Safety Gear

[bhern]

I commute on my Spyder, so I'm wearing jeans and hiking boots -- with my full face helmet, protective gloves, and armored jacket, even though it's been 100+ degrees most of the summer thus far. No locker room at work, so don't want to do a twice-daily wardrobe change in the bathroom.

When I'm riding for fun, I'm using my new riding pants with armor on the hips and knees in place of the jeans.

Like others have posted, I've taken a couple of extremely short -- as in from one end of the parking lot to another without all the gear on, and I also felt pretty vulnerable.

As wise men have said, you only need to wear the gear on the days you have a wreck/test your body's elasticity coefficient. Since I don't have that inside knowledge, I'm for tipping the risk vs. convenience scales toward more protection, and as I type this I'm leaning even more towards covering that commute with something more suitable.

[Road-Kill]

In the summer I wear shorts, sneakers and a T-shirt.
I dont even wear underwear cause I like that cooling sensation.

I don't own a full face helmet because they give a false sense of safety.
I have investigated many motorcycle accidents and never encountered a single case where armor saved the rider more then a road rash.

My armor is....
A. Stay within the speed limit.
B. Don't drink and ride.
C. Stay away from other MCs.
D. Don't ride at night.
E. Always give the other vehicle the right of way.
F. Keep your middle finger to yourself.
G. Don't assume everyone sees you.
H. Only ride as fast as your skills allow. (the biggest accident causer)

[Pirate looks at --]

Or this one?

Rockin' the Rev'it Nice!

[Two cats]

I've always figured that if it's my time to go. All the cloths in the world is not going to help. If the good lord needs me then he will come get me when its time. Till then i'll ride like I stole it. Amen. Ride Safe. Ride Often. And Just Ride Baby Happy Trails To All

[Pirate looks at --]

IMG_1873.jpgSo my wife and I are ATTGATT! As someone stated earlier, you don't get to pick the time you are going to crash, you just crash! So no chances. Today's gear is so well made that even on the hottest days, I barely break a sweat! We use Rev'it gear exclusively and it has been awesome! on hot days over 100 we wear cooling vests under textile jackets. These are nor mesh but with a great venting system working in conjunction with the cooling vest the vents allow air in and when it hits that wet vest you are as cool as can be! Now we have heard from some Florida folks, and for the life of me, I have no idea how you keep cool. Cooling vests don't work at 90% humidity. I think if I lived in Florida I wouldn't ryde in the summer! So all the gear works for us!

[Flanker]

To each their own HELMET every time the rest is weather permitting comfort. If you can't be comfortable riding it's just as dangerous as no gear, so find what works please nothing that might scare or distract other drivers. (Bareback & THONG)

Same for me!

As a reassurance to the rest of you; should we meet on some distant road-----under NO circumstances will I be wearing a thong!

[BoilerAnimal]

Same for me!

As a reassurance to the rest of you; should we meet on some distant road-----under NO circumstances will I be wearing a thong!

Thank you!!! Now I can sleep soundly tonight!

[Two cats]

Same for me!

As a reassurance to the rest of you; should we meet on some distant road-----under NO circumstances will I be wearing a thong!

good news to hear. Don't be going comando either Please.

[Bob Denman]

Guys...
I'm trying to build up an appetite for tonight's Supper.
Rest assured: you're not helping!

[Road-Kill]

At least he has a smile on his face while being hugged by a super hot chick.
I would change places with him any day of the week.
But you guys go ahead and look like Robocop with your ATGATT gear.

You mean like these motor cycle riders?


Some spyder riders wear Aerostitch R3 suits even, you just haven't seen them yet.

[DGoebel]

MAN! you have good eyes! I couldn't tell for the life of me if she was hot

[Peteoz]

I notice that Spyder riders do not wear all the safety gear a motor cycle rider would wear. I see helmets, but jackets, gloves, etc. Do you guys all wear safety gear?
Jim

In answer to your question, Jim......

No.....Spyder riders do not ALL wear safety gear. (I, and most others do, however).
but then......Two wheelers do not ALL wear safety gear either.
It’s a personal choice, for any number of reasons. I don’t really want to, but my fear of gravel rash outweighs my preferred feeling of freedom of jeans and Tshirt. I doubt that wearing Kevlar riding pants with hip armour is really going to stop my new synthetic hip from dislocating in an”off”, any more than denim jeans will, but I personally feel better with the insurance.

Pete

[Triple B]

In answer to your question, Jim......

No.....Spyder riders do not ALL wear safety gear. (I, and most others do, however).
but then......Two wheelers do not ALL wear safety gear either.
It’s a personal choice, for any number of reasons. I don’t really want to, but my fear of gravel rash outweighs my preferred feeling of freedom of jeans and Tshirt. I doubt that wearing Kevlar riding pants with hip armour is really going to stop my new synthetic hip from dislocating in an”off”, any more than denim jeans will, but I personally feel better with the insurance.

Pete

and that, kiddies, is the deciding factor....whatever YOU feel comfortable with, not what your buddy thinks you should wear.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

and that, kiddies, is the deciding factor....whatever YOU feel comfortable with, not what your buddy thinks you should wear.

Keep this in mind. Your decision may have an impact on many others, not just yourself. If you die prematurely because of a lack of protective gear, you may leave a family faced with a financial disaster. If you are seriously injured, like one of our Spyderlovers family is now, the costs of your care will be paid by others, either through insurance premiums or higher medical care fees to cover a bankruptcy loss.

It has been said that no man is an island. What you choose to wear CAN have an impact on many others. Does any of us have the moral right to impose the results of our choices onto those who do not have a say in that choice? Think about it.

