Idiots in T-shirts and shorts.

Just back from Portugal and was around when the Faro Bike rally was taking place (nearly 21,000 bikes) and I would say the majority of riders were in T-Shirts and shorts. Even the police (both Spanish and Portuguese) were in Shirts and thin trousers.

I just wince thinking about what would happen if they came off.

BTW some fantastic bikes from all over Europe.
 
MrLOL said:
skid along the ground at 30mph with raw skin and it wont be a pretty sight.

do it with full leathers and you get up and curse that you scuffed your bike and leathers. thats the difference leathers can make.
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are synthetics as good as leathers these days?
 
Yes but they have no padding so its going to save your skin but its still going to hurt :p

I am abit paranoid now, My leathers saved my life so I think im going to sell my draggin jeans and the like as I just cant see myself ever wearing them now.
 
I'll offer a different point of view.

I will take and pass my bike test one day and ride at home, I will wear full protection when I do so.

I am currently in Thailand, a car will cost too much to rent for 6 months so the middle ground is a scooter. I am renting, I do not own/have protective gear beyond a helmet, I do not want to buy full protective gear for 6 months of riding a scooter a few KM a day.

It's a risk, it's a risk I weighed up for a month before hiring. I am WELL aware of the dangers, even at relatively low speeds.

By the same token I am well aware of the risks of walking along the side of the road, riding a bicycle and generally being anywhere near the road at all in Thailand.

It's a risk versus "reward" scenario and for 6 months, on a scooter, in the low distances I travel (save the lecture about it could only be 200metres) I am happy to ride a scooter without full protection.

Back home in circumstances I can own proper and full protective gear to ride when I eventually do I will own it and wear it.

Am I an idiot? Well, some of you may chose to make that judgement. I am a grown man capable of my own decision making, am not ignorant to the dangers and am making the best of a situation I am in.
 
But they are not skin tight like leathers should be, so they move around during impact, hence why textiles are not allowed on track.

Im not knocking Textiles they are great and I used them for a few years before going to Leathers, but ive had small offs in both and faired better in leathers, you always will come off better wearing leathers.
 
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I think that when the government decides the laws for these kind of things, the look at what will reduce the risk of a fatality, and only a helmet is going to make much of a difference in a crash.

It's strange. When I'm in Madrid, I don't bat an eyelid when I see businessmen and people in shorts riding through the busy city streets on their shooters, But when I'm here, I will shake my head at the guys in shorts riding their R1.

Maybe we are too pampered, and that's why we don't have any decent riders in motogp.:D
 
At tescos last night, a rumble of a vtwin in distance then Ducati 748 turns up, guy was wearing shorts, tshirt and sandals, no gloves lol

I must admit a part of me was thinking at least he's cool.... I was dripping with sweat in full synthetics.
 
Hmm,

It seems to be a tricky situation to be in, While winter riding your in every bit of kit you can find because of the cold, But during the summer when its 25c+ don't some of you ever think..i can get away with a jean and a vest/tshirt under a small jacket?
 
Got past today by lots of bikers, but the one that took the buscuit was the guy in tshirt and shorts wearing flipflops no helmet, and past us doing over 70 mph on the freeway.

Braver man than me.
 
get lots of Harley riders round here, theres a dealership just up the road and they have lots of events on. saw quite a few guys on sporty bikes in full leathers and helms though yesterday and it was in the high 80's. Then you'll have the guys in tshirts and shorts pull up next to them.

some of the bikes sound like spitfires going past though :)
 
I must admit when in Cyprus I do tend to just wear shorts and t-shirt (plus helmet) but I'm fully aware of the risks. Furthermore, I don't ride a big powerful bike out there, it's always been a small engined run around. Not that it makes any difference - but just explaining the facts.

However with a big bike, even if popping to shops, I will at least wear my jacket, and always wear gloves, but sometimes not bothered with the leather trousers and go out in jeans...

It's my call ultimately.

However, I would never go for a long ride or even a short one with shorts and t-shirt. It does feel nice and it's really relaxing, but, it's just not worth the risk. Not saying that what I do in Cyprus is acceptable, but I must say it is very nice to do.
 
Mate was in some typical spanish resort when he saw a girl deck a moped in a bikini and slide down the road, he said the screaming was the worst sound he ever heard when she stopped, it still makes him shudder, she was ruined

A thread on another forum linked a US girl who was pillion and come off in just jeans and a jacket, the jacket rode up over her breasts and she lost 1/2 one breast and had to have grafts from hip to armpit.

None were impact crashes just slides :(
 
maccapacca said:
Mate was in some typical spanish resort when he saw a girl deck a moped in a bikini and slide down the road, he said the screaming was the worst sound he ever heard when she stopped, it still makes him shudder, she was ruined

A thread on another forum linked a US girl who was pillion and come off in just jeans and a jacket, the jacket rode up over her breasts and she lost 1/2 one breast and had to have grafts from hip to armpit.

None were impact crashes just slides :(
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I've seen the US vid. She fell off the back because the idiot pulled a wheelie.
 
Sagalout said:
Its all about attitude to risk. If you dont crash (and you probably wont) then no harm done. Lots of car drivers think we are mad for riding 'deathtraps' anyway, you're just applying the same logic further up the danger scale.
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Indeed. The additional risk of going from a car to bike (even will full protection) is much greater than wearing protection or not on the bike.
 
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