Rolling Thunder observations (gear related)

[Slide Panda]

I've lived in and around DC for a number of years.  Each memorial day weekend is marked by the Rolling Thunder Event where thousands of bikes gather for a parade to mark memorial day.  It's open to all, but the vast majority is the  HD/American custom set. 

So as is the norm with that set, there's the typical dress and (lack of) gear.  But I've noticed something in the last year or so - especially this year. 

I'm seeing a lot more people opting for 3/4 helmets or even full face over the 1/2 or 'skid lid' helmets.  Also I've noticed more people wearing something more protective than a leather vest, or an un armoured jacket.  I'm seeing more armour, textile or mes jackets, just more protection in general.

If course there are folks with nothing more that jeans a wife beater and a skid lid..

But I found the termm to more gear interesting.  Anyone got thoughts on why or just similar observations?

[Speedbag]

I personally think a lot of it might be because there are more choices for gear out there these days.

And a lot of it is pretty cool looking also.

[Johnny OrganDonor]

I'd bet that a lot of them are relatively new to biking and probabaly took a MSF course along with buying their Harley mid-life-crisis-glide.  Most of the people that can afford Harleys now have jobs and families and are a far cry the hard corps bikers of the '60's & '70's.  They may try to dress like them in trademarked costumes but they also want to be responsible outlaws.

[JohnnyDucati]

http://ducatimonsterworldwide.org/index.php?topic=2687.0

It will be a good thing when our HD brothers get serious on the safety issue.   

[Speedbag]

I'd bet that a lot of them are relatively new to biking and probabaly took a MSF course......

Very likely also. 

Most H-D/cruiser newbies that I have encountered seem to know little about the MSF courses. But many of these have been riding for years also, and haven't jumped onto the bandwagon recently just cuz it's trendy.

[Bun-bun]

My father-in-law bought his first bike last year, a H/D Sportster 1200.




He's 76.

[Duc Stamp]

Yuu must be seeing different people this year than I did.  The majority I saw this year were leather vest with jeans, not even a shirt under the vest most of the time.

I'm glad that others are seeing more gear though.

[FatguyRacer]

Yuu must be seeing different people this year than I did.  The majority I saw this year were leather vest with jeans, not even a shirt under the vest most of the time.

I'm glad that others are seeing more gear though.

+1

I echo this too. I was at a bicycle race early Sunday morning at RFK and saw many riders. One group stopped en-masse in Lot 4 were we all were parked and not too many good gear choices amongst them.

What I am noticing is alot more female riders. That's always a good thing.

[Slide Panda]

I might have just been seeing more that my share of the minority population... or maybe I just notice it more now than previously. 

Yeah there were *plenty* of people out there with nothing more protective than the skid lid and wife beater combo - to be sure. 

An estimated 350,000 motorcyclist came to the area (not sure if they count 2-up as 2 in that count) so there's going to be aaaallllll types.

Everything to go off w/o a hitch (as it usually does) save to the big dresser bikes only managing to fit 2 bikes to a spot in the restaurant areas vs the locals 4-5 bikes...

[Johnny OrganDonor]

That would've been cool to see. 

A parade is the single area of motorcycle performance where Harleys out do all others.   

[FatguyRacer]

350000?

No kiddiing. I never saw more than about 100 bikes the whole day.

[Slide Panda]

Thats what the news said... You must have been in the wrong spots then.  Coming into DC Saturday afternoon had to wriggle though a column that was probably over 100 and then on the way out a dusk there were several hundred parked along Constitution between 18th and 23rd down by the memorials.

350,000 probably counted the 2-up as 2 for the purpose of that count, and there were a lot of 2-ups.  Even if you halve that number and shave off for optimistic accounting thats still 10s of thousands of bike that came to the area.

I've seen the column in full swing on memorial day morning and I'd believe it'd push 100K bikes.

[FatguyRacer]

I guess I did. I came to RFK at 7 am. My race was at 9:30am. I came in 295 S. to E. Capitol Street to Lot 4. I stayed until 2:30 pm. Took the revserse way home. I never hit any backups or bike related traffic holdups coming or going. I heard bikes, while sitting in my chair watch others race, but not to the tune of hundreds of thousands. Maybe a couple hundred at the most.

I guess I got lucky.

There was more traffic in my own neighborhood yesterday as I live 1/4 mile from the Crownsville Maryland Veterans Cemetary.