[Peteoz]

Keep this in mind. Your decision may have an impact on many others, not just yourself. If you die prematurely because of a lack of protective gear, you may leave a family faced with a financial disaster. If you are seriously injured, like one of our Spyderlovers family is now, the costs of your care will be paid by others, either through insurance premiums or higher medical care fees to cover a bankruptcy loss.

It has been said that no man is an island. What you choose to wear CAN have an impact on many others. Does any of us have the moral right to impose the results of our choices onto those who do not have a say in that choice? Think about it.

Sorry Idaho, I know where you are coming from, but I can’t agree with that perspective.
If you are involved in a serious car accident, and are killed or seriously injured, your family may be faced with financial disaster and the cost of your care will be paid by others....

Do you have a moral right to impose your choice to ride a machine that (regardless of how you are dressed), will give you far less chance of survival or receiving a serious injury than a motor car, on those who do not have a say in that choice? Where do you draw the line?

Poorly phrased, but hopefully you get my point

Pete

[Bob Denman]

In the summer I wear shorts, sneakers and a T-shirt.
I dont even wear underwear cause I like that cooling sensation.

I don't own a full face helmet because they give a false sense of safety.
I have investigated many motorcycle accidents and never encountered a single case where armor saved the rider more then a road rash.

My armor is....
A. Stay within the speed limit.
B. Don't drink and ride.
C. Stay away from other MCs.
D. Don't ride at night.
E. Always give the other vehicle the right of way.
F. Keep your middle finger to yourself.
G. Don't assume everyone sees you.
H. Only ride as fast as your skills allow. (the biggest accident causer)

My Missus thinks that you're the GREATEST!
But you have to remember: she's a transplant patient...

[Pirate looks at --]

My Missus thinks that you're the GREATEST!
But you have to remember: she's a transplant patient...

Nice!

[Bob Denman]

I have no problem with letting folks choose their own level of personal responsibility.
As long as they realize the full implications of those choices.

[Pirate looks at --]

Yep, bad decisions, means more organs for the rest of us! But do people that make such bad decisions sign up to be donors??

[Roadster Renovations]

I'm sure that my wife will want to go ATGATT if she ever rydes again. Experience is a pretty hard teacher sometimes, but like someone else said, it's a personal choice. Stuff can happen at any time, from out of nowhere. On the way home from the hospital yesterday, a young lady got on the the 4 lane frontage road, no turn signal, never looked once, and cut across all four lanes at once. If I hadn't braked, she would have put me and the Daytona right into the guard rail at 50mph. Then she had the audacity to tell me *I* was number one.
Idiot cagers never cease to amaze me.

[wyliec]

Sorry Idaho, I know where you are coming from, but I can’t agree with that perspective.
If you are involved in a serious car accident, and are killed or seriously injured, your family may be faced with financial disaster and the cost of your care will be paid by others....

Do you have a moral right to impose your choice to ride a machine that (regardless of how you are dressed), will give you far less chance of survival or receiving a serious injury than a motor car, on those who do not have a say in that choice? Where do you draw the line?

Poorly phrased, but hopefully you get my point

Pete

That's a tough one to answer. I'm kept busy by both auto and motorcycle accident victims/patients in rehab, and don't give it a second thought; there's no time for that, and I'd drive myself nuts just thinking about it.

[Bob Denman]

But it's keeping you gainfully employed, and off of the streets!

[Chiisai]

From a female point of view:

I LOVE it that my riding partner is ATGATT (2018 Honda Goldwing-DCT). This tells me that he is wanting the best results out of a crash, should or when it happens. It tells me that he cares about himself enough to want to live (or minimize his injuries). It also tells me that he cares about me and how I will adjust to devastating effects after a life altering crash he is in.

I am ATGATT for the same reasons. We are a team, partners and we care about everything that happens to the other. I would never impose my own preference on him as far as his riding gear, but thankfully I didn't have to worry about that because he was already ATGATT when we got together. This is one of the things that gave me confidence in riding along side of him.

Being a female, there is yet another good reason to wear safety gear. A testimony from an ER nurse. A young woman brought into the ER with multiple injuries from a motorcycle accident. She was the co-rider; neither she nor her riding partner were wearing safety gear. He in jeans and a tee shirt, she in a tank top and shorts. No mention to what the man's injuries were, but the beautiful young woman received an instant and complete mastectomy. Can you imagine how terrible that must have been for her and for him (if he lived), to know that in most cases this could have been avoided.

Yes, I am ATGATT. On the days when the temperature is 105 or higher and we are on the motorcycles, we are still ATGATT. I admit I might be a little more comfortable without my safety gear, but then I think, how uncomfortable I would be in the hospital hooked up to plastic tubes, multiple patches of painful road rash or even worse, on a ventilator.

[Bob Denman]

Yes, I am ATGATT. On the days when the temperature is 105 or higher and we are on the motorcycles, we are still ATGATT. I admit I might be a little more comfortable without my safety gear, but then I think, how uncomfortable I would be in the hospital hooked up to plastic tubes, multiple patches of painful road rash or even worse, on a ventilator.

Amen!
If you think that the gear is uncomfortable: think about how much fun healing might be!

[rodentrancher]

A couple of notes, from personal experience:

- Road rash is really unpleasant, tends to get infected, leaves ugly scars, and is well worth avoiding. I'm lucky mine was limited to my legs - I'm living proof of why you want to wear abrasion-resistant pants as well as a jacket, and not just blue jeans.

- Slide face-down across the asphalt just once, and you will realize that full face helmets are well worth the minor additional weight and discomfort. I wish I still had the Polaroid I took of my old Bell Star after my accident (boy, does that statement date me!)