I wear jeans, boots, helmet and gloves at all times when I ride as a minimum. I cannot afford a 1 piece suit plus I do not go to track days. Any thing less then what I wear is asking for trouble but that is my personal opinion though. Everybody has an opinion just like they have an *** hole, it may stink but it is their opinion.

 

Are you a squid? Nah. Squid is a description of a more permanent riding style.

But I do wear my gear everywhere. Helmet, jacket, gloves and boots. Don't have riding pants yet cause I can't find what I'm looking for in terms of style. But my heavy jeans (not my fashion jeans) or my heavy duty Carhartt work pants till I do. And Revzilla is supposed to be getting in Dainese's new riding jeans. If not those, then the A* Axiom or Maxim denim pants will be soon.

 

It seems like a lot of the crashes I read about on forums, which involve normally sensible forum members, occur when people who normally gear up don't because they're just going down the street or whatever. They go down and get rashed up or worse, and then say "well, I sure feel like a dumbass" or something to that effect.

 

Think its a proven fact that just over half of accidents happen with 5 miles of home. And a close to 70% happen within 10 miles

 

So you're saying we should gear up and ride really fast so we get past the deadly 10-mile mark as quickly as possible, and then strip down to shorts and flipflops once we're safe?

 

A large part of that high percentage is because such a high percentage of driving in general is within 10 miles of home. That, and people are complacent on familiar roads.

I voted no. Are you still at risk on those roads at those speed? Yeah. Are you at more risk without a jacket, pants, etc.? Yeah. But you're not at nearly as much risk as you are going a high rate of speed. If you were to get in an accident, you're likely to suffer a lot worse injuries from impact than from abrasion.

 

I'm part squid (stupidly quick and ignorant at times) and I think everyone is part squid in one way or the other. You're "under dressed" so yeah, part squid. I think the most unattractive part of the riding community is that large chunk who resorts to name calling. Riding should be about untangling yourself from that stupid drama isht and the stresses of life in general. Eff the haters, eff them to hell and just ride. My .02.

 

i do it all the time when i take the mile trip into town to hit up the snack shack. hell sometimes i don't even wear a helmet i just put some shades on. there is no way in hell im gonna put on a helmet, pants, jacket, gloves and boots for a mile ride with the speed limit at 40 and i am coming from the country so i at most see 1 car.

let people call you a squid if u want but who really cares? i say its practical....however if it were around 10 miles and i was just going to a place and back( no other riding) i'd put on a helmet and grab a jacket.....anything over and i get suited up.

 

if you were dressed as described and pullin wheelies and riding into oncoming traffic to pass a grandma doing the speed limit then yes youre a squid. if you are dressed as described and just riding normal and sensible then no.. far too often people label another rider as a squid based on gear or lack there of, instead of how they ride..its sad really

 

wheres all the elitist f-ckers who shun all that dont wear full gear now? im somewhat amazed at the amount of people voting no. while i fully agree, from other threads ive read here (and some ive been in) this is the exact opposite of what usually happens.

+999 to a squid being more than just what they wear.