this is my definition of a squid.. she can ride, kinda, but she "aint got no respect" gear isnt optional.. even if you ARE this cute..

 

I've ridden once without full leathers since I started riding again and then, I was wearing jeans with the rest of my gear. I felt naked and got rained on really bad on the way home for my troubles. People give me hell all the time for all the sweating I do when sitting still but I don't care. Leathers have saved my *** in a big way once before so I KNOW it works and I refuse to ride without giving it the opportunity to do so again. I don't even feel right about the riding jeans with the kevlar reinforcement. Do those have pockets for CE rated armor? If so, I may consider them or modify them if not. At least then, if I don't feel comfortable riding in them, I can still wear them everywhere else. Aside from leathers, though, I can only remember one time I ever got on the road without boots and gloves and that time was the road I live on at 2 AM, no traffic, 55MPH for about half a mile. Maybe I'm too conservative, but it's the only way I enjoy the ride. Only then can I stop thinking about what I'm wearing and truly enjoy what I'm doing.

 

Helmet, gloves and jeans and most times my joe rocket padded jacket...

If anyone has been in Louisiana in the summer you know how hot it gets and how high the humidity is.

Even in a summer jacket if you stand the chance of a heat stroke and passing out while riding.

I imagine I would regret not being in my jacket on those 100○ + days if I should go down though