[Crackshot]

I hit a huge pile of horse shit (Damn Amish) in the middle of a back road and the bottom side almost became my topside. So be careful. I sometimes go without a jacket but I ALWAYS wear a helmet. Mostly because if I wreck without one, and survive, I'll wake up to my girlfriend killing me.

[skasner]

I....

...wear a lid 99.99% of the time (unless i'm putting around a state park or something at 10-15mph)

...wear gloves about 90% of the time (i work w/ computers so my fingers gotta remain attached)

...wear boots about 90% of the time (i hate having my socks show anyhow)

...wear riding pants about 60% of the time (not exactly appropriate atire for my workplace)

...wear jacket about 40% of the time (if its too hot I can't focus, or end up unzipping the jacket so it'd come off in a wreck anyhow)

[RwC xXx]

well personally i always wear a helmet i've got no choice unless i want a ticket, as far as other gear goes.... i really probably should wear it but i know it sounds selfish or squidish but i t starts to take the fun out of riding when you have to dress up in 3 layers of clothes and gear... it just feels better and more natural to ride in some sweats and a t shirts or even shorts, i always thought that was the whole point of riding was to feel the wind...

(let the bashing begin "i like my skin too much to ride in shorts", i give 3 posts before somebody says it)

[SweetLou]

I rode in shorts once a few years ago on a real hot day. Didn't care for it to much. It felt weird having the wind blowing my leg haor all around.

[JDS]

. . . i always thought that was the whole point of riding was to feel the wind...

I can feel the wind through my jacket just fine... My jeans probably won't do much more for me than shorts would, though, so I can't say much there. I've been looking at getting some overpants or something to give me more protection there.

[loudnlow7484]

I like my skin too much to ride in shorts.......

Ha, there I said it. In exactly 3 posts, too. In reality, I'm pasty, casper-the-friendly-ghost white, which is why I don't wear shorts. That, and yeah, seems like a little too much ventilation, if ya know what I'm sayin.

[MinnGreenGT]

Up until about a week ago, I would generally ride to & from work (less than 2 miles through a housing development) with little gear aside from a helmet. Never made much sense to wear anything more (too hot, not comfortable riding, etc). Now that I've got a proper jacket, that's different.

For some reason, when I rode my small cruiser (shadow 600) - I never quite liked the idea of riding gear (I had a "beanie" style helmet - mostly just as a technicality, but really no other gear). But since I got the Kat - the gear has been a lot more natural of a choice. It's actually kind of "stylish" (OK, so my wife thinks I look good in my riding jacket 8)).

The only time I ride without at least my helmet and jacket now is when I'm literally just going a block up & down the street in front of my house. Anything past that & the gear comes out!

...As for me, I am going to look into getting a mesh jacket.

Can I return your suggestion of stopping by Bob's Cycle Supply? Check out their Mossi "Super Cool" mesh jackets... dang comfortable, comes with a nice liner & removable armor. Only $100!

[Mojoe]

Re: Don't label me a squid, but a random question

I know how most everyone on the site feels about squids, and the lack of gear some people wear. I generally always wear a lid and gear, but every now and again, if I feel like a nice leisurely ride, I'll go lidless in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and take a nice long ride on some desolate country roads. I feel pretty safe by doing this, because there is really no real volume of traffic, and most of the roads I ride on are wide open, and you can see a great deal on both sides of the road, so if an animal or something would run out, I believe i'd have adequate braking time. I guess i'm just wondering if there are a lot of other people that do this on occassion? or if I'm clearly just squidly. I guess it kind of goes to the old saying of the "open road" and the "wind hitting your face" that appeals to me from time to time. Anyone else guilty??????? Oh, and be nice to me, today is my birthday.

Happy B-Day.......and no, you are not the only one. I do the same as you so don't sweat it. I ride without my lid once in a while when I am in a state that permits. Personally, my reasons are not to defy the norm or think it's cool. I just do it cuz like you, I love the feel of the wind in my face. Not a 100mph wind...that's nuts and it makes it hard to breathe even. But at a nice slow 25-30mph, it's great. PLUS my field of vision is like 10x better. If it wouldn't look so tacky on a sportbike, I would have a damn 1/2 helmet. A fullface has to be one of the worst things in the world as far as your field of vision is concerned.

