What is it with some bikers?
Discussion
I Dropped a Thundercat on track recently (at about 70) and apart from a few light scuffs to the leathers, worn plastic pads on the gloves (worn down to the leather), some sucffing on my boots, and a very broken helmet i was pretty much ok (yes a couple of bruises) but thats all.
I will never get on a bike without full kit, especially having been down tarmac at speed, and walked away from the experience, i agree that on a pulic road if you bin it and hit something solid you arnt going to walk away, but lets look at it this way, if you dont hit something solid it would be nice to walk away wouldnt it, rather than stopping off for a series of skin grafts, and reconstructive surgery on your way home.......
I will never get on a bike without full kit, especially having been down tarmac at speed, and walked away from the experience, i agree that on a pulic road if you bin it and hit something solid you arnt going to walk away, but lets look at it this way, if you dont hit something solid it would be nice to walk away wouldnt it, rather than stopping off for a series of skin grafts, and reconstructive surgery on your way home.......
But as has been said before, 100% of people walk away from accidents they don’t have! The question is does wearing full gear make you more likely to have an accident thus actually more likely to become a statistic? Just about everyone has said that they ‘push the limits’ more when wearing full gear.
There is also the question of ambient temperature. If full safety gear is sooooo important, why do bike cops in hot countries not wear it? Is it really just so they can pose or is it because the risk from the rider overheating and having an accident is much greater than we appreciate in generally dull and cold ‘Blighty’? Remember, it only takes about a 3 degree C rise in body temperature for the brains decision making process to be seriously impacted, and that is not something you want to happen as you engage ‘warp drive’.
There is also the question of ambient temperature. If full safety gear is sooooo important, why do bike cops in hot countries not wear it? Is it really just so they can pose or is it because the risk from the rider overheating and having an accident is much greater than we appreciate in generally dull and cold ‘Blighty’? Remember, it only takes about a 3 degree C rise in body temperature for the brains decision making process to be seriously impacted, and that is not something you want to happen as you engage ‘warp drive’.
black-k1 said:
But as has been said before, 100% of people walk away from accidents they don’t have! The question is does wearing full gear make you more likely to have an accident thus actually more likely to become a statistic? Just about everyone has said that they ‘push the limits’ more when wearing full gear.
That's quite a tricky one to answer. Yes I would agree that most people would 'push their luck' when wearing full gear, but then "they" would be foolish not to.
black-k1 said:
There is also the question of ambient temperature. If full safety gear is sooooo important, why do bike cops in hot countries not wear it? Is it really just so they can pose or is it because the risk from the rider overheating and having an accident is much greater than we appreciate in generally dull and cold ‘Blighty’? Remember, it only takes about a 3 degree C rise in body temperature for the brains decision making process to be seriously impacted, and that is not something you want to happen as you engage ‘warp drive’.
Maybe it boils(no pun intended) down to the Police being better trained, or if they are sitting around for 95% of the day, waiting to catch speeders that would be uncomfortable in full kit. (flawed reply here as most bikers I see abroad generally smaller bikes/scooters,are in shorts/t shirts.
I myself, would not liked to be forced into wearing full kit every time I got on my bike, but I can see both sides of this discussion.
Just to back up a bit on the thread, I saw two fella's on bikes this weekend in sandals, one on a Harley and one on a Blade wearing shorts and a t-shirt, made me cringe thiking about their foot getting stuck under the bike if they went sliding. I always liked riding round in shorts and t shirt and sometimes without a lid in the summer for that windy feeling it took two bigish accidents to make me learn and that was off road, i don't feel comfortable on the road without my jacket on at least.
black-k1 said:
But as has been said before, 100% of people walk away from accidents they don’t have! The question is does wearing full gear make you more likely to have an accident thus actually more likely to become a statistic? Just about everyone has said that they ‘push the limits’ more when wearing full gear.
I certainly do. When I have the full gear on, I will be always feeling out the limits. Trying to slide the back out of roundabouts, and stoppy and wheelie even the big GS on the way in to work, and, of course, seeing if I can get over 100 through the Rotherhithe tunnel. I filter reasonably aggressively, and will have a dice with other bikes.
If I am in jeans and trainers, I pootle, give everyone a wide berth, and generally ride like I have just passed my CBT and the road is made of razor blades.
