GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

As I venture into the world of riding motorcycles, I have come to the realization that while most riders are north of 30, a large majority of them still have the mentality of a teenager or young, young adult and that is not meant as an insult to any rider in particular but rather a truth and realization that must be said and I will explain my comment.

When we were in our teens and early 20s, we all have a sense of invincibility, that no matter what we do, we will be okay. Maybe we can blame it on testosterone, friends, or maybe the lack of foresight; so and so did it and he's fine so I'll be fine or worse yet, well just because it happened to him doesn't mean it will happen to me, I'll be extra careful. If only it was that easy as we've all come to find out, we didn't know what we thought we knew in our teen years and early 20s. How does that relate to the comment about a large majority of bikers having the same mentality as this kids? The mere fact that they/we think it won't happen to us or if we are extra careful, it'll be fine if we ride without all of our gear or the proper gear. The point is, a mature mind realizes that riding bikes is simply a more dangerous hobby and activity than say, riding a car. A mature rider assesses these risks and accepts them but at the same time, a mature rider will take the proper precautions to prevent this from happening while realizing that an accident on a bike will likely happen once in their lifetime if they continue to ride. Therefore, a mature rider will ALWAYS be properly geared up, ready for the fun but also ready for the possible and likely consequences of what will happen in the event of a crash or fall.

Now what gear is needed?

First off, what is the most important part of your entire body? I hope everyone said their head so if it is your head, you need the right protection to keep your head safe in the event that an accident occurs (this particular sentence is also relevant and true regarding your other head as well ^_^). Buy a helmet, be it a $75 helmet or an $800 helmet, find what your budget it and buy the best helmet you can buy. Studies have shown that there many helmets in the $100 range that protect your head just as well as some of the $200-$400 helmets so buying an expensive helmet is not really necessary although some of the more expensive helmets will come with perks such as additional ventilation to keep your helmet from fogging up, extra cushion, removable foam, and even bluetooth capabilities. While we are talking helmets, I feel the need to also address the different types of helmets available on the market: 1/2 helmets that cover just the top half of your head, the 3/4 helmets that cover the frontal part of your skull to the back of your head, and the full face helmet. I would definitely recommend the full-face helmet for one simple reason; go wear a 1/2 helmet and then do a running face first dive baseball-style making sure your head and face makes contact with the ground and tell me how helmet protected your nose, mouth, eyes, and chin? I hope that image is enough to help you make the right decision when purchasing a helmet. Oh yes, make sure it FITS and fits snugly.

With our helmets out of the way, we will talk about protecting the largest organ in our body which would be our skin. Our skin covers and "protects" us from head to toe although I use the term protect very loosely as we've all seen how well our skin protects us from minor things like paper cuts or even scraped knees and elbows. So to better protect our skin, we need at least another layer of true protection and jeans will not be suffice which I will address below.

For our upper body, we should all buy a jacket that is enforced with armor in all the right places and that would be at least in the back, shoulder, and elbow areas. Motorcycle jackets come in three different forms: Leather, textile, and mesh and I have listed them based on their abrasion protection level, too. Leather will best protect your skin in the event of a fall, then textile, and lastly, mesh. There is evidence some the higher quality textile jackets protect nearly as well as leather and those lined with kevlar protect on par with leather but unlike leather, can rarely be used again after a fall. Mesh will keep you the coolest and is ideal in the warmest of climates but do not provide the level of protection anywhere near leather nor textile. Regardless of what you choose, make sure the jacket FITS and is a bit snug. A jacket that allows for alot of movement means if you happen to fall and slide, the "protection" will also slide as well.

Onto pants and this is arguably the most ignored and oft-forgotten gear that will be touched upon today. Many riders on the road choose to forgo proper leg gear when riding motorcycles, often wearing jeans and worse yet, shorts. Jeans do not constitute proper leg gear nor does it really provide much protect in the event of a fall. Much like jackets and helmets, there are many different types of pants ranging from $75 to hundreds of dollars if not thousands. You have pants available in leather, textile and reinforced jeans and their protection level is in that order. Again, leather will provide you the most abrasion protection in the event of a fall with textile falling in right behind leather and reinforced jeans at a distant third. Like jackets, you will have to buy what you can afford and what FITS you best. One last thing, proper motorcycle pants will also have armor in the knees as well as padded protection in the outer thigh area.

From the time we started to walk until now, our hands have always been our first line of defense. We instinctively throw our hands out to protect us when we fall. I use the term instinctively because we don't even have to think about putting our hands in front of us as we brace for a fall, we simply do it; it is automatically wired into our brain. Knowing what we know about our hands and falling, it would be very short-sighted not to buy quality protection gloves for our hands. There are simply way too many kinds of gloves to cover but I will state the very basics of what is proper motorcycle glove should have or do. Gloves should cover your entire hand from palm to fingertips, have a wrist strap to keep your gloves secured on your hand, the palm should be leather which will protect your palm best, there should be some type of protection for your knuckles and they must FIT right. That covers the bare minimum of a proper motorcycle glove.

Last but not least, we have our feet. You know, those two things we need to walk, get on and off a bike, as well as changing gears and using the rear brakes. Our feet are slightly important, too, right? So why is it we see people riding in tennis shoes, let alone sandals? Do you want missing toes, broken ankles, and missing flesh? If not, keep those tennies at home and those sandals even further away. Motorcycle shoes and boots arguably come in the widest variety of all gear as you can get shoes/boots that look like tennis shoes, high tops, leather hiking boots, calf level boots, to full blown racing boots that cover your entire calf. Much like gloves, I will state the very basics of what a proper motorcycle boot/shoe should have or do. They should cover your entire foot AND ankle, which takes those that look like tennis shoes out of the equation. They should be very stable with additional protection along the ankle, the toes should have additional protection such as steel toes or additional armor, and they must FIT right.

Notice with every piece of motorcycle gear, I ended with something along the lines of "they must FIT right"? That is just as important as the protection it gives you because you need to feel comfortable in it and it must become one with your body.

The final thing I will touch upon, as promised, is the issue of jeans. While most riders will wear helmets, willingly or begrudgingly, along with a proper jacket, gloves, and boots, most just simply wear a pair of jeans thinking jeans are durable enough and will provide enough protection in the event of a fall. Again, how old are we? Are we 3 year old toddlers going at a speed of 1/2 MPH? If you are a man, then you know what it's like to be a young boy with holes in your jeans from crawling around on the floor. If you are a woman, you have likely seen your brother or son or nephew with holes in their jeans at the knees. Think about it, if you can wear holes in your jeans from crawling around on your knees, how in the world are those same jeans going to protect you when you are going at 20-80 miles per hour? None of us were crawling at those speeds as kids and certainly not now. I'm sure some of you are thinking "The only reason I was able to wear out my jeans was because they were a year or two old" and again, that is often a way we try to justify our dumb and, rather, stupid decisions. I will leave but one more illustration in your mind and you decide if jeans will protect you even if you are just going to the market or gas station and will not surpass 35MPH.

Go find your newest, most expensive pair of jeans. Put them on and do your little dance to prove that they are on and they work. Now go outside to the street and make sure there are no cars in sight. Now sprint as fast as you can down your street (most of us who are athletic and in shape might be able to hit 12-15mph max) and then do your best baseball slide or soccer slide tackle. Then come back and tell me how much skin and blood was lost in your "I'm not going far or fast so it will protect me good enough" jeans. If you cannot carry out this experiment and do not have enough faith to even try doing this, how the heck do you have faith in your jeans protecting you when you are going at 2-3 times that speed let alone going 5-6 times that speed?

If you are on this forum, you are definitely a rider, especially of the GS500 variety and I would love to meet some of you one day and ride together but the only way that is even remotely possible is if you protect yourself long enough for us to meet. So please, if you have not done so already, go out and buy all the proper and correct gear to keep yourself as safe as we possibly can. As riders, we cannot control what the cars, bikes, and other vehicles do around us but we can control the amount of protection we give ourselves so give yourself the absolute best chance to survive with everything in tact. ATGATT and ride on fellas

Wow. I have to admit, I didn't read all of that.

I agree whole heartedly but I often ride with just jeans. I prefer cooler weather as I at least can wear my chaps.
I do have Bohn Armor and some Kevlar lined jeans. Just don't wear that much.

I wear full mesh gear (Drafter pants and jacket from Scorpion) which clock in at about $230 or so from Revzilla.  I got an aftermarket back armor insert, the highest protection gloves, boots, and a decent helmet as well.  I've ridden in 90+ weather wearing this gear with jeans under the pants in full sun and high humidity.  When I'm moving I'm perfectly cool, and when I'm not I man the frak up and deal with a little bit of discomfort.  I actually find that the pants insulate me from the heat of the engine and exhaust.  There are people riding in 100° plus heat in mesh gear and they can handle it - so can you.

Also, I wouldn't want to see what kind of wreck it would take to eat through my mesh jacket.  The only reason I'd don anything more is for less friendly weather.

I'm also a 20-something if that means anything.

(http://realitystars.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/leo8.gif)

I mean,...
:thumb:

It's not what gear is NEEDED but what RESULTS are we O.K. with.

We have all seen the OSHA equipped cowboy and the bubble boy.  Neither one are probably how we want to live our lives.  When most of us were young no one thought of wearing a helmet on a bicycle or usually not even a motorcycle.  You can't protect yourself from life...things are going to happen.

In 55 years of riding I've been hit twice by cars.  Both times I've had a helmet on.  Both times the helmet had quite a bit of damage...so I would not be here if I hadn't been wearing one.  I was not wearing any additional gear (I am not saying this was good).  I have scars from both incidents.

I now wear either a mesh jacket with armor or in colder weather a standard motorcycle jacket with armor.  Jackets are whatever that dayglow/neon color is.  Always wear helmet, gloves, boots.  Have a good set of mesh pants with armor but I'm not real good about wearing them.

It's a tough call:  Balance a 5 minute trip to the store or a good 5 minutes to gear up and then the trip to the store.  That's why my truck gets more use than it should.

You can wear as little as you want, the trick is not to crash, I have been riding since 1968 and every time I ended up in the hospital I did it to myself, when I ride home from work today I will be wearing a T shirt and cutoffs, it's a risk I am willing to take, I havent had a bike even fall over in the drive way since '77 (no crashes since '77 is what I'm saying)

Yes you can get taken out by a car...but prsonally, it hasn't happened to me yet and I have been my own worst enemy as far as going down.

@Alan_nc

That is correct, it is more about results than what is actually needed.  Wearing just a helmet bumps the odds quite a bit more in your favor than a jacket does, but that statistical fact won't make it any easier to wipe your bum when you don't have any skin left on your hands (or your bum).  There definitely are those who wear no gear because they accept the higher risk of death or injury, and I can respect, accept, and even understand their decision, but there are plenty more who just think they are never going to crash because they are a "natural" or some other bull$hit line of thinking.  I was up to third gear and doing contersteering turns in my first 30-minute parking lot lesson and I aced the MSF tests, but I don't think I'm anywhere near "natural" enough to avoid everything or to not make an irrecoverable mistake.

