I was wondering what you guys are wearing when riding your Burgman Scooters? I am coming from riding Harleys in the past and have some leather gear but not sure about boots on a scooter. I would like to hear from some of you and what you recommend to wear.
What Do You Wear When Riding
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ATGATT (All the Gear, All the Time)
Full face helmet (Shoei RF1100)
Two Jackets (both Joe Rocket, one mesh, one textile depending on the season)
Fluorescent vest over the jacket.
Either.... KLIM armoured gortex riding pants or Deluth Trading Fire Hose pants with Bohm under-armour.
Gloves with armour on the back of the hands. I have multiple pair of several types depending on the weather/temp/rain, etc.
8" boots. Wouldn't even think about riding without foot and ankle protection.
Full face helmet (Shoei RF1100)
Two Jackets (both Joe Rocket, one mesh, one textile depending on the season)
Fluorescent vest over the jacket.
Either.... KLIM armoured gortex riding pants or Deluth Trading Fire Hose pants with Bohm under-armour.
Gloves with armour on the back of the hands. I have multiple pair of several types depending on the weather/temp/rain, etc.
8" boots. Wouldn't even think about riding without foot and ankle protection.
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2,373 Posts
Cover All Bases, With Reasonable Storage Requirements
- Air-flow boots or waterproof boots, depending on the weather, and whether it's a multi-day trip or not (in which case, just the latter).
- Jeans, and if want more protection (because jeans don't really offer much) you can get Kevlar-lined ones, or wear Bohn under-armor.
- Overpants for long rides or wet weather.
- Armored mesh jacket, with a replacement real back pad.
- Heated liner.
- Waterproof golf shirt.
- Two or three pairs of gloves (summer, warmer, warm and waterproof).
I find that this collection packs pretty small -- small enough not to have to think about it, or change the composition (especially with all the storage on the 650s or a bike with saddlebags) -- and covers all eventualities. I detailed all of this in a webBikeWorld article about three years ago:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r5/motorcycle-touring-outfit/
You may find that article useful -- or not -- and there are some informative reader comments at the end, too.
I currently have a 650 Exec and a Victory bagger, and my riding gear is the same for either bike:
- Air-flow boots or waterproof boots, depending on the weather, and whether it's a multi-day trip or not (in which case, just the latter).
- Jeans, and if want more protection (because jeans don't really offer much) you can get Kevlar-lined ones, or wear Bohn under-armor.
- Overpants for long rides or wet weather.
- Armored mesh jacket, with a replacement real back pad.
- Heated liner.
- Waterproof golf shirt.
- Two or three pairs of gloves (summer, warmer, warm and waterproof).
I find that this collection packs pretty small -- small enough not to have to think about it, or change the composition (especially with all the storage on the 650s or a bike with saddlebags) -- and covers all eventualities. I detailed all of this in a webBikeWorld article about three years ago:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r5/motorcycle-touring-outfit/
You may find that article useful -- or not -- and there are some informative reader comments at the end, too.
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13,536 Posts
A scooter is a motorcycle. If you go down while riding it you face the same injury possibilities as on any motorcycle. You should wear the same gear you would wear on any other motorcycle. I wear boots, armored over pants, armored jacket, gloves and helmet. Summer gear is mesh and vented, winter gear is not.
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586 Posts
On the Burgman: Full face modular, armored mesh or armored leather, leather gloves with wrist velcro so they stay on in an off, armored jeans w/kevlar, leather ankle boots.
On my in-the-city 163cc scooter riding: all the above, less the armored jeans and boots. Levis & sneakers.
Stig
On my in-the-city 163cc scooter riding: all the above, less the armored jeans and boots. Levis & sneakers.
Stig
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9 Posts
I'm kind of all over the place. Typically Bell full face modular helmet, Alpinestars or Tourmaster jacket, Bohn under armor under jeans, gloves and over the ankle boots. However, some days I decide to risk it and go for shorts, t-shirt, sandals and a half helmet. Or some combination of the above. It's all location or weather dependent. I figure I'm an adult, living in a country where I have the freedom to make my own decisions and/or suffer the joys or pain of the consequences.
