Everyone's always talking ATGATT
- Thread starter rickysnickers
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
Happytrails63
Well-known member
Believe in ATTGATT but avoid any debates about it. Around here a lot of riders dont wear helmets or any other gear. Its there choice.
Lately I've taken to updating some of my gear. I'm worried about becoming a gear geek. Towards that end I need to get a pair of full gauntlet gloves for the upcoming season. Any suggestions?
Lately I've taken to updating some of my gear. I'm worried about becoming a gear geek. Towards that end I need to get a pair of full gauntlet gloves for the upcoming season. Any suggestions?
Happytrails63
Well-known member
El Toro Joe
FYYFF
gixxerjasen
Well-known member
Been skimming to catch up but what caught my attention was how expensive stuff is now compared to the past. I'd have to agree and disagree.
Klim has come into the market and really raised the bar on price of top end gear. When I started riding in 1998 I don't know if even full race suits cost that much. Good high quality riding gear has certainly come up in price for sure.
At the same time, there's a whole slew of new materials and players in the market. Entry level gear has come down quite a bit. When I got into motorcycling it was almost leather or nothing, and leather isn't cheap. Today you can walk into Cycle Gear and pick up their Bilt gear for cheap straight off the rack brand new.
Will the cheap gear last a long time? Probably not. Will it do as well in a crash as Klim? Maybe, maybe not. I'm still a believer in something is better than nothing though. If you can't afford good gear, buy cheap gear. Then, when you can, start upgrading pieces one at a time.
Additionally, proper gear for the weather has come a long way as well. Saying you don't gear up because it's too hot isn't a good excuse anymore. My mesh gear in the summer feels like wearing no gear at all. I do know that my mesh gear won't crash as good as my leather gear, but I also won't die of heat stroke too. Again, some gear is better than no gear.
The last 10-20 years has brought just as many amazing changes in the world of gear as it has in bikes. Take a look around and I bet you can find something that meets your needs.
One point though on longevity. You can pick up some cheap $100 jackets. If you wear them daily all year long, you'll probably get a year out of them. In 10 years you can spend a grand on jackets. I have a Dainese leather jacket that my wife bought me as a gift. I choked when she got it for me because it was a $600 jacket. She knew I loved it and lusted after it so she got it for me. I wore that jacket for 10 years pretty much daily. I can still wear it though it looks like hell and has some issues in places that don't matter. In the end, my very nice expensive, high quality, Italian leather jacket has been cheaper in the long run than some of my cheap gear has.
Klim has come into the market and really raised the bar on price of top end gear. When I started riding in 1998 I don't know if even full race suits cost that much. Good high quality riding gear has certainly come up in price for sure.
At the same time, there's a whole slew of new materials and players in the market. Entry level gear has come down quite a bit. When I got into motorcycling it was almost leather or nothing, and leather isn't cheap. Today you can walk into Cycle Gear and pick up their Bilt gear for cheap straight off the rack brand new.
Will the cheap gear last a long time? Probably not. Will it do as well in a crash as Klim? Maybe, maybe not. I'm still a believer in something is better than nothing though. If you can't afford good gear, buy cheap gear. Then, when you can, start upgrading pieces one at a time.
Additionally, proper gear for the weather has come a long way as well. Saying you don't gear up because it's too hot isn't a good excuse anymore. My mesh gear in the summer feels like wearing no gear at all. I do know that my mesh gear won't crash as good as my leather gear, but I also won't die of heat stroke too. Again, some gear is better than no gear.
The last 10-20 years has brought just as many amazing changes in the world of gear as it has in bikes. Take a look around and I bet you can find something that meets your needs.
One point though on longevity. You can pick up some cheap $100 jackets. If you wear them daily all year long, you'll probably get a year out of them. In 10 years you can spend a grand on jackets. I have a Dainese leather jacket that my wife bought me as a gift. I choked when she got it for me because it was a $600 jacket. She knew I loved it and lusted after it so she got it for me. I wore that jacket for 10 years pretty much daily. I can still wear it though it looks like hell and has some issues in places that don't matter. In the end, my very nice expensive, high quality, Italian leather jacket has been cheaper in the long run than some of my cheap gear has.
Last edited by a moderator:
gixxerjasen
Well-known member
Also, I'm not sure I understand the whole "I don't want to look like a motorcyclist" thing. If you are on a motorcycle, you are going to look like a motorcyclist. No way around that. If you don't want to look like one when you get where you are going...that's easy.
It's called a top box.
In the summer, I wear shorts and t-shirt under my mesh suit. When I get where I'm going, the suit gets folded up and stashed in the top box along with my boots. Helmet and gloves go in the side bag. I put my sneakers on that were stashed in the side bag and walk into wherever I am and I'm comfortable and look like anyone else during a Texas summer...albeit a little sweatier.
