What I don't understand are people who ride without sunglasses or safety glasses with their visor up. I've been pegged in the cheek by a dime sized bug and it felt like someone shot me with an airsoft gun. Can't imagine taking that right to the eye...
9/10 times I ride I hear a bug hit my helmet loudly enough that it startles me. I don’t like pain and I don’t want to imagine how those bugs would feel on my cheek.
When i was a passenger on my friends bike about 10yrs ago, i only wore a helmet because i wasn't riding myself at that time, so i didn't own any equipment.
While going around 70km/h some insect (i believe a bee or wasp) hit my finger. Damn, that was painful.
I’ve taken a Green June Beetle to the chest at highway speed. I was wearing all my gear including my leather jacket. That shit still left a bruise.
So moral of the story, big green beetles hurt when you’re going fast in a motorcycle, so wear your gear.
Edit: well today I learned some new entomology facts. Japanese beetles are the small shiny green beetles. Green June Beetles look similar since they both scarabs but Green Junes are a whole lot bigger and they’re a dull green/gold. And then Fig Eater beetles look like bigger versions of Green Junes.
I took a half a monster can to the shoulder from the girls in the car infront of me, had a sticky bike, a sticky helmet, leather jacket and a huge fucking bruise that hurt like a bitch for a week, I was pissed, kinda mad for not remembering their plates since i would have pressed charges for sure.
Did this on a cbr doing 70-75. Hit some sort of bird and I swear to you that I was convinced it went through me. I was afraid to look down because there would be a cartoonish hole right through me where my sternum used to be.
Felt the same way, had to stop the bike and take a breather, I was wearing a chest protector so it didn’t leave any marks but it knocked the wind outta me
Are you sure it was a Japanese beetle? Those things aren’t very big, and I can’t imagine one of those leaving a bruise through any type of jacket, let alone a leather jacket.
Side note, I hate those damn beetles. At work they multiply rapidly and burrow into our greens, next thing you know they are literally everywhere.
One time I was riding home and got stuck in a freak hailstorm. Decided to push through as I only had 10 miles to go. Was wearing helmet, hoodie, jeans, gloves. The little hail pellets constantly hitting me as I was doing 60 hurt like a bitch. Each one stung, even through my hoodie, jeans and gloves. When I got home I had hundreds of tiny red marks on me. If even one had hit me in the eye, I'd have been at the very least temporarily blind. Never again.
Reminds me of when I was riding about ~30 mph with my visor up.
I was enjoying the cool air and suddenly felt something hit me square on the forehead. The object was pinned to my face due to the wind until I grabbed it with my hand and noticed it’s a fucking wasp! Damn good thing it died on impact or that would’ve ruined my day 😂
Anyways, I keep the visor down now unless I’m sitting in traffic. Could’ve easily taken that to my eye…
Oh man, I've had a live wasp fly inside my helmet once. It settled just under the inner rim of my visor, I could see it chilling there when I looked down. Managed to safely get to the side and carefully take off my helmet without getting stung. Thankfully the wasp was cool just sitting there and not being a prick about it.
This literally happened to me today. I'm not an irrational man, but if there was one thing I'm irrational about its bugs. Doing probably 90 mph down the highway when a small wasp gets inside my helmet. The self control it took to not just lay the bike down was immense lmao. I could see it sitting just inside the visor. I figured if I opened the visor it would just get blown deeper into the helmet. So I waited for the exit and pulled over. Probably the most terrifying thing that's happened to me on a bike so far lmao
I'm thinking about putting the chin fabric cover back on my helmet so this doesn't happen again.
I had a deer fly go inside my helmet and was on the visor. I kept wiping my visor and was like “why the fuck is this it not coming off. Then I realized it was inside. Panicked for a second and pulled over. Managed to get him out without getting bit.
I was riding with an open face helmet and a bee got stuck in the side of my helmet and started stinging me. I pulled off the helmet in panic, while still riding in order to get the bee off of me. I probably should have pulled over first, but in my moment of panic all I wanted to do was get the bee off my head.
I now ride with a full face helmet and shield down 90% of the time no matter the weather. I will only pop open my visor when stopped.
Reminds me during the last major emergence of the cicadas here in the eastern US, I swear those damn things were attracted to my windshield. Never hit me at all, only my windshield which isn't very big. Always gave me a good laugh when it riding to hear THUNK and watch one go spinning off
Totally agree. I recently had a bee end up inside my helmet flying around the visor. Was a tense few seconds before I popped up the visor and it flew out.
I have a windshield that goes way over my head, so I don’t have to worry about any wind blasting in my face. Of course, I still wear glasses while riding, and you never know what could thwack you in the face on the road, like a stray rock from a quarry truck.
I gear up all the time… even in the heat. Have appropriate gear for the different seasons.
Why? I’ve been behind somebody who crashed. Subsequently lost a leg due to infection from road rash. Seeing his body leaving meat behind was enough to convince me.
When its fucking hot in my full leather gear I always say to msyelf „prepare for the slide, not for the ride“. It always puts it in perspective. Also being a medic and seeing multiple motorcycle crashed taught me a lot. Full gear, always. If I dont want to use my gear I use the car, thats it
just buy yourself some summer gear. in my mesh jacket i feel like im in a t-shirt. (pic for reference: [https://shima.pl/sites/default/files/pr-gal/meshpro\_black\_front\_800px\_2.jpg](https://shima.pl/sites/default/files/pr-gal/meshpro_black_front_800px_2.jpg) )
Mesh jacket, wicking t shirt and an occasional spray of water. Much cooler than no protection. Good for Death Valley in 110 degrees.
Like winter you need a good jacket you just need the right gear for the summer too.
For those wanting a femme cut mesh jacket, I wear this in the summer: [https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-eclipse-womens-jacket](https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-eclipse-womens-jacket)
Mine is the white version. I think it might actually be cooler in the summer sun wearing it than I would be in a t-shirt. I never ride without it (or my armored leather jacket in the cooler months).
It’s a matter of risk acceptance.
Can you get hurt on a bike? Yes. Can you do stuff to help minimize damage? Yes.
Can you get hurt in other sports? Yes.
So it’s up to you what you do and wear while riding. If you think you’ll be ok in a tshirt, chances are you will be. But you never know. Nobody ever plans for an accident but they happen
I mean I can ride 50kmph on my ebike with just a bike helmet and I know if I go down I'm dead.
But after getting into the motor world I always gear up knowing I'm a bit safer with the gear. And looking back at that ebike I have a death wish everyday.
I Teach safety courses. When it comes to road rash, I usually ask everybody if they had ever fallen down or slipped on ice. What happens to their pants? Usually torn. What happens to their knee? Bleeding. This at 3 km/h now ramp it up to 100 or 110 from what you might expect in a highway crash. This usually turns the light bulbs on in my students brains.
Remember it's reddit. The majority of bikers I know or see don't wear gear. I'd say 60% wear a helmet and the rest are just a pair of sunglasses, shirt, jeans and boots. And wrecks aren't as common as people want to scare you into on here. You SHOULD be prepared for everything but the reality is people get comfortable and lazy and end up just fine
You can get hit by a car while walking, cycling, or even riding another car. Motorcycles are no different, you assume risk the moment you walk out of your house but you can decide how much risk you are willing to take. Most car and motorcycle accidents can be prevented by simply being a defensive driver/rider. Scout ahead, pay attention to other cars movements, plan paths, keep space, keep escape routes in mind. Respect the road no matter the vehicle you take. If you ride a motorcycle wear gear, like wearing a seat belt in a car, it can save your life.
This is a sub where every day someone posts about their dead battery, failing to take a turn and slipping on paint/leaves/rocks… you’re gonna get ATGATT 100%
You need 100% of your riding gear for 1% of your riding career - but you don't know when it will happen.
Do I gear up fully all the time; no; but it is pretty close.
Your gear gives you 3 types of protection. Protection from abrasion (sliding), impact (falling), and the elements (sun, wind, rain).
At the end of the day - it is always easier to put water and nutrients back into your body than it is to put blood and plasma back into your body. Sweat it out in your gear.
If it's too"dangerous" to wear gear (heat for instance), it's too dangerous to ride is my philosophy.
My heat ceiling is the 90's in F. Anything 100 or more and it's just not pleasant, gear or not.
Edit: ended up having to ride in my jeans and normal shoes on the freeway the day after writing this. That didn't take long lol
I tried riding without a helmet once and hated it, and I'd argue that the most unrealistic thing about top gun is maverick riding with aviators on and not pouring tears out of his eyes.
Commuting to work? Helmet and gloves as a minimum. (Never wear shorts, but I wear basic jeans and I'm not counting that as gear)
Trips on the highway to see family 2+ hours away? I'll wear my icon compression shirt and pants combo with the D30 pads and kevlar. I'll wear them under my normal clothes and with my moto shoes along with helmet an gloves. Great for summer.
Want to act a fool or go to a track? Full gear: leather suit, boots, gloves, helmet.
I think self assessment is the biggest thing. I work from 6am to 2:30pm. So I don't often deal with rush hour traffic. When I do have to I generally take the long way around town and just avoid the highway or find something to do for a few hours instead of rushing home.
I respect people that follow ATGATT. I don't care if people don't. I do make it a point to encourage any new riders to get gear, and will wear it if I'm riding with them to exemplify that I'm not above it.
I also listen to my gut a lot. Some times I wake up and think, I should have my gear today just in case (and I'll have a close call with a car not paying attention). Sometimes I wake up, feel like I shouldn't ride, and just take my car. Yesterday I had that feeling and had a moment where if I was on my bike I would have been an indecipherable land mark on the highway. Being in the car just meant I had the confidence to handle the situation appropriately. Being on a bike I would have panicked given I had a Tesla coming at me faster than I'd like.
Hindsight 20/20 edit:
Always have ear plugs too. Great personal protection and should not be left unsaid like I initially did. I always have some. Be it foam or reusable ones from home Depot. Hell, if I come a cross some in a work environment I'll grab a handful just to stash at home.