I can definitely agree that the pants are the hardest part.  I can slip on my boots, jacket, and helmet in the time it takes me to just put the pants on and get my keys, phone, and wallet situated.  They also make me stick out the most since most other riders just wear jeans, and they are the most uncomfortable piece when you are at your destination.  I think once I am a more established rider I will invest in a few pairs of nice Kevlar riding jeans and some external knee armor.  For now I'm unwilling to pay more than I paid for my mesh pants for each pair of unarmored riding jeans.

Quote from: 2y4life on July 07, 2014, 09:19:52 AM
As I venture into the world of riding motorcycles, I have come to the realization that while most riders are north of 30, a large majority of them still have the mentality of a teenager or young, young adult

I am not sure who you were aiming that epic at. I appreciate that whoever you directed towards it was with good intentions but.......... after reading this far I fell on the floor laughing and gave up.

Quote from: 2y4life on July 07, 2014, 09:19:52 AM

First off, what is the most important part of your entire body?

My wiener?

Quote from: fraze11 on July 07, 2014, 02:53:04 PM

Quote from: 2y4life on July 07, 2014, 09:19:52 AM

First off, what is the most important part of your entire body?

My wiener?

Hahahahaha

Let me guess......you must be under 30  :thumb:

Quote from: sledge on July 07, 2014, 03:25:48 PM

Quote from: fraze11 on July 07, 2014, 02:53:04 PM

Quote from: 2y4life on July 07, 2014, 09:19:52 AM

First off, what is the most important part of your entire body?

My wiener?

Hahahahaha

Let me guess......you must be under 30  :thumb:

Almost 60, I am sooooo glad my wanger is doing less of the thinking  :whisper:

If I had to choose between leather head to toe...but no gloves or gloves but no leather head to toe, I would always choose gloves, the first thing everyone does when they go down is try and protect themselves with their hands. A sturdy pair of gloves and a helmet are the absolute bare minimum.

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 07, 2014, 11:31:50 AM
Also, I wouldn't want to see what kind of wreck it would take to eat through my mesh jacket.

No more than 30 mph, left shoulder and back:

(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/08/2upe6y8y.jpg)

I was wearing jeans and now have no nerve endings on a quarter-sized patch on my left knee. I now have a leather jacket, and am in the market for riding pants, once my budget permits.

Quote from: JAS6377 on July 07, 2014, 06:42:16 PM
once my budget permits.

I think that about sums it up, people tend to buy the best of what they can afford. Myself included

I think we would all like a nice new Arai Corsair V RC, a set of fitted leathers, some Sidi crossfires and a pair of Falco podiums. But that lot wont leave much change from $6k......so where do you draw the line  :dunno_black:

Quote from: 2y4life on July 07, 2014, 09:19:52 AM.......................The point is, a mature mind realizes that riding bikes is simply a more dangerous hobby and activity than say, riding a car. A mature rider assesses these risks and accepts them but at the same time, a mature rider will take the proper precautions to prevent this from happening while realizing that an accident on a bike will likely happen once in their lifetime if they continue to ride. Therefore, a mature rider will ALWAYS be properly geared up, ready for the fun but also ready for the possible and likely consequences of what will happen in the event of a crash or fall..............................

I rode for 15 years with short pants and a tee shirt in hot weather and wore jeans and a leather jacket with slip on boots in cooler weather and a lot more underneath on cold winter days.  Wore an open face helmet summers and a full face winters for the cold.

Got a bit more safety conscience the last 15 years and wore a full face or flip face helmet year around and armored riding jackets, mesh ones in the summer and heavier ones in the winter and jeans year around.  I did go back to an open face helmet with build in shield a couple years ago.  My head will only turn half as far as it once did and I still have excellent peripheral vision so an open face gives me a better view to the side than a full face does now.

So I guess I was still very immature when I started riding about 30 years ago at age 52?  When I was 70 I was racing thru the mountain twisties like a kid of 17 but I have slowed way down over the last few years and am finally acting my  age.  Have I finally matured?

Not knocking safety gear it is important, more important to some than others, but I still think the most important safety gear is riding smarts.

Wow!  You could have done some pretty good riding in the time it took to type all of that!  :D

Seriously.  I'm 46 and I've thought the same way since I was 16.    Currently:

* Full face helmet,
* Various Pairs of Gloves. Leather, Mesh etc.
* Boots: Puma Brutale's and Puma GP 1000's for the feet. 
* Icon Overloard TYPE 1 Textile Jacket with D30 armor,
* Icon Field Armor Vest and Xelement Vests (for various occasions when I want to wear them) - Sometimes even UNDER my Overlord Jacket when I go on certain highways with "Massive amounts of crazy drivers",
* Xelement Mesh Jacket w/ Armor upgraded to D3O armor.
* Joe Rocket Ballistic Pants  (5 pairs); "Plain", Armored, Rain Pants etc"
* Fieldsheer Ballistic Pants (2) - The Un-Armored Pair, Which I wear UNDER my jeans - when I want that "laid back Jeans Look".

* Icon Overlord Leather Pants - (Including 1 brand new pair that I've never worn - Too Big!!!) . 

:bstar:P.s. Could anyone use a $300+ pair of Size 38, Brand New ICON Overlord Leather Pants for $175 shipped before I Ebay them??


So as you can see,  I like my gear.  It's not "SUPER EXPENSIVE GEAR" but It's decent gear.

Paranoid?  Some may say that.  Gear costs more than some people spend on their bikes but (to me) it's worth it.

I don't "Fault" people for not wearing helmets and gear.  Some of my friends don't - and they don't hassle me for wearing gear.  We've lost some friends along the way. We're all adults. We make our own decisions and we live with them.  Just my .02  :thumb:


[attachment deleted by admin]

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 07, 2014, 01:40:48 PMI can definitely agree that the pants are the hardest part.  I can slip on my boots, jacket, and helmet in the time it takes me to just put the pants on and get my keys, phone, and wallet situated.  They also make me stick out the most since most other riders just wear jeans, and they are the most uncomfortable piece when you are at your destination.  I think once I am a more established rider I will invest in a few pairs of nice Kevlar riding jeans and some external knee armor.  For now I'm unwilling to pay more than I paid for my mesh pants for each pair of unarmored riding jeans.

I have both leather and textile over pants with full length zippers on the legs, I get to work, take them off and leave them on the bike (hard luggage) I go into the building in my cutoffs. The trick is to have the full length zippers on the legs, you get where you're going and you can get them off without taking off your boots  :icon_idea:

Having a place to put your gear, is as important as wearing it. If you want to integrate motorcycles into a lifestyle you need a place for your gear on the bike locked, otherwise you get to your destination and have to keep all of your gear with you. Hard Luggage and full length zippers opened up a whole new level of riding convenience for me  :thumb:

(http://home.comcast.net/~stykers/gsx17.jpg)

Good on ya to all who wear your gear.
Been riding (sometimes very aggressively) for about 5 years. Only one mishap under 10 MPH. My fault. My buddy slowed down abruptly after pulling out of gas station, I put on front brake at the same time my wheel slightly turned, just happened to get to the double yellow in the road and after just passing through a little water in parking lot. I went down like I hit oil!
Had all my gear on including Kevlar jeans and ALL my gear had some damage afterwards. Broken collar bone, tweaked my knee and ankle. After an hour with ice on shoulder we rode home nearly 100 miles.

Wear your damn gear!

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/97367720/computer%20crash.jpg)

(http://www.motohouston.com/forums/images/smilies/laughing6.gif) ace50

Quote from: JAS6377 on July 07, 2014, 06:42:16 PM

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 07, 2014, 11:31:50 AM
Also, I wouldn't want to see what kind of wreck it would take to eat through my mesh jacket.

No more than 30 mph, left shoulder and back:

I was wearing jeans and now have no nerve endings on a quarter-sized patch on my left knee. I now have a leather jacket, and am in the market for riding pants, once my budget permits.

Wow.  Did it get through to your shoulder, or did you have the armor in?  Was that a puncture or abrasion?  I am planning on getting some perforated leather gear after a year or two, but for now mesh is significantly better than nothing.  Too bad the Radar jacket by Joe Rocket doesn't come small enough for me; I really like the idea of a hybrid leather-mesh jacket.

When I know we are going to be riding hard (on our sportier bikes) and it's not too warm out, I wear my Bohn Armor under my Kevlar lined jeans.
Kevlar prevents road rash but no protection. Bohn Armor has protection but no road rash protection where there is no pads.

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 08, 2014, 08:25:08 AM
Too bad the Radar jacket by Joe Rocket doesn't come small enough for me; I really like the idea of a hybrid leather-mesh jacket.

I love my Radar Dark jacket.   I haven't been down in it to test the protection, but there is plenty of leather in the right places.   The question is, will that leather stay in the right place during the crash.  I hope to never find out myself!

I wear jeans when riding to work, but I wear these underneath the jeans. 
(http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/images/prod/400/f/fox_10_tit_spo_kne_gua_blk-slv.jpg) (http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/829/24783/Fox-Racing-Titan-Sport-Knee-Shin-Guards?term=titan)
I have also worn khakis, and in that case, I wear them over the top of my pants.

I always wear my jacket, TPX X-Move boots, Alpinestars GP Plus gloves, and my HJC CL-16 helmet.  I have a pair of Drayko Drifter jeans that I wear if I'm going for a ride and not to work.

I also added this to my gear this year, and I wear it all the time.  It doesn't reduce airflow in any appreciable way, and I really notice the difference of cagers noticing me.  This can be the difference between life or death, so why wouldn't I wear it all the time?

(http://images3.revzilla.com/product_images/0034/1533/Revit-Athos-Air_zoom.jpg) (http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-athos-air-vest)

Here is the view in the back of my cubical at work right now.

(http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii224/dtilford/E072B987-10E2-4B23-B3DE-E7AD65A46FB2_zps5yjn2bba.jpg)

 :thumb: :thumb:

Quote from: bombsquad83 on July 08, 2014, 09:12:27 AM

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 08, 2014, 08:25:08 AM
Too bad the Radar jacket by Joe Rocket doesn't come small enough for me; I really like the idea of a hybrid leather-mesh jacket.

I love my Radar Dark jacket.   I haven't been down in it to test the protection, but there is plenty of leather in the right places.   The question is, will that leather stay in the right place during the crash.  I hope to never find out myself!

I personally love the gunmetal version, but their sizing is odd in that they don't have what would qualify as a men's small...  Is it just me who finds it sad that they have over a 3XL size in most gear but lack a standard men's small size?  I will intentionally not buy from Joe Rocket because of this.  I figured online shopping would guarantee I can find my size in anything I wanted, but I was wrong.  Most places just don't have smalls in stock, but to not even make them...?  >:(

I know many would love to complain about not finding clothes small enough to fit, but it's annoying as hell when you find something you love and they don't make it in your size.  I'm sure I could do some 'roids to get the chest size up and increase my beer intake to up my waist size, but I really shouldn't have to do that when I fit a standard adult men's size just fine (plus I'm what they call a hardgainer).

Sorry, back to the subject at hand.  I suppose it somewhat relates to having properly fit gear to increase protection...

I have long and skinny arms, so it's difficult for me sometimes too.  I had to go with a 44 to get the right arm length, but my chest is really more like a 42.  It turned out ok though, because I can wear a thin Columbia fleece underneath the jacket in cooler weather and it's not crazy tight.  It's just a little loose without the jacket or lining underneath, but not so much that it seems dangerous or looks floppy.

