[DreKat]

I feel the same way if I dont wear all my gear

[curseboy]

In the city I'll ride with helmet, jacket, gloves, boots. I will admit i feel like a squid just wearing jeans on and no over pants, but it's not always practical. On sporty rides, leather all the way. Dress for the crash, not for the ride.

[JokerZwild]

You know that most accidents happen within a few miles from your home. If you go to the cormer store you should gear up like you're going on a long trip. I can't ride without full leathers, I just feel naked. I've tried riding through a town in N.H. without the helmet and that also felt to weird. Riding without gloves is like putting your hands on a belt sander that's going full tilt.Whats the first thing you do when you fall?.... put out your hands.

Oh SOOOOO True!! Shelly found this out the hard way. I insist that gloves are a must but she had to be difficult about it. Saying she didnt want to muss her nails. Well the inevedable happened one day on our very own block. We were coming around the corner into our lean and a car stopped short at the stop sign in a blind corner. We went down and off she went over my head and onto the asphalt. Sure enough you guessed it she threw her hands out to catch her fall and wiped out the palms of her hands and busted up her pretty lil nails just the same. So her lesson was learned the hard way ATGATT!

[BigFish]

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

The mesh is actually cooler than riding naked because it keeps the sun off of your skin.

I've known nudists who ride motorcycles. Guess what? They wear gear when they ride too!

[dtown240]

Back on Feb 14, 1999, I went out to the desert with my cousin and her friend. He rode his Ninja 250 out there and decided to let me have a turn. I borrowed his helmet and off I went, having only a little bit of dirt bike experience under my belt. I was wearing a white t-shirt and jeans and dumped it while rolling across the white line on the road.

I tell you what, I was tore up from the floor up. My knee got banged up and swollen bigger than I ever thought it could. My right arm was hamburger from my wrist to the armpit. My right hand had a patch of skin ripped right down the middle, from my finger to my wrist; and my left hand had a huge blister on it after a couple hours.

It took me about two months to heal up completely, and I am thankful that things didn't turn out worse. On the other side of the guard rail was a pretty steep embankment. They would have had a hard time finding me if I had gone over the top instead of low-siding it.

This taught me two, very important lessons.

1. Wear Personal Protective Equipment.
2. Don't let overconfidence write checks your *** can't cash.

[phil823]

i do half and half......in the summer i use the standerd helmet, mesh jacket, gloves, but i get lazy and use these wonderfull puma shoes....they have good grip and are very good for feedback. they make me feel like a ninja lol....and im a very large guy...

....i also wear shorts...........yes...yes....i work in a ER...i see what the lowdown is on them...but my balls get hot lol, and i love wind up my shorts!

[Pa Kat]

I'll get all sorts of **** for this, BUT...I ride with helmet and gloves, SOMETIMES a normal jacket or sweatshirt. If two-up, I only have one helmet, the passenger MUST wear it! If I don't have a passenger, I'm wearing my helmet, but I'll be D@MNED if I'm killing a passenger because I let them ride without a lid! I know gear is cheaper than skin graphs, unfortunately, I don't have the money for either. I know, I know..."Don't ride 'till you get some then". I'm already on disability, they don't pay well at all. Eventually, I WILL find some MEGA cheap gear, 'till then, I'm a squid. To be TOTALLY honest, I think I would be more scared WITH gear! Without gear, the thought of wrecking and the carnage to follow is implanted in my mind, therefore, I'm very cautious, I rarely do any speeding, etc. I also know that most motorcycle accidents are not the cause of the bike and rider, but by others, that's why I'm cautious and keep my eyes on everything I can. Don't worry, this won't be a lifetime thing, but 'till there's a "Salvation Army" for motorcycle gear, I'm riding nekkid.

[kat_pilot750]

I'll get all sorts of **** for this, BUT...I ride with helmet and gloves, SOMETIMES a normal jacket or sweatshirt. If two-up, I only have one helmet, the passenger MUST wear it! If I don't have a passenger, I'm wearing my helmet, but I'll be D@MNED if I'm killing a passenger because I let them ride without a lid! I know gear is cheaper than skin graphs, unfortunately, I don't have the money for either. I know, I know..."Don't ride 'till you get some then". I'm already on disability, they don't pay well at all. Eventually, I WILL find some MEGA cheap gear, 'till then, I'm a squid. To be TOTALLY honest, I think I would be more scared WITH gear! Without gear, the thought of wrecking and the carnage to follow is implanted in my mind, therefore, I'm very cautious, I rarely do any speeding, etc. I also know that most motorcycle accidents are not the cause of the bike and rider, but by others, that's why I'm cautious and keep my eyes on everything I can. Don't worry, this won't be a lifetime thing, but 'till there's a "Salvation Army" for motorcycle gear, I'm riding nekkid.

