Everyone's always talking ATGATT

[HotRodZilla]

^^^^Yeah, but I don't know if he's being funny, or is seriously a big dude. A size would help...I've seen very different sized NFL linebackers. Haha...

 

[bigjohnsd]

Infrared:

This outfit has good stuff at closeout prices.

https://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/mesh_jackets_and_pants/tour_master/intake_air_series_3_jacket.html

I recommend you sign up for their E-mail notification.

That said, from personal experience I know that larger sized pants and Jackets can be hard to come by. Tourmaster is a good source for moderately priced King size gear.

You should be able to outfit yourself with a jacket for $100-150. You may want to look into Kevlar Jeans as they come in larger sizes from more sources.

 

[infrared]

Infrared:This outfit has good stuff at closeout prices.

https://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/closeouts/mesh_jackets_and_pants/tour_master/intake_air_series_3_jacket.html

I recommend you sign up for their E-mail notification. Tourmaster is a good source for moderately priced King size gear.

You should be able to outfit yourself with a jacket for $100-150. You may want to look into Kevlar Jeans as they come in larger sizes from more sources.

Thank you, one and all. I will make good use of your advice.

Cheers,

Infrared

 

[rogdeb]

Fabulous opinions and ideas already noted here. In my youth, I was guilty of riding in less-than-desirable attire, and have seen people fall down in front of me, and slide on the pavement. I took those experiences to heart. You are all individuals, and free to make your own choices. Here's something to ponder.
A certain lady, age unimportant, is having a bad day. She may have PMS, or be in the initial uncomfortable stages of menopause. Her husband left her two years ago for a younger, shapely, libidinous piece of arm candy, and left her with car payments, child care duties, and a bad attitude. She is not a lesbian, but right now she hates men more than Charlie Sheen hates rehab. She works miserable rotating shifts as an emergency room nurse, at a hospital that hasn't given her a raise in three years, and could care less if she leaves or not. She's seven hours into her current shift, and on the way to work today, her car's check engine light came on, and the car made a few horrifying mechanical noises, and quit running eight blocks from the hospital parking lot, in the rain. Her teenage kid refuses to answer his phone, because he's in her basement, playing video games with his loser friends, so she may have to walk home. She's having hot flashes, has a screaming headache, and just got done providing medical care for a drunken redneck who broke his hand trying to punch his toothless wife, but hit the refrigerator instead. And the head nurse just told her that she's going to have to work the Fourth of July this year.

NOW.......here you come into the emergency room, having just fallen off your macho, masculine, small-weiner-compensating two-wheeled phallic symbol. You thought that you were invincible, and the greatest rider since Mike Hailwood, and safer that Ralph Nader's nanny. You weren't wearing protective gear, because, after all, you were just running down to the corner store to pick up some Preparation H and a bottle of Jameson's. And here comes Nurse Ratched. She's going to do her assigned medical care duty, and the first thing on her list is to make sure those little owees you have are sanitary. She's got a Home Depot bucket full of saline solution, which, I don't need to tell you, is essentially salt water. In her other hand, she's got a stiff-bristled brush that you could use to clean barnacles off a battleship. Guess what? You will NOT be happy with Nurse Ratched's technique. But rest assured, those wounds will be clean when she's done. And she'll be the one removing your first crusty, blood-stained bandages, giving you another scrubbing to remove the necrotic material, and re-applying your bandages.

Sleep well, grasshopper.

Oohh - I LIKE a lot. Well written.

I've had wounds cleaned out (not m/c related) on two occasions with a stiff bristle brush. NOT FUN !!

 

[TomInPA]

So, who is going to be the first 2016 FJR owner to use the Dainese D-Air system? Is this the next ATTGATT+++ must-have system, or the most useless feature $ on a bike? Someone has to do it.

 

[El Toro Joe]

So, who is going to be the first 2016 FJR owner to use the Dainese D-Air system? Is this the next ATTGATT+++ must-have system, or the most useless feature $ on a bike? Someone has to do it.

My new Klim Badlands Pro had D30 armor...hope I never need to test it. So I won't be dropping any extra coin for the new Dainese system.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

So, who is going to be the first 2016 FJR owner to use the Dainese D-Air system? Is this the next ATTGATT+++ must-have system, or the most useless feature $ on a bike? Someone has to do it.

My new Klim Badlands Pro had D30 armor...hope I never need to test it. So I won't be dropping any extra coin for the new Dainese system.

Please, do not use that beautiful new 2016 for gear crash testing purposes! I know one dumbass that wrecked his 2015 ES 12 hours after he got it from the dealership. That sucked.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Infrared,

You wanted specifics, and here are a few: https://www.aerostich.com/sale/rider-gear

Some of the highest-quality riding suits at significant cost reductions. I understand that you don't want to spend a lot, but remember that quality suits last for many years.

I ride in a one-piece hi-vis Roadcrafter 3 suit with black abrasion patches. The Big Banana protects me from rain and cold, so my riding experience is usually a lot more pleasant than those who ride with me. And it makes me look like an astronaut, which is fun, honestly.

