What gear do you ride with?

Schooter's recent keychain post got me thinking about the way I ride, my actions and rituals. Mainly, what gear I wear.

Some wear shorts, flipflops, and little else, others wear more gear than an astronaunt.

I'll start.

For my normal, day to day riding I wear a Bell full face helmet from Walmart. It is a little heavy and loud.

I also wear a tourmaster Transition Series 2 Jacket. It is warn enough that I havn't put the liner in yet (it won't be long).

I currently ride in summer gloves (full finger with vents on the knuckles).

Lately I've been riding in cowboy boots. Over the summer I rode in shoes or for long rides I wore steel toe work boots.

I always wear jeans.

What gear would you not be caught dead without? (hmm, maybe using the word 'dead' isn't a good idea when talking about safety gear.

 

Full face helmet

Winter - Joe Rocket Meteor 4 jacket, Deer skin gloves or leather gloves depending on temp.
Rest of the year - Motoboss mesh jacket and vented riding gloves.

High work boot type shoes and Jeans year round. Ski pants over the jeans if cold.

I would not be caught without any of it. Anyting can happen at anytime.

 

uhh quick rides i use a dirtbike helmet and goggles, always wear jeans, may use t shirt, light jacket, oh and dirtbiek gloves. No i use a snowmobile helmet with electric shield, lol, arctic cat jacket. oh i either wear nike's or work boots.

 

HJC CL-SP full face helmet; clear shield all the time w/aviator shades when needed

Tourmaster Transition Series 2 Jacket [+1 kd5uzz] for most conditions
or
Cortech DSX Denim jacket (fully armored) when it's DRY (and reasonably warm)

deerskin shorty gloves--most of the time
or
lined deerskin gauntlets--cold weather
or
AGVSport "Squall" waterproof insulated gloves--real cold and/or wet

Good ol' Levis; plus I have a Tour-Lion insulated bib overall (I think it's 20 years old) that goes over pants for cold weather

Wolverine steel-toed cowboy-style "ranch" boots

I still need some "rainpants" since the tourmaster itself is waterproof.

 

Whatever I have on at the time. Summer and spring time shorts and short sleeve, and flipflops. Winter and fall jeans, short or long sleeve, leather or golf jacket, and tennis shoes. Keep rain jacket in the saddle bag and bungee to hold down my helmet if I go to SC(suicide law). Always shades.

 

Wow they don't have gravel in Georgia? Up here you'd lose a toe within a day riding in flip-flops. Must not have June bugs either, huh?

 

I usually wear a leather jacket, A half helmet, jeans, and a good pair of boots. Cold weather add leather gloves, The zip on ear warmers for the half helmet,sweater and long johns.
No shorts and sandals for me.

 

all joe rocket

 

I plan on getting an armored jacket (and maybe kelvar jeans) soon, but for now I've been riding with a modular helmet, thick leather jacket, jeans, and combat boots.

 

Summertime:

Mesh jacket, mechanic gloves, open face helmet, safety glasses, jeans, low quarter boots.

Wintertime:

Leather Jacket with liner, leather (thinsulate) gloves, open face helmet, safety glasses, neoprene cover for the mouth and nose, jeans, and high boots (waterproof and insulated).

 

ATGATT folks - All The Gear, All The Time
Full-face helmet, leather jacket, leather gloves, leather boots.
A concession to comfort - on hot days if I'm not doing highway klicks, I'll just go with jeans. Otherwise leather chaps as well.

 

Old too small leather jacket and tall vintage Doc Martens. Jeans and a goofy looking carbon fiber shorty helmet.

 

90% of the time I wear an armored leather jacket, but if the weather gets to be too hot the other 10% kicks in. Half helmet, safety glasses, leather full size gloves and work steel toed safety boots. As soon as it gets cooler then put the longjohns on under my jeans and if it gets even colder, then the chaps too. You never know when you hit some gravel on the road. Or an animal crosses your path. Always be on the safe side.

 

tennis shoes, jeans, and t-shirt during the summer with a pair of riding goggles when needed.(helmet in the rain)
during the cold weather i have a nice set of hudson leather insulated leather pants and jacket, and a full face helmet.

 

I prefer to be able to keep riding, so safety comes before comfort.

HJC Symax flip up full face helmet, Black Eagle steel toe leather riding boots, full finger leather gloves and leather jacket. Don't wear chaps, just jeans.

