Triumphrat

saphena

When I'm considering what to wear on the bike, aside from air temperature variations, I'm looking chiefly at two considerations: waterproofing and abrasion resistance. Waterproofing because I live in England and it's going to rain isn't it.

Abrasion resistance because as I see it there is a non-zero probability that sooner or later I'll have an "off" and when I do there are four possible outcomes: 1) instant death, 2) broken bones, 3) road rash or 4) walk away unscathed.

There's no point fretting about (1) and (4).

(2) can be mitigated by the use of armoured this, that, and the other but ultimately if you hit a solid object hard enough or at the "right" angle, bones will get broken.

Road rash then. So I make a point of wearing gear that will take at least some of the heat out of a slide - the gear can be replaced whereas I'm quite fond of my own skin.

Why do you wear what you wear on the bike? or perhaps you just ride in whatever you happened to have on at the time?

__________________
Bob - not dead yet
Switch to reserve ~130 miles, fuel panic ~170

tiny elvis

full face helmet
armored gloves
armored leather jacket
armored boots
jeans or textile abrasion resistant pants with armor

I just got the pants and will them for longer rides and commuting.

i used to race bicycles and have been involved in more than one crash at about 25-35mph. the road rash was far worse than the cracked ribs and other minor impact injuries because it covered such large areas i could never get comfortable and i was constantly seeping through the bandages and sticking to my pants/shirts and the bed sheets.

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07 thruxton, red+white, airbox removed, ai plugged, predators, fender removed

Gob-ny-geay

Full-Face Helmet - Z1R Solid Strike
Triumph summer mesh amoured gloves or Komodo winter armoured gloves
Belstaff Zodiac Jacket with back, shoulder and elbow armour
Jeans (Looking for some decent armoured pants this season - Triumph pants surpisingly are reasonably priced!
Red Wing Steel toed logger boots

Why all this stuff? If I was seriously injured, my wife and kids (and now grandkids!!) might suffer from me being out of work - yes I have Medical Insurance, but common sense tells me working is better than sitting in hospital.
My career may suffer from my being absent.
I don't wish to be disfigured by a facial / jaw injury, road rash, etc. The missus wouldn't like it either.
I especially do not wish to be paralysed by a spinal injury.
Traveling at over 10-15 MPH on an open, unprotected vehicle without any protection just doesn't make any sense to me. Others of course can choose as they wish, and that's ok, but I can't see the reasoning for not wearing gear. I played football (American style) and Ice Hockey as a kid and young adult, and learned to respect the gear for protection. Motorcycling is MUCH more dangerous in the case of an accidental collision or loss of control. YOU may be the best rider in the universe, unfortunately there are some pretty bad drivers (and riders) out there.
Enough with the preaching - that's what I wear, and why.

__________________
Bob

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem".

alii1959

I quit riding naked......took too long to sign autographs.

alii1959

Seriously, without full gear I eliminate all hopes that injury will be avoided. I am allergic to asphalt, cars, rocks, etc. I would much rather walk away in frustration than ride away in an ambulance. There is a reason that almost all BMW riders gear up. They recognize the danger. Me too. Check out Pashnit.com, along with this esteemed website, they strongly advise gearing up.

HiDesert

Excellent summary of the logic, saphena. My primary edit would be to point out that the more well-made, well-chosen gear you wear, the more accidents will fall into category 4, my getoff last April being a prime example. My gear took me from category 2&3 to category 4. ATGATT. To me, riding in whatever I have on at the time means living in Draggin' jeans and walkable motorcycle boots. Then all I have to do is put on the jacket, pull on gloves and a helmet, and I"m off.

I used to see a lot of value in steel toed boots, but I've come to realize that I don't know anyone who's lost a toe to a motorcycle accident. I do know people who have hurt their ankles. So I'm now a lot more concerned with seeing some armor at the ankle than with steel toes.

alli1959, I love the line about walking away in frustration rather than riding away in an ambulance. I've never heard it before, but that's another great summary of why to be ATGATT.

__________________
We are young, wandering the face of the earth
Wondering what our dreams might be worth
Learning that we're only immortal for a limited time.

alii1959

I found it on a poster sight. I used it as my background on my laptop. I'll try to put a small version up soon.

alii1959

Here it is

Attached Images

gear2.jpg (11.3 KB, 273 views)

alii1959

You can resize that I suppose.....arrrgh.

Old Scratcher

I wear Dragin jeans & jacket (Summerlite) with CV armour for most of the year. But in the Summer I wear a Collins armoured mesh jacket. Because our wettest weather is also in the Summer, I have a one-piece rainsuit (I forget the brand) which I wear underneath the mesh jacket. & I have a leather jacket which I can only wear in the coldest months of Winter (Jun/July)
I've also got two pair of bike boots (Sidi & Falco) two pair of gloves (Collins & Brawlers) & three full-face helmets (Showei, Arai & ARC)

__________________
"They told me I was goin to have to work for my living, & all I wanna do is ride." Jackson Browne (the Road & The Sky)