Leeward Coast
Leeward Coast
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clean skivvies
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When I crashed April 17th 2015 at 70 miles per hour into the concrete barrier, I was FULL ATGATT.
1. My helmet is cracked and ground down in a lot of areas.
2. My armored jacket is Shredded from the middle right side all the way to the left wrist cuff with the armor sticking out.
3. My Armored gloves palms are scuffed up and the knuckles are worn down.
4. My Kelvar reinforced Draggon Jeans got shredded in the knee areas and a 3 inch long BOLT from road debree got jammed into my right knee under the meniscus.
5. I had Georgia brand Logger boots on, steel toes. The boots got scuffed all the way from the heel to above the ankle and the steel of the toe on my right boot is worn down across the top.
The ER nurse was amazed that I was still alive after seeing the mess of my gear. Yes I was still busted up real bad, all 9 left ribs were shattered in multi places, broken collar bone and shoulder bone, bruised my heart and punctured my left lung twice, brain injury, sinus injury, broke my pubic bone loop on the right side and a few other issues. Spent 7 days in the ICU and almost 2 months recovering at home. First day back to work was on my current 2003 Burgman with all new gear plus a Armadillo Chest Armor Vest.
Without the gear (and the Lords blessing) I would be dead, NO DOUBT!!!
From what the State Patrol trooper said to me later, I slid over 400 feet after hitting the barrier. He guessed my speed at impact was about 75 MPH. He did check the traffic cameras during the investigation due to a witness statement (from almost 1/2 mile behind me) that I was driving erratic right before I HIT the barrier. He said the video showed I was in a Head Shake for about 100 feet after the tire hit me and the bike was all over the lane. He did not think I would make it.
I was doing about 65 to 70 MPH in the 60 zone when I seen the car tire flying at me and gunned the throttle to get it behind me but that did not work. As the flying tire cleared the windshield of the car to my right side it flipped and crashed into my front wheel, steering me hard left at 45 degrees in to the barrier.
Short answer, YES I had a major crash due to a Car Tire while on my Motorcycle. Not MY car tire mind you... :twisted:
1. My helmet is cracked and ground down in a lot of areas.
2. My armored jacket is Shredded from the middle right side all the way to the left wrist cuff with the armor sticking out.
3. My Armored gloves palms are scuffed up and the knuckles are worn down.
4. My Kelvar reinforced Draggon Jeans got shredded in the knee areas and a 3 inch long BOLT from road debree got jammed into my right knee under the meniscus.
5. I had Georgia brand Logger boots on, steel toes. The boots got scuffed all the way from the heel to above the ankle and the steel of the toe on my right boot is worn down across the top.
The ER nurse was amazed that I was still alive after seeing the mess of my gear. Yes I was still busted up real bad, all 9 left ribs were shattered in multi places, broken collar bone and shoulder bone, bruised my heart and punctured my left lung twice, brain injury, sinus injury, broke my pubic bone loop on the right side and a few other issues. Spent 7 days in the ICU and almost 2 months recovering at home. First day back to work was on my current 2003 Burgman with all new gear plus a Armadillo Chest Armor Vest.
Without the gear (and the Lords blessing) I would be dead, NO DOUBT!!!
From what the State Patrol trooper said to me later, I slid over 400 feet after hitting the barrier. He guessed my speed at impact was about 75 MPH. He did check the traffic cameras during the investigation due to a witness statement (from almost 1/2 mile behind me) that I was driving erratic right before I HIT the barrier. He said the video showed I was in a Head Shake for about 100 feet after the tire hit me and the bike was all over the lane. He did not think I would make it.
I was doing about 65 to 70 MPH in the 60 zone when I seen the car tire flying at me and gunned the throttle to get it behind me but that did not work. As the flying tire cleared the windshield of the car to my right side it flipped and crashed into my front wheel, steering me hard left at 45 degrees in to the barrier.
Short answer, YES I had a major crash due to a Car Tire while on my Motorcycle. Not MY car tire mind you... :twisted:
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I feel naked by comparing my gear to your gears, i only wear a 3/4 helmet and my regular clothes.
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509 Posts
Same for me, but I switched 3/4 helmet to full face and purchased summer jacket.