 

It all depends 85% of my riding is less than a mile and the speed limit is 25 or 30. So on them trips is HOT out half helmet(DOT approved) always gloves no matter what the weather 90% of the time jeans occasionally shorts, always my steel toe boots, I keep both a set of clears and tints on the bike at all times for sun or darkness i am covered even for the full face I have a clear shield in the bag and a tint on the helmet they can be switched out in less than a minute. I have a mesh armored jacket that gets worn in all but the HOT days it has a removable liner and isn't bad. Long trips or highway full face shoei helmet, armored mesh jacket with liner, jeans, gloves and the boots as always.

 

What I never go without.
Sunglasses, I hate not having shades.

 

Currently:
HJC Symax Modular helmet (loaner)
Leather gloves (vented in warmer weather)
Autumn weight jacket
jeans
Red Wing work boots

I'll be updating the following by spring:
new modular helmet in light/bright color
All Weather 3/4 length Armored riding jacket (examples: Tourmaster Transition 2, Firstgear Kilaminjaro) or leather jacket with armor and adjustable venting...
Possibly adding chaps/riding pants

 

Depends on the weather and the distance

For touring and/or rain - I wear my Joe Rocket pants and jacket, JR touring boots (calf high), my winter or summer gloves, and my shark helmet

For sunny day riding I wear my 2pc leather track suit, same boots, and my summer gloves.

I have 4-5 pairs of gloves, winter (waterproof), summer (leather and lots of extra armour), hot weather (leather, vented and shorter cuff), and my hot weather armour/vented gloves with a normal gauntlet.

I have 3 helmets. My new shark for the track, most riding. My 4 year old HJC which is now serving passenger duty, and my 6 year old HJC that I wear in the winter because it is large enough I can wear a balaclava.

I've got a spare JR Jacket, so I stole it's liner and made a heated vest out if... it zips into either JR Jacket, or under my suit. Good for cold weather riding.

I also have a Bohn back protector I wear on the track, or spirited rides.

My idea of ATGATT is a bit different than some, but I know what it feels like to crash, and I know that I wear the best gear I can afford to wear for the given conditions... may as well give oneself the best chances.

 

I've got a spare JR Jacket, so I stole it's liner and made a heated vest out if... it zips into either JR Jacket, or under my suit. Good for cold weather riding.

Hey Woot how did you make the liner heated? I have a spare liner that won't zip into my current jackets but can zip to itself like a regular jacket. Sounds like a great idea.

 

As weird as this may sound, I want to know what it feels like to crash. If there was some way I could simulate having my rear wheel slip out, or something similar I would. We practice panic stops, swerves, etc; why not ways to minimize damage in a slide? I do NOT want to 'simulate' slamming into some solid object.

That said, I hope I never do..knock on wood.

 

It's called a DIRT BIKE. Dirt riding experience is the best teacher for low-traction 2-wheeled situations, it doesn't take a whole lot of dirt riding to make you a much better street rider. I have very little dirt riding experience but what I do have taught me a lot that can be applied to the street.

 

The heated vest project - I brought a heated seat pad from walmart for $9. I pulled the heating panels out of it, and stitched them and the wiring into my vest, then covered it with a thin layer of fabric to protect it, and stitched that in place as well.

If you want a hi/low setting, wire them in parallel and in series. I have mine using a timer type set-up which fakes providing low voltage by oscillating between on and off. Wider apart pulses works like low voltage, closer together is full voltage. At full blast the seat was rated at 44 watts.

To get the most heat, I put the vest on, pull a large sweater over it, then put my jacket on. At full heat it approaches uncomfortably hot - so I simply turn it down after I defrost. With a warm core, my hands also stay warm.

 

Thanks alot woot,
Now I've got to go to wal-mart...

 

I'm always protected...

Always a KBC full face DOT/Snell helmet. Two interchangeable face shields, a clear one and a shaded one.

Heavy duty Red-Wing black leather motorcycle boots (only company that sold my size) and jeans.

Summer jacket: armored Joe Rocket Phoenix 5 mesh jacket with a zip in wind proof liner that is great for cool mornings/evenings.

Winter: Joe Rocket armored Jacket with a zip in quilted liner.

Medium Weight leather motorcycle gloves...really need some winter gloves...but I can hack it in NC most of the time.

Need some true winter gloves and some true winter cover pants...I've worn thermal underwear under the jeans...great for the ride, but you roast if you stop to eat.

 

I'm just now using the leather jacket and blue jeans.

I've got some gloves somewhere too. . .

HJC with clear bubble, not full face. Sunglasses with no side rim to block peripheral vision. Clean, and no scratches.

 

Don't ride on gravel too often. If I do, its not fast. Never got hit in the lower body by a June bug, but caught several in the chest, neck, and face. Bugs are crazy down south.

I think this is what makes riding enjoyable-- It's always in the moment and you take it as it comes. At least it is that way for me(zen baby).

