The importance of motorcycle protective clothing...

[chymaera]

I've often had to restrain the urge to punch people who are riding around on scooters and motorbikes in shorts during the summer, the stupid cunts.

I always wear full leathers and I don't get hot.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I always wear full leathers and I don't get hot.

Daft thing is, you don't need to come off when not wearing protective gear to get an injury. I knew a pretty girl who stopped wearing skirts because she'd caught the inside of her lower calf on the exhaust of her boyfriend's bike when dismounting. A couple of seconds contact and roast pork with crackling was on the menu.

 

[maomao]

Is crashing a motorbike a lot different from crashing a pushbike? I've come off at 15-20 mph before and never had more than sore knees.

 

[detective-boy]

Is crashing a motorbike a lot different from crashing a pushbike?

Yes. 25mph on a motorbike is very much at the bottom end of the scale. On a pushbike it's very much at the top end. You also have the slight problme of a fucking great chunk of metal with pointy bits flying around at the same time as you (and, with the unerring accuracy of Sod's Law, making contact with your fleshy bits ...)

 

[han]

Is crashing a motorbike a lot different from crashing a pushbike? I've come off at 15-20 mph before and never had more than sore knees.

It's just the sheer weight of the thing that's the problem - being under a pushbike is no problem. Being under a motorbike is. And then there's the force of impact with something else which is going to be so much worse cos it's so much heavier than a pushbike.

 

[weltweit]

I have never gotten trapped under a bike in an accident, the most easy way to do that I would guess is to have the front end wash out, I always put more weight on the back end and a side effect of that is that if you loose it in a corner, the back goes first and you end up on your bum sliding down the street with the bike in front of you.

I did however once hit a car and in that accident I was thrown over the handelbars and into the street the other side of the car, protetive clothes in that case were a black overcoat, jeans, boots and gloves and an open face helmet .. its ok .. I only hurt my face

For me the primary cause of my 2 serious accidents (where in each case I hit a car) was junctions. In the case above the car driver did not see me (did not look more like) and pulled out right in front of me, and in the other I was overtaking a car that decided to turn right just as I was going past them. That one was definately my fault as I should not have been overtaking at a junction.

 

[Jambooboo]

Gosh - it seems like a helluva lot of people, especially in hot countries, are taking massive risks on their bikes without proper clothing then!

Sure is nice seeing a sun-kissed, bikini-clad girl making her way back from the beach on her scooter though.

 

[sherriff rosco]

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=155745


Still wearing my Dainese kit right now!

I do admit to wearing jeans every now and then in summer but if going further than 10 mins I always wear the whole lot.

.p.

 

[pogofish]

Sure is nice seeing a sun-kissed, bikini-clad girl making her way back from the beach on her scooter though.

Not when you think how easily she could resemble a plate of raw mince.

 

[geminisnake]

i think we let it annoy us cos those people when they have accidents cost more money to patch up. insurance companys see this and premiums go up.

My other concern is potential legislation in this nanny state we seem to be developing into.
Everyone should wear gloves on a bike and I get really annoyed when I see twats in nylon trackie bottoms with no gloves on anything that can do more than 30 mph(even at that it'd be bad)
If people keep injuring or killing themselves outcries occur and then legislation follows

Hubby missed a gear once(I just heard a bad noise) and I remember sitting on the back of the bike thinking "shit, this is going to hurt and my legs are going to be a mess"
Never rode without leathers since, that was yrs ago.

Han, what's the first thing most people do when they fall? Put their hands down. At walking speed you could get a nasty graze, at 10 mph a bit worse, imagine that at 30 or more

 

[dylanredefined]

Looked after a harley rider who came off in florida shorts and t shirts .Hell of a mess and a lot of pain good thing he had insurance .Though how you could wear leathers in florida and a full face helmet is beyond me drive everywhere at a 100mph maybe?

 

[Corax]

I ride a CG 125 most of the time.

I ride with protective helmet, gloves, jacket & trousers.

I may look a bit of a tit.

I'd look more of a tit with no flesh on my legs.

 

[Tays]

Ah the old comfort v practicality v safety debate. I've come off in denims with the odd graze and fully geared up with broken bones. 99pc safety on a motorbike is mental, the other 1pc is in the lap of the gods. It's the devils bargain you make when you sling a leg over motorised 2 wheels.

 

[han]

Han, what's the first thing most people do when they fall? Put their hands down. At walking speed you could get a nasty graze, at 10 mph a bit worse, imagine that at 30 or more

Yep - it makes me shudder when I see people whizzing around on mopeds at 30 wearing high heels, nylon tights, a skirt and no gloves!

 

[chymaera]

Yep - it makes me shudder when I see people whizzing around on mopeds at 30 wearing high heels, nylon tights, a skirt and no gloves!

Especially if they are men.

 

[miss direct]

Ha ha. I would so never wear high heels or a SKIRT on my scooter. What a fool.

 

[slainte]

Hmm Im all for protective gear. However, I have to say that I have on occasion even from here when I have turned up at places have people have a swipe at what they are calling a gimp suit...ie full bike leather. Often asking...is it necessary to wear such stuff??

However, after having a few spills I would prefer to have the odd particular look or comment rather than jeans interwoven to flesh.

Also, as a biker, I get REALLY PISSED with other bikers digging at those wearing as much protection as they can whilst on scooters.

Sorry but coming off at 45 on a scooter hitting the ground ....generally means you should have as much protection as you can if you come off.
Although again general populace will and do laugh at people on scooters with "more biker" cloths.
Stop looking at them as fashion..the cloths is to protect you and could even save your life.
Rant over!!

 

[miss direct]

Last night I rode home wearing a high vis jacket and waterproof illumious yellow trousers, 5 sizes too big. I looked really cool