SuzukiSavage.com - Riding Apparel (am I alone?)

Paladin.

Serious Thumper

Offline

Hamster

Posts: 4929
Sunny Southern California
Gender: male

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #15 - 07/04/10 at 15:43:45

jarrod wrote on 07/04/10 at 15:08:36:

I am sure in 1964 there was probably about a third of the cars on the road as there is now....

http://jagerkin.110mb.com/Vehicle_Accidents_and_Deaths.htm

While there were less cars, there were more accidents. In the '60's we had just starting to driver's education. Drivers are a LOT better at avoiding accidents than in the '60's. Back in the '70's I expected at least a week that someone would try to kill me. It now takes a year between decent tries of killing me.

Back to top

IP Logged

Tanker2Biker Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 231 Spring, TX (north of Houston) Gender:	Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?) Reply #16 - 07/04/10 at 17:24:44 Routy wrote on 07/04/10 at 10:12:28: I really did expect to be called an idiot,....even on my birthday ! Two days after mine Happy B-day. Don't think you are an idiot, just made a choice that some may not agree with. Personally, I'm pretty much ATGATT.
Back to top	IP Logged

onelunger

YaBB Newbies

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 38

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #17 - 07/04/10 at 18:17:08

WOW!

Ask this same question over on the gixxer.com board I frequent and you'll be called FAR worse things than an idiot!

Personally, I feel that riding w/o any gear of any sort (shorts, tank top, ect) is a reckless and irresponsible decision. "No man is an island unto himself". That mean there are friends, family, and loved ones that will pay the price for your decision should you take a nasty spill. Now, I'm not necessarily an ATGATT person, but I NEVER ride w/o what I consider the MINIMUM acceptable gear. That would be: a full face helmet (some 30-odd percent of helmets involved in wrecks suffered impacts in the facial region, be it primary or secondary), leather palmed(at least) riding gloves, a protective jacket (be it leather or textile w/ armored inserts), long pants, and shoes or boots that cover the ankles and can be laced tight to prevent them coming off.

That being said, I will be the first to call it as I see it: You're being an idiot. Notice I did not call you an idiot. I just said your making an idiotic decision. I hope and pray that it doesn't catch up to you some day.

Back to top

IP Logged

kimchris1

Serious Thumper

Offline

Pink Posse Rider...

Posts: 2135
Belfair, Washington
Gender: female

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #18 - 07/04/10 at 18:29:08

Happy Birthday, May you live to celebrate many many more.
Myself I am also a firm believer in ATGATT. I have been down and had not been for full gear would have had greater injuries.
With that said I would never call you an idiot. Yet like some may agree you make idiotic decisions.
Each to their own. Enjoy the ride as well as your life and birthday.. Kim

Back to top

IP Logged

alcoa Full Member Offline never let the bastards wear you down Posts: 155	Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?) Reply #19 - 07/04/10 at 18:34:22 I dont ride unless I have on a full helmet, gloves,armored mesh jacket, armored denem pants both tourmaster and high boots. I hope I never have to test the jacket and pants in a spill.
Back to top	most problems are caused by the loose nut that conects the handelbars to the seat IP Logged

earlytimz Senior Member Offline Savage model 417 (4 speed, 17mm) Posts: 382 BG, KY Gender:	Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?) Reply #20 - 07/04/10 at 19:26:14 Shorts, t-shirt, ankle high boots & shades. Half helmet sometimes, FF helmet maybe if it's dark to fight the onslaught of bugs. Jeans, FF & a thick Carhartt hoodies if it's chilly. Live your own life, or don't... Whatever
Back to top	IP Logged

Horatio Hawkshaw

Ex Member

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #21 - 07/04/10 at 20:00:24

If I had access to showers at work, sure, I'd wear the full leathers when I ride. But since I can't bathe when I get to the office and I don't want to smell like crotch-pot soup for ten hours, I wear jeans, short sleeved shirt, half helmet, fingerless gloves (to work, full fingered on the way home) and vest. And the boots. The only thing I don't compromise on are the boots.

