Ducati Monster Forum

I am curios, do any of you ever ride naked?   No I mean without even an armored jacket, Just a helmet and a pair of shorts for a quick run to town on a hot day.  I know this is sacralage against the road gods and except for that damn bumble bee, on a hot day it feels so good to ride in just shorts and a t-shirt.  I usually at least throw on a jacket but then I have driven to the Indiana border just to ride without a helmet.   

Would a pole be interesting?  This is hot weather under 20 miles.

to each his own....but if you've never had asphalt scrubbed out from a raw, open, burning, bleeding wound...  



:-\



...it's not an experience worth experiencing.

only time I ride without gear, is up and down my alley or street after making adjustments or repairs just as a double check generally...and usually, it is not doing anything even remotely pushing anykind of limitations...

I think this is how CharlieF rides...

(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff27/charlieff/IMG_0683.jpg)

Would you jump out of a moving car at 35mph in shorts and a t-shirt?


Edit:  the fellow above might make me jump out of a moving vehicle.  ;D
 

Sorry, no boobies, no vote.  I have principles.  Weak, but principles none the less.

Though one of my strong principles is always wear full coverage gear.  One thing that amazes me is how many riders I see wearing decent kit...helmet, jacket, jeans, decent shoes...and NO gloves!!!   To me, gloves come right after helmet in order of importance.

and don't forget to wear boots!  I usually go out with everything on.  The only thing I might go without is armor pants...  gets too hot.

I always wear helmet, jacket with armor including back armor, gloves, kevlar jeans, and leg pads under the jeans.  I also wear either my Shift riding shoes (basically high top sneakers with a stiffer sole and some extra protection) or my alpinestars low cut riding boots (a little taller than high top sneakers but much better protection).  When I was younger 15 years ago I rode without all that stuff but I wouldn't ride 2 miles to get gas without it now.  When it's hot I wear my perforated jacket and as long as I am moving I am ok.  


Jim      

I probably wouldnt jump out of a moving car regardless, but if I did I would be geared up very well.  I'll speak on behalf of those that like to slap a brain bucket on and take a leisurely cruise.  
I was told once to dress for the fall.  Makes sense.  But according to my wife, I don't make much sense so I sometimes leave the padded jacket in the closet. LOL!  I'm one who likes the freedom of not being all geared up and feeling the wind rush all around me.  Its part of the thrill of being on a bike.  I'm well aware of the risks.  I don't drive like an ass hole so 99.9% of the time its the other drivers I have to be careful of.  The other .1% would be mechanical failure and a temporary lack of reason.

A fine Aussie fellow recently taught me that it is possible for experienced riders to know exactly which days they might have a freak accident and which days they will not so they can adjust the amount of gear accordingly. Also taught me that I'm a complete and utter moron who is not fit to ride a motorcycle because, due to my inability to see the future, I believe I should ear all of my gear all of the time.

sac

I live in a state that doesn't require helmets and i first started riding without one, I came here to the
forums and realized how stupid that really is and now wont go anywhere without it on, I have also recently
dropped a bunch of cash on a new jacket and leather pants, boots and gloves, and also a new helmet. I plan
on wearing them at all times.

No.  But I ride that fast every summer day in shorts a t-shirt and one of these (http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTGdoS9akUXjjt4EAk7muP-FRf6AHSpTW2Cmjyj5TE1iCPeyQsbg_DgzQ) and I always wonder how bad it would be if......  It makes me shudder.  But not enough to quit riding my bicycle.

the way i see it... i spent the money on it, it's just dumb to not wear it after that.

Good one ^^^ I have it all and I have not ever had to pick a scab.  But every once in a while I will still ride in shorts and t-shirt.   The rest of the time I wear boots gloves and jacket.  It is good everyone gets the point.   To me it is worth the thrill even just to the corner.

Same here, but when I think about it, since I've just messed something, it seems like a risky time for me to head out without gear... [laugh]

JM

If I leave the driveway, full gear goes on.   [moto]

I don't like to ride naked.
I got bumped by an idiot road raging family this afternoon while wearing my normal helmet, jacket, gloves combo.
I like the idea of boots and armored jeans slot now.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

I crashed once (on a track) at 80 miles an hour and literally walked away without a scratch thanks to full leathers, gloves, boots, etc.

It made me a convert and I always wear full gear now.

This is what I have.

