Leather, nakedness and commuting

[budgiemurray]

Having been off the bike and bounced down the road a couple of times i wouldnt dream of going out without the right gear..
Never lost any skin due to good gear but have torn a collar bone and heavilly sprained both ankles and wrists..
Even in this heat im still kitted up but took out the iners and opened all the vents.. Its fine once your moving

Budgie

[VNA]

Let's get this straight - unless you wear proper motorcycle Kevlar and armour jeans, jeans give you no protection worth mentioning, end of...

Funny they seem to protect my legs from flies and stuff.  Hurts over the ton without em.

[nick crisp]

Ok, point VNA, I mean in the event of an accident.

[Stooby2]

I work in central London and ride an XJ900 in (better commuter than the Fazer)

I have one of these Spada Air Pro jackets after seeing it in Ride magazine as a "best buy" ...

http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcyc...tAodKUEA4w

And it is the mutt's nuts in hot weather. Superb air flow through it, but it's fully armoured as well. Comes with a waterproof cover (last resort really as it's a bit "boil in the bag") and a detachable thermal liner. It's got a full and short zip around the waist.

A pair of Hood jeans, which having looked at numerous types, seem to be the best quality by far, with hip and knee armour.

Some paddock boots that cover my ankles with padded protection
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tuzo-Waterproo...3f151fa944

And lastly, a pair of Hein Gericke short mesh gloves  -  I ride in without sweating my nuts off, but I feel I'm adequately protected should the worst happen

[nick crisp]

I had one of those Spada Airflow jackets a while back. Unfortunately, I bought it in a year when we had very little decent weather. I think it got worn maybe twice! Had to get rid of all my gear a couple of years back when I lost my job and had to move - I'm slowly replacing it all, but lack of funds and all that. But the jacket was definitely good.

[cfoley]

I went down to the bike shop the other day and by coincidence they had that Spada airflow jacket. I tried it on and liked it a lot. I'm going back tomorrow and if I still like it as much,  I'll pick it up.

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

[nick crisp]

I think they're a good choice. Unfortunately, nowhere around me does Spada, but I might go for the Ixon Alloy Mesh - distributed by Oxford Products no less, so I feel another hefty discount coming on... :lol
However, be warned - as soon as I buy mine, it'll start pissing down! :'(

[cfoley]

I'm sure you could order one online from somewhere.

[Bornagain again]

just a note.  In an American drag test many textiles performed only slightly better than budget jeans.  In Australian tests only 10% of the textile jackets performed to an adequate standard.

With the leather gear tested they outperformed all by at least double, but the most expensive suit burst LOL

But even having read this I will wear what I damn well like, when I like, and rely on my riding ability and common sense not to have to use my gear.
If I want to ride in speedos in a snowstorm what the crap has it got to do with anyone cept me.

[nick crisp]

But even having read this I will wear what I damn well like, when I like, and rely on my riding ability and common sense not to have to use my gear.
If I want to ride in speedos in a snowstorm what the crap has it got to do with anyone cept me.

Yep, freedom of choice. Just so long as I don't have to look at you in speedos... :lol

[Skippernick]

just a note.  In an American drag test many textiles performed only slightly better than budget jeans.  In Australian tests only 10% of the textile jackets performed to an adequate standard.

With the leather gear tested they outperformed all by at least double, but the most expensive suit burst LOL

But even having read this I will wear what I damn well like, when I like, and rely on my riding ability and common sense not to have to use my gear.
If I want to ride in speedos in a snowstorm what the crap has it got to do with anyone cept me.

:useless

[simonm]

But even having read this I will wear what I damn well like, when I like, and rely on my riding ability and common sense not to have to use my gear.
If I want to ride in speedos in a snowstorm what the crap has it got to do with anyone cept me.

And you needed this thread to tell you that ?  Shame on you.  You should always do what you damn well please and if you peg it it's your choice and your families funeral when you get swiped by some cager who is on their mobile phone paying no attention whilst pulling out of a blind corner or a stone flies in to your face when you don't expect it, or you slip on diesel spill.  This has nothing to do with common sense or riding ability, this has to do with the times when those fail.

This is your life you're talking about.  If you don't value it you can dress it up how you like, it makes no difference to the people that don't know you.  Good on you.  Make a statement and a stand about what you care about and put your life on the line to prove it.  Pride is really important when you're dead.


