What to wear?

[Otis]

During these days of intense and incredible heat I have shied away from riding simply because I cannot bring myself to ride in shorts, trainers and teeshirts. This however, is a decision borne from getting older and feeling that "one should be sensible".

Having taken the car recently more often than the bike for reasons of comfort I am amazed at how many bikers I see in shorts, trainers and teeshirts and feel envy of the freedom they are enjoying.

Winding my own clock back 50 years I fondly remember the Gung Ho joy to be had from throwing a towel over the saddle and enjoying the freedom; safety NEVER really crossed my mind in those days and I wonder why we have become so obsessed with protection these days.

I fully accept that a likely huge majority will say don't ever risk not wearing the correct attire but I would also like to hear the thoughts of the other camps on this subject. As I write I am recalling bombing along the South of France in 1982 from Nice to St Tropez on my CB750FB wearing a speedo and with the wife on the back in her bikini; no helmets. OMG what happy days and amazing memories.

Would love to hear other opinions.

[Johnwebley]

I think most of us face this dilemma

With age comes wisdom

Having said that, I often go for a potter on my 200 in tee shirt,

I also ride a lot steadier,

Rarely do the same on the 500,

I do it,

I don't ask others to

But I take extra care, my excuse

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[Johnny4428]

Not that it happens very often in Orkney but if it’s too hot to put on the correct protection I don’t go on the bike. Just my own safety and comfort. I remember hiring a scooter and touring all over Ibiza just in t shirt and shorts with my then girl friend and who is now my wife way back in the early eighties. My advice would be don’t do it.

[Otis]

I think most of us face this dilemma

With age comes wisdom

Having said that, I often go for a potter on my 200 in tee shirt,

I also ride a lot steadier,

Rarely do the same on the 500,

John, the word dilemma is the poignant one here and great that you recognise it as such because it is.

I think one of the points I was trying to nurture was that 50 years ago we just enjoyed what we did in our youth and, thankfully, most of us came through it. As I reach the Autumn of my life I wonder why I actually care so much about preserving longevity? I am, like you, incredibly careful these days and simply tootle about like I was on a bicycle. However, there is always someone on the sidelines that says "you must be bloody mad" and those comments do play on ones mind aand detract from the freedom of riding a motorcycle.

I don't ask others to

But I take extra care, my excuse

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[Spitfire]

This brings back memories of coming back from an air show on the M6 with a mate, both of us on CB750's and both of us in T shirts and jeans, not a care in the world.
Mind you I can remember riding with a gaggle of mates in the IOM going to Castletown for a few pints in jeans and a white T shirt, a huge mistake as it was decorated with hundreds of kamikaze flies on the way back.
These days I am Captain sensible if I am going any distance, however local rides have seen me in a T shirt and jeans.
It's like scraping the exhaust or a footrest going round a bend, in younger days it was "Wow that was fun", now its more like "I could get hurt here".

Cheers

Dennis

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

During my teenage years I could not afford leathers, it was jeans & Wincheater, I wore a cheap open face helmet on runs over 20 miles, goggles that steamed up at traffic lights.

When I could afford leathers, decent gloves,proper boots etc they were really heavy, the ritual of putting on all that armour was very restrictive and off putting for short journeys.

[Athame57]

During my teenage years I could not afford leathers, it was jeans & Wincheater,

This sounds like me when I was a London despatch rider in the 1980s. I got myself a new RG 500 Gamma ( and another after it was stolen) I seemed to spend so much money on that and everything else I never did get proper leathers either! The one leather jacket I had was too damn small for me and fell out of favour.  Mind you the LC brigade of the 80s ( remember them?) favoured jeans and paddock jackets too. 

[Athame57]

During these days of intense and incredible heat I have shied away from riding simply because I cannot bring myself to ride in shorts, trainers and teeshirts. This however, is a decision borne from getting older and feeling that "one should be sensible".

I would never, but absolutely never become one of those fools riding in shorts. That said in this recent heatwave the leather jacket has been swapped for a Harrington jacket, a leather jacket is just too hot for the middle of London where live and it starts to feel very heavy in this heat too. I've bought myself some unlined gloves too, but the boots stay.

[Bryanj]

You mean you wouldnt use full Belstaffs?

