Full leather for street riding stupid?

Forum Sponsor
I can't find the article at the moment but there was a study on mesh vs. leather and they found that over 30 or 35 degrees mesh was actually worse because the wind keeps you from sweating but the air temperature is so hot that there is no cooling effect which puts you at a greater risk of heat stroke.

Wear whatever you want but protecting yourself is the opposite of stupid.
 
Wear what you are comfortable with. Don't be afraid to protect your skin by wearing leathers just because someone thinks it doesnt look "cool".
 
ViperZ said:
It looks funny when someone is dressed in 1-piece on the street like a power ranger, but at the same time dragging your bare skin on the asphalt is one of the last things you want to experience.
Click to expand...

Princess's Man said:
Most of GTAMers are gear-nazis, so beware their advice! :evil1:

It's your choice, but full race leathers on the street is overkill, IMO. I would save your 1-piece for the track.
Click to expand...
You guys probably can't fit into one pieces...

Why save it for the track only? I ride full one piece most of the time why? At the speeds on these bikes goodluck going down in anything but.

Most of the people that say its overkill probably can't ride anywhere close to the potential of their 600
 
^ I have a 1 piece, and I haven't worn it on the street since I bought it.
I've been meaning to put it on and go for a ride in order to break it in, but I'm way more comfortable in jeans on the street.
I was riding squid today, good times.
 
You should only wear full leather if you are planning on crashing. At all other times, it's optional.

Sarcasm aside, I always wear boots, leather jacket, gloves and (obviously) helmet. I know I should wear the leather pants as well, but dammit they get extremely hot especially in traffic, so most times I wear jeans. Not the best tactic, as both times I laid my bike down was in traffic, but at least I'm honest about it and I know the risk.

Riding a motorcycle is an act of risk management anyway. A friend got T-boned by a cabbie while wearing full leather gear, and half a year later he still cannot walk without crutches. Even the best gear will not protect you all the time, but it goes a long way towards mitigating the damage. My friend probably would have gotten his leg completely severed without the reinforced leather pants.
 
heres the problem, you guys are stuck in the gta with traffic, im down in niagara and avoid traffic like its the herp, i got stuck on the parkway once a couple years ago in leather during a heat wave and had to pull over and cool off, i decided to run the parkway mid summer and it was like 36 degrees out plus the humidity and was a complete tourist nightmare, yeah it sucks, yeah i was soaked, and i wanted to just go the hell home, but the nice thing is, once you get moving again the air moving through the perforation in the leather works with the wet t shirt and acts like air conditioning in a sense.

great site with some good pics, im gonna try and dig up my buddies crash pics to add to it.
 
mmmnaked said:
Newsflash: leather pants don't do **** to protect you from a car or tree. They're abrasion-resistant, they only protect you from road rash, which happens when you slide (and not roll, or tumble, or hit an object) down the pavement. It's precisely on open pavement with lots of run-offs where leathers will benefit you most.

To me the discomfort and stupid look of leather pants is enough to favour jeans on the street. On track its a 1-piece. I've crashed on both, in leathers and in jeans, and I'll do it again no problem. The kind of crashes I'm likely to have on the street, some rash on my legs is the least of my worries.
Click to expand...

This I know. However, my point was that there are far more obstacles on the road to cause you to wipe out and get rash compared to the track. Obviously if you get run over after you fall your leathers probably won't help much. Even then, I'd rather be run over in a leather suit full of padding and sturdy boots than in a t-shirt and shorts with flip flops on.

I also went down at low speed (about 40 kph) and my jeans might as well have been paper. Heck, I slipped on some ice last winter wearing double thick work pants from Marks and ripped right through them and skinned my knee so I don't trust that stuff on the bike.

That said, I do the majority of my riding in leather-reinforced riding jeans but I don't think they'll help much. If my 2 pc was sized properly I'd probably wear it more often but the guy doing the measurements didn't believe my shoulders were as wide as the measurement said and knocked an inch or two off so it's way too tight across there. Really should get around to having it modified somewhere.
 
I used to commute, to downtown Toronto, in full racing leathers, and it wasn't too bad. At least not until the last 5 years or so. As long as you're moving, perforated racing leathers might as well be a t-shirt and shorts. When you stop, it's a completely different story. If all that you're doing is recreational riding then they aren't only just fine, they're great.

Keep in mind that not all leather is created equally and a quality suit, made with high grade matched skins, is going to cost you more than crap.
 
Princess's Man said:
Most of GTAMers are gear-nazis, so beware their advice! :evil1:

It's your choice, but full race leathers on the street is overkill, IMO. I would save your 1-piece for the track.
Click to expand...


Either you're clueless or you can't fit in a one piece. It's not about being a gear nazi. It's called peace of mind for some people. If it's overkill, go take some lessons on how to actually ride your bike.

