Any motorcycle riders in here?

[Terror]

Same thing with helmets... I use a half-helmet that has a fold-down front visor...  It's pretty nice, solid, cool, and light, and it keeps bugs off of my face.  I've tried full face helmets in the past and I just can't do it.  I lose my sense of positioning and distance, and it really takes away a lot of my SA on a bike.  I feel this is much more dangerous than the few benefits having a full helmet would give.

I have personally seen what the lack of protection a half-helmet gives.  It's not pretty when a face runs down the pavement at 25mph.  It's actually down right scary.  A simple full face helmet would have saved years and years of reconstructive surgery and immeasurable pain.  I actually think DOT should stop certifying half-helmets, but then there are many riders that don't wear helmets at all....So I guess a half-helmet is better than no helmet at all...

ATGATT does not equal full racing leathers all the time.  It does equal wearing eye-protection, a helmet (including half-helmets), gloves, a long sleeved jacket (There are many mesh and textile jackets that are very hot weather compatible.), boots, and long pants (jeans are acceptable, though there are several types of long pants that provide much better protection without giving up comfort.).

Especially when making the short ride to the local gas station or eatery.  Most accident happen within a few miles of home....

Aaron

[Tigger29]

Well if you took the time to read my original post, I specifically asked not to be flamed for my opinion about safety gear.  I'll try to make my point in a different way here.  First off, I'm not telling ANYBODY not to take necessary precautions, but at the same time I also believe there is such a thing as going too far, and society these days has a tendency to do just that.  Also keep in mind I'm not talking about racing, or motorcross, or any of the like as those are different circumstances altogether.. I'm talking about NORMAL RESPONSIBLE street riding.

If you're involved in an accident, of course a half helmet isn't going to be as safe as a full helmet... and of course wearing no jacket isn't going to be as safe as wearing one, but this doesn't take into account comfort.  So what?  You might say... lack of comfort is a small price to pay to be safe.  I say WRONG!  For two reasons... for one lack of comfort makes it HARDER TO RIDE which in my opinion makes your more prone to get into an accident.  And for two it takes the fun out of it.  It may sound dumb, but really... what's the point in riding if you're not having fun?  Now if your sole reason for riding is to 'save the earth by using less fuel'... well then by all means load yourself down with all the safety gear you can.

Take the helmet for example.  Yes... OBVIOUSLY a half helmet isn't as safe as a full helmet if you get into an accident, but that's the hitch... you have to be in the accident for that to factor in.  Am I self-centered enough to believe that I will never get in a bike accident?  HECK NO!  But... I'll say it again... when wearing a full helmet I lose a lot of my sense of hearing... my sense of feel... my sense of smell... even my vision seems to be affected somewhat and because of this I become less alert, which in my opinion greatly INCREASES the change of being in an accident in the first place.

To make a statement like "DOT should stop certifying half-helmets" to me is as ridiculous as wearing a space suit on a 100 degree day.  Nobody is arguing that it's not a pretty sight, and nobody is arguing that motorcycles are dangerous, but seriously the line has to be drawn somewhere, or else we'll all be riding around with a safety cage around us.  Then a bike will catch fire and somebody will be trapped in that cage and it will open a whole new debate.

Really, what it all comes down to is personal preference, acceptance of risk, and common sense.  Somewhere there is a balance between safety and rideability.  If you feel safer wearing all the 'recommended' gear, then by all means do it.  If you find that wearing all of the 'recommended' gear inhibits your ability to properly operate the bike, then by all means scale back.

Let's make another example here.  Let's say that BOB has $2000 to spend on a motorcycle.  He finds one for $1800, leaving him with $200 to purchase the necessary gear.  Is he better off:
1> Spending $200 on helmets, gloves, coats, space suits, etc
2> Spending $100 on basic gear and $100 on a basic rider safety course
or 3> Spending $100 on a basic rider safety course, and $100 on an advanced rider safety course?

Well option 1 looks good, until you find out that he has no practical experience whatsoever... and even with ALL OF THE SAFETY GEAR IN THE WORLD, you're still going to get pretty jacked up hitting the pavement at 40-50+MPH, or slamming head first into a car even at 10mph.

Option 3 looks good, until a car does come out of nowhere and you spill your brains out all over the road

So you pick option 2... to me it's a fair balance considering the options available.  Yes some can argue that BOB shouldn't even bother riding until he can afford the bike, all training course, AND all of the 'recommended' gear, but really.. it's not for everyone.

[danny76]

Well if you took the time to read my original post, I specifically asked not to be flamed for my opinion about safety gear.  I'll try to make my point in a different way here.  First off, I'm not telling ANYBODY not to take necessary precautions, but at the same time I also believe there is such a thing as going too far, and society these days has a tendency to do just that.  Also keep in mind I'm not talking about racing, or motorcross, or any of the like as those are different circumstances altogether.. I'm talking about NORMAL RESPONSIBLE street riding.

If you're involved in an accident, of course a half helmet isn't going to be as safe as a full helmet... and of course wearing no jacket isn't going to be as safe as wearing one, but this doesn't take into account comfort.  So what?  You might say... lack of comfort is a small price to pay to be safe.  I say WRONG!  For two reasons... for one lack of comfort makes it HARDER TO RIDE which in my opinion makes your more prone to get into an accident.  And for two it takes the fun out of it.  It may sound dumb, but really... what's the point in riding if you're not having fun?  Now if your sole reason for riding is to 'save the earth by using less fuel'... well then by all means load yourself down with all the safety gear you can.

Take the helmet for example.  Yes... OBVIOUSLY a half helmet isn't as safe as a full helmet if you get into an accident, but that's the hitch... you have to be in the accident for that to factor in.  Am I self-centered enough to believe that I will never get in a bike accident?  HECK NO!  But... I'll say it again... when wearing a full helmet I lose a lot of my sense of hearing... my sense of feel... my sense of smell... even my vision seems to be affected somewhat and because of this I become less alert, which in my opinion greatly INCREASES the change of being in an accident in the first place.

To make a statement like "DOT should stop certifying half-helmets" to me is as ridiculous as wearing a space suit on a 100 degree day.  Nobody is arguing that it's not a pretty sight, and nobody is arguing that motorcycles are dangerous, but seriously the line has to be drawn somewhere, or else we'll all be riding around with a safety cage around us.  Then a bike will catch fire and somebody will be trapped in that cage and it will open a whole new debate.

Really, what it all comes down to is personal preference, acceptance of risk, and common sense.  Somewhere there is a balance between safety and rideability.  If you feel safer wearing all the 'recommended' gear, then by all means do it.  If you find that wearing all of the 'recommended' gear inhibits your ability to properly operate the bike, then by all means scale back.

Let's make another example here.  Let's say that BOB has $2000 to spend on a motorcycle.  He finds one for $1800, leaving him with $200 to purchase the necessary gear.  Is he better off:
1> Spending $200 on helmets, gloves, coats, space suits, etc
2> Spending $100 on basic gear and $100 on a basic rider safety course
or 3> Spending $100 on a basic rider safety course, and $100 on an advanced rider safety course?

Well option 1 looks good, until you find out that he has no practical experience whatsoever... and even with ALL OF THE SAFETY GEAR IN THE WORLD, you're still going to get pretty jacked up hitting the pavement at 40-50+MPH, or slamming head first into a car even at 10mph.

Option 3 looks good, until a car does come out of nowhere and you spill your brains out all over the road

So you pick option 2... to me it's a fair balance considering the options available.  Yes some can argue that BOB shouldn't even bother riding until he can afford the bike, all training course, AND all of the 'recommended' gear, but really.. it's not for everyone.

Valentino Rossi, Nicki Hayden, Freddie Spencer, Barry Sheen, Colin Edwards etc etc ad infinitum.

All wore/wear helmets, leathers, chest protectors, back protectors, armoured gloves, armoured boots, and all of them don't seem to find it that hard to ride their machines.

Having partaken of health services, never as a fault on my part i might add, i believe that anyone presenting themselves at accident and emergency departments, minus sheaves of skin and with severe gravel rash, should be treated last in line after the 35yr old with building bricks up his nose. At 60mph, against tarmac, human bone grinds down at 1 inch per second. Why take the chance that a low speed spill is going to ruin your life?

[dkff49]

All I can say is WOW. The OP only asked for a few suggestions on where to go next and somehow this turned into some people feeling the need to defend themselves. I ride all the time in shorts, tank top, and sneakers with no helmet. I would never recommend to someone to do that though, especially starting out. I only do it for comfort and I realize the risk and am willing to accept that. Let's face a reality here, if we were going to take the safest route we would not be on a motorcycle anyway, we would be in a car.
I can only repeat what others have said though as far as the OP is concerned.

When starting out (at least 1st year or 2):

Cheap used bike
Helmet, gloves, and long sleeves and jeans (minimum)
And you have already taken care of the safety course as well (I thought I read that)
Take your time no matter where you are going and pay extra special attention to everything going on around you (not just cars, lots of things can cause a really bad day)  this should be done even by the most experienced rider


After you have gotten that experience in then modify that to suit your comfort zone.

[Delirium]

Honestly, I never factored in the thought all the equipment (full helmet, thick leather jacket, etc) would have on my SA (to use a AH reference). It is interesting to hear all opinions..

That said, I'll be wearing as much protection as I can. Heck, if I could bubble wrap myself for the first year, I would.

[danny76]

Honestly, I never factored in the thought all the equipment (full helmet, thick leather jacket, etc) would have on my SA (to use a AH reference). It is interesting to hear all opinions..

That said, I'll be wearing as much protection as I can. Heck, if I could bubble wrap myself for the first year, I would.

Seriously, in regards to equipment, I once took a bike to the shop for service, and the only courtesy bike they had was a 125cc step through scooter. Anyway I'd taken my bike in wearing full leathers, and so i had to look like a pillock riding a scooter in full leathers. After about 5 mins on this twist and go I was laughing my bits of and slinging it around, trying to get the footboards and my knee down.

So i end up on a road at the bottom of where my dad lives, where I know there are some great corners and start chucking this thing about, anyhoo i come round a pretty blind left hander, and the otherwise beautifully dry and clear road is covered in wet leaves and water.

I sit up, brake, then realise i'm running out of room and will hit a wall, so i ditched the brakes and started turning in again. Nearly made it, front washed out and needless to say I binned it.

Well I was doing about 30 mph or less but falling of a damned scooter in full leathers at low speed I bruised my knee and hip, twisted my ankle and pretty well scuffed my leathers up and ripped my jacket sleeve.

I do not want to imagine what the state of my legs would have been if i had been in jeans and a T shirt. As it was I was able to jump back onto the nearly undamaged courtesy bike and pootle off before anyone saw my embarassment. Unprotected this obscenely drawn out diatribe may have ended differently.

[Otaz]

I wear a half helmet for the same reasons Tigger29 does....plus I think on a cruiser, a full face helmet just looks weird, strictly IMO.

However, the first 2 years after I started riding street bikes (all cruisers..and I did ride dirtbikes for many years prior to that) I did wear a cheap HJC full face helmet for safety. My opinion is simply "your safety is your responsibility and you should equip to the level you feel comfortable with as well as be prepared for the consequences of your choices".

[tf15pin]

Ask Belial about the value of a full face helmet. A few years back he was rear ended by a pickup truck. His bike was sucked under the front of the truck and he was used as a snow plow for about 70 feet before the truck came to a stop. Looking at his gear afterward, nothing came out of it without a scuff and each of them probably would have been a skin graft. To the point about the full face helmet, the front of it had several scuff marks from rubbing on the front tire of the truck. Had he been wearing an open face or no helmet he would have been measuring the tread depth with his nose.

We all know the risk of riding but the point of the gear is to give yourself the best chance at walking away that you can. 

[morfiend]

 There is no such thing as too much riding protection!

  What type of equipment you use is up to you but remember the other vehicle always wins Vs a motorcycle.To use Del's AH anology,whether you get Ho'd or picked you just never get the best of a car or worse a truck.It's not the pilot it's the plane in this case.

  While you might out grow your first bike you dont usually out grow your equipment,well it's true I cant fit my leathers anymore and gave them to someone who could use them,you generally have the same helmet,coat/suit,gloves and boots for a long time.

  So choose this stuff wisely,get the best helmet you can and make sure any suit/coatand pants set you get doesnt restrict your movements.1 piece racing suits arent the best thing for street use even if they offer the best protection.

 Before you buy the bike take a trip to the shop{s} and price out some of the equipment,you can make do with a coat,gloves helmet and boots but you might also have suitable boots and gloves already so that would let you spend more on the helmet.

   Go to the shop and ask,not just the owner or workers but any riders you meet,every area has different needs,your riding needs would be different in say AZ as opposed to Mich. so ask around and get the best stuff possible.

 I'm not going to say get this helmet or that,this suit or those boots,again I'm not sure of what you plan on and what's best for where you live.

  hope that helps Del!

   

[Maverick]

I used to get asked by folks I stopped why I didn't tell them they should wear a helmet when riding. I told them the same thing I tell folks now. If they do not think their head is worth the price of a helmet, I sure won't tell them it is. There are folks who need transplants and there is a teaching transplant hospital in town. Those folks will probably give the parts more care than their previous owners did.

If you don't want to wear a helmet or protective gear and are over 18, knock yourself out. At least have the courtesy to fill out a donor card.



