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I'm attending a funeral today for a distant(ish) family member and will be going on the bike. I'll be wearing leathers to ride in which as it happens are black. However what's the done thing to wear under your jacket?
I contemplated a shirt and tie but that may look a bit stupid with leather trousers and I'm not riding the bike 60 miles in a suit!
Is there any general consensus on what to wear in this situation? I'm feeling that a faded Motorhead T-Shirt won't really be appropraiate.
I wouldnt go on the bike personally, can you not get a lift? The idea of sitting in a funeral in full bike leathers doesnt seem like a god idea and youre going to get really hot.
If i had to choose something to wear underneath, then a black longsleeved shirt would do it for me without a tie. Formal enough, without looking silly with leather trousers.
I'd stick a dark jacket suit in a top box, at least when you're sat in the pews it will look like you have a suit on, and as you're riding a bike you can then make excuses about the trousers.
Are you going to the wake? if you are it might be worth taking a change of clothes and asking one of the family if you could change at their place?
I don't have the luxury of a topbox. I can take the cage but it's such a nice day that I don't want to. I'll just got for a black shirt I think. I had a word with my Aunt who's organised everything and she said just come in leathers.
With the option of a cage, i would go for that because you can then go in a suit which i think is more appropriate for a funeral.
I don't have the luxury of a topbox. I can take the cage but it's such a nice day that I don't want to. I'll just got for a black shirt I think. I had a word with my Aunt who's organised everything and she said just come in leathers.
So you have the means to arrive dressed appropriately, you just don't want to? ;)
Yeah pretty much. 60 miles in the cage will be boring. 60 miles on the bike will be fun in this weather. Plus 60 miles back :D
timwilky
31-03-09, 07:32 AM
At my cousins funeral last week, 2 guys did turn up on bikes in leather. They were just as welcome as anyone else there. so go in appropriate attire, if on a bike :- leather.
Now I have already told my wife, for my funeral, I want no black ties or sombre suits. Loud and garish shirts etc. Life should be celebrated not death mourned.
parkinmj
31-03-09, 07:39 AM
Not wanting to sound like a killjoy. but personally i would go in the cage.
I know the prospect of a nice ride back is nice, but the question is will your mind be in the right place to ride back safely?
Personally i think worrying about family members and how there feeling would hinder my concentration on just riding.
all the best
MJP
you're meant to be paying your respects, go dressed accordingly. take the car, you can ride your bike another time.
quite simple i think.
Bluepete
31-03-09, 08:01 AM
Life should be calibrated not death mourned.
You take your job far to seriously!
Pete
Cheers for the advice guys. I've got black leather trousers, and all black jacket, a black lid and black and white boots. Biking is part of who I am so I've decided to take the bike.
Regarding being in the right frame of mind it's not a close family member at all, I'm going out of courtesy more than anything.
:laughat:
I'd stick a dark jacket suit in a top box....
timwilky
31-03-09, 08:15 AM
You take your job far to seriously!
Pete
damm spell checking add in got in there, trust you to notice
:laughat:
some of us don't have the luxury of a car, nor the inclination to only use the bike as a social tool, mine has to work for a living and therefore has a top box for taking my stuff to work.
My brother in law has a friend who's now in a wheelchair as a result of coming off his bike with a rucksack, containing something hard, inside it, hard lesson to learn for him, but I never ride with a rucksack any more
Ceri JC
31-03-09, 10:01 AM
My brother in law has a friend who's now in a wheelchair as a result of coming off his bike with a rucksack, containing something hard, inside it, hard lesson to learn for him, but I never ride with a rucksack any more
Out of interest, did he have a back protector on?
RE: The OP. Personally, unless I was close/knew them well enough to know neither the deceased, nor their immediate family would mind me in leathers, I'd take a dark suit, in your case, in a tailpack and then get changed in the church's toilets.
Put it this way, would they rather see you there in leathers, or not see you there at all?
Milky Bar Kid
31-03-09, 10:36 AM
I think as KeithD says, its respect really. Take the cage and go in suit. Plenty other days for the bike
I think as KeithD says, its respect really. Take the cage and go in suit. Plenty other days for the bike
Disagree. I think that people have too many hang ups. When I die I won't care what people wear. It's what's in the heart that counts.
Milky Bar Kid
31-03-09, 10:41 AM
I just think that for the sake of one day, he could give the bike a miss. It's not about him, its his cousin's, or whoever it is, day. Its a VERY small sacrafice to make to wear something appropriate and go in the cage.
Warthog
31-03-09, 11:07 AM
It completely depends on the deceased and the family. The latest funeral I went to had 30 bikers in leathers, it shouldn't really matter what you wear, so long as you come well-intentioned and are respectful. That said, some families would prefer suits, in which case you should try to meet their requests.
Out of interest, did he have a back protector on?
I don't know for sure, it's not a friend of mine - but a guy I know went over the bars braking hard when a little girl stepped out in front of him and if he hadn't been wearing a back protector could have had some serious injuries, as it was he was only off work for a couple of weeks with soft tissue injuries. So I fully understand and appreciate your comments about back protectors!
Yeah pretty much. 60 miles in the cage will be boring. 60 miles on the bike will be fun in this weather. Plus 60 miles back :D
Youre going to a funeral. Should it really be fun?
Bluewolf
31-03-09, 08:28 PM
So, what did you decide in the end?
FWIW, I went to my mum's funeral on the bike - all black leathers with a black armband, shirt and tie on underneath. I know she'd have laughed herself silly at the thought of it ;):D
Bluewolf
31-03-09, 08:30 PM
Whoops! Sorry, missed the second page completely :oops:
the white rabbit
31-03-09, 08:31 PM
It completely depends on the deceased
I doubt he's going to mind one way or the other.
Went on the bike in the end. It was an aunt that I wasn't very close to. However I'm close to her sister who was left to organise everything. The sister (Kath) saw me stood waiting by my bike when she turned up and came over and said 'Thanks for coming on the bike Ross. I really appreciate it'.
Her son rides and she understands about bikes and what they mean to people. She also said later on that it's what Hazel (the deceased) would have wanted. So in the end I'm very happy I went on the bike. I got a couple of looks for being in leathers and a couple more looks when family who hadn't seen me in years saw tattoos on my forearms but everyone was chatty and friendly and as someone on here said. It's better to be there than to not be there.
Thanks for the advice peeps, it's much appreciated.
BTW. I went with a black T-Shirt under leathers in the end.
EssexDave
31-03-09, 11:55 PM
At my cousins funeral last week, 2 guys did turn up on bikes in leather. They were just as welcome as anyone else there. so go in appropriate attire, if on a bike :- leather.
Now I have already told my wife, for my funeral, I want no black ties or sombre suits. Loud and garish shirts etc. Life should be celebrated not death mourned.
+1
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