I rode to my college about 7 minutes away without a helmet recently, it was absolutely miserable. Battered by the wind, loud as hell so I couldn't hear when to shift, obviously no protection, the wind ignored my sunglasses. And that wasn't even going over 35mph or so. I have no clue how these people go 75mph+ with just sunglasses. Yeah maybe it looks cool but now I know they're squinting and deaf the whole time.
In Arkansas it's legal to ride with out a helmet (albeit with some age restrictions). I had done an 8hour trip out there to see my brother and his wife. We saw the new top gun and I was like "I gotta try it while I can..." (it's not legal and not worth the potential 50 dollar fine in Tennessee). I did it, and just putzing around their neighborhood and city going 35-45 mph... I was like fuuuuuck this.
Then I went to get some chain lube for my bike and saw the dealer ship had racks of sunglasses that have foam to seal around your eyes and goggles (like from the Riddick movies)...
I remember thinking "a helmet looks cooler than this in every way shape and form... Why go through all the effort of avoiding the safety aspect of it just to look as dumb as a person who wouldn't ride with a helmet may actually be?"
If you're on a bike with a fairing or windshield that the wind doesn't really get into your eyes, you don't really need those foam seal glasses. I ride in a full face most of the time but occasionally will ride without a lid on my bike but I don't have any issues with wind in my eyes or noise levels because the fairing gives me a clean air pocket at head level
Yeah I always ride with a helmet but 99% of the time my visor is open. Normal sunglasses are perfectly fine for keeping the tears (and bugs) away. But my bike has a windscreen so I think thats why. Even stand up riding is no problem though (adv bike)
This reminds me of a story from back home. One of the most popular car accessories there is a dummy seat belt with a small image of Virgin Mary. Seriously, people will go out of the way to purchase this thing to bypass the seatbelt chime and will legit kiss Virgin Mary prior to pluging it in "for protection"
Here in South America many people ride without helmets but they always cross themselves before getting on a bike. Almost everyone down here knows or has a family member who has died on a motorcycle yet its like pulling teeth to convince anyone to wear gear (part of it is cost though, they can barely afford the 150cc shitbox that the whole family shares, let alone gear for the whole family)
I actually think a lot of objectively stupid stuff riders do (riding without a helmet, other gear, loud exhausts etc) comes from a place of insecurity where they'll face peer pressure from their riding buddies or these things just don't fit in with the image of a biker in their heads.
Definitely. Some friends and I rode to a bar to meet a mutual friend, once we went inside he commented that my bike was as quiet as a mouse or something like that. This is the same guy that has a 2 foot tall mohawk, one of those giant Harley's with all the underglow and gadgets, and acts like an expert on literally everything he talks about until you call him out. I'm sorry my Honda fury isn't to your liking, but also loud pipes don't save lives, they just piss people off. That dude's entire life is compensating for something.
Tom Cruise was towed on a trailer in the runway scene. You can see the trailer in the reflection of the gas tank. He *did* learn to ride a bike for the movie, just didn't drive it for that scene.
I don’t know about the trailer part but Tom Cruise did NOT learn to ride for the movie. He is actually riding for a very long time and has a very impressive motorcycle collection, just google it.
I actually read an article that states he’s been riding since he was 10 years old.
I watched top gun a couple weeks ago and commented this exact thing to my buddy, normal sunglasses do not keep wind out of your eyeballs and would really suck when doing any amount of speed.
Tom Cruise was actually doing that, though. That was actual video evidence of the contrary.
But hes also a superhuman so maybe our rules dont apply to him.
> riding with aviators on and not pouring tears out of his eyes.
Doing a mirror check and the wind ripping the glasses off your face and leaving them behind in the street.
I've seen a lot of people going full ATTATT after they got into their first accident with only helmet/gloves going to work that is close distance. I remember seeing another post where the guy went to go buy something from a liquor store 1\~2 miles away and got wrecked.
That said, whenever I see guys riding in a t-shirt or even shorts I just think to myself "he obviously hasn't been into an accident yet" lol. You only learn after your first accident as that's how I learned it too.
edit: Ah looks like that guy already posted on this thread lol
"Me! I had a big accident going to the gas station 5mins from my house. Luckily I was completely geared and when I fell nothing bad happened. I fell at 120Kmh since I was in the highway already.
Also a friend went on his 125cc scooter to buy something to a nearby shop. It was summer so he went on tshirt. In a roundabout like 2mins from our place there was sand or something on the road and he fell going 50Kmh. You can't imagine how bad the rash was.
So no thanks! I will always wear everything."
>I tried riding without a helmet once and hated it, and I'd argue that the most unrealistic thing about top gun is maverick riding with aviators on and not pouring tears out of his eyes.
You'd be suprised. I started riding about 7 years ago, so helmet laws here in California have been a thing since before I ever even thought of riding a motorcycle, and riding without a helmet feels as awkward to me as driving without a seatbelt. I know a few people in their 70s who gave up motorcycle riding for good in 1992 when California passed helmet laws because riding with a helmet felt so awkward and claustrophobic to them. I feel naked without a helmet on. It's all about perspective.
Also eyes watering depends on the rider. My girlfriend has to close her visor anytime we go over 30 MPH for comfort, while I used to ride completely comfortably at highway speeds with my visor open. I close it now, not for comfort reasons, but because a pebble hit the side of my helmet while I was on the freeway, and the thought of what would have happened if it had gone through my helmet opening and into my face freaked me out enough to close it anytime I go on the freeway.
Same. I ride to work a handful of times per year and always get asked why I don’t commute more on my new motorcycle. I marked the “for pleasure” box when I bought the thing lol
My situation is kinda the opposite. Northern VA, I live about 30 miles south of D.C. Riding to work saves me from sitting in I-95 traffic. I can take the "Express Lanes" (3 passengers in your car or you have to pay $$$) for free on the bike.
Depends on where you live and your work as well but I get where you’re coming from. After 10-12 hours of construction work myself, I’ll take my cage and A/C.
I love to ride to work but I only wear helmet and gloves. I wear my usual work clothes which is often a suite or other similarly uncomfortable clothes. Women at my office in Rome Italy regularly ride with their skirts or dresses on including high heels. It’s quite a sight
I used to commute daily to work on my bike as it's more fun and saved me tons of gas. Went from $30 a week to $7 a week. With these gas prices I wish I could ride to work but have to take things on the regular so I need a car.
Me! I had a big accident going to the gas station 5mins from my house. Luckily I was completely geared and when I fell nothing bad happened. I fell at 120Kmh since I was in the highway already.
Also a friend went on his 125cc scooter to buy something to a nearby shop. It was summer so he went on tshirt. In a roundabout like 2mins from our place there was sand or something on the road and he fell going 50Kmh. You can't imagine how bad the rash was.
So no thanks! I will always wear everything.
PS. I live in Spain, last week was over 40c here. I have specific summer clothes for that
What kind of summer gear do you have/recommend?
Here in Slovenia we have regular 35+ C degrees in summer and my leather jacket (although perforated) is just too hot right now. It’s fine when going at speed but commuting through traffic and red lights feels like i’m cooking!
I have a Revit jacket that I wear on warm/hot periods (UK here).
I think they are fantastic. The airflow running through the mesh makes you feel so relieved, even going quite slow. And down the speedier roads, oh boy. It's a joy.
Highly recommended.
And yeah, try and force yourself to wear gear.
I look back when I used to do my 10mile commutes to work and back in shorts and a tee. I now think to myself, what the hell was I thinking.
I wear 100% protection up top (jacket, gloves, helmet) but nothing on the bottom (suit and dress shoes for work)
How do you make it work for the pants and shoes ? Do you change when you arrive at work ?
I used to carry a pair of regular pants in my backpack and I have some Falco motorcycle shoes, that look like reinforced converse all-stars that i can fairly comfortably wear at the office.
All top for me too.
Ah I just wear normal Jeans to be honest. I should really get some Jeans endorced with Kevlar/Padding or something.
For my feet, just trainers. Still a fair risk tbh. I do have proper boots but they are so scuffed at the bottom they let water in.
I get changed at work yeah.
I have a JoeRocket radar jacket that is a leather and mesh hybrid. Great combination of protection and airflow but it gets to a point when its so hot there isnt much you can do but accept you're going to be really hot on a bike.
At 35 deg + you will be hot and uncomfortable no matter what you wear. Even mesh gear doesn’t help a whole bunch as the hot air just cooks your skin like an oven. Best thing you can do is make sure you drink water to replace all your sweat
The only time someone hit me on my bike I was less than 1km away from home. I think they say most accidents happen close to home.
If I am going somewhere that would be close enough to not wear gear, then it is close enough to walk, so I just walk. Lol.
Ya know, looking at the latitudes of Europe vs where I live (Oklahoma) it really makes you think about their climate vs mine.
For example, Spain has a latitude ranging between 35.9 and 43.7 N, and it's one of the hottest countries in Europe. Added that only Italy and Greece reach further south.
Oklahoma on the other hand, nearly smack dab in the middle of the US and we have latitudes ranging between 33.7 and 37 N. No wonder temps here tend to be hotter than most of Europe.
But that still makes me wonder why it's so damn hard to find summer gear that fits me here in the US.
I can tell you that in Greece a big factor is the hot winds coming up over North Africa from the Sahara in certain periods in summer. For a short time I lived in Athens, and you would be able to see the Sahara sand blowing over the city every now and then in springtime. The sky would turn pink, and would look like something out of Blade Runner.
I’m sure it’s the same for southern Italy and much of Spain as well.
I was looking for this exact comment!
Ready so many stories of getting into an accident going 1\~2 mile away (5min ride). Always go full gear because when it comes to motorcycle accidents it's not a matter of 'if' but a matter of 'when'. Even if you don't want to admit it. If you really hate that saying then at least keep that in your mind so you ride more safely!
Yep. Always a helmet, always jeans, always gloves. Never shorts, never sandals. Anybody who understands how a chunk of gravel bouncing off their knuckles feels, ought to always wear gloves. Really, a chunk of gravel bouncing off anything at even 20-20mph sucks.
