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Armor...

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Annie_Oakley
Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
in Social Groups
What's your take on it?

Personally, I will never ride without it.
I know that my armored jacked and helmet saved my life in August.
I was fully geared - on my way to work.
Helmet, gloves, mesh jacket, blue jeans and steel toed boots.
Absolutely totaled the bike-bent the forks and the fairings were trashed, among other things.
My helmet was obliterated...husband said it looks like I had hit the fence (we live in the boonies) - cattle everywhere.

Replies

  • tabngillysmom
    tabngillysmom Posts: 24 Member
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    I am with you! My entire family (hubby, oldest daughter and even the 10 year old!) rides in FULL gear everytime we get on the bike. Fullfaced helmets, summer or winter jackets with spine and elbow protectors, at the very least blue jeans (but reinforced riding pants when it is cooler), riding gloves and steel toed over the ankle boots. It is one of the reasons that we were drawn to another BMW bike. It is the culture among BMW riders to wear gear.
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
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    I just feel more security with the armor.
    Looking around for a replacement mesh jacket for warmer weather, also have to find another good helmet.
    I do have the riding pants, but currently (other than not having a bike...) my @ss is too big to wear them properly -
    maybe by the time cooler weather hits, it'll be down to where it should be:bigsmile:
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
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    Tell me about your 10 yr old.
    My youngest is 9.
    I would not have him on my bike until I'm comfortable on it again, myself.
    Of course, I would wait until the MSF course.
    The last thing on the planet I'd want to do is for something to happen to him...at all.
  • greeneyes191
    greeneyes191 Posts: 78 Member
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    I like the freedom of not having to wear a helmet (we're a no-helmet state). My crash was not as drastic as yours but I was still damn lucky I didn't kill myself. I was able to slow down and lay my bike down before I hit anything other than my hard head on something cuz I was out for a bit and bleeding like a stuck pig from the gash in my forehead. It was nasty and painful for a while.
    I do like the idea of some body armor though. I'm hoping to get some kevlar or mylar or whatever it is. Leather is so doggone heavy and hot.
  • tabngillysmom
    tabngillysmom Posts: 24 Member
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    Tell me about your 10 yr old.
    My youngest is 9.
    I would not have him on my bike until I'm comfortable on it again, myself.
    Of course, I would wait until the MSF course.
    The last thing on the planet I'd want to do is for something to happen to him...at all.

    My daughter is 10 and has been riding with her Dad since she was 5. She has a full BMW riding suit and wears her full suit at all times. I do not give her the option of jeans. She also has riding boots, gloves and a full faced helmet. My hubby has been riding since he was 7 years old and has had a street bike since he was 19 (he is 43 now). Other than a dirt bike wreck when he was 12, he has kept it upright and been really lucky (although his skill has a lot to do with it). He is THE MOST cautious rider I have ever seen and that is the ONLY reason I am comfortable with her riding with him. He took the MSF course a long time ago and takes the Advance Rider course once every 5 years just to keep his skills in check. I probably won't ever be comfortable with her riding with me. I am just not confident in my abilities yet and in the state of Kentucky you can not legally carry a passenger until you have held your license for at least a year.

    Kentucky is a no helmet state (with the exception of riders unders 21, they must wear a helmet at all times), but I would not ever consider riding without one. That's just my preference.
  • ShadowriderNH
    ShadowriderNH Posts: 22
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    I agree we need protection.

    I wear a full face helmet. I learned on that helmet. I tried the open faced one and I prefer the full face.

    Wear leather, always jeans and boots.

    We are a live free or die state but I prefer to be alive.
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
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    I like your stance on her being fully geared.
    I don't think I'd be comfortable with Aric on my bike at all, come to think of it.
    I know KY has the option of helmet or not - but like you, I'll not ride without it.

    My accident was <25mph, for the record - so no matter at what speed, I guess it just depends on how you land.
    Element of surprise <shock> isn't a good thing when riding solo.
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
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    I agree we need protection.

    I wear a full face helmet. I learned on that helmet. I tried the open faced one and I prefer the full face.

    Wear leather, always jeans and boots.

    We are a live free or die state but I prefer to be alive.
    I think (personally) I'd feel stupid in leather - never tried it to be honest with you...and the live free or die - I'm with ya - my hide (and the ink within it) is much nicer on my body than it is on the pavement!:bigsmile:
  • mamakira
    mamakira Posts: 366
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    Open face helmet and sunglasses, gloves, jacket with elbow and spine protection.
    I don´t have real bikepants yet but will get some as soon as I fit in some!!! So I wear jeans and ordinary firm boots. Same here as with the pants, will get some this year.
    Unfortunately it is quite cold here even in summer so jeans just don´t do it.

    I can´t wear full face helmet, it makes me feel suffocating.

    I put a pic up in my profile now. Not sure how to upload it here.
  • TinaTurtlez
    TinaTurtlez Posts: 86
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    I use to not wear a helmet or gear on my husbands bike as a passenger. NOW that I am riding, it's second nature to slap on the jacket, secure the helmet and zip up the boots! I do not feel comfortable riding without it. I don't know if you guys have heard of this website, but you can get awesome deals on motorcycle gear. I just bought my armored jacket for a nice price and LOVE it.