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on July 07, 2014, 01:26:40 PM
I will be wearing a T shirt and cutoffs,

(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/2121521/daisy-dukes-family-guy-o.gif)

Well that's not very nice...

(http://www.motohouston.com/forums/images/smilies/laughing6.gif) cWj

Quote from: cWj on July 08, 2014, 11:41:35 AM

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on July 07, 2014, 01:26:40 PM
I will be wearing a T shirt and cutoffs,

(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view6/2121521/daisy-dukes-family-guy-o.gif)

Sadly my Daisy Duke's & Halter Top days have past me by, I can't pull off that look any more at my age  :cry:

I wear all my gear ALL THE TIME. I even made my own kevlar lined jeans with extra padding in em because i hate all the riding pants out there now but wasn't willing to ride without bottom protection.

Quote from: AnonRider on July 08, 2014, 04:06:40 PM
I wear all my gear ALL THE TIME. I even made my own kevlar lined jeans with extra padding in em because i hate all the riding pants out there now but wasn't willing to ride without bottom protection.

I've always considered trying that.  As the years go by, I really like the look of Jeans, (with all of my various "top gear".  They look good when I wear the jackets, they look good when I wear just the vest etc.

As mentioned a few posts up, lately I've been wearing my un-padded Fieldsheer and Joe Rocket Ballistic Pants UNDER my jeans.

Was installing a liner into jeans difficult to do?  Is the material easy / cost effective to get?  Just curious....

Quote from: GS4me on July 08, 2014, 05:26:10 PM

Quote from: AnonRider on July 08, 2014, 04:06:40 PM
I wear all my gear ALL THE TIME. I even made my own kevlar lined jeans with extra padding in em because i hate all the riding pants out there now but wasn't willing to ride without bottom protection.

I've always considered trying that.  As the years go by, I really like the look of Jeans, (with all of my various "top gear".  They look good when I wear the jackets, they look good when I wear just the vest etc.

As mentioned a few posts up, lately I've been wearing my un-padded Fieldsheer and Joe Rocket Ballistic Pants UNDER my jeans.

Was installing a liner into jeans difficult to do?  Is the material easy / cost effective to get?  Just curious....

for 60 dollars shipped I got more kevlar than i will ever use! lol! 5 dollars for 1500 yards of nylon thread, 40 dollars on assorted padding for the knees and butt. You could also use 600 or 1080 denier ballistic cordura which is a bit cheaper but not as breathable.

You need to know a thing or two about using a sewing machine/sewing as well.......... my first attempt on cheap jeans came out terrible (sewed the back pockets shut on accident) You HAVE to use a machine in order to get nice tight stitching that won't come undone. I'm very happy with the results. I don't look like a dweeb in baggy pants or like i'm about to head out to a race........... on the gs500......

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 08, 2014, 08:25:08 AM

Quote from: JAS6377 on July 07, 2014, 06:42:16 PM

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 07, 2014, 11:31:50 AM
Also, I wouldn't want to see what kind of wreck it would take to eat through my mesh jacket.

No more than 30 mph, left shoulder and back:

I was wearing jeans and now have no nerve endings on a quarter-sized patch on my left knee. I now have a leather jacket, and am in the market for riding pants, once my budget permits.

Wow.  Did it get through to your shoulder, or did you have the armor in?  Was that a puncture or abrasion?  I am planning on getting some perforated leather gear after a year or two, but for now mesh is significantly better than nothing.  Too bad the Radar jacket by Joe Rocket doesn't come small enough for me; I really like the idea of a hybrid leather-mesh jacket.

Sorry for the late reply. This thread really took off lol.

That was from abrasion with the pads in, and it didn't get past them. I dunno how I did it, but when I felt the bike slip, I pushed off of the pegs. I went thataway down the road through gravel, and the bike went the other (into some poor lady's mailbox...). I had no damage to my shoulder thanks to the padding. I had slight rash on my lower left back, and my left knee, due to just jeans, now has a distinct lack of nerve endings (as stated above). I was able to put my broken left mirror in my backpack and ride home.

I kept that jacket as an extra, and as a memento of why you should know your limits and wear gear. I shudder to think of what damage I would have had without the gear.

Quote from: JAS6377 on July 08, 2014, 06:36:23 PM

Sorry for the late reply. This thread really took off lol.

That was from abrasion with the pads in, and it didn't get past them. I dunno how I did it, but when I felt the bike slip, I pushed off of the pegs. I went thataway down the road through gravel, and the bike went the other (into some poor lady's mailbox...). I had no damage to my shoulder thanks to the padding. I had slight rash on my lower left back, and my left knee, due to just jeans, now has a distinct lack of nerve endings (as stated above). I was able to put my broken left mirror in my backpack and ride home.

I kept that jacket as an extra, and as a memento of why you should know your limits and wear gear. I shudder to think of what damage I would have had without the gear.

Ouch, gravel would be way worse than pavement - lots of sharp edges.  I bet you'd probably still be picking rocks out of your shoulder if you didn't have a jacket on.

Quote from: AnonRider on July 08, 2014, 06:29:59 PM

Quote from: GS4me on July 08, 2014, 05:26:10 PM

Quote from: AnonRider on July 08, 2014, 04:06:40 PM
I wear all my gear ALL THE TIME. I even made my own kevlar lined jeans with extra padding in em because i hate all the riding pants out there now but wasn't willing to ride without bottom protection.

I've always considered trying that.  As the years go by, I really like the look of Jeans, (with all of my various "top gear".  They look good when I wear the jackets, they look good when I wear just the vest etc.

As mentioned a few posts up, lately I've been wearing my un-padded Fieldsheer and Joe Rocket Ballistic Pants UNDER my jeans.

Was installing a liner into jeans difficult to do?  Is the material easy / cost effective to get?  Just curious....

for 60 dollars shipped I got more kevlar than i will ever use! lol! 5 dollars for 1500 yards of nylon thread, 40 dollars on assorted padding for the knees and butt. You could also use 600 or 1080 denier ballistic cordura which is a bit cheaper but not as breathable.

You need to know a thing or two about using a sewing machine/sewing as well.......... my first attempt on cheap jeans came out terrible (sewed the back pockets shut on accident) You HAVE to use a machine in order to get nice tight stitching that won't come undone. I'm very happy with the results. I don't look like a dweeb in baggy pants or like i'm about to head out to a race........... on the gs500......

Good to know.  I have a sewing machine here.  I've done a little bit of leather / vinyl car interior work but my mother-in-law sews pretty well ..  I'd most likely see if she would be up to the task..

My bride of 62+ years has 3 sewing machines and her Bernina will sew leather but she is generally reluctant to stop quilting long enough to fix or fab MC gear.  She doesn't ride and I don't quilt, works for us.   :thumb:

forgot to mention you also need proper cutting sheers as material meant for abrasion resistance WILL NOT CUT with regular scissors. You'll wear out your scissors before you wear out the kevlar. 

Quote from: AnonRider on July 09, 2014, 01:54:53 PM
forgot to mention you also need proper cutting sheers as material meant for abrasion resistance WILL NOT CUT with regular scissors. You'll wear out your scissors before you wear out the kevlar.

Maybe the next time you make a pair you could document the process/techniques you use and post a tutorial somewhere.  Sounds like you learned a lot through trial by fire and could save others some time and money (and earn their eternal gratitude :D )

I need to ride with people on here. I get weird looks because I seem to be the only person other than my brother or father in law that actually dresses for the worst case scenario in my area. I witnessed a guy yesterday in basketball shorts and tank top and flipflops on a ducati diavel going about 60 down my street in my neighborhood. Guess you cant buy common sense.  Oh has anyone owned draggin jeans?

Quote from: MARider on July 10, 2014, 08:27:00 AM
Oh has anyone owned draggin jeans?

Yes,

and don't worry what those morons think.

I dont. I have downed a street bike only once but dirt bikes lots of times. Not wearing proper gear is something I have never understood. I like my skin we have grown close over the years. Plus I am not 20 anymore and have a wife and two wonderful children. to be a little warm is nothing compared to the consequences of downing a bike at speed wearing a tshirt and shorts. Did you like the jeans? I need something that looks alight with a button down as we are some what casual at my office.

draggin jeans are not as comfortable as regular jeans but they're not bad. I wouldn't wear them all day. Mine are a little too big, but that's what happens when you can't try them on first.

good to know. they have a fitted pair I was thinking about getting as they look a little more "stylish" I sit at a desk 80% of my day so its not to big of a deal.

Quote from: MARider on July 10, 2014, 10:43:58 AM
good to know. they have a fitted pair I was thinking about getting as they look a little more "stylish" I sit at a desk 80% of my day so its not to big of a deal.

the twista and the slix are very nice, fitted and the brand typically runs large//true to size with a bit of stretch in them. For 260$ you can just get the draggin' k-legs which are washable and fit under all your jeans those + knee pads and you're good to go!

my commuting gear under my dress pants= alpinestars bionic freeride shots, fox knee/shin guards, boots, armored jacket/gloves/helmet and i'm fully protected even in my dressy slacks. + i don't get hot, even in these +85 degree days we've been having lately in the AM.

Quote from: MARider on July 10, 2014, 08:27:00 AM
I need to ride with people on here. I get weird looks because I seem to be the only person other than my brother or father in law that actually dresses for the worst case scenario in my area. I witnessed a guy yesterday in basketball shorts and tank top and flipflops on a ducati diavel going about 60 down my street in my neighborhood. Guess you cant buy common sense.  Oh has anyone owned draggin jeans?

You're not alone, even though it does sometimes feel like you're the only (relatively) sane rider out there.

I think the only other riders I've seen wearing ATG were on Goldwings, and even that's only 2-3 out of 50 or so of those I've seen this summer.  From my experience less than half of the riders are wearing helmets, maybe 25% are wearing proper jackets and gloves, and a handfull wear actual riding boots (hard to tell on this, though).  It's also hard to tell about the pants because of the kevlar/other reinforced jeans, but of those I know nobody has them (they use regular jeans).  I know no other riders who wear ATGATT, and one of them was even in a (cager caused) accident where he was only by-chance wearing his helmet (rode earlier that day without it).

Careless riders (majority it seems) are responsible for the insane crash statistics.  I can't tell you how many times I explain to friends/family that motorcycle fatality statistics are not applicable to me because I am so different from the sample population (no gear, overpowered bike, dangerous speeding, no training, drunk, ...).  I'd like to see statistics published which exclude data that comes from idiots and new riders without training (auto statistics have a much lower % of newbie or untrained drivers than motorcycles).  I'm sure fatalities will still be higher, but nowhere near the 20-30x higher mark.

www.ride2die.eu/r2d.com/index.html

**graphic - warning,..
(http://www.janescustom-ts.com/Image/no-wine_small.jpg)

Holy crap CBR......I've never seen that. Wow.....just, wow.

Quote from: gsJack on July 07, 2014, 07:41:23 PMNot knocking safety gear it is important, more important to some than others, but I still think the most important safety gear is riding smarts.

Totally agree, statistically MC riders are their own worst enemy's, especially riders that rail/speed and "push their limits"...I love the last one, it's like saying "I am going to go out and ride beyond my skill level today!"