Boots-
Sport boots (vented for summer)
Winter boots (waterproof)

Pants-
Icon Knee armor for when I wear jeans
Overpants with padding
Leather pants from 2 piece suit

Jackets-
Summer mesh textile armored (attach to Overpants)
Winter textile armored (attach to Overpants)
Leather jacket amored from 2 piece suit

Armor-
Hard shell back armor

Gloves
Armored leather
Armored rain
Winter textile (non armored)
Rain (non armored)

Helmets-
I have 3 right now

Reflective vest-
As per military requirements I have an ICON vest

SO, suffice to say I have NO excuse to ride naked
My last wreck, I walked away from due to wearing full leathers even after hitting a corner rail.

It's never to hot here in VT to crash.

Back in the day, helmet, shorts, tee shirt.

I survived that period of my life, now I'm on the next portion, and I plan to survive this as well.

I find it nearly impossible to ride without a helmet, the wind is way too noisy for me, and gloves because I find it hard to grip without them now. I have some what medium length hair, and I don't want my do getting messed up. If I'm going to hit the interstate for awhile then I put armor on. But helmet and gloves for me all the time, plus it looks cool. I would probably wear my armor more if I had a cooler jacket, pants etc.

The poll: helmet

Another reformed squid here. Was a shorts/t-shirt/Vans/no MSF guy when I first started, although I've always worn a helmet. Learned the error of my ways hanging out around this place.  Ended up not riding for a few years until I got my monster in July. Rode it around 2-3 times in jeans and a hoodie just due to impatience (no money for gear). Finally managed to get some nice gloves, a decent jacket and some knee/shin pads that fit under my jeans. First time I wore all the new gear, I highsided at about 25 mph. So glad I had the gear on, cause I landed directly on my left knee. All the gear held up perfectly, only damage was the bike and my ego. Signed up for the MSF 2 days later.

I'm still on the hunt for some boots. Wearing hiking boots now, as it's all I have, and can't afford anything else until I find a job.

As an old friend once said "leathers help keep the bones beneath the skin when they break". Enough said.

http://www.jafrum.com/Motorcycle-Boots/Mens-Motorcycle-Boots (http://www.jafrum.com/Motorcycle-Boots/Mens-Motorcycle-Boots)

bet these are cheaper and more protective than your hiking boots

i wear helmet, gloves, jacket, boots.  of course i've ridden in every combination of gear/lack of gear, but that's my norm. 

(http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/non-atgatt.jpg)

i would never ride in shorts, ever, period, even if the earth moved closer to the sun by 10%.

i also don't believe in ever omitting gloves - the first thing a person does when tripping is stick their hand out, palms open, to catch themselves. And that's at walking speed and you scuff up your hands. At 30mph, they won't look like hands anymore.

Me too that is the only time.

For me, riding without gear is distracting -- the couple of times I've done it, the idea that there was nothing but a t-shirt between me & the pavement was taking up way too much of my brain power for the riding part to be fun. Even short trips I'll ride fully-geared, head to toe.

Then again, I ride a bicycle in lycra and a helmet, and most of the routes around here include at least one 40-50 mph descent, and I've crashed a bunch. I think around 35 mph was the fastest I've fallen off a bicycle, but that was in heavy rain, so sliding along wasn't really as bad as some of my other, dry-pavement crashes.

How the hell did you get this picture of me and my main squeeze!   [clap]

now, I feel remiss if I didn't admit to boogeying around Cozumel on vacation with my sweety 2 up on a scooter in shorts and sandals and their required baseball batting helmet for head protection similar to the Honda 125 picture above (though I had a shirt on for sunburn protection, LOL)...was a cool way to explore the northern part of the island and see some resort that got washed out and killed by the hurricane a few years previous which some locals were using as a sailboarding launch area and surfbum loose living hangout....

I'll reiterate this point.

If I would have been my wearing gloves the evening I had The Deer Incident, I would have been much happier. Giant, deep scabs all over the tops of your hands are no fun.

I'm glad I had on the rest of my gear, as it was trashed and I was not. I shudder to think of what would have been if I had ridden without (not that I ever do) - based on my helmet alone I'm pretty sure I'd be worm food.

put it this way with gloves...if your hands aren't protected...how can you type on a web forum!?!?!

i'm surprised that not everyone puts on gloves all the time... for me, i've always thought it was a bit of gear you just get right away because it's the lowest cost of entry in terms of protection.  and with a good pair of summer shorty gloves, it's not a big issue to just toss them on even in hot weather.

the main reason i see behind being undergeared is cost most of the time... it's the major reason i can see people not getting armored up for.  good gear is expensive... and it's sometime hard to justify spending that much on it. however instant comfort for a possible lifetime of pain just never seemed to be a good equation for me when thinking about not gearing up.

on a side note... i wish they would just do away with the level 1 ce rating.  it seems to be pretty easy to hit ce lvl 2 now, and if they tightened up the standard to lvl 2 as a baseline, they can then force the industry to focus on even better armor... and also making all base armor stronger.

