Patch wrote:
And there is the rub; does "crash protection" encourage risky riding?
I suppose it does. Riskier, anyway.
I wouldn't ride the way I ride on rideouts without kitting up. Not that I ever ride outside of my ability or do anything truly dangerous (well, ok, occasionally I get a bit carried away following someone faster than me), but the risk of having an accident can never be zero and at those kinds of speeds I'd have next to no chance of escaping at the least a long stay in hospital without gear.
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Just imagine that we never had a helmet law in this country, would this country be the sports bike capital of the world or would bikers get their freedom sensation on cruisers/nekkids etc?
I don't really get a freedom sensation anymore tbh, maybe it's because I don't have a car to compare it to. It's the adrenaline rush I go for, as well as all the practical reasons (live in London) and the social aspect.
I do feel really quite isolated in full textiles/helmet etc. I've moved the bike etc. without gear on occassion and it really is a glorious feeling.
Are those perforated leathers as good as they're made out to be for feeling like you're wearing nothing at all?
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I often ride my nekkids with out donning the full protection gear, but feel naked opn the VFR without it, I even just invested in a full race suit as two piece zip together leathers just don't feel good enough for the track.
Don't get me wrong I am not against protective clothing but I am very wary of over zealous encouragment of it
Well it should never take the place of good riding, but the risk of accident on a motorcycle is so high I couldn't justify going without it.
These days as I am more confident in my riding ability I wear jeans if I'm going to visit friends or whatever, and usually forego the back protector because it's so damn inconvinient and makes my back all sweaty. If I'm riding just for the sake of riding and it isn't too hot I'll wear it.
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Nothing to do with so called "illegal" bikes, personally I think that this is a greatly over exaggerated problem limited to a few less desirable estates in some of our worst inner cities.
Like most "problems" we never hear the end of, really...