Adventure Motorcycle Magazine Subscribe Now

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 38
  1. #1 Whats your Protection? 
    Senior C-Moto Guru Gardo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    New Jersey, USA
    Posts
    939
    ok fairly newbie rider, and outside of the brain bucket what gear go you wear? Do you wear any special gear, footwear, eye protection... things like that.

    I'll kick it off;

    My wife bought me a Vulcan NF-7002 mesh armored Jacket, and i have 2 helmets a full face Hawk Advanced and an Outlaw Half Helmet with a set of goggles and my engineer or my jump boots

    Gardo northern NJ/NYC
    CCW tha Heist tha Widow
    CCW tha Misfit (tha Wraith)
    50 State legal and Worldwide
    CCW Heist Riders
    Reply With Quote  
     

  2. #2 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    central victoria, australia
    Posts
    1,291
    There is another thread somewhere about gear, but no reason why we shouldn't have another, a few new folk around and we can always merge them later.
    Helmet, always australian design rules, better than USA or European - full face with flip-up visor and sunnies, just too pretty to want to lose my jawbone so the halfie and goggles are on top of the wardrobe and will just be spares.
    I used to be always a 'leather beats all' rider but it isn't quite true, needs to be good thick old-fashioned leather. I usually wear my heavy leather Brando every time but as Aus is so hot and I cannot afford airmesh etc. I have a couple of thinner leather jackets that I will sometimes ride to the shops. My solid, heavy leather pants are now mainly in the cupboard as I have decent quality kevlar-lined cargos. The looseness of fit makes them cooler.
    I have rain gear, a full suit with all the European design rules compliant padding and so on but it doesn't feel as tough as leather. I do wear it, armoured, with or without lining depending on heat, when riding the bush as I am not travelling fast. On tarmac I think it would not be all that good at 100 kph despite the fact many wear it, Don't fancy plastic burnt into my skin.
    Gloves, Fox dirtpaws for summer and for winter kevlar military gunloader gloves.
    I have a Fox armour set but don't like it.
    If I were doing a long 'adventure ride' I would have to invest in lightweight Kevlar underwear, full set, and a perphorated leather two-piece racing suit. I would try other armour to find a set I get on with and spend up on both neck and knee braces.
    I have also seen cheapish Kevlar hoodies that I may try for $80, not sure if they would protect in an off, might ride up a bit.
    Boots always, Steel capped work boots as I have worn for forty years. I know elastic-sided is maybe going to come off in a bad off ... but I truly hate lacing up boots and I am not going to spend $600 on MX boots. Might yet get some good road rider boots.
    I have various balaclava, face-mask and scarf type extras for winter and despite people laughing at me when I tell them, full-body silk underwear is superb for both cool and warm and less than $100 a set .... black of course.
    Kinlon R/T KBR JL200GY-2
    Reply With Quote  
     

  3. #3 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Moto Scholar moilami's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Finland - Vanda
    Posts
    1,234
    I tend to wear protective gear all the time. That is MX boots, core-tex enduro suit, gloves, helmet, and upper body armour. It is kind of calming ritual to wear them and when I hit the road with all that gear I feel smarter than in my younger days when I wore WW2 Finnish FIghter Pilot leather helmet, shorts made of Jeans, moccasins, Nokia mobile phone, light enduro gloves, and tribal necklace.
    Reply With Quote  
     

  4. #4 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Danger, Will Robinson! Lao Jia Hou's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Canada/Europe/Asia
    Posts
    1,728
    Well, this is more "bike gear" for protection ... protecting one's hands and one's pride!

    Yesterday, I went out on my little XTR - got to my destination - parked the bike - shut it off - side stand down ...

    Simultaneously, through my full face helmet, I saw some pleasant scenery walking by, smiling at me . Yeah, I'm cool!

    More background - I haven't ridden the XTR for a few months, and forgot about the vibration ... and how it puts one's legs to sleep.

    Anyways, as I am enjoying the lovely smile at me, Mr Cool Biker, and in the process of dismounting the bike ...

