Darwin

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by Sean Hamerton, Sep 25, 2006.

  1. Sean Hamerton

    darsy Guest

    I was going to post something similar, and then thought you'd probably
    already done so, and - hey! - here you are.

    It's telling that those who are sanctimonious about "wearing the right
    gear" are usually newbs who's only held a bike licence for 2-3 years.
     
    darsy, Sep 26, 2006
    #21
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  2. Sean Hamerton

    flash Guest

    and equally those who ride round in shorts have probably never hit a
    pallet on the motorway at over a ton. Its a rule of thumb that the
    amount of bike gear you wear is proportional to the amount of scar
    tissue and associated metalwork you have. I never ride anywhere these
    days without being armoured up like a kipper but I have to say that the
    shorts and t shirt brigade merely cause amusement at their possible
    fate rather than moral outrage.
     
    flash, Sep 26, 2006
    #22
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  3. Sean Hamerton

    gazzafield Guest



    I tend to wear mostly a full set of armoured gear all the time as I just
    think it hurts too much when you fall off. The last time I fell of a bike I
    was doing about 35 ~ 40 mph in the wet. Took too much front brake and was
    flipped off wearing a T-Shirt under a fleece, thin casual trousers (Slacks,
    I believe they would have once been called) and a pair of trainers.

    Fleece jackets seem to be tough buggers. Not a scratch on it but quite a
    few on me 'cause they grip the tarmac quite well and prevent you sliding.
    This was not the first time I have fallen off in lightweight trousers either
    and they never even had a tear. My legs did though. A few cuts. I find
    trousers the most annoyiing bit of bike gear, they always seem so bloody
    cumbersome. keep my legs nice and warm now that the morning's are getting
    cooler though.
     
    gazzafield, Sep 26, 2006
    #23
  4. Sean Hamerton

    darsy Guest

    I've crashed a few times now, never whilst wearing full leathers
    etc[1]. Never really did me any harm.
    I don't think so.
    Well, you should feel happy that full leather and armour makes you
    invulnerable.

    [1] though never whilst going particularly fast.
     
    darsy, Sep 26, 2006
    #24
  5. Sean Hamerton

    flash Guest

    Thats the point, once you hurt yourself badly then you start to think
    about it a bit more.[2]
    It makes me feel that I would hurt myself less than if I was wearing
    shorts.

    [2] Cue post from one legged UKRM'er who still rides round in shorts,
    empty leg flapping defiantly in the breeze.
     
    flash, Sep 26, 2006
    #25
  6. Sean Hamerton

    Ace Guest

    Yeah, I got away with it for years when I was a kid too. And even
    recently I've ridden in Jeans & jacket on occasions, without
    consciously slowing down.

    Now the only accident that has left me with scars has happened when I
    _was_ wearing all the gear, so one could conclude that it's actually
    less likely that you'll get hurt if you don't wear full leathers.
    Well, he didn't say 'inversely' proportional, so it would actually
    support with my conclusion above. I've acquired scars on each side of
    the chest, one on my back where they took the bone graft from my
    pelvis and a fuckoff (30cm) one right down my spine where they put the
    two titanium rods in.

    Clearly, then, wearing protective gear is bad for you.
    Quite.

    --
    _______
    ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
    \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing)
    `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
    `\|/`
    `
     
    Ace, Sep 26, 2006
    #26
  7. Sean Hamerton

    deadmail Guest


    I've broken both arms, both legs, assorted ribs yada yada yada and on a
    good day I'll ride in a tshirt.

    I don't really wear shorts because of the scars on my legs...

    I think it's all to do with risk-perception; I don't consider I'm at
    great risk.
     
    deadmail, Sep 26, 2006
    #27
  8. Sean Hamerton

    darsy Guest

    Usually though, it's only the "bottom half" that I don't bother with.
    I nearly always ride with at least an armoured paddock jacket on +
    leather gloves. In fact, I think even when it's really warm and I just
    have a t-shirt on, I'd still wear the gloves. I very rarely bother
    with proper bike boots for just pottering around, but I would put them
    on if I new I were going for a decent blat. The only time I ever wear
    "all the gear" is on the track (and in fact, leather gear at all).
    heh.
     
    darsy, Sep 26, 2006
    #28
  9. Sean Hamerton

    Hog Guest

    While biking you mean?