I work in Atlanta and have about an hour and a half ride in everyday at 2pm. When the heat index is over one hundred and the relative humidity is well above 80%, I am more than willing to accept the risks of not wearing ATGATT. If I could wear shorts to work, I'd probably wear them for the ride in.

Someone mentioned that 'no man is an island'. My wife's only request is that the insurance is up to date. Otherwise, she lets me do what makes me happy. Or at least comfortable.

Motorcycling is supposed to be about freedom and the spirit of independence- it always bugs me when another rider tells me I'm a bad person because I don't wear all the gear, all the time. I've even had people go off on me for taking a picture of myself and the bike in less than ATGATT. Roll Eyes

Back to top

IP Logged

Routy

Serious Thumper

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2280
Winston Oregon
Gender: male

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #22 - 07/04/10 at 20:44:13

First, thanks for birthday greetings,........it was a good day ! Wife and I even rode our side x side ATV in our 4th of July parade uptown. Lots of Harleys, (riders loaded w/ leather) in the parade too, but no Savage, but then I don't see a Savage-40 any other day either. I think a Savage is a well kept secret in these parts.
Well, at least some of the later replies are like I expected more of, but its probably good we all don't think alike on the subject. But I am glad I'm not alone. I always wonder where the line should be drawn on saftey,..... when you have to compromise comfort.
I still think a roll bar should have been mandatory in a convertible (no discomfort whatsoever) long before seat belts became mandatory, and I'm not sure they should have been ! Shocked

Back to top

Rich
'07 S40 Blvd stocker, except drilled OEM exhaust and white spacer mod...1/2 (.055)

IP Logged

RidgeRunner13

Serious Thumper

Offline

haulin' the
groceries!

Posts: 649
Mustang Island, Texas
Gender: male

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #23 - 07/04/10 at 22:05:23

I think a lot depends on how long ago you started riding & if you continued to ride. Older riders, I think, are less likely to be ATGATT simply because there wasn't much gear besides a helmet when we started.
If you don't like what I choose to wear, don't ride with me. Cool

You won't hurt my feelings, I see people I won't ride with no matter what they are wearing. I care a lot more about how well you ride than your gear. Roll Eyes

Back to top

Wind me up & watch me run, I ain't never had too much fun!

IP Logged

justin_o_guy2

Serious Thumper

Offline

What happened?

Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #24 - 07/05/10 at 04:28:29

The 1st total I did , I was 23, exactly zero riding gear, just walkin around clothes, but, I always did walk around in Red Wings, cuz I was a roughneck.
2nd good crash, short sleeves, jeanes, & some very light shoes, no helmet. Busted the bars with the spot where thigh meets torso & that bruise was sufficient for my Dr to be afraid I mite lose a leg, so I let him hospitalize me. Otherwise, I walked away, didnt even go to the dr for about 4 hours,
3rd total, I was fully dressed, dented the cab of the pickup behind the driver with my face. Thankfully, the helmet limited the damage to a split lip. My shirt has some little grooves burned in it, where I landed face down on the bike in a ditch with wheels spinning. The edge of the rim burned the shirt. Glad I was dressed.

All that said, had I been wearing a helmet on the first crash, I would have been dead. It cracked 3 vertebrae w/o the helmet being a fulcrum between head & shoulder( MRI after last crash revealed that, I never knew). Imagine if I had had one on. Woulda been about the same move as a hanging accomplishes, only harder.
So, ya pays yer money & ya takes yer chances. I like my chances a lot better with some protection.

Back to top

The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

IP Logged

Paladin.

Serious Thumper

Offline

Hamster

Posts: 4929
Sunny Southern California
Gender: male

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #25 - 07/05/10 at 05:17:32

RidgeRunner13 wrote on 07/04/10 at 22:05:23:

I think a lot depends on how long ago you started riding & if you continued to ride.....

