i like that plan.  sometimes i just wear sneakers and jeans, but always have jacket, gloves and full helmet.

apropos the original topic, i always have worn a helmet and honestly don't like the feel without a full face helmet.  they're trying to get rid of helmet laws in michigan and i don't get why.

on the other hand, like i said, i don't even own leather bottoms, so if they suddenly came up with "full leathers" laws, i'd probably be against it just like some are against the helmet laws.

Quote from: cmorgan47 on July 30, 2008, 08:23:10 AM
i like that plan.  sometimes i just wear sneakers and jeans, but always have jacket, gloves and full helmet.

apropos the original topic, i always have worn a helmet and honestly don't like the feel without a full face helmet.  they're trying to get rid of helmet laws in michigan and i don't get why.

on the other hand, like i said, i don't even own leather bottoms, so if they suddenly came up with "full leathers" laws, i'd probably be against it just like some are against the helmet laws.

Yup-it's all perspective.

I can't imagine just sneakers-I mean-you could hose and ankle and never walk right again-and my legs? Oh hell no-definitely wearing my dainese pants. ATGATT here, but whatever floats your boat, really.

Quote from: ducatizzzz on July 30, 2008, 08:11:03 AM
i think this makes perfect sense -- but do it differently.

you commit to wearing certain gear -- and that determines your policy coverage and cost.

if you are in a wreck and not wearing that gear, then you get denied any coverage at all.

so if you commit to wearing helmet, CE jacket, gloves, pants and boots, you get a policy for the cheapest, and on up for each item less.

I would go for that.  i never ride without helmet, jacket, gloves and boots.  sometimes i will wear pants, but i can't always swing that. 

Yeah this is what I was aiming for.  But as a lawyer I'm sure you could think of the headache of maintaining this.  What gear is covered and when new gear comes out who checks it out and what's the delay between when it comes out and when it's approved.  Which, if there's a institution that covers it already it's all good.  Like CE and DOT protection.  But there's other stuff that would have to be figured out.  Like leather with no protection.  and different types of leather. 
I'm sure this could be figured out if the right people sat down.

Quote from: triangleforge on July 29, 2008, 11:57:40 AM
I like the idea, though the main purpose of moto or auto insurance is to cover your liability if you damage someone else's vehicle and (for the most part) hurt someone with your vehicle. If you purchase more coverage, it'll help replace or repair your vehicle if it's damaged. Neither is much affected by your gear choices.

The places that gear vs. none would show up are in medical insurance and life insurance. Oddly enough, I just purchased life insurance through the same company that covers our house, cars & motorcycles and went through the whole lifestyle quiz. The interviewer spent probably 20 minutes or more grilling me about what kind of rock climbing I do (these days it's almost entirely easy bouldering & top-roping stuff that would bore your average 14 year old) but not a single question about the motorcycles!  

This is exactly the problem I thought of.  I was looking at insurance for my car the other day and the great majority of the fees are either non-medical or for the other person involved in the accident.  Auto loaners would often require coverage for the bike.  So how far could you go in limiting coverage based on failure to wear equipment. 

Oh, I just had an idea.   Put an equipment clause in the insurance and make sure the rider reads and signs it to get the lower rate.   THEN when the rider doesn't wear the gear and wrecks, you could just sue for insurance fraud and don't have to cover...   Lawyers, Discuss. 

This probably wouldn't be the great deterrent I think it would.  If protecting your lifestyle and life isn't enough I doubt lack of insurance coverage will help.   But it'd make it cheaper for the rest of us. 

Quote from: someguy on July 30, 2008, 08:43:44 AM
you could hose and ankle and never walk right again

been there, done that.
broke my left ankle several years back and now i can predict rain and snow.

stupid error on my part-- pretty much a novice at the time, riding a HUGE bike, turning around in a parking lot and hit some sand.  rear wheel slipped and i tried to catch it.

Full-face helmet and full gear, always, period.

This is how I roll:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Nu_vVvqyo

That dude is badass!  Makes me kinda want to go buy an R1 and practice in a school parking lot naked. 

Hold my beer and watch this!  Holla!

i would say his stuff would clink when he walks, but after that video i don't think his stuff cleared the flyscreen!

Quote from: arai_speed on July 30, 2008, 11:23:09 AM
This is how I roll:

yep, exactly why we need bleach in the gene pool.

Quote from: arai_speed on July 30, 2008, 11:23:09 AM
This is how I roll:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Nu_vVvqyo

oh man, i love that video. no matter what kind of day i'm having, that one always makes me laugh out loud.

i say let the laws of no helmets pass, its a personal decision.

me personally i use nothing but a full face helmet, armored jacket, full guantlet gloves and riding boots.. used to use thinner gloves but basically i'm sort of a poser so i like getting the full race style gloves, both vented and non vented styles (my excuse i give is that thye have more protection if i ever need it, hopefully i never will).. used to wear jeans at the least, but now always wear bmw textile bottoms with armor in the knees and hips, basically now when i ride in jeans it just doesn't feel right to me anymore.

do what you want, and remember you probably will be a role model, good or bad, for someone that is possibly considering riding that you personally know.  so that is something to consider.

Always wear mine.  Everytime a huge bug or rock hits my faceshield I have to smile at myself for being so damn smart   + helmets these days are just badass looking, so many shapes and styles to choose from everyone should be able to find at least 1 they like well enough to wear!

Cool looking helmets are   

It´s great they tend to keep on the other side of the Atlantic.

You know you could try to make it look cool that swimming across to europe is hard core.. might even lose some of them along the way.

speaking of helmets... i ride with a full face but have been thinking about the 3/4 ones. those city monter helmet type?

anyone ride with those? how's the protection?

Quote from: someguy on July 27, 2008, 09:05:00 AM
You may wish to post a "graphic" warning shortly before those pictures....

The bacon in your avatar is far more graphic!