So where do you draw the line between wearing too much gear and getting heat stroke and too little gear and getting hurt? What do you wear that protects and still keeps you cool? Typically, I don't wear much more gear than a full face helment, sturdy hiking boots, jeans, and a short sleeve T-shirt in the summer when riding on the street. Even with the lack of gear you still get hot in the summer with the heat and humidity. I tend to tolerate being fully covered from the waste down but my upper body needs air. Typically, I ride in the country on non-busy roads for maybe an hour after work or on the weekends. I also don't push it and I pay attention. I would probably ride faster if I had more gear but I don't ride slow by any means but I do have chicken strips on my tires. I definately don't push it in the curves. I have not had an accident on the road since I was in my early 20's when I dumped my CB125 in the school parking lot. I brusied my knee and got a little road rash elbow. I have thought about riding to work but it is more of a pain in the ass than it is worth. My round trip would be about 70 miles in rush hour traffic so it is not something I care to do because the odds are that I am going to get in a bad accident no matter what I am driving. I would definately have to gear up to do this which means not in the summer and when it is cooler I would be going to work in the dark which means accident probability goes way up. Then you have to deal with taking off all your gear when you get to work and putting it all back on when you leave. Then what if you want to go out to lunch? Now off road I wear some ballistic nylon pants, knee pads, and riding boots. I don't wear much in the way of gear on top other than a long sleeve jersey. Even this gear is a major pain then the ass to deal with. I have a chest protector but it is like being in a body cast and I can't move my shoulders at all so I can't control my bike so I don't wear it. The boots are probably the most useful item in the dirt and for me the biggest pain in the ass to deal with. They are stiff hard to get on and then those cheap ass plastic buckles always break and then the straps are not long enough etc. etc. The bottom line dispite all the bitching is I need more protection than I have now. So is there a jacket out there that is not real hot? I could probably wear my Nylon pants I wear for dirt biking on the road. How many folks actually ride with full gear in the summer? Perry
On the hottest days I wear jeans over EVS hard shell knee and shin guards (less than $25). I know I'm giving up road rash protection but the IMPACT damage is what I'm trying to prevent. Had full leather on during a slow speed get off some years back but no knee pads. Three knee surgeries and a skin graft later I've learned my lesson. On top, helmet of course, mesh gloves and armored full mesh jacket over a T-shirt. On the VERY hottest days I wear a Techniche evaporative vest over a T-shirt and under my full mesh armored jacket. Always touring boots too.
What ikonoklass said. I wear it every time I ride on the hottest days in South Florida. For longer rides, I wet the wicking shirt and it helps a lot. Danny
ATGATT for me. Mesh jacket, mesh pants, and mesh gloves. Helmet is a modular with internal visor, and I flip it up while sitting at a light.
Well, up into the lower 90s I don't find my old Cortech vented jacket too bad at all as long as I am moving. It is cut pretty loose (probably too loose for safety) so I get plenty of wind moving through it. People disagree, but I think a white helmet makes a difference. I wear some tactical boots that provide some protection and stay reasonably cool. I usually wear Carhartts with knee/shin guards underneath, or some partial mesh pants, which are generally cooler except for my butt, which is more comfortable in the Carhartts. Always wear my elkskin gloves that are short enough so air can get up my sleeves. Frankly, I think if your jacket is well vented it is fine as long as you are moving. But, heat generally doesn't bother me.
Been riding with my 1 piece olympia. Setting the vents correctly is key, open all the way does not help with airflow. i also pay attention to traffic, and modify my route as necessary to keep moving. May take me a few more min, but i have a 9 mile commute, not all that long. that said, its hot as balls out, and my office AC is on the fritz. Work from home would be great, but my boss seems to think that means party time and slacking.
Fuck it. The Er's air conditioned. Just got off the bike, 106F out. Lightweight camping pants, ankle boot, white t-shirt, 3/4 helmet, deerskin gloves. Had a great ride and was very comfortable. I know the risks.