One of the member stated that the largest group of organ donors are bikers.....this may be true. I also wish I kept the link I found a while back, but I can't seem to find it. It was statistics that were compared with the state of New Hampshire. Believe it or not, the amount of deaths were higher for the bikers with helmets than it was for the riders without. According to this, the largest part of helmetless riders ride custom style bikes. They are more laid back than the sportbike riders. They are involved in less accidents. So just riding a sport bike puts you in a class with more deaths. My solution to this is ride a sportbike, but ride it like you are on a custom when you decide to go lidless.

So my advice would be to ride the way you wish, as long as it is as safe as can be according to the situation. If you wish to ride without a helmet, just do it, and forget about posting on any forums about what others may thing cuz it is for sure that you are going to hear responses you don't want to hear. Besides, the same guy who calls you nuts could be the same guy who pulls up to a McD's on his bike (with helmet), and stuffs his face with his 8th big mac of the week, then lights up a smoke and keels over from a heart attack. How would you like to go out? From a mishap on a bike with no helmet, or check out with you face planted in a 1/2 eaten big mac? When it's your time to go, that's it.....helmet, no helmet, hit by a bus, heart attack.....there are a million ways to go....and most worse than a blow to the head.

[smhholm]

+1

I don't think I could say that any better so I won't even try.

I always carry my helmet on the side of my bike when i am not wearing it. If any body else wants to ride my bike, be it a friend taking it for a spin, or some cute girl i am takin for a ride, they will wear the helmet or they will not ride. If I get hurt, thats my owne fault but i will not deal with the guilt of someone else bein hurt.

[SoloScott]

I actually rode my bike for the first time without a leather jacket this weekend. It felt great! The conditions were bumper-to-bumper traffic by the beach. I was lucky if I hit 20 mph, at the fastest, and the total ride was less than 2 miles. Yes, I had helmet (on), gloves, boots, and double-knee jeans. If you call that squidly, then I would expect you put your helmet on to move your bike around in the garage

[md86]

I feel naked without my gear anymore . I'll ride in jeans sometimes , but everything else is not optional .

[Ned]

I used to live in NJ which had a helmet law so I had no choice.

I now live in DE where I can choose but I would never ride without a helmet. I've had several UFOs (and one suicidal bird) strike me on my (helmeted) head and I think had I not been wearing one I might have been in serious trouble.

I also have a Firstgear mesh jacket that I find is surprisingly comfortable even in temperatures in the low 90's.

I know you mentioned the area you ride in is open but I've seen onboard videos of deer strikes and it is amazing and frightening how quickly they appear "out of nowhere".

Ned

[SweetLou]

...As for me, I am going to look into getting a mesh jacket.

Can I return your suggestion of stopping by Bob's Cycle Supply? Check out their Mossi "Super Cool" mesh jackets... dang comfortable, comes with a nice liner & removable armor. Only $100!

I was actually looking at the Joe Rocket Rio Jacket I think it was, they were like $125.00, and they had them in my size (Big Boy Size)

[MinnGreenGT]

I was actually looking at the Joe Rocket Rio Jacket I think it was, they were like $125.00, and they had them in my size (Big Boy Size)

Yup... we looked a the JR Rio as well, both myself & my renter (who was along purchasing gear as well) thought that the Mossi was more comfortable (against bare skin), and included the liner (which IIRC the JR doesn't). But if you already have a milder-weather jacket... that's rather less important. Oh yeah - he picked up a 2XL (or maybe even a 3XL) - he's a tall guy...

[Mojoe]

+1

I don't think I could say that any better so I won't even try.

I always carry my helmet on the side of my bike when i am not wearing it. If any body else wants to ride my bike, be it a friend taking it for a spin, or some cute girl i am takin for a ride, they will wear the helmet or they will not ride. If I get hurt, thats my owne fault but i will not deal with the guilt of someone else bein hurt.

I should have added that like you, I will allow no passenger on my bike without a lid. I don't care if it is only a 500ft trip....the helmet goes on. I do not think I could live with myself if I caused injury to a passenger from some simple little thing like letting them ride without a helmet.
I may ride lidless, and do not object to those who do.....but ANYONE who would carry a passenger without a helmet are irresponsible. You have someone's life in your hands....so be responsible for it. Caving your own skull in is one thing....but someone elses is entirely different.