Motorcycle jacket

[Greybeard]

Cripes yes, I would never ride without gloves. I wear silk gloves under my biker gloves, (thank you Butch(cb) . If you've ever had trouble getting gloves on or off sweaty hands try silk under gloves.

In dry weather I wear my leather jacket and biker jeans. I also have some ex Finnish army jack boots to use on the bike.

I posted this a while back. I was a motorcycle courier in the 1970's.

One morning I set off early; there was frost on the ground but the sun came out so the roads were getting cleared. An hour or so later later I was burning rubber on the Newmarket bypass which is pretty much a motorway. I had just overtaken a line of cars when I felt the back wheel kick sideways; black ice I think. I had time to think, "Oh ****, I hope this doesn't hurt too much". Next moment I was sliding along in the fast lane with the bike on its side ahead of me with sparks flying out from underneath. After what felt like minutes the bike and me stopped in the fast lane. It was very lucky that at that early hour there was very little other traffic, but I had just overtaken a couple of vehicles. One car stopped on the hard shoulder and a young man ran across to see if I was ok. It was very lucky that I had been wearing all that winter clothing because my slide along the tarmac had worn the hip of my clothing right through but only just reached the skin. Also the gloves had worn through to the under gloves. I was pretty much ok, just shaken up. The young man that stopped, happened to be an off-duty policeman; he helped me to push the bike over to the hard shoulder; he said that when I overtook him, shortly before I came off I must have been doing about 90 mph. The off-duty copper drove me to a cafe in Cambridge so I could phone my employers to tell them what had happened. No mobiles back then.

[Joolstacho]

I don't mind jabbering on about something as trivial as what jacket everyone has or what kind of hydraulic lift.
I quite like all of the paraphernalia/junk that surrounds us and I think as long as it doesn't get posted in the wrong section adds considerably to the overall BSA forum.

So well done, (primarily Greybeard) everyone who has an interest in all the 'off topic' stuff, for the purpose of stimulating debate.

As an aside, leather jackets exist as an important safety device along with boots, gloves, helmets, spine protection etc.

Maybe that would be a good conversation, "what did you wear today to stop yourselves being mash potato in the event of a tumble" possibly I will start a thread.

Bought the sign in a flea-market in New York.  Just given myself another topic idea.

Ah well, in my book that's called 'virtue signalling'
I don't want my grandkids to live 'safe' I want them to have a sense of adventure and yes, danger. We're all too safe and politically correct aren't we? We didn't get where we are because we were 'safe' - we (our fathers and grandfathers) achieved amazing things because we were 'game' to RISK things. Please spare us the 'Safe' messages!!!

[fffcycles]

I am a firm believer in ATGATT (all the gear all the time) this is a personal thing and not preaching here as in 50+ years of riding I have been off a few times, at least twice quite spectacularly rolling down the road a hundred feet or so. Where we are in the southern interior of British Columbia temperatures are running in the low to mid 30's C but I know what pain is and would rather avoid the worst if possible. I wear armored kevlar air-mesh boots,  jacket, gloves and pants  After a good ride I can always jump in the shower. It truly is a your own decision.
Frank

[Joolstacho]

I wouldn't dream of riding out on the road without strong boots, pants, good motorbike jacket, gloves, and helmet. Even on stinking hot days.
It's just sensible precautions isn't it.

[RichardL]

I have ridden a motorcycle whilst tripping my nuts off on LSD.

Yeah, but that was last week. What about this week?

Richard L.

[Minto]

The few times I’ve done acid I doubt I would’ve been able to find my bike let alone ride it.
Last weekend, out on the Ten in good strong bike boots, open face lid, camo shorts, T shirt, and Levis denim shirt for protection. Stupid?  Maybe. Cool? Obviously!

[BSA_54A10]

As is often mentioned, the most important safey device resided between your ears
As for what to wear, it is horses for courses
When going to the beach, I used to ride in swiming trunks, thongs T shirt , plastic sunnies & Gloves My riding days predate helmets
Now because I was not wearing much protective cloths, I rode in an appropriate mannar, Slowly & allowing a lot of space between me and everything else
Then one day I got "shot" in the chest , the bike slipped out from under me & I hit the road.
When I had regained consciouness in the hospital , minus a good amount of bark I asked the nurse "did the bullet doany major damage .
She looked at me strangely & walked away
The same question got the same response from the doctor
The next morning when I was being discharged with a broken rib, the triarge sister gave me a specemin jar, containing the "bullet" that had knocked me off the bike.
A somewhat flattened christmas beetle .
That was the last time I rode without some sort of a jacket .

[Greybeard]

... a specemin jar, containing the "bullet" that had knocked me off the bike.
A somewhat flattened christmas beetle .

Jeez! They are big 50 calibre buggers. Yet another reason not to visit 'Stralia 😜

[berger]

slighthitchmitch , acid now there's thing. i sold my trident at the bulldog bash while tripping and telling the buyer it was knocking while i was sat on the floor listening to the engine. there was only me who could hear it knocking -- or was it

[Swarfcut]

 Turns out an Oz thong is a type of lightweight slip on....shoe!

[RogerSB]

I was an instructor and examiner for both the RAC/ACU and the BMF training schemes at one time and the first advice we had to give our trainees was to wear suitable protective clothing and to ride defensively (i.e. not down to luck or your fate in someone else's hands).

In the RAC/ACU days we would often get experienced riders enrolling on a course, who wanted to enjoy a course or just wanted to brush up on things. I remember one who was a dispatch rider in the war, another was the Plymouth road safety officer and another was a motocross champion (who didn't have a licence to ride on the road), plus many others. In the BMF days training courses had to be geared towards the then newly introduced two-part test. Then we got people who were not really interested in becoming good motorcyclists but were only interested (or disinterested) in getting a licence to be able to remove their L plates. That's when the satisfaction and fun went out of it and the voluntary training schemes became compulsory and then profitable businesses.

Rog.

[Big_Ben]

Personal choice, but I've already died once and I'm in no hurry to do it again.

All the gear, all the time, or as much as you can stomach.

Rubber side down y'all.

PS: Scar is sudden (out of institution) cardiac arrest (survival rate 8%), followed by a quadruple bypass, and no I had no idea I had a problem.

Live long and prosper.

[Greybeard]

We'll Poppy, that scar mucks up your cleavage somewhat. 😉

[Greybeard]

Moi

GB,

Is the insignia pin for Royal Army Reserves?

Richard

Looks like RAF to me

[BSA_54A10]

Sorry to hear that Poppy but glad for the happy outcome
It is a sad enditement of the male preocupation of the medical system that most women with no heart problem history who are suffering heart attacks get misdiagnosed and die before they get the correct treatment .
I could not count the number of women I have known or know of who went to hospital, got told they had indigestion or were having "menopausal" symptoms and the autopsey identified a heart attack as the cause of the sudden & unpredictable death .