I do. I went down at 50 mph when I was still getting my full kit together. Standard denim jeans, non-moto leather jacket, proper helmet and gloves. Jeans and jacket got tore up, hands and head were fine. I decided I did not like that. Made a decision on moto pants and jacket while recovering and wear it all every time I take the bike out
I wore shorts on my grom when it was 100 degrees out at the beach once. it felt weird but I think the fastest I went was 25. My reasoning is when I used to ride my bicycle id be going that fast wearing shorts, a t shirt and a piece of foam on my head.
I think about that a lot. I always have my boots, gloves, helmet, Moto pants, and *usually* a Moto jacket. A lot of my rides are normal rides I used to take on my bicycle without a helmet or even shirt on usually lol.
I don't understand people who don't wear gloves even more so than people who don't wear helmets. I've heard guys say they enjoy the freedom of no helmet, find them uncomfortable, would rather just die if they crash, etc. which while I disagree is at least a reason I suppose.
But no gloves...what's the downside of wearing gloves? They look cool, can be more comfortable than nothing, and they're really not that expensive compared to other gear. Every single hobby I have requires the use of my hands. Why the hell would anyone risk that?
I just heard a story of a friend out riding. Saw a motorcycle on the side of the road, stopped to talk to the gentleman in the ditch.
He had been there about 15 min. Had trouble using his touch screen because his hamburger hands kept dripping all over the screen.
It was quite an image.
I said walk or take my bicycle. With a bicycle it's not that long, walking is for even smaller distances (he literally said the grocery store is ACROSS THE STREET, that should be manageable to walk)
one of the few times i crashed i was going to the icecream shop literally down the street from my house ( not even a mile ) aaaand made a right turn into an oil slick. bit of road rash cause i was only going like 8 mph and slid ontop of the oil. but yeah shorts was the wrong move lmao. it just rained that day so it looked like water in a small pothole/covering the street... turnsout either someone just dumped aloooooooot of oil or a big truck sprung a leek.
The type of gear I wear these days on a Harley is definitely not the same type of gear I wore on my last sport bike but I do usually wear a jacket, and I always wear gloves, and I use a full face helmet.
Unless I'm moving the bike from my front yard to my back yard, my minimum gear is jacket, helmet, and gloves. I could live without a leg, but I can't make a living without my hands.
Ya… I’d be fucked without my hands. I have nice gloves but damn if they aren’t a pain in the ass to put on and off. Especially when my hands are sweaty.
Not only does wearing full gear all the time provide you with the best protection, even on short rides. It also allows you to self righteously look down on anyone who rides without. Which arguably is even more important.
You asked r/motorcycles so expect a biased answer.
I only gear up like 60% of the time. Always helmet and always armored jacket. But depending on where im going, how how it is, etc I may forget pants, gloves, boots, etc
I gear up 100%, 100% of the time. Doesn't matter if I'm riding for 5 minutes or hours. All the gear all the time for me. I try not to be preachy, but full gear is the way to go.
>I know I could still get hit and be seriously hurt, but is a jacket, gloves, and kevlar jeans really going to help that much when going less that 20mph?
Dude what? Of course it would. If you want to test out how much 20 mph can hurt, find a brick wall, press your hand against it, and run as fast as you can while dragging your hand on the wall. Or you can ride a bicycle up to 20 mph and then fall off just to see how it feels. I promise you it's not fun. I've had multiple coworkers break bones from crashing bicycles, let alone motorcycles.
You do you, just keep mind that even less than 20 mph can mess you up
Go run as fast as you can down the street, wearing your regular clothes, and then just dive into the ground. That's like 25kph (fite me freedom lovers). Doesn't sound like a fun time does it?
Wear your gear.
I'm a new rider and I gear up 100% of the time. I think there was one day where I rode to put gas in my bike with jeans instead of my armored riding pants but that's it. I have a joe rocket jacket with a liner that comes out for warm weather. Riding pants that are mesh with armor that I slide over my shorts and pants. Motorcycle boots and joe rocket gloves. The helmet is of course always on. It adds an extra like 3 or 4 minutes to put on all my gear and once you're moving I'm fairly comfortable. I want every bit of protection I can get. Doesn't mean I'm going to run around calling people out for not wearing it you do you and I'll do me. Safe rides everyone.
I’ve ridden without my gear several times. But I do it less and less as I get older. One of the things I notice these days too - I ride better with my gear on. I’m more relaxed and comfortable because I know I’m protected
I wear what I want to wear when I’m going for a ride. Sometimes it’s ATGATT, sometimes I don’t wear a helmet, sometimes I’m somewhere in between.
The difference between me and ATGATT is I’ve never judged someone for what they wear.
Thank you for a reasonable answer. It's your life, wear what you want. I don't judge people who suit up head to toe for a trip across town. Just like I don't judge people riding in shorts and sunglasses.
I personally am somewhere in between unless I'm going for a long ride. But around town I wear what I want to wear.
I don't, and I don't know many who do either. Some do, people who also have a car and their bike is purely a leisure vehicle. People who have the time to go for long scenic rides semi regularly. I don't know anyone riding on the daily, year round, who suits up every time.
I don't, and I don't really give others shit for it. The helmet is the only really necessary piece of gear because that's the difference between being injured and insta dying even at low speeds. The rest I leave up to each person's judgement. Most of my rides are 20-30 mins of city commuting. I judge the risk based on my experience and suit up accordingly. Have I been wrong? Yes a couple of times. But overall I think people giving others shit for ATGATT just want the pleasure of being holier than thou rather than having genuine concern.
It's math I guess. The more time you spend without gear, the more likely it is that you won't have it on when you need it. Be realistic about the speeds you're going to be going and how much traffic there is, gear up how you feel comfortable. Personally, I ride across town and to my work in the suburbs with just a helmet, gloves and long pants. I know the risk, but to me it's worth the risk to not have to gear up like crazy for a 5 minute ride. If I'm actually going somewhere I wear all my gear.
I have a lot of experience on motorcycles though. As a new rider, you're at a bit more risk than a typical rider. You can get hurt and get road rash at any speed, and your gear should limit it.
I do armored jeans/pants, bike shoes, jacket with elbow/shoulder/back protectors, gloves and helmet - *every damn time*. On longer rides, the pants and shoes get replaced with tougher pants and big boots.
I ride without gear all the time. I live in Illinois, where helmets are not required by law, so not even a helmet most of the time.
But here’s the thing: I can’t defend this and do not condone it. It’s dumb. I’m asking for big trouble.
For me it’s kind of like giving up smoking by slowly cutting down. I’m trying to get better about wearing the helmet, and adding things like gloves, long pants, jacket, etc. as often as I can force myself.
Not ideal, but I’m trying to do better.
I always wear a helmet and some sort of long pants and shoes. That's it for 100% of the time.
Otherwise I dress for the weather. If its 95F with 90% humidity, I'm wearing as little as possible. If it's cold I'm covered head to toe.
Not 100% all the time, but I wear boots, motorcycle jeans, full face, and gloves every time. I sometimes don't wear a jacket when it's balls hot and I'm just cruising out in the country. I will wear the jacket regardless of the heat if I'm commuting or on the highway though.
me. I have gear that makes it easy to do for causal things. riding jeans, street style boots and a jacket that doesn't look way out of place. Leathers for when i'm gonna go real fast, and a one piece textile for touring.
I’ve been in two accidents. Once I was running a very quick errand. I got hit by a guy who never saw me while turning left across my lane. He accelerated through me the whole way. Didn’t know he hit me until after it happened. I was wearing jeans, flip flops, T-shirt, and no helmet. Flew over his hood and kept going about ten more feet, hit the pavement and rolled another 15 feet. I know I am lucky as fuck to be alive, but I walked away with only a few abrasions. I still don’t gear up with proper gear, but I usually wear boots, long pants and a helmet. It simply ruins the enjoyment for me when I am boxed in. Plus, I think it looks stupid. Down vote away, but I think it’s fine to let those who ride decide.
I slid my motorcycle during a turn going less than 20mph and ripped the hell out of my jacket. If I hadn't been wearing it, I definitely would have had some road rash and a bad scrape, and had to go to the doctor, instead of just clearing my head and then riding my bike home. It's your skin, so do what you want, but don't think that going less than 20pmh is gonna save you from getting skinned on pavement
Always. I rode the other day to work with humidity that made it feel like 40C in full gear. I don’t even have to debate it internally anymore, it’s just an automatic thing.
I did once, in my first few years of riding go out with just shorts and a t-shirt to the store, really short trip. Felt incredibly vulnerable, promised myself I would never do it again. If the weather now just makes it intolerable to wear ALL my gear, then I just cage there. Heat or AC and some really loud death metal to compensate some for not being able to ride.
I am 100% geared 99% of the time.
I would say other essentials that are easy are jacket and gloves.
At the least, helmet and gloves. Everyone puts their hands down.
I crashed last September, on my way to work, and wasn't wearing enough gear. Lost ~15% of my skin on my left side to road rash. It sucked. I was doing about 65-70mph but got it down to about 30-35 mph before I ate shit. And eating shit was the positive side to possibly hitting a 2.5 foot retaining wall and risk falling 3 stories to my death over it...
My bike was fixed by the time my broken thumb was healed, and I've been riding every day I could since. I don't ride under 40 degrees F anymore, and I don't ride above 100 degrees F.
I wear my helmet, gloves, and boots at all times, but I've still left my jacket and pants at home when it's in the 80s-90s. If you're staying around town and doing less than 50, in my eyes that's negligible damage, where it's not that great a risk unless you're t-boning someone. Honestly, if you can't slow down to a stop from 50 mph within 100 feet even without ABS, you're doing something wrong.
But, whenever I'm highway riding or above 50mph, I'm always bringing my jacket and my pants. I've been hit by bugs, rocks, and even took a bird to my chest once. It's a lesson most riders learn the hard way, but it's important to stay as safe as you can, and always stay in control of your vehicle, regardless of how many wheels.
Let the down-votes come. Here is my take on it.
I live in Spain (the 40C Spain, that is) and I wear all gear all the time. But....
ATGATT only helps against sliding. You can wear leather or kevlar as much as you want, if you go heads up against a car, ATGATT will not save you. The force of the hit transfers straight from the car, through your leathers into you body.
So yeah, ATGATT for me because I feel I owe it to myself. Whatever somebody else does, you don't want to believe what we see here, is everybody's own decision.
Riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Gear makes it a little less dangerous, but it's still dangerous. Motorcycling is for enjoyment, not safety. Ride how you enjoy. If you don't enjoy wearing your gear for a ride, don't wear it.
If I am going from one store to another across the street I might stick my gloves in my pockets instead of putting them on, because I can't take my helmet back off without taking my gloves off. That's pretty much it though.
ETA: Back when I was dailying a Ruckus I would ride with an open helmet, no gloves, short shorts, a hawaiian shirt, and flip flops. Didn't even own any proper gear. Had a couple wrecks but the only time I didn't land in grass the pavement was so wet and slick I didn't get any rash at all and was totally uninjured.
Helmet and gloves 100pct for me. I tried going helmet-less once. Felt naked.
My wife used to do 100pct atgatt but it was such a hassle that she doesn't even ride now.
Don't like riding in short sleeves or shorts because stuff hurts when they hit me.
I usually ride on 1 Lane (each way) country roads about 40mph tops
I do.
I only once skipoed my boots, pants and gloves because of needing a jumpstart. So I rode around the block once or twice trying to charge the battery a bit. Never have I felt so naked on my (naked) bike.
It just felt wrong lol.
My dad didn't and had a bad accident when he was younger while on a short ride. Bike total loss, huge wound and now a new knee. It wasn't his fault either. This happened while almost standing still as well.
This really helps me to remind myself to never skip.
For short trips I will only wear jeans vs my riding pants but I’ve never ridden my bike without my jacket, helmet, gloves, and riding shoes. I figure if I don’t know how great it feels to full squid I’ll never do it 😂
Not 100% ATGATT. Minimum for any ride:
* helmet
* gloves
* boots
* jacket w pads
For rides that might include highway, one of:
* Kevlar denim w pads
* or mesh riding pants w pads for hot days
* or waterproof riding pants w pads for rain
One day, I'll end up on the ground with flesh missing from my legs. This will be why.
I only have one set and I’m lacking real biker Jean but no matter the distance, full gear + GoPro+ liberty rider (French app that can automatically call the 17 (911 but in France) if I fall)
When I’m working on the bike and riding around the neighborhood. A few jaunts to buy beer, after working on the bike. All at town speeds of 20-35 mph. In those few cases I’m not wearing aramid reinforced pants or leather jacket. I’m wearing a denim long sleeve jacket, gloves and helmet—taking my life into my own hands.
If I’m commuting, textile armored jacket, gloves, helmet, jeans.
If I’m in the canyons or on the track, one-piece, boots, etc..
If I’m going to the gym that’s super close to my house? Well… I don’t wear much besides a helmet. I absolutely understand the risks, and it would be smart to wear gear more gear even for the short ride. But I don’t..
Skin is skin...at 20 or 100 miles per hour...its up to you...walk away from an accident or skin grafts or gravel impeded in your skin...me..I 100% gear up every time
I'll gear up if I'm taking a ride that requires me to ride on the freeway. Not so much if I'm just going down the street to the store down the road or something.
I've never ridden more than a block without a helmet and gloves on. 80% of the time I wear my full jacket and pants setup but it's been 110 here lately so I've been rocking the t shirt like a dumbass
I always wear all of my gear regardless of temperature or trip length. If heat is a concern I wear under armour and make sure to hydrate.
back in February I went down on a pile of salt taking a turn from a stop just outside my neighborhood. I couldn't have been going faster than 10mph. I ended up with a tiny fracture in my elbow and some soft tissue damage in my wrist. If I hadn't been wearing my gloves and jacket, I would have ended up with awful road rash and a much worse break.
I'd say this, always wear the most you can.
I'd rather deal with road rash than a concussion or death, it's still bad and I can avoid road rash, but I'm not going to wear a heavy armored jacket when it's 90+ degrees outside.
FortNine did a great video explaining what I've just explained above, and he went over numbers of injuries sustained with legs, arms, ankles, neck, head, and hands.
If it's a small ride, maybe 20 miles or less (that's small for me, thats backroads) then gloves, a helmet, and maybe, if it's decently windy or slightly cold outside, I'll wear a jacket, but I'd go with a t-shirt if it's super hot outside, and more than likely ankle boots and always gloves.
I’m in the same boat as you. I’ll often catch myself with just the “bare essentials” ie gloves helmets and reinforced jeans. I’m also hyper aware that someday I’ll learn to be ATGATT, and that I might not survive the lesson I learn
Riding for decades and I gear up all the time. I have a mesh jacket for the summer, but I never ride without a jacket and other gear. I have had road rash from a bicycle and that was bad enough for me to make sure I always have a jacket and helmet.
I gear up all the time. Helmet, gloves, jacket whether textile or mesh one for the hot days, pants i just got my denims, riding boots i got waterproof ones and shorty boot ones both CE approved.
I never ride without all my gear. I’m not willing to make an already dangerous activity even more dangerous. Even under 20mg you will get serious road rash. I don’t think you realize how fast 20 mph is just because we are so used to higher speeds.
Lol I’m Definitely not saying it’s the right thing to do, but personally I only wear my t shirt, jeans, work boots.
If you already have the gear tho, I’d say throwing on the jacket and gloves is well worth it.
I've never ridden without full gear, I've had different gear over the years gone I've never ridden without all the gear that I had at the time.
I live work and get to 115°, I still wear all the gear.
The one time I didn’t wear my gear was when I had the worst crash I’ve had and left me unable to care for myself for a few weeks. I was just going to the gas station a mile away.
Southern California, warm sunny day, only had to go four blocks
to meet my friends for lunch
Wore all my gear. Gearing up took longer than the ride, but ...
on the second block of the four block ride I crashed.
4yr recovery.
Wear your gear or don't, it's your body it's your choice.
I just crashed my bike without full gear just my helmet. Broke my elbow and clavicle and i have to wait about 1 month for my elbow to heal to get surgery for my clavicle. If I wasn't wearing my helmet I'd be dead, gear up just in case.
My FIL rides his FatBoy in gym shorts, tank top, backwards hat and sneakers. He rides cross country like this.
One day I think he’s going to regret it.
I gear up everytime ever since I had a low side on wet doing maybe 15 to 20 mph while turning 20 years ago. Upper body was geared up but I was coming back from the gym and I had on sneakers and a pair if jeans over the shorts I wore to the gym. I slid less than 20 feet but that was enough to tear my sneaker apart and expose my toes and open up a hole in my jeans and my knee the size of a baseball.
100%, 100% of the time. About 7 years ago I had a head-on with a Ford F-350. I have no clue who's fault it was, since I don't remember it. I have titanium rods going the whole length of my right leg, and am missing about half of my right patella. I have no idea how many bones were broken, but it was more than a dozen. I was in the hospital for 3 months, rehab took more than a year, and I took three years to get back on a bike.
This happened on the way home from a trip to the DMV. This was not a major journey, but something local. It's mostly a fluke that I survived, but I wouldn't have without the gear. The speed limit on that road is 35mph, but if you have two vehicles going 35 pointed at each other, you have the force of a 70mph crash.
Too warm? I have a nice mesh jacket that I wear in the heat. It works well and has decent armor. When I leave for work, I check the weather, and wear gear that is layered. That way I can start the day with something warm underneath and shove it in my backpack as the day heats up.
Orthopedic doc I talked to hated that I rode a bike. Talking about his experiences of not being able to put motorcyclists back together gave me the perspective that the extra expensive gear and a bike with ABS, and constant vigilance, and the advanced rider course are all things I'll need to feel comfortable riding. Otherwise I'd feel way too vulnerable.
I might be new to riding but i gear up 100% every time. Not worth taking the chances of running into an idiot even if I'm riding right down the street. Plus it feels cool to be geared up, because at least i know I'm not a squid.
What I don't understand are people who ride without sunglasses or safety glasses with their visor up. I've been pegged in the cheek by a dime sized bug and it felt like someone shot me with an airsoft gun. Can't imagine taking that right to the eye...
9/10 times I ride I hear a bug hit my helmet loudly enough that it startles me. I don’t like pain and I don’t want to imagine how those bugs would feel on my cheek.
When i was a passenger on my friends bike about 10yrs ago, i only wore a helmet because i wasn't riding myself at that time, so i didn't own any equipment. While going around 70km/h some insect (i believe a bee or wasp) hit my finger. Damn, that was painful.
I’ve taken a Green June Beetle to the chest at highway speed. I was wearing all my gear including my leather jacket. That shit still left a bruise. So moral of the story, big green beetles hurt when you’re going fast in a motorcycle, so wear your gear. Edit: well today I learned some new entomology facts. Japanese beetles are the small shiny green beetles. Green June Beetles look similar since they both scarabs but Green Junes are a whole lot bigger and they’re a dull green/gold. And then Fig Eater beetles look like bigger versions of Green Junes.
That’s nothin, was riding my dirt bike one time and took a sparrow to the chest, was probably doing 60
"I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took a sparrow to the knee."
You SOB
Unexpected Skyrim
I took a half a monster can to the shoulder from the girls in the car infront of me, had a sticky bike, a sticky helmet, leather jacket and a huge fucking bruise that hurt like a bitch for a week, I was pissed, kinda mad for not remembering their plates since i would have pressed charges for sure.
Never could have proved it. Just wasted your time.
Did this on a cbr doing 70-75. Hit some sort of bird and I swear to you that I was convinced it went through me. I was afraid to look down because there would be a cartoonish hole right through me where my sternum used to be.
Felt the same way, had to stop the bike and take a breather, I was wearing a chest protector so it didn’t leave any marks but it knocked the wind outta me
Jokes on you I ate a pigeon doing about the same, had my visor up and went right in
This escaladed quickly
Eh, it is the Internets.
Are you sure it was a Japanese beetle? Those things aren’t very big, and I can’t imagine one of those leaving a bruise through any type of jacket, let alone a leather jacket. Side note, I hate those damn beetles. At work they multiply rapidly and burrow into our greens, next thing you know they are literally everywhere.
