Do you always wear gear? I don't and don't get the fuss it causes

[SDRider]

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?

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.  

[Bishamon]

my big compromise is pants.

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.

[Raux]

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

[Privateer]

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.

[Mike_D]

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

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.  

[Raux]

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

[krolik]

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

[SpikeC]

 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.

[Greg]

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

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

[kopfjäger]

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.  

Exactly, to each his own. 

[kopfjäger]

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

What are you gonna do?

[Skybarney]

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.

[Raux]

What are you gonna do?

probably laugh at myself

[Triple J]

Just don't come crying to me or hit my insurance premiums when you are in a trauma center instead of just going home.........

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

[J5]

sunny UK?  is there such a place? 

not really but there has been a heatwave recently

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

30 degrees and 20% humidity , damn perfect weather