    Ooops, ooops, ooops ... my tingling half-asleep leg didn't clear the seat ... oh no! I can feel the notoriously poorly designed XTR side stand giving away ... over the bike goes, with me pinned underneath! Not cool.

    BUT ... in my failed attempt to retain "cool composure" as the little XTR was collapsing, I also failed to remove my hand from the left hand grip, and the bike came down hard on my hand! No body parts broken, but my mirror and rear signal smashed. And my hand is clearly bruised and swollen. I think my armored gloves saved me from broken bones. And my armored pants / jacket saved me from any road rash & more bruises as I collapsed on the ground, bike on top of me. And my full face helmet saved me from displaying my embarrassed red face (I didn't remove it until I was far away).

    Note to self - MOUNT THE DAMN HAND PROTECTORS! They serve a very useful purpose, besides looking cool. But they need to be mounted on the bike, not sitting in my storage area.

    And a mishap can happen when you least expect it, or want it to. Scenery can be sooooo distracting!

    Hand protectors - a good idea!
    Reply With Quote  
     

  5. #5 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Senior C-Moto Guru euphonius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    mostly Shanghai, sometimes northern California
    Posts
    3,222
    I'm guessing you were not running your helmet cam. Will just have to roll that little movie in my head.

    Consider this: Your hand certainly would be broken if you'd accomplished this with the Jialing. And maybe your leg too.

    Don't want to jinx you, but you once said you'd never had a getoff in, like, seven or eight decades of riding. Does this now count as your first?

    cheers!
    jkp
    Shanghai
    2010 JH600 "Merkin Muffley" (in Shanghai)
    2000 KLR650 "Feezer Ablanalp" (in California)
    Reply With Quote  
     

  6. #6 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Moto Scholar moilami's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Finland - Vanda
    Posts
    1,234
    Quote Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou View Post
    Well, this is more "bike gear" for protection ... protecting one's hands and one's pride!

    Yesterday, I went out on my little XTR - got to my destination - parked the bike - shut it off - side stand down ...

    Simultaneously, through my full face helmet, I saw some pleasant scenery walking by, smiling at me . Yeah, I'm cool!

    More background - I haven't ridden the XTR for a few months, and forgot about the vibration ... and how it puts one's legs to sleep.

    Anyways, as I am enjoying the lovely smile at me, Mr Cool Biker, and in the process of dismounting the bike ...

    Ooops, ooops, ooops ... my tingling half-asleep leg didn't clear the seat ... oh no! I can feel the notoriously poorly designed XTR side stand giving away ... over the bike goes, with me pinned underneath! Not cool.

    BUT ... in my failed attempt to retain "cool composure" as the little XTR was collapsing, I also failed to remove my hand from the left hand grip, and the bike came down hard on my hand! No body parts broken, but my mirror and rear signal smashed. And my hand is clearly bruised and swollen. I think my armored gloves saved me from broken bones. And my armored pants / jacket saved me from any road rash & more bruises as I collapsed on the ground, bike on top of me. And my full face helmet saved me from displaying my embarrassed red face (I didn't remove it until I was far away).

    Note to self - MOUNT THE DAMN HAND PROTECTORS! They serve a very useful purpose, besides looking cool. But they need to be mounted on the bike, not sitting in my storage area.

    And a mishap can happen when you least expect it, or want it to. Scenery can be sooooo distracting!

    Hand protectors - a good idea!
    This was awesome story
    Reply With Quote  
     

  7. #7 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Life Is Good! ChinaV's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Guangdong, China
    Posts
    1,508
    Quote Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou View Post
    Well, this is more "bike gear" for protection ... protecting one's hands and one's pride!

    Yesterday, I went out on my little XTR - got to my destination - parked the bike - shut it off - side stand down ...

    Simultaneously, through my full face helmet, I saw some pleasant scenery walking by, smiling at me . Yeah, I'm cool!

    More background - I haven't ridden the XTR for a few months, and forgot about the vibration ... and how it puts one's legs to sleep.

    Anyways, as I am enjoying the lovely smile at me, Mr Cool Biker, and in the process of dismounting the bike ...

