Motorised mayhem

[The Blue Streak]

I don't think I've ever cleaned my Jacket !! I've had the same one for 30 years and my brother had it 15 before that !!

 

I can remember the cause for every scratch, scrape and bit of damage on it and it's getting pretty well worn nowadays.

 

I do have a fancy new one, but it's just not the same and feels odd so I rarely use it.

 

The old Jacket in Question, back when it (and I for that matter) was in better nick.

Edited June 20, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[Guest]

Ted Kwaka GPZ.jpg

The old Jacket in Question, back when it (and I for that matter) was in better nick.

 

That is a fine looking  bike. Pretty much the only machine that would tempt me back onto two wheels would be a late model GPZ900R if I could find one from 2001/2002 in good nick. Quite fancy a green one.

[laurenceb]

Leaving the A38 n/bound at the Mickleover turn off on Saturday we were overtaken by a bike whose rider was clad in shorts  a thin short sleeved shirt and a bone dome. At least if anything went wrong he was handy for the hospital.

Edited June 20, 2017 by laurenceb

[Horsetan]

Leaving the A38 n/bound at the Mickleover turn off on Saturday we were overtaken by a bike whose rider was clad in shorts  a thin short sleeved shirt and a bone dome. At least if anything went wrong he was handy for the hospital.

...if only as an organ donor?

[New Haven Neil]

One thing I haven't quite understood is why motorcycle clothing is invariably black. On a hot day like today, that sounds like asking for trouble. Or possibly a form of ###### that riders inflict on themselves 

 

If it wasn't black, it soon would be....bug splats, motorway gunge, rain, etc etc.  I always have bright coloured helmets to compensate.

[PatB]

I don't think I've ever cleaned my Jacket !! I've had the same one for 30 years and my brother had it 15 before that !!

 

I can remember the cause for every scratch, scrape and bit of damage on it and it's getting pretty well worn nowadays.

 

I do have a fancy new one, but it's just not the same and feels odd so I rarely use it.

 

Ted Kwaka GPZ.jpg

The old Jacket in Question, back when it (and I for that matter) was in better nick.

 

My textiles go through the washing machine (with the armour out) maybe once a year. I still have my old, fringed, Lewis Leathers knock off in which I began my riding career 30 years ago, although it shrank a few years ago as a result of the beer, pie juice and dribbles from bacon butties that were spilled on it over the years, so I can't get into it any more. It too has seen the inside of the washing machine a couple of times (burn the heretic ) when no amount of patchouli could disguise the smell. Given that cows don't dissolve in the rain I figured it would be OK and I was right, after a good, post-wash, application of Nikwax.

 

On the subject of protective clothing, whilst I prefer to stay covered up, I don't much care what other consenting adults choose to do. It's not my skin and my taxes go to treat others through the health service of whom I disapprove far more. Anyhow, what is considered an adequate level of protection has changed over the years. When I started riding in the mid-1980s, proper gear consisted of a helmet (obviously), unarmoured leather gloves, an unarmoured jacket (leather or waxed cotton to choice and budget), decent, heavy denim jeans and a pair of boots of some description, whether proper bike boots, some of which were pretty flimsy, ex-German paraboots (cheap and hardwearing) or, for the wealthy or lucky, a pair of Ashman motocrossers. In the interests of research I actually tested this get-up in August 1987 by flinging myself from a Suzuki GSX400T at 70mph in the centre lane of the M5 and it stood up  quite well.

 

These days I'm quite regularly flamed on a motorcycle forum I visit for suggesting that it may not be entirely necessary or practical to wear every single new item of brand-name protective gear when popping down to the shops and that riders should make an informed judgement, based on experience, skill level, weather, road and traffic conditions, and anything else which might be relevant, as to what level of protective clothing is appropriate for a given trip. My own minimum is pretty much what I started out with, but then I regard my bike as a practical means of transport rather than a prop for an expensive game of dress-ups.

[The Blue Streak]

Couldn't agree more Pat.

 

Although I don't always wear my flash new Jacket (preferring the old brando) , nowadays I always wear quality armoured gloves (even just for popping down the shops). Lesson was learned when the back of my bike was clipped by a car in Huntingdale years ago and the cheaper leather gloves disintegrated as I went down the road hands first, shredding my palms fingers and knuckles

 

I am amazed however at the amount of "Gentlemen" with the latest and fastest sportsbikes who ride around dressed from head to toe in the latest and greatest gear with all the bells and whistles, while their girlfriends and / or wife perches on the back of the tiny pillion seat, wearing cheap helmets, light weight jackets and sneakers.

I see them all the time in town when they come up from Perth !

Edited June 22, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[PatB]

Couldn't agree more Pat.

 

Although I don't always wear my flash new Jacket (preferring the old brando) , nowadays I always wear quality armoured gloves (even just for popping down the shops). Lesson was learned when the back of my bike was clipped by a car in Huntingdale years ago and the cheaper leather gloves disintegrated as I went down the road hands first, shredding my palms fingers and knuckles

 

I am amazed however at the amount of "Gentlemen" with the latest and fastest sportsbikes who ride around dressed from head to toe in the latest and greatest gear with all the bells and whistles, while their girlfriends and / or wife perches on the back of the tiny pillion seat, wearing cheap helmets, light weight jackets and sneakers.

I see them all the time in town when they come up from Perth !

 

I was a lot more amused when I encountered one such gentleman at a Racecraft course at Wanneroo. Having looked down his nose at my battlescarred K100RS and Ebay leathers in the paddock he was most disgruntled when I proceeded to lap him twice during each 10-15 minute session on the track .

 

On the original subject, though, I do like modern armour. When the Blue Whale (my R1100RT) was shunted out from under me one night I hit the deck hard on my right elbow. Subsequently, bruising came up in a perfect silhouette of the elbow armour in my jacket, showing that the foamy stuff had done its job of spreading the impact energy over the maximum area. I was impressed. I was rather less impressed with the branded kevlar strides I was wearing, whose side seam burst immediately on contact with the road .