How much protective clothing do you wear?

[REFFI]

I disagree that a wet shirt will keep you hydrated. It will keep you cool, thrugh evaporation, but there is no way for it to provide any hydration to the body. Breathing discharges water (vapor) from the body. The only way to put that back is by drinking (or an IV, but I haven't seen that solution yet).

Ralph

[wa407mpp]

It keeps you cool, when your cool you don't sweat when you don't sweat the fluids stay in your body longer, keeping you hydrated.

[saddle up]

I have been riding all my life. I have always had a motorcycle. At one time I had 3 bikes and no auto/truck. I bought my first cage at the age of 26. I probably have at least 300,000 miles riding. I have been in at least 10 wrecks. Some my fault, some by a cage driver. Most of them were my fault by not evaluating the situation properly. I am 52 now and have noticed that it is more dangerous than ever to ride. People, jaw jacking on the cell, tailgating, eating cereal, shaving, putting on eye makeup, watching a dvd, etc.
One thing IS certain, there are two types of riders, those that have been down, and those who are going to go down. Period.
I used to like riding without a helmet. My reasoning being that if I screwed up, I was going to get my grape hurt, therefor I would adjust accordingly.(still got into 3 wrecks) Helmets give the rookies a false sense of security.
All it takes is a severe case of road rash to smart'en you folks that ride with shorts and shower shoes. I ride with a minimum of a leather jacket, leather pants, 3/4 or full face helmet, full length gloves, and as of late I have been wearing a reflective construction vest. I thought that that would be the day when I would wear one of them snickering to myself (I'll never wear one of those). Well I believe it helps, people don't get so close.
At a minimum I always wear my leather Jacket, helmet and gloves, and have on good riding glasses/goggles/ shield. (buy the way the yellow or red goggles/ shield work really good at night)
I have rambled on but If you ride like you are invisible and have on no clothes and no helmet and keep a picture in your mind what you are going to look like with that massive road rash, you will be a better rider without having to go through the ordeal.
Peace Brothers and Sisters.
Rubber side down.

[REFFI]

You're not seeing the semantic difference. You said that a wet shirt would hydrate you. Now you say that a wet shirt keeps you hydrated by reducing perspiration. That I agree with. To hydrate something, you add moisture, to keep something hydrated, you prevent (or reduce) the loss of moisture.

Sorry, I nitpick for a living.

Ralph

[saddle up]

By the time I composed my message and submitted it, I inadvertently got in between another topic. This was not my intent.
While I am here again, I would like to state that I like commuting in the rain better than the cage. You can see better than a cage because you are above the road spray. Not to mention the economy.
I always make it to work faster both in the am and the pm. Especially in the pm rush hour...

[Guy_b_g]

One thing IS certain, there are two types of riders, those that have been down, and those who are going to go down. Period.

I agree. Gravity is lurking 24 hours a day. Friction and momentum are uneasy allies and will side with gravity as soon as it gets the better of you.

If you never go down it's not 'cause you're good, it's cause you're lucky....lucky you never got run off the road by an idiot cager texting while driving, or having an arguement with boyfriend/girlfriend on the cell...lucky you never hit that patch of diesel on the on-ramp from a truck that topped off a bit too much (invisible usually, by the way)...and about a thousand other hazards that didn't get you each and every day you ride.

I've been down 5 times in my adult life (34 years of riding)... only 1 of them was "my fault" the other times I guess I just wasn't as lucky as usual.

My step dad hit the diesel on the on-ramp wearing t-shirt, shorts and helmet. Lost a lot of skin and it was no fun changing dressings and peeling the sheets off in the morning. That's the kind of mistake I can learn from without making it myself. He now rides wearing full gear.

In the five times I've been down the worst I've received so far is bruises, no road rash.
I always wear a full face helmet, gloves, boots, leather or armored mesh, and either heavy jeans, armored jeans, or leather on my legs.

[saddle up]

Jeez, I remember one time going across country when I was in the Corps, did a buzz around my Mom's house and went around the block, thinking I was invincible, went in the driveway a little too fast, hit the front brake on some tranny fluid...Down I went. Talk about embarrassing, not too mention coming down to reality real quick..

[wa407mpp]

REFFI

REFFI! You misread my post, go back and read it again, I never said it would Hydrate you, I said it would keep you Hydrated. I should have said, it would help you stay hydrated longer. One thing a lot of people don't understand, is when you ride without a shirt or with bare arms the wind is robbing them of moisture, and the hotter the wind the greater the dehydration.

[DJinNH]

Re: REFFI

Originally posted by wa407mpp
One thing a lot of people don't understand, is when you ride without a shirt or with bare arms the wind is robbing them of moisture, and the hotter the wind the greater the dehydration.

Judging by the bright red color of my arms today after riding along the beach yesterday with a sleeveless shirt, I'll take your word on it.

Don

[DeanR]

ATGATT (all the gear all the time) beginning this year since going to the pavement last fall.
Motoport kevlar pants, Motoport full armor jacket, good full face helmet, kevlar/leather gloves(of course not fingerless), hiking boots, earplugs when on trips (thanks again for the tip Masten).
About 1K miles over the last few days, hot weather, but ATGATT....

[Guy_b_g]

Twice I've had the opportunity to test my brakes and my nerves on freeways.

Happened exactly the same way both times.

Both times it was a yellow jacket wasp that bounced off of my jacket and into my full face helmet, landing stunned on the chin bar.

I'm mildly allergic.

Both times I was able to pull through traffic to the side of the road, stop, open the face shield, and blow the little **** outta there before he got his bearings and realized how ticked off he was.

Hate it when that happens, it's really, really distracting...

[saddle up]

Lol. I know it's not funny, but I gotta laugh.
About 15 years ago I was riding on hwy 43. Thats between Lake Oswego and Portland Oregon. It follows the Willamette river. Out of no where I rode into a swarm of yellow jackets. I was wearing my 3/4 helmet, leather jacket, boots, gloves and Levi's. I had about 10 go inside my helmet, 10 or so up each pant leg, and about 5 go inside my jacket. Luckily there wasn't much traffic at the time, I made a bee-line or I should say a yellow jacket line for the shoulder. I was getting the sh*t stung out of me.
I threw off my helmet,gloves, jacket, and lowered my drawers in front of God and everybody. The thing was I wasn't wearing any underwear. It was the thing to do, modesty be damned.
I am not allergic to bee stings, but I was stung about 15 times. Needless to say I was feeling the effects and sort of felt "goofy" and made a bee-line for the house.

[Axel]

safety first

I have Draggin jeans for the hot days but still wear my leather jacket . Chaps on the cold days . Leather army boots and gloves. If I'm going for a slide , I want to survive .

[Paintman]

Crash

while on the way to the movies today i had a crotch rocket zip by me. when they passed me they lost control he panicked let off throttle got a tank wobble going and hi sided. when i stopp to help he was wear a t shirt shorts and sneakers his passenger had on a bathing suit and sandals. I figured they must have slid over 2 hundred feet then the bike was hit by an on coming Pickup. i wrked on them both till life flight arrived. they driver will probably make it but his passenger i doubt will neigterone could have been over 19. had they been geared up they may have have got a few good bruises, Such a waste.

John

[Axel]

outstanding effort

I'm sure you helped the situation immensely . Nice work man .
We need more educatrion for the young/newbies .
Do you carry a trauma kit on your bike ?