oh dear oh dear - summertime

[Balky001]

Originally Posted by Ed

I'm all in favour of proper gear BUT we need to remember that we live in a free country and it's up to individuals to make lifestyle choices.

So true, and to be able to comment too. I only posted (as I see 100's dressed skimpy in London a day) as the T-shirt necklace ticked me (not literally). It was nuts - in a totally legal way of course At least my man-kini will be tight and snug and not blowing in the wind

[Viney]

I have my air jacket, its great. I did um and ah this mroning about jeans or leathers for the bottom half, and leathers won.

I used to be a H&S nazi with regard to riding in proper kit, till it occurred to me that riding across town, sticking to the speed limit and riding fairly cautiously is much safer than doing the same route on a pushbike with even less protective kit (an inferior lid) and going mad with speed on the downhill sections, which I (and most other people) will happily do without thinking twice about. Yes, it's a bit dim to go out for a proper ride, or along a motorway/NSL road without good kit, but for nipping over to the beach less than 2 miles away and 30 all the way, I don't think twice about it.

Saw a girl pillion on Sunday wearing tracksuit bottoms, t-shirt, helmet, but NO SHOES!
Seriously... just socks...

Someone has to supply the donor organs I suppose...

Yesterday I rode around richmond park at 20 mph with my gloves off and jacket undone. It felt really nice, kept me really cool. I can understand why people are tempted to ride without full kit....but the benefits don;t outweigh the risks. Riding home from richmond park (now zipped and gloved up) i got hot, very hot, but as long as I kept moving it was bearable. And if I got too hot, then I'd just stop and have some water and sit in the shade.

Saying that, I really wish I wore jeans. They owuld have been easier to get off when I got home than my leather trousers, they where stuck to me!!!

Ride safe

Matt

[SoulKiss]

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Someone has to supply the donor organs I suppose...

Yesterday I rode around richmond park at 20 mph with my gloves off and jacket undone. It felt really nice, kept me really cool. I can understand why people are tempted to ride without full kit....but the benefits don;t outweigh the risks. Riding home from richmond park (now zipped and gloved up) i got hot, very hot, but as long as I kept moving it was bearable. And if I got too hot, then I'd just stop and have some water and sit in the shade.

Saying that, I really wish I wore jeans. They owuld have been easier to get off when I got home than my leather trousers, they where stuck to me!!!

Ride safe

Matt

Draggin Jeans are your friend then

Have a pair of those and 2 pairs of the Icon ones I got from the US.

Makes for a nice cool ride

OK, now that a few years have passed I can reveal a skeleton in my closet:
I actually rode my bike stark naked on one occasion. However

a) this was for a photo shoot (charity calendar),

b) it was terribly cold (beginning of December), and

c) I kept my boots and gloves on. Safety first!

Originally Posted by SoulKiss

Draggin Jeans are your friend then

Amen to that!...

Originally Posted by Ed

I'm all in favour of proper gear BUT we need to remember that we live in a free country and it's up to individuals to make lifestyle choices.

...And that!

I'm all in favour of proper gear too, but if it's simply too hot then it's t-shirt, jeans, gloves, boots and helmet all the way. When I was in Oz last December I felt it was more dangerous to be in full gear than it was to wear just a t-shirt because the temperature was pushing 40 degrees C, and being stuck in traffic on a litre bike in full kit isn't nice.

On the weekend me and the girlfriend went for a pootle around Richmond park in just t-shirts, jeans and trainers and it was great, although I didn't feel comfortable going above 40 so I adjusted my riding accordingly and didn't hoon around.....felt perfectly safe!

If I'm on a rideout though then I'll wear full leathers no matter how hot it is because of the increased risk of something happening, but if I'm in town on a hot day I prefer to stay cool. I did laugh though at the dude who pulled up next to us at the lights, looked us up and down and shook his head..........yeah, what ever mate FFS!

This is why I bought a pair of Alpinestar motorcycle jeans from the states last time I was there...

They don't feel as tough as Draggin jeans (and Hood jeans, which I gather are similar to Draggin), partly because the denim is so thin - but it has a second internal layer (over much of the jeans, but not all) of material, which although it looks thin - it's supposedly the protective bit (think it's some kind of nylon-base material? Can't really remember atm...). Also has some knee armour in them.

Along with those, and a second pair of boots I bought (which were intentionally discreet and go under the jeans), I have the added benefit that I can get off the bike and not tramp around looking like I have been on a motorcycle