Honest question

[dannyh982]

Just curious as to who here rides without gear on. I will honestly say I always wear a helmet, and a jacket only when it is cold outside. I have gear but hate wearing it, I ride for the feeling of freedom and with everything on I lose that feeling. I have been riding for 23 years on the street, and yes I have been down and will be the first to tell you it sucks and is very painful. But in all honesty if I had to gear up for every ride I would quit riding. If I know that I am going on a very spirited ride I will gear up, but for everyday riding I can't stand it. I know people see me in shorts and a t-shirt and call me a "squid" but I ride responsible and I am a grown adult that knows first hand of the risks involved. Am I the only one here who feels this way?

[Kreylyn]

I'm almost always in full leathers.

When I'm not, the only thing I've traded out is wearing jeans but all the rest of the gear is there. That's pretty rare though.

I've got to this point because of the times I've been down and realized that just a little more gear would have meant no injuries at all for most of them.

Krey

[thetable]

I have been riding for 23 years on the street, and yes I have been down and will be the first to tell you it sucks and is very painful.

I've been down too, so far it hasn't been very painful. All the gear has kept my ass off the ground. If I had to ride without gear, I'd quit riding. Motorcycles are inherently dangerous, if I can mitigate those risks, I feel a little better.

[KAT TOY]

hope you don't become a burden to your family. my wife would raise hell if I didn't gear up.

[woobie]

It's your choice to make, we all choose our comfort level weather it be the level or protection we wear or how hard we're willing to push out bikes.

I'm almost always in full leathers.

When I'm not, the only thing I've traded out is wearing jeans but all the rest of the gear is there. That's pretty rare though.

Same here, Even if I ride to work I may not railing corners but I'm still hitting 65-75mph on the highway. Having slid down the road at 30-35mph I have to desire to do it at twice that in less than full gear.

[92xjunker]

full leathers, full boots, gloves and helmet, atgatt .....

[TRPUT]

So, do you not play any sport that requires gear because it would take away the fun of the sport? Hell, I hate wearing condoms because they ruin my sense of pleasure, so I've given up sex.

You're just thinking about it wrong. ATGATT is part of the ritual of riding that means you can enjoy it more, like wearing studded boots to play sport, and it means you will probably enjoy riding for longer. Get comfy protective gear and wear it.

[skjeflo]

Been down on my mountain bike countless times, at low speeds and high, in the dirt, grass & rocks.

Been down on the pavement off my bicycle road bike at 35mph. Ouchie...

Hit the ground enough times to KNOW I don't want to tempt fate on the motorcycle.

ATGATT for me.

[zuma]

I high-sided at 68 mph, hit a 750+ lb feral hog at 98 mph (glanced off my boot top and took out my foot peg and shifter and I stayed upright), and hit gravel and went over just off the Dragon at midnight and broke my thumb. All the gear or no riding for me.

[dano68]

Honest answer... Quit riding dude.... You may be an adult and yes you can make your own decisions,,,,but being an adult doesn't mean you always make the right decision...Does it?!?! 98% of the time I am in full gear(leathers) if I am going to the mall or the corner store admittedly I will swap the leather pants for jeans.... Does it make my choice the right one,,,,no it doesn't.... Someone here put up a post of Brittany Morrow "Rock the Gear" check it out...

For not gearing up I wouldn't call you a "squid" I would and will call you a dumbass(that is the polite version)...If you have a family make the adult choice and gear up when you ride... You say you feel you lose freedom by gearing up....REALLY!!!! By not gearing up you could lose a hell of a lot more than your freedom... Not to say gear will protect you from every injury...But the protection is a thousand times better than wearing none...

I give rides to my kid, fiancé and fiancés kids.... It cost me a fortune but I bought full gear for myself, my kid and my fiancé. I lucked out that my fiancés kids wear the same size as she does(if they didn't I would have spent the money to gear them up as well)....So not only do I gear up I make sure everyone I love and care about is geared up...

I could go on but I will end it here... If I offended you in anyway I apologize, it is just my opinion... On second thought no I do not apologize for it...I feel very strongly about gearing up...... So don't be an asshat and gear up..

[Stumpy]

Not going to enter in a injury contest - but at some point or another I've broken my nose, jaw, both legs, both arms, all my fingers but two, four ribs, all my toes but three, one of my vertebrae, my pelvis and one kneecap.

That sounds a lot more expansive than it actually it - over three crashes it wasn't too bad.

Was still wearing full gear each time though. Thats something to bear in mind. I can honestly say - if I had no gear, I would be dead in any one of those incidents.

You'd wear a suit to a wedding, a uniform for a job, a space suit for being an astronaut - so why not wear proper gear for being on a bike?





Yup these are old pics

[Doppleganger3814]

Not that I have years of experience, but felt the need to chime in. Honestly, I can see where you are coming from, but choose to side with everyone else that has replied on this one. I've never been down and hope it stays that way, but choose to ride with full gear minus boots (until my next pay check). I do wear mid cut boots and high top sneakers that cover my ankles for what its worth. I have a mesh jacket and riding pants with the armor inserts that I know probably wont hold up the best, but I know for a fact it's better than a t shirt and shorts. It was about 90F this past weekend and I honestly felt comfortable in the gear. I guess since I've been wearing it since day one, I don't know what it feels like to ride without it. It's just a risk I wont take personally. The only thing that I'm confused about that you said is that you feel less free when you ride with gear...I pray that you change your way of thinking on this issue, because it could be that one time when its nothing that YOU do, but someone else does that causes an accident, and if you get caught in an high speed accident with shorts and a t shirt...

[dano68]

I don't have years experience either as I have only been riding street for less than a year. But I have road dirt bike from 1984-1999.

I learned real fast to gear up.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

[scottynoface]

Tapout t shirts are not appropriate riding gear.

[thetable]

Tapout t shirts are not appropriate riding gear.

Yup, need an icon chest protector to go with it.