On a serious note.  Please don't.  Please wear as much protective gear as you can.  Not that you'll listen to me.

[nick crisp]

And fer chrissakes, ignore that "worthless without pics post"  - I really don't want to see you in your speedos...

[Slaninar]

This is your life you're talking about.  If you don't value it you can dress it up how you like,

If you are that safety and life conscious, why do you ride motorcycle in the first place? Do you know it makes you about 20 times more likely to get injured or killed than driving a car?


If us humans were made to live 10,000 years, than all this would make sense, but since we live around 50, we can afford that risk - not too much to loose. At 33 I'm almost there anyway. I'd rather die than not live at all, concerned about safety and all - fuck it.

[Lawrence]

just a note.  In an American drag test many textiles performed only slightly better than budget jeans.  In Australian tests only 10% of the textile jackets performed to an adequate standard.

Got any sources to back this up?

It's not so much about not being killed as if you hit something hard enough to kill you it'll probably do that whether you're wearing leathers or not.  It's about not needing extensive skin grafts etc afterwards, the difference between walking away with £500+ of knackered gear or spending weeks in hospital and then months recovering.

[alan sherman]

Hot today.  I was hot even in my Pink shirt.

[simonm]

[quote author=simonm link=topic=8762.msg87961#msg87961 date=1373926024]
This is your life you're talking about.  If you don't value it you can dress it up how you like,

If you are that safety and life conscious, why do you ride motorcycle in the first place? Do you know it makes you about 20 times more likely to get injured or killed than driving a car?


If us humans were made to live 10,000 years, than all this would make sense, but since we live around 50, we can afford that risk - not too much to loose. At 33 I'm almost there anyway. I'd rather die than not live at all, concerned about safety and all - fuck it.
[/quote]
It's about mitigating the risk.  For the sake of feeling a bit warm in the weather you reduce the risk of dying from bloodloss in an accident dramatically.  I like to live dangerously, just not as dangerously as you  :lol. Besides, I'm a newb an have no confidence it my abilities either.

[nick crisp]

Confidence is something you build with time and practice. Your riding seemed Ok to everyone on the lofo ride Simon, and judging by your posts, you have a good idea of what to be wary of. Seems to me that the vast majority of people on this site actually are quite sensible about what to wear on a bike. Risk reduction - couldn't agree more, this applies to your riding as well as your kit. We all like to crack that throttle when we can, it's just about time and place - if your favourite bit of road is clogged with traffic, oh well, there'll always be another day. If you find a lovely bit of twisty tarmac but there are loads of hazards, well, it's a pity, but find a different road with less hazards. But it's fun to stir it up a bit on here sometimes!

[Bornagain again]

Its about the risk, what a piss poor argument.

I have ridden in jeans for 30 years, been a London despatch rider, led rideouts and been on rideouts with FOC-U.

I wear what I think I need from a full set of leathers to jeans and demin jacket. I recently tested my friends bike after sorting her clutch in socks lol (hard to change gear, not recommended)

If I put everything in the pot that could kill me I wouldn't even get out of bed let alone ride a motorbike. 

Skin grafts me hairy fat arse.  The worst I have had from far too many crashes ( a good way to learn what you cant do, lol) is a burn on my leg where it got trapped under the exhaust in a pothole incident at 60ish.
My mate got killed on his first ride with full leathers and a decent helmet, at 40mph without damaging his gear in any way, simply had his neck snapped when he bounced off a van (not his fault).

The only thing I wouldn't go without at any time is gloves cos hands is the first thing you put down, helmet cos I haven't got enough hair to waste it on the road (and cos jonny law gets quite upset if you don't wear one) and a jacket cos wasps and bees at anything over sixty damn well hurt (goes for helmet as well).

On an aside, go out and do an advanced course you may not be so scared of getting hurt when you know better how to avoid it.

[Slaninar]

It's about mitigating the risk.  For the sake of feeling a bit warm in the weather you reduce the risk of dying from bloodloss in an accident dramatically. 

Same could be said for motorcycle riding. For the sake of some feeling of excitement and enjoyment, you're risking your health - take a bus. 

When I don't ride in full gear, I take it slower, easier.

Riding in full gear in hot weather makes you nervous, sweaty, and you can tend to get into more risks than taking it slow in shorts.