Protective Gear

[markf]

After nearly 30 years of motorbikes I now have my first scooter. I had some bad crashes on my bike and after giving it much thought I decided to stop wearing protective gear Bingo! I never crashed again. I knew that I was reckless when I felt invincable and I felt invincable in leathers. Now I ride much more defensively.

I don't wear a cycle helmet either and have banned my kids from doing so as well.

Now I don't want to offend anybody, and I definitely don't want a sermon or a story about how this or that bit of kit saved your life once upon a time. I am just wondering what everybody considers appropriate clothing to wear while riding your scooters.

[bryno]

Hmmm, interesting topic...I wear fairly decent gloves, regular jacket and trousers, not protective stuff, and boots (Timberland kind of thing) if I go on a long run.

Helmet wise I 'usually' wear a full face.. why? well it should be because I still have the scars on my face from 20 years ago when I hit the road with it and woke up in hospital a day later (car hit me, killed my Vespa). But really it's more to do with the fact that I hate getting bugs in my face

I guess everyone feels differently, I know I drive/ride much much more defensively as well, but I still have a couple of potential 'incidents' every month..

I insist my kids and wife wear cycle helmets but dont wear one myself..

[Big Al]

Open face helmet, not so much for the look of the thing (in which case it was a bit stupid paying all that money for a Momo) but because I feel massively claustrophobic in a full-face.

Have a Tucano parka with elbow protection for wet weather/long journeys, which i'm mostly leaving at home for local London riding due to the heat right now - also a bit stupid I know.

Leather gloves at all times - i'm a professional musician and am more concerned about finger injuries than anything else!

Be keen to see what everyone elses replies are like in this thread...

[sterice (Ricey)]

In the middle of a cross over – bought a flip up full face helmet and a pair of leather mits when I got the GTS and used my old biking coat, but just bought a new open face with a small visor and a summer bike coat with the usual back and elbow protection– the wife said I look like the crazy frog : )

Had looked at getting a flying jacket but the boss said she would take the scissors to it if she ever saw me in it so decided not to – not that I am scared of her : )

[Smallframe]

fullface Roof Daytona (cos you only get one head on yer shoulders) Armored jacket with Kevlar also, as i have had experience of how quickly flesh wears off on tarmac.
Oh and by the way "Roll on the I.O.M"

[rods]

I wear an open face helmet, with a visor but have been considering a full face for a while now. That said ive not actually got round deciding yet especially as its so hot here in summer.
Jacket wise I have a parka for riding in winter (now for me) and a summer jacket for summer - even thats a bit too hot sometimes though. Leather gloves all the time though.

[nat]

Always a little wary myself so full face helmet, gloves and jacket with impact protection. I searched for over a year for a decent jacket that offered protection and looked good. I found a company in ther US called Corazzo that do a bomber jacket and what they call a "shop jacket" which looks a bit like a Harrington, both of these have impact protection. They provided a good service too, the first jacket never arrived to due getting held up in customs so the owner of the company sent out another, no questions asked.
I'm not entirely convinced as to how much good a jacket with impact protection will do in the unfortunate event of an accident but I do feel a bit safer.

[Spence]

At the end of the day you can ride as defensively as you like but you can't odds for that decrepit bint in the Nissan Micra that pulls out in front of you, or worse still the truck driver that doesn't check his blind spot before changing lanes.

What you look like and how protected you want to be can be a fine balance, but like one or two of the posts have suggested here, there are some dealers out there who appreciate that some scooterists want safety without dressing like a human cannonball.

What I can't understand is though, people riding any scooter or motorbike in shorts, T-shirts or (god help us) flip-flops. It is never, EVER hot enough for that. The very minimum I wear is jeans, a light leather jacket and leather gloves.

Oh, and this was my 1000th post by the way. Ding dang doo.

[markf]

Some interesting replies, cheers

You lot would be thrown off biker forums ;D I have a couple of leather bomber type jackets and that's the only protection I'll have along with gloves of course. Not sure about the helmet, I have 2 good quality full faced ones, but Like Big AL I find them claustrophobic, I also like to see and hear more. Don't fancy the bugs though.

Spence, we all have to make a choice and it's an awkward balance but I know (previous experience has shown me) that there is far more chance of me killing myself when feeling invinceable, all armoured up, than there is of the bint in the Micra finding me.

[graham]

I feel quite ashamed now,
I have the protective jacket and pants, but hardly wear them due to no space at work and not really rally gear either, They get used more when I am on the back of my mates bike.
Generally Jeans, Jacket of somekind, p*shpot helmet and trainers.
Days like today I came home from work in shirt sleeves, yet I know if i get hit it will hurt more.

[guppstah]

No matter how hot I will have on a minimum of:

Helmet (usually full face)
Jeans
Ripstop Army smock (black not camo)
boots or trainers
Army NI leather gloves.

and my customised hi-viz waistcoat with Vespa T5 printed on the back

Never shorts / t shirts or flip flops. I like the skin on my arms and legs not on the tarmac thank you.

[dunworking]

Most times its open face helmet, lightweight dainese bikers jacket, jeans, lightweight leather gloves and chelsea type boots. I do occasionally wear a harrington jacket and shoes.

And I try not to think about coming off because a) if I spent to much time worrying I'd probably end up leaving the scoot in the garage never to be used again and b) my wife does all that for me!

[Smallframe]

I used to wear an MA1 jacket on me scoot in the 80's but realised it had the same colouration and protective qualities as Spinach.

[Ian]

I have a Weise X blade 2 jacket and weise Air spin pants for long rides. They are both protective and good waterproof kit. I think they go well with a scoot as they are not typical Biker style and are just black in colour.

[satchmo]

I commute every day on the scoot to work, so at the very least:

Openface helmet (with visor)
My jacket (protection on elbows and shoulders) (if cold I wear a hoodie/thick jumper underneath)
Leather gloves (a must!)
Jeans
Dr. Martens boots (sometimes if dry i'll wear my trainers, but feel very vulnerable)

[morphinemitt]

Vanucci Ventus jacket with armour etc, cargo style Draggin jeans, armoured leather gloves (Held or Draggin jeans), Doc Martens, a full-face helmet with visor, and when it's cold or wet, Spada Cordura pants with armour.

[llew]

Cammo armoured bike jacket, spada or draggin jeans, docs, proper gloves, full face helmet.

[mark]

Tripple stitched reinforced gusset non stick teflon coated y fronts . Durable rubber vest with loops and rings for attachments ooops sorry wrong forum........................I will see myself out

[Devo McDuff]

I thought there was one fella dressed a bit odd when the Lyons went past me the other day