Still don't have appropriate pants and shoes that I can wear all day in office and ride
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Yes 3/4 helmet for me too, with no face shield, just glasses. Wife on the back the same. I ride very comfortable with my tee shirt and blue jeans. For the hot sun, I have some white arm sleeves that we wear to keep the sun off me. Wife wears shorts and puts sunblock lotion to protect her legs. I like to tear through the twisties with her on the back, but I have to be careful to not let it go down, so I always keep a very careful eye on the road to be sure of my traction, looking out for water, grease, oil, sticks, rocks, sand, loose wet leaves, birds, possums, armadillos, snakes or aliigators that may be lying in the road around any turn! I have had to dodge loose sand, a couple of gators, and hit a few birds (I think the birds recovered after bouncing off the windscreen). I ride a lot of back roads, farm roads, there's a lot of swamp animals around those parts.
Cheers!
Cheers!
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I would echo the sentiments of those who wear all the gear, all the time. I plan on upgrading my armor, even going so far as to getting chest protection gear to go under my jacket.
That said, I'm thinking that the real spirit of your question, coming from someone as yourself with a Harley background, was: "will I look dorky with my Harley-type gear on a scooter?" If that's what you meant, then I'd say yes. Nothing irks me more than the handful of times I've seen someone with "the pirate outfit" i.e. leather vest with a million club patches, do-rag/beret, streaming fringes/tassels, etc....on a maxi-scooter! It just screams "I would really rather be on a Harley like the rest of these guys I'm riding with, but I just settled on this dang scooter 'cause it's all I could afford [or I can't throw a leg over, etc]". Maybe because I just see scoots & cruisers as polar opposites, that's all.
Yes, there are different gear styles that cater to the type of bike one rides, and I wouldn't dogmatically say you have to stay within a specific one, especially since maxi-scooter riders technically don't have a specific "look" or gear style like Vespa riders, sport-bikers, cruiser riders, sport tourers, and adventure/dual sport types do. I tend to buy good quality, solid, highly protective gear that just so happens to fall in the latter two aforementioned categories' looks, maybe because I personally see maxi-scooters as "touring bikes" more along the lines of a Goldwing, BMW or Concours. But that's just me, since I like that look.
Just wear good gear above all else. Best comment on here, Buffalo said, a scooter is a motorcycle and you can't think you'll look foolish on it with motorbike gear, opting to ride around like "Roman Holiday" lest you end up real hurt.
Anyway, all this is on the supposition that what you were asking about was revolving around "scooter fashion". If it wasn't, then disregard this whole post.:wink
That said, I'm thinking that the real spirit of your question, coming from someone as yourself with a Harley background, was: "will I look dorky with my Harley-type gear on a scooter?" If that's what you meant, then I'd say yes. Nothing irks me more than the handful of times I've seen someone with "the pirate outfit" i.e. leather vest with a million club patches, do-rag/beret, streaming fringes/tassels, etc....on a maxi-scooter! It just screams "I would really rather be on a Harley like the rest of these guys I'm riding with, but I just settled on this dang scooter 'cause it's all I could afford [or I can't throw a leg over, etc]". Maybe because I just see scoots & cruisers as polar opposites, that's all.
Yes, there are different gear styles that cater to the type of bike one rides, and I wouldn't dogmatically say you have to stay within a specific one, especially since maxi-scooter riders technically don't have a specific "look" or gear style like Vespa riders, sport-bikers, cruiser riders, sport tourers, and adventure/dual sport types do. I tend to buy good quality, solid, highly protective gear that just so happens to fall in the latter two aforementioned categories' looks, maybe because I personally see maxi-scooters as "touring bikes" more along the lines of a Goldwing, BMW or Concours. But that's just me, since I like that look.
Just wear good gear above all else. Best comment on here, Buffalo said, a scooter is a motorcycle and you can't think you'll look foolish on it with motorbike gear, opting to ride around like "Roman Holiday" lest you end up real hurt.