I've been to RTE's before where other motorcyclists were concerned that I rode up there in shorts and a t-shirt. Nope, I was ATTGATT all the way here.
By the way, no, in my solution there's not an empty side bag...it has rain gear in it.
It's called a top box.
In the summer, I wear shorts and t-shirt under my mesh suit. When I get where I'm going, the suit gets folded up and stashed in the top box along with my boots. Helmet and gloves go in the side bag. I put my sneakers on that were stashed in the side bag and walk into wherever I am and I'm comfortable and look like anyone else during a Texas summer...albeit a little sweatier.
I've been to RTE's before where other motorcyclists were concerned that I rode up there in shorts and a t-shirt. Nope, I was ATTGATT all the way here.
By the way, no, in my solution there's not an empty side bag...it has rain gear in it.
Mad German
Well-known member
When I had my R1, it was full race leathers all the time. Now that I have my FJR, it's my Tourmaster jacket, Shoei, gloves, race boots, and Olympia pants. However, there have been times that I've ridden in the above, but didn't wear the Olympia pants; I wore jeans.
Wear whatever you like, in my opinion. I won't chastise someone for not wearing full gear. Their choice.
Wear whatever you like, in my opinion. I won't chastise someone for not wearing full gear. Their choice.
Last edited by a moderator:
Happytrails63
Well-known member
Last edited by a moderator:
J. Parrie
Member
She's been around for a while. I first met her in 1975 at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
DiggerDr.
Well-known member
I had not been on a motorcycle for years when I bought the FJR. The gear I had was in need of replacement. First thing that was replaced was the helmet. Next came a Tourmaster jacket. Then came new Michelin tires. Then gloves. I wear leather boots all the time anyway but am shopping for some dedicated motorcycle boots. And a good pair of overpants or Kevlar jeans.
There is a local guy who got taken out on his FJ-09 in town. In a roundabout. Totaled the bike, busted him up good. His helmet is devastated in two different places. (wish I had a pic of it) He told me he should have been killed twice in that accident. His gear saved him from all but broken bones. He rebuilt the bike as he figured they went down together, they should keep riding together. This is Indiana where a helmet is not required. His saved his life.
There is a local guy who got taken out on his FJ-09 in town. In a roundabout. Totaled the bike, busted him up good. His helmet is devastated in two different places. (wish I had a pic of it) He told me he should have been killed twice in that accident. His gear saved him from all but broken bones. He rebuilt the bike as he figured they went down together, they should keep riding together. This is Indiana where a helmet is not required. His saved his life.
Mad German
Well-known member
Great points raised. My first race suit was a Joe Rocket. At the time, JR gear was looked down upon by the "gear snobs" because it wasn't Alpinestars, Dainese, etc. However, that JR suit lasted for years before I retired it. I didn't retire it due to it failing, I retired it due to the fact I wanted a 2 piece suit. I got tired of wearing a 1 piece on the street. That JR suit held up to several crashes (on the track), although one of them did require me to send it to Alexa at Spyder Leatherworks for repair. Less expensive gear is not always the worst choice. Expensive gear is not always the best choice. One of the Brit bike mags tested leathers as far as seam strength, abrasion resistance and overall workmanship. Guess which brands did the worst? Alpinestars was at or near the bottom. I believe that Hein Gerricke did the best.
To sum it up, wear your gear. Buy what you can afford. If you buy an inexpensive jacket and it's comfortable, you're more likely to wear it. There are so many different variables in a crash that it's tough to say what will and what won't hold up in an accident.
Redfish Hunter
Gone Fishing
What we need are some volunteers for crash testing. hppants was kind enough to test out an Olympia jacket last year although I was not pleased with his test parameters. I did a very brief test (less than 10 feet of slide) of my Tourmaster Transition 3 with my brand new 2015 ES. I also scuffed up my Nolan Noisemaker N103.
It is only fair that some of you do some work on this as well.
It is only fair that some of you do some work on this as well.
gixxerjasen
Well-known member
I tried to test my Olympia stuff, but being as I just did a forward flip over the bars and landed squarely on my ass with no sliding, it wasn't a good test. I did land on my wallet and it hurt like hell just to sit for days. Still can't carry my wallet in that pocket anymore.
Mad German
Well-known member
gixxerjasen
Well-known member
Max'd out credit cards more like. That was a bad time of little cash. Wife wasn't working and we had a new baby. You know I had no cash, cuz it all went to formula and diapers!
extrememarine
Well-known member
Lot's of interesting opinions and discussion in this thread.
Like 'Zilla and Redfish, I have also made those assumptions about other riders based on what they are wearing.
Doug's post rings the bell for me. My picture is of my '09 sitting on a flatbed after we played ping-pong in rush hour traffic in Detroit. I was able to take that picture because of my gear. It was not a $1200 'stich or Klim, but a discount rack Joe Rocket 3/4 Jacket and Alter Ego pants. The bike and I slid out into the first lane of traffic after being bumped at 65-70mph. I walked away because I had gear on.