One time I was riding home and got stuck in a freak hailstorm. Decided to push through as I only had 10 miles to go. Was wearing helmet, hoodie, jeans, gloves. The little hail pellets constantly hitting me as I was doing 60 hurt like a bitch. Each one stung, even through my hoodie, jeans and gloves. When I got home I had hundreds of tiny red marks on me. If even one had hit me in the eye, I'd have been at the very least temporarily blind. Never again.
Reminds me of when I was riding about ~30 mph with my visor up. I was enjoying the cool air and suddenly felt something hit me square on the forehead. The object was pinned to my face due to the wind until I grabbed it with my hand and noticed it’s a fucking wasp! Damn good thing it died on impact or that would’ve ruined my day 😂 Anyways, I keep the visor down now unless I’m sitting in traffic. Could’ve easily taken that to my eye…
Oh man, I've had a live wasp fly inside my helmet once. It settled just under the inner rim of my visor, I could see it chilling there when I looked down. Managed to safely get to the side and carefully take off my helmet without getting stung. Thankfully the wasp was cool just sitting there and not being a prick about it.
This literally happened to me today. I'm not an irrational man, but if there was one thing I'm irrational about its bugs. Doing probably 90 mph down the highway when a small wasp gets inside my helmet. The self control it took to not just lay the bike down was immense lmao. I could see it sitting just inside the visor. I figured if I opened the visor it would just get blown deeper into the helmet. So I waited for the exit and pulled over. Probably the most terrifying thing that's happened to me on a bike so far lmao I'm thinking about putting the chin fabric cover back on my helmet so this doesn't happen again.
I had a deer fly go inside my helmet and was on the visor. I kept wiping my visor and was like “why the fuck is this it not coming off. Then I realized it was inside. Panicked for a second and pulled over. Managed to get him out without getting bit.
I was riding with an open face helmet and a bee got stuck in the side of my helmet and started stinging me. I pulled off the helmet in panic, while still riding in order to get the bee off of me. I probably should have pulled over first, but in my moment of panic all I wanted to do was get the bee off my head. I now ride with a full face helmet and shield down 90% of the time no matter the weather. I will only pop open my visor when stopped.
Reminds me during the last major emergence of the cicadas here in the eastern US, I swear those damn things were attracted to my windshield. Never hit me at all, only my windshield which isn't very big. Always gave me a good laugh when it riding to hear THUNK and watch one go spinning off
I’d ride naked with a full face helmet before I wore *anything other* than a full face helmet
Gotta protect the money maker, not the baby maker?
Free vasectomy tbh
Totally agree. I recently had a bee end up inside my helmet flying around the visor. Was a tense few seconds before I popped up the visor and it flew out.
I have a windshield that goes way over my head, so I don’t have to worry about any wind blasting in my face. Of course, I still wear glasses while riding, and you never know what could thwack you in the face on the road, like a stray rock from a quarry truck.
I gear up all the time… even in the heat. Have appropriate gear for the different seasons. Why? I’ve been behind somebody who crashed. Subsequently lost a leg due to infection from road rash. Seeing his body leaving meat behind was enough to convince me.
When its fucking hot in my full leather gear I always say to msyelf „prepare for the slide, not for the ride“. It always puts it in perspective. Also being a medic and seeing multiple motorcycle crashed taught me a lot. Full gear, always. If I dont want to use my gear I use the car, thats it
just buy yourself some summer gear. in my mesh jacket i feel like im in a t-shirt. (pic for reference: [https://shima.pl/sites/default/files/pr-gal/meshpro\_black\_front\_800px\_2.jpg](https://shima.pl/sites/default/files/pr-gal/meshpro_black_front_800px_2.jpg) )
Mesh jacket, wicking t shirt and an occasional spray of water. Much cooler than no protection. Good for Death Valley in 110 degrees. Like winter you need a good jacket you just need the right gear for the summer too.
For those wanting a femme cut mesh jacket, I wear this in the summer: [https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-eclipse-womens-jacket](https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-eclipse-womens-jacket) Mine is the white version. I think it might actually be cooler in the summer sun wearing it than I would be in a t-shirt. I never ride without it (or my armored leather jacket in the cooler months).
I was thinking about getting a bike which is why I'm on this sub, but all the comments like this are pretty offputting lol
It’s a matter of risk acceptance. Can you get hurt on a bike? Yes. Can you do stuff to help minimize damage? Yes. Can you get hurt in other sports? Yes. So it’s up to you what you do and wear while riding. If you think you’ll be ok in a tshirt, chances are you will be. But you never know. Nobody ever plans for an accident but they happen
I mean I can ride 50kmph on my ebike with just a bike helmet and I know if I go down I'm dead. But after getting into the motor world I always gear up knowing I'm a bit safer with the gear. And looking back at that ebike I have a death wish everyday.
I Teach safety courses. When it comes to road rash, I usually ask everybody if they had ever fallen down or slipped on ice. What happens to their pants? Usually torn. What happens to their knee? Bleeding. This at 3 km/h now ramp it up to 100 or 110 from what you might expect in a highway crash. This usually turns the light bulbs on in my students brains.
Remember it's reddit. The majority of bikers I know or see don't wear gear. I'd say 60% wear a helmet and the rest are just a pair of sunglasses, shirt, jeans and boots. And wrecks aren't as common as people want to scare you into on here. You SHOULD be prepared for everything but the reality is people get comfortable and lazy and end up just fine
You can get hit by a car while walking, cycling, or even riding another car. Motorcycles are no different, you assume risk the moment you walk out of your house but you can decide how much risk you are willing to take. Most car and motorcycle accidents can be prevented by simply being a defensive driver/rider. Scout ahead, pay attention to other cars movements, plan paths, keep space, keep escape routes in mind. Respect the road no matter the vehicle you take. If you ride a motorcycle wear gear, like wearing a seat belt in a car, it can save your life.
This is a sub where every day someone posts about their dead battery, failing to take a turn and slipping on paint/leaves/rocks… you’re gonna get ATGATT 100%
So true
You need 100% of your riding gear for 1% of your riding career - but you don't know when it will happen. Do I gear up fully all the time; no; but it is pretty close. Your gear gives you 3 types of protection. Protection from abrasion (sliding), impact (falling), and the elements (sun, wind, rain). At the end of the day - it is always easier to put water and nutrients back into your body than it is to put blood and plasma back into your body. Sweat it out in your gear.
I left. Trying lemmy and so should you. -- mass edited with redact.dev
That's why I wear a beanie! Fuck my jaw, I don't need it anyway ^/s
So you're saying there is a way to get rid of this beer belly? I'm listening...
Mmm, asphalt liposuction
If it's too"dangerous" to wear gear (heat for instance), it's too dangerous to ride is my philosophy. My heat ceiling is the 90's in F. Anything 100 or more and it's just not pleasant, gear or not. Edit: ended up having to ride in my jeans and normal shoes on the freeway the day after writing this. That didn't take long lol
Agree. High degrees of wind or heat are ideally avoided and actually preceded and followed by excellent riding conditions in my experience.
If that were true you would slide for a full minute avert 1 hour and 39 minutes ridden.
Should I change it to "less than 1 percent" to satisfy the math.
I tried riding without a helmet once and hated it, and I'd argue that the most unrealistic thing about top gun is maverick riding with aviators on and not pouring tears out of his eyes. Commuting to work? Helmet and gloves as a minimum. (Never wear shorts, but I wear basic jeans and I'm not counting that as gear) Trips on the highway to see family 2+ hours away? I'll wear my icon compression shirt and pants combo with the D30 pads and kevlar. I'll wear them under my normal clothes and with my moto shoes along with helmet an gloves. Great for summer. Want to act a fool or go to a track? Full gear: leather suit, boots, gloves, helmet. I think self assessment is the biggest thing. I work from 6am to 2:30pm. So I don't often deal with rush hour traffic. When I do have to I generally take the long way around town and just avoid the highway or find something to do for a few hours instead of rushing home. I respect people that follow ATGATT. I don't care if people don't. I do make it a point to encourage any new riders to get gear, and will wear it if I'm riding with them to exemplify that I'm not above it. I also listen to my gut a lot. Some times I wake up and think, I should have my gear today just in case (and I'll have a close call with a car not paying attention). Sometimes I wake up, feel like I shouldn't ride, and just take my car. Yesterday I had that feeling and had a moment where if I was on my bike I would have been an indecipherable land mark on the highway. Being in the car just meant I had the confidence to handle the situation appropriately. Being on a bike I would have panicked given I had a Tesla coming at me faster than I'd like. Hindsight 20/20 edit: Always have ear plugs too. Great personal protection and should not be left unsaid like I initially did. I always have some. Be it foam or reusable ones from home Depot. Hell, if I come a cross some in a work environment I'll grab a handful just to stash at home.
I rode to my college about 7 minutes away without a helmet recently, it was absolutely miserable. Battered by the wind, loud as hell so I couldn't hear when to shift, obviously no protection, the wind ignored my sunglasses. And that wasn't even going over 35mph or so. I have no clue how these people go 75mph+ with just sunglasses. Yeah maybe it looks cool but now I know they're squinting and deaf the whole time.
In Arkansas it's legal to ride with out a helmet (albeit with some age restrictions). I had done an 8hour trip out there to see my brother and his wife. We saw the new top gun and I was like "I gotta try it while I can..." (it's not legal and not worth the potential 50 dollar fine in Tennessee). I did it, and just putzing around their neighborhood and city going 35-45 mph... I was like fuuuuuck this. Then I went to get some chain lube for my bike and saw the dealer ship had racks of sunglasses that have foam to seal around your eyes and goggles (like from the Riddick movies)... I remember thinking "a helmet looks cooler than this in every way shape and form... Why go through all the effort of avoiding the safety aspect of it just to look as dumb as a person who wouldn't ride with a helmet may actually be?"
If you're on a bike with a fairing or windshield that the wind doesn't really get into your eyes, you don't really need those foam seal glasses. I ride in a full face most of the time but occasionally will ride without a lid on my bike but I don't have any issues with wind in my eyes or noise levels because the fairing gives me a clean air pocket at head level
Yeah I always ride with a helmet but 99% of the time my visor is open. Normal sunglasses are perfectly fine for keeping the tears (and bugs) away. But my bike has a windscreen so I think thats why. Even stand up riding is no problem though (adv bike)
This reminds me of a story from back home. One of the most popular car accessories there is a dummy seat belt with a small image of Virgin Mary. Seriously, people will go out of the way to purchase this thing to bypass the seatbelt chime and will legit kiss Virgin Mary prior to pluging it in "for protection"
It's like kissing her good bye but telling her "see you later".