Picua said:
Wear what you are comfortable with. Don't be afraid to protect your skin by wearing leathers just because someone thinks it doesnt look "cool".
Click to expand...

This. Anyone who argues that gear is overkill is dumb. To each their own indeed but wearing it isn't a negative.
 
Last edited:
I have 2 piece suit Joe Rocket Roadmaster. Absolutely love it. I started wearing pants from it more often. Just gives me a better peice of mind. Really early in the season I low slided due to my tires being cold and my jacket saved me. I can only imagine what my left elbow would look like without my jacket being on.
I do find myself sometimes wearing a hoody, jeans and one of those squid Icon vests.
Most of the guys that I usually roll with wear at least a jacket.
Ride safe guys.
 
I wear full leathers as a rule, and think they look cool anyway. You don't have to opt for something too colorful that looks like a Power Rangers suit, there are lots of choices out there.
I learned the value of wearing leather when I took a corner at a low speed and wiped out on a patch of gravel. My right knee went straight into the very large pieces of gravel. Even at the low speed, I knew my knee would've been toast had I not been wearing leather pants with a reinforced, padded knee. The pants survived too, thanks to the thickness of the leather.
The only times it's uncomfortable is if you're stuck in traffic on a very hot day. But that's only if you live in the city. Take the bike out for some more scenic rides where you don't have the traffic to deal with. Even then, I still consider it essential to wear full leather on the road, because you can never predict how your ride will be. Also, boots that cover your ankle and riding gloves are essential.
 
Last edited:
TorontoBoy said:
I have been collecting crash reports and photos of crashed gear and resultant injuries for 3 years now, specifically on the subject of mesh and textile gear. I note the reasons for the crash, brands, pics of crashed gear, injuries and references where possible. You can read my docs and make up your own mind if mesh is crap. We live in an imperfect world and each crash is a little difference. Your results may vary.

Does Motorcycle Mesh Gear Melt in a Crash?

If anyone has crashed in mesh or textile and would like to contribute their experiences, both good and bad, and photos please let me know.

Leather is best but I would faint in 30C heat and crash anyway. Beside getting mushed by a car, there are also environmental and road factors. I use mesh above 25C. I will trade off some abrasion resistance for a lower core body temperature. If you can ride comfortably in leather in 30C heat and humidity then do it. I tried and found it unsafe.
Click to expand...


That is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
 
uchi said:
if youre gonna wear mesh you may aswell just wear a t shirt, itll dissolve on impact, textile isnt much better, ive seen it come apart from low speed crashes, my buddy went down at 60 kph turning on to a side road and his textile pants and jacket dissolved where he slid and he started to wear through the foam padding.
Click to expand...
I crashed this weekend during a race with full letters and my knees got road rash through the suit, there was no rip on the suit, just the friction over the leather and my skin, imagine any other material
 
The choice to wear gear is a big one then you have to couple the fact that if you do choose gear, what gear do you choose?
Name brands aside I personally make no suggestions to anyone riding what they should wear, it's their life and their risk. But I can say that I choose to wear gear when I ride. I also have a few levels of gear to suit the conditions, mind you I don't one a one piece as I think I would look like 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag. I will say that quality leather is my first choice and I don't make any sacrafices in quality over price, I also ride with kevlar lined jeans and few different types of boots from race boot style to a non motorcycle brand, jackets I have two a all leather one and a leather with mesh panels. I tend to pick my gear to suit the weather conditions and also where I plan on riding or how long. I will say that leather and a hot day makes for sweaty situation but it is one I have grown used to and I try to ensure I stay hydrated. Think long and hard about what you want to do on your bike and do you want to ride for today or ride again tomorrow. It's your body, plan wisely and undertsnad the risks.
 
Roomie said:

This. Anyone who argues that gear is overkill is dumb. To each their own indeed but wearing it isn't a negative.
Click to expand...

Agreed. For some of us, we ride motorcycles because we like motorcycles. It's not about creating an image. Wear what you like and ignore everyone else's opinion.

I wear two-piece leather almost always. Including 35+ days. It's ventilated. No problem. Do I get hot sometimes? Yeah, so what. It's Canada, it gets hot in the summer. Get over it.

When it's hot out you aren't going to escape it by wearing less clothes - you just get more sunburnt, not less hot.
 
Griffin said:
When it's hot out you aren't going to escape it by wearing less clothes - you just get more sunburnt, not less hot.
Click to expand...

There's a MASSIVE difference between lightweight gear (such as a quality mesh/textile jacket) compared to leathers. The former still provides great protection if its quality gear and not some cheap $50 Teknic crap. Being in a sauna and dehydrated while riding a motorcycle in 100% humidity and 35C sunshine is a recipe for disaster. Just sayin'.

When it's hot out, you most definitely WILL escape much of the heat in lighter gear. I didn't think it was possible not to know this?
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom