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Summertime - how, what clothes?

3K views 29 replies 18 participants last post by  Scrubs 
#1 ·
In the summertime how do you ride? Better stated what do you wear? Full leathers? Jeans and a tee shirt? Shorts, tee shirt or tank top and sneakers? I've always wondered why I feel I must dress the biker part when I'm just going to the gym. Most of the the time I get "you dont ride a Harley" from the general public. I'm clean cut and work out 4 days a week. Hmmmm.... :coffee:
 
#2 ·
Dude, really.............this sounds really metro sexual ;-) I don't think its dressing like a "biker" in leathers, its just not being a dumb arse and riding in shorts, flip flops, running pants. I've always heard its not if but when you go down. Next time your in your car going 55 down the highway or heck 25 for that matter and imagine sliding down the road in shorts and flipflops. My skin is WAAAY more valuable that how I look when I'm riding. My leathers saved my hide when I hit the ground.
 
#4 ·
The only thing I do special is put on my riding boots, for the grip they provide when stopped. I tend to dress for the temp and have a mesh leather jacket for those iffy days and a heavier one for when it's cold, but in the eighties and it's a T shirt. I don't dress for anything other than my own comfort.
"Metrosexual".... lol
 
#8 ·
Short trips around town during a Gulf Coast summer? Probably just jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers... Maybe a lid-type helmet... And even with that little on, I'm hot... Longer trips around town where I'm likely to get on the highway, probably add boots... Longer trips on the road will depend upon the weather... If there is any chance of rain, I'll have my full face helmet with me... If riding at night, I'll probably have a leather jacket in one of the saddle bags, just in case it get cool enough to need it.

In the winter though, I get to wear the clothes that I should wear when riding -- leather jacket, leather pants, etc...

You have to balance out crash protection with heatstroke protection...
 
#11 ·
In various wrecks that I've had in my younger days (back when I knew I was invulnerable), I never had a wreck that caused me to have any road rash. I had one that broke major bones (pelvis, collar bone), caused 2 liters of internal bleeding, and damaged or ruptured various organs, but no bruising or road rash. I had one that resulted in a compound fracture of both bones in my lower leg and ripped the leg off (to be subsequently reattached), but no road rash... Don't even think I had a bruise on that one unless you could the fact that my bones ripped through the skin as a "bruise"...

I haven't had a wreck in probably 27 years... Then again, the compound fracture occurred 27 years ago and it was about 4 years before I was even able to walk unaided (i.e. without crutches or a cane) after that wreck... And a few more years after than before I was even close to being able to actually get on a bike and lift it if it fell... I still ride, just a bit mellower than I did in my younger days... That OK though... I'm an old fart and damned proud of it!
 
#24 ·
some what on the same line do you wear do-rag, chaps,and vest when walking around at events so people know you ride or to prevent curb rash ?
 
#25 ·
It gets so hot around here in the summer, you'll pour sweat wearing mesh. It's not Texas hot but 95 degrees is fairly common.

I can't stand to be miserable long enough to wear a jacket in the heat. I keep asking myself if it would be better to suffer every time I ride the bike by wearing a jacket or, to potentially suffer while recovering from road rash for a while.

I've been lucky to have never had a serious crash and I hope I don't find out which is worse.
 
#28 ·
I can't stand to be miserable long enough to wear a jacket in the heat. I keep asking myself if it would be better to suffer every time I ride the bike by wearing a jacket or, to potentially suffer while recovering from road rash for a while.

I've been lucky to have never had a serious crash and I hope I don't find out which is worse.
I've had my share of sliding down the pavement... Never got any road rash in the process, but I've had compound fractures and organ ruptures from the accidents... Even with that though, not even any bruises... Kinda weird... I've had accidents where I had to lay it down and slide along with just a pair of fatigues on and a jacket for skin protection and it did not go through the fatigues (much less the jacket) at 60 mph... It all depends upon how you fall... If you end up rolling a lot, you probably don't give any one place on your clothing time to wear though...
 
#27 ·
Hi fellas,
Yes i may be overboard and yes on the very hot days I end up sweaty and plenty riders get around in thongs and stubbies (only helmet is mandatory).
BUT a doctor friend who also rides said 40kph on asphalt will grind through jeans and flesh down to the hip bone, anything faster and you will need hip replacement surgery,,we also have the highest rates of skin cancer and Im in the generation that regarded sunburn as just part of Christmas holidays.
And yes I could ride for years and thousands of trips,,,,but why take the chance
Thats my thoughts anyway
Stay upright
Paul
 
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