What was that Ron White said you couldn't fix? It applies to riding without gear in addition to acting stupid on a bike too.

[CAP1]

There is no such thing as too much riding protection!

  What type of equipment you use is up to you but remember the other vehicle always wins Vs a motorcycle.To use Del's AH anology,whether you get Ho'd or picked you just never get the best of a car or worse a truck.It's not the pilot it's the plane in this case.

  While you might out grow your first bike you dont usually out grow your equipment,well it's true I cant fit my leathers anymore and gave them to someone who could use them,you generally have the same helmet,coat/suit,gloves and boots for a long time.

  So choose this stuff wisely,get the best helmet you can and make sure any suit/coatand pants set you get doesnt restrict your movements.1 piece racing suits arent the best thing for street use even if they offer the best protection.

 Before you buy the bike take a trip to the shop{s} and price out some of the equipment,you can make do with a coat,gloves helmet and boots but you might also have suitable boots and gloves already so that would let you spend more on the helmet.

   Go to the shop and ask,not just the owner or workers but any riders you meet,every area has different needs,your riding needs would be different in say AZ as opposed to Mich. so ask around and get the best stuff possible.

 I'm not going to say get this helmet or that,this suit or those boots,again I'm not sure of what you plan on and what's best for where you live.

  hope that helps Del!

   

i still wear the very first leather jacket i bought when i was 26. i'm 48 now. 

[Belial]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us



That's my Triumph it's an awesome bike but not something you'd want to start on.

For a beginner I recommend any of the Boulevard bikes made by Suzuki, they are decently priced and very cool.  If you pick up an auto locator there are always ton's of used Boulevards in there and they run great.

And as Tf15pin mentioned I did go down hard in 2006 and I'd be dead or disfigured without the gear I had on.

[morfiend]

i still wear the very first leather jacket i bought when i was 26. i'm 48 now. 

  LOL Cap,I didnt just grow old,I grew out too......



   

[Maverick]

I still have the leather motorcycle coat I was issued back in 81 and I use the ballistic material copy of the classic bike jacket I was issued in the later 80's during the winter times now. It's far lighter than the 15+ lb leather jacket and warmer since it already hs a built in liner.

[Urchin]

Del,

I just started riding at the beginning of the season last year, so I'm almost in the same position as you.  

My first bike was (and still is, I haven't gotten a bigger one yet) a Ninja 250.  Its a 'sporty' bike, not so much a sports bike.  The riding position is comfortable though, your feet are under you and not behind you like they are on pure sports bikes.  It gets great gas mileage for going back and forth to work, and it is very nimble.  It is not fast, although I think it is definitely fast enough for a first bike.  

I would recommend against getting anything bigger than a 500 cc if you are looking for a 'sport' bike (and honestly, I'd get a 250 if I were you).  I'm less familiar with the cruiser bikes, I did my MSF on a 250 cruiser (Nighthawk 250), I'm pretty sure the Ninja is faster and better handling, but the Nighthawk may be more comfortable for longer trips.  Of course, you probably wouldn't take a long trip on a 250.

I did plenty of research about good first bikes on the internet before I pulled the trigger on the 250.  Getting a 250 has a lot going for it - they are cheap for one, and in relatively high demand for another.  I got mine for $1800.  When I sell it I'll probably try to get $1500 for it, although if the price of gas spikes again I could probably get $2500 for it.  Plus it is easier to get some experience on a slow learner bike then sell it and get a bigger and faster one than it is to wreck a bigger and faster one and try to work up the courage to get back on a bike (assuming you are still able to ride).

I'd also recommend a full face helmet, and a jacket and gloves, and boots.  I don't wear any special pants when I ride, just jeans, but I would like to get some eventually.  Jeans really aren't going to do a damn thing unless you literally fall over on the bike at a dead stop, but I figure they are better than shorts.  As was said before, you want to make sure your laces are short (I double tie mine).  

All of the advice about really anticipating people actively trying to kill you is good - I've only been riding for just over a year now and I couldn't tell you how many people have pulled out right in front of me.  Only got caught by surprise once though, and that was because I couldn't fathom a lady pulling out in front of the monster truck that was coming the other way.  I locked up the front brakes for a split second on that one, but I recovered quickly and didn't drop it.  Just goes to show you, always anticipate.

However you come to the decision, I'd pick the bike you are most comfortable with.  If you have any doubts at all about going with a big bike, I'd listen to them.  You don't have to impress anyone else with your bike, and I can tell you that I have more fun riding my little 250 than I have ever had driving any car.  Welcome to the club and be careful out there