Have to go with Quastidog on this one. Every new ezine Grant puts out has dozens of photos of long distance riders. I have not seen one (or at least I don't remember seeing one) of any of those riders wearing jeans, T-shirt, or anything less than full protective gear. The only point made here is that you can be killed or injured near home as quickly as you can in Botswana. It only takes one mistake, either on your part of another driver/rider to put down on the asphalt. The long distance riders have enough experience to know that, and to take all the precautions. The "ride around town" set either doesn't have the experience, or doesn't want to damage the image of Mr. / Ms. Cool. It is somewhat pointless to bring this up for examination on a forum dedicated to long distant riding. We all know and rude with this knowledge of protective clothing.

I'm afraid I that I can't agree with Quastdog or Hindu , the more info brought up on this subject the better IMHO .
Not everyone reading this site is a seasoned traveller ,there must be many people who happen upon it by accident and they may have no concept of world motorcycle travel.
Any bit of info or advice they can get will be worthwile to them.

If we ,as world travellers or just long distance travellers, knew everything that needed to be known , then we would all be wearing identical clothes and riding identical bikes .

But we don't and we're not !

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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

Really, what is your problem?

I would have thought that this post concerns ALL of us!

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

Hindu 1936,
I had a Burgman 650 before I got my V-Strom, great scooter and very quick, I planned to ride it home to the UK from Saudi then the local dealer got some V-Stroms.
I think you need to push the safety message whenever and wherever you can because some experienced riders also take chances and you can't calculate for a car knocking you off your bike.
This story might just prompt an experienced rider to give a new rider some needed advice.
Cheers
Ian

My problem?

I somewhat resent the implication that we're all stupid and need such reminders. This post title was "PLEASE wear the right gear, everyone should read this." Sorry, but most of us don't need to waste our time reading this tabloid fodder to know that we should be wearing our gear.

I think we forget what the purpose of the HU website is, and post too much non-relevant stuff here.

If the author had posted this same message to a dozen or more general purpose motorcycle sites in order to conduct his missionary work, then finally got around to posting it here, well, I might give him some slack. (well, not really - hate it when them evangelicals/mormons/Jehovah's witless are ringing my doorbell, but that's another story).

We're the wrong target audience - just look at the replies ("I always wear mine....even in the desert...blah, blah, blah). And yes, show me some pictures of the real riders on this site wearing t-shirts and shorts in the middle of some nasty piece of country.

Hell, I've got to wear all my gear - can't fit it on the bike any place unless I'm wearing it.

Instead of a piece about some girl getting blown off the back of some crotch-rocket going too fast, a more relevant posting would be about some overland traveler loosing skin in a fall in Morroco. Ain't seen none like that - probably for a good reason!

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

Quastdog,

If you feel that you're personally above spreading the safety message to inexperienced riders (those with less than 7 years riding experience) who also use this excellent forum then why don't you simply ignore this thread and go elsewhere. This thread was never aimed at "hard bitten" veteran rough road dogs like you with 7 years motorcycling experience anyway...

But what do I know, Iv'e only been riding for 30 years and I'm STILL learning ...

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

[quote=quastdog;171308]My problem?

"I somewhat resent the implication that we're all stupid and need such reminders. This post title was "PLEASE wear the right gear, everyone should read this." Sorry, but most of us don't need to waste our time reading this tabloid fodder to know that we should be wearing our gear."

Mate, there was no "implication" nor demand to suck eggs over this post. As you say the vast majority of the people involved on the Hubb are a bit more "clued" than the average rider,
HOWEVER, not everyone here is experienced by decades of 2-wheelin'. To read a few posts around here it wouldn't be that hard to find someone who for whatver reason discovered the joys of a bike a bit later in life ( there's plenty of young'uns around too!) So it's quite topical to mention it here (IMO).
And no matter how long you've been riding, it's good sometimes to be reminded of the risk , and not become blasé or nonchalant with such things. Even if it makes you think twice just before you swing a leg over with just a helmet to "just shoot down to the shops". Or simply give a few of the guys and girls something to show some non-Hubber's/family/friends of the risks they are taking by not wearing PPE

So Chuck please don't take it as a demand nor an insult to your experience or freedom. Meerly a topical reminder

a wee point; at 843 views and some 3 pages in only a week......that would suggest it is in fact one of the most popular theads on here and a lot of the posts have been in praise of this........

And at any rate it's good to throw a bit of discussion out there. A few guys have made comments about hot weather etc and fair enough. As long as it's a calculated/educated risk (in town / slow traffic rather than the Autobarn going 90mph maybe!) Everyone has a choice what they wear but it's not a problem to be reminded of the risks once and a while.

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'99 R1100GS - In a suitable shade of black

It's not that life is so short, It's just that we're dead for so long....
"The world is a book, those who do not travel read only one page." ~ Saint Augustin

I did my bike test 6 1/2 years ago. In this time I've averaged 10,000 miles a year and been across Europe 6 times. I've been as far east as Croatia and Bosnia, and down to as far as southern Morocco (mostly on dirt roads).
By your twisted logic that makes me an inexperience rider in your eyes.
I feel I've got enough common sense and experience to be able to choose the correct clothing for the occasion - if I feel comfortable wearing jeans then that's what I'll wear.

A more appropriate target for your preaching would be the 16 and 17 year olds riding around on 50's and 125's - the sort who go out in all weathers in trainers, tracksuit and no gloves.

I'm not above spreading the safety message to inexperienced riders - just that, there aren't too many of them here. Like I said, there's other places the message should be posted to first; this is more like the last place it should come to. But again, a more relevant example would be more appropriate to these pages - this example is extreme at the least.

You want to reach inexperienced guys? How about all the reports of crashing on these pages. Noticed anything about them? Seems to me, most are happening to guys in their 20's and early 30's. What's up with that? The exuberance of youth? Undeveloped lack of sense of mortality? Few complaints or reports though, that they lacked the proper safety gear.

Maybe we ought to address that instead of flogging the Riding Gear horse, again!

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

I give it my best shot - everyday!

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quastdog
Chiang Mai, Thailand

This is just one of the many posts that show that we, the " human being" is out of course!!!!!
Motorbike riders are becoming the same trash as the rest!
Obviously there is nothing to do against it".
TURDS.
Dan

Does no harm to raise awareness and give people the occasional reality check, even those who have been riding for years.

I believe Greece was mentioned. Being too hot isn't really an excuse you can use in the UK.

I'll own up now that I rode to work in jeans and trainers today. My excuse? I couldn't be arsed to get changed out of my leather trousers and boots at work. I've been reading this thread so I did feel guilty about it, even before I got on the bike. People need reminding of their own mortality once in while, even if it doesn't really appear that they're heeding the advice.

I don't see why there is an objection to more general motorcycling topics here. The fact that it has provoked mostly intelligent discussion is surely a good thing, which is a lot more than you can say about some forums.

Hi Dan,
If ever you want lessons in proper written English and grammar - Don't drop me a line...
You sound a happy & delightful chap...

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

Yep it is just plain silly to ride without gear! I started riding at 9 and have nver rode a bike without boots or gloves. They should make it law just like helmets and then we wouldn't have so many people hurt on bikes.

Cheers
Guys

All's forgiven....

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