Bikes - do you wear protective gear

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Many many years ago I had a truck turn and cut me off and I had no choice but to slam into him. Over his hood and onto the pavement at about 60kms. Amazing how easily the pavement / gravel sliced through my jeans and denim jacket. No hospital time (except to get gravel picked out an body bandages up.
15 yrs ago I was turning a hornet and grabbed a handful of front brake (have no memory why) at about 20kmh, flipped bike and broke my shoulder (scapula). Witnesses said it was a very graceful flip. 8 weeks strapped up for break to heal and a few months of therapy.
Have had a brother in law hit by a dear and nearly die and a few good buddies crash and walk away.
For me leathers / protective gear seems to make sense regardless of how warm it is or how short the ride is, I mean jacket/pants.
Do You Wear Protective Gear When Riding?

 

[the_real_wild1]

Depends on what I am riding, where, when, weather etc. I don't have one set for everything

 

[crazy_wheeler]

I'm like you Curtis minus the wipe out or accident but I'm also relatively new to riding. I wear a leather jacket with elbow & shoulder pads all the time, jeans, boots and chaps.

 

[fnDan]

Once in a while I can't resist and ride with a t-shirt, leather vest and jeans. Most of the time I wear leather jacket or textile with armour and chaps. I wear the chaps ever since a rock nailed me in the shin. I can't ride without boots or gloves. I cringe when I see people ride in shorts and a t-shirt but it's not me.

 

[rubirose]

Full leather chaps and jacket for me, chaps and synthetic jacket with padding for hubby. Boots and gloves both of us. We wear this at all times no matter how hot it is. Makes it uncomfortable at times but better than riding without, might as well be naked.

 

[CUSO]

Wonder if this hurts..

 

[SLEDBUNNYRACING]

Wonder if this hurts..

View attachment 158538

Only when you breath, speak, move, cough, dress, touch someone. So not really.

 

[drew562]

Only when you breath, speak, move, cough, dress, touch someone. So not really.

I wear a mesh jacket with full pads on hot days. And a synthetic jacket other wise. When its closer to plus 30 a T shirt feels so good on a hot day. I do always wear gloves and boots. And as that photo shows I should always be dressed in safety gear.

 

[fj40]

I Laid my bike down in Florida in the early 80s 0nly wearing shorts and a tee shirt.
Had road rash from my ankle to my ear.
Now I don't ride any where with out suiting up.

 

[Ancient Sledder]

Full face helmet, heavy leather jacket, leather chaps, heavy leather gloves, leather boots. Been hit twice by the cagers and I'm still here. I'm not sure, but I think I like leather. LOL.

 

[Trax 2 Treadz]

AGAT!!!!!!! All the Gear All the Time!!!! If I don't gear up including my Tek Vest I don't ride period!! Neither does anyone in my house!!!! Jan

 

[trench]

The first time I rode my bike with no gear was the day I crashed on Groat road, I wear all the gear all the time now!

 

[CamoKVF700]

My wife and I always wear our gear. It's hard when it's hot but you still have to.

I wear Draggin Jeans. Going to get a shirt too.

http://youtu.be/FSwf6-QaIKo

My jeans were 125.00

Long sleeve shirt is 175.00

This was in Kamloops on one of my trips. Saw a different pair of jeans in Edmonton later once I got home and it was 250.00 so gauge the price by their website.

Won't make you iron man against objects but a good piece of mind against road rash.
http://www.dragginjeans.com/

 

[trench]

Riding with all the gear can be hot, I found a vest in Arizona that you soak down and wear under your jacket. This made riding in 39* C weather all geared up bearable!!

 

[catmando]

Full leather for me with the exception of the full face helmit which I'm considering, good leather boots are a must as well cause feet usually take a serious beating when you lay down a bike a highway speed. Layed a 650 special edition Yamaha down on the grande cache highway when I was 17, no serious injuries, only underwear change required and a few bike repairs.

 

[Trax 2 Treadz]

If you ever ever think you don't need to wear the proper gear read this story and then think again. Jan Brittany Morrow's Motorcycle Accident

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Sure, it may be a little bit uncomfortable to wear full gear when the temp is pushing 30, but just think how much more uncomfortable it will be when you have a nurse scrubbing the gravel out of your body, and that is if you manage to walk away with just road rash. For the most part, I wear full leathers, jacket, and pants that zip together, so if I do go down, my jacket doesn't ride up around my chest and leave me vulnerable. I wear full gauntlet gloves, and tall boots. My idea of skimping on gear, is replacing my leather pants with Draggin Jeans (installed zipper so they attach to jacket), the gauntlet gloves with shorter mesh back gloves (with full knuckle protection), and above ankle AStar boots.
I just have to shake my head every time I see a Squid out there with just a helmet as any sort of gear. You may be a really good rider, but all it takes is one cager not paying attention to end your life, or make you look like you lost a fight with a cheese grater.
For those that are looking for protective denim, Draggin is a good choice, but I've seen a new company out there, Lean Angle, that are just getting started. Their gear is a little more, but it looks awesome. They are fully lined, where Draggin is only lined in the high impact areas (butt, knees, and down the side seam), and they also come with removable knee and hip armour, which is an extra with Draggin. I will likely be buying a pair of these next season, because I'm just not wild about the way my Draggin jeans fit, I think they were designed for someone with absolutely no ass (the waist is too big, but tight through the thighs/butt).

 

[abiceman]

My brother blew a front tire at 110 km got down to about 60 before the bike went down ( I watched the whole thing in my mirror) got up and walked away with a sore finger , ripped up his leathers and scrapped up his face shield . GEAR MAKES A DIFFERENCE .

 

[GYMBRAT]

Ive crashed a couple times over the yrs WITH gear on always! Totaled my gixer a number of yrs ago on Groat rd stunting "my fault" no injuries AT ALL thx to my gear. The other was on a cruiser many many yrs ago, when a bee flew in my helmet and stung my eye I went for it with both hands :/ speed wobbled and down I went. Again no injuries thx to my gear.

I always wear it and make sure my kids see me do so as well to set an example even when they just ride their electric scooters to ALWAYS wear their gear.

Be safe everyone, anything can happen at any given time thats out of our control!!! My gear always have the under armor..

 

[thump]

Full length Tourmaster textile jacket has built in protection in arms, shoulders,spine,built in kidney belt(heavy jacket). Lots of venting zippers and removable liner. Leather chaps,boots and full length armoured gloves, fullface helmet. Responded to a motorcycle/deer collision bout a month ago between Whitecourt and Peers. Honda crotch rocket, guy and girl mid 20s, they were in jeans and T-shirts. At least they were wearing fullface helmets. Not sure of injuries but both were just being loaded on stretchers as we arrived, both were awake and in alot of pain.