Anyway, all this is on the supposition that what you were asking about was revolving around "scooter fashion". If it wasn't, then disregard this whole post.:wink
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3,570 Posts
Everything...
and an airbag
and an airbag
Sandals, shorts, short-sleeved shirt, heavy leather jacket, regular helmet and sunglasses. I'm going for the cool-idiot look. For me, I have trouble finding footwear 'cause my feet are size 16 X 6E boxcars and I take what I can get. What I want to get though, is a set of sunglass types with clear lenses for riding at night. I do have leather gloves, but seldom wear them. I just don't like the feel of gloves, I'd rather have cold hands. One thing I will be thinking about though, is a snowmobile suit. Used to have one when I last rode 30ish years ago; loved that thing. No idea what happened to it either. Ah well, clothing, like everything else, has progressed, so I guess I'm back in the market. Problem is, everything is so ruddy expensive here in Canada. I think that's due, at least partly, to a combination of two things, 1) small market. 2) We Canadians are so polite we'd rather just smile, and mutter darkly behind our hands, then upset someone by protesting.
Found out last night that I'm out of Ginger Ale for making a Rum and Ginger. Now that sounds like a perfectly valid excuse to hop on the Burgy and wizz up to the store doesn't it? And if said store happens to be at the other end of town, well, what the heck, a man do what a man's gotta do right??? Have a Smurf day.
Found out last night that I'm out of Ginger Ale for making a Rum and Ginger. Now that sounds like a perfectly valid excuse to hop on the Burgy and wizz up to the store doesn't it? And if said store happens to be at the other end of town, well, what the heck, a man do what a man's gotta do right??? Have a Smurf day.
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373 Posts
Repeat all above
My jacket is a Tourmaster Transition. It's a mesh with armor that has a liner and outer water resistant shell, so it serves me well in temps from the low 40s up to as hot as I can stand to ride. In really cold weather I use it with the liner and outer shell, in the 60s I'll remove the liner, and in the 80s I'll remove the outer shell.
For REALLY cold weather I have an electric liner and gloves.
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13,536 Posts
I road for many years without a crash and didn't think a whole lot about what I was wearing other than a helmet. When I started riding back in the 1970s unless you were looking at full racing leathers there wasn't much available as specialized riding gear. You wore sturdy shoes, jeans, a leather jacket in the winter and a sturdy shirt with possibly a light jacket in the summer, leather gloves and a helmet. By 2006 when I had my first crash I had a armored mesh jacket, boots and motorcycle specific gloves but I was still wearing jeans. A low side slide at 55 mph showed me just how little protection from road rash jeans provide. 6 months later when I had my second crash I had armored pants on too. All that gear protected me from road rash but it didn't protect me from broken bones. Going off the side of a mountain bouncing off trees and rocks will break a few bones. However the Doc said that without it I would most likely be dead or crippled. It cushioned the blows and limited the extent of the damage. With the gear had a concussion, separated shoulder, 7 broken ribs, 3 cracked vertebra, pelvis broken in two places and cracked right femur along with some bruised internal organs but alive. Haven't crashed again since then but I still wear the gear just in case. If you ride long enough the odds are that you will crash no matter how careful you are.
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Low sided the Iceburg about 6 weeks ago. Nothing really awful but if it weren't for my Danner boots, I'd be on crutches or worse. Dragged my right foot under the right side foot shield for a little bit.
Otherwise, full face helmet, armored gloves suitable to riding conditions, amored jacket. Heavy pants. Probably should go to armored pants. As it was, I rode away with a few bumps and scratches and a pretty nasty ankle sprain.
I doubt that my Chippewa Rally boots would have been nearly as good as the Danners in this particular situation.
Otherwise, full face helmet, armored gloves suitable to riding conditions, amored jacket. Heavy pants. Probably should go to armored pants. As it was, I rode away with a few bumps and scratches and a pretty nasty ankle sprain.
I doubt that my Chippewa Rally boots would have been nearly as good as the Danners in this particular situation.
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Chatman, I'd be interested on hearing more about your Danner boots (which model). I thought the Chippewa Rally Boots had a shin guard on them. My Dr Martens have extra padding over the ankles but are too short in heel & sole height so more often I use my unarmored Xelement boots or my work loggers (Chippewa & Carolina) which have more height.
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