What to wear

[FLSTF]

When I first started to ride (on the streets @ 15), my family started a towing service. We got a police call for a wreck. When we got there, I saw a BMW lying in the middle of the road & the Sheriff's car parked on the side. The road was on the way to the lake where the military had a recreation area for the GI's. A black man, after spending a day @ the lake, decided it was too hot to put his safety gear & helmet back on, so he was riding in swimming trunks & boat shoes. There was some gravel in the curve & he hit it. He wasn't killed, but he wasn't black anymore, either. He looked like walking hamburger & the worst part was he was scalped. The Sheriff was trying to pace his scalp back on his head while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
After he had been hauled off to the hospital & we had loaded his bike on the back of the wrecker, my father turned to me and said;"If I EVER catch you riding dressed like that, you'll lose the bike til you're 18!"
I wore my helmet so much that I got "cradle cap" & had to use special shampoo to get rid of the rash. I have never ridden without a helmet, boots & a jacket since...& that was 1972!
This might be a long story, but it changed MY outlook on gear.

 

[ProF]

My lifestyle and my interests do not lend themselves to the "safety first" mindset .. its just not who I am.

Makes perfect sense to me, as I'm also an owner of a 2006 Heritage!

 

[cedarbrook63]

I worked for some years in an ER and have taken a wire brush to what's left of skin and flesh on many occasions to get the grit and dirt out of it after a fall/slide. It's a horrible task but I'd always prefer to be on the handle side of the brush. I always wear leather/cordura jacket, leather gloves and leather or kevlar jeans (like Draggin' Jeans or Hood) and frankly I think you are playing with fire if you don't BUT there is a right to choose there and I believe it's up to the individual - and I live in a climate here in England where we all daydream about temperatures in the high 70s and upwards so it's easy for me who isn't being cooked.

I will say one thing further however - I would rather ride in a helmet and speedo swim shorts than ride in full leathers with no helmet. Alright - that's a bit of an extreme comparison but everyone I ever dealt with who had skin abrasion/soft tissue loss only did not die from this but the bad head injuries which are much more likely without a lid are a killer or life-wrecker.
So what to wear starts above the collar in my book. Just my 2p or 2c.

 

[nakkers]

If your over 18 I think you wear what you want.
That said I chose to wear what most would consider proper riding gear.
I also chose to wear a helmet.
When I see young rides on these mopeds with sandals and shorts I say something to them but in the end their life not mine.

I think Smitty could have another handle....."Yoda"

+1 man.

The only thing I will add is if I see a young girl with sandals and shorts riding a moped, I'll say something too.

But, it's not likely advice.


Cheers.

 

[R_W_B]

In college, I worked at the University of Michigan Burn Unit as a Janitor. Some of those patients begged me to kill them because they were in such pain.

Road Rash is no different than being burned by fire or chemicals, I don't want to be that guy in that much pain.

... ... ...... .. . .. The only thing I will add is if I see a young girl with sandals and shorts riding a moped, I'll say something too.
But, it's not likely advice. Cheers.

LOL yea. These are all righteous comments and very good advice. Protection is something we all should wear if at all possible. In hot weather there are limits to what I'm willing to do though. I personally have seen guys like mi2az spoke of and also some that had grass stuffed so far back under their skin it had to be scrubbed out. It's no easy thing. We all have to decide what is the best solution.

I always wear jeans and boots now (when I was a kid I wore regular loafers to school on my bike though). But when it gets real hot I put away the full face and wear the 3/4 helmet. I also decided to not wear gloves when it's hot. I never wear protective jackets, in hot weather. I realize this could cause me a lot of misery some day. But if I have to ride sweating and overheat to the point that I'm not comfortable I might as well put the bike away and just drive the cage with AC. Long sleeve shirts are not gonna last but a second or two on asphalt so I don't even fool with them.

I even go one step beyond this, I sometimes ride with no helmet. I have no defense for this. I must be getting just plain stupid. But I enjoy this immensely sometimes (I don't do it often). It's a different experience more like when I was a kid (young and dumb) before any helmet laws. The only possible reason I can explain such stupidity is that the exact age that I am right now, my Dad starting showing symtoms of Alzhiemers disease.

If I follow in his genetic track, it won't be long before I could start to loose life as I know it. And if I'm like him, I would be dead in 7 yrs (useless in 3). Just some things that play into the factor. I've only been down once in my life. Burned thru my pants and rubbed my rear raw with blood some. If I ever go down at high speeds my only prayer is not to wake up. But I love riding to much to stop, unless an injury stops me. And then at least I rode when I could.

 

[mat 60]

Well ...your a long way from stupid......I have enjoyed your posts... Dont be in a hurry to go aneywhare....Sorry about your dad..Alzhiemers is a very hard thing for the hole family to go thru..I lost my mom and I am thankfull that she didnt go slowly...Oh I dont think aney body has the right to call someone stupid because of of what gear we whare,,because if thats the case could it be said that riding a motorcycle is stupid??

 

[Ultra Classic]

orter.....I think you are wise to ride with all that gear.....I where just jeans ,boots gloves, and jacket,,,,,I should put on a helmet but I would just hate to have all the ladies miss out on my good looks......Now as far as shorts and flip flops.....Well when I see that after I get done..:newsmile100:..I cant help but think,,, after a bee went up your shorts and stung something would people still where shorts??..Some things I wont leave unprotecten..:newsmile055:..But what ever ...No offence to aneyone..In some parts a lot of people whair all kinds of things...

How about a bee in the mouth at 60mph.......YAH!!! That was fun!!! But the bee was doing 80 when i spit it out!!!

 

[cedarbrook63]

How about a bee in the mouth at 60mph.......YAH!!! That was fun!!! But the bee was doing 80 when i spit it out!!!

Ha ha - brilliant! I got a wasp inside my full lid last year - saw him walking up the slightly open visor in front of my eye. That was a bit unsettling - I opened the visor and pulled in as soon as I could. He was still in there when I pulled the lid off! A good argument for open face helmets I guess

 

[mat 60]

I took a drink of a soda at a cook out and a yellow jacket stung me in the mouth....Man did that feel great......Nothing to do with a harley but I did have a HD shirt on at the time if that counts...

 

[Markk9]

I have an HD helmet. What kind is yours? I used to live in the Carolinas and honestly think Miami's climate is more difficult to justify going full face, JMAO.

I wear a Shoei RF1100. All helmets that are DOT rated will save your head in a wreck. The better made helmets have better fit and finish along with comfort. The Shoei is known for having great air flow through the vents.

With the gear options we have today there is no reason not have at least some basic protection on in the heat of summer. Today we have full face helmets that will vent air around your head very well and keep you cool while moving. Mesh jacket's keep the air flowing and at least offer some level of protection and basic armor if you go down. Boot are the same way, you can get great protection with good air flow. Now, all this gear is not cheap, you are looking at spending about 1K for good gear.

I have three sets of gear, I have the stuff for winter riding (I ride 365, unless there is snow or ice on the road), spring and fall riding, and summer riding. I wear the same helmet year round, a good quality helmet is worth every penny.