[MD]

Sorry if this topic has been done before. This is not a dig at you Guys. Í'm just curious if serious/experienced riders in the USA have the same view as many riders outside of the USA have about the casual clothing riders seem to always be wearing in USA. The obvious answer is ít's too hot to wear leather and boots and gloves. Well it's just as hot in places like NZ and Australia in summer but very few riders here would go beyond the corner shop or exceed 30mph in jeans and a T shirt and running shoes/sneakers/whatever you call them. I've seen many pics & vids of Yanks doing wheelies in jeans and t-shirts or singlets and riding at a pace I consider too fast for anything but full leathers. Your injury/death rates must be shocking?
So what's the story?

 

[discohusker]

[:Agree] and I'm a Yank! []

 

[Quarkz]

I agree. It does get just as hot if not hotter. The bitumen actually melted outside my house last summer.

In Australia you pretty much get the feeling you're frowned upon if you're in anything less than long pants and a jacket. Regardless, I've seen people in thongs (!) and shorts on the coast. I just assume they've never fallen off. I honestly wouldn't ride with someone if they don't have common sense to gear up. I guess that makes me gear-ist or something. There really isn't an excuse, though.

 

[reintr0ducing]

us 'MERKANS go faster with less gear cuz of the weight reduction.

what REALLY irks me is when people ride with a nice leather jacket but no gloves and lid. or when their helmet is locked onto the backseat. idiots.

p.s. i ride with only a helmet and gloves most of the times[xx(] my jacket is saved for longer/crazier rides. i know im a squid.

 

[ninjakid2gsxrsquid]

i think the ones that dont wear gear are mainly those who are not that experienced, dont care about leaning therefore dont do trackdays or hard twisty rides, and use the bike basically for attention or straight line acceleration.

the real riders who go to the track all the time, ride twisties and get a thrill from dragging knee are the ones who are well aware of the risks of going w/o gear and do something about it.

 

[kilaman]

I thought this was a yank!![:M42]

 

[JStutz2003]

I have to laugh when it gets down into the lower 50s and I still see guys out there with no helmet and wearing just a t-shirt. Guess they would rather freeze than give anyone the wrong impression that they are intelligent.

 

[anarion55]

Ummm. because a lot of riders here are ASSHATS???? LOL. It's all the inbreeding, really. Sister-marrying morons on bikes...
[:M45]

 

[lucile636turbo]

Originally posted by anarion55
Ummm. because a lot of riders here are ASSHATS???? LOL. It's all the inbreeding, really. Sister-marrying morons on bikes...
[:M45]

[:Agree]

 

[iroman]

I don't know, we would have to ask every individual american why they do it. I'm sure everyone that rides without gear (I guess I should include myself, since I occasionally do not don my boots or will occasionally ride around the block without a helmet and in shorts) has their own reason. I take a chance when I'm working on my bike and just want to take a quick spin around the block to test her. Another reason I can't provide you an answer as to why others decide not to wear "appropriate gear" is because I could care less what others do, it's their right to wear whatever they want and I don't lose any sleep over Joe Blow if he decides he wants to ride in a t-shirt and flip-flops...


You know us damn Yanks, we have to be individuals, have a mind of our own, and do things our own way. We love to exercise our right to be "stupid" as some of you would call it. Bad Americans [:M95].

 

[MRWGLO92]

Originally posted by iroman
I don't know, we would have to ask every individual american why they do it. I'm sure everyone that rides without gear (I guess I should include myself, since I occasionally do not don my boots or will occasionally ride around the block without a helmet and in shorts) has their own reason. I take a chance when I'm working on my bike and just want to take a quick spin around the block to test her. Another reason I can't provide you an answer as to why others decide not to wear "appropriate gear" is because I could care less what others do, it's their right to wear whatever they want and I don't lose any sleep over Joe Blow if he decides he wants to ride in a t-shirt and flip-flops...


You know us damn Yanks, we have to be individuals, have a mind of our own, and do things our own way. We love to exercise our right to be "stupid" as some of you would call it. Bad Americans [:M95].

[:+1][:M120] Well said!!!!!!!

 

[warbuk]

Originally posted by ninjakid04636
i think the ones that dont wear gear are mainly those who are not that experienced, dont care about leaning therefore dont do trackdays or hard twisty rides, and use the bike basically for attention or straight line acceleration.

the real riders who go to the track all the time, ride twisties and get a thrill from dragging knee are the ones who are well aware of the risks of going w/o gear and do something about it.

you forgot "posers" haha

the ones round here don't know shit about a bike and have one just to be cool. the helmet on the side is for the girls that won't ride without one.

 

[modularmind]

America has a high idiot to bike ownership ratio.

 

[Kurve Killa]

when I first started riding 10 years ago i never wore gear mainly because I never thought about going down. That was a long time I cant see riding without gear now even in a heatwave. People think I'm nuts but hell I love my skin too much not to wear it. Needless to say its not only about your skill but what that tuner car is gonna do to put you in danger.

 

[galcala]

I've seen many pics & vids of Yanks doing wheelies in jeans and t-shirts or singlets and riding at a pace I consider too fast for anything but full leathers.

One question what are singlets?

Well the story is that theres stupid people everywhere, and its their choice if they dont care about themselves. but there is a lot of us that do use common sense, We do not have a helmet law in Texas but you rarely see someone with out one(at least here in El Paso) occassionally you see some idiot kid riding at over 100mph with out proper gear, but once he gets into the sportbike community here, he will start wearing it, not that we demand anyone to do it but by seeing everyone else they usually get the picture.

 

[Mad Mike]

I think a lot of people here are more concerned with looking "cool" thank being safe. The bike to them is a toy to show off and make themself look like a badass.

I see a lot of ppl in jeans and t-shirts around town and on the highway, but whenever I go to some twisty spots, most of the ppl are pretty well geared up.

 

[TO_oSLoW]

Well said Iroman! [:++1]

 

[MD]

Originally posted by galcala



One question what are singlets?

Knew I would strike translation problems if I got on a foreign website. Singlet is a sleeveless t-shirt. Maybe you Guys call them vests? years ago they were known as tank tops if that helps. Heard of jandals?? probably the flip-flops someone mentioned above- slip on footwear for summer.
Hey thanks for the comments everybody. Good to hear you have serious hardcore rides that are aware of the risks.

 

[joonyaboy]

Originally posted by modularmind
America has a high idiot to bike ownership ratio.

genius. def quote of the year material

 

[636Rick]

I wear my gear regardless of how hot it is. There have been a few times when I did not wear my jacket ,but that as gearless as I have ridden. There's one of our guys that got into an accident due to colliding with my exhaust that had broken off, three months later he is still waiting for a 1 inch gash to close up. He was not wearing his jacket at the time.