Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

I only ever did it ONCE about two summers ago on a 43 degree day (t shirt and jeans). It felt horrible and insecure like driving a car with no seat belt on and I've never done it again since.

And you know what? In heat like that I don't actually think it felt any different than wearing full leathers.

The world has changed now that there are mesh jackets, however, in insane heat nothing's going to keep you cool

hahahaha i went up to meet stace yesterday.... i copped a 10min lecture from Plas and Greeny...i rode in summer jacket and shorts....i had my rocket sneakers and moto x gloves on....and my moto x knee pads....


thing was..it was 140km of highway i had to travel to get there....

and i HAVE got scars and crash damage..im just a little slow...

rocco wrote:i went on a toy run and this guy on a cbr600 with his girlfriend pillion.


Both were wearing singlets and shorts and sneakers.......we going quite fast well quite quite fast and he overtook about 5 of us with his mrs onboard.............we were waitin to see up ahead if the squid let out any ink......crazy bastard had no concern for his and of most of all his pillion rider!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went to the toy run in all my gear, but the run itself was limited to 40kmh so I stuffed the jacket in the backpack - and put it on again to ride home.

I got a mesh jacket on sale a few weeks ago which is really good with a drifit tshirt underneath in hot weather, I usually wear it with proper boots and draggin jeans. Feels a bit squidish.

ty wrote:I've been known to squid it a little - taking the postie down the street I'll often be in helmet, shirt, jeans and sneakers. I just take more care and stay that little bit further from cars.
I've been in accidents (duh!) but I'm still willing to accept that little bit of risk in not putting on all the gear.
No way I'd do an OPH run or something without the full gear though.
ty

Accidents I've had that caused me damage were on 50Kph roads, twice with cars pulling out of side roads. There's a lot out there you are not in control of, and tarmac is abrasive. Oh, and most accidents happen within 5Km of home.

If you think it's OK on 'slow' roads, get on ya push bike in shorts and t'shirt - get up to 30kph and jump off...

I didn't think you would - and I'm sure you don't want to on your motorbike when a drunk veers into your lane at 50kph, or the 4*4 pulls out of a side road 10m in front of you, or the corner you are taking at 70kph has a patch of diesel on it. You slide a long way at 70kph - I know this as I did it on the way to work 7 months ago.

In abrasion tests, dryrider/gortex clothing lasts 10 times less than leather.

hidepenny wrote:man, i 've seen 2 P plate riders had the P plate sign attached to the back of the bike lately and with pillions on!

nothing wrong with that. they might have had their p's for more than a year.

nothing wrong with choosing to ride without leathers either. it's a personal choice. sometimes you don't have the option of not riding.

Its a case of each to their own, BUT you will find that most of us who have had an off at anything over car park speed will wear leathers all the time..........I can't think of one of my spills where I had the notion that I would go bitumen surfing that day So I prefer to put cow skin down rather than my own

MG wrote:

robracer wrote:in the last few days I have seen so many I cant believe my eyes
today there were two on blue R1's looking more like they should be at the beach than on bikes.... gets up my goat but at the end of the day they could possibly learn the hard way

Why would it get up ya goat when its not any of your business?

I was a member off the 4B's Sydney, way back when the MRA NSW existed & I used to visit downed riders in hospital twice a week for years, Now I can vouch for the damage & pain caused by even the slowest off without the proper gear on+ There is a flow on effect to the public in general such as higher medical expenses more demand on an already buggered hospital system, law makers, RTA, MTA, & motoring groups looking at accident stastics deciding that we are a danger to ourselfs & should be outlawed! at the end of the day you are right MG its none of my business & I dont really give a shit like I used to but there is one thing for sure you wont find me squidding

Idiots. 30° here today and I still rode in full gear. The road is a lot hotter than that if you're sliding down it without gear on.

If you think leathers are uncomfortable in 30 degree heat, try gravel rash, its FAR worse....

Yep - Id rather have sweat rash than gravel rash.

Theres a young bloke I work with goes squidding more often than not. I asked him the other day to run as fast as he could down the footpath and then dive forward onto the ground. He said no because it would hurt. Well if it hurts as 5kmh how is it going to feel at 60 - 80kmh?

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I won't get on a bike without full gear - be it draggins and leather jacket or full leather or dri riders - got the whole shbang. I shake my head at squids but it's their choice, as previsouly stated. Its also my and everybody else's right to have an opinion about it - doesn't make anyone right or wrong - my opinion is these squids are knobs but that's all it is - an opinion.

I remember the attending doctor at the Alfred telling me I was 'lucky' I was wearing protective motorcycle gear after being collected by an idiot car - my response? 'No, if i was lucky, the bitch would've looked before she opened her door - there's no luck involved in choosing to spend $4k on motorcycle gear sir' - he apologised.
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nahima wrote:....my response? 'No, if i was lucky, the bitch would've looked before she opened her door - there's no luck involved in choosing to spend $4k on motorcycle gear sir' - he apologised....

thats Gold ! bet it caught the doctor by surprise !!

Any ride has a risk factor, to keep it simple its either *High* ( ie fang in the hills with the boys), or *Medium* (riding to work at the speed limit in the traffic), or *Low* (riding to the shops to get a 6-pack of Jimmies.)

My personal choice to wear a T-shirt, jeans, runners and a 1/2 face lid, when riding to the shops in 35-deg heat, for a 6-pack, is based on the Risk factor. I don't have any problem with being called a 'squid' for this, its no skin off my nose It *could* be, but in all likelihood, won't be.

Unless of course its a PI, chasing a black ZX10 whose rider has just had a red-hot poker shoved fair up their jacksy !!

its the mentality that it cant happen or wont happen that I hear time & time again that suprises me even for short trips no matter how carefull you are there is always a possibility of an accident..... most likely not the fault of the rider either spose it is a personal judgement if it is worth the risk.