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Tourer
Posts: 520
Simi Valley, CA | Okay it has been hot out here- 103 yesterday during my ride. I see all sorts of riders, cruiser, sport bikes etc wearing shorts while they ride. This is something that I have NEVER done. I have had bees fly up my pants leg and get me on the thigh, rocks hit my shins that cause me to bleed through my pant leg.
Is this something you do? I am seeing more and more of this and it just freaks me out... one time going down and your legs are history..
Comments?
Tim
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | I did it ONCE on my Vision. Damn near cooked my legs - way worse than a swarm of bees. NEVER again.... |
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Tourer
Posts: 301
Buffalo Grove,Ill | Not a chance ! I ride All the Gear All The Time (ATGATT).
I also see idiots riding in shorts, flip flops, no helmets, Etc Etc. Stupid stupid stupid ! And worse is the crotch rockets going past me at 120 mph with the girlfriend holding on for her life, also wearing flip flops. Can you Imaging driving home from work and seeing some knucklehead scream past you with YOUR daughter on the back?? Gee i wonder what would happen when you got home??? |
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Tourer
Posts: 576
, IA | showing your age r we LOL |
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Cruiser
Posts: 54
| Pass it along, my sister just took a 'short' trip to store on her little bike wearing shorts and tennies. dropped her bike on a patch of gravel from recent road work.While she broke her ankle, the serious damage was to her skin. She doesn't have any on part of her left leg and they are treating it like a 3rd degree burn. What should have been an 'owwie' that is more embarrassing than painful, turned into serious injuries.
gary
'08 blk tour prem
'the batmobile' |
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Tourer
Posts: 363
Goldsboro, NC | On many of the roads we have here in rural eastern NC, denim is little better than bare skin.
Once you ride on that for a while, one eventually becomes numb to the consequences.I know that If I go down, I'm going to be hurt bad, no matter what I am wearing. I wear whatever seems convenient for the drive, and I keep myself well inside my ability on the bike. The rest I leave to my own alertness and what little skill I have to stay out of trouble.
Yes, I will wear shorts on occassion. I once went down at 52mph on a bicycle in shorts, so I am aware of the risks. I manage them as best I can.
Many say "all the gear, all the time". I will not attempt to argue them out of it. Being an engineer, I take the conservative approach all the time. On the other hand when I am riding, I understand that there is no "safe". There is x safer than y. Sometimes, the difference between x and y is not worth it. Sometimes "it" is "the trouble to change", sometimes "it" is "the fatigue caused by overheating". I make my choice based on conditions and my own assessment of how I can personally handle the risks that particular day.
I might be stupid, but at least I am an informed stupid. I hope the others are not taking risks that they are not managing... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 127
| Yes, we show our age. When I was in high school and bulletproof, I did stupid things on motorcycles like shorts, sandals, riding drunk, etc. Gee, just like the kids these days. The daily pain in my knees, as well as the numerous bits of gravel and road schmutz still circulating under the skin reminds me of those days.
And yes, if I saw any of my daughters riding the pillion of a crotch rocket without the gear... well, my bad old reputation would make a comeback. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 742
North Orange County CA | Cometman - 2009-07-20 10:39 AM
Okay it has been hot out here- 103 yesterday during my ride. I see all sorts of riders, cruiser, sport bikes etc wearing shorts while they ride. This is something that I have NEVER done. I have had bees fly up my pants leg and get me on the thigh, rocks hit my shins that cause me to bleed through my pant leg.
Is this something you do? I am seeing more and more of this and it just freaks me out... one time going down and your legs are history..
Comments?
Tim
Was that you riding northbound just north of Malibu on the PCH about 1:00PM yesterday?
I was coming back from a trip to the Reagan Library (101 degrees at 10 am). We took the 34 over to Point Magu and then headed south on PCH. After fighting my way through the Malibu and Venice Beach traffic I stopped at Bartells Harley in Marina Del Rey (I parked the Vision in front then went to lunch for about an hour).
The temperature varied from about 103 inland to 77 on the coast. I was wearing my new Shift Backdraft mesh jacket with LS cotton T underneath. I never got hot enough to feel that I had to take it off take it off (except while parked).
Saw at a number of people riding in shorts, one couple left the dealership riding their E-glide in shorts, tanks and sandals. All I can say is I hope they never have to learn the error of their ways.
If my either of my daughters ever rides on the back of a bike with an idiot wearing shorts I would seriously consider caging them in the basement until their hair turned grey or the police came to take me away; whichever came first.
