Safety Gear
Motorcycle SafetyDiscuss Safety Gear in the Other Topics forums; Harley owners seem to have been stereo-typed as riders that do not wear proper safety gear on a regular basis, or at all. Perhaps it's an image thing that follows ...
Harley owners seem to have been stereo-typed as riders that do not wear proper safety gear on a regular basis, or at all. Perhaps it's an image thing that follows the cruiser world, but on the other side of things I see a lot of sport riders (usually young) riding in shorts, tank tops, and sneakers. With that, let us know what items you wear, when and and how often. Excluding helmets, do let us know if any of the following are part of your cruising wardrobe:
Eye Protection: just store bought sunglasses or ones designed for riding, faceshields, google, etc
Also include what you feel is important to wear - even if you may not wear it yourself. Do you feel more vunerable or at risk if you do not wear anything?
My philosophy is more is better. I always try to wear as much safety gear as the temperature permits. My minimum gear is boots, jeans, leather vest, and fingerless gloves. I struggle with wearing the vest in really warm weather, and would like to find a suitable high air flow textile jacket with body armor for the really hot days. As weather permits, more riding gear is a non-issue and no-brainer. I add a leather jacket, gaunlet gloves, and chaps. I feel most confident when I am able to wear all my gear.
As far as saying Harley riders wear less gear goes, its my opinion that by and large Harley riders wear more gear than many squids on sport bikes. I cringe when I see these kids bopping down the interstate wearing shorts, tanktop, sandles and backpack. I especially love it when they put the nose of the bike up in the air as they blow past me at 90 MPH...
Boots, jeans,gloves(fingerless in heat, full glove when cooler),Oakleys(uv and impact safe, vented leather jacket when heat is tolerable (take my chances in t-shirt at 100 deg.) Chaps and heavy leather jacket when cool. I also wear 3/4 coverage helmet.I also feel Harley riders wear more protective gear than most
Boots, Jeans, Leather Gloves in the cold, combo leather/Fabric in the warm. Tee Shirt and a combo of Overshirt, Leather vest, Demin vest, Denim Jacket, HD Aerator Jacket, Fox Creek Jacket and Chaps. Depending on the heat. 1/2 helmet on a run, ball cap otherwise. OTG Goggles all the time/ prescription Oakley's if I am feeling Kool.
I have more riding clothing than anything else. Bit lax in the lid department.
Last edited by humpbackbob; 12-09-2007 at 10:12 PM.
Reason: Forgot my pants!
Half helmet. However I have rode without.
Glasses/Pans go from dark to light. Also extra glasses in the bags.
Full fingered work gloves
Vest.
Jeans/ Redwing riding boots.
When it gets cold Jacket and chaps.
When its really cold. Full face helmet. Carhart Bib overalls. Heated gloves. Gortex Danner boots.
I also have a rain suit for when it gets wet or I forgot my jacket.
I'm a real poor example when it comes to wearing enough safety gear. I often ride without a helmet and in T-shirt and jeans in the summer. I do wear a Firstgear Chief jacket in the winter that has armour but I didn't choose it because of the armour but because it is the best cold weather leather jacket I have ever found. I always wear eye protection and sturdy boots though .
Full face Shoei Helmet all the time, Leather FXRG jacket-ventilated usually year round unless it's pushing 100 degrees. Over the ankle steel tip boots. Jeans or my Dickies work pants. Leather gauntlet gloves for moderately cold weather. Other gloves of varying type depending on the weather conditions. I have found that a pair of leather work gloves are just fine in hot weather. One pair of textile heated gloves. One pair of textile bib overalls for really cold weather. I have a 3/4 helmet but don't wear it much anymore. Sometimes I'll wear goretex SWAT type boots if its really cold and wet....I usually try and avoid the wet if at all possible.
I've gone from no helmet and a t-shirt to all of the above. I guess w/ age comes wisdom. Been riding since I got my license 23 years ago.
- leather or ballistic nylon jacket
- helmet (prefer 3/4), but 1/2 helmet for really hot weather
- gloves (fingerless gloves are for fingerless hands, right?)
- boots (no tennies allowed)
- glasses
- sturdy pants, chaps when its cool
I really hate chaps, they provide no protection where I really need it. I am going to get a pair of quality leather (or ballistic nylon) pants. I've got in a bad habit over the last few years of riding in jeans.
Safety Gear 
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