Okay, this is to the motorcyclists out there. Warmer weather is around the corner...or next few corners.

I'm curious: what kind of riding do you do, and how much, and what "gear", if any, do you wear, and why?

Some folks ride with nothing but shorts, a t-shirt, and sneakers, and some go ATGATT (all the gear all the time) with armored jackets, pants, boots, etc.

If you've ever crashed, what were you wearing and how did it work (or not)?

I would say that I am a casual rider. Meaning I like to ride the bike to and from work, out on the weekends, out for a Sunday drive (anyday of the week), attend different rallies (usually Myrtle Beach, Carlise, Cumberland Abate, local fundraisers, ect...). I am not one for extended riding over 5 hours. My back and legs can't handle it.

As for what I wear it usually depends on the weather and where I am riding to. If I am going around the block to pick up a loaf of bread on a sunny nice day, I may wear shorts and a tee shirt. However this is not very often. I usually wear jeans, tee shirt on hot days. I wear leather on cooler days and for longer rides. I currently wear a half helmet however, I am getting older and have been debating on a full face helmet over the last 4-6 months. I am a strong believer in wearing a helmet however, I am a stronger believer in personal choice. So the helmet is for me but not for all.

I have crashed and burned once. It was when I was younger and dumber. I had a FZR600 back about 15 years ago and I was riding with a group of much more experienced riders. I took a turn at about 70mph on and ran out of blacktop. I went off onto gravel and was unable to control the bike. I was headed towards a row of mail boxes and decided to drop the bike. I was wearing jeans and tee shirt, full helmet at the time. My right side hit the handlebars and I had a build up of blood from my belly button to the middle of my back. It was black and swelled at least 4 times the size. I had some other bumps and scratches but that was about it. The feeling was that of getting kicked in the nuts. That feeling lasted about 2 weeks. I have wrecked numerous times on dirt bikes but no real injuries.

Warm weather: Shorty helmet, either jeans or cuts offs down to the knees and the over them canvas chaps, boots,tank top

cool/cold weather: Full leathers, boots, 3/4 helmet, fleese lined leather face bandanna, gloves

I've hit the ground numerous times depending on the type of accident will determine the type of help your coverings will help. Nothing will help a head on.(duh). road rash is significantly reduced by full coverage of leather. Denim is next in line, and cotton is a "might as well be nekked" type of thing. Anyone with any brains and wanting to keep them will wear a helmet. It depends on how claustriphobic you are as to what kind of helmet you wear. I sweat too much to go full face anymore. 3/4 or shorty for me. If you want to keep your feet, wear boots. Even the short ones to the ankles will be better than sneakers and OMG! sandals! yes I have seen females on crotch rockets in sandals Let me just say that out of all the "accidents" I've had, the ones that hurt the most are the darn road rash! I've had bikes land on my legs, muffler burns, pegs going into my ankles and old women hitting my brother and I and the road rash hurts the worst! Drugs can take the other pains away, but for some reason nothing but cold compresses work for the RR.( and passing out )

Never had an accident on a street bike yet. ATV's and dirt bikes are a different story. LOL I cringe when I see people wearing shorts and sandals on bikes. I grew up wearing a full faced helmet on atvs so I wear them when riding street bikes too. They are hotter then hell but I feel there is added protection from them.

Thank goodness atv's are a little safer for me. When they start to attack me, thats it! I'm walkin!

As a teen I went down at ~ 10 MPH on a tar-and-chip road. I had jeans on, for what good that did. For the next hour my Dad used his pen knife to dig gravel out of my knee. It still is burned into my memory. Thank God, that is the worst I have had (knocking wood...). I can't imagine hitting the road at higher speeds. energy = mass x velocity squared!!

I have heard the horror stories of people who have hit at higher speeds. One website I have been told about but I am chicken to go to is something like ridetodie.com and the descriptions alone of pictures taken of real motorcycle accident victims creeps me out.

I ride street and trail/dirt. I don't ride "hard" but I have fun. I'm usually in jeans and a tee and sneakers (always a helmet -- 3/4 style); on the dirt I will often wear boots and a denim jacket (woo woo). But I'm thinking about better gear, despite the heat and inconvienience. But I don't wanna look like a motocross. pro either. One option I'm thinkin about is Draggin jeans and a Draggin shirt -- they contain kevlar.

