Ducati Monster Forum

Over here in the sunny UK the only law we have covering Gear is that we must wear a helmet.
We can ride naked legally as long as you wear a helmet.

I commute sometimes and if its warm I just ride in jeans and a t shirt.

I get so much abuse from fellow Motorcycle and scooter commuters telling me i'm and idiot etc.

Thing is I barely hit 30 mph when commuting.

The same speed that Cyclists on fancy race bicycles do.

AND THEY DO IT WEARING LYCRA!!!!!!!!!!!.
anyone see my point?

I do see your point.

Have you seen the road rash a bicyclist gets from an off at 30mph?

It's your choice. [thumbsup]

Although change is in the air, the law regarding riding gear in my part of the planet is pretty much the same as yours (for now).

But none of that matters to me coz I always... always... wear all my gear each and every time I ride.  

So no I don't see your point.  And you may only see my point if you go for a 30pmh scoot down the road on your arse.  

And so I hope you never do see my point, if you see my point  ;)

sunny UK?  is there such a place? 

bicyclist do the lycra for aero and chaffing and lightness, it's a purely functional gear FOR RIDING... not crashing
and when they crash ...ewww

Men in lycra -  [puke]

Usually at the very least I'll be in one of my armored jackets, jeans, and boots.  I know the jeans won't hold up in a crash, but when I'm doing that, I'm going a very short distance and lower speeds.

JM

Tell you what, find yourself a nice empty parking lot, put a coke can on the asphalt, stand about 20 yards away, now sprint as fast as you can towards that coke can and slide headfirst into second base.
Now that was probably only 10mph, now imagine 3x that speed.

At least go grab yourself a mesh jacket, anything is better than a t-shirt

Just in case you don't know what stealing second base is all about
Billy Hamilton Steals Bases (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck0cq1Rqip0#)

Seriously though, when I crashed racing with full gear at tracks and walked away unhurt; I thought about what the outcome would be with no gear. Sure the speed on the track was faster, but there were no trucks, cars, poles, fences, street signs, gutters, trees, etc which is all the more reason to wear gear.
When motorcyclists ask me why gear is important, I say come to my shed, I'll get the angle grinder and show you!

I used to ride with open face helmet, jeans, boots, rigger gloves and t-shirt. Now it's all the gear all the time, minimum kevlar jeans, always shin/knee armour, always back protector, always heavy boots or moto boots, always gloves and armoured jacket. I wear a lightweight vented jacket in summer and it hit 50°C a few years ago (glue melted out of the helmet vents).

It's up to you of course, but there's too many dickheads in cars trying to kill me and I cant afford to be off work injured.

Ouch...Excellent analogy.

I do see part of the OP's point though...take and accept whatever risk you are personally comfy with and as far as others go, MYOFB. Me personally I wear full face helmet, armored jacket, and 50% of the time I'll have gloves. I don't need to be told I'm some kind of idiot for making this choice as I've considered the risk and am comfortable with it. I certainly don't agree with the; "only" 30mph comment....that isn't a proper way of considering the risk you are taking.

my big compromise is pants.
sometimes i wear just jeans, other times jeans with icon knee armor, other times jeans with moto pants over, other times full leathers

I'm guilty of wearing jeans quite a lot of the time actually. 

I always wear motorcycle boots, helmet (full-face), jacket (leather usually but sometimes mesh) and gloves (sometimes shorties) though.

after living in Oklahoma City for a month. what I wear is like a space suit compared to some of these people

tank tops, shorts and sneakers with no gloves no helmet just a nasty thought of what that would look like after

If im going for a proper ride I always  wear gear.

I've been for a wee slide along the road on my back at 20 ish mph before . not just wearing a tshirt tho.

I googled tour injuries  ooooft.

Those guys view it as an occupational hazard. They expect it to happen  that's why they shave their legs ;D


so in retrospect if its a choice between wearing gear or shaving my legs..........GEAR.

this summer has been the hottest for 37 years.

I don't like it cos I have to work in it I have T shirt Tan

It is not practical to wear protective clothing on a bicycle.  You are the engine so you need to be able to get that air over your skin to cool you.  Yeah, it is ugly when cyclists go down but most of the crashes I've seen in cycling happen at speeds of 15mph and under.  Your average rider isn't capable of the speeds the professionals riding in the Tour Day France are capable of.  I used to commute on my road bike and it was all I could do to average 17mph over my commute and that was a fast ride-I was really pushing (my commute, at the time, was fairly hilly though).

