I've been guilty of wearing jeans on more than a few occasions when nipping out to shops etc,But ever since comming off my sports bike last summer and breaking some bones and gashing up my legs pretty bad,It doesnt matter how short my journey is.I wear full gear. I was hit by a car and came off at about 30mph,And was wearing protective clothing everywhere apart from the legs (Jeans). I count my self lucky that it didnt happen at a higher speed. But was annoyed with myself that it happened at all.

It's a sobering read and im sure most people do at least wear a minimum amount of protection when either riding or pillion. I have a freind who's about to sit his test and he wants a sports bike. His thoughts on gear where a pair of gloves and a helmet,Due to poor funds.We managed to talk him out of buying his bike untill he has at least a decent kit to put on before riding it.

The bike dealer's arnt totaly blameless here either though,It's not the first time ive seen a guy in picking up a bike and riding out of the forcourt with jeans and a skimpy jacket on a bike that does 170mph+. I know this is a different can of worms altogether with bums on seats beeing there main priority,But surley having a return custom and a decent health and safety aproach to selling bikes has to take some blame here also.

I lived in Thailand for a year and no-one had to wear helmets. The amount of horrific facial injuries was sickening. Just as I was leaving it was becoming law but rarely inforced unless in the city.
Honda were promoting the wearing of protective equipment, a travelling roadshow went to all the small towns. A positive move we dont see in the west.

A mate of mine did the DAS test last year. He turned up in trainers, jeans, a battered old helmet and one of those crap Honda-Repsol fashion jackets, you know, the ones you see on market stalls, poorly made out of cheap leather that wouldn't pass for floor cloths.

He was told repeatedly that the examiner at this particular centre (Gateshead) deliberately marks down riders who don't take safety seriously, not to mention he looked like another boy racer / Rossi wannabe in that helmet and jacket.

As expected, he failed on something unbelievably minor and spent the next month bitching about this examiners attitude problem. Personally, I think the examiner had exactly the right attitude.

when i done my test my examiner who was named bizarrely mr pass! he did comment on the fact that i was wearing full protective gear. although i made a few mistakes i still passed with him commenting on my safe approach to riding and my gear which he says people have even turned up in shorts during the summer months. strangely enough i done my truck test 7yrs later and had the same examiner!
i'm back in wales at the moment but when i was in france peolpe would ask me to take them for a ride (usually for cigarettes)to which i refused because of their inappropiate clothing.they just dont understand it! also have you seen the mess a mini-skirted girl leaves on your seat? it's like a slugs been there!
i also ride a scooter (in full gear). people at traffic lights also youngsters on other scooters laugh at the fact i'm dressed to go around the world! (i'll do it one day but not on the scooter!). many of my mates have scars from not riding in proper gear but they still take the urine out of me for it! sad but true.
lots of gear=happy and protected biker

Yeah I can't stand the Macho types either least we know that we stand a much better chance of walking away pretty much unscathed from an off, God/Allah/Budda forbid that is.

I never ever ride without either my full HG Voyage or my full HG Taureg incluing all armour and spine protector gloves lid and motoX boots, having had an off and comming away perfectly well apart from the leg that got trapped under the bike and turned to mush, I'm glad I take pre-cautions.

The Harley crowd are the worst and perhaps could learn from her.

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

I quite like the idea of kevlar-lined jeans (Draggin, Icon, etc) just for riding to work in.

Anyone got a pair and able to comment on them or better still, been kind enough to test them for me?

I'm wearing mine now! They are comfy and look alright. I have not tested them but I've seen a video of a guy at a race meeting climbing off the pillion seat of a bike at about 125km/hr and sliding down the road on the end of a rope, on his arse. The draggin jeans were pretty chewed up but his arse was fine.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

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The mouth of a perfectly contented man is filled with . -- 2200 BC Egyptian inscription

I've a pair which I rarely wear. The kevlar is horribly uncomfortable and itchy in hot weather, especially while walking, while the jeans provide no warmth in cool weather. Also the jeans are cut low, 'hip-hugger' style which is just stupid for protective clothing - they could easily be ripped off you as you slide down the road. Maybe the dictates of fashion have moved on and they're now available high waisted - I dunno.

Wouldn't get another pair.

Kevlar mesh which goes on and off easily is the answer for me - try Cycleport.

...............but each time I read another post, I can't lose the image in my mind of French police officers riding in the south of France in high summer!

So, who is going to be the first to tell this guy that he has it all wrong?:-

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Dave

Bl pic attachment just doesn't want to work, so you'll have to use your imagination.

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Dave

Sorry to be picky, but I do pay a lot of TAX, income tax, council tax, road tax, fuel tax - unleaded nudging $10 a gallon and mostly tax, value added tax, national insurance (which is a tax) and this is only a small selection, as there are many stealth taxes too.

If I do go into the NHS I get put on a waiting list. Then they decide wether it's important enough to deal with or if they can be bothered. If so then pray I don't come out with MRSA, MSSA or something I didn't first go in, without. When you are chucked out, you are given a prescription which you have to pay for, if like me it's on going because they cannot be bothered, you keep on paying. I have been told before, "You'd be better off going private!". I now buy my medication privately because it's cheaper than through the NHS.

I just want to add, the vast majority of the staff in the NHS are heros, nothing less, it's just the systems they are forced to work with.

Sorry, rant over!

This is a very good reason to wear the correct gear.

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Stu
Ride Safe & Rock HARD!
04 1200GS

I'm only wearing black until they find something darker!

SAVED PLANET ROCK!

Didn't try it myself yet, but what about an MX harnass and protectors and over that any oversized shirt when it's hot. That's what I think everytime I'm waiting at a trafficlight with the sun burning down on me in my black Gore tex trousers, goretex jacket, gloves, boots... . Should be a whole lot cooler and still give you all the protection. Or did I get that wrong? Not as quick to take off when you are where you wanne be though... .

;-)