Personally I remember the day I decided that I had to stop riding like an AssClown....that was 37 years ago, and because of that decision, to date that's 37 crash free years. I didn't get lucky I decided to stop crashing. Am I a better rider than anyone here? NO..I just ride within my personal ability/limits and practice defensive driving. Finding my "Happy Place" has done me more good than any amount of leather. And when I did crash I was ATG, too bad leather doesn't stop broken bones, cause loosing skin has never been a problem for me. I ATGMOTT, annually I do thousands of miles with ATG, but annually I also do hundreds of miles with just a helmet and gloves.

The GS500 is a beginners bike, so if your here by all means go ATGATT.

 You only gotta protect the parts you wanna keep.

http://www.revzilla.com/hub-what-experienced-riders-owe-new-riders?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=stream&utm_campaign=experienced-riders-owe-new

Man, that picture of the guy on the back of that truck trailer... :icon_eek:

I don't know why, but that one creeps me out the most.

Quote from: AnonRider on July 10, 2014, 01:08:30 PM

Quote from: MARider on July 10, 2014, 10:43:58 AM
good to know. they have a fitted pair I was thinking about getting as they look a little more "stylish" I sit at a desk 80% of my day so its not to big of a deal.

the twista and the slix are very nice, fitted and the brand typically runs large//true to size with a bit of stretch in them. For 260$ you can just get the draggin' k-legs which are washable and fit under all your jeans those + knee pads and you're good to go!

my commuting gear under my dress pants= alpinestars bionic freeride shots, fox knee/shin guards, boots, armored jacket/gloves/helmet and i'm fully protected even in my dressy slacks. + i don't get hot, even in these +85 degree days we've been having lately in the AM.

Awsome that is just the info I was looking for. Yes this weather is a blessing and a curse as of late. Last night was so nice though.

You want to see riders dressed correctly.....go to a BMW convention.

They really do seem to gear up more than any group I know.  Make a mental note of the type of bikes you see and how the riders are dressed.  I think you will find the BMW group are much more into wearing correct gear.

I think BMW riders are more affluent on the average than other groups and can better afford the best of gear.

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 11, 2014, 06:12:12 AM
Man, that picture of the guy on the back of that truck trailer... :icon_eek:

I don't know why, but that one creeps me out the most.

Agreed!

If that site doesn't at least make you think about the next time you ride... there is something wrong. 

- Bboy

Quote from: BockinBboy on July 11, 2014, 07:56:14 AM

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 11, 2014, 06:12:12 AM
Man, that picture of the guy on the back of that truck trailer... :icon_eek:

I don't know why, but that one creeps me out the most.

Agreed!

If that site doesn't at least make you think about the next time you ride... there is something wrong. 

- Bboy

Like I said..."statistically MC riders are their own worst enemy's" that guy basically commited suicide.

Quote from: gsJack on July 11, 2014, 07:55:04 AM
I think BMW riders are more affluent on the average than other groups and can better afford the best of gear.

I would put that as a cultural + affluence thing, though.  My jacket and pants together cost less than my helmet, and my helmet was fairly cheap at around $250.  I guess it's more about where you put your money (all into the bike or into bike and gear).

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on July 11, 2014, 08:42:14 AM

Quote from: BockinBboy on July 11, 2014, 07:56:14 AM

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 11, 2014, 06:12:12 AM
Man, that picture of the guy on the back of that truck trailer... :icon_eek:

I don't know why, but that one creeps me out the most.

Agreed!

If that site doesn't at least make you think about the next time you ride... there is something wrong. 

- Bboy

Like I said..."statistically MC riders are their own worst enemy's" that guy basically committed suicide.

Yeah, I find it amazing that the truck driver thought another truck hit him because of how big the force of impact was.  Unless he was literally suicidal I wonder how fast he was going before he hit the brakes...

Another creepy one was the guy with the fence post up his rear...

Quote from: cbrfxr67 on July 10, 2014, 02:22:09 PM
www.ride2die.eu/r2d.com/index.html

**graphic - warning,..
(http://www.janescustom-ts.com/Image/no-wine_small.jpg)

thank you. i have lost all interest in riding my motorcycle now... :icon_eek:

Quote from: rexpepper651 on July 11, 2014, 03:45:27 PM

Quote from: cbrfxr67 on July 10, 2014, 02:22:09 PM
www.ride2die.eu/r2d.com/index.html

**graphic - warning,..
(http://www.janescustom-ts.com/Image/no-wine_small.jpg)

thank you. i have lost all interest in riding my motorcycle now... :icon_eek:

If MC's where not dangerous, there would be no allure to them, yes you can stay on the porch and never run down the street with the big dogs, to me MC's are life not death, live life, run with the big dogs  :cheers:

(http://api.ning.com/files/CyzvNsHIwJGKCv9PzCkNNRtYcyNV5XNyJpqp2JCRDcllw9xuUsQ6MFJnRN-tTR23MrKubT*95rvIfPx8S75oq-aMvSEEq4ZI/bigdogs.jpg)

Amen to that Steve. You reminded me of this:

(http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt70/rmyers104/daily_afternoon_randomness_49_photos16_1401428252_zpsd0ii1qwu.jpg) (http://s598.photobucket.com/user/rmyers104/media/daily_afternoon_randomness_49_photos16_1401428252_zpsd0ii1qwu.jpg.html)

those pictures are really icky-- but the website is a good thing. Wear your damn gear! ALL of that road rash could have been avoided if the gear was worn.

The impacts......... well.......... those are unavoidable, RIP Patrick.

Quote from: AnonRider on July 11, 2014, 06:53:23 PMThe impacts......... well.......... those are unavoidable, RIP Patrick.

Unavoidable....what if Pat had looked in his mirrors?

only gear im missing is the pants. should be here in a couple days.

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on July 11, 2014, 07:29:16 PM

Quote from: AnonRider on July 11, 2014, 06:53:23 PMThe impacts......... well.......... those are unavoidable, RIP Patrick.

Unavoidable....what if Pat had looked in his mirrors?

What ifs are a slippery slope, but what if the driver of the car had paid attention to the f*cking road?  I fail to understand how accidentally killing a man off the road can get you serious time (usually at least a full year in prison), but doing so with a 2-ton weapon on the road can get you a $40 traffic ticket.

"Ordinary care" is a farce, because your "ordinary" driver is a distracted driver.  If you kill on the road, no amount of legal BS should keep you from doing time because of your negligence.  There's no justice in saying "well, most other people fail to see motorcycles/bicyclists, so you didn't do anything wrong, and here's your ticket have a nice day."  Failing to see something that is absolutely visible implies negligence to me.

And how hit and runs don't jump to 2nd degree murder/voluntary manslaughter is beyond my understanding.

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 14, 2014, 06:19:21 AM

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on July 11, 2014, 07:29:16 PM

Quote from: AnonRider on July 11, 2014, 06:53:23 PMThe impacts......... well.......... those are unavoidable, RIP Patrick.

Unavoidable....what if Pat had looked in his mirrors?

What ifs are a slippery slope, but what if the driver of the car had paid attention to the f*cking road?  I fail to understand how accidentally killing a man off the road can get you serious time (usually at least a full year in prison), but doing so with a 2-ton weapon on the road can get you a $40 traffic ticket.

"Ordinary care" is a farce, because your "ordinary" driver is a distracted driver.  If you kill on the road, no amount of legal BS should keep you from doing time because of your negligence.  There's no justice in saying "well, most other people fail to see motorcycles/bicyclists, so you didn't do anything wrong, and here's your ticket have a nice day."  Failing to see something that is absolutely visible implies negligence to me.

And how hit and runs don't jump to 2nd degree murder/voluntary manslaughter is beyond my understanding.

Everything you mentioned is why the MSF teaches having an Escape Path...  http://msf-usa.org/downloads/BRCHandbook.pdf (http://msf-usa.org/downloads/BRCHandbook.pdf)

"You want to have an escape path that is open and allows you to avoid a collision. An escape path can be in front of you, to the right, or to the left. Escape paths can be within your lane, in the next lane over, on a shoulder or median, or even off the road if conditions permit."
And....."RiderRadar is about looking ahead, to the sides, and behind in the rear view mirrors."

Pat was turning left into the Palouse Winery, I am assuming he was waiting for a break in oncoming traffic to make his left, otherwise he wouldn't have been stopped on the Highway. The only way he wouldn't have had an Escape Path was if there was a car directly in front of him, and he was too close to it go around. I always figured he was preoccupied with the oncoming traffic to check his mirrors? This is why I say if he had been watching his mirrors he may have had an opportunity to goose the DL650 and get out of harms way. Obviously we all know the outcome and hindsight is 20/20, watching the rear view mirrors while stopped is one of the Basic Survival Skills taught by the MSF and has personally saved my ass more than once over the years.

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo link=topic=67607.msg814536#msg814536
Everything you mentioned is why the MSF teaches having an Escape Path... url=http://msf-usa.org/downloads/BRCHandbook.pdf]http://msf-usa.org/downloads/BRCHandbook.pdf[/url]

"You want to have an escape path that is open and allows you to avoid a collision. An escape path can be in front of you, to the right, or to the left. Escape paths can be within your lane, in the next lane over, on a shoulder or median, or even off the road if conditions permit."
And....."RiderRadar is about looking ahead, to the sides, and behind in the rear view mirrors."

Pat was turning left into the Palouse Winery, I am assuming he was waiting for a break in oncoming traffic to make his left, otherwise he wouldn't have been stopped on the Highway. The only way he wouldn't have had an Escape Path was if there was a car directly in front of him, and he was too close to it go around. I always figured he was preoccupied with the oncoming traffic to check his mirrors? This is why I say if he had been watching his mirrors he may have had an opportunity to goose the DL650 and get out of harms way. Obviously we all know the outcome and hindsight is 20/20, watching the rear view mirrors while stopped is one of the Basic Survival Skills taught by the MSF and has personally saved my ass more than once over the years.

I know about the escape path (very recently took the MSF), but in heavy traffic it is sometimes difficult to keep your eye on the mirrors and I know I catch myself not watching them occasionally.  Highways suck to be stopped on, though; especially when they are dual lane and everyone does 80 even though that's 20 over and it isn't an interstate.  I had a fortunately boring incident when another (stranger) rider didn't signal to turn in the right lane and I had to slow down to 10-15 because I had no passing options.  I was watching the crap out of my rear-view then, but the drivers behind me were aware.  I usually try to keep distance between me and the car in front of me so if I have to bail I have room to get around them and hairy situations are avoided easier.

All of the awareness in the world on your part can still be for nil because of the incompetence and blatantly negligent actions of other road users.  More needs to be done to punish those who end lives on the road so people start treating the privilege of driving with the respect that it deserves.

The biggest issue for me is that I simply can't afford all of the necessary gear at the moment, not for lack of trying.

I totally advocate ATGATT, but I had to cut some corners to make it work,

I wear an AFX helmet (~$100), a FirstGear jacket (~$100), and some Icon gloves (~$50), and there is where my motorcycle specific gear stops.

The boots I have are my work boots, Bates GX-8 with a safety toe.  Riding boots, especially the likes of ones I'd get, are expensive.  I had to go with something I had readily available (read "already had"), and a pair of hard toe and 8" high leather/nylon/goretex boots get the job done infinitely better than gym shoes.  I feel comfortable using them.