I suspect that I actualy overcompensate, and am more at risk of serious injury in the kit, when the world seems safely locked away "out there", on the other side of the cordura and armour.
So it seems strange when people think I am taking a risk in the jeans.
I find it amazing that some wear this type of clothing when out on there bikes i mean its just crazy!! I came off my bike while wearing Gloves,lid,jacket and boots...unfortunately i had jeans on instead of my leather trousers (i know idiot) But t-shirts,sandals,no gloves and that they must be mental!!!!!!!
Mad Dave said:
chilli said:
We all make a decision (consious or not)to minimise those risks by NOT riding like lunatics at 100% of the bikes ability all of the time(Mad Dave excluded!. I don't think it's got anything to do with a nanny state, although I agree with your point on it.
www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=377086&r=5202742&hm=16953#5202742
Hmm, I kinda see both sides of this discussion.
Where I really cringe like Chilli is when I see people riding without gloves: when you come off you instinctively put your hands in front of you to break your fall and they will get torn to shreds without decent gloves. It's not like it's difficult to get a pair that don't overheat your hands in the summer in this country, they're exposed to the windblast all the time afterall.
Where I really cringe like Chilli is when I see people riding without gloves: when you come off you instinctively put your hands in front of you to break your fall and they will get torn to shreds without decent gloves. It's not like it's difficult to get a pair that don't overheat your hands in the summer in this country, they're exposed to the windblast all the time afterall.
chilli said:
Mad Dave said:
chilli said:
We all make a decision (consious or not)to minimise those risks by NOT riding like lunatics at 100% of the bikes ability all of the time(Mad Dave excluded!. I don't think it's got anything to do with a nanny state, although I agree with your point on it.
www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=377086&r=5202742&hm=16953#5202742
LOL. A mere misjudgement.
BTW, took the K1 out for a vMax run before I gave it back - backed off about 178/179 (on the clocks). Crazy thing was still pulling, I just ran out of cajones!
Mad Dave said:
chilli said:
Mad Dave said:
chilli said:
We all make a decision (consious or not)to minimise those risks by NOT riding like lunatics at 100% of the bikes ability all of the time(Mad Dave excluded!. I don't think it's got anything to do with a nanny state, although I agree with your point on it.
www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=377086&r=5202742&hm=16953#5202742
LOL. A mere misjudgement.
BTW, took the K1 out for a vMax run before I gave it back - backed off about 178/179 (on the clocks). Crazy thing was still pulling, I just ran out of cajones!
My god man!! What does the K1 run out of puff at??
Have to admit with it being so damn hot this weekend and the fact I was going to test drive some cars I did not wear my leathers (clutch control impossible with leather on!!). However I did wear leather jacket, gloves and boots. It felt nice having the wind on my jeans though and I did ride a lot more cautiously than with leathers 
chilli said:
black-k1 said:
There is a saying that goes something like ‘Be careful what you wish for as it might come true’! With the ‘Nanny State’ as it is at the moment it is only one small step from where we are now to compulsion on full leathers, boots gloves etc. From there it is only one small step to banning bikes completely ‘for our own good’! If others want to ride in shorts and tee shirts, that is their choice.
Every time you ‘push the envelope’ on a bike you are risking a crash which may result in injury or even death. Some push the risk envelope of top speed, others with how quickly they can get around corners. Still more with how far they can go on one wheel and some do it by riding without leathers. Why are some risks ‘right’ and others ‘wrong’?
Every time you ‘push the envelope’ on a bike you are risking a crash which may result in injury or even death. Some push the risk envelope of top speed, others with how quickly they can get around corners. Still more with how far they can go on one wheel and some do it by riding without leathers. Why are some risks ‘right’ and others ‘wrong’?
David, I never said any risks were right or wrong. I'm suggesting that riding without the proper gear is a risk I'm not prepared to take, and I can't understand why anyone else would be prepared to take this risk. We all know the dangers of riding, so wouldn't common sense tell you to minimise those risks? We all make a decision (consious or not)to minimise those risks by NOT riding like lunatics at 100% of the bikes ability all of the time(Mad Dave excluded!. I don't think it's got anything to do with a nanny state, although I agree with your point on it.
Hey, you don't need to justify being risk averse. If anyone is dumb enough to climb on a bike without adequate protective clothing, let 'em get on with it.
One less of them, one more of us.
J
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