Draggins are great, I even have a pair with armor in them. The guy that gets dragged is the owner and designer of the gear. If you go to the shop in melbourne (aus) where they are based you can talk to him..i trust them for around town riding, but dont be fooled they are almost as hot as leathers..

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2000 Africa Twin
http://two-up-ona-twin.blogspot.com

Hi All, I always wear full kit what ever the weather and time of year, it's not worth the agony and grief not only from the accident or the surgery or bike damage but also from the missus etc
Live long and prosper...use all your gear!
TDMalcolm
* title...as the bishop said to the actress

Bloody ell..... she must have gone through sum grief..

that is horrrific.

Is that YOU Martyn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

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Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

I have been travelling thru Canada, USA, Central America for the last 7 months or so and have seen the full range of kit from 3 bikini clad teenage girls on one 125cc on a gravel covered road, (the thought makes me shudder) to the business suited professional weaving through the Guatemala rush hour on his scooter.
I have watched the sweat dripping out of the bottom of my Gortex Riding Trousers while doing the ton of paperwork to cross the Hondurian border and smelled the reek coming from my boots at the end of the day. Locals think I´m mad when they feel the weight of my jacket and see the little rivers the sweat has made as it runs down my face.
On the plus side I have lost 8 inches off my waist, mostly due to the mobile sweat lodge I live in.

I think it is better to sweat than bleed folks. Salutations.

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Happy Trails

Stagbeetle

It is not the Journey nor yet the Destination, that is the Prize; it is the people you meet on the way.

Blog on http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/fairless/

Now theres a sensible chap and what words of wisdom......

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Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

Sorry to be picky, but I do pay a lot of TAX, income tax, council tax, road tax, fuel tax - unleaded nudging $10 a gallon and mostly tax, value added tax, national insurance (which is a tax) and this is only a small selection, as there are many stealth taxes too.

If I do go into the NHS I get put on a waiting list. Then they decide wether it's important enough to deal with or if they can be bothered. If so then pray I don't come out with MRSA, MSSA or something I didn't first go in, without. When you are chucked out, you are given a prescription which you have to pay for, if like me it's on going because they cannot be bothered, you keep on paying. I have been told before, "You'd be better off going private!". I now buy my medication privately because it's cheaper than through the NHS.

I just want to add, the vast majority of the staff in the NHS are heros, nothing less, it's just the systems they are forced to work with.

Sorry, rant over!

This is a very good reason to wear the correct gear.

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Stu
Ride Safe & Rock HARD!
04 1200GS

I'm only wearing black until they find something darker!

SAVED PLANET ROCK!

Didn't try it myself yet, but what about an MX harnass and protectors and over that any oversized shirt when it's hot. That's what I think everytime I'm waiting at a trafficlight with the sun burning down on me in my black Gore tex trousers, goretex jacket, gloves, boots... . Should be a whole lot cooler and still give you all the protection. Or did I get that wrong? Not as quick to take off when you are where you wanne be though... .

;-)

Personally I find all the self-righteous "I always wear full kit" statements a little bit tiresome.
Here in the UK it never really gets hot enough for it to be much of an issue, but if you do any riding on the continent then you'll soon realise that wearing full bike kit around town when it's over 35C soon loses it's appeal.
If I'm just riding around town or just cruising along the coast at 30-40mph then I'm perfectly happy in jeans and a lightweight top (to stop sunburn).
I'll wear lightweight boots to protect my ankles, gloves and a helmet to protect the most vulnerable bits.
I did some riding on one of the Greek islands last summer and the temperature was upto around 45c some days. Wearing leathers or textile kit would have been rediculous - in slow stop/start traffic it would have resulted in dehydration and heat stroke.
If I'm out on the open road and going a bit quicker then I'll put my jacket on, just in case.

To put things into perspective when I was doing a lot of mountain biking in my youth I'd regularly be getting upto 40+ mph on the downhills, wearing little more than lycra shorts, a t-shirt and a lightweight helmet. Yes it stings when you come off at that sort of speed, and it can take a while to pick out all the gravel, but I can't say it ever slowed me down.