I just noticed there was a kid between that couple!!!


"the main reason i see behind being undergeared is cost most of the time... it's the major reason i can see people not getting armored up for.  good gear is expensive... and it's sometime hard to justify spending that much on it. however instant comfort for a possible lifetime of pain just never seemed to be a good equation for me when thinking about not gearing up."

There are amazingly good deals out there if one just looks around.  You dont have to go high-end to get at least moderate protection.  My Fieldsheer leather outfit cost me about $250 total, jacket and pants from separate sources, both on clearance.  Later I bought my Alpinestars one piece, used good as new, off Craigslist for $250.

The only time i dont ride with full gear is when i go half a mile away to the club house for a swim. I always have my helmet and gloves on though. Other than that, its full gear all the time.

Gear saves you from killing yourself.  Nothing will keep others from trying to kill you.

except loud pipes right?  cuz loud pipes saves lives, right guys?  haha

helmet (required), gloves always, boots always, jeans or better always.  I have on occasion worn my casual dickies jacket (like to go vote, literally around the corner) but other wise it's armored mesh or better.

That's all assuming I'm not leaving my cul-de-sac.  As said above, I've been known take a lap around my street just in garage clothes to check something, but even then I wear work gloves.

Yup.

I got this jacket from Cyclegear on sale for $79, It was $140-ish. They're on sale for $49 now. I highsided in it at 25 mph, we both came out unscathed. It was quite a bit more comfy than the few A*'s jackets I tried on, w/ just as much protection.

(http://www.cyclegear.com/images/streetapparel/mb_airspeed4_red_MD.jpg)


Got this $160 Z1R helmet on sale last week for $89. 2 day shipping from UT to TN was only $10.

(http://www.procycledepot.com/uimages/p_images/z1r/z1r_venom_sabre_helmet_firecracker.jpg)

I did splurge on a set of Rev'it gloves, but they were still only $110. More than worth it for the quality you get. They're better built and more comfortable than the Dainese gloves they replaced.

 

The majority of motorcycle accidents are at intersections and one finds the majority of intersections in town.  Amusing how the rationale to ditch gear occurs in the highest accident risk environment.

i think that's what you call being in denial.  

Buy a good helmet before you spend 500 on a jacket, 200 on gloves, 250 on boots, etc.


and bright ass HIDs

aside from the MSF course (before i owned gear), i have never ridden without full gear - helmet, gloves, boots, textile jacket/pants with full body armor.  it's a drag to wear all that sometimes (if it's hot or you have to go the dr's office or something), but the pros far outweigh the cons in my mind.  plus it's cool to look like mad max.

Bashed the road bad. In full gear. Still managed to smash my shoulder bad. Ive been off the road now for almost 4 months with surgery, bone grafts, plates and screws. It scares the bejesus out of me to think where I would be if I didn't have the gear on. My guess. Dead or wishing I was. I'll take hot and sweaty over dead 8 days a week.

just remember 1 key element...gear is good...

gear that fits properly so it works as it is designed to is much better!...I have seen guys get tossed and rashed because the armor rolled out of place and the gear didn't work as it was suppoed to due to ill fit...so make sure the gear you buy fits properly so it is effective in the event you ever need it for what it was designed!!!

During college (when I was 11ft tall and bulletproof), I'd ride my old Magna with only a helmet - regardless of where I was going.  I'd be on the highway going 85mph in cargo shorts, a t-shirt, Asics sneakers, no gloves, and an old Fulmer.  If it was cold, I'd wear pants and a jacket.  Never from a protection standpoint, just comfort.

During this timeframe, I never went down - sheer dumb luck.  I also experimented with riding helmetless exactly once... I located a half-mile stretch of country road with no intersections or driveways, put my helmet on my sissy bar, and rode down the road just to try it out.  I'll admit it was enticing - if you can get past the noise, you feel like you're flying.  You have all your peripheral vision, nothing weighs your neck down... it's pleasant. I really understand the appeal.

Then I turned around, headed back to my starting point on the same half-mile stretch, and took a Junebug off my forehead at 35mph.  AGATT since then. 

I've had a couple low-speed get-offs that could have resulted in some really unpleasant road rash, but gloves and jackets took the hits instead.  One particular low-side bounced my melon off the pavement pretty solidly, and my Scorpion EXO-400 ate it right up.  Having survived probably 8 BMX and skateboard related concussions as a kid, I'm certain the lid saved me from another one.  And all these happened on short hops around town or quick errands.

Gear up.

Sometimes just gloves...especially during the summer. 