    Careless **** ain't ya
     
    Hog, Sep 26, 2006
    #29
  10. Sean Hamerton

    David Thomas Guest

    Ooh I've got them but I went for the 15cm ones... would have preferred them
    in red annodised alloy but these will have to do.

    Everyones getting them nowadays, at this rate they'll be in the Hein Gericke
    spring collection.

    David
     
    David Thomas, Sep 26, 2006
    #30
  11. In uk.rec.motorcycles, BGN belched forth and ejected the following:
    Only if you want to see where you're going.
     
    Whinging Courier, Sep 26, 2006
    #31
  12. Sean Hamerton

    Chris Cowley Guest

    Surely you don't include say, a 15 minute round trip to the shops or a
    nearby mate's house in that? Maybe I'm just too lazy for my own good,
    but the fact that it'd take longer to get all the gear on and off than
    it would to do the journey puts me right off.

    On a hot sunny day this year, I was tempted not to bother wearing a
    crash helmet when I nipped out for some milk (the local co-op is
    literally two streets away). It felt great, but the pointy,
    superior-looking onlookers took the edge off it. Shame it attracts so
    much attention really, as it put me right off doing it again.
     
    Chris Cowley, Sep 26, 2006
    #32
  13. Sean Hamerton

    deadmail Guest

    Careless/Reckless, yes. Mind you I've not had a prang in a few years
    and most of it was done in my twenties/early thirties.
     
    deadmail, Sep 26, 2006
    #33
  14. Sean Hamerton

    Donald Guest


    Apparently most "small" accidents happen on the short journeys near
    home, although I can't find any references to research which backs this
    assertion.

    This makes me double wary about jumping on the bike without the mental
    preparation which getting kitted up gives you. Five minutes getting
    kitted up for a two minute ride must surely give you time to mentally
    prepare yourself.


    Although just a few weeks ago I did, for the first time, wear sandals,
    shorts and t-shirt to nip up the road. Whilst it was exhilarating
    wandering down the road with the warm wind rustling through the t-shirt,
    I did feel strangely vulnerable and compensated my riding style.
    Acceleration and top speed was almost push bike like, which is really
    difficult to do on a supersports.
     
    Donald, Sep 26, 2006
    #34
  15. Sean Hamerton

    Jessy Guest

    Sheeeeeeeeesh, state the fucking obvious!

    Apparently most journeys are short and near home.
     
    Jessy, Sep 26, 2006
    #35
  16. Sean Hamerton

    Ace Guest

    What the **** is this 'mental preparation' of which you speak? I
    always find pushing the starter button is all the preparation I need.

    --
    _______
    ..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
    \`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing)
    `\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
    `\|/`
    `
     
    Ace, Sep 26, 2006
    #36
  17. Sean Hamerton

    ogden Guest

    And, crucially, most journeys involve the bit near home at some point.
     
    ogden, Sep 26, 2006
    #37
  18. Sean Hamerton

    Lozzo Guest

    flash says...
    I last crashed 4 weeks ago when I was highsided off at 50mph in the
    cheapest Akito 2 piece leather suit you can buy. There wasn't a mark
    anywhere on my body, but the leathers had light scuffs in places. The
    only injury I sustained was from where the inside face of my ankle
    impacted the tarmac when I landed. Damage is limited to bruising and a
    tendon half torn from the bone, I don't think any boots would have saved
    me from that.
     
    Lozzo, Sep 26, 2006
    #38
  19. Sean Hamerton

    Chris Cowley Guest

    I think there's certainly some mileage in what you're saying when going
    out for a long hoon, especially with other riders as things invariably
    tend towards the "competitive", but I honestly don't feel like I need to
    mentally prepare myself to ride up the road to the shops.
     
    Chris Cowley, Sep 26, 2006
    #39
  20. Sean Hamerton

    frag Guest

    Sean Hamerton? He'z just ziz guy, you know?

    DSTIUTA?
     
    frag, Sep 26, 2006
    #40
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