Bikes - Leathers compulsory?

[leaskovski]

Just talking to the guy who sits opposite me at work, who owns a bike. Me, i don't so it would effect me at all, but after driving home last night and seeing some complete tool riding their bike at over 80mph on the M25 wearing just shorts and a t-shirt... well, if he came off, he would have no chance!

Do you think leathers should be made compulsory over a certain cc sized bike?

 

[Confused]

Do you think leathers should be made compulsory over a certain cc sized bike?

I've never ridden a bike before, but have seen/heard many stories about people with/without leathers, I would say that it should be compulsory for everyone who rides any bikes, no matter what engine size.

 

[Rilot]

No, because there would have to be a set of criteria that leathers must conform to which would make a lot of older leathers illegal to use if they hadn't been tested to the new standards. Also, it's debateable what protection is needed for what circumstances. If I'm riding round town at sub 30mph speeds then a leather jacket and sturdy jeans + boots is enough IMO. When riding on the motorway then nothing short of full leathers with kevlar body armour will do.

If the idiots want to die then let them.

 

[Gilly]

I've seen someone lose 2 fingers from riding a mountain bike and not having any protection on their hands.

Some form of protective clothing (leathers aren't a must, there are other forms) should be compulsory IMO.

 

[Morba]

leathers on a moped rider?

 

[Rilot]

Just to add that the police will pull a rider over if they are riding in shorts + t-shirt and give them a good talking to.

 

[Von Luck]

It's just natural selection - helps rid the gene pool of 'tards.

Tbh coming off at 80 on the motorway, you're likely to need more than leathers to keep you in one bit! Especially on those ones with the cable-style central barriers *winces*.

They're a godsend for low-speed spills though - I'd had a couple of sub-30mph slides on tarmac and would hate to think of the damage that would have caused to my lily-white skin Luckily both times I just got scuffed leathers (arse + elbows) and walked away.

 

[Bar]

As with all things of this nature let Darwin take care of the thick ones.

 

[Pug]

nope.

Some other fabrics are as good (if not better than cheap leathers) in accidents. Some are designed to melt with road friction, and allow the rider to slide down the road as opposed to "dig in" and others have a stronger structure, and dont rip/tear so easily.

As to whether "somethng" should be made compuslory to wear? nah, i dont think it should. Helmets save lives, leathers stop scarring, road rash and prevent bones being broken (with armour). The people you see in shorts would be terribly wounded/scarred if they came off but it PROBABLY wouldnt make a nonfatal accident fatal (assuming they got prompt 1st aid).

As for myself, never go out without leather (armoured) jacket, gloves and helmet. If i'm doing more than say 2 mile, or not riding in the town/city (ie go slower in towns/city) then i'd at LEAST put jeans on.

More than trousers, i'm amazed at the number of riders i see without gloves.

Fall over, and see what the first thing you put out to stop you is...

 

[Trixter]

No.

I ride a 125 scooter i look enough of a prat without leathers on a scooter.

This is my first summer riding and i constantly get people asking why i ride with a big thick coat on in this weather, everybody says the same things 'id be wearing tshirt and shorts', does anybody else get this ?

I dont know if this link is allowed so mods please remove and dont ban me if its unsuitable, do not click if you have a weak stomach, contains some gory pictures, purely to make people wake up.

LINK REMOVED. Sorry, there's too many pics of dead people on there. I agree with your sentiments but there are better ways of getting the point across - Rilot

 

[Gilly]

Just to add that the police will pull a rider over if they are riding in shorts + t-shirt and give them a good talking to.

I'm not surprised. They're the poor buggers that would be called to help peel them off the road :/

 

[L Plate]

nope.

As to whether "somethng" should be made compuslory to wear? nah, i dont think it should. Helmets save lives, leathers stop scarring, road rash and prevent bones being broken (with armour). The people you see in shorts would be terribly wounded/scarred if they came off but it PROBABLY wouldnt make a nonfatal accident fatal (assuming they got prompt 1st aid).

At anything below 40 mph that might be so, but anything above that on a normal road and you are looking at a probability of a fatality in short etc, quite simply because if you hit tarmac at that speed the likely chances of being "de-socked" are extremely high, skin will only take so much friction before it decides to come away completely.

(and this is specifically what protective clothing is for, to stop the skin being taken completely off, its only armour that helps soften the impact)

If you think of a bomb/fragmentation vest, its not there to stop you getting killed in a blast, its there to minimise the chances somewhat but more importantly keep the body (internal organs) in one piece.

De-socking is a particularly nasty case but all too common for bikers who dont cover up well enough

 

[Beepcake]

I think they should be force to have a metal 'box' round them for safety.. and an extra couple of wheels for stability.

 

[Oakesy2001uk]

My minimum is leather jacket/textile armored jacket armoured gloves and jeans my Alpinestars SMX boots and obviously a helmet.
However most of the time its my lovely new berik leathers all the way!

 

[Jay]

No.

I ride a 125 scooter i look enough of a prat without leathers on a scooter.

This is my first summer riding and i constantly get people asking why i ride with a big thick coat on in this weather, everybody says the same things 'id be wearing tshirt and shorts', does anybody else get this ?

I dont know if this link is allowed so mods please remove and dont ban me if its unsuitable, do not click if you have a weak stomach, contains some gory pictures, purely to make people wake up.
LINK REMOVED

Jesus, some nasty pictures on that link. Good website tho, should be shown to people after they pass their CBT.

 

[Glaucus]

eww that last picture, theres nothing left of him.. Truley disgusting pictures..

 

[Bri]

eww that last picture, theres nothing left of him.. Truley disgusting pictures..

Yep, he had full leathers, boots, gloves & a helmet. Looks like he had no chance at all

 

[valerian]

ive had most bikes worth having imo, current gsx1400 k5
its up to the individual if they wear them, i do mostly, this weather makes it too hot though.
personal choice is a good thing in all things (within reason obviously)

 

[Dup]

It takes about 3 seconds to get from skin to bone at 30mph for anyone thinking about riding without leathers.

Fair enough, a thick pair of jeans and boots plus a bike jacket is acceptable if you're just riding to the shop for 10 mins and not off on a country road hoon. But I cringe when I see a lot of scantily clothed bikers, mainly becasue they're never beautiful women

 

[Bug One]

I'm doing a direct access at the moment on a 500cc bike and dont wear leathers. Not in this weather.

I have a lightweight textile jacket with full kevlar armour, boots, gloves, helmet and jeans though.

My next buy will be some armoured trousers. Can't imagine much more than round town without them.