Safety v Style

I don't worry too much about periferal vision as I'm always turning my head. Just saying. And fit is most important. I can only fit my wierd head into a Shark helmet or the Arai profile. I went for the shark as it was half the price. Ultimately you don't eat soup with a fork, you need the right tool for the job or else you'll end up with headaches.
 
Here's my rule:
Under 40mph, around downtown, open face w/ shield, comfy jacket, denims, sneakers, light suede or leather gloves.
Over 40pmh, on the highway, full gear: full face RF-1100 helmet, armored jacket, heavy denims, armored gloves, boots.
 
Definitely full face and gloves. Still have a jaw thanks to a cheap full face. I will admit I'll ride in a t shirt, jeans and some skate shoes, but always a full face and good gloves.

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I only ride open face, got one of the last fiberglass Cromwell's which I wear with Halcyon goggles, or face shield when touring. I used to wear full face for fast riding and long journeys but in the early nineties after reading a report on the amount of broken necks caused by full face helmets I decided to stick with the open face, apparently it was the helmets that had a very elongated oval shape that were the problem. I think people ride slower with an open face so there may be less chance of a bad accident it's a case of you pays your money and take your chance.
 
Helmet technology and shape have come a long way, I wouldn't wear anything but a full-face, not even a flip-up. Most of the time the helmet will protect the back of the head on a low-side spill, so a 3/4 bucket would probably be "acceptable"; my preference is to go for safety though.

The nice thing is that you can get modern materials and technology in a very cool retro-style jacket.
I just ordered one of these guys here:
http://www.jackets4bikes.com/p-168-retro-motorcycle-leather-jacket-with-molded-armor-in-yellow-black.aspx

It's more of an intermediate-retro style, more '70's or '80's style, but the bright color is something I was concerned about being that I'm a newer rider in a town full of numbskull hillbillies in dually trucks.

If you want to go truly oldschool, that can be done fine too.
http://www.jackets4bikes.com/p-947-mens-pistol-leather-motorcycle-armor-jacket-black.aspx
These ones come with proper soft-armor inserts and the leather and stitching are intended for motorcycle use, and they look 100% badass.
 
If you want to stick with a traditional style jacket but want safety the other alternative is to buy a jacket that is slightly larger than your normal size and wear one of the shirts with body armour built in underneath it.
 
I live in a pretty densely populated urban area and my bike was my daily rider more often than not. So I could't really get away with racing leathers and the like. I also rarely go more than a few miles from home. So for me, it was a leather jacket, 3/4 helmet and goggles and jeans. Boots were either my steel toe work boots or a pair of Cycle Gear boots that I got for under $100. I am upgrading to a full face helmet and getting a mesh jacket for the warmer weather instead of my hoody. Or one of those hoodies with armored elbows and shoulders.
 
only thing i dont like about mesh is IF you go down will it melt as your slideing down the road ? nothing is 100% but ill take leather over all else......
 
I went down wearing my mesh Alpinestars and no problem. 40mph or so.

Thing is when you fall, you're not so much sliding along the road as you are tumbling about. I honestly don't think much heat gets generated in most falls. Could be wrong but I like my mesh for hot days. Just got an Olympia 3/4 length jacket in full mesh. Have another Olympia for touring along with my vintage leathers (Brimaco) for around the city.

I always wear a full face - Shoei RF1100 (after crashing my RF1000) and leather gloves with knuckle padding (ICON) and proper boots with ankle support/armor. You don't want your feet being bent in all different directions when you fall. Keeps your ankle from breaking.
 
Guess there better made then when they first came out . just heard some bad things back then most from joe rocket stuff. so i just stayed clear of them and stuck to my leathers. will have to go look at what they have out there now a days.... ;D
 
How many of you guys actually fully suit up (like it seems you do) for the 5-10 minute ride to work etc?
 
SONICJK said:
How many of you guys actually fully suit up (like it seems you do) for the 5-10 minute ride to work etc?
Click to expand...
Every day. Kevlar pants and jacket, boots, gloves and full face helmet. I have only one of each appendage and I'm kind of attached to the idea of keeping them.
 
If I'm doing around-the-block testing I wear jeans, gloves, helmet and boots. If I'm taking a ride somewhere close, I'll add in the jacket, and if I don't have to work, the pants sans slider pucks. Extended rides? Jacket with all inserts, gloves, full helmet, pants with all inserts and the slider-pucks, boots... And depending on where and why, a bright red backpack.
 
2nd that ! even to work which is only 4 miles for me i where jacket,full face,gloves,boots ! would want it and not need it then need it and not have it ..... call me a boy scout
 
"When Y'r sliding down the road in the city denim slows Y'down quicker than leather and much cooler than from the friction of leather.I wear open helmets in the city because I'd rather break my jaw and absorb the impact than break my neck hitting a car."



Could you clarify this a bit...I confess, I don't get the "breaking jaw/breaking neck thing...are you saying that you have better visibility with a 3/4 helmet?
 
riding_equipment_is_for_pussies.jpg
 
The human body can also get fucked up real quick with very little input. Not worth the risk IMHO.

Further to this debate, I once read somewhere that a fella never wore a helmet when riding and had come off a few times with no injuries. When asked how he managed to not break his skull every time he said "I just keep my head off the ground".

I find it incredible that people would rather take the easy road or the trendy road or the road that gives a big middle finger to "the establishment" at the risk of their own personal wellbeing. Regardless of whether accidents happen at traffic lights more often, or if most of them are low speed crashes, I'd rather be in the right gear just in case I happen to be the one coming round a left hander when some pissed fucker coming the other way goes straight into my front wheel. Why, because there's noone to blame but me if I don't and it can't be trendy when I'm dead or missing legs and arms.
 
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