 

[infrared]

Infrared,You wanted specifics, and here are a few: https://www.aerostich.com/sale/rider-gear Some of the highest-quality riding suits at significant cost reductions. I understand that you don't want to spend a lot, but remember that quality suits last for many years. And it makes me look like an astronaut, which is fun, honestly.

Uncle Hud,

Thank you. Looks like some great stuff. It sure is pricey, though, even when discounted. Maybe If I go buy a lottery ticket . . .

Aw, dang, they don't even have a lottery thing going here. Oh, well.

Cheers,

Infrared

 

[SacramentoMike]

Whatever gear you end up with, the 3 cents' worth I'll add (everything's more expensive now) is this: don't worry about whether or not what you buy is waterproof (except for boots. They should be waterproof, which of course you'll know for sure after the first half an hour or so in heavy rain. If your feet are dry, they were waterproof.)

But my suggestion is get a good set of rain gear, plenty big enough to fit over your heaviest jacket and pants, all liners in. Good ones (mine are from REI) roll up nice and small and are always in my tail bag. They keep me dry, and if it's nasty cold--even if it's not raining--block the wind as well as leather or anything and add a LOT of warmth. Not cheap, but REI runs nice sales frequently.

 

[infrared]

Whatever gear you end up with, the 3 cents' worth I'll add (everything's more expensive now) is this: don't worry about whether or not what you buy is waterproof. my suggestion is get a good set of rain gear, plenty big enough to fit over your heaviest jacket and pants, all liners in. They keep me dry, and if it's nasty cold--even if it's not raining--block the wind as well as leather or anything and add a LOT of warmth.

Mike,

Sounds like good advice. I guess I do live in the past; everything was cheaper, there.

Cheers,

Infrared

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I will agree with Mr. Mike on the raingear. Pop was happy to not have to pack his rain gear after I got him the Transition 3. The first time we had to pull over and close the zippers and close the storm flaps and fight the Velcro we were both sweating and irritated. Pop made it clear that he could have already been in his rain gear and miles down the road by the time we got done. Then, when I told him that sometimes my jacket leaked and I did not know why... He was somewhat unpleasant to deal with after that.

Just a passing thought/suggestion. If you start riding with other FJR folks their gear will start to look natural to you. You may realize that you are part of That Crowd and will want to dress accordingly. If the shoe fits...

Dad had owned his '07 for less than a week and was riding it 41 miles to work every night. He called me from work and told me that he had followed a couple on a BMW that was similar to his FJR. He loved their BMWesque riding apparel. He told me that he wanted gear that looked like BMW riders would wear, except something less drab than just gray. We are riding a gentleman's Sport Tourer. We are supposed to dress the part.

 

[Hudson]

With apologies to Janis, "Freedom's just another world for "I haven't crashed yet.""

I guess I'll be the Nazi-Ahole. I'm completely unapologetic about my militant ATGATT stance. If you don't wear the absolutely best gear you can afford (new or used), it crosses my mind that you are either an uninformed rider (in which case, re-read this thread) or an idiot.

Seriously people. You can buy a $15k motorcycle, add another $3-5k in accessories, but you're still wearing jeans and a leather jacket from Ross?

Any more, when I show up on group rides with people I don't know well (which is getting pretty rare these days), and I see guys in jeans and street clothes without the proper gear, I immediately wonder to myself - why do you take your riding and your safety that casually? What else are you also so casual about? Your bike maintenance? Your riding skills? And surely you are not expecting the rest of us to do nothing if you go down and suffer pretty severe injuries that, but for your failure to be prepared, could have have been avoided? I get that you don't plan to crash, but clearly you had no plans IF you crashed. And that's kind of the same thing to me, as it says so much about your utter lack of preparation and respect for the rest of the group.

Everyone of us in the PNW Crew is fully ATGATT. I am pretty sure that everyone is also wearing the very best they can afford - whether it be a decent Olympia or Tourmaster on the low end, or AeroStich or Motoport on the high end. It didn't start off that way, but over the past 7-8 years, many of us experienced a scary get-off. By example - one couple riding two-up hit a deer, slid down a 75 Ft embankment, and went into a lake. Two more were rear-ended on the highway (one of them twice). Some had a minor crash at low speeds, while others (ahem) went sliding down the road during thick traffic at highway speeds. Some were lucky to be wearing truly excellent gear, myself included. Others quickly upgraded to the top end stuff, previously considered unaffordable, after witnessing the failure of their cheaper gear.

After each crash, we ALWAYS shared with each other what gear worked well and what failed and what could be improved. That's why the quality of gear worn and frequency of ATGATT in our group has regularly improved. To me, that what's a community of riders who care about each other do - they share their experiences and suggestions, and they say the uncomfortable thing about safety to skeptical riders even when it doesn't feel "cool". They don't talk about the importance of preserving their "freedoms" like it will somehow makes their decision more palatable. They just know that when one of them crashes and experiences injuries that were avoidable through choice of gear, it impacts so many more than just the rider.

Thanks Ionbeam for reminding us about the reality and incredibly sad, expensive, and frustrating experience of having to bear the consequences of someone else's poor choices.