And instead of a pair of motorcycle pants, I wear an oversized pair of paintball pants as overpants with jeans underneath.  Material and design wise, the paintball pants are very similar to motorcycle pants.  They are made of highly abrasion resistant materials like kevlar and ballistic nylon, are reinforced in the knees and "seat", and usually offer a small degree of padding in the knees and hips.  They are made for one thing and one thing only: sliding.  Granted, that sliding is mostly on grass/dirt/turf, but a good pair of pants can hold up to years of abuse in this manner.  If I can get one slide on pavement with them, I'll take it, and I know they can do it.
A good pair of overpants would be over $100, I found my pants locally on closeout for less than half that.
I wear them knowing full well they have insufficient padding and aren't designed specifically for the road, but I have confidence they will prevent me from getting road rash and until I can get myself a real pair of riding pants I think they'll do just fine.


Saw this on another forum, it certainly justifies the cost of motorcycle gear...

 :thumb: nice find watcher

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 11, 2014, 06:12:12 AM
Man, that picture of the guy on the back of that truck trailer... :icon_eek:

I don't know why, but that one creeps me out the most.

Me too!

It's kind of "Haunting", I guess would be the right word for it.  I have 3 family members and 2 friends that are Local and Federal Law Enforcement so I've seen quite a bit of creepy accident pics, but something about the guy on the back of the tractor trailer freaks me out as well... Creepy..... :icon_twisted:

Quote from: Watcher on July 15, 2014, 02:04:48 PM
The biggest issue for me is that I simply can't afford all of the necessary gear at the moment, not for lack of trying.

I totally advocate ATGATT, but I had to cut some corners to make it work,

But you know what the difference between you and some others are??

You  (1) see the need, (2) are buying stuff little by little, (3) have 4 times the protection than many squids typically wear.  You sound like the type of person that will pick up things as you have spare cash and that's good.  It's true, it's expensive.

When you look at the accident statistics, you can really reduce your chances of an accident  dramatically by:

* Wearing (at least) a helmet.

* Taking and MSF course (They are free here in PA - paid for by a portion of the motorcycle licensing fees). It's almost dumb not to take one here in PA.  When I began riding again after about 15 years "off".  I re-took the Basic-2 Rider Course again for a refresher. Best thing I ever did.  Lots of experienced riders there too. Some take it every few years.

* Not having a case of beer / 27 glasses of wine, 40 shots of Jack and then deciding to ride home.

* Going the speed limit (and watching everyone else on the road).

I mean... look at it this way:  A few months ago, After cleaning the entire garage, I couldn't find my welders helmet.  Did I just squint my eyes and begin welding / doing the frame work I was doing on the car?  No. 

Sometimes you just need the correct gear.  I had an old set of goggles (non-auto dimming) - it was a bit of a hassle not having a flip up mask and auto dimming BUT, I was careful using the minimum amount of protection.  Would I weld for an entire day like that?  Probably not.  (And yes, I found the helmet in the basement where I moved it.  Doh.... :dunno_black:

I think the people who do the "stuff" above really increase their chances of a fatal accident. So when you look at , you're not doing that bad.

Also,  Check Craigslist for Motorcycle Gear.  You'd be amazed at how many people order online , get something too small or big and then sell a year later after they've forgotten to return it.

You can also find some decent "lightly used stuff as well".  Such as the new rider who buys ALL BLUE gear to match their new Ninja 250 and then they go out and buy a Neon Green Gixxer 8 months later and don't want to wear blue gear riding their new green bike.

I found a set of Puma Grand Prix's a year ago (Originally a $300+ pair of boots) that were BRAND NEW and still in the box.  $75. How can you beat that?  :thumb:  I already had a pair of G.P. 1000's  and a pair of Puma Brutales but when I saw them, I went right over and picked them up for a spare pair.

I also found my first Icon Armored Textile Jacket (which I still own) that was under a year old  and worn a handful of times (Red) that I paid $50 for when the owner bought a Harley and said "I'm never wearing that jacket on a Road King". It's still like brand new..

I'm not saying go out and buy someones used underwear - I draw the line at "outer wear" :D  ... But you can find some good deals on a budget if you keep your eyes open.

Quote from: GS4me on July 15, 2014, 03:23:12 PM

* Taking and MSF course (They are free here in PA - paid for by a portion of the motorcycle licensing fees). It's almost dumb not to take one here in PA.  When I began riding again after about 15 years "off".  I re-took the Basic-2 Rider Course again for a refresher. Best thing I ever did.  Lots of experienced riders there too. Some take it every few years.



Also,  Check Craigslist for Motorcycle Gear.  You'd be amazed at how many people order online , get something too small or big and then sell a year later after they've forgotten to return it.

I'm not saying go out and buy someones used underwear - I draw the line at "outer wear" :D  ... But you can find some good deals on a budget if you keep your eyes open.

The course is also free in Illinois.  There's a $20 retainer, but you get it back at the end of the course unless you want to donate it.  I actually took the course as a "walk on", got the seat of a no show, didn't cost me a dime.

I've been meaning to retake it as a refresher (especially for the laws) since my bike's been down since the season started this year, and a friend of mine was interested in taking it as well to get his endorsement.  Plus I thought it'd be fun to ride the bike to the course  :laugh:


I agree completely about the used gear, but I'm a little more on the shy side when it comes to stuff being worn.  I'd rather not get a used helmet (being dropped or crashed not withstanding), I won't buy used gloves, and I definitely won't buy used footwear, but a jacket or pants I have no issue with.

Any saved $$ is a good thing.  Sadly, I stopped thinking in terms of $$ saved and instead in terms of gallons of gas put in the tank, bills paid, and groceries bought.  I've always been on a budget and always made it work, but it's been hard lately.  I just can't wait to get my bike back together and start riding so I can park the 15mpg Jeep in favor of the 50mpg GS500.

Quote from: Watcher on July 15, 2014, 04:11:43 PM

I agree completely about the used gear, but I'm a little more on the shy side when it comes to stuff being worn.  I'd rather not get a used helmet (being dropped or crashed not withstanding), I won't buy used gloves, and I definitely won't buy used footwear, but a jacket or pants I have no issue with.

Hey yeah.  I agree.  I'd never buy a used helmet either. 

You do see a lot of people selling them on C.L. though.  Besides, you really should replace them every 5 years or so anyway as the foam inside degrades and can be a safety issue.

I'm not sure I'd buy a used pair of boots - I found that new pair but I normally don't really look for them.  Glove (at least to me) are cheap enough new. 

Heck - certain pairs of $10 mechanic gloves also work well if someone is on a budget too.

Quote from: GS4me on July 15, 2014, 04:17:13 PM
Heck - certain pairs of $10 mechanic gloves also work well if someone is on a budget too.

Knuckle protection is neither here nor there, but leather and reinforced palms are a must if you ask me.

Quote from: Watcher on July 15, 2014, 04:11:43 PM

I just can't wait to get my bike back together and start riding so I can park the 15mpg Jeep in favor of the 50mpg GS500.

I hear ya.  I bought my wife a 99 Grand Cherokee / V8 Quadra-Drive to drive in the Winters so she stops hitting every pothole with her C70 convertible.  I was doing the suspension on my car and it's raining here today so I hopped in that to run some errands.  You can actually see the gas gauge doing down in that thing!  It's still looks and drives like new but it's a killer on gas.

15MPG is right on the money!  PLUS:  IT was CRAZY HUMID so I had the A/C on today! :cry:  I think that puts me in the 13 mpg range!  Love it to death in the Winter but man that thing rips through my coffee money!

I've got a '94 Cherokee 2-door, 4x4, 5speed, 4.0L 6cyl.  I love it!  It's falling apart and not worth the $ to fix it, but the first choice for a replacement is another Cherokee 4x4 with the 4.0L.

It may be a gas guzzler, but it's 4wd is epic in the snow, it's heat blows hot, it's durable as they come, and it gets jobs done.  I basically use mine as a pickup truck with a permanent cap, and I've personally seen a Jeep with a 4.0 run with a thrown rod.  Ran like crap, wasn't firing on multiple cylinders, had a softball sized hole in the block, and was down about 5qts of oil, but still moved under it's own power!

That was a funny night.  Get a call from my friend that he's working on the Jeep and invited me over.  Apparently his brother was driving it and broke down on the side of the road, they had picked him up, pulled the truck onto a trailer, and were headed back home.
I meet them there, we unhook the Jeep, start it, drive it off the trailer, drive it into the garage, turn it off, open the hood...  Well there's your problem!  You need a new engine!

Sorry to go a bit off topic but I'm curious and too bored to google to find out. What's the process to get your motorbike license in America. In Australia (at least NSW) you need to do a 2 day training course with a test at the end. Then pass a written test at the RTA just to get your L's. Then you need to do another day of testing after 6-12 months to get onto your Red P plates. Then your stuck restricted to 90kph for a year then 100kph for 2. And while your going through this your classified as a novice rider and your restricted to a bike that's 650 or less with a restricted power to weight ratio! It seems a bit excessive but I have to say it's kept me safe (thank god) and I now feel confident enough to control my gixxer 750


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It depends on the state, but they are all pretty similar.

In Pennsylvania, you take a written test to get your permit. On a permit, you can't have a passenger, ride at night, and you have to wear a helmet at all times. To get a full license, you either take the skills test (riding figure 8's in a parking lot, stopping using only the front brake, etc) or you can take the MSF course. Pass the motorcycle safety course, and you get your full license.

After having a full license for 2 years, you're allowed to ride without a helmet.

@pomme123

As Rich said, it varies state to state, but the general process is as he described.  In Indiana you have two options:
1) Take a written test to get your permit (no passengers, no night riding, helmet required).  Once you have your permit you can take a skills test at any time for up to a year to attempt to get your license.  The MSF instructors I had joked about how "Now you're qualified to ride in a parking lot.", as most of the skills tested involve speeds below 15-20mph.  I believe there is a required interval between attempts, and if you fail to acquire the license within a year you lose your permit (I think for a year).

2) Take the MSF course, which covers both written and skills tests and usually takes up the majority of your weekend (2-3 hours Friday night, 8-hours Saturday, 4-5 hours Sunday).  For my course we spent half the time Saturday and the whole time Sunday on a motorcycle.  You immediately get your full license after passing the MSF course.

In Indiana I don't believe there is any helmet restriction if you have a license.

Sounds like you Aussies have a bit more common sense when it comes to licensing policies.  Smart riders here use sane starter bikes and most avoid interstates/riding fast until they have some experience.  Heck, the GS500 is a very capable machine, and I have nowhere near the skill to push it to its limits.  What would I do with a 650,750, or God forbid some 1000cc monster?

I have always agreed with the saying that it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.  You will never use a 1000cc bike to its full potential on the street.  But I find this is even true in racing (at least virtual racing).  The most fun I had playing Forza II (racing simulator/game) was when I did a D-class endurance race with a miata.  By the end of that race I was pushing that (relatively) slow car to its max on every lap.  When you go for more power it becomes more about acceleration and top speed and less about your driving/cornering skill (unless you are a professional I suppose).

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 16, 2014, 06:30:55 AM
Sounds like you Aussies have a bit more common sense when it comes to licensing policies. 

It does seem a little excessive though.  I can see the cc limit based on experience, so that way some newbie doesn't get wrecked on a liter bike on day 1, but all those tests and formalities and different plates and stuff...