 

Full face helmet, textile armored jacket, MX gloves, jeans and runners or hiking boots. I use gauntlet gloves in the cold, electric vest, textile armored pants and work or hunting boots. Jacket and pants are supposed to be waterproof but I pack a one piece rain suit.

 

Yeah. If you ever find anything that TRULY is, let me know. I'm talking ride all day in the rain without a trickle finding its way down the back of your neck or other regions waterproof.

 

fitz,
I rode from Stillwater, OK to Choctaw, OK, by way of HW177 (2 lane blacktop). 62miles+ in my Tourmaster Transition 2 and full face helmet during a downpour. It took about 2 hours. My hands were all wrinkled because I had summer riding gloves on. My legs were soaked (jeans). And when I got off the bike water 'squished' out through every hole in my shoes.

My head, upper body, arms, etc were bone dry. For much of the ride I was hunkered down right above the gauges, and there wasn't much wind, so that helped.

 

I always wear jeans, full face Bell Helmet (with reflective striping), Gloves, and leather boots that come above my ankle. When it's hot out I have a long sleeve light weight pull over that is University of Tennessee Blaze Orange. When it's cold out I have a black/blue leather jacket with silver 3m reflective piping along the sleeves wrists and waist.
I sometimes feel like a dork covered from head to toe, but as T says "Dress for the slide, not the ride"

 

I have an armored and vented Cortech jacket that I wear on all but the hotest days. Usually 85+. I have a full face HJC helmet but I usually ride with the visor up unless it's raining or dark out. I have wrap around sunglasses. I wear jeans and steel toed work boots. and I have padded leather gloves. When it get's colder, I zip the liner into the jacket and switch to heavier and longer motorcycle gloves and through my rain pants on over my jeans. I would like to get a mesh jacket next year.

mikeg

 

mike,
I wear my transition2 in Oklahoma summers, 90-100. It has pretty decent vents, but I can see the headline now if I ever get caught in a traffic jam:
"Mysterious Motorcycle death. Rider falls dead in traffic jam, many witnesses, no one saw anything."

 

Hmmmm

Scorpian EXO 400 Helmet
Cortect Fusion jacket
JR mesh pants
JR boots
Full leather Guntlet style gloves

Love Woot's MacGyver vest idea.... hmmmmmmmm

 

I've been riding in ~40deg temps lately. I finally put the liner in the jacket and it works GREAT. My upper body and arms are nice and warm. Now I need to get some winter gloves and I'm working on something for my neck (any suggestions?)

 

For my neck a wear a light cotton turtle neck sweater not to heavy so i can put in on for late nights ride or added protection on a long hwy ride

 

Neck gator - tube like neck scarf - works great!

 

Glovewise, for really cold and/or wet weather I picked up a pair of these http://www.compacc.com/prod.cfm/cid/1001006/pid/18547 and I really like them, TOTALLY warm down to 37F which is the coldest I rode this year before it started to snow... One note: I used their size chart and they run small. Order the next size up. For face/neck, if you are going to be riding in really cold weather you might consider a full balaclava http://www.compacc.com/prod.cfm/cid/1001009/pid/20708 for maximum toastiness...

 

I saw a 'balaclava' yesterday at the local climbing/outdoor store (small shop really), but they wanted $40 for it. It looked perfect, but I wasn't sure what it would be like with a helmet. At the price of the one you linked to I may give it a shot. I ended up with a fleece gator. I'm not real sure it'll stop the wind like I need, but it may work out for the stop and go traffic I ride in.

 

Check Campmor for balacavas.

 

Bike Bandit has a more comprehensive selection than Competition Cycle, take a look: http://www.bikebandit.com/face-masks/c/a642293a620281 I like the ones specifically engineered for motorcyclists because the in-helmet portion isn't too bulky.

 

The waterproof part disappears in a couple of years... you can re-treat it with
a product like nixwax. I found in the end, the only way to stay drive is rain gear.

Treated material works when it is treated, and breathes nicely too. Problem is when it breathes too well you get wet. Rubber/PVC and their ilk do not breath. But they do keep you dry.

 

What gear do I ride with? Well, let's see. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, um... 4th, and, and, 5th. Oh, and neutral, too. Is neutral a gear? :?











:lol:

 

Yes, it's that nasty one betweeen 1st and 2nd that I keep hitting at the most inappropriate time. :roll:
:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

summer-just a helmet,t shirt, jeans,sneakers
fallspring- helmet,jeans,t shirt, winter jacket jacket, sneakers
winter down in 20 degrees some days - same as above but with gloves,

Im not riding more than 20 miles at a time though.