thanks for resorting to name calling, that was mature. i guess im a just another squid in the ocean because ive never seen anyone ride around here in full leathers.

@Kurisho -- well stated. pretty much how i feel about it. if im going to be wearing all that i better be riding my bike to the fullest.

@JEFF -- yes ive read many of the horror storys of ankle/foot injuries and believe you me it scares the life out of me.

obviously we all want to keep our limbs intact, but doesnt change the practicality of it. i would need multiple bags to hold my regular stuff + a change of shoes. THEN what do you do with your big *** boots, jacket, and helmet while your walking around the store? if its a short stop like CVS, okay i can see walking in with it on and maybe carry the helmet... but say your going out shopping or something, what to do with everything? these are times when it seems best fit to me to just ride in jeans and a tshirt with my helmet and gloves that are easily carried or locked to the bike.

ALSO one of my jobs is cooking at a restaurant. in the dead of summer in a non air-conditioned kitchen standing in front of a grill/fryers/etc it gets beyond hot. mixed with the lovely humidity in florida, it often makes for a miserable experience. can anyone here honestly tell me after that they want to jump into full leather gear, boots up to their knees, etc just to hop on the bike and ride home 6 miles?

obviously excuses are a dime a dozen, im not saying what i do is right/wrong/safe/not safe. just throwing it out there that while some say "i wear full gear/boots/etc every time i ride" well that would be great if all i did was take weekend rides or whatever it is. but as my only mode of transportation it would be killer to have to deal with the extent of full gear with as much as i am on and off my bike in a single day.

*flame on squid fighters* lmao

 

Only thing I'd say andyriot is I'd suggest getting riding shoes or half boots. That minor lowside I had last year gave me a nice shot to my left heel and twisted the ankle a bit. I can still feel the shot to the heel today, right now (prolly means chipped the bone)

I was wearing my Timberland work boots (heavy sole, extra grip, steel toe, electrical hazard, full leather above the ankle). Great boots if I'm standing in a puddle of water and accidentally grab a hot cable drop (my foreign voltage detector pegged). But they ain't chit for riding.

 

I wear lots of gear, and have learned to make it fit my lifestyle. I teach at trackdays and race. Also like to ride twistys. So, my choice for gear may be different than yours.

Like I've said in countless other threads over the years, it's your personal choice. As an adult, you have to decide the risk factor, decide if the risk to your limbs is worth it (or chest, arms, skin, hands, head, etc) and make an informed decision.

I've heard all the excuses, and to me, the only one that really holds water is "I'm an adult and I choose not to wear this piece of gear at this time."

 

well ive had 1 low-side myself, where my old tire slipped out on a spot of oil/whatever and caught me by surprise so i ended up sliding across the asphault a little bit. wasnt very fast as i had just recently started off from a slow roll at a light. i was wearing exactly as stated earlier -- jeans, tshirt, helmet, gloves, and some nice cushiony globe skate shoes (lol). i got a bit of road rash on my elbow and my knee, a small nick on my hip, but my shoe did come off during the action so i got a little pea sized rash on top of my foot (through my sock). but i was fine. hopped up and rode away after a few bandaids . anyways, obviously i got lucky and ever since ive been extremely worried about my feet/ankles if i were to go down in a freak accident like that again. but i want the best of both worlds. i need comfy shoes.

 

HaHa...I won't lie and say my boots are as comfy as my tennis shoes, but there are a lot of boots and half boots around that aren't bad at all.

 

Sounds like a fellow electrician there! Thats usually what i wear, but after ready all these posts, i'd have to say i fall in the squid catergory and am definatley doing some boot shopping my self this week! Idk about the full leathers but i always have helmet gloves and my Joe Rocket jacket on. and hopefully this week i'll have me some shiny new boots! Do they make riding boots with the electrical hazard?

 

Boots can be addicting. I like the the non-racing style ... a little less Ben Spies and a lot more practical. F1 umbrella girls are hotter than MotoGP babes, usually ... wait, are we talking about boots ... well, wear what you can. No one should be called a squid for not wearing all the gear all the time--it's only when you wear none of the gear all the time: NOTGATT. The one piece of gear you should never leave the gentleman's club without, is the five inches of mush between your ears. No amount of gear makes up for not paying attention.

 

Not an electrician, I'm a cable communications tech. Strangely, I'm in Local 98 IBEW, the electrician's union here in Philly

I wish they made electrical certed motorcycle boots. Then I could wear them instead of my work boots

 

Im Local 3 IBEW outta NYC, i was thinking the same thing about the boots. I'm also tryin to figure out how to carry my tools and ride to work, lol!

 

and you wonder why they call you biker boy at work? hehehe