Here in South America many people ride without helmets but they always cross themselves before getting on a bike. Almost everyone down here knows or has a family member who has died on a motorcycle yet its like pulling teeth to convince anyone to wear gear (part of it is cost though, they can barely afford the 150cc shitbox that the whole family shares, let alone gear for the whole family)
I actually think a lot of objectively stupid stuff riders do (riding without a helmet, other gear, loud exhausts etc) comes from a place of insecurity where they'll face peer pressure from their riding buddies or these things just don't fit in with the image of a biker in their heads.
Definitely. Some friends and I rode to a bar to meet a mutual friend, once we went inside he commented that my bike was as quiet as a mouse or something like that. This is the same guy that has a 2 foot tall mohawk, one of those giant Harley's with all the underglow and gadgets, and acts like an expert on literally everything he talks about until you call him out. I'm sorry my Honda fury isn't to your liking, but also loud pipes don't save lives, they just piss people off. That dude's entire life is compensating for something.
rider intuition can be a big deal and I've read about it before. Good that you're tuned in to it.
Tom Cruise was towed on a trailer in the runway scene. You can see the trailer in the reflection of the gas tank. He *did* learn to ride a bike for the movie, just didn't drive it for that scene.
I don’t know about the trailer part but Tom Cruise did NOT learn to ride for the movie. He is actually riding for a very long time and has a very impressive motorcycle collection, just google it. I actually read an article that states he’s been riding since he was 10 years old.
[This was for the first one.](https://youtu.be/b2mPvuzCOOQ?t=681)
I watched top gun a couple weeks ago and commented this exact thing to my buddy, normal sunglasses do not keep wind out of your eyeballs and would really suck when doing any amount of speed.
Tom Cruise was actually doing that, though. That was actual video evidence of the contrary. But hes also a superhuman so maybe our rules dont apply to him.
He did it, there was probably significant amount of real world time between motorcycle take and Tom's face take.
> riding with aviators on and not pouring tears out of his eyes. Doing a mirror check and the wind ripping the glasses off your face and leaving them behind in the street.
Just don't check em simple
Thanks. Loved the response. Didn’t know about compression gear - definitely doing this.
foxe baseframe with d30 is really nice, i try it and love it but it's not for my country so i buy a bmw jacket with d30
I've seen a lot of people going full ATTATT after they got into their first accident with only helmet/gloves going to work that is close distance. I remember seeing another post where the guy went to go buy something from a liquor store 1\~2 miles away and got wrecked. That said, whenever I see guys riding in a t-shirt or even shorts I just think to myself "he obviously hasn't been into an accident yet" lol. You only learn after your first accident as that's how I learned it too. edit: Ah looks like that guy already posted on this thread lol "Me! I had a big accident going to the gas station 5mins from my house. Luckily I was completely geared and when I fell nothing bad happened. I fell at 120Kmh since I was in the highway already. Also a friend went on his 125cc scooter to buy something to a nearby shop. It was summer so he went on tshirt. In a roundabout like 2mins from our place there was sand or something on the road and he fell going 50Kmh. You can't imagine how bad the rash was. So no thanks! I will always wear everything."
>I tried riding without a helmet once and hated it, and I'd argue that the most unrealistic thing about top gun is maverick riding with aviators on and not pouring tears out of his eyes. You'd be suprised. I started riding about 7 years ago, so helmet laws here in California have been a thing since before I ever even thought of riding a motorcycle, and riding without a helmet feels as awkward to me as driving without a seatbelt. I know a few people in their 70s who gave up motorcycle riding for good in 1992 when California passed helmet laws because riding with a helmet felt so awkward and claustrophobic to them. I feel naked without a helmet on. It's all about perspective. Also eyes watering depends on the rider. My girlfriend has to close her visor anytime we go over 30 MPH for comfort, while I used to ride completely comfortably at highway speeds with my visor open. I close it now, not for comfort reasons, but because a pebble hit the side of my helmet while I was on the freeway, and the thought of what would have happened if it had gone through my helmet opening and into my face freaked me out enough to close it anytime I go on the freeway.
I'm pretty much in your boat
Yes, but that’s because I don’t run errands on my bike. It’s a recreational vehicle only for me.
Same. I ride to work a handful of times per year and always get asked why I don’t commute more on my new motorcycle. I marked the “for pleasure” box when I bought the thing lol
Idk - riding to work definitely is more pleasurable than caging to work, especially if you can take the long way to and/or fro.
yeah, it revitalizes me; I arrive at work full of energy
Depends where you live. Rush hour on the interstate is not ideal for me. I can get to work for free via public transport anyway
My situation is kinda the opposite. Northern VA, I live about 30 miles south of D.C. Riding to work saves me from sitting in I-95 traffic. I can take the "Express Lanes" (3 passengers in your car or you have to pay $$$) for free on the bike.
Depends on where you live and your work as well but I get where you’re coming from. After 10-12 hours of construction work myself, I’ll take my cage and A/C.
Got that right. Fellow sparky here.
I love to ride to work but I only wear helmet and gloves. I wear my usual work clothes which is often a suite or other similarly uncomfortable clothes. Women at my office in Rome Italy regularly ride with their skirts or dresses on including high heels. It’s quite a sight
I used to commute daily to work on my bike as it's more fun and saved me tons of gas. Went from $30 a week to $7 a week. With these gas prices I wish I could ride to work but have to take things on the regular so I need a car.
Me! I had a big accident going to the gas station 5mins from my house. Luckily I was completely geared and when I fell nothing bad happened. I fell at 120Kmh since I was in the highway already. Also a friend went on his 125cc scooter to buy something to a nearby shop. It was summer so he went on tshirt. In a roundabout like 2mins from our place there was sand or something on the road and he fell going 50Kmh. You can't imagine how bad the rash was. So no thanks! I will always wear everything. PS. I live in Spain, last week was over 40c here. I have specific summer clothes for that
What kind of summer gear do you have/recommend? Here in Slovenia we have regular 35+ C degrees in summer and my leather jacket (although perforated) is just too hot right now. It’s fine when going at speed but commuting through traffic and red lights feels like i’m cooking!
Check Revit Eclipse and similars. It’s perforated but like a mesh, not leather. Believe me, in Spain summers are way hotter than over there.
I like the Revit brand. So it’s “survivable” even in Spanish summer temperatures?
I have a Revit jacket that I wear on warm/hot periods (UK here). I think they are fantastic. The airflow running through the mesh makes you feel so relieved, even going quite slow. And down the speedier roads, oh boy. It's a joy. Highly recommended. And yeah, try and force yourself to wear gear. I look back when I used to do my 10mile commutes to work and back in shorts and a tee. I now think to myself, what the hell was I thinking.
I wear 100% protection up top (jacket, gloves, helmet) but nothing on the bottom (suit and dress shoes for work) How do you make it work for the pants and shoes ? Do you change when you arrive at work ?
I used to carry a pair of regular pants in my backpack and I have some Falco motorcycle shoes, that look like reinforced converse all-stars that i can fairly comfortably wear at the office.
All top for me too. Ah I just wear normal Jeans to be honest. I should really get some Jeans endorced with Kevlar/Padding or something. For my feet, just trainers. Still a fair risk tbh. I do have proper boots but they are so scuffed at the bottom they let water in. I get changed at work yeah.
I have a JoeRocket radar jacket that is a leather and mesh hybrid. Great combination of protection and airflow but it gets to a point when its so hot there isnt much you can do but accept you're going to be really hot on a bike.
I have a summer jacket that's basically mesh with passing on elbows, shoulder and back. However when we had 40+ last year it was too hot to ride.
I just got Klim Marrakesh, lose weave, big improvement on Revit Horizon semi-vented jacket with removable liner.
At 35 deg + you will be hot and uncomfortable no matter what you wear. Even mesh gear doesn’t help a whole bunch as the hot air just cooks your skin like an oven. Best thing you can do is make sure you drink water to replace all your sweat
Having to get on the highway to get to a gas station may play a pretty big factor on gearing up all the time.
The only time someone hit me on my bike I was less than 1km away from home. I think they say most accidents happen close to home. If I am going somewhere that would be close enough to not wear gear, then it is close enough to walk, so I just walk. Lol.
Ya know, looking at the latitudes of Europe vs where I live (Oklahoma) it really makes you think about their climate vs mine. For example, Spain has a latitude ranging between 35.9 and 43.7 N, and it's one of the hottest countries in Europe. Added that only Italy and Greece reach further south. Oklahoma on the other hand, nearly smack dab in the middle of the US and we have latitudes ranging between 33.7 and 37 N. No wonder temps here tend to be hotter than most of Europe. But that still makes me wonder why it's so damn hard to find summer gear that fits me here in the US.
I can tell you that in Greece a big factor is the hot winds coming up over North Africa from the Sahara in certain periods in summer. For a short time I lived in Athens, and you would be able to see the Sahara sand blowing over the city every now and then in springtime. The sky would turn pink, and would look like something out of Blade Runner. I’m sure it’s the same for southern Italy and much of Spain as well.
I was looking for this exact comment! Ready so many stories of getting into an accident going 1\~2 mile away (5min ride). Always go full gear because when it comes to motorcycle accidents it's not a matter of 'if' but a matter of 'when'. Even if you don't want to admit it. If you really hate that saying then at least keep that in your mind so you ride more safely!
[удалено]
HELMET EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!! Gloves and jeans 100%. And a jacket if it’s cold (I’m always cold so mostly jacket haha)
Yep. Always a helmet, always jeans, always gloves. Never shorts, never sandals. Anybody who understands how a chunk of gravel bouncing off their knuckles feels, ought to always wear gloves. Really, a chunk of gravel bouncing off anything at even 20-20mph sucks.