I wear a mesh jacket and pants along with riding boots and flip up helmet. It's actually cooler with my skin covered from the sun when I'm moving then short sleeves. At a traffic light it sucks, but it would be bad with a shirt only too. I commute too and where the same gear. I'm jeans and a polo shirt most days so I have a set of tennis shoes at the office and just haul some jeans in with me. At lunch I either gear up or leave the jeans on and grab the boots, jacket and helmet. Just depends on where I'm headed.
I subscribe to the " too hot for gear, too hot to ride" line. this kinda heat( currently 102°F in NJ), I just take the truck with AC. I have been riding for almost 20 years now and have had four accidents. Each time, if I was not wearing gear, the damage to me would have/could have been much worse. When riding in heat, I also subscribe to, " better to sweat than bleed(roadrash)" line. To each is own..I like my gear, but never force gear on others..except my wife.
Better to sweat than bleed, of course, but I nearly blacked out in the heat today, purple spots and the whole bit. Couldn't move for hours afterwards. I had on MX boots, non-mesh pants, mesh gloves and jacket, and a full-face helmet. No water pack though - that is the key. I've survived with worse clothing on but with Gatorade in the water bladder.
I'm with you. I can either ride comfortably or not ride. S Tex is too friggin hot to dress up sometimes. Mind you I like the idea of ATGATT, even though I hate the ATGATT religion and it's missionaries. Got a shorty helmet last year for extra hot days. I wear Duluth Fire-hose jeans, boots - occasionally knee/shin guards under the pants. If it is too hot, my mesh jacket stays home and I wear a t-shirt, maybe a leather vest. I also have elbow guards and if it isn't too damn hot I will wear them under a long sleeve t-shirt. I respect those who make the choices adults are allowed to make. NOT wearing gear is one of them.
Took the car today. Air temperature at work (Norfolk, VA) was 108F. Heat index was something like 122F. Surface temp of parking lot was 130F. I love to ride, but just not today....
(Emphasis added) Although I may not agree with where Mr. Magoo weighs in on the comfort/safety ratio - I absolutely agree with him and won't fault him or anybody else that makes a reasonable informed decision based upon how they weigh the risks. The decision to ride a motorcycle at all is typically a decision based upon risk. The decision to wear lesser protective mesh summer gear over your 3 season gear is based upon risk and comfort. The decision to wear a T shirt, or just a helmet, is the same thing - based upon risk and comfort. We are all going to vary where we strike that balance and it doesn't make anybody right or wrong - just different. As long as your comfortable with handling the consequences of that decision, everybody else should butt the **** out. Now you'll have to excuse me, I'm going to go riding but I need to first put my Leatt Penis Brace and Motoport Kevlar sack cradle on.
I think the point some are making is that they are actually safer riding with less gear on because the extreme heat will cause them to be distracted up to near delirious. ATGATT is not better than driving with a clear head. Having had heat exhaustion before (on a boat of all places) I will say that it is rather insidious and creeps up on you. One minute you're feeling too hot and toughing it out, the next moment you're confused and feeling very sick. However, my own experience is that unless you are in slow traffic or stop and go, a well-ventilated jacket and pants, plus some not-so-hot boots, can be fine in pretty hot temps. Also, keep hydrated!
Oh yeah, I got all this road rash and broken face because it is hot. Works for some. Seriously, I wear jeans and mesh, always a helmet, boots, gloves. Staying hydrated is critical, every stop I wash my face with water or towlette, trying to stop every 75-100 miles or so. Gatorade has a good scientific base so I use that and water. It's a gut call we all have to make, can't fault anyone for deciding for themselves. Ride safely whatever you do.
Been working on this for some time now...trying to find the right balance between common sense + my own views of ATGATT - not preaching here, just sayin'. Today, it is 33degs C + ...and I too subscribe to the 'too hot to ride' theory; again, common sense (for me) must be the order of the day. That said, here's my latest collection that works for me: Sidi Crossfires Klim Dakar pants BMW Airmesh Jacket with NP Air protectors Wicking undeshirt Shoei X-eleven Acerbis gloves Buff I've tride the rooster suit and vented leather jacket route - and when the weather cools down a bit, the jacket comes back into its own, but in this heat, I am good with what I listed.