Ah hell, this is California I no longer have a basement. Plan B
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Cruiser
Posts: 69
| trailbarge - 2009-07-20 1:09 PM On many of the roads we have here in rural eastern NC, denim is little better than bare skin. Once you ride on that for a while, one eventually becomes numb to the consequences.I know that If I go down, I'm going to be hurt bad, no matter what I am wearing. I wear whatever seems convenient for the drive, and I keep myself well inside my ability on the bike. The rest I leave to my own alertness and what little skill I have to stay out of trouble. Yes, I will wear shorts on occassion. I once went down at 52mph on a bicycle in shorts, so I am aware of the risks. I manage them as best I can. Many say "all the gear, all the time". I will not attempt to argue them out of it. Being an engineer, I take the conservative approach all the time. On the other hand when I am riding, I understand that there is no "safe". There is x safer than y. Sometimes, the difference between x and y is not worth it. Sometimes "it" is "the trouble to change", sometimes "it" is "the fatigue caused by overheating". I make my choice based on conditions and my own assessment of how I can personally handle the risks that particular day. I might be stupid, but at least I am an informed stupid. I hope the others are not taking risks that they are not managing... +1 for "informed risk". I never ride in shorts (jeans and boots) but I always wear a short sleeve shirt and lather on the sun screen here in FL where the Vision usually hits 3 figures on the outside temp gauge this time of year. Does this make sense? Of course not, but if I had to wear a flack jacket I'd just as soon not ride. I rarely wear a helmet unless I'm going out of state and the law requires it. On 1/1/04 my 21 year old son, who was already a senior in chemical engineering, full scholarship, only A's and B's, TOOK A CAB w/a friend to a New Year's Eve party. The short version is they went to a private party and at some point a couple of guys got in a fight and the police were called. Everyone took off (I'm sure there was underage drinking and some pot around) and he grabbed a ride w/someone he didn't know. Of course the driver had a traffic record a mile long (at age 20), ran a stop sign at 80 mph and 9 days later I terminated life support. After that I came to the belief that when it's your time, it's your time and I'd rather be dead on impact than a vegetable. Good excuse not to wear a helmet? No. But an informed, reasoned one. ~Shy
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Cruiser
Posts: 212
Tavares, Fl | I have a very good friend who's wife passed away about 6 years ago with cancer. They had two young daughters so Hal quit riding with us and sold his Electra Glide Classic, taking no chances on getting hurt and not being around to take care of the girls. A few weeks after the funeral he was crossing the street and got hit by a drunk, sustaining severe head injuries.. He recovered somewhat but sounds like he's intoxicated when he talks.. My point is, how far do you go to protect yourself?????? I almost always wear a helmet but you'll often see me riding with shorts, gym shoes and short sleeve shirts. I've been injured many more times from the horses than by the bike.... |
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Tourer
Posts: 520
Simi Valley, CA | Yup that would have been me! Headed N on PCH through TO, and into Simi!
Tim
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Cruiser
Posts: 99
Kansas City, Ks | Shyster - 2009-07-20 1:59 PM
trailbarge - 2009-07-20 1:09 PM On many of the roads we have here in rural eastern NC, denim is little better than bare skin. Once you ride on that for a while, one eventually becomes numb to the consequences.I know that If I go down, I'm going to be hurt bad, no matter what I am wearing. I wear whatever seems convenient for the drive, and I keep myself well inside my ability on the bike. The rest I leave to my own alertness and what little skill I have to stay out of trouble. Yes, I will wear shorts on occassion. I once went down at 52mph on a bicycle in shorts, so I am aware of the risks. I manage them as best I can. Many say "all the gear, all the time". I will not attempt to argue them out of it. Being an engineer, I take the conservative approach all the time. On the other hand when I am riding, I understand that there is no "safe". There is x safer than y. Sometimes, the difference between x and y is not worth it. Sometimes "it" is "the trouble to change", sometimes "it" is "the fatigue caused by overheating". I make my choice based on conditions and my own assessment of how I can personally handle the risks that particular day. I might be stupid, but at least I am an informed stupid. I hope the others are not taking risks that they are not managing... +1 for "informed risk". I never ride in shorts (jeans and boots) but I always wear a short sleeve shirt and lather on the sun screen here in FL where the Vision usually hits 3 figures on the outside temp gauge this time of year. Does this make sense? Of course not, but if I had to wear a flack jacket I'd just as soon not ride. I rarely wear a helmet unless I'm going out of state and the law requires it. On 1/1/04 my 21 year old son, who was already a senior in chemical engineering, full scholarship, only A's and B's, TOOK A CAB w/a friend to a New Year's Eve party. The short version is they went to a private party and at some point a couple of guys got in a fight and the police were called. Everyone took off (I'm sure there was underage drinking and some pot around) and he grabbed a ride w/someone he didn't know. Of course the driver had a traffic record a mile long (at age 20), ran a stop sign at 80 mph and 9 days later I terminated life support. After that I came to the belief that when it's your time, it's your time and I'd rather be dead on impact than a vegetable. Good excuse not to wear a helmet? No. But an informed, reasoned one. ~Shy
+1 on the +1 on the agreement of the quoted post (I think that's right..??)
