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The debate about gear rages on

Breaking Daniel said:
Why does everyone get so upset at people who don't wear gear?
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I was talking to JimboFosho about this. My question was, "Do you think batman ever says, 'I'm only gonna fight a little crime today' and goes out in jeans and a teeshirt?"

The answer is hell no. That fucking suit is his only superpower. You're not a motorcyclist unless you're geared up. If you're not geared up you're just some tool with expensive toys.
 
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I've ridden about 50000 miles in pants, Tshirt and open face helmet. About 25000 in ATGATT and about 25000 in a jacket and jeans and gloves.

Realistically, wear whatever you want. Judge your perceived level of risk and gear up appropriately. Or don't, and ATGATTA or wear none. It's up to you.
 
Ignoring the protective properties of good gear entirely because that can be argued forever and ever, I think good gear makes me more safe because it protects me from the environment. All of my gear carries with it features to help deal with the environment, not just the crash. Temperature control, waterproofing, protection from bugs and flying debris. I don't ride a fully faired bike that protects me from the wind and shit flying off cars, the road or bushes.
Getting hit with a rock, bug or other small object fucking hurts. Cold rain is chills you fast, rain on bare skin stings at speeds of 50+ mph. My full face helmet protects my face and eyes from random shit and the wind. Earplugs protect my hearing and let me focus better along with hear things other than roar of wind. Gloves keep my hands warm, good boots support my ankles, protect my feet and help me from slipping on the slippery shit all over the roads when I stop. Good pants protect my legs from debris, weather and heat off my bike.
All of those distractions would make riding much more challenging and take away from focus and the ability to deal with the random shit other drivers throw at me. Protecting me in the event of a crash is just bonus points after all that stuff.
 
ToraTora said:
It is best to just let them work their way out of the gene pool.
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I bet this argument is as old as life itself, and if it was true there'd be only smart people by now. For as long as my health insurance rates are linked them, it'd be nice if they did wear more gear. And for as long as I'm a road user, it'd nice if the motorcyclist next to me were properly protected from the elements.
 
SummerLove said:
Ignoring the protective properties of good gear entirely because that can be argued forever and ever, I think good gear makes me more safe because it protects me from the environment. All of my gear carries with it features to help deal with the environment, not just the crash. Temperature control, waterproofing, protection from bugs and flying debris. I don't ride a fully faired bike that protects me from the wind and shit flying off cars, the road or bushes.
Getting hit with a rock, bug or other small object fucking hurts. Cold rain is chills you fast, rain on bare skin stings at speeds of 50+ mph. My full face helmet protects my face and eyes from random shit and the wind. Earplugs protect my hearing and let me focus better along with hear things other than roar of wind. Gloves keep my hands warm, good boots support my ankles, protect my feet and help me from slipping on the slippery shit all over the roads when I stop. Good pants protect my legs from debris, weather and heat off my bike.
All of those distractions would make riding much more challenging and take away from focus and the ability to deal with the random shit other drivers throw at me. Protecting me in the event of a crash is just bonus points after all that stuff.
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First off, excellent post! :thumbup
Second, I learned to ride before the helmet law. Way back then, you couldn't walk into a shop and buy gear off the rack like you can now. No one wore gear... and I know some people who got really messed up from crashing... in really bad ways.
A few short months into my riding career, and I'm out riding with some friends at dusk, going down Foothill Road in Pleasanton. Suddenly, in the headlight, I see something- a bug- coming right at me. It's HUGE. Like the size of a single-prop plane.
No time to duck- I catch it right on the forehead. I was blinded by exploding white lights, and my head snapped back, and pulled me so far back that only the very tips of my fingers were still on the handlebars, and I felt like I had just been hit in the head with a baseball bat.
Luckily, I was on a very straight section of road... because it was a good 3 or 4 seconds before I could see again.
I had a huge goose-egg on my forehead for days from that, and from that day forward, I never rode without a helmet. Shortly after that, I started riding in a leather dress-type jacket... some jacket I got from Wilson's Leathers at the Mall... but I figured it would offer protection after I had seen the month before when a friend crashed doing 70mph in a t-shirt, without a helmet. Left-turning car... he flew 70 feet before he hit the ground. The road rash eventually healed... left some nasty scars... but he never got back the loads of IQ points he lost... :(
 
Wow just wow, so I have indirectly just been called, ignorant, stupid, and lazy for failing to conform to someone's preconceived notion of how I should dress to ride my motorbike.

Bunch of zealots not looking at the big picture. Gear is fantastic for mitigating injury but trust me gear does not protect you from grievous harm; nor does gear make you a better rider. IMO gear is just one more tool that one has in his/her large box of tools when it comes to motorcycling. A responsible rider chooses wisely.

Understand what gear to wear and why, wear it appropriately and for you and only you.
 
From the book "Total Control" by Lee Parks: "About 2500 years ago, the taoist sage Chuang Tze described the ideal relationship between rider and gear. He said, 'When the shoe fits, the foot is forgotten.' Similarly, when the riding gear fits, the body is forgotten."

Wearing good gear enables you to focus on riding and you can therefor be a better (safer) rider.
 
I think the key here is understanding gear choices before passing judgement on others.
What one wears to go put around the campsite vs what one wears to go rape nine vs what one wears for a commute all vary.

That rider you see in jeans and a sweatshirt maybe clad in Kevlar unbeknownst to any of us.
 
I'm pretty surprised at some of the comments.

