All The Gear All The Time?

[nodrog:Me]

i have been known to pop down to the beach in only my budgie smugglers, nothing worse than trying to pull chicks while you are sweating your ring off inside half a dead cow carcass.

[RC1]

budgie smugglers, nothing worse than trying to pull chicks while you are sweating your ring off inside half a dead cow carcass.

except them chicks seeing you all shrivelled in you smugglers

[Big Dog]

Can't answer any of the above in good conscience...
Weekdays I commute on a scooter, this does not make me exempt from the laws of physics.
I wear:
Helmet (Duh)
Gloves (old but serviceable)
Boots (either Johnny Rebs or steel caps)
A cordura jacket (admittedly it was retired from service on the big bike but it only has to keep my dry 8 mins at a time on the scooter)
The industrial dress pants I choose to wear to work should afford enough protection at those sorts of speeds given I have had knee down in them without damaging them.


On the bike another story:
Helmet
Jacket
Gloves
Pants
Boots (Race, Rebs or steel caps, depends on the riding involved and the activity at the other end. No point in fucking an ankle in case you fuck your ankle).

I see the difference is at 80kmph it is unlikely the scooter will trap me beneth it and drag me along. The busa on the other hand has a 140kg advantage over me and is far more likely to win a wrestle, therfore pinning me to the tar seal as we slide along the seal. Even at 10kmph that could seriously ruin your day.
If people want to go to the shops in sneakers and they tuck their laces in and they know the risk good for them, not my cup of tea but not my problem either...
As long as somenone knows the risks then let those who ride decide.

If ever we find ourselves governed in what we must wear then our liberties are lost.

That said:
I will not ride with a pillion not suitably dressed.
I will advise riders who show up to a ride I am organising if they are not being sensible.
I will ask a rider who shos up to a ride I am organising not to come with us if they are completely inappopriate.
I will not ride with a group where there are inappopriate levels of protective clothing.
I need a summer jacket if anyone is feeling generous (i.e. i know how much gear costs and will forgive open jackets).
I understand the desire to go topless but will not ride that way myself.
I do cringe at some of the things some people ride in.

[Auntie Podes]

I was gearing myself up for what I was going to write as I read through all the other posts and then I read what Big Dog wrote...........

I now don't need to write what I was going to.

Nice one Big Dog! Nail and head come to mind!!!

[paturoa]

The industrial dress pants I choose to wear to work should afford enough protection at those sorts of speeds given I have had knee down in them without damaging them.

Nope wrong assumption. Tooooo many years ago I had an off at about 50ks on my CT90 with cotton overalls over good jeans. I lost about a 5mm deep layer of skin and flesh from my upper shin and knee on the chunky tarseal.

[Luckylegs]

except them chicks seeing you all shrivelled in you smugglers

Depends on the cow your trying to pull....

[boomer]

Many of you will know me as an ATGATT kind of gal.

I have seen many threads here with people saying it is personal choice/you MUST wear it and what have you. Bear in mind I am not talking about moving your bike away from pumps at a servo, or riding it in the garage after a ride, or any of those other times you ride. What I am talking about is RIDING your bike out and about.

All The Gear All The Time (this includes kevlar jeans for summer, and other non leather safety covering etc) or not?

JANDALS!!!!!







.

[boomer]

Depends on the cow your trying to pull....

bwahahahah.. i'll tell ya mrs that in the morning

[puddy]

Nothing like the wind in your hair

Fuck.... I'd just be happy to have the hair (again) for the wind to blow through!

[mstriumph]

it is reaaaaaaaaaally hot over here

whilst keeping covered [as i mostly do nowadays] you just GOTTA envy those cool dudes riding in shorts and a t shirt ......

yes - i KNOW you wouldn't envy them if they came off....

but still

it IS really HOT over here

[Coyote]

I tore apart my old draggins, and I can't afford to get a new set so I've had to go without proper riding pants for the last 10 months. Blame the all consuming VFR.

Also, I haven't been able to afford to get a jacket for the girlfriend, so I give her it and go without if I take her anywhere. And I give her the good gloves and I wear my old tatty pair which have basically turned into fingerless ones.

For longer trips I wear my leathers though.

[Mom]

JANDALS!!!!!

It is actually national jandal day next Friday.........LOL

Jandals rock on the beach, and I hear tell some bikers pay homage to the mighty jandal too

[Big Dog]

Nope wrong assumption. Tooooo many years ago I had an off at about 50ks on my CT90 with cotton overalls over good jeans. I lost about a 5mm deep layer of skin and flesh from my upper shin and knee on the chunky tarseal.

Risk vs cost I guess.

If I could afford some light weight gear that would protect me I would probably wear it. Provided it was not so inconvenient as to be impractical

This is wear making decisions comes in to life.

Risk of wearing my bike pants - More limited movement given the different seating position, plus some numbness in my extremities - ergo greater risk of injury / crash in first place.

Risk of not wearing my bike pants for my 8 mins each way commute. If I fall off there is a percentage of a chance I will hurt my self. This percentage is less than on the busa, if only because the busa goes 3.5 times faster about everything.

Also according to some study I read, way back in the dark ages denim is more abrasive in a bike crash than bare skin. I have not had the misfortune to come off in the nude but have come off in denim jeans twice.
First time I lost a lot of skin, but then it was due to burns from the denim not the road. (stationary hit by car)
Second time slid 100 meters on one arse cheek. Again lots of mild burns, no cuts. (long story)
I have also low sided a Honda nifty fifty into a car hard enough to bend the b pillar in pants such as these with out a cut bruise or other wise.

Denim generates a lot of heat when it rips.
It is abrasive if it does not rip.

But if people know this and still want to ride like that cool.
Darwin will look after them.

[Big Dog]

it is reaaaaaaaaaally hot over here

whilst keeping covered [as i mostly do nowadays] you just GOTTA envy those cool dudes riding in shorts and a t shirt ......

yes - i KNOW you wouldn't envy them if they came off....

but still

it IS really HOT over here

You can get mesh suits, armour with skid sheets in all the right places.
Have not seen them here, but saw several riders with them in Brisbane.

[McJim]

I took a slide along the highway courtesy of a New Zealnad driver that didn't fully understand the implications of a red traffic light. I was wearing padded cordura trousers at the time. Leg got trapped under the bike as I slid. Burnt the cordura away and burnt my leg on the ground.

I wear full leathers all the time on the bike now - I might be good enough to keep the rubber down but getting T boned is just a pain in the knee.