As I said before.. I won't LIVE on fear of DYING.. I will weigh the consequences of the actions or non-actions that I take and calculate the amount of risk I am willing to push.. I will NOT however, like the opposite view will do, berate or belittle for the choice that is made by a paticular rider.. Why the view of AGATT that some take is somehow the only way to ride or, to quote some, someone is "stupid", "crazy", blah, blah...
Hey, I wear jeans, t-shirt (if it's hot), boots, sunglasses.. If the state requires a helmet, then I'll wear on, If I know that I'll be on a backroad at night and I know that there will be deer, I'll typically wear one then... But all the time, NO...
I haven't worn shorts on my Vision, but I am too shorrt and the heat that comes off can almost be unbearble with Jeans. Once I figure out a way to cool that "ALOT" I can see me in a pair of shorts..
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Visionary
Posts: 1340
Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | I wear a helmet[MX full face] Jeans, boots,and a Tshirt most of the time. Having gone down a couple of times I can say emphaticaly that jeans will save a good bit of skin, and road rash on the lower extremities is much worse then on the upper body. Wear what you want, but I will literaly make fun of you to your face if you ride in shorts, and flip flops\tennis shoes. You want to dress like a Vespa rider then buy a Vespa scooter boys |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | If I was on the racetrack - I would ensure that I had all the protection money could buy. But where do you draw the line? No Helmet (20 years of riding of my 50 were helmetless), Full Face, Open Face, Skullcap? Gloves - in 80+ weather? Knee Pads? Elbow Pads? Jock Strap?
If I worried about any of that - I would not get on a bike. And likely I would have a roll cage installed in my car - which would also be armour plated.
I think you dress appropriate to your driving skill, interests, climate and common sense (NO NUDITY), and don't worry about what other's think. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | I have to be careful here. When I lived in a remote area on the South Texas coast and was young I would ride about 10% of the time in shorts and running shoes. These were mainly short hops. When hit the open road I put the gear on including a full face helmet. I was lucky. I never went down.
Well that's not right either. I was in full gear on that ride (1982 Kawasaki CSR 650). I took a corner while in San Antonio that I thought I could not make and did the stupid thing of dumping the bike. I was going very slow. So slow that I bounced once off of my butt and ran to a stop. I was lucky. I picked up the 650 and rode away. No road rash but the fairing was cracked and I broke a light. My butt was a little sore.
I fixed the fairing and repainted in black with DuPont paint.
There is a photo running around that shows a skinny, young me with dark hair riding down the road in OP shorts and running shoes.
Twice riding back from working out I rode the Vision in shorts. I do not recommend it to anyone.
Don't ride like the young Radioteacher, Ride Safe! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 140
| Jeans won't last very long, but they WILL make a difference. I know this to be true. Not that the road won't eventually get skin. Say you get 15 feet of sliding before the jeans are toast. That's a lot of skin. In a slow speed crash, one that would leave you in agony in shorts, jeans can keep you from losing any skin at all. Again, I know this to be true.
I wear at least jeans, boots, gloves, full face, and a mesh armored jacket all the time. The jacket is not hotter than a t-shirt. The jacket, on a hot day, is not hotter than a t-shirt.
What you wear is your business, but please at least be realistic about the risks, and the reasons for the choices you make.
I take it all back, it's your business. Sorry. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 742
North Orange County CA | We're all entitled to our own opinion of what constitutes reasonable riding gear; but I'll stand by my statement as far as it concerns the women in my life.
I subscribe to the theory that there are only two types of motorcyclists; those who have been down, and those who eventually will go down; and that being a member of group one does not exclude you from group two. We all ride and, to one degree or another, we are by virtue of that decision risk takers.
I wear the gear that I do and insist that my wife do the same, because I know that older bones break rather than bend; that old skin does not regenerate as quickly and that broken joints (I have a couple) are prone to arthritis. I agree with lowtone9, jeans can save a lot of skin. Been there. I also have first hand knowledge that a good jacket and helmet can make all the difference in the world. I scraped a Bell Magnum down to the liner once in a high speed get off on my 650 BSA back in the 70's.