I hear ya. I always do my best to gear up fully (helmet, gloves, jacket, boots, no pants yet). Last month when I was doing 15 mph in a turn on a poorly lit side street intersection I hit sand that I didn't see and slid on my right side. Shaved down my elbow armor and put a hole in the heel of my right glove. Practically walked away without a scratch. Ya never know when something little will getcha.

The Kat got slightly shaved down on the right side but nothing major. I just tell my Gixxer friend that since I "always aspire" to have a gixxer one day that I figured I would get a head start by shaving off a few pounds. lol

[Kat96]

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

Yup, I did the same thing sorta........unzipped my jacket to cool down at a stop then took off and 1 minute later...ZAP..........Bee to the collar bone. Hurt more and more as I rode home.

[brothert69]

I'll get all sorts of **** for this, BUT...I ride with helmet and gloves, SOMETIMES a normal jacket or sweatshirt. If two-up, I only have one helmet, the passenger MUST wear it! If I don't have a passenger, I'm wearing my helmet, but I'll be D@MNED if I'm killing a passenger because I let them ride without a lid! I know gear is cheaper than skin graphs, unfortunately, I don't have the money for either. I know, I know..."Don't ride 'till you get some then". I'm already on disability, they don't pay well at all. Eventually, I WILL find some MEGA cheap gear, 'till then, I'm a squid. To be TOTALLY honest, I think I would be more scared WITH gear! Without gear, the thought of wrecking and the carnage to follow is implanted in my mind, therefore, I'm very cautious, I rarely do any speeding, etc. I also know that most motorcycle accidents are not the cause of the bike and rider, but by others, that's why I'm cautious and keep my eyes on everything I can. Don't worry, this won't be a lifetime thing, but 'till there's a "Salvation Army" for motorcycle gear, I'm riding nekkid.

newenough.com has a joe rocket textile jacket with ce armoured shoulders and elbows for 69 bucks and if your usual passenger has a small head ironpony.com has a dot full face for 30 bucks in sizes xs-med.

[Pa Kat]

newenough.com has a joe rocket textile jacket with ce armoured shoulders and elbows for 69 bucks and if your usual passenger has a small head ironpony.com has a dot full face for 30 bucks in sizes xs-med.

In the process of getting a jacket from Free Coffee. We're trying to sell some stuff around the house that we don't need/no longer use. Should get us each a jacket, lid and gloves. Just have to get the pants/boots then.

[DakotaKat]

I always figured the sportbike riders who ride around with no helmet aren't "real" riders. There is no way I can bear high speeds with just a pair of sunglasses, even if they would stay put. I can't imagine doing even an hour on the Interstate with no helmet!

[bob393]

Defiantly feels weird without gear.

I've been known to don the jacket when it's real hot but always: boots, gloves, helmet, and jeans at a minimum!

NO No no shorts and flip flops!

[sonofnothing]

Today I was late for work and opted to go on with just a pair of safety glasses instaed of the full jacket, pads, helmet and gloves.


Boy what a difference it is. Granted I only work about 4 miles from home, it fealt really weird without my gear on. Now I am a new rider (this is my first season) but I felt really naked without my gear. I have been looking into a mesh jacket for riding, but after this experience I dont think I will ever run without my gear again.

Even on my way to work I saw lots of harley riders with helmets on and I couldnt even look them in the eye because I felt shamefull. Every other day I pass a harley rider wearing shorts and a tshirt and today of all days I ran into every biker with a helmet in this town.

Point of the story, being a squid is pretty lame now that I have experienced it.

riding without a helmet is the dumbest thing you could ever do. jeans and tshirt wont do any protecting but youll still have your brain.

[LeroyClark]

I'll get all sorts of **** for this, BUT...I ride with helmet and gloves, SOMETIMES a normal jacket or sweatshirt. If two-up, I only have one helmet, the passenger MUST wear it! If I don't have a passenger, I'm wearing my helmet, but I'll be D@MNED if I'm killing a passenger because I let them ride without a lid! I know gear is cheaper than skin graphs, unfortunately, I don't have the money for either. I know, I know..."Don't ride 'till you get some then". I'm already on disability, they don't pay well at all. Eventually, I WILL find some MEGA cheap gear, 'till then, I'm a squid. To be TOTALLY honest, I think I would be more scared WITH gear! Without gear, the thought of wrecking and the carnage to follow is implanted in my mind, therefore, I'm very cautious, I rarely do any speeding, etc. I also know that most motorcycle accidents are not the cause of the bike and rider, but by others, that's why I'm cautious and keep my eyes on everything I can. Don't worry, this won't be a lifetime thing, but 'till there's a "Salvation Army" for motorcycle gear, I'm riding nekkid.

Hey man I have an extra helmet you can have for free if you want. its a all black full face Fullmer size large. PM me if youd like