Also depends on how often you have needed. My biggest fall was dirt riding. I was stopped to a fall and rolled over. Fall off the light t-shirt so into the gravel a inch a 3/4" long that nearly scratched blood. Rolled off the shoulder and snapped a collarbone. No pain on the fall, just didn't couldn't pick up the right arm. A few fallen on very slow spills have called no use on a helmet and life total of rash road has almost elbow with a square inch.

I'm 63 and have never needed "gear".

Back to top

IP Logged

bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?) Reply #26 - 07/05/10 at 06:31:57 Women don't like men in leather shorts,Men in leather shorts don't like women
Back to top	william h krumpen IP Logged

Routy

Serious Thumper

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 2280
Winston Oregon
Gender: male

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #27 - 07/05/10 at 07:21:37

3 times down wouldn't make me gear up, but I'm afraid would make me give it up. I'm not sure I could ever ride in comfort......or confidence after being down 3 times. After going down just once, (age 21) I still find myself slowing way down when meeting a car w/ a left signal on,......yep, thats how it happened.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 07/05/10 at 04:28:29:

The 1st total I did , I was 23, exactly zero riding gear, just walkin around clothes, but, I always did walk around in Red Wings, cuz I was a roughneck.
2nd good crash, short sleeves, jeanes, & some very light shoes, no helmet. Busted the bars with the spot where thigh meets torso & that bruise was sufficient for my Dr to be afraid I mite lose a leg, so I let him hospitalize me. Otherwise, I walked away, didnt even go to the dr for about 4 hours,
3rd total, I was fully dressed, dented the cab of the pickup behind the driver with my face. Thankfully, the helmet limited the damage to a split lip. My shirt has some little grooves burned in it, where I landed face down on the bike in a ditch with wheels spinning. The edge of the rim burned the shirt. Glad I was dressed.

All that said, had I been wearing a helmet on the first crash, I would have been dead. It cracked 3 vertebrae w/o the helmet being a fulcrum between head & shoulder( MRI after last crash revealed that, I never knew). Imagine if I had had one on. Woulda been about the same move as a hanging accomplishes, only harder.
So, ya pays yer money & ya takes yer chances. I like my chances a lot better with some protection.

Back to top

Rich
'07 S40 Blvd stocker, except drilled OEM exhaust and white spacer mod...1/2 (.055)

IP Logged

justin_o_guy2

Serious Thumper

Offline

What happened?

Posts: 55279
East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.

Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?)
Reply #28 - 07/05/10 at 10:29:42

I am more confident now than I was, actually. I ride a lot smarter & am PAINfully aware of the difference in my body's ability to take a whoopin, tho I did help load & tie down the Guzzi after I stuffed it into the pickup a few years ago. I went to the hospital about 9 hours after the crash, with a headache. Shoulda stayed home, but thats a whol;e nother story. I am very aware of oncoming & anyone looking around like they might be about to turn. I know to not be trailing a line of traffic if someone is in the left turn lane & dont be in front, either, cuz theyll try to rush across & not have to wait. I flas High/Low as I approach anyone who gives me one tiny bit of reason to not trust them & I move back & forth across my lane, to give them something to see.
I still play in corners, but I check them to make sure theyre clear. I dont mind rolling thru a corner & scope it out, turn around & go back thru & play with it. I dont try to play road racer, just play a little & see how it6 feels. 20,000 on the savage & its only been down on wet grass & loose gravel at a stop sign. Ive never dropped it because I was bein an idiot.
Im more cautious, more aware & better trained. Not bulletproof or unable to screw up, I just think Im a lot safer now.

Back to top

The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

IP Logged

bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Riding Apparel (am I alone?) Reply #29 - 07/05/10 at 10:39:50 If I ever go down I would never ride again,I don't like pain.
Back to top	william h krumpen IP Logged