Total Motorcycle Community Forums

High_Side wrote:I'll confess to skipping the leather to run to the carwash. I consider this very low risk, but you gotta have a little risk to make life interesting. There's always hope that along the way I can enrage some busy body who needs something to rage on about Kinda makes it all worth while

Surely after your bike has water in the brakes (from cleaning it), it would be more advised to wear gear

I ALWAYS wear Armored Jacket and gloves (have summer and winter versions) Boots, and a Helmet.

I Own armored pants (Joe Rocket Ballistics) but only wear them in winter.

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For those who are looking for Inexpensive gear, I'd recommend at least trying certain things on so you know what fits, and then searching for stuff online. I got my winter touring jacket ($350 JR Revolution) on Ebay from a company getting rid of their old stock in Utah for $125.

Another tip is to look for stuff that's Previous years' models - retailers are usually looking to get rid of stuff at very low cost. (The above mentioned Revolution Jacket was one such deal)

Finally, motorcycle rallies (like Daytona beach and Sturgis) are another AWESOME place to score gear for cheap. The secret is to hit the vendors up on the last day of the rally - they will be looking to get rid of stuff for cheap to avoid the hassle of loading it back in the truck. I walked into a tent where I noticed the vendor packing his stuff up, and scored an Arlen Ness mesh jacket ($175) and ZAMP 3/4 DOT approved spare helmet ($65) for $60 and $40 respectively.

"Finally, motorcycle rallies (like Daytona beach and Sturgis) are another AWESOME place to score gear for cheap. The secret is to hit the vendors up on the last day of the rally ."

Thanks - that's a good tip. That's why we pay you moderators the big money.

Nibblet99 wrote:

High_Side wrote:I'll confess to skipping the leather to run to the carwash. I consider this very low risk, but you gotta have a little risk to make life interesting. There's always hope that along the way I can enrage some busy body who needs something to rage on about Kinda makes it all worth while

Surely after your bike has water in the brakes (from cleaning it), it would be more advised to wear gear

Yep, if I didn't know enough to drag the brakes across the parking lot on the way out of the car wash or to keep the speeds down etc...... Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving advice to impressionable newbs here, in fact DON'T DO THIS As for danger, however, I generally hit higher speeds on my mountain bike (wearing shorts and a t-shirt) than on my way back from the car wash on my motorbike. Is it the safest thing to do? No. Taking the car is.......
High_Side
P.S. I still wear jeans, no lace steel toe boots, gloves and a helmet, but there will still be some busy body hollering "SQUID" as I go by. I could care less.....

Sorry, should've put a smilie on the end of that, thought I'd wind you up a bit....

As long as confessions are being made: I have been guilty of riding in t-shirt, and shorts, vans, and a pair of bugz goggles. I always have my gloves on though; I got those Icons with the titanium knuckles. I've had to punch cars with them in the past because they are not paying attention and start to swerve into me. So I give the vehicle a tiny, knuckle size dent, reminder.
I had an almost bail once (a moose decided to replace my road space with his), so I no longer dress that far down, as it scared the living poop out of me (and the moose)!
When I ride into work, I have to wear a reflective vest (to get on base), which I wear over my BDUs, sometimes a jacket, but always gloves and full-face, of course at 0530 I am about the only vehicle on the road, with the exception of other military vehicles. Not that this excuses the behavior!

hjc full face helmet, sears die hard boots, joe rocket jacket, kevlar-armored gloves (wind-teks in the winter) and.... khakis.

I'm a geek, for crying out loud, I HAVE to wear khakis. It's in the handbook.

Not having my regular gear on makes me feel naked - like driving around in the car without a seat belt on. Just kind of out-of-balance.

But seriously, we RIDE MOTORCYCLES. What a sweet irony to be an obvious thrill seeker and yet get on someone regarding their gear?

Nibblet99 wrote:Sorry, should've put a smilie on the end of that, thought I'd wind you up a bit....

No worries, I was trying to do the same....

For a quick 10 minute store run I don't care what i'm wearing.

When actually leaving my street, i wear nothing less then full face lid, gloves, armored belstaff jacket and boots. the only exception i SOMETIMES make is that i ride in normal trousers, rather than my leathers. However, never further than just riding to work (about 3 miles - max speeds of 25-30mph)