Vegetarian Bikers? I know you are out there!

[safety-boy]

Hello all,

Any other vegetarian bikers out here?

I thought the poll could be interesting. Feel free to explain your responses.

As for me, I try to avoid leather when I can. I would not get leather saddlebags/gear bags, ect.

My jacket is textile, but has leather from above-the-elbow to the wrist, bottom side only (did not realize this when I bought it online).

I do have a pair of leather gloves... I ride all winter, and cannot find a textile that will keep the wind out well enough. I have arrived at work with almost no feeling in my fingers once or twice. Any thoughts on good textile gloves would be more than welcome!

Have a pair of leather boots from long before I was a vegetarian, wear them but would not replace with leather. Too many suitable options in footwear.

--David

[VermilionX]

i believe Vegan is the term you're looking for.

vegetarians just don't eat meat.

vegans is the hardcore version, they don't use or wear any animal product as well as don't eat meat.

[safety-boy]

Vegans are hardcore. I am not a Vegan, but still am anti-leather. Lots of Vegetarians are.

Cows don't die for milk and cheese... But there is still some moral ambiguity there. I could see going Vegan, except I don't have the memory for it! You'd be suprised what has meat in it out there (frosted Pop-Tarts, for one thing...).

--Dave

[VermilionX]

Vegans are hardcore. I am not a Vegan, but still am anti-leather. Lots of Vegetarians are.

Cows don't die for milk and cheese... But there is still some moral ambiguity there. I could see going Vegan, except I don't have the memory for it! You'd be suprised what has meat in it out there (frosted Pop-Tarts, for one thing...).

--Dave

yeah, i think vegans are insane.

[Sev]

If I didn't love to eat meat I'd probably be a vegetarian.

As for leather gear? I'm slowly phasing mine out, mostly because I believe I can get warmer textiles gear, with better protection.

[safety-boy]

I think textiles could be far superior to leather, wear wise - but we get a lot of nylon and polyesters that will melt (probably a cost thing).

I always wondered about a textile jacket with small ceramic bumps - padded from behind obviously... Racing knee sliders are ceramic, if I am not mistaken - not 1.5 inches of laminated leather.

Leather is cheap, and is the standard... Without a demand for better textiles, there won't be better textiles (the biker market is small enough a niche already - taking chances is probably not in most companies' best interest).

I don't know that I will get fast enough on the EN450 to melt my textile or polyuerethane jacket.

--David

[IrishJim]

I love meat. Thats it. Animals are there for a reason and that is to feed me.

lol

But i can understand some peoples point of views about the subject. I for one tho would not be able to give up meat, i just love it so much

As for gear, im starting to build mine up, so if its leather or frabic, i really dont mind, just as long as it gives me the protection that i need and is at a reasonable price. Us students are always broke ya know

[fireguzzi]

mmmmmm....steak. I crave steak. mmmmmm

steak.....mmmmmmm *drooling*

I dont see anything wrong with killing cows as long as nothing goes to waste. So i am all for leather, steak, milk, cheese, and anything else i cant think of.

[safety-boy]

I got my leather gloves for $5 at Wal-Mart... Not motorcycle gloves, but still better than the Alpine Star winter gloves I have.

[Loonette]

I'm a vegetarian, but not vegan. Tried to go vegan once, but I missed my cheese omelets too much. So, no food with a face here. That includes gelatin (you'll find that in marshmallows, Jell-O, and many other gelatinous items) because it's derived from pigs. I also check soup ingredients since they are often made with chicken broth.

I do wear leather for practical reasons - with shoes, gloves, motorcycle gear, etc. - mostly because it's durable, softens nicely with time, and someone already killed the cow for their dinner. I don't like using leather for a fashion statement only as with furniture, car seats, and the like.

Cheers,
Loonette