New leathers.

Because "they know best", just like a load of the self-righteous cunts
around here.

 

It seems a little inconsistent to me. They don't check the bikes so I
could be out there taking real risks with an ill-maintained bike but I'll
be OK because I'll crash wearing cheap zip together leathers.

 

Bear says...

It's not self righteousness, it's common fucking sense.

I see it from another point of view.

If someone was to bin in at speed, the chances of textiles holding
together on the abrasive tarmac used on tracks are slim. That means a
high possibility of more serious injuries, which in turn means the
ambulance has to go out, that session is cut short and it possibly
delays the next session. You can imagine the frustration of people who
want to get their money's worth sitting there waiting for the ambulance
and med crew to deal with some dickhead, who insisted on wearing a pair
of flimsy waterproofs instead of decent safety kit. In the interests of
keeping everyone happy I'd say making everyone wear leathers is a good
thing. If the textile wearers want to go round tracks in what they want
to wear, then there's always the M25 for them to play on.

You fall off in leathers and there's a good chance you'll walk away
unscathed, you fall off in textile and there's a good chance you'll
waste everyone's time looking after you. You could say the trackday
organisers don't cater for the selfish.

 

You were required to go and buy MJK leathers to do a trackday?

Personally, I'd have told the organisers to **** off - sure, they might
asl you wear some form of protection, but specifying which brand etc,
that's a bit harsh - I mean, if you wanted to wear £150 quids worth of
el nasty leathers, why shouldn't you?



--
Dnc

B1200 - +30bhp ~|~ ZZR1100 - faster when upright
V2300 - flat cap and rug ~|~ VS800 - borked

MIB#26 two#54(soiled) UKRMMA#26 BOTAFOT#153 X-FOT#003

 

Doesnotcompute says...

He wasn't forced to, he chose to. Ben could have spent 200 quid on
leathers if he'd wanted.

 

I know this.

Indeed. And then chose to tell us about it too.

Well quite, so, given he obvio0usly doesn't like leathers, doesn't
regard them as necessary, why spend, what? minimum 500 quid? to do a
hundred and fifty quids worth of track day?

Doesn't make sense to me.


--
Dnc

B1200 - +30bhp ~|~ ZZR1100 - faster when upright
V2300 - flat cap and rug ~|~ VS800 - borked

MIB#26 two#54(soiled) UKRMMA#26 BOTAFOT#153 X-FOT#003

 

Yet, there are no checks on machines which could bring down other riders.

It seems to be inconsistent and less about not catering for the selfish
than either making a token gesture towards rider safety - and if there
are no minimum standards it's nothing more than token - or reducing their
exposure to liability.

 

sweller says...

Well, if you don't like the way they conduct their business, either
refrain from giving them your custom, or start your own firm. Simple
really.

 

No, but I'm... <cough> an odd shape (short and fat) so I thought it
would be best to get MTM. And I hoped that maybe well-fitting gear
would mean I would wear it for things other than trackdays.

But then I found that leathers are not very practical, so I don't wear
them much.

I appreciate your concern and all.

 

Is this the point I say "there's nothing as zealous as a recent convert"?

Anyway, I still feel the "it's because they care" argument doesn't wash
but they all insist on it; so be it.

One of the main reasons I haven't done a trackday is quite simply I
haven't got around to getting the gear required. TBH, that's not going
to happen for a while.

 

It's storage space AND the fact that when you get to wherever you're
going (unless it's some kind of bike-related event, but thinking about
it, even then...) wearing leathers is not any fun, and makes you look
like a wanker.

Say, for example, I go to see my parents for lunch at their house on a
Sunday. It's a nice day, so I take the bike. But I want to wear
leathers. What am I going to do, take a rucksack and take a pair of
trainers, a pair of jeans and a fleece (we often go for a walk along
the sea-wall after lunch)? No, I go wearing jeans, and Timberlands
and I'll throw on my HG fabric coat - which has enough pockets that I
can cram in that CD that I bought my Dad and the book that I borrowed
from my Mum, my phone, wallet, house keys, chapstick, cigarettes,
lighter, sunglasses, and cuddly toy.

Same deal if I go to meet some friends to go bowling.

Or if I want to go to the cinema.

Ronnie Scotts.

The list is endless.

Leathers aren't practical.

 

In my view they're not that good for just doing 'stuff' in like walking
around, theatres, cinemas, shops and the like.

I know this is perilously close to upside-downey-headism but if a person
uses a bike for transport and not just for Sunday ride outs then they
quickly find leathers, full or otherwise, are a bit of a PITA.

To be perfectly frank a bum bag isn't for me either. I mean, ewwww.

 

I'm far from an upside-down head, and even *I* know that leathers are
a PITA.

I think that it's the self-consciously anti-power-ranger folks around
here (you know, the ones who go on all the time about how everything
has to be black) who just clearly want to be identified by the general
public as a "biker". It's just like socially-immature teenagers who
dress like Marilyn Manson. They don't do it to be different - they
look like all their fucking friends, for goodness sake - they do it
because they want strangers to know that that's what they are.

Personally, I value comfort and practicality over portraying an image
for other people.

Bum-bags are for total cunts. Clearly.

 

I feel your reasoning may be a bit back-to-front on this point ;-))

 

1. That's factually incorrect.
2. Don't patronise me.

 

I think you're all weird. I wear whatever is the most appropriate,
comfortable and protective depending on the situation/projected situation.
Leathers in pissing down rain on a long journey= no. Big rainproof jackets
and overtrousers at the track= no. That's why there's lots of choice isn't
it?

 

I've been working with septics.

 

This is all quite correct. The protocol used at race meetings, where
both bikes and riders gear is scrutineered, is at least consistent.

Apparently scrut'ing at track days stopped after the lawyers advised
the organisers that if the checked a bike and then it failed, the
rider could sue. Ye gods.

 

Keep an eye out for black helicopters, won't you.

 

I was reminded on my ride in this morning of just how comfortable my
new leathers are and how much more relaxed they make me on the bike.
Compared with _anything_ else, including at least three other pairs of
leather trousers and numerous jackets I've had over the years they're
streets ahead.

I, like others, am no quite sure what it is you find so much a PITA
about them - are you specifically referring to one-piece jobbies? In
which case I tend more to agree, but there's a simple solution to
that...

If they're not comfortable when riding your bike then there's
something wrong. Especially in a MTM set, riding comfort is probably
the main reason for getting them. Maybe you've just never used them
enough to break them in properly.

There's probably a (small) element of truth there.

Likewise, and I can't think of anything I'd rather be wearing on a
bike than my leathers.

Tank bag. Only way to go.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2
`\|/`
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