That said, I've hit 48mph on my road bike going downhill.   ;D

Same here.  When commuting to work I just wear dress pants, and I frequently just wear normal jeans when riding.  I would like to get some armoured jeans, but I haven't come up with a work solution that wouldn't involve me changing pants when I arrive.

i'm going to look at those kevlar khakis with removable knee armor

seems like yanking out the knee armor at work and putting them in a locker with my boots would be easy

I figure, people wouldn't say anything if they didn't give a shit about you.  The only reason they say something is because they care.

I've crashed enough on a bicycle to know what getting road rash scrubbed with a bristle brush feels like.  It was worse than the crash, I can attest.

Same with me.  I'll wear jeans for my 7-mile commute and change at work into my suit, but always wear my Scorpion jacket, even when its hot, as well as gloves, full-face helmet, and boots.  On longer rides, half the time I wear my leather pants and the other half jeans, especially if it's going to be a hot day.  Probably tempting fate, but I too am looking at a good  armored jean/khaki alternative.  

I've had many a Harley dude wearing a cereal bowl helmet, shorts and a T-shirt shake their head at me sitting at a stop light in full gear when it's 90+ degrees.  I just give them the "to each his own" shrug and go about my business.  

yeah i'm lookign forward to the first time i roll up on the Monster with my mesh armored jacket gloves full helmet boots and jeans in HD country that is Oklahoma

As always, it comes down to how much risk you are willing to accept when riding.

 When I was working I would wear a 2 piece Aerostich suit. It goes on and off in 10 or 15 seconds and nice cloths stay nice under it. It has enough vents to stay comfy in hot weather, and is good in cold and rain.

Jeans is where I often fall short of full gear as well.

Exactly, to each his own.  ;)

What are you gonna do?

Don't wanna wear gear it is your choice.  Just don't come crying to me or hit my insurance premiums when you are in a trauma center instead of just going home.........

ATTGAT  NAZI  so don't bother responding unless you have a picture of you riding full gear.

probably laugh at myself

Keep in mind...that's what people in cages say about all motorcyclists.

not really but there has been a heatwave recently

they got to 30 degrees C for several days  [laugh]
 
many heat stroke cases , people getting dizzy

30 degrees and 20% humidity , damn perfect weather

Except on the 5th day at Old Trafford where its a sultry 17°C and 70% chance of game ending rain  >:(

I always wear at least a helmet, jacket (mesh or leather) and gloves.

Because physics.

We all have reasons for what we do.  I am a bicyclist as well as a motorcyclist, so I have some perspective one the gear for each sport.  On a serious bike ride, I wear a helmet and lycra shorts and a jersey.  The helmet is for safety, the lycra lets me work hard, without chafing or marinating in my own sweat.  When I am riding in bad weather, I also wear a bright yellow raincoat.  For non-serious rides, I always wear a helmet.  Cranial trauma is no joke.
   For motorcycle rides, even just across town to the bookstore, I always wear all the gear, helmet, jacket, gloves, riding pants and boots that cover my ankles.  There are several reasons.  Number one, I'm not a headstrong child anymore, I can temper my desire for the wind in my hair with the knowledge that the gear will protect me from a whole lot of damage.  I can learn from the mistakes of others,  I have seen pictures of road rash, I have listened to descriptions of how getting a skin graft feels, and I have met a woman whose head was mostly put back together after a serious moto wreck.  My looks aren't great, but they sure wouldn't be improved by having a skull that was shattered and put back together with metal plates and bailing twine.
The second reason is mindset, the time it takes me to gear up is a kind of ritual that helps me put my daily concerns away, and concentrate on the road, traffic and the bike.  The last reason is obligations.  I've got a brand new wife that I love and want to come home to after every ride.  We've got two dogs, that would never understand why, if I never made it home.  I've got parents who need me to help take care of them, and a niece and a nephew that love me.  I've got a job that I couldn't do from a hospital bed or a morgue.  I've got a hang glider I still need to learn how to fly.  The bottom line is, getting hurt in a motorcycle accident would cost me money and time I don't have and keep me from doing what I need to do. [thumbsup]

I can identify with the "ritual" part.  For me, it slows me down and helps me remember that it takes equipment like this to keep my frail body from being crushed by idiots driving on the road and texting at 80mph.  That said, I commute 25 miles to work and if it's above 65F usually wear jeans (not a good plan).  My work has relatively relaxed dress requirements, so the kevlar/armored jeans/pants finally turned on the light in my head, maybe this works?  I'll have to check it out.