If you ask me when you get your license it's good for up to 650cc, then after 6 months you can opt to take a skills test on that bike and if you pass you get upgraded to any size.



In Illinois I'm pretty sure you can straight up go to the DMV, take the written and "road" test, and if you pass you get a license.  You do need to supply your own bike, but you don't even need to take a class or start with a permit.
The permit allows you to ride in daylight hours with anyone at least 21 years old.

I opted to do the smart thing and took the MSF class.  It's free ($20 retainer for a seat, refunded at end of class unless you opt in to donate it), was a few hours a day for 4 days, had a written exam, and had a skills test at the end (up to about 25mph IIRC), and if you pass they send you paperwork and a completion card.  The paperwork is turned in at the DMV and for the price of a new ID ($10 I think) you get an M class endorsement.  The completion card is turned in at your insurance broker and if your provider is cool they will give you a discount!


Funny part is that a class L license is good for anything under 125cc while a class M license is good for anything above 125cc and includes anything under 125cc as well.  So L license is good for scooters, and an M license is good for anything on 2 wheels.
The fees are the same, and both require both a written and skills exam.  So why on earth would anyone get a class L license?


There is no helmet law in Illinois, but in order to take any advanced rider class you must provide your own DOT approved helmet.  The beginner's course supplies everyone with a helmet.

Quote from: Watcher on July 16, 2014, 02:57:21 PM

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 16, 2014, 06:30:55 AM
Sounds like you Aussies have a bit more common sense when it comes to licensing policies. 

It does seem a little excessive though.  I can see the cc limit based on experience, so that way some newbie doesn't get wrecked on a liter bike on day 1, but all those tests and formalities and different plates and stuff...

I can understand it from an enforcement perspective.  As it is in the US there's no chance in hell you're going to get caught riding without a helmet or riding after dark when you only have a permit (unless you get pulled over for something else).  There would be no force behind their additional restrictions if there were no way to tell (different plates, etc.) if someone was violating them.

IMHO there's no sense in having such laws if they can't be enforced directly (in cases such as these anyway).

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 16, 2014, 03:34:48 PM

Quote from: Watcher on July 16, 2014, 02:57:21 PM

Quote from: DoktoroKiu on July 16, 2014, 06:30:55 AM
Sounds like you Aussies have a bit more common sense when it comes to licensing policies. 

It does seem a little excessive though.  I can see the cc limit based on experience, so that way some newbie doesn't get wrecked on a liter bike on day 1, but all those tests and formalities and different plates and stuff...

I can understand it from an enforcement perspective.  As it is in the US there's no chance in hell you're going to get caught riding without a helmet or riding after dark when you only have a permit (unless you get pulled over for something else).  There would be no force behind their additional restrictions if there were no way to tell (different plates, etc.) if someone was violating them.

IMHO there's no sense in having such laws if they can't be enforced directly (in cases such as these anyway).

True, and I think having the different looking plates is a good idea.  Just why so many?

Permit, learners plate, P plate, 2 speed restrictions, and a size restriction, then you "graduate" to full size and no restrictions?

I would think a permit would classify as a learners plate, then have a P plate of sorts with a cc restriction, then a full plate.

Permit, novice, expert.  3 levels.  Done.


The day I got my first running motorcycle I rode it on the expressway at speeds around 65mph.  That's over 100kph.  I'm not going to say it was necessary, but that's the speed the expressways are and they are the best way to get to and from everywhere.  I ride a section of expressway to work and back every day, and I do it on the bike as often as possible because of gas mileage.
If I lived in Oz, you mean to tell me I can't take my bike to work and back until I've been riding for a few years?

THAT seems excessive to me.  I'm not going to say me diving into expressway was smart, but telling me I can't access 50% of the roadways until I've been on the bike for 3 years sounds like a bogus idea to me.

You could say I've learned a little bit since I started 2 years ago

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t1.0-9/733886_10200871588534269_1174400008_n.jpg)

(https://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10312679_10203639809738069_2889127582699815864_n.jpg)

I've also learned I have a thing for black and yellow bikes lol

Back when I started I didn't think at all about gear. I was given a Vanson leather jacket (no armor... but that'll be remedied eventually) not long after I started riding. I always had gloves because I already have road rash on my hands from a bicycle accident doing about 25. Had my Icon Alliance helmet (because it looked cool and wasn't 10 years old) and some HD boots because dangit, they're good boots. But I didn't wear the jacket all the time, it's solid leather and I live by Tampa, FL. Either way, one day I was going down the road about 6 months into my riding career, thankfully wearing everything I had at the time. Picked up a nail in my rear tire getting on a cloverleaf style on-ramp to I-75 and it blew my tire out midcorner. I saved it and didn't go down somehow, and the first words through my head after I brought it to a stop were "holy shaZam!... thank god I'm wearing gear"

Didn't even take an accident and I'm a firm believer. Still need to get something sorted as far as leg protection goes, but the rest of my body is covered  :thumb:

Quote from: mustangGT90210 on July 16, 2014, 04:43:29 PM
Still need to get something sorted as far as leg protection goes, but the rest of my body is covered  :thumb:

It's funny,  as the years went by, I continued to wear my gear but have "evolved" into really liking the Denim Look for pants along with the rest of my gear.  It started because my Joe Rocket and Fieldsheer Ballistic Pants were just to slippery on my seat.

Currently, What I've been doing is:

Wearing my jeans on top of my Un-armored Ballistic pants.  Underneath, I have some Alpinestars Armored mesh shorts that have hip pads, and armor on the legs , butt etc.  It sound's like a lot of layers but up until 90 degrees it's really not that hot and I feel protected.

The jeans look good with either my ICON Jacket or Xelement mesh jacket (Both upgraded with D3o pads).

I have a set of knee pads but never seem to wear them.  I really should.  They fit underneath pretty well.

When it get's really hot,  or when I don't feel like jeans / lots of layers on the bottom, I wear the Fieldsheer pants which have hip pads, knee pads and I wear the Alpinestars undrneath.  My Puma Boots extend to the shins and other than me being a bit more slippery on the seat, it's a pretty good setup.

I did pick up some material for my seat which is really grippy.  I should get that on there as well.  It's nice to be able to just throw on the lower gear real quick grab the jacket , helmet and gloves and get on the road.

Quote from: mustangGT90210 on July 16, 2014, 04:43:29 PM
I've also learned I have a thing for black and yellow bikes lol

Over the course of my life I've owned 3 motorcycles and 2 cars.  Both cars where blue, all three bikes were red, and none of it was on purpose.

The bikes didn't stay red, though, but still.  Weird.


I'm thinking I want my next bike to be white.

Quote from: Watcher on July 16, 2014, 03:50:45 PM
True, and I think having the different looking plates is a good idea.  Just why so many?

Permit, learners plate, P plate, 2 speed restrictions, and a size restriction, then you "graduate" to full size and no restrictions?

I would think a permit would classify as a learners plate, then have a P plate of sorts with a cc restriction, then a full plate.

Permit, novice, expert.  3 levels.  Done.


The day I got my first running motorcycle I rode it on the expressway at speeds around 65mph.  That's over 100kph.  I'm not going to say it was necessary, but that's the speed the expressways are and they are the best way to get to and from everywhere.  I ride a section of expressway to work and back every day, and I do it on the bike as often as possible because of gas mileage.
If I lived in Oz, you mean to tell me I can't take my bike to work and back until I've been riding for a few years?

THAT seems excessive to me.  I'm not going to say me diving into expressway was smart, but telling me I can't access 50% of the roadways until I've been on the bike for 3 years sounds like a bogus idea to me.

I didn't say I agree with it, just that if you have laws you should definitely make them enforceable.  From a fairness standpoint the same restrictions should be expected on cars/trucks, but it would be political suicide to enact laws like that (like it might be in the States to require so many MC plates/restrictions).  My guess is that because the MC population is far smaller than the cager population they can get away with far more regulation without it backfiring on them.

It makes little sense to me to reduce the speed limit so low, since the freeway is about one of the safest places on a bike, and it would be markedly less safe if you're putzing along under the speed limit on one.  I don't know about you, but around me if the posted limit is 65mph you can bet almost everyone is doing an average of 75-80, and even the semi trucks are going 70.

Looks like the most common speed limits in Australia are between 80-110km/h on freeways, so you'd still be able to use them relatively safely if everyone followed the limits.  To the Aussies among us; do people normally go the speed limit on freeways, or do they do 10-20 over like we do here?

Well where I am in the states I take backroads everywhere as the freeway/highway is the unsafest place to possibly be. People are usually on there mobils going 30MPH over the posted speed and rarely looking before they switch lanes. There is a reason we are referred to as Massholes.  One thing that would keep us as motorcyclist safer would be for police to actually enforce laws against cell phone use while driving. I am always perceptive of my surroundings and luckily was not hit the other day but was cut off by a young woman on here cell with a cop behind me and he did nothing about it except for go around me.

Quote from: Watcher on July 16, 2014, 06:49:29 PM

Quote from: mustangGT90210 on July 16, 2014, 04:43:29 PM
I've also learned I have a thing for black and yellow bikes lol

Over the course of my life I've owned 3 motorcycles and 2 cars.  Both cars where blue, all three bikes were red, and none of it was on purpose.

The bikes didn't stay red, though, but still.  Weird.


I'm thinking I want my next bike to be white.

Man I've been a complete mix up on colors. I've also had 2 trucks and 3 bikes.

My F150 was blue
My GMC is white.
My GS started life purple with yellow wheels, then morphed into all black with yellow wheels, then again to a new style tank/seat for the black and yellow.
Then I bought a blue and white Gixxer 750 that I didn't mess with!
Sold that and bought this SV as a yellow and silver variant. Painted the forks, wheels, swing arm and the frame all black to get the look I wanted.

Next bike will either be very, very green, or maybe blue. And not a suzuki for once, I'm looking for a Ninja 636  O0

And unlike all these squids, I'll still wear all my same gear no matter what color it is! Because it all looks better than road rash.

But back to the real topic here, and still kind of on a tangent, what is everyones opinions of riding with a tinted visor at night? Or wearing sunglasses with the visor open during the day?

Quote from: mustangGT90210 on July 17, 2014, 01:31:06 PM


But back to the real topic here, and still kind of on a tangent, what is everyones opinions of riding with a tinted visor at night? Or wearing sunglasses with the visor open during the day?

tinted visor at night= you can't see shaZam!.
sunglasses + open shield= shaZam! gets in your helmet

I have an hjc helmet with quick unlocking visors a dark smoke for the day time and clear for the evenings.

visors are only 20-30 bucks and if you bring a daypack with you they fit conveniently in there.

Quote from: AnonRider on July 17, 2014, 02:23:39 PM

Quote from: mustangGT90210 on July 17, 2014, 01:31:06 PM

But back to the real topic here, and still kind of on a tangent, what is everyones opinions of riding with a tinted visor at night? Or wearing sunglasses with the visor open during the day?

tinted visor at night= you can't see shaZam!.
sunglasses + open shield= shaZam! gets in your helmet

I have an hjc helmet with quick unlocking visors a dark smoke for the day time and clear for the evenings.

visors are only 20-30 bucks and if you bring a daypack with you they fit conveniently in there.

