrash, and you can "live" with rash just about anywhere else, but on your hands REALLY sucks.
Keyser,
You mentioned speed and distance. I don't think distance matters because you never know when the unexpected is going to happen (by definition), but I do think that you can control speed, and thus the severity of a crash.
At speeds under 60 km/h you're traveling at what I consider bicycle speeds. I have never felt the need for full leathers on a bicycle, and of course no one wears arm or leg protection in the Tour de France despite considerably higher speeds.
My point: protection needs to increase with speed. With my JR Phoenix outfit I feel extremely well protected at 30 km/h and well protected at 60 km/h. At 100 km/h I feel I am giving up a little protection for comfort. At higher speeds I would wear heavier equipment.
BTW, I don't know of any material that will protect against being hit by a truck, except maybe a luxury car with six airbags. :lol:
Thanks Phil, that was my point... degrees of risk according to speed (I take the point that distance does not matter).
Why would you need a full leather-racing suit at 60km/h? Its pointless in 100+ degree weather. But there is no doubt a t-shirt and shorts are not adequate protective equipment at any speed!
Distance is also a factor. The fewer cars/bikes/idiots/potholes/sand/etc you are likely to come in contact with the better the odds of keeping it rubber side down. Crashes are all unexpected, thats what makes them accidents. It only takes one soccer mom with 3 screaming kids and a ringing cell phone to really ruin your day or even your life. At the same time, the shorter the ride and the fewer perils you encounter, the less likely it is you are going to crash. Accidents do happen, and we don't get to choose when and where, but we can lower the odds of it happening by doing or not doing certain things.
I don't think anyone has EVER complained that they had too much gear on when they go sliding down the pavement. The more the better and the better quality the....err....better. The gear I have definately saved my skin on one occasion (case guard also kept my ankle from being crushed between a guard rail and the bike). I certainly wouldn't have wanted anything less, quantity or quality wise.
I still enjoy the option of wearing all my gear, or not wearing it. Its just as personal a choice as the bike we ride or the design on our jackets and helmets.
Well, I usually wear a t-shirt for upper body, khaki shorts for my legs, and a ballcap for my head. oh yeh, can't forget the sunglasses!
But then again, I have a deathwish and don't plan on living past 27 anyway. Old age is for geezers!
Heck, just yesterday I drove down the interstate this way (I actually did have a helmet, but it got stolen last friday, and I was wearing a leather jacket) but i'm a broke kid, can't afford any gear!
The stat that often gets quoted in these types of discussions (i'll bite the bullet this time) is that the majority of crashes happen within ~5 miles of home. What's this mean? It's simple really, as JeffD said: full gear, every time.
To answer keyzer's question, for my money an Aerostich Roadcrafter one-piece suit is worth every penny. It's all weather, fits over your street clothes, and can be donned/undonned in just a few seconds. Not as crash-proof as leathers, but it's far more convenient. Safety gear's not of much use if you don't use it after all. Only had my suit for a few days now but i absolutely love it.
If you're not willing to suit-up; walk or take the cage...it's as simple as that. Remember your heros (Rossi, Biaggi, Hodgson, Mladin, et al) they wear full leathers no matter what the weather. Catalunya gets hot, but they deal with it...so should you.
Helmet
Gloves
Joe Rocket Ballistic Jacket
Heavy Jeans.
I have a one car garage that is constantly being used by friends and family. With three bikes (GS, R1, BSA Lightning) taking up space, I constantly have to put them on the street to make room, and I put my helmet on every time. I've seen guys lose balance on a parked bike and go down. My head could hit the pavement, fence, wall, other cars on the way down.
I also have a four year old son, I make him wear his helmet on his bicycle when he drives it into the garage, and I'd have a hard time convincing him to wear it if I didn't.
They legislate a helmet while on a bike, but you're still allowed to wear just a thong. I just can't figure out that logic.
These people (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/07/28/offbeat.nude.bikers.ap/) take the "less gear" thing a little too far. The guy in the included picture is wearing a doo rag and flip flops. :o
I always wear a helmet, but I used to go out in jeans and a t-shirt quite a bit. Then I gave it some thought and decided I didn't particularly want to slide on my bare back at any speed, so now I always wear my jacket and gloves. I still just wear blue jeans, and I'm sure I'll come to regret it sooner or later, but I can't afford anything better right now. Next on my list is a pair of real mc boots.
Helmet, Gloves, Jacket, Leathers and MC Boots......yea it takes me awhile to get fully suited up, but then I can enjoy the ride. I have had lots of people ask me about wearing all that gear in the summer. I just tell them it keeps the sun off and I am prob more comfortable then they are and a heck of a lot more protected.
Wayne
P.S. MP183....where in NJ are you?