At the end of the day it's down to the individual to make the choice. Everybody's idea of what is an acceptable risk is different. Do you suffer the discomfort of wearing loads of protective gear, or do you wear something more comfortable and accept the risk that entails??

If I'm going for a ride with the intention of being a bit of a hooligan (closed roads or track day only, officer) or riding with friends and need to keep pace, I wouldn't consider not wearing full kit.

At the other end of the scale, how does wearing full kit when you're sweating like a pig, affect your concentration and would such a situation put you at more risk of crashing in the first place.

Like you say, only the individual can make that decision.

I ride in full gear all year round in Saudi Arabia so don't tell me you can't in the UK.
Yes, I am being self-righteous and I don't care if you find it tiresome, in the pleasantest way ofcourse.
I see riders over here in shorts "T" shirt and flip flops doing wheelies down the main road in heavy traffic.
I like Martyn's idea of sending a copy of that story to everyone he knows so that the uninitiated don't jump on a bike without the right gear on.
I wonder how many of the riders who don't wear any gear have actually fallen off a bike.
I have broken my wrist and both ankles and dislocated my thumb but I was riding in motocross on dirt and wearing all the gear, dirt is much softer than tarmac and you don't have as much to run into.
Being a cyclist myself I have also ridden at speed in lycra but it isn't practical to wear heavy protective clothing on a racing cycle and you are doing it for sport so you take a calculated risk.
Impact protection is a vital part of riding gear what ever you preference for leather or textile so don't skimp
Ian

I cant get that story at work but im sure its a grim reminder of not being prepared.

I try to ride and dress in a manner to suit the conditions. Yes I know you cant predict whats going to happen but the same can be said for walking down the street.

If youve ever ridden without a helmet you will now the great sense of freedom it brings, or you may feel completely at risk thats because we are all different.

A while ago in Spain before the enforced helmet laws I picked up a lovely senorita and I only had the one helmet so I let her wear it as she rode pillion I thought this only fair as she was putting her life in my hands. As I was sans helmet I rode accordingly, slowed down and took even greater care than usuall.

hi,

i always wear all the protective clothing including the reflective vest.

my question, i have a Frank Thomas summer jacket which i got from bmf p'boro. it is like a thick mosquitonet with some fabric on the elbows, ankels, sholders and has got all armors.

it really keeps you cool.. however, if you fall down will tear easly and cause may be skin-burn.

but if is really hot (>30 degree celcius) it is a good alternative for the thick black jacket.

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ozhan u.
website under construction

Sorry, but I don't think this posting has any merit on this website. First, its like preaching to the choir. This story - and your post - has more relevance on general interest motorbike sites. And actually, it won't help those that never go to motorcycle sites in the first place - its about a young lady gets on the back of a crotch-rocket with some dude too stupid to think about what they are doing.

But the main reason - we're about traveling outside our countries. Who would even think of leaving the driveway headed for weeks or months without putting on suitable gear that would keep us warm, dry, AND protected?

Geez, so we all posting replies here are using 'all the gear, all the time'. So, the only ones ain't replying here are the ones ain't wearing their gear? or ain't stating the obvious.

BTW - I rode without my gear just yesterday - the gear was at the laundry getting the rare washing - 2 months of riding around Patagonia, Ruta 40, Carretera Austral, etc., and the suit was in need of some cleaning. Living on the road, living off the bike, can't necessarily leave the bike parked just because the costume is at the cleaners.

I did wear the helmet though

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Kevin, why not a scooter? Our RTW will be done on a 650cc Suzuki Burgman and have no qualms or worries about its worthiness to do the trip. The only problem we foresaw was getting parts and tires, but that was taken care of by arranging shipments and pre-arrival orders. We ride a scooter because it is easy for the wife to mount and dismount. We took a ride to Yellowstone from Oregon last summer and did the return trip of 740 miles in 13 hours. Long lunch, breakfast and a few rest stops. It will cruise all day at 70 fully loaded and still get a bit more than 50mpg. for comfort it is all over a regular cycle.

Joe