We ride under the illusion that we are in control. But accidents are called just that for a reason. We do not control the cager that signals right then turns left or the blowout that locks a wheel or the wet leaves in the apex of a turn any more that we control gravity. When we ride we are temporary masters of the laws of physics, except for the most powerful law - randomness and unpredictability.
I see (my opinion only) shorts and flip-flops as a choice to ignore the potential consequences of an accident. This leads me to believe that any rider wearing shorts and/or flip-flops may also be prone to a riding style that increases the inherent risks either by choice, or out of ignorance in the case of younger riders.
As Shyster (and others) implied "informed risk" or "managed risk" is fine for riders who ride solo and understand the possibilities. But a higher risk tolerance begins to force ones own choices on other people and their families the moment a passenger swings a leg over the back of your bike. You blow out a flip-flop at a stoplight and fall over it may be your passenger who ends up with with the burns. Your failure to stop the bike safely because you cant apply enough pressure to the rear break in an emergency due to flimsy footwear can lead to a whole host of unintended consequences.
Ride the way you want, wear what you want, as long as ALL parties in the process can make an informed decision. Any kid that shows up to pick up my daughters without the proper gear is going riding alone.
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Tourer
Posts: 537
, FL United States | Tarpits,
Well said. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | Most of the riders I saw over the weekend, and passangers, were in shorts. Right or wrong, that's the facts, EVERYBODY decides. Ask yourself, who will wipe your butt the next day after sliding the skin off your hands?  Wear gloves!  |
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Tourer
Posts: 520
Simi Valley, CA | Great comments all around. I agree it comes down to riding what you are comfortable with, but during my ride this weekend I was really surprised with the large number of riders wearing shorts. I guess it is like the bicycle riders who shave their legs- they know that if they go down, it will be easier cleaning out their wounds if their legs are shaved. It is about choice- wearing a helmet in helmet optional states.
Ride safe everyone!
Tim
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Cruiser
Posts: 184
Allen Park, MI | Well Stated Tarpits...... there is a good degree of sanity and common sense in your statement..... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 99
Kansas City, Ks | To each their own..
Safer because you wear?
More aware because you don't?
Funny how it went from questioning wearing shorts all to almost saying that if you wear shorts, ou must wear flip-flops and you will crash and you will ... blah blah...
Guess what?.. Just riding the motorcycle is dangerous for a variety of different reasons.. Cagers, Vermon, Wild-life, Drunks...... they are there to get you and they don't know that you are there. I ride as if I am invisible to all. I trust NO intersection; I don't care how long the light as been green.
I went over my handlebars on the Dragon (US129 somewhere between Tn and NC).. Guess what??? I didn't land on my head, I wasn't wearing gloves and did not remove the skin off my hands, I did not break anything. I got a scratch next to my elbow. I got up off the ground, counted all my extremeties, dusted myself off, picked up my bike, took a picture of my Dad riding by, got back on and finished my ride. I was wearing a half lid, jeans, t-shirt, boots and sunglasses...
There is ALOT more riders everyday that make it home safely than don't.. Taking the small percentage and call that the norm that some seem to point to that WILL happen is a little ludacris to me..
Don't LIVE in fear of DYING.... or Don't fear the ride/motorcycle; RESPECT it... |
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Tourer
Posts: 550
Tacoma, WA | I have tried the shorts thing on my Vision, just to see if it was cooler than jeans in near-hundred degree weather. I found that the heat from the pipes was much worse than with jeans! I guess maybe because they insulate from the pipe heat some. I have not worn shorts since on any bike. -----Metalguy |
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Cruiser
Posts: 177
| I toatally agree with the statment of "there's the ones who have layed a bike down and there's the ones who are going to lay there bike down"........been there done that on my CBR some years ago. I wear gear everytime i ride anticipating laying my bike down. Now that doesn't mean i'm not confident in my riding abilities, which by the way i feel i ride agressivly to stay ahead of every idiot in a car that never ever thinks about a bike but you should protect yourself the best you can. My best buddies mom had a very bad head injury riding bitch with his old man in Kansas, thank god there was a top notch head trauma hospital within a short helicopter ride away so yeah EVERY time i ride a wear a helmet. But you know i guess it's all up to how YOU feel about your riding gear. I know i won't let my wife or daughter on MY bike with shorts or sandels. Any way EVERYONE out there ride on and ride SAFE. |
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Tourer
Posts: 548
Mount Vernon, WA United States | +1 ATGATT |
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Riding in Shorts...