IF someone asks me, I'll give them the run down on what I wear and why.
Like 'Zilla and Redfish, I have also made those assumptions about other riders based on what they are wearing.
Doug's post rings the bell for me. My picture is of my '09 sitting on a flatbed after we played ping-pong in rush hour traffic in Detroit. I was able to take that picture because of my gear. It was not a $1200 'stich or Klim, but a discount rack Joe Rocket 3/4 Jacket and Alter Ego pants. The bike and I slid out into the first lane of traffic after being bumped at 65-70mph. I walked away because I had gear on.
IF someone asks me, I'll give them the run down on what I wear and why.
Dress how you want, but ATGATT allowed me to take these pictures and walk away without a trip to the ER.
Hudson
Well-known member
We have major pieces of your 09 still in Auburn's garage, waiting for when they are needed.
hppants
Well-known member
I'm not proud of this by any stretch, but I've taken the ride down the belt sander 4 times now. ATGATT in each case.
#1 was a low side, low speed fall on a decreasing radius turn in the Great Smokey mountains. I was coming in too hot, had no idea what I was doing, and applied a little too much rear brake and the back end slid out from under me. Torn jacket sleave, torn pant in the left thigh area, shredded left glove - not a pebble touched my skin. I got up, walked 25 feet to the bike, and rode it away.
#2 was a low side, 25-ish mph fall in a gentle left hand curve about 10 miles from my house. It just started raining and I had slowed down a lot. I could not see the faint sheen from the oil on the road and the rain was so light, it didn't wash the oil off. Before my brain even registered something wrong, I was on my arse and sliding. Torn gloves (both), rashed but not torn jacket in the elbo armor area, rashed pants in the seat - not a pebble touched my skin. I got up, walked 10 feet to the bike, shut the motor off, and called a friend to pick me up.
#3 was a low side, 30-ish mph fall on a gentle right hander about 35 miles from my house. I had the Gen I FJR just a couple of weeks and chose to ride it with hard as a rock old tires. The rear drum brake on a Honda Nighthawk is not where near as effective as the FJR. Mis timed the turn of a vehicle in front of me, stomped on the rear brake like a newbie idiot, fish tailed the back end left, counter-steered and over compensated like a NEWBIE IDIOT, swung the back end around left hard, and she bucked me like a spur in the flanks. Shredded jacket sleeve, torn and shredded pants in several locations, shredded left glove, pinched and dented big toe area of my left boot - not a pebble touched my skin. I got up, walked 50 feet to my bike, stood it up with some help from a bystander, and rode it home.
Are you sensing a pattern here???
#4 happened just in September, a ????-ish mph high side crash near Creede, Colorado about 1200 miles from home. Distracted by the incredible scenery, I drifted away from my usual left side lane position toward the shoulder. A gentle left hand curve put me off the road. Somehow (certainly not from any skill on my part), the bike returned to the road, but a violent handlebar shake ensued and off the horse I go. Shredded pants, shredded left glove, and scrapes on both my boots. My jacket had plenty of rash on the back side, but didn't ride up because it was ZIPPED TO MY PANTS!! However, the left sleeve on the Olympia AST only uses Velcro and it didn't hold. The left sleeve rode up my arm and I now have a 2" x 8" scar on my left forearm. To each his own, but I will never wear a riding jacket again without a zippered sleeve cuff. I also sprained my knee, but compared to the road rash, that was a picnic in the woods. I also got a dime-sized abrasion on my left palm where the glove wore through. Regardless, I walked to the support vehicle and if the bike would have been rideable, I could have ridden it from there.
Every day, I pray there will not be a 5th fall. just in case my prayers are not answered, I'll stick to ATGATT. If I get T-boned at 60mph (heaven forbid), ATGATT isn't likely going to make any difference. I'll just watch you guys from the other side. Thankfully, as indicated above, most accidents are not that serious.....
#1 was a low side, low speed fall on a decreasing radius turn in the Great Smokey mountains. I was coming in too hot, had no idea what I was doing, and applied a little too much rear brake and the back end slid out from under me. Torn jacket sleave, torn pant in the left thigh area, shredded left glove - not a pebble touched my skin. I got up, walked 25 feet to the bike, and rode it away.
#2 was a low side, 25-ish mph fall in a gentle left hand curve about 10 miles from my house. It just started raining and I had slowed down a lot. I could not see the faint sheen from the oil on the road and the rain was so light, it didn't wash the oil off. Before my brain even registered something wrong, I was on my arse and sliding. Torn gloves (both), rashed but not torn jacket in the elbo armor area, rashed pants in the seat - not a pebble touched my skin. I got up, walked 10 feet to the bike, shut the motor off, and called a friend to pick me up.