    Check it out.

    http://www.leatherup.com/
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
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    I use to not wear a helmet or gear on my husbands bike as a passenger. NOW that I am riding, it's second nature to slap on the jacket, secure the helmet and zip up the boots! I do not feel comfortable riding without it. I don't know if you guys have heard of this website, but you can get awesome deals on motorcycle gear. I just bought my armored jacket for a nice price and LOVE it.

    Check it out.

    http://www.leatherup.com/
    I LOVE that website!
    After I get my bike (hubby will take it home on his truck)...I will be ordering my mesh jacket. I already have a regular jacket for cooler weather. Would like to have something that matches my bike - I'm odd like that LOL
  • tabngillysmom
    tabngillysmom Posts: 24 Member
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    I use to not wear a helmet or gear on my husbands bike as a passenger. NOW that I am riding, it's second nature to slap on the jacket, secure the helmet and zip up the boots! I do not feel comfortable riding without it. I don't know if you guys have heard of this website, but you can get awesome deals on motorcycle gear. I just bought my armored jacket for a nice price and LOVE it.

    Check it out.

    http://www.leatherup.com/
    I LOVE that website!
    After I get my bike (hubby will take it home on his truck)...I will be ordering my mesh jacket. I already have a regular jacket for cooler weather. Would like to have something that matches my bike - I'm odd like that LOL

    I LOVE my mesh jacket! So much better when all the wind is flowing! After looking at my jacket I decided I want one that is a brighter color! I want to make sure that I am seen!! I saw the other day that Schubert has come out with high vis yellow and hi vis orange helmets! They are actually WAY bright!!
  • TinaTurtlez
    TinaTurtlez Posts: 86
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    I am addicted to that website! The only frustration I had was I liked a jacket and bam! It was out of stock. ERRR.. but luckily I found one I loved. I am will you! Ha funny you said that.. I have a turquoise jacket with black.. Black to match the bike AND... I have a black helmet. My husband mentioned a white helmet. As they are cute, it DOESN'T match!! lol
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
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    [/quote]
    I LOVE my mesh jacket! So much better when all the wind is flowing! After looking at my jacket I decided I want one that is a brighter color! I want to make sure that I am seen!! I saw the other day that Schubert has come out with high vis yellow and hi vis orange helmets! They are actually WAY bright!!
    [/quote]

    I had a Speed and Strength mesh.
    I think the one I'm looking at is Joe Rocket...not sure
    I love the pink one! I'm not a huge "pink" person, but I'd like ppl to KNOW it's a girl on the bike...
  • TinaTurtlez
    TinaTurtlez Posts: 86
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    YES! I am not a pink chick either, but some of the pink jackets are cute and tell you Hey yep, I am a chick! Not to mention the bright colors. Mine is a nice turquiose that they started selling. Fits great and nice and visible.
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
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    YES! I am not a pink chick either, but some of the pink jackets are cute and tell you Hey yep, I am a chick! Not to mention the bright colors. Mine is a nice turquiose that they started selling. Fits great and nice and visible.
    I'm definitely gonna have fun shopping! I'd like to have something that compliments the color of the bike - found a place online that does tank skins too - and mini ones that i might consider putting on my helmet - the "badass" yet "girlie" factor - this is gonna be FUN!
  • season1980
    season1980 Posts: 129 Member
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    My husband and I both ride with the armored mesh jackets, full face helmets and gloves. Neither of us have bought the over the ankle riding boots yet but plan to! And always blue jeans! Last weekend we rode into town to eat at the wing shack and it was 88 degrees out side and all the stop and go.....by the time I got to the wing shack it was all I could do to keep from stripping down to my skivys! I took my t shirt off and wore just a camisole and pulled my jeans up over my knees!
  • Annie_Oakley
    Annie_Oakley Posts: 73
    Options
    My husband and I both ride with the armored mesh jackets, full face helmets and gloves. Neither of us have bought the over the ankle riding boots yet but plan to! And always blue jeans! Last weekend we rode into town to eat at the wing shack and it was 88 degrees out side and all the stop and go.....by the time I got to the wing shack it was all I could do to keep from stripping down to my skivys! I took my t shirt off and wore just a camisole and pulled my jeans up over my knees!
    Mr. Darling and I work in a factory - steel toes required - we naturally wear boots that already come up over our ankles - so we just wear our work boots LOL.
  • Whisperinghorse
    Whisperinghorse Posts: 202 Member
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    Everything.... Today I am wearing Draggin Jean (kevlar reinforced) Hein Gericke armoured textile jacket, leather gloves, full face helmet and proper motorcycle boots...

    Having headbutted a tree at 50mph and broken my neck once I wont risk it again...


    I wont go into friction resistance or metartasal rotation injuries from wearing incorrect clothing!!!!

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