    Ooops, ooops, ooops ... my tingling half-asleep leg didn't clear the seat ... oh no! I can feel the notoriously poorly designed XTR side stand giving away ... over the bike goes, with me pinned underneath! Not cool.

    BUT ... in my failed attempt to retain "cool composure" as the little XTR was collapsing, I also failed to remove my hand from the left hand grip, and the bike came down hard on my hand! No body parts broken, but my mirror and rear signal smashed. And my hand is clearly bruised and swollen. I think my armored gloves saved me from broken bones. And my armored pants / jacket saved me from any road rash & more bruises as I collapsed on the ground, bike on top of me. And my full face helmet saved me from displaying my embarrassed red face (I didn't remove it until I was far away).

    Note to self - MOUNT THE DAMN HAND PROTECTORS! They serve a very useful purpose, besides looking cool. But they need to be mounted on the bike, not sitting in my storage area.

    And a mishap can happen when you least expect it, or want it to. Scenery can be sooooo distracting!

    Hand protectors - a good idea!
    Good story LJH , but it would be easier to relate to with some pictures of the "pleasant scenery walking by".

    Cheers!
    ChinaV
    Reply With Quote  
     

  8. #8 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Danger, Will Robinson! Lao Jia Hou's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Canada/Europe/Asia
    Posts
    1,728
    Quote Originally Posted by euphonius View Post
    I'm guessing you were not running your helmet cam. Will just have to roll that little movie in my head.
    This will probably be on Youku, if any of the several laughing pedestrians with mobile phone cams were quick enough.

    Quote Originally Posted by euphonius View Post
    Consider this: Your hand certainly would be broken if you'd accomplished this with the Jialing. And maybe your leg too.
    You're absolutely correct - and this morning, my JH600 went in to have its hand guards installed (it needs special brackets fabricated).

    I think what happened was when the bike went down, the end of the clutch lever took the brunt of the impact, and squeezed my hand between the grip and the lever ... like a vise grip ... ouch ... damn, that REALLY hurt ... and it didn't get better until I figured out that I could lift the bike up.

    Quote Originally Posted by euphonius View Post
    Don't want to jinx you, but you once said you'd never had a getoff in, like, seven or eight decades of riding. Does this now count as your first?
    Well, I've had many bikes fall over while on the stands (wind, me using the bike as a hammock, coming off the center stand over a curb, not being aware that my side-stand is actually not down, etc), but never when the bike has been in forward motion ... I'm such a sissy-rider! So, no, my record is still clean ... but this is probably event number 1,000 of me making an idiot of myself.

    Summer-riding is coming ... which means female summer attire ... oh oh.
    Reply With Quote  
     

  9. #9 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Senior C-Moto Guru euphonius's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    mostly Shanghai, sometimes northern California
    Posts
    3,222
    Quote Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou View Post
    ...not being aware that my side-stand is actually not down....
    I've done that one! I stopped to take a leak, down she goes, snapping the clutch lever! A $12 piss that was. Yes, KLR levers are cheap.

    cheers
    jkp
    Shanghai
    2010 JH600 "Merkin Muffley" (in Shanghai)
    2000 KLR650 "Feezer Ablanalp" (in California)
    Reply With Quote  
     

  10. #10 Re: Whats your Protection? 
    Moto Scholar moilami's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Finland - Vanda
    Posts
    1,234
    That has never happened to me. What has happened to me quite some time is that I forget to disable the sidestand when I begin to ride. It is hell annoying!
    Reply With Quote  
     

Page 1 of 4 123 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Protection against theft
    By Brian in forum Ride Prep and Making Tracks
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 08-29-2013, 06:18 AM
  2. spark plug - whats the difference?
    By jape in forum Maintenance
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 04-13-2011, 12:43 PM
  3. Whats up from Central Florida?
    By tokarev in forum Welcome to MCM!
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 08-30-2009, 03:52 PM
  4. Whats the future of foreigners riding in China
    By bigdamo in forum Ride Reports and Meetings
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 11-12-2008, 09:18 AM
Bookmarks
Bookmarks
Posting Permissions
  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •