Have been working in Paignton, Devon for the last couple of days. Weather here (as I think most of the UK) has been beautiful. That seems to have given the local population an excuse to ride round in shorts and T-shirts. I swear for every biker I saw with leathers/textiles on I saw 10 that were glovesless, in T-shirts and some in shorts. A lot of these are on proper lairy bikes too, some geezer on an Rossi Replica R1 with all the trimmings, wearing his Rossi lid, with nothing but a T-shirt and a pair of shorts on! Made me proper mad

yeah i see it every year, i saw someone on a 600 fazer with a vest and shorts on....do they not get cold when they pick up speed? and what about flys hitting their skin? must hurt im sure

i did see two women on a custom, both wearing hot pants and tummies on show with little tops lol

shorts and t-shirts, dont they know its summer?...i dont understand why they wear so much stuff, its far better to catch the breeze when your on your bike during this type of weather!

that fat gut resting on his tank is making me feel

hahha, I remember that.. . where was it?
was it the farmyard? but you weren't there.. or did you take the pic from somewhere else?

OOoo.. and can we keep the rants about people wearing t-shirts all in one thread?
with the start of summer i can see the usual treads poping up..

anyone is free to wear whatever they want, it's their choice... why bother? if they come off it's their problem.
being able to choose what we want to wear is one of the few things we are still free to do..

I'm with you on this one sparrowhawk! Drives me insane that people can be so stupid! Fair enough it may be their life and their skin but it gives such a bad example to teenagers etc thinking of getting a bike! I can never work out if it's ignorance of what'll happen if they come off or sheer stupidity!

Think even worse is the guys who wear full leather, boots, gloves etc... have themselves kitted out in grands worth of kit... then stick the missus on the back in a mini skirt, flip flops and a vest top with a lid that doesn't fit! I mean, if you're gonna take someone pillion at least have the decency to dress them as well as possible!!! Grrrr!

I just did a bit of sick in my mouth.

can of worms!

its none of our business what they wear when out on their bikes, so why let it bother you. priority is keeping yourself as safe as possible, so let natural selection look after the others!.

Agree with you in a way Billy I have to admit... to me it's more about the example they're setting for others! As in the new young bikers who see it and don't realise the implications of road rash!
I kind of think that it's a sort of duty as a biker to set a good example... in the same way that if a car ackowledges me and moves over I make a point of saying thank you! So that they will think bikers are polite!

bikers and setting an example is some thing i never thought i would read in the same sentance what others wear is not our responsability, if that were the case then we would all probably be done up in a 1 peice race suit and looking like a colour co-ordinated shower of numpties so as far as im concerend, everyone makes an informed decision during their lifes and if they dont learn from their mistakes makeing the wrong decision, then who am I or for that matter you or anyone else to shake a finger or tut at them.. the safety of yourself as i have said before is all that matters and if someone else needs to do something to add to their adrenalin rush then so be it. Young bikers will be young bikers and buck the trend no matter what it is, and they are very unlikely to follow the lead of some old fart who has had his/her day of being indestructable.

i always try to be responsible when on my bike, i always wear the correct gear when riding, and ensure my pillion (i cant say pillions because i have only taken one) wears the right equipment, i always say thank you to a car that moves out....

tbh Gill our efforts ae in vain, drivers never remember the good ones, only the bad riders/drivers

as for wearing the wrong gear, let them get on with it, if some young person (bear in mind you have to be 17 to ride a motorbike) decides to get on a bike with no protection on they are old enough to make their bed and lay in it as far as i am concerned, if you could motorbike when your 11 then yeah i would agree its setting a bad example, but these are young adults who can make up their own mind...

Exactly.. we all agree is peoples choice to do whatever they want....

last weekend when moving home LazzerR1 was driving the van and I rode the bikes (no.. I didn't ride both at the same time, we did 2 runs with stuff in the van)..

First bike I rode to the new house was the drifter.... forgot to put boots on, so rode in jeans and trainers..

Second bike.. the blade.. Lazzer drove off in the van with my gloves in.. so I had to ride it with no gloves too!!

and now?
no one is going to speak to me anymore?

bloody hell JP, your Bird will kill you when she reads that

naughty naughty!

Unfortunately its every ones own choice to wear what they want when ride there bikes if there were regulations brought in to goven what you wear every one would be up in arms about freedom of choice
Its some thing we hate to see a bit like car drivers driving along using there mobile phones there not supposed to but it happens.
I for one am very glad i was wearing the right kit when i had my accident although i am battered and bruised it could have been a lot worse as some of the tee shirt brigade will do doubt find out to there cost

Oi Billy! Don't pick on me! I didn't start the thread!!!

You kept a bit quiet about that on Sunday mister! You're in serious trouble!!! Please tell me you at least had your headlight on!!!???

I will think of a suitable punishment by Friday! And it won't involve spanking because you enjoyed that too much last time!

bit of a sterotype...im a young biker and i have the upmost respect for people who wear all the correct gear, as opposed to those w@nkers on gsxrs in t shirt ans shorts undertaking eveyrone with illegal plates

*thinks this should be discussed via PM*

Yup! Good for you!
I would love to describe myself as young but may not get away with it!

well my dad considers himself young and his 57

So very true.



err not quite, it's Illegal to use a phone while driving where as it's not illegal to just wear a t shirt

I'm all for people's right to choose what they wear when they ride, (although I'll always fully tog up no matter what the weather) But if you must ride like an absolute tool then at least make sure that when you do subsequently run out of talent that you're maximising the possibility of living.

I'm all for people's right to choose what they wear when they ride, (although I'll always fully tog up no matter what the weather) But if you must ride like an absolute tool then at least make sure that when you do subsequently run out of talent that you're maximising the possibility of living.


--------------------
As i have just crashed my bike i am not quite sure how to take that last statment my crash was not lack of talent but a car driver pulling out in front of me leaving me no were to go it was a choice of the car or a tree i hit the car.

You're not even 30

Hehe - you ran out of road, so you had to use skill. Then you ran out of skill and had to use foliage

This is my third year through this argument on this board, and I can see why the old-hands are so resigned about it now. It would be nice if everyone got properly togged up before getting on a bike. Hell, it would be nice if *I* got properly togged up every time I got on a bike. But some people are lazy, some people think they wont look cool, and some people weigh up the risks and decide that for the journey they're doing it's not worth it. (For example, if I've just reassembled parts of my bike and want to give it a quick rolling test, I'll just jump on with no helmet/gloves/boots, in a boiler suit, and run it 100yds down the street private closed road and back - no great risk).

As for the passengers wearing bugger all, again it's their choice. They don't have to get on board. There's a woman at my wife's work who gets onto her man's Gixxer after work. He's wearing top-to-toe leathers, racing boots, knee-sliders, the full power-ranger. She's wearing a thin faux-leather jacket, thin trousers, high-heels and a shopping bag slung over her shoulder. As long as she's aware of the risks, it's entirely up to her.

eh! how am i having a go at you then?.... oh dear, oh dear! dont tell me your a power ranger



dont think the comment was aimed at you, though i could be wrong, but i doubt it

I think the underlined part above should put that in perspective. Not a broad brush statement... but refering to those who ride like rocket men and subsequently have a spill.

Not applicable in your case! (unless of course, you were 'riding like a tool' at the time)

Johnny

Why? Were you riding like a tool then?

EDIT: what they said ^^^^^

Dont you just love lunch times. The post crush!

i can understand how this topic soon gets tedious.....esp when its apparently brought up over and over

But that's just it... people are NOT aware of the risks!

It wasn't until I did my direct access and was given the talk by my instructor and shown the photos of what can happen that I realised!
Made me go cold!!! I used to jump on the back of bikes when I was 16 wearing little cotton trousers and a puffa jacket FFS!!! The people I was on the back of either didn't know the risks or didn't bother to tell me!

I never had any idea of all the statistics about how much skin and flesh is lost per yard you slide etc! I had never seen photos of injuries so horrific as my instructor showed me when I turned up in jeans for the 1st day of my direct access!!!

The biggest part of the problem is lack of education!

Hehe, don't worry Billy I'm only pulling ya leg!!!!























Go go power rangers...... da da da (or however it goes... LOL)

thats the tune to batman!

I know!



If they dont have the right gear on dont nod at em!!



That'll show em.

Geez Gill, if everyone though about the risks involved in everyday things then no-one would leave their house's, then again houses go on fire and stuff so they arent all that safe..so they would probably just stay in their beds to be on the safeside...oh hold on, dont people die in their beds...bugger, maybe not such a good idea afterall

Nah, it's not about not doing things because of the risks... it's about taking the precautions to enable you to do the things you love whilst minimising the risks...

For example, I ride my horse on the road (I have to in order to reach the bridleways cos they are few and far between unfortunately! Grrr) but I take the precaution of wearing a hard hat to protect my head if I were to fall, and a high vis vest so that car drivers can see me easier and hopefully avoid a collision with me since they can see me

Same as when riding the bike I have the headlight on to maximuse the chances of being seen (this was also a BIG factor in buying a yellow bike and leathers!) and I wear as much protective gear as possible in the hope that if I'm unlucky enough to have an accident they won't need to scrape my skin and flesh off the road like strawberry jam!

I'm not trying to preach to anyone... and I appreciate that everyone has a different opinion and is entitled to it!

Getting the impression this subject has been done to death on the forum from a couple of the replies so apologise if that's the case... being new to the board this is the first time I've seen it discussed and felt it would be acceptable to put my 2 penny worth in... didn't mean to offend!

sometimes I go out on the bike only wearing underpants and lid...

[quote name='Defiler' date='Jun 10 2008, 12:15 PM' post='336488']
Hehe - you ran out of road, so you had to use skill. Then you ran out of skill and had to use foliage

Nice one defiler never thought of it that way not sure about run out of skill more run out of options


[quote name='Johnny_E' date='Jun 10 2008, 12:19 PM' post='336490']
I think the underlined part above should put that in perspective. Not a broad brush statement... but refering to those who ride like rocket men and subsequently have a spill.

Not applicable in your case! (unless of course, you were 'riding like a tool' at the time)

Johnny
[/quote]


[quote name='GrahamB' date='Jun 10 2008, 12:21 PM' post='336491']
Why? Were you riding like a tool then?

EDIT: what they said ^^^^^
[/quote]
No luckly i was not Riding like a tool it was a quiet residential street with the possibilty of children playing out side (quoted by the police as riding with in the speed limit) just feeling a bit over sensative at the moment seeing the car suddenly appear in front of me and realising you have no were to go does strange thing to your way of thinking.

thi is the first time i have discussed this and tbh its down to caring about your own body, i think i summed it up quite nicly in my other post!

1- http://www.ukbikeforum.co.uk/forum/index.p...=riding++shorts

2- http://www.ukbikeforum.co.uk/forum/index.p...c=16774&hl=

3- http://www.ukbikeforum.co.uk/forum/index.p...c=16313&hl=

4- http://www.ukbikeforum.co.uk/forum/index.p...c=15938&hl=

There's more though...
they always start around Apr/May/Jun time... hehehe

The way I look at it is..I wouldn't want to jump out of a speeding car with just jeans and a t-shirt on - same principle when just riding a bike.

Each to their own, but I prefer my skin where it is thanks.

Which is why I qualified it with the riding like a tool

Frankly you can take all the care in the world, but if someone else is hell bent on being a muppet then there's fook all you can do about it

Seriously now..

My views on this subject.

People are free to do whatever they want and there's no point of us having rants or not liking them for not wearing the right kit.
It's their choice, it's their life, it's their skin.

The way I do it is tell them once about why it's better to ride with full gear... after that my conscience is clear if they have an off.

Pillions - I'm not going to buy kit for every person that wants to have a go on the back of my bike... what I do is: tell them how to be on a bike and what might happen to their skin in case we have an off... after this it's their own choice to come on the back and take the chance or stay home.

No point in making a claim like that unless you can back it up JP!!

Well this thread is I think the most useful one I have seen for a long time. Purely though because that pic of Billy's while making me feel somewhat queasy has made me realise that there are actually people with bigger guts than me! Mind, I am still going to increase the dieting effort!

mmm I supply lid and gloves to any pillion I've taken. However I also specify a decent jacket, jeans (yes I know they're not the greatest but they're a darn sight better than shorts) they also have to be wearing something better than a pair of trainers.

My only other requirement for a pillion is that they can ride a bicycle, so they know how to lean in a corner.

ho yeh, I have a lid and gloves..even a spare jacket..
but the rest...they bring whatever they want, I can only advise on what to take, won't force anyone to do and think the way I do.