Still lookin' and thinkin'...

You ain't goin for the scruffy biker look are ya? ew. j/k

You should check out some of the bigger bike shows. They have vendors there with riding gear all the time. Also check out some of the show rooms. They usually carry leathers. I wouldn't bother with a HD shop because all they carry is HD trash Try the " other" brands of showrooms. I found a nice leather jacket at the Honda shop in Winchester. My leather chaps I found at the bike show in Fredreck. My leather pants I found in all places at Wilson's. So, you just need to look around.

As for hittin the ground...oh well. When it's your turn, it's your turn. All you can do is drive and dress to help protect yourself and let nature take it's course.

Well I was young and dumb. Nothing like letting go of something in mid air. LMAO never had any broken bones just broken parts on the atv's and just ended up really sore for a few days. But then again protective gear always helped.

I bought a cold weather jacket with zip out liners. With all the liners out it seems as cool as a tee shirt,but the kevlar mesh and and armor pads are still thier to protect me. I talked with a fellow who dropped his bike and slid like 200 feet on the pavement. The jacket did not even show a scratch and all he dot was a bruised elbow. Road rash is always the worst part of any survivable motorcycle accident. after buying the jacket I want to get a set of matching pants now and some good gloves.


Oh and the armor on the jacket makes me look macho cause of the shoulder pads. I look like a young crotch rocket rider and then I go out and get on my Goldwing and geezer away


BTW I want some new tires where is the best place to go around here. Crofton honda had a deal where if you bought the tires there they would mount them both for the price of one. It was like $65 for two tires on the bike. I do not think I will beat that anywhere.

I don't think you will beat that price anywhere either.

Any website or brandname for that jacket? I want to look cool also, J/K but would like to take a look at the a jacket, the feeling like you have a tee shirt on has excited me a little.

Don't know where you live but you can check here:http://www.mjtrikes.com/products.htm

They're in Martinsburg. Right down Queen street. You could call and find out their prices.

Hey Its a tourmaster Jacket. I bought it at Twiggs I think it was less than $150. I have not wore it in the summer months yet but I wore it on some warm days with out the liners and it was still quite breezy. I would suggest going somewhere and trying on jackets cause they all fit a little different. Still at full retail at twiggs you would not get a much better price on the net

BTW HAG,

if you wanted to try mine out on your bike I am sure we could get together when it warms up some.

By the way. This Sunday motorcycle ride for the correctional officer that was MURDERED by dirt bag. Here is website from last years ride: http://wjz.com/local/jeffery.Wroten.motorcycle.2.427856.html

Info on this years ride:

http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=display...edition_id=1799

As for gear, I decided to get some. For hotter weather: Cortech Mod jeans -- have knee armor and leather in the knees and butt. Very comfortable. Also a Firstgear mesh jacket with elbow and back armor and a zip-out waterproof/windproof liner for warmer days. For colder days a pair of Firstgear overpants with windproof liner. And a pair of Alpinestar boots. Now from about 45 degrees up I can ride and be relatively comfy and reasonably protected from road rash and minor impacts.

Like with all insurance, I hope I wasted my money cuz I never need it...

I ride everyday. If I am riding outside of the city I have leather on. Always have a keen eye on the cagers.

My worst accident was within sight of my house. Might wanna wear it all the time.

Never went down on the sled, tho did many times on the flat track, ice racing, dirt and hill climb.
Wear on the street only a jean shield; very old with patches, 1970 half lid; the law in Md, knee high nasty boots, finger gloves, No face shield have a windshield, do have goggles for the winter and a bunny suit...
and side arm....

One thing to note, don't ride much in the dead of winter as much, me bones get sort of colder now, tho I have ridden much through Alaska, them winters are a bit colder then down here...

An interesting read by Neil Peart, a fantastic rock drummer from Rush, and avid motorcyclist:

http://www.neilpeart.net/news/index.html

Hey, I almost went to that 4th of July concert. "Garish casino" indeed. It was at Trump's Taj Mahal.