Speaking from over 44 years of riding, both on and off road, nothing more then a cut arm and skinned thigh, any leather jacket is better then none. That goes for long pants and boots also. Don't ever wear nylon. A friend of mine went down in Texas back in the 70s, wearing a nylon wind braker, it melted into his wounds, the nurse had to pick it out with tweezers and no pain killer! Tried to count how many bike I have had, lost count, only have nine right now!
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Is a Half-Belt a Good Motorcycle Jacket?
- Thread starter Vespizzare
- Start date
Amen to that
I arrived at the scene in Spain ( 35degC) in 1987 where a young and very attractive young lady had come off a 50cc moped on gravel and tarmac with her beau of the time. He had a pair of swiming shorts on and she a bikini ... needless to say neither will ever look the same as they did before the accident again.
So i guess as Stearman says " any leather jacket is better than none ..." motorcycle protective equipment has moved on SO much in the last 20 years and while some of the style may have gone ( ask Rin Tanaka
)there is no excuse for not being fully protected underneath your VERY cool halfbelt.Stearman ... only 9 bikes ... shame on you
( much respect man 44 years is a LONG time )
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- East Central Indiana
Started riding in 1964 on a 1962 Triumph. Never been down..scraped or bruised..with many highway miles under my belt. If I must be encased in armor to be excused by anyone..thanks..but no thanks. If I must swelter in the heat..have vision or awarness blocked by someone else's idea of what is neccessary to wear..again..no thanks. Don't need to be schooled. You 'move on' I'm fine exactly where I'm at...and have been. I can already hear the insistant preachy argument coming. That seems popular here. If my enjoyment must change to please other's ideas...I'd rather take the damn car. Just get tired of hearing it and lectured like a little kid every time MC talk or MC wear comes up. Certainly not going to argue about it. Heard it all before. I could care less what others choose to wear. Where I live I can wear what I want and when I want. Stay away from me Nanny. Now lets see how many here will go nuts trying to demand that 'everyone' must see it their way.
HD
HD
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oneterrifichog
Practically Family
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Agreed, except for a Helmet. I tried going without a helmet once when I was in a No Helmet state (Arizona). Rode for about a 150 miles heading up toward Kingman, Az when I stopped for gas. Damn near scared the woman to death when I went to pay for it.
Agreed, except for a Helmet. I tried going without a helmet once when I was in a No Helmet state (Arizona). Rode for about a 150 miles heading up toward Kingman, Az when I stopped for gas. Damn near scared the woman to death when I went to pay for it.
Wilbur, you're right about the helmet. Not only will it scare gas attendants :eeek: but can also ruin your day otherwise, like hitting your head on a brick wall :frusty: at road speed. On a serious note, I have seen too many serious head injuries from lack of wearing head gear. So, if you want to ride without a helmet: :nono:
A word about HoosierDaddy: I suspect that his riding habits are similar to his posts. Over the years, I have been impressed that HD is a thoughtful guy with what he has to say, both from PM's to him and what he has to say on the FL. So, I am not at all surprised that HD has been riding for almost 50 years without a significant mishap, and I am sure that HD thinks not only about his riding but also is looking at what other drivers are doing as he rides. In other wirds, HD's "mama didn't raise no stupid children."
I consider both guys with posts above me to be good friends. So, Wilbur and Van may you both have a great long holiday weekend and a prosperous New year. :horn:
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ForestForTheTrees
One of the Regulars
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Hoosier Daddy, if you want to go down in style, then that's your choice. I'd only ask that if you choose to ride a "naked" bike, that you yourself would not choose your birthday suit to match.
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Well..that :nono: sure didn't take long to start...
pauleway
Practically Family
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Just remember what one famous person said (Billy Crystal SNL-"It's not how you feel - it's how you look, and you look marvalous")!!
ForestForTheTrees
One of the Regulars
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Well..that :nono: sure didn't take long to start...
I honestly do support your right to choose.
I also happen to find it funny that your skin is thick enough to ride w/o protective gear, but not thick enough to prevent this topic from getting you bent out of shape.
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This topic didn't get me bent out of shape...just the tiresome 'What everyone should do/wear' on a MC that seems to always creep in. The concern seems to become an extreme obsession that must take over any thread like this. Gets old.
ForestForTheTrees
One of the Regulars
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Okay, understood.
Out of curiosity, have you owned any of the Hinckley Triumphs? If so did they remind you much of the Meridian Triumphs you started out on?
To keep this somewhat on-topic, does anyone still apply patches to their riding jackets (not referring to gang patches)? I never have, but the classic Triumph patches are amongst my all time favorites.
ForestForTheTrees
One of the Regulars
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No..I started out on the older Triumphs..'62 and a '68 (haven't ridden a newer model). Kaws for awhile. Several Customs. Then HDs ever since. I have a few patches on a couple denim jackets and a vest. OK for me if not overdone. Triumph offers some nice ones. A friend I ride with owns a Triumph(newer model) and has several Triumph patches on his Denim jacket.
HD
A good friend of mine at work lets me drive his Steve McQueen Limited Edition Triumph that looks good and is great to ride. The seat is relatively high and is especially user friendly for my long legs, as opposed to say a Harley Sportster that sits lower to the ground. The jacket I am wearing is an old mall jacket that my friend wears and have been trying to talk him into buying a real MC jacket.
My riding jacket is a custom 50's halfbelt from Aero. I don't know what the function of the actual halfbelt is, but as a MC jacket, it's more style than substance. It works fine, but does not come standard with a bi-swing back, which IMHO is more suited to riding. But I love the classic look, it would look great paired with that awesome Triumph. Looks good on my Sportster, too. I do plan to buy a dedicated motor jacket in the future.
I have actually owned more Triumph's then any other make hands down, almost all Meriden built. Norton comes in at second with 6 or 7. I have two Hinckley's, a 2004 Bonneville and a 2011 Thruxton. Other then the general look, teardrop tank, bench seat, parallel twin, there is really no comparison! Push the button and go, no vibration, no oil leaks, and no Prince Of Darkness! They are heavier, it's so easy to put my 79 Bonnie up on the center stand. I have a drawer full of motorcycle patches.
Vespizzare
A-List Customer
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I had a Bonneville that I rode in 1967-1967 but it was stolen, which probably saved my life. In those days I rode without a helmet. To each his own; but the thought makes me cringe.
Don Tomaso
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What a terrific bike! If I would ever start riding bikes in my life, it would be something like this. What a beauty!...
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kronos77
One of the Regulars
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I had to bring this back up so that someone could explain to me how the bi swing back prevents bunching up. I am having trouble picturing it.
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'cause mc jackets without shoulder gussets/bi swing back would have to have a roomier back so to avoid constriction when the wearer's arms are extended which, in turn, would make the jacket look baggy at the back when off the bike, due to the excess material bunching up once you're in a standing positing with your arms relaxed.