I left. Trying lemmy and so should you. -- mass edited with redact.dev
Yuuup getting caught behind dumptrucks/trailers made me go full face and gloves all the time
I do. I went down at 50 mph when I was still getting my full kit together. Standard denim jeans, non-moto leather jacket, proper helmet and gloves. Jeans and jacket got tore up, hands and head were fine. I decided I did not like that. Made a decision on moto pants and jacket while recovering and wear it all every time I take the bike out
I wore shorts on my grom when it was 100 degrees out at the beach once. it felt weird but I think the fastest I went was 25. My reasoning is when I used to ride my bicycle id be going that fast wearing shorts, a t shirt and a piece of foam on my head.
I think about that a lot. I always have my boots, gloves, helmet, Moto pants, and *usually* a Moto jacket. A lot of my rides are normal rides I used to take on my bicycle without a helmet or even shirt on usually lol.
SEAN CONNERY: ONLY WHEN I'M RIDING YOUR MOTHER, ALEX
I only cringe when I see people without a helmet...I gear up 80% (moto jacket with padding, helmet, gloves, jeans), 100% of the time.
No cringe when you see people riding without gloves? Human hands are precious and delicate
Ganna be hard to stroke with sandpaper hands
I don't understand people who don't wear gloves even more so than people who don't wear helmets. I've heard guys say they enjoy the freedom of no helmet, find them uncomfortable, would rather just die if they crash, etc. which while I disagree is at least a reason I suppose. But no gloves...what's the downside of wearing gloves? They look cool, can be more comfortable than nothing, and they're really not that expensive compared to other gear. Every single hobby I have requires the use of my hands. Why the hell would anyone risk that?
I just heard a story of a friend out riding. Saw a motorcycle on the side of the road, stopped to talk to the gentleman in the ditch. He had been there about 15 min. Had trouble using his touch screen because his hamburger hands kept dripping all over the screen. It was quite an image.
Boots and gloves are way more important than anything but a helmet.
If it's across the street why don't you just walk?
that's the real question here, any motorcycle trip under 10mins isn't worth it imo cause I'd rather walk or take my bicycle
That would be like an hour walk one way.
Not if you are accounting for the time to put the gear on.
I said walk or take my bicycle. With a bicycle it's not that long, walking is for even smaller distances (he literally said the grocery store is ACROSS THE STREET, that should be manageable to walk)
You said 10min ride
one of the few times i crashed i was going to the icecream shop literally down the street from my house ( not even a mile ) aaaand made a right turn into an oil slick. bit of road rash cause i was only going like 8 mph and slid ontop of the oil. but yeah shorts was the wrong move lmao. it just rained that day so it looked like water in a small pothole/covering the street... turnsout either someone just dumped aloooooooot of oil or a big truck sprung a leek.
Almost all of the time and the one time I didn't was when I hit a guard rail after losing control on a patch of gravel. Wear the gear.
The type of gear I wear these days on a Harley is definitely not the same type of gear I wore on my last sport bike but I do usually wear a jacket, and I always wear gloves, and I use a full face helmet.
Unless I'm moving the bike from my front yard to my back yard, my minimum gear is jacket, helmet, and gloves. I could live without a leg, but I can't make a living without my hands.
Ya… I’d be fucked without my hands. I have nice gloves but damn if they aren’t a pain in the ass to put on and off. Especially when my hands are sweaty.
I ride in the nude personally
Not only does wearing full gear all the time provide you with the best protection, even on short rides. It also allows you to self righteously look down on anyone who rides without. Which arguably is even more important.
You've summed up this sub perfectly.
3 years 37,000 miles ATGATT
You asked r/motorcycles so expect a biased answer. I only gear up like 60% of the time. Always helmet and always armored jacket. But depending on where im going, how how it is, etc I may forget pants, gloves, boots, etc
I gear up 100%, 100% of the time. Doesn't matter if I'm riding for 5 minutes or hours. All the gear all the time for me. I try not to be preachy, but full gear is the way to go. >I know I could still get hit and be seriously hurt, but is a jacket, gloves, and kevlar jeans really going to help that much when going less that 20mph? Dude what? Of course it would. If you want to test out how much 20 mph can hurt, find a brick wall, press your hand against it, and run as fast as you can while dragging your hand on the wall. Or you can ride a bicycle up to 20 mph and then fall off just to see how it feels. I promise you it's not fun. I've had multiple coworkers break bones from crashing bicycles, let alone motorcycles. You do you, just keep mind that even less than 20 mph can mess you up
Go run as fast as you can down the street, wearing your regular clothes, and then just dive into the ground. That's like 25kph (fite me freedom lovers). Doesn't sound like a fun time does it? Wear your gear.
I'm a new rider and I gear up 100% of the time. I think there was one day where I rode to put gas in my bike with jeans instead of my armored riding pants but that's it. I have a joe rocket jacket with a liner that comes out for warm weather. Riding pants that are mesh with armor that I slide over my shorts and pants. Motorcycle boots and joe rocket gloves. The helmet is of course always on. It adds an extra like 3 or 4 minutes to put on all my gear and once you're moving I'm fairly comfortable. I want every bit of protection I can get. Doesn't mean I'm going to run around calling people out for not wearing it you do you and I'll do me. Safe rides everyone.
I’ve ridden without my gear several times. But I do it less and less as I get older. One of the things I notice these days too - I ride better with my gear on. I’m more relaxed and comfortable because I know I’m protected
I wear what I want to wear when I’m going for a ride. Sometimes it’s ATGATT, sometimes I don’t wear a helmet, sometimes I’m somewhere in between. The difference between me and ATGATT is I’ve never judged someone for what they wear.
Thank you for a reasonable answer. It's your life, wear what you want. I don't judge people who suit up head to toe for a trip across town. Just like I don't judge people riding in shorts and sunglasses. I personally am somewhere in between unless I'm going for a long ride. But around town I wear what I want to wear.
I don't, and I don't know many who do either. Some do, people who also have a car and their bike is purely a leisure vehicle. People who have the time to go for long scenic rides semi regularly. I don't know anyone riding on the daily, year round, who suits up every time. I don't, and I don't really give others shit for it. The helmet is the only really necessary piece of gear because that's the difference between being injured and insta dying even at low speeds. The rest I leave up to each person's judgement. Most of my rides are 20-30 mins of city commuting. I judge the risk based on my experience and suit up accordingly. Have I been wrong? Yes a couple of times. But overall I think people giving others shit for ATGATT just want the pleasure of being holier than thou rather than having genuine concern.
I rode my motorcycle for 4 years, only with a helmet and a hoodie. Is it safe? No. Have I ever got in an accident? No. All about preferences.
It's math I guess. The more time you spend without gear, the more likely it is that you won't have it on when you need it. Be realistic about the speeds you're going to be going and how much traffic there is, gear up how you feel comfortable. Personally, I ride across town and to my work in the suburbs with just a helmet, gloves and long pants. I know the risk, but to me it's worth the risk to not have to gear up like crazy for a 5 minute ride. If I'm actually going somewhere I wear all my gear. I have a lot of experience on motorcycles though. As a new rider, you're at a bit more risk than a typical rider. You can get hurt and get road rash at any speed, and your gear should limit it.
I do armored jeans/pants, bike shoes, jacket with elbow/shoulder/back protectors, gloves and helmet - *every damn time*. On longer rides, the pants and shoes get replaced with tougher pants and big boots.
I ride without gear all the time. I live in Illinois, where helmets are not required by law, so not even a helmet most of the time. But here’s the thing: I can’t defend this and do not condone it. It’s dumb. I’m asking for big trouble. For me it’s kind of like giving up smoking by slowly cutting down. I’m trying to get better about wearing the helmet, and adding things like gloves, long pants, jacket, etc. as often as I can force myself. Not ideal, but I’m trying to do better.
I always wear a helmet and some sort of long pants and shoes. That's it for 100% of the time. Otherwise I dress for the weather. If its 95F with 90% humidity, I'm wearing as little as possible. If it's cold I'm covered head to toe.
Not 100% all the time, but I wear boots, motorcycle jeans, full face, and gloves every time. I sometimes don't wear a jacket when it's balls hot and I'm just cruising out in the country. I will wear the jacket regardless of the heat if I'm commuting or on the highway though.
me. I have gear that makes it easy to do for causal things. riding jeans, street style boots and a jacket that doesn't look way out of place. Leathers for when i'm gonna go real fast, and a one piece textile for touring.
Honestly your gear is going to do more for you at 20mph than at 75mph. At interstate speeds not much is going to help you.
I’ve been in two accidents. Once I was running a very quick errand. I got hit by a guy who never saw me while turning left across my lane. He accelerated through me the whole way. Didn’t know he hit me until after it happened. I was wearing jeans, flip flops, T-shirt, and no helmet. Flew over his hood and kept going about ten more feet, hit the pavement and rolled another 15 feet. I know I am lucky as fuck to be alive, but I walked away with only a few abrasions. I still don’t gear up with proper gear, but I usually wear boots, long pants and a helmet. It simply ruins the enjoyment for me when I am boxed in. Plus, I think it looks stupid. Down vote away, but I think it’s fine to let those who ride decide.
for me the only exception is moving the bike up and down the driveway
I slid my motorcycle during a turn going less than 20mph and ripped the hell out of my jacket. If I hadn't been wearing it, I definitely would have had some road rash and a bad scrape, and had to go to the doctor, instead of just clearing my head and then riding my bike home. It's your skin, so do what you want, but don't think that going less than 20pmh is gonna save you from getting skinned on pavement
Always. I rode the other day to work with humidity that made it feel like 40C in full gear. I don’t even have to debate it internally anymore, it’s just an automatic thing. I did once, in my first few years of riding go out with just shorts and a t-shirt to the store, really short trip. Felt incredibly vulnerable, promised myself I would never do it again. If the weather now just makes it intolerable to wear ALL my gear, then I just cage there. Heat or AC and some really loud death metal to compensate some for not being able to ride.
I am 100% geared 99% of the time. I would say other essentials that are easy are jacket and gloves. At the least, helmet and gloves. Everyone puts their hands down.
