counting idiots

[mr_diver]

while at the lights today me and the mrs were chatting on the radio when a busa came from the left side set of lights roaring off like an idiot, then a GSXR at the lights coming towards me roared off, popping a wheelie just before passing me.

when the first bike went passed she said "look at that t***, oh look there's another (when the GSXR went by), that's 2 there'll be another here soon they always come in 3's!" I laughed, and said "you missed the first one then... because I was doing (cough) mph down the dual and round the corners back there."

she then smacked me in the head and said "you started them off then, now turn round, catch them up and show them what a real bike can do!"  

[Juvecu]

I was off sick since Thursday last week and only went to work again the first time today (not completely healty again.) The weather was lovely and there were loads of bikes on the roads today. As usual you have the good weather riders out and behaving like school children without considering that their skills are rusty after the winter. One particular bloke on a Shadow was filtering way too aggressively in a piece of road works on the A404 (the road works meant the lanes are quite narrow the.)

[Fatbelly]

I hope you never told her you didn't have a hope of catching them.

[mr_diver]

well I'd give it a go...  
round here they all speed off at the lights (makes em look tough ) then slow down to below the limit cos wearing sandals and shorts is a bit of a risk at about 30mph! - focus on the super-sports bike sunny sunday riders.  
but mosta the commuting blokes are dressed (like me) head to toe in textiles and armour all year round.

[Fatbelly]

Yep, I don't commute by bike but I never go out without proper gear on.

When I see a rider not properly dressed I usually take it as a sign saying "inexperienced rider - stay well clear".
I supect it's probably a bloke having a go on his mate's bike or a bike that very rarely moves. I reckon if a rider has a licence then he probably has the clothing.

[badger 1050]

had a bloke under take me yesterday on the a2 on his cbr go faster bike in and out of the traffic with his shorts and tee shirt  on no gloves nearly overtaking a van on the bend of the slip road . perhaps they have special skin that doesn't peel off as they slide down the road just seems stupid they spend how many thousands on their bikes and not a couple  of hundred quid on a pair of trousers or jacket  

badger 1050

[Juvecu]

I see them in sneakers on the motorway now, you can see that the sunny weather riders are out. Sports bikes everywhere and none too well dressed to protect. They also go faster than me (and I normally hover at ~73-76 true MPH.) I cringe a bit each time I see white sneakers pass by on a sports bike. I agree with Fatbelly, I give them plenty of room and stay out of their way. It's much easier to spot the all year riders now: dirty bikes and comfy armoured clothing   Lets hope not too many of the sunny riders find themselves in an accident situation.

ps. You loose about 1 inch of skin and bone per metre sliding done the road at 30-40 mph. This single thought scares the crap out of me

[hookie]

Bah hum bug etc. etc... When young and foolish (her indoors would say the second still applies!) I'd ride a Kawasaki 500 triple and Z1 900 in shorts, sandals and no helmet! This was pretty normal and no one thought much of it. Only ever came off once without proper gear when on the back of my brother on the way back from the pub one Sunday lunchtime after a few pints!. Nasty gravel rash to hands, arms, knees, shoulder and ruined a good pair of jeans! Very rarely ride without full gear these days and when I do I feel very vulnerable. It always worries me to see youngsters (especially the girls) on scooters and 'peds with no leg protection and gloves. The space cadets just make me chuckle and I usually stay out of their way and wait for the crash, although it is quite fun to pee them off by catching them up on bends as most of them can only ride in straight lines- something to do with early brain development, spacial awareness and coordination. When you see them parked, have a look at their tyres and you can soon see which ones are brave enough to crank their bikes over.

[rab Christie]

I have to admit to riding in jeans in the summer. But only on a shorter distance. If I'm going far I wear leathers. I did once ride all the way to Germany from Scotland with jeans on, no gloves and my jacket open, well I was on a hard tail chopper so I suppose that was the expected riding attire. I would never go out in anything other than propper boots though and now never with out gloves. I ride a cruiser mostly during the summer and do sometimes go out in a T shirt and leather waistcoat. I know it's daft but I like it. I've had my licence 32 years so it can't be inexperience, probably just stupidity  

[jonH]

when I see people with inadequate protection I always feel sorry for the people that have to peel muppets like them off the road - the riders themselves deserve everything they get  

[stangbanger]

When I see blokes out without the usual full riding gear I cringe at how bloody cold they must be !!! I always gear all my gear but change jackets if its very warm for a lighter non lined sports style item, I have worn jeans on the bike a couple of times for wee runs down to the local shop etc and my thighs get frozen within minutes ! I have no idea how those blokes could bear 60-80 mph wind on them in shorts for an afternoon!!!!! Also with me being a new rider I'm always careful about the  WHEN you crash not IF you crash rule so when my time comes I want to have all the armor and padding I can lay my hands on !!

[Fatbelly]

When I was an instructor (a very long time ago) I used to tell them, "Don't dress for sitting on the bike, dress for falling off it".

[Juvecu]

Words of wisdom there Fatbelly (as opposed to your normal 'words of a grumpy old man' ), I completely agree. You could be the safest rider in the world, but you never know when someone else is going to do something stupid that's going to spoil your day.

[theshed]

in the summer I ride with kevlar type cargos ( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mens-Black-Motorc ... 41544d8b87 )
this seems to be a nice compromise wonder what other feel about the kevlar gear?

[hookie]

I've got some Draggin' Jeans which also have kevlar in all the right places which are really great on hot summer days. Rode non stop from central France to the Suffolk coast on a very hot summer day last year in them (550 miles) and was much more comfortable than in my normal textile gear. I can't see that they'd have the same impact absorbing capability as my normal gear but probably as good at reducing gravel rash. Have to say I haven't tested this and don't plan to but the video on Youtube is very convincing!

[garya]

met Charlie Boorman yesterday at a bike safety awareness promo,
he turned up on his BMW sports bike wearing normal jeans normal jacket and canvas deck shoes

[rab Christie]

met Charlie Boorman yesterday at a bike safety awareness promo,
he turned up on his BMW sports bike wearing normal jeans normal jacket and canvas deck shoes

Good on you Charlie. In this nanny state at least he seems to remember the fun, excitement and freedom biking is all about.

[Fatbelly]

I am indeed a grumpy old fecker, aren't I?    

[rascaltrousers]

I used to ride a majesty 400 scooter (don't knock it 'tiil you've tried it   ) and commuted daily from Harrogate to Leeds on it. During the summer months a bloke on a CBR1000 fireblade used to come past me on the straight at about 75-80mph, at which point I'd tiuck in behind him until we rwached the traffic on the outskirts of Leeds than I'd leave him behind through traffic. One day he came hairing past at about the ton mark. I have to admit that it was a red rag to a bull, so I wound the scooter up to maximum speed (104mph on the speedo) and followed as close as I could. After a bout 6 miles, when we'd reached Leeds, I was 4 seconds behind and we pulled up together at a set of lights, him in his leather babygrow and assumiing the 'origami frog' position, and me in jeans, work boots, bomber jacket and open face lid. I flipped the visor, gave him a grin and said "I bet you hate this thing don't you?" He grimaced and said "Yes...I fecking do. I can't get rid of you!" The lights, changed, I wizzed off through traffic and I've never seen him again.  

I don't always ride in full kit, sometimes I'll wear jeans, but I always have a proper jacket, boots & gloves. I find a lot of full armoured kit too restrictive to movement and that irritates and distarcts me and then I feel like I odn't concentrate as well on the riding. I do have to admit to having a few speedy moments and I do filter quite 'positively' (ahem) but then I didn't buy a bike to sit in queues of traffic like some riders do. If your on a bike your rightful place is at the front!  

[Commander]

I confess to NOT worrying about other bikers and what they wear too much these days, unless I know them. Guess that makes me a grumpy git as well. I too was a bike instructor many moons ago and continually failed to follow the logic of many individuals at the time, about how their 'T' shirt was going to protect them if they fell off!! Yes...I actually had individuals telling me they wore extra thick ones to protect them! Personally, I don't feel comfortable unless I've got the armoured textiles on. But each to his own I guess.