Again, not sorry to be "that guy."

 

[SacramentoMike]

I can't argue with much of anything you said here, Dave. And I don't think you're a Nazi A-hole, either. Althought I'm probably not as militant about it as you, I guess. But the way your PNW bunch influences newcomers is the right way, for my money. I think that kind of peer pressure is the best way to convince anybody about doing it all right. The gear, group riding tactics, all that good stuff. Plus, this one. Sounds like not only a great argument for good gear in general, but a hell of a good argument for Tom's Dainese D-air system too. Floats, ya know?

". . . one couple riding two-up hit a deer, slid down a 75 Ft embankment, and went into a lake. . ."

 

[rickysnickers]

To add more fuel to this, I was at my local m/c shop getting a new tire. We were talking about gear. He, the owner, said he always gives his $.25 lecture to new people that come in. He tells them to take their index finger and lightly run it along the parking lot asphalt for 25'. When they tell him they aren't going to do that, he tells them then they better wear better gear. He adds that that's how far they will slide in their jeans on the street if they go down at a slow speed.

 

[Knifemaker]

The difference with me here is...if a new rider asks about gear, I'll start telling them the benefits of getting the best stuff they can afford and the virtues of being an ATGATT rider. As a moderator on a "cruiser" type forum, when asked what accessories one should get starting out, I forego suggesting chrome do-dads and tell them to spend their money first on good gear and a FF helmet...

However ....I won't lecture long time riders on their choice of gear, and if someone feels the need to point out the jeans I'm wearing are not a good choice, I'll politely tell them I know, and suggest they mind their own business if they go on about it....

I don't walk up to smokers and tell them they should stop, or point out to folks in a bar the dangers of alcohol....just saying....

 

[HotRodZilla]

Hudson,

Although I won't usually say much about peoples' choice about lack of gear, I do make a judgement based on what I see. I liken it to our mass judgement of people that don't write well. Have you ever gotten a report or presentation from someone that is full of grammatical errors, is poorly written, had poor punctuation, or is just generally a cluster? I know it's probably not right, but I frequently make a judgement on their intelligence. It irritates me here** that we have people running around touting their degree but they write like a first grader.

I do the same thing with gear. Some clown shows up for a ride, wearing jeans, no helmet and sunglasses gets the stink eye from me, and like you, I wonder what capabilities they really have. My response to those people is usually to dust them and gain as much distance as possible. I do not want to be responsible for anything they do. They can ride however they want, but I limit my interaction with them.

I'm probably an asshole for making those judgements, but whatever...No one has to ride with me if they don't want.

**By "here" I meant at my job, not this Forum. Haha...I just happened to re-read this and realized that sounded funny.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I do the same thing with gear. Some clown shows up for a ride, wearing jeans, no helmet and sunglasses gets the stink eye from me, and like you, I wonder what capabilities they really have. My response to those people is usually to dust them and gain as much distance as possible. I do not want to be responsible for anything they do. They can ride however they want, but I limit my interaction with them.

I'm probably an asshole for making those judgements, but whatever...No one has to ride with me if they don't want.

'Zilla, those judgments are NOT the only reason you are an asshole. Just sayin'...

When I met SkooterG for my Demo Ride on the '14 ES, I had wanted Pop to ride it, not me. Pop looked at the Husband and wife team that rode up wearing matching AeroStiches, him on a Speed Triple, her on a Blackbird. He looked at the youngsters in jeans, tennis shoes, brand new Cycle Gear gloves and brand new NoName helmets. He flatly refused to ride in that group. I begged him to ride. He told me that only ones in that group he would ride with were the two "In those one-piece suits. Those two were the only ones that actually rode up here."

A few nights ago I left work late, driving my truck instead of the bike. It was 40 F, raining hard, miserable. I got behind a guy on a BMW wearing jeans and tennis shoes. He was soaked and his riding was not smooth. I felt pity. I also felt contempt. His choice, his ride. I stayed behind him for about 8 miles and I worried about him the whole time. I assume he made it home.

 

[Big Sky]

Okay, one more...

So, the wife and I walk into a bar (no, this is not the opening line of a stale and old joke)...

There were H-Ds parked out front and their riders at the bar. We stowed our helmets and jackets at a corner table, then bellied up. One of the H-D guys looked at us, looked at our gear, then turned to his buddy and said, "I'd rather be dead than paralyzed from a broken neck. Helmets will break your neck."

I'm not confrontational and, you know, to each their own and all that, but such willful ignorance and justification for stupid behavior is disturbing. I believe he was referring to a discredited "study" commissioned by A.B.A.T.E. to discredit helmet use and, indeed, document helmet "dangers." I think the study did conclude that a helmeted rider had a .005 greater chance of sustaining a neck injury than the unhelmeted rider. However, I believe I've seen credible data that concludes the helmeted rider is 30 percent less likely to sustain a head injury than an unhelmeted one, which of course escapes the anti-helmet crowd. A state MC safety program director once wrote something to the effect: freedom of choice also means you are free to wear helmets without having to justify that choice to anyone. I like that logic.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Sounds like your HD friend is already paralyzed. From the neck up.