 [Dolph]

Today, coming off the beach, it was 47C where I parked the scooter. I was sweating at the thought of wearing my open face helmet.
No way in hell I would wear anything more to make the 800mt trip to home.
Rest of the "gear" was flip flops, shorts, and sleeveless t-shirt  ;D

I'd suggest Aerostitch Darien overpants. Wear any pants underneath you like...I've worn jeans of khakis without issue.

That's a sport I don't understand. How can you play for 5 days and have a draw?

Many a fascinating contest ends with no absolute conclusion. 

+11ty billion!

^^ This.

Everyone has to make the choice for themselves.

I used to ride in jeans with Icon "undershorts".  They looked like bicycle shorts but were abrasion resistant.

Rest of my gear?  Arai full-face, Dainese Hellracer gloves (gauntlets), Sidi full boots, Dainese back protector, and either my Dainese/Ducati perf'd leather jacked or my Alpinestars non-perf'd leather jacket.  Now I don't do just jeans anymore, I wear Icon Automag leather overpants.  Really convenient for commuting... I can wear jeans or shorts underneath, but have full leather + armor protection on the road.

Yeah, it gets warm to wear all this crap.  But I'd rather sweat than bleed.  If it's too hot to gear up, I take the cage with A/C.

Oh... one major reason for all the gear, including the back protector, is that I've had too many close calls with idiots in cars and pickups.  Both on my bike, and in my own car.  On the bike, physics rules... I'm gonna use the gear to mitigate my disadvantage as much as I can.  Maybe that's not as much an issue with drivers in the UK?

Anyway, to each his own... you'll figure out real quick why I wear all this crap the first time your skin kisses pavement at anything above stop-and-go traffic speed. ;)  Oh yeah... and I've crashed my mountain bike at a measly 12-15 mph... multiple times... not fun.  Would not care to repeat those experiences on asphalt with 500 lbs of motorcycle following me.

i decided a while back that if my ride was going to be too short to worry about protective gear......then i didnt need to risk myself or my bike for it...and i take my truck.

I've got a pair of Rev-it Axis over pants and they are pretty easy to put on but are a little tight and seem to restrict movement a little.  Plus, they get hot in the sun since they are black and they only have knee armor and it seems like there should be some hip armor or something.  All pretty bad excuses, since I'm pretty sure they would hold up better than the jeans I've been wearing.

This is almost a pointless conversation to have.  As others have said, it's a personal choice.  It's a risk you take.  In fact, it's a risk every time you ride a motorcycle due to it's inherent danger over a car.

I have ridden in the hot summer months on both the East Coast and West Coast of the USA.  The East Cost (NJ specifically) gets to over 100F with 100% humidity.  Yes it's hot in full gear, but you get used to it.  When you're moving, it's not that bad.

I never bother telling people what to wear when they ride.  I'll say it once when they first start learning to ride.  After that, it's their choice.

Where I do have a beef is the amount of people who have their girl or even their kid on the back with zero gear, not even a helmet. Putting your own skin at risk is one thing but that's fked up IMO.

^^ I concur.

Before we were married, I'd take my wife for short rides.  I gave her the gear I only had one of, like the back protector.  I sure as he!! was not going to be standing there explaining to her father why I was wearing more gear than she was.  Now she has full gear, so it's not an issue anymore.

Hehe  ;D

(http://assets.amuniversal.com/c5190b70bccc0130e618001dd8b71c47?width=900)

Agree with most of the posts. If you don't want to wear gear, that's your choice. Usually a choice made by people who haven't watched the pavement slide across their face shield at 60mph.  I have, so I choose gear. All the time.

30 mph? That's considering its just you involved.
Say you hit an oncoming car who is going 40 mph. The force of the impact becomes much greater thus implying a greater degree of injury. Statistically riders are around cars more often than alone, yes?
But we weigh the risks of our choices and proceed from there. Some choices are good, some are bad. I'd say wear whatever you want. If the risks involved with riding are that much of a concern then turn in you keys. However some squid being a d-bag in a tank top crashing uses my tax dollars because he wants to wheelie on the freeway while unprotected. But I support the freedom of choice so I'm at a loss....