The fact that you have medical insurance is pretty meaningless. One good moto crash can cost $1 million easily. (I have a friend who has had two of these). That spikes medical insurance for everyone else accordingly. I pay for your lack of knowledge or laziness. I don't want to. So I DO support mandatory gear laws.

Gear saves lives, period. If you believe otherwise, you are delusional.
 
afm199 said:
I'm pretty surprised at some of the comments.

The fact that you have medical insurance is pretty meaningless. One good moto crash can cost $1 million easily. (I have a friend who has had two of these). That spikes medical insurance for everyone else accordingly. I pay for your lack of knowledge or laziness. I don't want to. So I DO support mandatory gear laws.

Gear saves lives, period. If you believe otherwise, you are delusional.
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How can you expect ignorant noobs to know anything about anything? You can talk all you want. If they're too dense to grasp the obvious, they will never understand.

They come on the scene and want to make a statement. They are clueless. They think if they crash, they will pick themselves up, get a new clutch lever and be on their way. There are those who found out the hard way who won't post here because they're too embarrassed to.

Before I started riding on the street, I raced MX bigtime. I asked someone at the shop I rode for why they wore roadrace leathers on the street. He said "The next time you're driving down the highway at speed, open your car door and look down. Now imagine jumping out in your jeans and sneakers. That's what crashing is like."

That's all I needed to 'get it'.
 
Something to remember is that the Bay Area has cooler temperatures and we wear more gear then Sacramento riders and Texas riders, etc.

I have a theory, that the act of putting on gear helps set your mind for the ride. Tight fitting gear helps to get you to feel your body and get you awareness out of your head on focused on your body.

I've seen three crashes where the riders wore jeans. All on back country roads. One the jeans slide down around their ankles and the other the front button and zipper blow out. The third nothing happened to the jeans. JUST something to think about.

Tight fitting one piece leathers also help reduce twisting injuries during a tumble, mostly to the back and shoulders. Fore example, you can't put your arms over your head when wearing tight fitting leathers.
 
Definition of ACCIDENT

1
a : an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance
b : lack of intention or necessity : chance <met by accident rather than by design>
2
a : an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance
b : an unexpected and medically important bodily event especially when injurious <a cerebrovascular accident>
c : an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured but for which legal relief may be sought
d —used euphemistically to refer to an involuntary act or instance of urination or defecation
3
: a nonessential property or quality of an entity or circumstance <the accident of nationality>


Last I knew,nobody says, "Today is a good day to crash, I think I'll gear up"

The old line ,You don't dress for the ride, you dress for the crash come to mind.
 
corndog67 said:
Because some people get all bent when they see someone not wearing the gear they deem all riders need to wear. They go on about how everyone's medical insurance premiums go up because of riders with no gear (not taking into account the vast numbers of uninsured people who greatly outnumber motorcycle riders).

And even brand new riders on 250s will call anyone that doesn't dress like they do, squids.

You're right. Its nobodies business but your own, yet plenty of people will to you you are stupid, have a death wish, give motorcycles a bad name, etc., etc.

Speaking of medical insurance and other insurance, what about those double cheeseburgers, cigarettes and booze? All that shit kills you, at a much higher rate in the general population than riding motorcycles.
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I agree, but to a point. I think it is just about smarts. Helmet and jacket, well at least its on and your protected, your legs will get scraped to hell though and true that the debris side will and may cause extreme infection, having pants will protect you. NOT FROM ANYTHING BUT HAMBURGER LEGS.

Personally, what upsets me the most is when I see a rider with a passenger with only a helmet. Shorts, sandals and sprts bra while the rider has the helmet with mohawk sticky and a back protector on...

It is a personal choice, wear it or not, IMO its a dumb choice to not.
 
When I see riders in shorts ( on Goldwings often) somehow I just find it looks gross. And a wasp up the leg??!!

And as far as bicycle speeds, they get going over 45 down the 101 grade into SLO. THAT"S scary!
 
ThumperX said:
I think the key here is understanding gear choices before passing judgement on others.
What one wears to go put around the campsite vs what one wears to go rape nine vs what one wears for a commute all vary.

That rider you see in jeans and a sweatshirt maybe clad in Kevlar unbeknownst to any of us.
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I agree completely If I'm getting my bike ready for a ride tomorrow, and setting tire pressures and filling her up with gas, I may ride the 3 blocks to the gas station with just a helmet (and maybe gloves) in addition to whatever i am already wearing. I'm probably not going to put on my A* trackpants and Dainese TRQ boots to check tire pressure and top off the gas tank.

Heck, I rode my moutainbike with my kid yesterday in those same streets (to the gas station) of my neighborhood in my street clothes. Kid helmet (as required by law) = check. Normal kid clothes = yes. MTB downhill crash kneeguards, hip-padded shorts, elbow/forearm guards, gloves, full face helmet= not for a 5-8 mph ride around the neighborhood.

Everyone who shares the road with a Motor Vehicle should be required to have mandatory safety gear? I've heard of pedestrians getting hit by a car, bus, truck, or van. The next time I walk down the street for dinner, if I have to cross the street I'm wearing a DOT-approved helmet, neck brace and a back-protector or Icon vest!!! Safer yet, I'll drive the cage (with my mandatory seat belt and mandated air-bags).
 
two categories of people that don't suit up:
1. inexperienced
2. nothing to protect

with all the examples above, and basic reading comprehension, there is no compelling reason to not wear gear. the only logical conclusion: wearing gear somehow does not add value, and such people fall into category 2.
 
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