Author Topic: Does Safety Go Out The Window With You?? (Read 11995 times)

jbrough7 · « **on:** June 05, 2006, 09:57:17 AM »

With the advent of the warmer weather, it's strange how quickly I forget the jacket and the gloves and leather pants and just wear a T-shirt and jeans. It's so comfortable! Gotta get back to wearing the real thing, though.

What do you do?

Desolation Angel · « **Reply #1 on:** June 05, 2006, 10:08:18 AM »

I normally wear a pair of black jeans, a sport shirt, hard toe shoes, and my fingerless leather gloves with gel inserts and a standard coverage helmet. In cool weather I do wear a leather jacket and leather gauntlets and Dingo boots.

Yesterday I made about a three and 1/2 hour tour and cheated by wearing denim shorts.

I would like to wear safer gear, but I sweat like a pig and if I have to do that, well, I'd rather sell the bike and stay home.

interfuse · « **Reply #2 on:** June 05, 2006, 10:32:20 AM »

I got a wicked sun burn yesterday after going out in a t-shirt with gauntlet gloves... you can image how stupid that tan is going to look. Back to the textile jacket for me!

Sven · « **Reply #3 on:** June 05, 2006, 11:26:28 AM »

I'll be switching to the fingerless gloves for the summer soon, although to be honest, they aren't really all that much cooler than the mesh gloves! Once in a while, I'll just wear a t-shirt instead of a jacket, especially for a short hop to the store and back. I *never* wear shorts on the bike. Not just for safety, I just don't have the urge to do so.

Swamp Rat · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2006, 11:39:18 AM »

Helmet and gloves are the only safety related items worn in the summer. There isn't a man or woman alive that could take stop & go traffic down here, in the summer, with full riding leathers on. Maybe if I had one of those NASCAR cold suits I could but not otherwise. Do you think the bandit makes enough juice for one of those?

I've never worn shorts while riding but I'm not above it either. I did wear tennis shoes once and I almost felt guilty about it.

WabashMX5 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2006, 11:47:42 AM »

For very short buzz-around-town stuff, I'll VERY SELDOMLY go without a jacket. Now that I know of NewEnough, I'll probably just get a textile convertible jacket (mesh with removable windbreak lining and armor), and therefore NEVER go without.

Furthermore, the only time I'll without my steel-toe boots and heavy jeans is on the rare occasions I commute to work by bike.

Twelve years ago this month, as a dumb kid right out of high school, I roadrashed my first bike. I got off very lucky, but still have three roadrash scars to keep me humble and remind me of what can happen. I don't care to repeat the experience.

Seanybiker · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2006, 11:53:03 AM »

Safety is always paramount for me, even on the way home from the pub. but seriously. the last few days here have been lovely. I wore a tshirt a few days ago and felt so unsafe without my jacket that I turned around and got the jacket. Now I'm after loosing about 5 stone in sweat lol.

txbanditrydr · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2006, 11:53:59 AM »

Well for me it's mesh jacket, helmet, gloves and boots ALWAYS.... I'll wear jeans during the week when riding to work. For "longer" weekend rides I'll use mesh armored riding pants instead of jeans.

The other night I wanted to warm up the chain after a good cleaning and went in tennis shoes and a t-shirt (long pants though) and I didn't feel comfortable at all - won't be doing that anymore.

jbrough7 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2006, 11:55:07 AM »

Quote from: Sven

I'll be switching to the fingerless gloves for the summer soon, although to be honest, they aren't really all that much cooler than the mesh gloves! Once in a while, I'll just wear a t-shirt instead of a jacket, especially for a short hop to the store and back. I *never* wear shorts on the bike. Not just for safety, I just don't have the urge to do so.

I'll wear a T but I just can't bring myself to wear shorts! Too scary.

IcyChaos · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2006, 01:24:27 PM »

Its hard to wear gear in warm weather. I planned out my gear this year, and I went along with some gear.