I've seen a guy on a gold wing dump it after slowing to under 25. No gear whatsoever (Arizona) and his palms looked like he had run them over a cheese grater.

Yeah, not thanks. ATGATT here. I commute almost 150 miles a day.

I can't help but ask if any of the rider friends I know are on a ride with me and aren't wearing why they are not wearing helmet.  I think I need to stop that.  It's their own fault in the end.

We were riding xr-10 at a mini kart race track and dude I know wiped and was finally convinced that he needs to invest in a decent gloves and not the garage gloves.  And they laugh at me for having custom full gloves from helimot.

 Hands are overrated, just ask Captain Hook!

But you could get one of these afterwards and be better than new!

http://www.businessinsider.com/prosthetic-bionic-hand-2013-3 (http://www.businessinsider.com/prosthetic-bionic-hand-2013-3)

 Wholly molly!!

And it's made from CF with a Senna color combo!


You know my generation of grand kids (I'm 36) are gonna be getting that shit on purpose.
"All the other kids at school have bionic upgrades! Why can't I get one?!"

...wait, what's the thread about again...?

Remember, it only takes one crash. Now if you feel lucky and are confident that the first time you lay it down you'll be able to walk away, then by all means go for it. Ive wrecked, layed it down and hit a park car on my bicycle. I can't imagine not wearing. I hit my head in both 1st and last cases. Because I took my eyes off my path for a split second. Was going about 20mph on my bicycle when I hit a parked car. Broke 4 ribs and got a concussion. Cracked my helmet. Who knows, without the helmet I might be in a hospital for the rest of my life. I say don't do it ever. Just not worth it.

  I now always wear gear. I'm getting older (42 ha-ha) I don't heal as quickly, old injuries are starting to bug me. I know that if I go down, I'm not getting up and walking away like I'm sure I would have in my 20's.
  I finally bought a good pair of Dainese Kevlar jeans with the built-in knee pads. Like others wrote, I would mostly wear regular jeans and a riding jacket. Now with the riding jeans, I'm always in full gear.

As far as gear goes I always go with full synthetic. And sometimes I will gamble by using Mobil 1.

I have to admit that sometimes I ride in Jeans as well. but I always wear helmet, jacket, gloves and boots. Most of the time I wear that Vanson leather Jacket with the armoor built in. But some times I wear my old flight jacket or the cordura with wimpy padding. I would like to get a Stich one of these days.

Actually Ive been really improving my odds the last couple of years since I haven't been riding much at all due to all the straight roads around here and being busy and such.

I wear more gear now than I ever have. Glad I do.

HOWEVER, I agree that doing so should be your choice, not a matter for legislators. There are way too many freedoms being eroded, and one of the biggest ways it's done, is under the guise of protecting people.

GK

My favorite is seeing the guys in SD on sport bikes in tennis shoes, basketball shorts, tank top, and protective leather padded vest.
yeah, THATS the part of you body most likely to get hurt

My sacrifice is as with a lot of riders the kevlar jeans, I have to wear my jeans.  Full armour leather J even in heat, boots, gloves and a full Shoei.  But lately I have been noticing my knobby knees are the only things sticking out at whatever I might hit.  I rode around the block the other day in shorts so I could listen to the bike without earplugs (good thing to do once in awhile) and I was so paranoid I ended up doing 20 mph back.  I am looking at knee armour as soon as I get done with this thread.  Thanks for the reminder. 

I am an ATTGAT snob.  While I may talk to you if you are wearing jeans there are several dis-qualifiers that will result in nothing but a stone dead glance and ignore.

1. No Boots
2. No Gloves
3. Half Helmet
4. GF on the back with no gear.
5. And while this is not gear related it gets the same treatment.  Monster Energy Drink stickers......

Jorts and tevas. I tape up my shifter toe.

I grew up riding dirt not even owning a helmet. Came back to the sport an ATGATT convert. Now I'm MOTTGMOTT (most of the gear, most of the time).

^^ This.

I made damn sure my wife-to-be was covered head-to-toe and was wearing more gear than I was, even before we knew if she'd like riding.  She even got my back protector.  I was NOT going to have a wreck, and be left explaining to her father why I was in more gear than she was.

Once we knew she liked riding, which was about the same time we got engaged, we made some major gear purchases for her.  Her own jacket (instead of one of mine), her own helmet (as opposed to my sister's), her own boots, gloves, et cetera.  Actually, I think my wife's jacket is nicer than either of mine.  ;)