#3 was a low side, 30-ish mph fall on a gentle right hander about 35 miles from my house. I had the Gen I FJR just a couple of weeks and chose to ride it with hard as a rock old tires. The rear drum brake on a Honda Nighthawk is not where near as effective as the FJR. Mis timed the turn of a vehicle in front of me, stomped on the rear brake like a newbie idiot, fish tailed the back end left, counter-steered and over compensated like a NEWBIE IDIOT, swung the back end around left hard, and she bucked me like a spur in the flanks. Shredded jacket sleeve, torn and shredded pants in several locations, shredded left glove, pinched and dented big toe area of my left boot - not a pebble touched my skin. I got up, walked 50 feet to my bike, stood it up with some help from a bystander, and rode it home.
Are you sensing a pattern here???
#4 happened just in September, a ????-ish mph high side crash near Creede, Colorado about 1200 miles from home. Distracted by the incredible scenery, I drifted away from my usual left side lane position toward the shoulder. A gentle left hand curve put me off the road. Somehow (certainly not from any skill on my part), the bike returned to the road, but a violent handlebar shake ensued and off the horse I go. Shredded pants, shredded left glove, and scrapes on both my boots. My jacket had plenty of rash on the back side, but didn't ride up because it was ZIPPED TO MY PANTS!! However, the left sleeve on the Olympia AST only uses Velcro and it didn't hold. The left sleeve rode up my arm and I now have a 2" x 8" scar on my left forearm. To each his own, but I will never wear a riding jacket again without a zippered sleeve cuff. I also sprained my knee, but compared to the road rash, that was a picnic in the woods. I also got a dime-sized abrasion on my left palm where the glove wore through. Regardless, I walked to the support vehicle and if the bike would have been rideable, I could have ridden it from there.
Every day, I pray there will not be a 5th fall. just in case my prayers are not answered, I'll stick to ATGATT. If I get T-boned at 60mph (heaven forbid), ATGATT isn't likely going to make any difference. I'll just watch you guys from the other side. Thankfully, as indicated above, most accidents are not that serious.....
Last edited by a moderator:
gixxerjasen
Well-known member
HPPants, when I see you I'm going to remove your rear brake lever from your motorcycle.
I've crashed a couple of times but never really in ways to test the gear. Well, except my second. I was riding with jeans, fashion leather jacket, sneakers and gloves. I got super lucky in ways I have no idea. I was doing highway speeds when I went down. Long story but I was braking before I went down so I have no idea how fast I was going but there was plenty of sliding. Somehow most of the sliding was absorbed by my thin leather jacket. Unlike a motorcycle jacket, this one was unusable afterwards but somehow protected me. I got lucky with the jeans as somehow the only part that managed to drag was my knee which the pants shredded and left me rashed pretty badly on the knee.
I've kept that leather jacket though, as a reminder that what it looks like is what my skin would have looked like if I'd just been out there in a t-shirt. I show it to others too for two reasons. First on why you wear gear, and second, on what non-motorcycle gear looks like after a crash. Better to wear the real stuff.
I also went down once at about 10 mph tip toeing around a corner in the rain and didn't see all the fresh dirt that had washed onto the roadway. It was like trying to ride through soft butter. Not a really good gear test there. As a noob I also was out riding with a group, went into a corner at what I thought was too hot and saw the rider in front of me braking in the corner, I nailed the brakes, stood up and did a good job till I hit the wet grass. Low speed tumble in the grass, poor test.
I've crashed a couple of times but never really in ways to test the gear. Well, except my second. I was riding with jeans, fashion leather jacket, sneakers and gloves. I got super lucky in ways I have no idea. I was doing highway speeds when I went down. Long story but I was braking before I went down so I have no idea how fast I was going but there was plenty of sliding. Somehow most of the sliding was absorbed by my thin leather jacket. Unlike a motorcycle jacket, this one was unusable afterwards but somehow protected me. I got lucky with the jeans as somehow the only part that managed to drag was my knee which the pants shredded and left me rashed pretty badly on the knee.
I've kept that leather jacket though, as a reminder that what it looks like is what my skin would have looked like if I'd just been out there in a t-shirt. I show it to others too for two reasons. First on why you wear gear, and second, on what non-motorcycle gear looks like after a crash. Better to wear the real stuff.
I also went down once at about 10 mph tip toeing around a corner in the rain and didn't see all the fresh dirt that had washed onto the roadway. It was like trying to ride through soft butter. Not a really good gear test there. As a noob I also was out riding with a group, went into a corner at what I thought was too hot and saw the rider in front of me braking in the corner, I nailed the brakes, stood up and did a good job till I hit the wet grass. Low speed tumble in the grass, poor test.
hppants
Well-known member
ABS and linked brakes are simply wonderful inventions.
Similar threads
