Wear your gear, or dumba$$ of year...

[skyrider]

...you choose.  After all the hoopla about posting from other boards, I found this on STN.  Enjoy.  And, I'll add to my signature...

Sky, US Army

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4a518_4407

[leedogg]

I hate to see stuff like that.  sucks to be him.  So easily avoidable.

[Vidrazor]

Testosterone got the best of him.  

Just think, riding around in warm weather with just jeans and a t-shirt is no different. It always cracks me up when I see people wearing a full-face helmet with jeans and a t-shirt. Why bother wit the helmet?  I don't care how hot it is outside, if I ride, I ride ATGATT.

[JReviere]

Mark me as dumbass of the century, but not as dumb as this jerk.  

I hate wearing gear. Most of the time, when I head to the garage to get the Bandit out when I get to the rack with the gear... I look at that ugly, hot, uncomfortable, bulky, clumsy stuff and turn around and go back in the house.

I hate it so much it causes me NOT to ride. Most of my riding is sedate, local, never more than 50 or so miles from home, in a rural area, just piddling along... no grandiose testosterone motivated stuff...  

I know the risk. I've not been a doctor for all these years and been stupid about accidental injury.

It's just that I totally HATE wearing the exoskeletal GEAR so many people rave about. I HATE GEAR.

JR
Age 76, been riding since age 15... all my hide is still intact.

[StangMATA]

Retard. THAT is just retarded.


Ian USAF (nothing to prove)

[JReviere]

Ian...
Sorry lad, you evidently have no idea what the word 'retarded' means.  But you are right USAF "means nothing"... I know it from personal experience for I am USAF Retired 0-6, Command Pilot, lots of year wearing all manner of gear in conditions far more hazardous than I've ever experienced on a motorcycle.  

I do believe I said I HATE IT.   One has to experience something to be truthful when making an emotional reference to it. The only experience relevant to a negative reaction to gear is wearing it.

Gear is not THE all purpose solution to riding safely. In some cases gear gives a false sense of security leading the unwary to push their limits because they feel (although they would probably deny it) invulnerable. Riding DEFENSIVELY with a high degree of SITUATIONAL AWARENESS is a better defense against injury than all the exoskeletal armor you can put on your body.  This is not to say it's wise to go naked or nearly so... patently doing so is unwise. It is, however, to say, it's quite OK to have an opinion and express it.

You ride your ride, I'll ride mine.

JR
Lake Livingston, TX

[StangMATA]

Ian...
Sorry lad, you evidently have no idea what the word 'retarded' means.  

SLOW DOWN JR, Sir

If you don't want to wear gear...totally cool by me. It's your melon, your body, and your decision. I have no qualms with that at all.


BUT riding a wheelie while naked...that is what I  call retarded.



BTW, Col, I sent you a PM. I think we have met before.

[ZenMan]

Gear is not THE all purpose solution to riding safely. In some cases gear gives a false sense of security leading the unwary to push their limits because they feel (although they would probably deny it) invulnerable. Riding DEFENSIVELY with a high degree of SITUATIONAL AWARENESS is a better defense against injury than all the exoskeletal armor you can put on your body.  This is not to say it's wise to go naked or nearly so... patently doing so is unwise. It is, however, to say, it's quite OK to have an opinion and express it.

JR
Lake Livingston, TX

JR, I can relate. I was never a pilot, but I've had the great joy of putting on cold, wet, frozen-stiff 30 pound full race leathers at 7:00 AM after sleeping in a tent all night... if it rains all day Saturday during the qualifiers and you have no way of drying them out except hanging them over the truck seat with the overnight temps hovering just above freezing... YUK!

And then getting out on the track when it's 45 degrees out, and experience how great it feels to go 160 mph in previously described wet leathers... you have to be a little bit crazy to actually pay hundreds of dollars a weekend for that priviledge. But that was years ago, I hear they allow synthetic textile kevlar gear on the tracks nowadays.

I HATE GEAR too... but I always wear a full-face helmet, armored gauntlets, calf-high heavy leather touring boots, and at least a heavy, long-sleeve jersey and heavy jeans. If it's below 75 I'll wear my old-skool leather motorcyclr jacket without the liner.

I've been thinking about some modern mesh armor gear, but man, that stuff is pricey! Plus having to pull it all on and off... when it's 95 and humid, you work up a sweat just pulling your gloves on. Cripes.

But I agree with you on what I quoted you on above... I do think all that gear does give one a false sense of security. And the best safety feature you have is your brain... awareness and alertness, coupled with skill and experience, has served me well over the years.

But I'm just another stubborn old fart... don't listen to me, kids! Wear your gear!  