Textile Suzuki 06 season jacket.
Phoenix 2.0 Mesh pants (I wear shorts under)
Frank thomas Kangaroo gloves
Setup Vision Boots
Scorpion exo700 helmet.

I find having mesh pants help more with keeping me cool than anything else. I sacrificed some protection for weather, but Im not going down to teeshirt riding anymore. at least al my gear is padded CE, where it counts.

Tundrahog · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2006, 01:34:31 PM »

Normal riding gear--textile jacket, gloves, jeans and Oxtar boots. I get uncomfortable if I wear any less. I rode once in shorts, the wind inflated them, and I couldn't get past the feeling that the oncoming traffic was getting a show. Fortunately, I wasn't going "commando" that day.

I'll probably be in the market for a mesh jacket this summer.

its840 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2006, 01:34:56 PM »

i wear a t-shirt and shorts everyday but then agian im riding to work or home from work but i always wear my helmet. yesterday what the first time i rode with outa helmet just cause i was tryin to figure a noise out.

fossil · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2006, 02:36:44 PM »

ATGATT - All The Gear All The Time! I'd rather have heat rash than road rash.

Dave 02 1200 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2006, 03:40:46 PM »

I live on the Gulf Coast in Southwest Florida where it is hot and humid much of the time. I have found that a Firstgear Meshtex jacket and pants are comfortable in the hottest of weather. Bare skin burns quickly in the Florida summer sun and direct sunlight can be really uncomfortable. The mesh jacket and pants avoid sun burn and actually feel cooler than a T shirt with bare arms. I am guessing that most of the riders who prefer shorts, fingerless gloves, tennis shoes, and T shirts probably have never crashed hard and have no idea what happens to your body and/or how it feels to skid along the pavement wondering when things will stop moving. Try some mesh gear. You will like it.

Vidrazor · « **Reply #14 on:** June 05, 2006, 04:04:59 PM »

I don't fool around. Full leather in the winter and full Kevlar mesh in the summer. All armored, supplemented with a Knox Contour spinal protector (winter AND summer). Full boots in Winter, high ankle (almost full) boots in summer, gloves, and of course a full face helmet.

Sadly, most textile jackets are junk, even stuff from the likes of Aerostich. Depending on contruction, they're pretty useless above ~40mph. Joe Rocket is the worse, stay away from JR. I made the mistake of buying a JR Phoenix outfit last year. Good to about 20mph, I'd say. Probably a bit more with some long-sleeve cotton underneath.

There's only three fabrics that going to give you any significant protection, leather, high denier (eg: 620) Cordura, and Kevlar. Of the three, Kevlar is the strongest. Of course, it's also the most expensive. Check this out:
http://www.motoport.com/saveyourhide.pdf

You might see jackets that are made of Cordura, but unfortunately they're typically about 300 denier (or less), and sometimes only certain areas of the jacket have it. While better than nothing, it's close to it too.

I'm seeing some multiblended material jeckets now that may or may not offer significant protection. The Revit! AirForce mesh jacket comes to mind. This appears to be a concerted effort to make a jacket that offers some real protection while still being relatively affordable ($300). There's matching pants fo rit too ($250).

So if you really want to have comfortable protection in the summer, it really just comes down to forking over the cash. All said, whatever textile jacket you wear for protection (even if it's the dreaded JR) will still be better than nothing at all.

Here's my summer setup:
http://www.motoport.com/detail.asp?InStock=1&PriceCall=0&Merchant_ID=633Pm22C&Product_ID=900.102.300&Merchant_Company=Jackets%20Department&Category=Kevlar
http://www.motoport.com/detail.asp?InStock=1&PriceCall=0&Merchant_ID=G7Y9CEYc&Product_ID=900.102.500&Merchant_Company=Pants%20Gear&Category=Kevlar
http://www.biker247.com/news/2019.asp
http://www.wolverinebootsandshoes.com/catalog/detail.aspx?pid=7376&stid=&stocknumber=&parnavid=BGPG&gp=R
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/rev-it/summer-mesh-gloves/revit-summer-gloves.htm