[Nurse Julie]

On main A roads, motorways etc, regardless of the country we're in, it's jeans and Goretex bike jackets . When pootling around on small roads, regardless of which country we're in, it's shorts and T shirts.

[taysidedragon]

I spent nearly 3 weeks in hospital after a car pulled out in front of me. I was riding sensibly and within the speed limit. You just never know when an idiot is going to take you out.
I was wearing full protective gear which couldn't prevent my ankle and leg being smashed, plus a broken arm. I dread to think what damage would have been done if I hadn't been wearing the kit, the skin damage alone would have been horrendous.
In hot weather the minimum gear I  wear is textile jacket with air vents, kevlar lined bike jeans and bike boots, plus helmet and vented gloves of course. As long as you're moving the heat is fine and when off the bike I take off the jacket.
These days there are lots of mesh jackets available with built in protectors, I'm seriously thinking of getting one because of the hotter weather we are going to keep getting in the future.

Don't be an early organ donor folks!

[Oddjob]

Hotter weather we are going to be getting in the future?

You’re optimistic aren’t you?

We get one heat wave, and tbh not a very good heat wave and suddenly it’s a clear indication that the world is warming up and we should all buy shares in swimwear manufacturers. The summer of 76 was a heat wave, can’t remember a single mention of global warming, it lasted far longer, killed far more people, yet no one blamed the earth for warming up. The 89 heatwave was also worse, again no mention. 13 years apart and it’s been quite a few years since our last heatwave as far as I can recall. Will we get another before next year? Doubt it. Before 2030, doubt it. It’s a blip that occurs every now and then, like floods. Dress accordingly and stay safe by doing so. A period of being uncomfortable is far better than lying in a hospital bed wishing you’d used the car instead.
I missed the small period of good weather we had last July, spent all of July in a coma, I’m missing all this lovely good biking weather right now due to said coma, last time I rode a bike was June 16 2025, am I bitter about that fact? You bet you’re arse I am, but seeing the bikes go past or hearing one going at speed still makes me smile, I always say to myself, stay safe lads ( I say lads but they could just as easily be women) get home safe and in one piece. Wear the right stuff, if it’s too hot for your wardrobe buy a new one better suited.

[SteveD CB500K0]

We shall see.


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[Ken4004]

Hotter weather we are going to be getting in the future?

You’re optimistic aren’t you?

We get one heat wave, and tbh not a very good heat wave and suddenly it’s a clear indication that the world is warming up and we should all buy shares in swimwear manufacturers. The summer of 76 was a heat wave, can’t remember a single mention of global warming, it lasted far longer, killed far more people, yet no one blamed the earth for warming up. The 89 heatwave was also worse, again no mention. 13 years apart and it’s been quite a few years since our last heatwave as far as I can recall. Will we get another before next year? Doubt it. Before 2030, doubt it. It’s a blip that occurs every now and then, like floods. Dress accordingly and stay safe by doing so. A period of being uncomfortable is far better than lying in a hospital bed wishing you’d used the car instead.
I missed the small period of good weather we had last July, spent all of July in a coma, I’m missing all this lovely good biking weather right now due to said coma, last time I rode a bike was June 16 2025, am I bitter about that fact? You bet you’re arse I am, but seeing the bikes go past or hearing one going at speed still makes me smile, I always say to myself, stay safe lads ( I say lads but they could just as easily be women) get home safe and in one piece. Wear the right stuff, if it’s too hot for your wardrobe buy a new one better suited.

Very wise words there , I always wear all my motor cycle gear what ever the weather which is always leather as I don’t trust the jeans which I am sure are very good but not as good as leather.
I made this decision years ago when I saw a guy just wearing shorts come off a monkey bike onto tarmac at about 20 miles an hour at Brands Hatch paddock.

Not a good outcome as the guy had lost all the skin on his thigh and the gravel was deeply in beaded in his flesh , I just imagine the medical staff having to pick all that gravel out so life changing injuries.
It’s easier to learn from other peoples mistakes than your own thats why I always wear the right kit even if I am just going up the road for fuel etc.

[Athame57]

You mean you wouldnt use full Belstaffs?

I haven't got about a thousand pounds for what used to be despatch riders staple, I just about FLED from their shop in London's Spitalfields market!