Leathers vs jeans and T's...you decide.

Just a question for you guys - how do you end up low siding your bikes? I personally dont really take my bike to the limits or anything so im thinking you guys probably do some serious riding? my ride to and from work has some nice windy parts I can have fun on - but I dont take it on other roads that I know twists all over.

 

I low sided in a corner, crossing a mossy section of concrete going about 15 mph, my friend hit some sand on the road on a curve going 35 mph. Aggressive riding had nothing to do with either, purely road conditions and not noticing the change in road condition.

 

I see...makes sense.

 

I have never low-sided, but I can see how it could easily happen - an unexpected wet road surface in a corner, unexpected gravel in a corner, an unexpected decreasing radii turn, an unexpected rockfall in the corner, that kind of thing.

I see that the adjective "unexpected" seems to pop up a lot here . . . Nowadays, I conserve traction by backing off on an unfamiliar road, because I am old and falling off hurts a lot.

However, I know about high-siding from personal experience. That was the result of coming around a blind corner and unexpectedly running into a cow in the middle of the road.. The cow probably didn't expect that I would be coming around the corner right then.










.

 

Michaels - Joe Rocket has some great full mesh armored jackets.

I guess I'll be the rebel here. No, I don't wear all the gear, all the time. The only thing I do wear all the time are gloves & boots, jeans but not always (more than not as of lately) a lid & my armored jacket. Yes, let the flames begin, but I'm just not out looking to do stupid things. It's not that I don't wear them or own them, it just gets to be too much sometimes to worry about some things. I ride very defensively. VERY. I don't speed, I don't do wheelies like I used to, I don't get myself into stupid situations. Under 40 MPH 97% of the time like that. Long trips, gear up. In town, 10 minutes? no, takes longer to gear up. Have I had my close calls? yep. When I was young & invincible. We were all that way once. I don't ride with stupid people any more. Yeah, I'm early 40's and don't heal like I did 10 years ago. but I like the wind in my face, the bugs on my forehead, but wear eye protection. State law, but a windshield works. I too don't see the point of a bowl or open face. Like all of the various PD around here. At least they wear leather, an open face, better pants, high boots around here.

 

I can understand that you think the 10 minute trip is no big deal.... who needs a helmet.

I ride pretty much like you do, very defensively - with a very loud horn, rarely speed, no "real" wheelies, etc. I'm even older than you.

BUT.... most traffic fatalities occur near your residence, like say within 10 minutes. And... one of my two rubber off the road events was at very low speed, about 200 yards from my house. I was fully geared up on my way to work early in the morning, turned a corner on my old kz (good tires, properly maintained, etc.) and (apparently) low-sided on a slow right hand corner.

My helmet hit the pavement hard enough that I got a concussion. I would most likely be dead if I was not wearing my helmet. :rip: The ER Doc said so, and in this case I believe him. My helmet had done it's job. I bought another one just like it.

Daily I try to improve my riding skills. But ultimately we are human, and everyone makes mistakes. The gear is to protect us somewhat from those mistakes - ours and those others make.

If I'm on a mission to leave quickly, It takes me about as long to put on my helmet, jacket and gloves as it does to grab my keys. The boots and pants might take a little longer, if I'm at home and I have shorts and athletic shoes on.

How long a hospital stay are you willing to trade for a 10 minute ride without your helmet.

Next time you think about leaving on the bike w/o your helmet, grab a ripe watermelon or something like it, and drop it from 5 feet on to asphalt or concrete, and see what happens. :fish:

Riding without a *Good* helmet isn't being a rebel, it's just wasting the wisdom that 40+ years should have given you. Do you want to end up like the guy in NY who died from a head injury on a ride protesting helmet laws? :doh:

I tend to care about my fellow riders, but I also think that as "seasoned" riders, we should also light the way with a good example for those who follow. That's also the military part of me talking.

Ultimately it's your decision :decision: and you bear the responsibility and the most of the consequences of own your actions should something go wrong. - Just saying.

 

I had a crash less than 2 blocks from my house. It would have hurt a lot more if I hadn't been wearing all my gear.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/general-vfr-discussions/31855-dog-1-vfr-0-hit-dog-morning.html

 

My brother is alive today because of his full face helmet. It was a hot summer day, back before mandatory helmet laws. He left the house in his jeans and t-shirt. He ALMOST left without his helmet. Needless to say that he didn't like it when they were picking the gravel out of his arm and hip with tweezers ... and that none of us would have been happy if he had actually left his helmet at home that day.

ATGATT ... FTW.

Jose

 

Are properly attired overweight riders FATGATT?

For custom stuff which is out there if anybody wants to look, check out Bates, Langlitz or one of the HD Botiques for starters and bring lots of money.. So if a flat chested skinny chica wears an outfit basically made for us "real men" is she a cross dresser?

 

A lot of talk about full-faced helmets but are modular helmets like this one less structurally sound?


Also, I started a thread looking for some ideas relating to this: Best jacket for cold & hot weather

 

CycleGear is getting a decent collection of ladies' gear. I have recently seen them release a bunch of jackets in textile and leather. They sell two piece and one piece leathers and also have a variety of choices for separate pieces in textile and leather.

Check out their online catalog. You might be surprised at what they have and the pricing.

The modular helmets meet all the safety standards and the opening mechanisms are test. I just don't trust a flip up. Nothing but true full face for me.

Jose

 

I did a quick look and found about 60 different styles of women's pants in textile, leather and mixed materials ranging in price from about $80 on up to $1000 full suits.

I know I sound like a bit of a CycleGear fanboy, but their in house Bilt and Sedici stuff really is affordable and decent quality. They have a pair of leather women's pants on sale for $80 right now. They can also get pretty much any mainstream brand item and will price match for you. If you have a CG local, I encourage checking them out.

Jose

 

Well if that is how you are looking at it, I don't see a lot of styles for men either, Tink. Everything out there falls pretty closely into the styles you mentioned.

I would classify the "generic" styles pretty much the same way (boot cut jeans, baggy jeans, tight track pants, chaps and loose overpants). If you think about it, there might be more variation within the styles for women, as they have even more style/color choices. Icon is particularly aggressive on the women's wear market.

What I don't know, is if the clothing out there actually fits real women, of if the cuts are all for models only. I certainly have an issue with finidng clothing off the rack that fits well, but I am a rather barrel chested and that doesn't work well for most off the rack stuff.

I still say that CG is a good place to look for women's gear and that their in house stuff is pretty decent. Although I honestly think their mesh gear has a way to go, before it can come close to matching the quality and overall finish of a Tourmaster (or bettter) jacket.

I have been eyeballing a new helmet with built in sun shade as well. I do worry about whether or not it would smack the bridge of your nose in a hard off, though.

Jose

 

IMO only trust a modular helmet as much as you would a 3/4 helmet. Some are "rated" as good as full face, but it still ain't fully attached from what I can see. So failure is still an option, just depends on what it takes to make it fail.