Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Yesterday evening and again this morning, saw a fella on a 650 ADV bike. On an A road and then onto a B.
I could see he had grey hair, so guessing old enough to know better.
I know they were hottish days and I was getting warm in my trousers, jacket and boots.
But why the hell would you ride with T shirt, Shorts and sandals, OR could someone tell me where I can obtain the invisible CE approved bike gear. Oh he did have socks on, so I guess that makes it ok.
My first thoughts were not very kind and endearing to my fellow biker.
Rant over but WHY !

Quite right. That's outrageous. Sandals with socks is a terrible look.

daveuprite wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 3:14 pm Quite right. That's outrageous. Sandals with socks is a terrible look.

I used to religiously wear full kit on the hottest of days, now that is just stupid if you ask me. I'll now wear jeans, lightweight leather gloves, t shirt and/or fleece or denim jacket on hot days.
I've noticed in France some of the lads in t shirt and shorts. Fair do's if you ask me. All personal choice and anyone who feels like slagging then fire away.

No one needs CE approved gear.... Until they fall off.

Decent protective clothing was almost non-existent when I started riding in the 1970s, and having heard a few horror-stories I now won't ride without it. The clincher for me was reading an interview with the surgeon who rebuilt what was left of Barry Sheene's legs after the Silverstone crash: He said that Sheene's leathers had remained intact and protected his wounds from contamination. Without that, it would have been a double amputation.
Even if I'm just testing a bike up and down the track outside our house I still have boots, helmet and gloves on.
You can get mesh armour vests and stuff to wear if it's really hot. You can get windburn riding with bare skin in the summer so I don't see that going 'nude' means comfort.

Each to their own. I ride in T-shirt, shorts and flip flops - when riding the outfit, anyhow. No socks with flipfops, though, it's not quite on-trend yet.

mark vb wrote: ↑Thu Jun 24, 2021 5:15 pm No socks with flipfops, though,

Ah, shame. You could have committed the ultimate fashion faux pas there. But i suppose you'd have to cut a little slit in the socks between big toe and the next to get the little rubber thing in? If you do decide to go that route, make sure the socks are white and pulled up as far as possible. And a knotted handkerchief on your head too perhaps?

We've all done it. Tell the kids not to rent scooters on holiday but we rent KLR650 complete with skateboard helmets, flip flops, shorts and Tshirts riding through the mountains (in our 50's ).

daveuprite wrote:

Ah, shame. You could have committed the ultimate fashion faux pas there. But i suppose you'd have to cut a little slit in the socks between big toe and the next to get the little rubber thing in? If you do decide to go that route, make sure the socks are white and pulled up as far as possible. And a knotted handkerchief on your head too perhaps?

No socks with flipfops on the outfit is what I said... in the house it's a different story - guaranteed to annoy mrs vb as well! It can be very comfy, and no need to mutilate the socks. But I would draw the line at Gumby-ism

You dress for the slide, the only thing that personally annoys me about that is I've only come off once on the road since I started cycling aged 4 & that was due to ice on a roundabout & ironically very little abrasion as I glided like a gold medal winners curling stone. Not to infer I'm a riding god but fully aware of mine & whatever bike I'm ridings limits. I'm pretty sure my Rukka or mesh will do f all if I get run over by a tweeting Range Rover owner, but I feel decadent leaving knee pads at home.

I'm probably jealous of those living for the moment