I beg to differ. 60km/h skateboard stack. Had to brake with my hand.

Still looks like a hand.

(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b157/howleylongboards/Image098.jpg)

 :-X :-X :-X :-X [puke] [puke]......  [popcorn]

If you look real closely, that hand is screaming, "make the beast with two backs YOU, YOU MOTHER make the beast with two backsING ASSHOLE! GIVE ME SOME GLOVES!!!"
 [thumbsup] ;D

But, to the original question:
My old man always made me wear a helmet, pants, long sleeves, leather gloves and boots when I was riding dirtbikes.  Saved my hide and head too many times to count.

When I went out and bought a bike against his desires, he bought a helmet, gloves, a two piece suit, and a pair of boots for my birthday.  Those items have saved my hide and head twice.

I will always, at a minimum, wear a helmet, gloves, and a riding jacket.  I would be wearing boots all the time as well, but I left the make the beast with two backsers back home this christmas... need new ones anyways, I've walked the heels off of em.

you got lucky man, i took a fall running on some asphalt and my hand ended up about the same

It looks like a hand, but I bet you didn't use it to jerk off for awhile.  :D

Hopefully he's a lefty

I love gear, in the summer i might not wear the pants as much but its so worth having it all on.
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/rhufner/039.jpg)
Wife taking a pic of me all geared up a few weeks ago

i do that alot. JUst remember not to go to fast.

doesn't help if its another driver that causes your 'off'.

After moving to Texas I experience truly hot weather riding for the first time in years.  The heat last for about 6 months.  So I got mess gear.  Wearing it on the bike feels like riding in fishnet nightie.  Makes me feel too sexy. 


Sitting for a light with my mesh gear on is hot.  I sweat, but upon taking off that sweat quickly evaporates in the wind giving me a cool rush.  What a sexy feeling

I'm too sexy for the road. Too sexy for my bike.  Too sexy. 

Now, can you say that about riding in shorts and sneakers?


Boots are a problem.  Got a pair of breathable boots too but they still feel hot.  I'll live with it. 

Oh yeah, and if that's not sexy enough, try riding el-natural under your mesh gear.  I'm just too damn sexy.

Agreed - very similar to west TN riding, but the humidity is higher, while the temperature is lower. One thing I learned on the way to learning other things was that riding with a mesh jacket is actually cooler than riding without a jacket on at all: Without the jacket, your skin sits in the sun roasting even more, while the mesh jacket acts like a bit of shade - and while your "shade" warms up as it soaks up the suns rays, it is quickly cooled back down with the rush of air flowing in once you begin moving.

 [laugh] Nice!  [thumbsup]

Take your boots to a shoe repair shop and have them punch a row of holes on one or both sides.  I punched six 1/4 inch holes in both sides of mine and it made a "Big" difference on hot days.  It makes them real breathable boots.  Of course they remain hot dry weather boots. 

That's a good point, but I wonder how many people push their riding more out in the country than they do around town?  Again, you're right, but pointing out the thought process.

while they might push it, its further away from other traffic, concrete obstacles in the run-off, potholes, cell phones, teenagers, unsupervised children and elderly, etc, and they are concentrating on riding rather than the things they are out on an errand for.

One could also make the point that in town you are driving at a much higher awarness to things going on around you.   As much as riding an obsticle course compared to a cruise in the country.  Whether you are on an errand or not.

   All I can say, drop a bike on asphalt or gravel, at any decent velocity and spend the next month or two as "The Sausage Creature", and if You have a brain You will wear gear. Been there, done that. Even jeans and a heavy shirt will not save Your Flesh, And yes even a "short run to the store" counts, Ask some People Who have been there!!!!     Some Scars arn't braggin rights, it's stupid no matter the comfort level...

All the points above are well recognized. The words stupid, ignorant, brainless and
especially "sausage creature" are all good ones to remember.  I would like to throw in a
thought about risk management and the feeling of being invulnerable.  Allowing your
subconscious to push it a little to much because you are in armor.  Tactical officers have to
fight it all the time while wearing armor and it is a subject that gets major attention in all parts of life. It is in life, business, god and country.  If the risk is lowered that corner speed is pressed a little to far or your attention to your riding environment goes south.  Take the risk out of business and that is the reason we are in a crap load of trouble.   Subconscious is the main buzz word.  Risk assessment percentages are hard to figure even with super computers and anytime you throw in the word subconscious everything goes out the window.  I do not think Edwards and Hayden would push it at all if they were ridding naked.  All though Rossi might!

So whether you are armored up or you just through on your jacket..........Ride Naked!

Good dad  [thumbsup]