I can fit sunglasses on in my helmet and close the visor.
I use a pair of ESS ICE glasses, they are I guess what you'd call frameless and have very thin and flexible/bendable arms.  Fit right in between the padding and the helmet shell and are very comfortable.
Plus the little eyeglass carrying case is way smaller than a whole extra visor.

Quote from: Watcher on July 17, 2014, 02:29:39 PM

Quote from: AnonRider on July 17, 2014, 02:23:39 PM

Quote from: mustangGT90210 on July 17, 2014, 01:31:06 PM

But back to the real topic here, and still kind of on a tangent, what is everyones opinions of riding with a tinted visor at night? Or wearing sunglasses with the visor open during the day?

tinted visor at night= you can't see shaZam!.
sunglasses + open shield= shaZam! gets in your helmet

I have an hjc helmet with quick unlocking visors a dark smoke for the day time and clear for the evenings.

visors are only 20-30 bucks and if you bring a daypack with you they fit conveniently in there.

I can fit sunglasses on in my helmet and close the visor.
I use a pair of ESS ICE glasses, they are I guess what you'd call frameless and have very thin and flexible/bendable arms.  Fit right in between the padding and the helmet shell and are very comfortable.
Plus the little eyeglass carrying case is way smaller than a whole extra visor.

true, but dark smoke visors look cool as hell  :cool:

Quote from: AnonRider on July 17, 2014, 02:23:39 PM

Quote from: mustangGT90210 on July 17, 2014, 01:31:06 PM


But back to the real topic here, and still kind of on a tangent, what is everyones opinions of riding with a tinted visor at night? Or wearing sunglasses with the visor open during the day?

tinted visor at night= you can't see shaZam!.
sunglasses + open shield= shaZam! gets in your helmet

I have an hjc helmet with quick unlocking visors a dark smoke for the day time and clear for the evenings.

visors are only 20-30 bucks and if you bring a daypack with you they fit conveniently in there.

I've got an Icon Alliance with a dark smoke shield, and really don't like changing the visors out for any night ride so I get lazy. But I've got a pretty good little headlight on my bike currently.

Wasn't sure if sunglasses with an open shield was considered squidly lol. I live in hot, sunny Florida so more breeze in the helmet is always welcomed. I'm a more city rider than distance rider keeping that visor closed gets really hot. And it's really convenient to be wearing sunglasses, get on the interstate, flip down the visor and have a nice, dark field of vision that you can look at all day

Plus it makes you look cool! lol And in an area with streetlights, it's like having a clear

(https://scontent-a-mia.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/t1.0-9/281836_10204131641673560_2949154820629317263_n.jpg)

Regarding the visor up w/ sunglasses: last summer here in PA was one of the absolute hottest summers I can remember. Normally I won't ride with my visor up more than slightly cracked open for air flow, but I was just pulling out of my driveway and had the visor completely open. I literally went about 20' up the road when a huge wasp went right into my helmet, landing on my bottom lip and started stinging the shaZam! out of me! Luckily, I didn't drop the bike and was able to flip up the modular section of my helmet and rip him away from my mouth.

Never. Again.

I... wow haha

The closest I got was a cigarette ash that burned my clear glasses. I *knock on wood* have avoided wasps so far.

Quote from: Big Rich on July 17, 2014, 05:02:21 PM
....... when a huge wasp went right into my helmet, landing on my bottom lip and started stinging the shaZam! out of me!

I have that Nightmare all the time!  At the rate those big Japanese Beetles "Bounce" off my visor, I'm paranoid to have it open for fear of bees.  (And I live in PA as well, so now I know those "PA Wasps" are gunning for me!)    :o

Quote from: Big Rich on July 17, 2014, 05:02:21 PM
Regarding the visor up w/ sunglasses: last summer here in PA was one of the absolute hottest summers I can remember. Normally I won't ride with my visor up more than slightly cracked open for air flow, but I was just pulling out of my driveway and had the visor completely open. I literally went about 20' up the road when a huge wasp went right into my helmet, landing on my bottom lip and started stinging the shaZam! out of me! Luckily, I didn't drop the bike and was able to flip up the modular section of my helmet and rip him away from my mouth.

Never. Again.

This is one sting, not sure what insect, maybe a bee? I looked like Homer Simpson.

(http://home.comcast.net/~stykers/bee.jpg)

This morning, around 5 AM, I finally ordered cheap armor shirt so I would at least have SOMETHING more than just a Columbia jacket on.

As it's been warmer and warmer, I've gotten a bit lax about always having arms and legs covered.

Today I was passing out marketing materials in suburban NJ. This involved running back and forth around 30-40MPH neighborhoods and a couple short jaunts. I'd forgotten my presentable shirt and didn't want to be all sweaty when I talked to them, so I rolled the jacked up and stuck it under the bungies on the pillion. I even did something I never do and rode back and forth a little with the helmet resting on top of my head. While I was doing this, I was particularly careful. This was also me and Pokey's longest ride, and I was feeling a bit antsy about it.

As the day wore on, I relaxed. The jacket stayed off, but I started pulling the helmet all the way on.

Around 2:30p, I was heading toward a destination and suddenly decided to go to another and pulled into an unpaved parking lot. I don't remember anything but being sideways and realizing that there was no stopping it, the smack, and the feeling of my helmet bouncing of the ground.

I hopped up and turned Pokey off (engine never even skipped a beat). I looked at my arm expecting road rash, but really only got a scrape - just skinned a little.

Pokey caught the worst of it -

cracked windscreen (that I JUST got for $16 shipped on eBay)
snapped frame slider (that thing had caught so much hell, it was time for it to just let it go)
chewed up right cover and emblem (which is ironic because I bought the bike missing the same cover due to right-side drop.
handlebars bent just enough to be annoying.

Me? Skinned/bruised arm, scraped knee (K-Mart Wrangler can apparently handle lo speed low-sides just fine, thanks. ten dollar leather work gloves from Harbor Freight did their job with no residual effects other than being dirty afterword.

I cherish this crash the way I cherish my last bicycle crash. Both left a lesson well-learned, but not really any the worse for wear.

Quote from: Suzuki Stevo on July 17, 2014, 08:36:11 PM
This is one sting, not sure what insect, maybe a bee? I looked like Homer Simpson.

(http://home.comcast.net/~stykers/bee.jpg)

Damn...... Are you sure it wasn't a Badger or some sort of Snake that flew into your helmet ??   :D

Seriously , that looks nasty.  I swell up with just 1 sting - and last summer, I was kneeling down cutting a stump with the chainsaw.  My leg started getting really "Hot" and when I looked down, I was covered with wasps!  ("Those Yellow Jacket Looking Ones").

I dropped the chainsaw and took off.  33 stings, 2 Benedryl, and 1/2 hour later, I went back outside - chainsaw still idling with the muffler COVERED in dead /burned wasps.  Must have been hundreds of those damn things. Took me another 1/2 hour before I could get close enough with the hornet spray so I could get my chainsaw.  They hovered around for hours!

The next day, my leg looked like I was a Linebacker for a Pro Football Team.  (Too bad the other one didn't match!)... O0

Man, this topic is riddled with tangents...

But while we're here, my parents had an apple tree in the back yard.  Not a good apple tree, it produced these little golfball crabapples that you can't eat.  Worst part was it dropped them constantly, all summer, thousands of the damn things, and you could always tell when it was going to be a bad year for it because the tree would light up pure white with blossoms in the spring.

Anyway, we used to collect the apples into a bin and toss them out with the yard waste instead of letting them rot in the yard because you'd practically snap your ankles off trying to walk over them, they killed the grass, and they made mowing a PITA.  We'd be out there almost every day picking up apples.
Occasionally there'd be flies and ants and stuff chowing on the apples so picking them up by hand was always a little unpleasant, and there'd be the occasional wasp or bee in there so I'd only go for the ones that were fresh looking and not turning brown.

Well one day I go to grab one that looks good, but the other side was all rotted out and inside was a big black hornet!  Yup, he got me, stung me in the web of my thumb!
Hurt like hell, lost dexterity due to the swelling (no permanent injury, thankfully), and since then we used a rake and a flat shovel to deal with the apples.  They don't like to rake very well because of their weight and the fact they're round, but it's better than being stung.
The location was the worst part.  Stung on the finger, ow, but being basically stung on the palm means your whole hand is jacked...

That apple tree is gone now.  Chopped it down last month.  It was diseased or infested or something anyway, was dead in some parts and rotting in others...  Besides, it was an ugly tree.  Kinda scraggly so it wasn't even good for climbing when I was younger, it attracted bugs, really there was nothing good about it other than providing a mount for some bird-feeders.

@cWj
Sounds like you got lucky.  I've read stories of low-speed low-sides on pavement where the rider was seriously injured through their jeans (puncture wounds and road rash).  When a 400-lb bike uses your leg as a brake pad it doesn't go so well for your leg...

Good thing you had the helmet on, too.  One of my friends was in an accident last fall (cut off by an idiot driver deciding it was OK to suddenly make a right turn from the left of two lanes in front of him), and earlier that day he didn't have his helmet on, but because it was colder he wore it that time.  Ended up with a broken foot (why I wear all-out riding boots ATT).

If you end up doing similar work at lot it sounds like you'd get your money's worth out of a modular helmet.


@Watcher
Man, I must just be lucky but I've never swelled bad when I get stung.  That apple tree storyreminds of one time last summer when I was mowing our back yard.  We have two pear trees that had dropped all their fruit and it was starting to get bad with bees, so me and one of my roommates stopped mowing for a bit to pick up all the fruit (fairly large yard).  I usually do yard work barefoot, and I ended up stepping on a bee and getting stung in the ball of my foot real good.  So I pulled the stinger out and finished raking the fruit, and then finished mowing.  It hurt a bit to walk, but I didn't swell very much and you couldn't tell I was stung after a few hours.

Was stung by bee on my eyeball once when I was a kid... don't remember much after it happened other than waking up in the hospital all drugged out...

And yeah mustang... CIGARETTES make me LIVID when riding... I've had ash and butts hit me numerous times... my mesh jacket has a frickin' hole in from the first one...

On another occasion... I also always ride with visor cracked and wear sunglasses during the day - One day a cigarette butt flew outta the semi truck I was passing in town, it bounded off the edge of my windshield and landed right on the corner of my sunglasses.   THE VISOR WAS BARELY OPEN! I'm so thankful *sarcasm* for this man squishing the butt to put it out before he sent it outta the window, so it wasn't still burning when it hit my face  :icon_rolleyes:   :icon_twisted:  ... This is the only time I can think I have initiated and carried out a bout of road rage ever - and it was on my bike (so not proud of it).  I flew around in front of him, flashed my brakes lights while slowing down to a stop (I have a Reevu, so I could see everything happening behind me), and waving my left arm downward - and I stopped in the middle of the road, ran to his truck, flipped up my helmet and threw the cigarette back into his truck, while cursing a storm at him, and flipping him off -  I don't even know all of what I said, but it was bad. I think he tried to apologize, but I got back on my bike quickly and pulled into the nearest parking lot and cooled off... I was shaking with rage - best idea was to just get off and calm down.

