Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I was born in Alabama and lived in Fla for a while but have spent the last 13 years in Seattle, WA. Anyway, I just visited my family back home and saw plenty of people on cycles. I'm going to say that 80% were in short sleeves and at least 50% were wearing short pants and I know I didn't see ten full-face helmets the whole trip. Was I just looking at the wrong times? I know it's hot down there - I grew up in that heat and I did a couple of years just south of the Sahara desert... but is that how cyclists dress down there in general? I see the occasional t-shirt rider up here in WA, but by and large I see mostly folks with leather jackets and real helmets and at least jeans when they are riding. I've got no qualms with how people dress - to each his own... I'm not complaining, just noticing. I was just kinda shocked at how few folks I saw wearing safety gear down there. Comfort is nice, but going 80 down the interstate with short pants and no jacket? I saw dozens of them...

We have riders like that up here in Ontario, too. You only see them on the VERY hot days, zipping about in their shorts and t-shirts. They are the part time, fair weather riders who always underdress for riding. Helmets are the law here, so at least their skulls would be safe in an accident.

I see it here in Pennsylvania ALL THE TIME. Harley riders in t shirts, sport bikers in shorts and muscle shirts, i see them all.

I think logic and reason escapes the bulk of the general public, and motorcycle riders are no exception.

Here in Montgomery, Flip-flops, wife-beaters and shorts seem to be the sportsbike "uniform" for squids.

We've got a LOT of kids around here with brand-new bikes, doing awfully dumb things with them and getting themselves killed...

On the other hand, finding parts for Gixxers is bloody easy and if you want to build a track bike from an engine/frame/swingarm, then there are lots of salvage oppourtunities... dumb squids.

I was just reading Tarzan's thread about his first accident - can you imagine how much worse his injuries would have been if he hadn't had his riding gear on? OUCH!

I'm in Georgia, and I'm planning on wearing full gear. The way I see it, it can't be much worse than getting in my car w/no AC after a full day of 90F sun.

AmericanWeiner wrote:I'm in Georgia, and I'm planning on wearing full gear. The way I see it, it can't be much worse than getting in my car w/no AC after a full day of 90F sun.

Whole lot better, actually, especially if you wear mesh armor. Nothing in the world like 60-70mph in the wind, nothing tying you down. Stop & go traffic sucks, but then again, it does in a car, too.

Amen Psycluded. I was just down there and tooled around on my brother in-law's vulcan 750. It was low 90's. I wore a full-face, chaps and a jacket. It simply wasn't that bad at all - in fact it was a lot of fun even woth gear on in the blazing heat. Would it be a bit worse if it were 100? Sure it would. Riding in shorts would be fun as hell, I admit it. But it's just not gonna happen with me. I'm extremely allergic to road-rash.

I am one of the stupid people, its too damn hot to wear a jacket and full face helmet when its in the 90s. I want to enjoy myself and I dress for comfort... if i die or get hurt at least it's doing something I love.

I admit, I take short rides on select routes in just helmet and gloves...and recon jeans/boots. When it's 95 degree or above, I just want to ride, and sometimes I take a quick spin on some back streets that way. Low speeds, though. I rode tens of thousands of miles in lycra shorts and polyester shirts..and helmet, on my racing bike. Yes, I've had road rash, and yes I hated it. Mostly, though i wear my joe rocket jacket (now that I have it). I've worn it in 96 degrees... and on the highway, it's great! In town, less great. Tarzan's post is a good reminder of high speed risks. He is fine, thanks to his gear.