for you, and any passengers...but we know that already, right?

http://www.ex-500.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=3bc26195744f6519c140871a68df2286&/topic,19460.0.html

That is all.

No gear at all is a boneheaded moved by the rider and the passenger.

There really is no excuse for not taking an extra 3 - 5 minutes to put the gear on.  I once saw a guy who crashed and was only wearing a helmet.  Almost all the skin on his back was off and it was bright red!    That was a great way to convince me to always wear gear.  It wont save you if you hit a tree, but if you're sliding on the ground, it'll save you from so much pain.

Owwwwwwwwwwwww! I need pants! My big fear even with gear.

Damn, that was sobering indeed.  That would have been awful to go through, let alone having a passenger go through it as well.

I get made fun of sometimes by coworkers cause I always use gear.  But I tell you what, I would rather be safe than look cool.  Hell, I think I look cool anyway. 

what do you guys wear for pants in the summer?  Something breathable that goes over shorts?  Any suggestions?

Yeah..... what he ^ said. It is so hot down here that when I put my jacket, gloves, and helmet on, I feel good but soooooo hot! How well would leather chaps do? (No, not the buttless kind!  )

ow...

doesn't really take that long to put on all of my gear. i would never be in that much of a rush to ride with no gear.

i wear those knee & shin guards under my jeans (so my riding pants aren't worn every day and can get a break). everytime people look at me putting them on or taking them off i just give them a look like, "yea, so what?"

eh...better safe than missing skin.

stay safe everyone.

cheers,
~drin

Seeing threads like this remind me why i spend so much money on gear and wear it every time i go out.

As for warm weather gear i have a pair of tourmaster waterproof pants that i will wear over my shorts or pants if i am commuting to work and don't really sweat in them as long as i don't get stuck in traffic and am moving.  Luckily my commute almost never has any traffic and is always moving.  I have a scorpion mesh jacket with back, shoulder and elbow armor that i wear and it has 2 liners i can put inside the jacket depending on how cold it gets.  Same thing goes for the jacket with sweating.  It can get warm sitting in traffic but even with no gear it can get hot. 

Quote from: Flanders on September 02, 2009, 08:51:49 AM
what do you guys wear for pants in the summer?  Something breathable that goes over shorts?  Any suggestions?

I wear Alpinestars air Flo mesh pants, really breathable as long as you are moving...

Two things that pretty well sum up my opinion on gear:

A plastic surgeon was noted one time as saying "A good set of gear will run you a thousand dollars from head to toe. Skin grafts will run you a thousand dollars a square inch."

You can wipe sweat off, you can't wipe skin on.

Seriously. If you're worried about being comfortable more than you are about being safe, consider a cage. Or at the very very least some high end mesh, it's better than nothing. Guy in the OP got damn lucky that all he got was rash.

Everyone hates to hear these types of stories but it's a good reminder to us all.  These are lessons we should never forget.

-Porkchop

Holy sh*t. That just woke me up. I've been in two motorcycle crashes on pavement so I know the pain of road rash (when wearing just jeans) and terrible body pain (when hitting the pavement with full gear at over 45 mph) and with that knowledge I sometimes choose to wear less than full gear. It may be stupid but at least I understand what I am doing.

On the same note, I am leaving right now to go buy my girlfriend some good motorcycle pants. I may be cheap but I'm not letting the girl on the back of my bike in jeans ever again.
Thank-you for posting this!

Quote from: Bluesmudge on September 02, 2009, 01:39:41 PM...and terrible body pain (when hitting the pavement with full gear at over 45 mph) ...

what kind of pain? i frequently lowside at the track at 30-40 and get up without a scratch.

Quote from: cboling on September 02, 2009, 09:37:18 AM
Yeah..... what he ^ said. It is so hot down here that when I put my jacket, gloves, and helmet on, I feel good but soooooo hot! How well would leather chaps do? (No, not the buttless kind!  )

I actually wear the ass-less chaps whenever I ride... over heavy denim.  I frequently am the butt (no pun intended) of jokes, but I don't care how it looks; I only care about the functionality.  However, I will be purchasing a good pair of full on riding pants soon, because I don't like the less than adequate protection of denim vs. asphalt in sensitive areas.

Quote from: rohde88 on September 02, 2009, 01:49:59 PM

Quote from: Bluesmudge on September 02, 2009, 01:39:41 PM...and terrible body pain (when hitting the pavement with full gear at over 45 mph) ...

what kind of pain? i frequently lowside at the track at 30-40 and get up without a scratch.

If you are lowsiding frequently, It may be time to consider a new hobby...

Quote from: rohde88 on September 02, 2009, 01:49:59 PM

Quote from: Bluesmudge on September 02, 2009, 01:39:41 PM...and terrible body pain (when hitting the pavement with full gear at over 45 mph) ...

what kind of pain? i frequently lowside at the track at 30-40 and get up without a scratch.

Well you are probably wearing full race leathers with good armor. My definition of full gear on the street is a textile armored jacket, riding jeans, leather boots and gloves and helmet. Different league of gear and hitting asphalt on the street is much different than on the track, don't even try to compare them. I got up with hardly a scratch but I was very stiff and sore for a week. I considered myself extremely lucky. I could just have easily been run over by a car if it happened at a different moment.

Quote from: oramac on September 02, 2009, 06:38:39 PM
I actually wear the ass-less chaps whenever I ride... over heavy denim. 

Oh that's how you're supposed to wear them.  That explains why the cops and the ghey dudes are always hassling me when I ride.

And I hate these threads.  I go for a month seeing the t-shirt and shorts crowd out riding and finally convince myself not to wear the stupid overpants that take more time to put on than the ride usually lasts, and then I see one of these threads...

great reminder!! thanks for the pics.
I feel really sorry for the guy. he looks to be in a lot of pain. I hope he heals quick!

Quote from: Mike.Gail on September 02, 2009, 12:14:24 PM
Two things that pretty well sum up my opinion on gear:

A plastic surgeon was noted one time as saying "A good set of gear will run you a thousand dollars from head to toe. Skin grafts will run you a thousand dollars a square inch."

You can wipe sweat off, you can't wipe skin on.

Seriously. If you're worried about being comfortable more than you are about being safe, consider a cage. Or at the very very least some high end mesh, it's better than nothing. Guy in the OP got damn lucky that all he got was rash.

^^^ good stuff there. Really sad to see someone in that situation. I'll be careful on my way home this afternoon, and think of my kids at every turn.

Ride safe guys n gals.

Quote from: VSG on September 02, 2009, 06:56:03 AM
No gear at all is a boneheaded moved by the rider and the passenger.

Ding ding ding ding ding!

She is just as stupid for:
1) Getting on the bike without gear.
2) Getting on the bike with someone who is comfortable not wearing gear.
3) Getting on the bike with someone who is comfortable with her not wearing gear.

Stupid rider. Stupid passenger.

I have kevlar jeans and Bohn body armor which isn't bad if you are moving, hot in stop and go traffic.  At work I wear long pants year round so I'm used to being a bit hot.

-Jessie