Perspective.

[Angrytoaster]

Before summer, I bought my first bike. It was a wee little ninja that I cautiously learned on until I traded it for my current 04 Kat. Now, riding my ninja I was the typical obnoxious college kid on a bike, jeans and a tshirt with the law reguarded helmet. Since purchasing the kat, Ive really been afraid. Not only does the larger\faster bike make me a little more cautious but since the start of the college year more and more idiot drivers have rolled into town.

So Ive geared up.

Picked up a scorpion jacket for a hundred bucks from KD.com, and some Joe rocket gauntlets from a local shop. All in all I spent less than 200$ and its worth it for how much safer wearing gear feels. I cant imagine whats going through the heads of the kids zipping around on their rashed cbr\r6's and still not wearing gear.

This thread is mainly about how different the feeling is once you actually put on a jacket compared to never having worn one. The difference is irrevolkable and I wont be jacketless again.

Whats even better is that most of the online dealers offer some bangin deals from time to time, especially on super small sizes, which my girlfriend happens to be. Hello jacket\helmet combo for under a hundred even!

Similar experiences?

[allblackkat]

Wait till you buy race leathers... You'll feel like a super hero...

For me, when I put on my track suit for a nearby ride I feel invincible.. a false positive that you need to consider... There are still vehicles that travel the opposite direction from you that don't care about you being all geared up... You won't survive a head on collision unscathed...

[Angrytoaster]

realized and realized. superhero feeling is sweet, but I know that the leathers\jacket are only for the fortune that when I get t-boned I fly OVER the car and slide. It was in the upper seventies mid eighties today and wearing my Scorpion hattrick jacket was pretty comfy. Cant see any reason to ever ride without.

[allblackkat]

I have a Joe rocket Phoenix 4.0 that works great, not to mention I got it for 70 bucks or so... The only pain in the butt is wearing my riding pants on a commute... When it's hot outside it's nearly umbrearable in them... Learned the lesson the hard way about wearing just slacks to work without the overpants... Suv jumps out in front of me while I'm doing 50 or so and what sustains most of the bodily damage? My knee that would've had some hard shell padding to protect it had I been wearing the overpants...

If you commute, then atgatt, no if ands or buts about it.

Oh yeah, good boots too... You'll likely end up with a broken ankle if it gets smashed between a bumper and your bike... Skechers won't cut it...(don't ask me how I know)

[kruzuki]

I always feel much safer when I'm in my full leathers; pants (not assless chaps) and jacket, boots, gloves, full-face.

I fell off once without full gear on & my injuries taught me a valuable lesson.

ATGATT!!!

[Crash]

I too ride with just about full gear. I always wear a helmet jacket and gloves. I've been looking for pants, boots and a new set of gloves for a little while now. Unfortunately for me I have really large hands, and my pant size is the first to go.

[Malarky112]

Don't know about you guys but I could never buy a jacket or a helmet online. I am too picky about how they fit, and the different companies vary so much is size and shape. Luckily most of the bike shops around will honor an online price if you ask, its just a matter of them carrying the product or not.

I've never considered riding without gear. I think its from starting off racing dirtbikes. I would feel naked without a helmet.

[dave633]

i only had my kat for a week or two before i had proper gear. now i have a textile jacket, textile pants, and gloves with of course a helmet. i feel much safer now. i still would like boots but i'm gonna wait til bday or xmas for them. i still feel wrong with just work boots on

[IdahoKoolKat]

I was much like you when I learned to ride. I had a wimpy little nighthawk 250 and most of all my riding was in a t-shirt and shorts much of the time. I did wear my helmet, but that was only about 50% of the time Yes, yes, I know extremely stupid. When I bought the Kat this spring, I had already purchased a teknic coat, but have since found much more gear. I found a great deal on a fieldsheer mesh coat, an AGV leather Suzuki coat, leather gloves, and I bought some Speed and Strength denim sliders. I have found that the poking and prodding of the members of this forum have been a positive shot-in-the-arm for my squidishness, helping me understand the value of ATGATT.

[bob393]

Yah, I always ware Gloves, Jacket, Helmet, and Boots. The pants I only ware on log multi-hour trips. Why who knows jeans seem to work OK. No, I'm wrong probably should also ware the pants if not just for the knee and hip pads!

[foxox]

This thread is mainly about how different the feeling is once you actually put on a jacket compared to never having worn one. The difference is irrevolkable and I wont be jacketless again.

Similar experiences?

Before buying my Katana, I just used an average consumer leather jacket for riding. The previous owner of the Katana gave me his riding jacket with the bike, though, and having the pads, adjustments, and ventilation is really superb. It was the first time I ever put on a real riding jacket and I can totally relate to your experience. I still just have my consumer-grade leather gloves, though and I should probably buy some real riding ones. I tried on a few pairs at a local CycleGear store and like the jackets, they felt much better than the average-Joe department-store gloves I use.

[Angrytoaster]

I agree! I rode my mountain bike gloves for a month before dropping fifty bucks on some Joe Rocket gloves with knuckle armour. They feel strange at first but you wont want to ride without them after a few weeks!

[scottynoface]

Full leathers ftw.

[HemiKat]

Full leathers ftw.

Full leathers, long hippie hair and 102 degrees heat. I bet you smell great after a long ride.

[scottynoface]

Full leathers, long hippie hair and 102 degrees heat. I bet you smell great after a long ride.

Hahaha I actually cut all my hair off last week. No more ponytail hanging out the back of the helmet