I know I could have handled it better, but the though of him getting away without ever knowing that he could have just killed me for something he does without thinking everyday, likely many times a day... LIVID

I just don't understand the disconnect with people and cigarette butts, its no different than throwing McDonalds garbage out the window - cept its BURNING - and most people wouldn't throw that garbage out the window... I smoked for years too, and never thought of throwing a butt out the window

- Bboy

Quote from: BockinBboy on July 18, 2014, 06:27:21 AM
I was shaking with rage - best idea was to just get off and calm down.

That's just the truth of it right there, isn't it?  The rage just leads to mistakes and unneeded danger, not to mention potential for legal trouble.

It's important people realize who's on the road before discarding trash, but flipping out about it isn't leaving a good impression.

I'd be pissed the hell off if it was me, I'd probably have the driver pull over and have a chat with them, but I wouldn't make them stop by putting myself in front and hitting the brakes nor would I be screaming my ass off.
I'd probably pull up to them at a stop or get their attention with the horn and signal a pull over.  Then ask if they have a minute to talk about something.
Show them the butt, say I didn't get hurt, but they got lucky.  If it would have burned a hole in my jacket or injured me I would have to pursue legal action because they are liable for damage to my property and/or my hospital bill.  Let them know to check behind them before they toss out next time, or use an ash tray.  Thanks, and have a nice day.

Of course not everyone is going to be willing to stop and listen, but in that case I'd let it go as long as I wasn't hurt or my jacket wasn't burnt.  No sense putting myself in danger by initiating road rage, all it takes is a driver in fear and my ass could be flat on the road...

It's easy to say what you would do without being put in a situation.  Probably good to read stories like this so you can think rationally about what you should do before it happens to you.  Then you are less likely to react poorly in the heat of the moment.

Oh yeah, Watcher... not my proudest moment - Hindsight is always 20/20, as they say... plenty of better ways I could have handled it.  That was the third time a cigarette or ash had hit me, and it hit my face - I guess the third time was strike three... and a previous time actually had burned a hole in my jacket, I just didn't know it till after the fact.  I have had some ash blow back to me on my bike since this - in anticipation of a butt following soon after, I pulled onto a side street and went a different route.

The whole thing was out of character for me - I'm usually an introvert, and I avoid conflict, think logically... Didn't happen at that moment  :oops:  - My point in sharing the story and my reaction is not so that I could brag or something - its a moment of weakness for which I feel a certain amount of shame - but rather (exactly what bomb commented) so that others reading understand the hazard, and can think for themselves a better way to handle it - so you aren't caught in the heat as I was.

- Bboy

Quote from: BockinBboy on June 15, 1974, 04:30:10 PM- My point in sharing the story and my reaction is not so that I could brag or something - its a moment of weakness for which I feel a certain amount of shame - but rather (exactly what bomb commented) so that others reading understand the hazard, and can think for themselves a better way to handle it - so you aren't caught in the heat as I was.

- Bboy

I know plenty of people who would read your story and say "hell yeah, I would have done the same thing!" instead of think about a rational solution.  That's why I posted what one should strive to do.

But yes, the heat of the moment has a lot of Murphy's law attached to it...

I'm a mean @$$hole. I was in a left turn lane only at a road that's left turn or right turn only and as i'm making my left a car from the right lane cuts in front of me.

so get to his side at the next light, smash on his door to get his attention then curse him off then proceed to throw receipts and other miscellaneous garbage that was in my pocket into his window, guy was a shrimpy office jockey type. he got scared and just kinda froze when the light turned green and i proceeded on. that was a few months ago.  :technical: :technical: :technical:

Quote from: AnonRider on July 18, 2014, 06:19:20 PM
I'm a mean @$$hole. I was in a left turn lane only at a road that's left turn or right turn only and as i'm making my left a car from the right lane cuts in front of me.

so get to his side at the next light, smash on his door to get his attention then curse him off then proceed to throw receipts and other miscellaneous garbage that was in my pocket into his window, guy was a shrimpy office jockey type. he got scared and just kinda froze when the light turned green and i proceeded on. that was a few months ago.  :technical: :technical: :technical:

I have been in the heat of the moment my self but after the fact realize that by yelling at them all it does I cause one more person to think anyone on a bike is a duck and not give an F. I have a family to think about so I just let things go...Had some one come around a corner and blow right threw the 4 way stop and years ago I would have chased him down and not thought twice about walloping him. But as riders we should educate people in a calm manner..you know who else used violence  to get his point across...Hitler..we don't want to be Hitler do we?

Quote from: MARider on July 21, 2014, 10:30:51 AM

Quote from: AnonRider on July 18, 2014, 06:19:20 PM
I'm a mean @$$hole. I was in a left turn lane only at a road that's left turn or right turn only and as i'm making my left a car from the right lane cuts in front of me.

so get to his side at the next light, smash on his door to get his attention then curse him off then proceed to throw receipts and other miscellaneous garbage that was in my pocket into his window, guy was a shrimpy office jockey type. he got scared and just kinda froze when the light turned green and i proceeded on. that was a few months ago.  :technical: :technical: :technical:

I have been in the heat of the moment my self but after the fact realize that by yelling at them all it does I cause one more person to think anyone on a bike is a duck and not give an F. I have a family to think about so I just let things go...Had some one come around a corner and blow right threw the 4 way stop and years ago I would have chased him down and not thought twice about walloping him. But as riders we should educate people in a calm manner..you know who else used violence  to get his point across...Hitler..we don't want to be Hitler do we?

That is what we call reductio ad hitlerum, and its use generally indicates that you have lost the argument.  Hitler also loved painting, classical music, animals, children, and (most importantly) good roads.  Unless we plan on driving on crappy roads, shutting down PETA, banning classical music and art, and not loving our children, we should not use our 'ol pal Hitler to try and win arguments. ;)

Wait you'er saying we shouldn't shut down PETA? and I live in MA so I don't have good roads and also I was being pretty facetious about the whole hitler thing.

Quote from: MARider on July 22, 2014, 06:57:44 AM
Wait you'er saying we shouldn't shut down PETA? and I live in MA so I don't have good roads and also I was being pretty facetious about the whole hitler thing.

lol, I know; just giving you a hard time.  We should never shutdown the People for the Eating of Tasty Animals.

Sarcasm and wit is lost in text

Quote from: MARider on July 22, 2014, 11:46:08 AM
Sarcasm and wit is lost in text

That's why you use emoticons(?spell)  :thumb: :2guns: :dunno_black: :cookoo: :technical:

A Quick question regarding the jacket / trouser attachments. I mean the zips that zip the two together at the back.
How many of you folks attach the two together? It seems a real pain to do / undo but I imagine in a fall it will keep everything together, any opinions?
Regards
Brett


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't have an issue with my mesh jacket, zipping it to my pants.  I just reach behind me and zip it... but its much harder to do with my leather jacket.  Some folks do zip the two together first then put on pants and let jacket hang.  I see this being okay for a lighter jacket like mesh, but I couldn't imagine my leather jacket hanging off the back of me like that  :dunno_black:

- Bboy

Quote from: bmf on July 23, 2014, 05:54:11 AM
A Quick question regarding the jacket / trouser attachments. I mean the zips that zip the two together at the back.
How many of you folks attach the two together? It seems a real pain to do / undo but I imagine in a fall it will keep everything together, any opinions?
Regards
Brett

I have around 6/8 leather/textile, thermal/vented jackets and around the same leather/textile, thermal/vented pants/overpants...I toss that zipper in the drawer right away, zipper compatibility is an issue for me.

If only I would have been able to get a picture of that person on the Vino 50 in a full Aerostitch-style suit.

Quote from: cWj on July 23, 2014, 09:06:45 AM
If only I would have been able to get a picture of that person on the Vino 50 in a full Aerostitch-style suit.

Safety first.

Quote from: cWj on July 23, 2014, 09:06:45 AM
If only I would have been able to get a picture of that person on the Vino 50 in a full Aerostitch-style suit.

That'd be me, if I saw any need to have a scooter...

I got my wife a Burgman 400 and a Kymco Super 8 150 to learn on.  I ride the Kymco once in a while to keep the battery charged (since the Burgman needes it more with its bad battery).  So a guy who works in my plant stopped me one day and said "Hey I saw you riding that scooter a hundred miles an hour, and wearing that 'Hyabusa' helmet!"  I look like a complete dork, all ATGATT.  I'm too old to care.

Quote from: Paulcet on August 01, 2014, 07:08:57 PM
I got my wife a Burgman 400 and a Kymco Super 8 150 to learn on.  I ride the Kymco once in a while to keep the battery charged (since the Burgman needes it more with its bad battery).  So a guy who works in my plant stopped me one day and said "Hey I saw you riding that scooter a hundred miles an hour, and wearing that 'Hyabusa' helmet!"  I look like a complete dork, all ATGATT.  I'm too old to care.

I go both ways...

(http://home.comcast.net/~stykers/burgcold01.jpg) (http://home.comcast.net/~stykers/ch80roll.jpg)

Let me change the direction for a moment. Do you guys have any recommendation for knee pucks? I have AveoSport one-piece with velcro to attach the pucks to. My knees keep getting closer and closer to the road and it's probably a good idea to put something bettween my suit and the pavement...

I want something cheap but decent (not fancy or very expensive). I'm not planning to keep sliding the knee and wear the thing out, it's just a precaution, that might soon turn into a gauge of my lean-angle.

You can buy pucks fairly cheap on Ebay or at any of the online bike shops.

Depending on what bike your riding your foot peg feelers should hit the ground first.  Watch out for foot placement on pegs as the outer edge of your boot sole usually comes very close to scraping.  The first time the pucks make contact with the ground is a real shocker...be careful not to do something stupid at that point.

I would recommend toe sliders before knee pucks, as the outer toe would touch first if you are getting that low.  I've got toe slider's on my Cortech air's - they have taken a beating this summer.  I've really not come close to touching a knee down, but I'm only slightly on the edge of my seat - just so that if I need more weight lower to get around a turn or avoid something, I'm ready to do it.  The words of 'The Pace' are always running through my head when riding spirited through twisties and such.  Hanging like that is so you don't have to lean as much (or your bike can't lean any more), and carry more speed through a turn.  IMO, If you need to hang and touch a knee down because your GS can't lean any further, you are riding way too aggressive for the street - they are just so nimble, you'd really have to be pushing it to do it - or simply crossing up just tryin to get a knee down, which isn't smart either.  But if you are wanting protection for some track days - by all means puck it up, and lets see those pics!

:cheers:

- Bboy

I'm riding a GS500F, pretty much stock. All my mods are electrical + sonic springs (R6 shock is already in my tool box, I need to get the spacer, bolt and nut and I'll drop it in, hopefully this month).

I already went through a pair of toe sliders (my Bilt boots have them attached with a philips screw, ez replacement) and my foot pegs feelers are gone. I'd like to hang off a little more (right now it's just about half of my butt-cheek, while I keep hearing that getting one fully off is about right) and save my toe sliders, but then the knee is a problem...

I don't feel like I'm pushing it yet, I'm still quite a bit from sliding the back (although it did happen a handful of times on rippled surface), but pushing the front at times. I'm probably leaning too far forward, rather than to the side, but that's the lack of knee pucks...

I'll look at ebay, but if you have your favorites, I'll check them out.

I am planning for a track day this fall. I just need to find some time to book things and work out my schedule (I'm away from home 60-70% of time, on business trips).

By the way - anybody tried the California Superbike School? That's what I wanted to do as my first track experience.