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I can't decide what to wear in Africa ? Body armour or leather jacket ! I can't decide what to wear in Africa ? Body armour or leather jacket !
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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
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Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



Poll: What should I wear ??
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What should I wear ??

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  #1  
Old 9 Aug 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted* View Post
On reflexion... The body armor was a terrible idea ! REALLY hot and a pain to get on and off.. Great for any shorter offroad trips though.

I'm so glad I didn't take leather too. I bought a thin summer jacket in Barcelona and even in that I was SWELTERING !!!
I wore it for a month trip in the Far North Queensland (Cape York) glad I did too. Oh and you might have heard gets warm up there. 40+ everyday.

Leather, ah that would be funny..
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  #2  
Old 9 Aug 2011
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Hi,

If you want to be save you should not go to africa The clothes you are going to wear also decide what the local people think about you. With big protection stuff you will look as if you have come from mars and will be treeted like money on legs but i realized if you are wearing normal stuff like jeans the locals will be very friendly to you

Travel save, Tobi
Riding the rough west coast through Africa part 3
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  #3  
Old 10 Aug 2011
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Originally Posted by ta-rider View Post
If you want to be save you should not go to africa The clothes you are going to wear also decide what the local people think about you. With big protection stuff you will look as if you have come from mars and will be treeted like money on legs but i realized if you are wearing normal stuff like jeans the locals will be very friendly to you
Good point hadn't thought about that.
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  #4  
Old 10 Aug 2011
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Pardon me, but you're going to look like some sort of space alien with your bike no matter how you dress. We all do (with a few possible exceptions), and thinking you won't is pure delusion. Those who see you as a walking wallet won't be confused by a pair of jeans, some flip flops, or your favorite Hawaiian shirt.

What's more many of us have had occasion to be thankful we were wearing armor when our luck ran dry. So take the above as one point of view among many--not as given truth.

Mark
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  #5  
Old 10 Aug 2011
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The choice of jackets doesn't limit itself to leather. Personally don't like it. For Queensland summer heat in muggy forrests on the adventure bike I wear a mesh jacket. You can get convertable ones with zip on panels. Heaps better than vents. Don't care how much klim and others work with the venturi effect. They just don't do it as well. In similar conditions I was swealtering with a vented jacket and pefectly fine with a mesh jacket riding into the 40's C.

On the trail bike I wear a pressure suit only, but wouldn't even consider wearing it RTW. I get sore after wearing is for a few days and it does suck putting on and off. Fine for a weekend. But with a mesh jacket you get just as much air flow. Only down side is protection (due to movement of armour) but that is with any road gear vs off road gear so a non issue for RTW really.
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  #6  
Old 10 Aug 2011
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Yeah... Rolling into any town of village in the developing world on a big motorbike covered in luggage will get plenty of attention. No matter what you're wearing.

Although, pulling into a coffee shop in Paris in fully body armour MX gear will certainly get more gasps and looks of disgust than plain old biker gear.
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Old 10 Aug 2011
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I've toured in West Africa on a little local DT with just a tatty duffel bag tied on for baggage, dressed in nothing special. I got as much attention from the local populace, including police and soldiers, as when I've toured on a giant bike (KLR) with hard cases front and rear and a mass of stickers. Believe me, locals know you don't belong; they're more observant than we are, and they know how to separate significant input from visual background noise.

It's true that full-on MX gear from toes to cervical collar might draw more attention in some quarters than yer favorite time-mellowed leather jacket....but we're talking about touring in Africa here. Or at least, that's where you started the thread....asking questions, then ignoring the answers, then adjusting once or twice enroute until you ended up right where you might as easily have begun.

Or do I mis-remember? I get so confused by all the "what-to-wear-hard-or-soft-panniers-how-to-farkle threads.

enjoy,

Mark

(saving for another trip someday--maybe 2025 or so, when my accounts return to positive terrain)
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