Ummm actually everytime I've hit the ground, I've tucked into a combat roll and neither my hands nor head touch the ground    My knees however get badly abused   Only 2 times though and both at relatively low speed, 25-30 mph.

Quote from: spcterry on May 24, 2007, 11:27:04 PM
Ummm actually everytime I've hit the ground, I've tucked into a combat roll and neither my hands nor head touch the ground    My knees however get badly abused   Only 2 times though and both at relatively low speed, 25-30 mph.

I got lucky.. 1st wreck I landed on my back and slid on my back. 2nd wreck I did a tuck and roll, but only because I hit the ground sideways, not head on. But that wreck at 60mph scuffed up both sides of my helmet (would have been my face.. ouch), my shoulders, my elbows, and partially my knuckles (not bad though.. thank God for carbon fiber knuckle protectors). I somehow avoided hitting my legs at all, even though I smacked the crap out of my back on the guard rail. Actually, both of my wrecks have been in the same pair of blue jeans. Maybe they're cursed.

I wasn't able to afford propper gear for a long time (now I have a pretty nice setup though) but it dosn't cost very much to be relativly safe.

Of course always wear a helmet, preferably full face.
The next thing is to get some gloves, for $7 from the hardware store you can get some thick leather gloves that should be just fine.
As for pants, jeans will be okay untill you can afford some riding pants.
For a jacket, a heavy jean jacket will be okay, but for not much more you can get a leather one. If you look arround you can usually find a leather jacket or a textile riding jacket for less than $100

The nylon hikers jacket is really the only weak link in Ben2go's riding attire, if he's wearing some gloves.

Just ride really conservatively and upgrade your gear as finances allow.

newenough.com i got all new gear (head to fingers to toes) for just over $300, but what thats because my boots were $140 i think i paid $70-80 for the jacket, $70 for the helmet, $5 for the gloves (with a sheild wiper blade on the thumb! i haven't used it in rain but it works great for bugs!) and $68 for the pants. you could get a good jacket for around $60 and gloves for like $5-10 and be safer than with the hiking jacket. everything else is fine until you can afford more.

i couldn't be a squid if i wanted to. i tried wheelying a couple times, just couldn't do it very well. i'm wheelytarded. the best one i've done was an accident getting on the freeway (stupid metering lights making you stop on a hill) when i had only been riding a couple weeks. since then it'll come up maayyybe a foot, but thats about it. i guess it's a good thing...

I Have A Full Face Shoei
A Marlboro Leather Racing Jacket
A Leather Suzuki Racing Jacket,
I Hate Leather Trousers , So I Got Some Kevlar Lined Jeans ,
A Decent Set Of Boots .
Kevler Gloves

Cost Quite a bit , but its not worth losing, plus , i feel more confident in good gear

Quote from: NiceGuysFinishLast on May 24, 2007, 11:22:09 PM

Quote from: ben2go on May 24, 2007, 09:41:16 PM
Doe. I guess I'm considered a squid.I don't gots no monies for the fancy ridin suite.I just strap on my steel toe hiking boots,put on a pair of double lined jeans,thick shirt with tee under,and a nylon hikers jacket.I go out and hit the twisties,but I'm a conservative driver.Unless I know there is absolutely no traffic around.By the way I wear a full faced hell-met,too.

The fact that you know you need gear, but can't afford it makes you less of a squid, IMHO. But, look at it this way: If you can't afford proper gear now.. can you afford skin grafts, later? Because going down is a fact of riding. And I'll guarantee that the hiker's jacket won't provide proper impact/abrasion resistance. It sounds like you're riding with no gloves, either. Guess what the first thing you do in a wreck is? Throw your hands out to stop your fall. Ouch.

Not to try to scare you away from riding, or make you think I'm a duck or anything.. just something to ponder.

I have riding gloves and helmet,but I went shopping today.I haven't found what I want yet,but soon.Very soon.

what is it that you want? Chances are you can get it on ebay, or newenough (I love newenough, and will never stop recommending them)

Try to stay with a helmet that is not only DOT stamped but SNELL as well.  They cost a little more, but it's like my boss says... he's broken two helmets and still has his original head. 

I ride with an Icon trm merc stage 2 jacket, icon gloves, usually dickies pants, Icon Battlecry lid and AS short boots.  I've got a suzuki Joe Rocket leather but it's MAD hot.  Too hot for anything above 70 degrees.

Quote from: RobTheTyrant on May 26, 2007, 04:22:53 PM
Try to stay with a helmet that is not only DOT stamped but SNELL as well.  They cost a little more, but it's like my boss says... he's broken two helmets and still has his original head. 

I ride with an Icon trm merc stage 2 jacket, icon gloves, usually dickies pants, Icon Battlecry lid and AS short boots.  I've got a suzuki Joe Rocket leather but it's MAD hot.  Too hot for anything above 70 degrees.

It was 87F here today and 83% humidity.It was so hazy in the mountains it was almost like fog.I'm trying to find a light,flexible jacket that has vents.Pants too,if it's possible.I am wearing kevlar reinforced jeans,but feel a fall could still tear me up.

Quote from: ben2go on May 26, 2007, 06:36:32 PM

Quote from: RobTheTyrant on May 26, 2007, 04:22:53 PM
Try to stay with a helmet that is not only DOT stamped but SNELL as well.  They cost a little more, but it's like my boss says... he's broken two helmets and still has his original head. 

I ride with an Icon trm merc stage 2 jacket, icon gloves, usually dickies pants, Icon Battlecry lid and AS short boots.  I've got a suzuki Joe Rocket leather but it's MAD hot.  Too hot for anything above 70 degrees.

It was 87F here today and 83% humidity.It was so hazy in the mountains it was almost like fog.I'm trying to find a light,flexible jacket that has vents.Pants too,if it's possible.I am wearing kevlar reinforced jeans,but feel a fall could still tear me up.

Cortech GX-Air.. I ride in it in both Georgia and Florida summers, and have no complaints. As long as you're moving, it's like wearing a t-shirt. If you stop, it's still good (Mine's black.. the white would probably be cooler). Another tip is to wet your t-shirt before heading out.

be careful with that. if you get too wet then ride at a good rate of speed with all your vents open, it'll make your clothes too cold and give you hypothermia. yes, even in high degree weather can you get hypothermia.

Of Course. Not LAot of people would no that , i wont go into it , but thats a Very Very Good Point 

I don't ride when there's any chance of rain.I hate being wet unless I'm showering.

I Past This Person Today , I Think Hes A So Called Squid, Was Wheeling Every Second , and Couldnt Turn A Corner, What You Think?

Quote from: spcterry on May 24, 2007, 11:27:04 PM
Ummm actually everytime I've hit the ground, I've tucked into a combat roll and neither my hands nor head touch the ground    My knees however get badly abused   Only 2 times though and both at relatively low speed, 25-30 mph.

Yeah, that's what I do too.  Except I finish it off with a backflip and a roundhouse kick.