Riding Gear - Old School

[seedy]

Ah - the New Year. Lived thru another one.

Much great gear around now to keep skin on bones, and bones in one piece.

Coming up, wore Cowboy boots, jeans, leather jacket, 3/4 helmet.

Cold - remove jeans, wrap newspaper around lower legs on top of long johns, jeans back on.

Turtle neck, under shirt, under sweater. Wrap neck with scarf, leather jacket on.

Bubble faceshield, held on with 3 snaps, always fogged up. Buy ski goggles, put bandana on head and one on lower face, held on with said goggles.

Gloves - leather ropers. Raining - plastic bags over gloves.

Luggage - army surplus duffel bag on sissy bar. Sleeping bag on top of headlight.

Kick 'er over and GO !

Brits had those thick turtleneck sweaters and thick socks sticking up out of their boots. Lucky SOB'S !!

[RubberSideDown]

When I commuted to work on my bike in the early nineties (I didn't own a car for eight years) I always wore a Shoei helmet, a motorcycle-specific leather jacket, and quality gloves- my weak points were dress pants and gym shoes. When it was cold (I'd ride down to -2* or so, and in the occasional snow storm- rain meant nothing, and I've ridden thousands of km in it with an oversuit), I wore layers with a thermal underwear base. When I toured I wore jeans and the same crappy footwear.

In contrast, today I wore a Teknik two-piece leather suit (Violator jacket and Chicane pants with a 360* zipper), a Shoei Air helmet, Knox Handroid gloves, and Alpinestars Supertech R boots for a quick blast around town- as I've gotten older (and hopefully more skilled and knowledgeable as a rider) my gear has improved.

[DILLIGAD]

Hate to admit it, but my first bike boots were ex-RAF issue with a sheepskin lining. Used thick white socks rolled over the top of them and a white silk scarf. Belstaff waxed jacket & jeans. My 18th birthday present was a red, white& blue copy Barry Sheene leather bike jacket.

To think, I thought that was cool then!!!

[dave_boo]

Hate to admit it, but my first bike boots were ex-RAF issue with a sheepskin lining. Used thick white socks rolled over the top of them and a white silk scarf. Belstaff waxed jacket & jeans. My 18th birthday present was a red, white& blue copy Barry Sheene leather bike jacket.

To think, I thought that was cool then!!!

If you were on a Bonnie...it was cool except for the socks.

[apetley]

Here's a pic of my dad in 1950. OP had it dead right :-):-):-)

[Gsxrnz]

My school had a uniform that consisted of shorts all year round, despite being in a temperate climate with 10 degree frosts common. Used to ride my Honda Elsinore 10klm to school with no gloves, no helmet, shorts and a jersey.

The school heating system was crap and rarely worked properly, but the relative warmth of 8-10 degree classrooms felt like a sauna.

Edited January 2, 2015 by Gsxrnz

[seedy]

Had a brand new Kawasaki 90 when I turned 14. In those days you could ride a bike up to 100cc on a car learners license.

Rode it to school all winter. My Dad made a shroud around the front of the engine to stop the wind blast from cooling down the engine too much and fouling the spark plug.

Ala RR Merlin's

[DILLIGAD]

The phrase "old school" means old fashioned BTW.

[RubberSideDown]

^

True- my post is out of place, but I wanted to particate- I'm just not as old as some of you guys...

[Gsxrnz]

The phrase "old school" means old fashioned BTW.

Yeah, we all know it doesn't refer to a story from your old school. Um, one day....at band Camp....!

I don't think it means old fashioned at all. The saying Old School means things that were the done while you were at school. For most of us, we were actually "at school" at the time that we now refer to as Old School.

Old Fashioned to me is pre 1960. Old School is 1960-1980.

I think it's subjective. My 23 year old kid calls CD's "old school". However, I refer to cassettes as old school. My grandson thinks my 10 year old Samsung fliptop cellphone is old school.

Go figure.

[speedthrills]

The phrase "old school" means old fashioned BTW.

Yup~~

old–school

adjective

: typical of an earlier style or form : based on a way of doing things that was common in the past

: using or supporting traditional practices