Go go power rangers

AlanHolt · Post by **AlanHolt** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:27 am

RandG wrote:Motorcycling is a lot about image. How many do you see riding litre sports bikes with peaked helmets or gs riders wearing one piece leathers, it's all image, I know, I've been there and done it and to a degree still do it. I absolutely tore a mate of mine to shreds for wearing a peaked helmet, guess what ? Yep, depending what bike I'm on, I wear a peaked helmet :woohoo: :woohoo:

When I bought my ZX7R, I was trading in an ER-5. I didn't have a leather suit, so I had no option than to wear my goretex two piece to the dealer, and then ride the ZX7R back in 'the wrong gear for the bike'. Gear isn't cheap, and sometimes people buy the bike before they can afford to buy the gear.
There are posts on here about 'my luggage for my first adventure', where people fit their bike out with luggage that 'looks the part' without ever having been on an adventure and knowing how much stuff they will be taking. I've probably done more adventure miles on my ZX10R with a Kriega R30 on my back than some people will ever do on their GS, but if buying a GS with heated grips, matching goretex suit, 'Ewan and Charlie style' Arai, aluminium luggage and bike GPS just to go to the same places they went to as a kid on their FS1E makes them happy and gets them out on two wheels, it should be welcomed not ridiculed.

Over here in Spain, all sorts of bikers ride together. You will always see groups containing sports, enduro, cruisers etc, all enjoying just being out on their bikes. Its only in the UK there seems to be this pathetic segregation where sports bikes only acknowledge sports bikes, adventure bikes only acknowledge adventure bikes and cruises only acknowledge cruises.

And whatever the term, biker, motorbiker, motorcyclist, person, man, woman, we all know what we each mean by it, there's no need to be pedantic.

-Ralph- · Post by **-Ralph-** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:28 am

I was in Skegness, it was funny watching them all hop off the bikes in leathers and summer gloves, jump up and down, and then run for the nearest warm building.

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bowber · Post by **bowber** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:28 am

RandG wrote:I hate the expression "bikers" I'm not a "biker" I ride motorcycles, I love motorcycles, I am a motorcycle enthusiast, but I am not a "biker"

Me too, been riding, racing and fixing bikes since I was a little kid and in all that time I've done many stupid things, some on the road, but fortunately (for me anyway) I've survived!

Yesterday I was out with my wife on the back and at one point did wonder if we'd make it back home in one piece. Lots of people out for possibly their first ride going a little nuts with loads of gravel and slippery patches on the road! Me I was taking it easy, after riding most of the winter this was more of a build up slowly to warm dry weather type of riding so it was a shock to see some of the speeds.

Power ranger to me is more the type of person and their type of riding, not much to do with the bike but they are usually attracted to the fastest thing on 2 wheels and like to wear all the gear.

Steve

Rhys · Post by **Rhys** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:30 am

sometimes I go to work in the car, am I not a hard biker/motorcyclist any more

-Ralph- · Post by **-Ralph-** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:30 am

Why is something the 'wrong gear'? I wear what I'm comfortable in. I have a sports bike and don't own a leather suit. I also have an adventure bike and don't own a peaked helmet.

I ride in textiles in winter, or kevlar jeans and one of a selection of jackets in summer. I only have road helmets, if I'm going off road I just wear one of my older ones.

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bowber · Post by **bowber** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:38 am

-Ralph- wrote:Why is something the 'wrong gear'? I wear what I'm comfortable in. I have a sports bike and don't own a leather suit. I also have an adventure bike and don't own a peaked helmet.

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For most of us there isn't such a thing as the wrong gear, maybe flip flops and T shirt while doing a speed test of your latest bike on the German Autobahn could be classed as the wrong gear.
I've always worn jeans and now kevlar lined jeans and a textile jacket whatever bike I've ridden and I've usually used a peaked helmet and goggles as that's what I had.
I have worn a Kevlar race suit on the road when it was a very hot summer but I had a jumper over the top and most people wouldn't have noticed it was anything more than textile gear.

Steve

petecam · Post by **petecam** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:45 am

You should never ridicule someone for wearing the correct protective equipment on a motorbike, matching or otherwise.

Just to deviate slightly, its like those who moan about people green laning wearing protective Enduro kit and a full faced helmet, just because it might spook ramblers. Its nonsense.

You can really hurt yourself even in quite a low speed off.Wear the best kit you can afford and what you feel happy wearing. And besides whats wrong with looking the part if you want to?

Cheers

Mike101 · Post by **Mike101** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:52 am

I don't think anybody is mocking anybody for wearing decent bike gear...i like to laugh at people who turn a Sunday ride out into a fashion parade....with the added opportunity to look at the size of their wallet.

I often go out for dinner with my lady into Southampton at a weekend. We dress up a bit but nothing fancy...but we do love people watching. Some of her friends often join us...going out on a Friday night is a big deal to them and they spend a fortune on new clothes, hair, makeup etc...they enjoy it and it's harmless really but it makes me chuckle to myself that looks are so important to them...see and be seen is everything to them..having a good time is secondary.

Now that i what i mock...Poole Quay on a Tuesday is just the same...come look at my big expensive bike and see how much money I've got and be jealous!!!!

Mike

Emf#53 · Post by **Emf#53** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 12:06 pm

Loads of bikes out yesterday where I live - near West Bay in Dorset. Everything from Harleys, to R1's, adventure bikes and this:

: gs115020article20first20220pages.jpg (71.72 KiB) Viewed 1748 times

Or if it wasn't this actual one it was very very similar - If I had been 5 mins earlier getting to West Bay I could probably have had a good look at it parked up.

-Ralph- · Post by **-Ralph-** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 12:37 pm

petecam wrote:And besides whats wrong with looking the part if you want to?

There's nothing wrong with looking the part, it's how people define wehther somebody else "looks the part" or not.

So riding a race replica sports bike on the road, who looks the part, the guy with full race replica leathers with hump and knees sliders which were designed for racing? Or the guy in textiles which were designed for road riding?