[JokerZwild]

I will go to the local store at times or shoot to work both about 5 mins away from me with out gear but if im heading out to play its ATGATT! Gloves are my #2 requirement next to my lid.

[abraxas]

I agree with the gloves, I rarely wore them when I started and then after reading something about the rate of blood you could lose through your hands I started wearing them religiously. Feel naked without them now.

As for helmets, wearing a helmet all of the time even got me wearing a bicycle helmet when I am bicycling into work. Suddenly I just felt nervous without one... Maybe I'm just starting to become a conservative old man at 27...

[HemiKat]

every single person I have seen riding two up doesnt wear any kind of gear...I would feel so bad if the person riding with me got hurt..I dont understand how others wouldnt.

I wont let anyone on the back of my bike. I put a cargo net on the back usually and say theres no rear seat

Got a call from a friend today, a guy we used to work with laid down his 07 Honda CBR 600 with his girlfriend on the back. I guess a car came into his lane going around a corner and he over corrected. Neither one had helmets or gear. She was air-cared to a local Hopital and he was taken in an ambulance.

They are both going to be okay, she cracked her skull and has road rash.
He he is a little better shape, but he said his arm is hamburger meat. I guess he doesnt have medical insurance so the emergency room shooed him out pretty quick.

Bike is torn up on one side. Broken windscreen, and mirror. A cop found the guage cluster 100 feet down the road in perfect shape.

Thats why I wear gear.

[ATOMonkey]

Yep I feel weird without gear too. Even just leaving out my earplugs for a short trip doesn't feel right.

[whitecl0ver]

Riding without gloves drives me insane.

SAME HERE!!! ive been wearing just a helmet jeans and boots lately and my friends ask me why im wearing gloves w/ no jacket... it just feels weird without them in between me and the controls.

yupp yupp and yupp in the same boat on that one...

Saw a guy today.... Honda 929, Guy in front, shorts, tennis shoes, sunglasses.... all he had, no gloves, helmet or shirt! Girl on back, tennis shoes, shorts and a tank top.... thats it.

I wonder will he still 'love' here when her skin looks like hamburger meat?

[Psycho1]

If I'm just riding around close to home(out in the country with no traffic at all), I will ride in whatever I have on, usually jeans (have worns shorts on occasion but not a habit) and either a wife beater or T-shirt, whatever shoes or boots I have on at the time, helmet and gloves. If I am going to town where there's traffic, and I expect to be hitting higher speeds on the way, I make sure I have my boots, jeans, and jacket too. Once I get my leathers, I will be wearing them any time I go further than 5 miles from the house.

[sav]

Get asked why I wear "my hot *** leather , hot *** gloves, and hot *** lid in the summer... its so nice out"

I reply... I can deal with being uncomfortable... not being unprepared...
I've rode with out my gear, just to see how it feels, etc. It just dont feel right. Like I'm egging a accident on or something.... hahaha! Fageddabouditt!

[hop_n_nc]

If I'm just riding around close to home(out in the country with no traffic at all), I will ride in whatever I have on, usually jeans (have worns shorts on occasion but not a habit) and either a wife beater or T-shirt, whatever shoes or boots I have on at the time, helmet and gloves. If I am going to town where there's traffic, and I expect to be hitting higher speeds on the way, I make sure I have my boots, jeans, and jacket too. Once I get my leathers, I will be wearing them any time I go further than 5 miles from the house.

I went down on a country road with NO traffic for miles. You can never anticipate for things like wild life or gravel thats washed out in the road from a previous rainstorm, OR BOTH in my case!!! Point is ATGATT - a wise man once said; 'the only thing certain is uncertainty'.

[ATOMonkey]

I don't understand why people don't wear gear for a short ride.

Does it hurt less when you go down within 5 miles of your house?

[rydethis]

I have to wear gear.. even if im sweating my *** off!! What kills me is when I used to go to bike nites in ATL there would be sssssooooooooooooooooooo many groupie girls with nearly nothing on... getting on the back of these bikes!!! I wasn't even like that before I got my bike... I wore gear even as a passenger!! There is no tube steak in the world that is worth me getting my a$$ rashed!!!

[etskatana]

the only time i did ride with out the jacket and all.... i got hit by a bumble bee in the neck where my jacket would of protected me against that..... stinged like a mkfnlk lol.... lesson learned ride with gear or else lol

[ferrucci86]

i always wear gloves and helment, and glasses under helment b/c i like my visor up and you need eye protection, i have not lic. so i have to follow law,

[rydethis]

i always wear gloves and helment, and glasses under helment b/c i like my visor up and you need eye protection, i have not lic. so i have to follow law,

you are already breaking the law

[tmk7c9]

people ask me all the time why I wear my mesh jacket when it's 100 degrees out and humid.

I always say the same thing..."the pavement is still really hard when it's hot"

Besides, my mesh jacket flows air alright...not quite as good as being naked, but after you've had roadrash, you're willing to sweat a little more to avoid it next time.

As for the ride distance thing...I think all 3 of my wrecks (all pretty minor) were within 1 mile of my house (one of them was within 20 yards of my house). All of them were someone elses fault. Distance doesn't really concern me, accidents happen everywhere. wear your gear to check your mailbox if you have to!

[abraxas]

Another forum just reminded me of the ridetodie web page... Nice site for somebody new to motorcycling (not for the squeemish)...