[leedogg]

I am a Tshirt and jeans guy..even wore shorts a few times.  I too agree the suiting up gives some the feeling that they can be more aggressive.  If/when i ride in shorts/t shirt(very rarely) I ride CONSIDERABLE slower, and cautious, than i do when it is cooler and I am fully clothed. One is the fact that bugs hurt- and 2 is the false sense of security of the additional padding.  I don't have proper gear yet...but I will soon, and it won't be leather.  I am not gonna be miserable to ride my bike period- i bought it enjoy the freedom i feel on it...feel the wind, the rush....fully clothed and a big jacket take alot of that away.  I too would look at it (heavyduty gear), with these 100* humid days in FL, and drive my car instead.

As I posted- the guy in the vid was just dumb...if I rode like that- I would wear ATGATT...but the liesurely cruising I do- I feel fine doing what I do.  To me those stunters are like race car drivers...you need more protection.  But I don't have a 5 point harness, or wear a helmet, in my car- though it would make it safer.  Back when I was into 4 wheelers- I rode hard, fast, and flying...guess what- I had ALL the gear to protect me- I felt I needed it.  Gear is insurance- and no one can predict everything- but you definate hold alot of your fate in your own hands on a bike.  All the gear might save your skin if you hit the road...but not near so much when you hit the trees.

[PitterB4]

That's been posted here before.  Actually, there is a longer version where you get to see the exposed "meat" on his ass and elsewhere.  What a dumbass!

FWIW, I don't leave the neighborhood w/out at least a helmet and jeans... nothing more than a mile or two without a jacket, golves and boots.  "Spirited" rides call for full leather.

[Vidrazor]

>>Gear is not THE all purpose solution to riding safely. In some cases gear gives a false sense of security leading the unwary to push their limits because they feel (although they would probably deny it) invulnerable.<<

Only if you allow yourself to be. While I'll agree smart riding is the best defense, you can't account for everything. While it's your life and your call, you should reconsider wearing gear, not necessarily what you already own.

I don't know what kind of gear you have, but there are some modern outfits that are vented yet offer excellent protection, especially abrasive, albeit at cost. Noting is gonna keep you from breaking if you hit hard enough, but you can minimize damage.

I went down with an armored leather outfit a while back (in cool weather), and if I wasn't wearing it I probably would have had a broken elbow where I had only a bruised one. Food for thought.

In warm weather I use a Kevlar Motoport outfit. the pants are $300 and the jacket $400. The are a Kevlar/1000 denier nylon blend mesh outfit with multi-layer vented armor. Expensive, but vented, comfortable protection that I've worn even in heat waves.

No armor will protect you from everything, but not wearing ANYTHING to offer some protection, especially from abrasion, isn't too smart. Your reaction to wearing gear is a bit over reactive IMHO. You should reconsider the realities of riding. Just my $.02

[H2RICK]

I, too, have had gravel rash from bicycle and dirt bike getoffs and have learned (painfully) to devoutly avoid having any more bits picked out of my skin by docs and nurses. After my recent dumbass accident (first on a streetbike in 45+ years) I was sooooo glad to have had my Kilimanjaro jacket, jeans and knee-high riding boots. Not a drop of blood shed. The soft armour in the jacket PROBABLY prevented me from having a busted collarbone as an added "bonus" to my dislocated shoulder. That shoulder had been dislocated before so it was probably not as strong as it could have been to start with. If my shoulder had never been dislocated before I MIGHT have ended up with no serious injuries at all.
Wear your gear, guys. Nobody ever drowned in sweat.

[pmackie]

Nobody ever drowned in sweat

Touche Rick

With this mid 30 C heat wave, I've been thinking about gear again, as my Alpine Stars leathers are too hot. Time to spring for a "mesh" summer jacket c/w armour, and I'll keep you in mind when I feel like I should take it off.

Good words of advice...

[interfuse]

Just think, riding around in warm weather with just jeans and a t-shirt is no different. It always cracks me up when I see people wearing a full-face helmet with jeans and a t-shirt. Why bother wit the helmet?

I ride in jeans and t-shirts all the time. I also always wear a full face helmet (helmet is the law here) and gloves (will save your hands in a light fall). Road rash will heal -- brain injuries, not so much. While road rash sucks, reconstructive  facial surgery can't be fun. I guess it all depends on how much you're willing to risk.

[Barbarian]

I've chuckled greatly at other's expense when they related tales of having open wounds briskly scrubbed with a WIRE BRUSH.

Think pouring salt on a cut is bad? You ain't felt nothin.

I'm gonna stick to wearing a t-shirt under my mesh jacket in the heat. It's as close as I can get to wearing nothing at all.