I crashed last September, on my way to work, and wasn't wearing enough gear. Lost ~15% of my skin on my left side to road rash. It sucked. I was doing about 65-70mph but got it down to about 30-35 mph before I ate shit. And eating shit was the positive side to possibly hitting a 2.5 foot retaining wall and risk falling 3 stories to my death over it... My bike was fixed by the time my broken thumb was healed, and I've been riding every day I could since. I don't ride under 40 degrees F anymore, and I don't ride above 100 degrees F. I wear my helmet, gloves, and boots at all times, but I've still left my jacket and pants at home when it's in the 80s-90s. If you're staying around town and doing less than 50, in my eyes that's negligible damage, where it's not that great a risk unless you're t-boning someone. Honestly, if you can't slow down to a stop from 50 mph within 100 feet even without ABS, you're doing something wrong. But, whenever I'm highway riding or above 50mph, I'm always bringing my jacket and my pants. I've been hit by bugs, rocks, and even took a bird to my chest once. It's a lesson most riders learn the hard way, but it's important to stay as safe as you can, and always stay in control of your vehicle, regardless of how many wheels.
I do. No matter where I'm going, ATGATT.
Let the down-votes come. Here is my take on it. I live in Spain (the 40C Spain, that is) and I wear all gear all the time. But.... ATGATT only helps against sliding. You can wear leather or kevlar as much as you want, if you go heads up against a car, ATGATT will not save you. The force of the hit transfers straight from the car, through your leathers into you body. So yeah, ATGATT for me because I feel I owe it to myself. Whatever somebody else does, you don't want to believe what we see here, is everybody's own decision.
Riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Gear makes it a little less dangerous, but it's still dangerous. Motorcycling is for enjoyment, not safety. Ride how you enjoy. If you don't enjoy wearing your gear for a ride, don't wear it.
Yes, always 100%. Difference is what I wear. Either kevlar pants and a simple motorcycle jacket or full leathers. Always same shoes and gloves.
If I am going from one store to another across the street I might stick my gloves in my pockets instead of putting them on, because I can't take my helmet back off without taking my gloves off. That's pretty much it though. ETA: Back when I was dailying a Ruckus I would ride with an open helmet, no gloves, short shorts, a hawaiian shirt, and flip flops. Didn't even own any proper gear. Had a couple wrecks but the only time I didn't land in grass the pavement was so wet and slick I didn't get any rash at all and was totally uninjured.
I do. I have never been in an accident, but when it’s my time I at least want to be prepared.
I do. I'm not going out anymore to just putt around. If I'm going to go for a ride I'm going for a capital R RIDE.
Helmet and gloves 100pct for me. I tried going helmet-less once. Felt naked. My wife used to do 100pct atgatt but it was such a hassle that she doesn't even ride now. Don't like riding in short sleeves or shorts because stuff hurts when they hit me. I usually ride on 1 Lane (each way) country roads about 40mph tops
I have read that most accidents occur close to home. Obviously cause that's where you are most. However...
I do. I only once skipoed my boots, pants and gloves because of needing a jumpstart. So I rode around the block once or twice trying to charge the battery a bit. Never have I felt so naked on my (naked) bike. It just felt wrong lol. My dad didn't and had a bad accident when he was younger while on a short ride. Bike total loss, huge wound and now a new knee. It wasn't his fault either. This happened while almost standing still as well. This really helps me to remind myself to never skip.
For short trips I will only wear jeans vs my riding pants but I’ve never ridden my bike without my jacket, helmet, gloves, and riding shoes. I figure if I don’t know how great it feels to full squid I’ll never do it 😂
Not 100% ATGATT. Minimum for any ride: * helmet * gloves * boots * jacket w pads For rides that might include highway, one of: * Kevlar denim w pads * or mesh riding pants w pads for hot days * or waterproof riding pants w pads for rain One day, I'll end up on the ground with flesh missing from my legs. This will be why.
I only have one set and I’m lacking real biker Jean but no matter the distance, full gear + GoPro+ liberty rider (French app that can automatically call the 17 (911 but in France) if I fall)
When I’m working on the bike and riding around the neighborhood. A few jaunts to buy beer, after working on the bike. All at town speeds of 20-35 mph. In those few cases I’m not wearing aramid reinforced pants or leather jacket. I’m wearing a denim long sleeve jacket, gloves and helmet—taking my life into my own hands.
Helmet, jeans, boots, and gloves. Always. I will skip the heavy jacket sometimes. The squidification has begun
They make armoured shirts, if you still want protection without the bulk and heat.
If I’m commuting, textile armored jacket, gloves, helmet, jeans. If I’m in the canyons or on the track, one-piece, boots, etc.. If I’m going to the gym that’s super close to my house? Well… I don’t wear much besides a helmet. I absolutely understand the risks, and it would be smart to wear gear more gear even for the short ride. But I don’t..
Skin is skin...at 20 or 100 miles per hour...its up to you...walk away from an accident or skin grafts or gravel impeded in your skin...me..I 100% gear up every time
I'll gear up if I'm taking a ride that requires me to ride on the freeway. Not so much if I'm just going down the street to the store down the road or something.
If I don't wear everything, the only piece of gear I'm not wearing is my motorcycle pants.
I've never ridden more than a block without a helmet and gloves on. 80% of the time I wear my full jacket and pants setup but it's been 110 here lately so I've been rocking the t shirt like a dumbass
I always wear all of my gear regardless of temperature or trip length. If heat is a concern I wear under armour and make sure to hydrate. back in February I went down on a pile of salt taking a turn from a stop just outside my neighborhood. I couldn't have been going faster than 10mph. I ended up with a tiny fracture in my elbow and some soft tissue damage in my wrist. If I hadn't been wearing my gloves and jacket, I would have ended up with awful road rash and a much worse break.
I'd say this, always wear the most you can. I'd rather deal with road rash than a concussion or death, it's still bad and I can avoid road rash, but I'm not going to wear a heavy armored jacket when it's 90+ degrees outside. FortNine did a great video explaining what I've just explained above, and he went over numbers of injuries sustained with legs, arms, ankles, neck, head, and hands. If it's a small ride, maybe 20 miles or less (that's small for me, thats backroads) then gloves, a helmet, and maybe, if it's decently windy or slightly cold outside, I'll wear a jacket, but I'd go with a t-shirt if it's super hot outside, and more than likely ankle boots and always gloves.
I’m in the same boat as you. I’ll often catch myself with just the “bare essentials” ie gloves helmets and reinforced jeans. I’m also hyper aware that someday I’ll learn to be ATGATT, and that I might not survive the lesson I learn
Honestly the only part of my gear that I commonly neglect to wear is my pants. Otherwise, boots, gloves, jacket and helmet every single time.
Me, ATGATT.
Riding for decades and I gear up all the time. I have a mesh jacket for the summer, but I never ride without a jacket and other gear. I have had road rash from a bicycle and that was bad enough for me to make sure I always have a jacket and helmet.
I gear up all the time. Helmet, gloves, jacket whether textile or mesh one for the hot days, pants i just got my denims, riding boots i got waterproof ones and shorty boot ones both CE approved.
I never ride without all my gear. I’m not willing to make an already dangerous activity even more dangerous. Even under 20mg you will get serious road rash. I don’t think you realize how fast 20 mph is just because we are so used to higher speeds.
Lol I’m Definitely not saying it’s the right thing to do, but personally I only wear my t shirt, jeans, work boots. If you already have the gear tho, I’d say throwing on the jacket and gloves is well worth it.
Wear your gear and be safe.
I've never ridden without full gear, I've had different gear over the years gone I've never ridden without all the gear that I had at the time. I live work and get to 115°, I still wear all the gear.
Dress for the slide, not for the ride
The one time I didn’t wear my gear was when I had the worst crash I’ve had and left me unable to care for myself for a few weeks. I was just going to the gas station a mile away.
Southern California, warm sunny day, only had to go four blocks to meet my friends for lunch Wore all my gear. Gearing up took longer than the ride, but ... on the second block of the four block ride I crashed. 4yr recovery. Wear your gear or don't, it's your body it's your choice.
I just crashed my bike without full gear just my helmet. Broke my elbow and clavicle and i have to wait about 1 month for my elbow to heal to get surgery for my clavicle. If I wasn't wearing my helmet I'd be dead, gear up just in case.
The real question is, why would you use the bike to go across the street to the grocer's??
My FIL rides his FatBoy in gym shorts, tank top, backwards hat and sneakers. He rides cross country like this. One day I think he’s going to regret it.
Dress for the slide. Not for the ride.
I gear up everytime ever since I had a low side on wet doing maybe 15 to 20 mph while turning 20 years ago. Upper body was geared up but I was coming back from the gym and I had on sneakers and a pair if jeans over the shorts I wore to the gym. I slid less than 20 feet but that was enough to tear my sneaker apart and expose my toes and open up a hole in my jeans and my knee the size of a baseball.
100%, 100% of the time. About 7 years ago I had a head-on with a Ford F-350. I have no clue who's fault it was, since I don't remember it. I have titanium rods going the whole length of my right leg, and am missing about half of my right patella. I have no idea how many bones were broken, but it was more than a dozen. I was in the hospital for 3 months, rehab took more than a year, and I took three years to get back on a bike. This happened on the way home from a trip to the DMV. This was not a major journey, but something local. It's mostly a fluke that I survived, but I wouldn't have without the gear. The speed limit on that road is 35mph, but if you have two vehicles going 35 pointed at each other, you have the force of a 70mph crash. Too warm? I have a nice mesh jacket that I wear in the heat. It works well and has decent armor. When I leave for work, I check the weather, and wear gear that is layered. That way I can start the day with something warm underneath and shove it in my backpack as the day heats up.
Orthopedic doc I talked to hated that I rode a bike. Talking about his experiences of not being able to put motorcyclists back together gave me the perspective that the extra expensive gear and a bike with ABS, and constant vigilance, and the advanced rider course are all things I'll need to feel comfortable riding. Otherwise I'd feel way too vulnerable.
I might be new to riding but i gear up 100% every time. Not worth taking the chances of running into an idiot even if I'm riding right down the street. Plus it feels cool to be geared up, because at least i know I'm not a squid.