On my ride today her in the ATL area, I saw everyone with a helmet on, but not many with gear.

I have to laugh though, I mean I'm riding a beat up 98 F3 with over $500.00 in RS Tai Chi riding gear on and I see alot of people with just a helmet and short sleeve shirts and pants on shiny new GSXR's :laugh:

I feel so naked without my gear :laugh:

 

Yeah, you have it almost right. I just spent 3 years stationed in Charleston, and I would occasionally see other riders in gear, but the majority of riders there wear gloves, and that is about it. Typically the guys that I saw wearing good gear there were Military like myself. The Air Force requires a minimum amount of gear to get on and off base. But most of the guys there strap their helmets to their back seat, or just leave it at home. Their excuse usually is the heat, but that is weak in my mind. I wore my leather all year round with jeans, and I felt guilty for only wearing jeans. However compared to the average rider there, I was pretty well geared up.

Now, here in Germany, it is the exact opposite. People wear full gear here on everything from Mopeds to BMW1200Cs. Needless to say, I like it here.

Where did you stay down there? Litchfield or Surfside Beach area?

 

Riders here in SC aren't much on wearing gear. I'm the ONLY person I've ever seen wearing full leathers. When coming on to post one day the gate gaurd asked me , "Man! Aren't you hot in that suit?" my reply was, " I'd rather be hot than skinless! It also helps if I'm moving so could you please check my ID? :bird:" Most of the guys you see wearing gear are military, and even alot of them ditch the helmet. My logic was I can't drag a knee if I'm not wearing my leathers! But now I'm bikless so I never wear gear :frown:

 

We were everywhere down there, We stayed at a beach house on Kiawha(sp?) island, and at my friends condo in surfside. We also spent a night in Columbia.

I was just amazed by the lack of helmets, in addition to lack of gear. One wreck and you are done for life, its retarded.

I may have some chicken strips on the outer 3/4 inch of my tires, but most of the bikes I saw on the strip had only worn the middle 4 inches or so, with the outer edges still shiny. These guys were just dumb, riding up and down the strip in bumper to bumper traffic again and again.. What a waste of a bike.

 

Well we are just like every other state. In our tourist traps there are going to be lots more people riding without helmets. I don't think there is any higher % of people in SC without gear as say compared to Ohio. Also senior week at Myrtle Beach can't be a fair survey. A bunch of high schoolers going to the beach to get laid isn't a survey of out state. Also there was just black bike week and Harley week recently there. And you know there wasn't many helmets wore then. Myrtle Beach is very popular for bikes because of the lax helmet laws. :bawling: But I would guess the flatlands of this state most people don't wear gear.

Now up here where I live which is close/in the mountains most people wear gear. When in the mountains most everyone you see is wearing gear. Yeah you do see your few poser sport bikers going through the mountains without jackets. /wwwthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif And you see the cruisers going around without gear. But that is just like every state. In and around town you don't see that many with gear but there is a few you see with jackets and/or full suits.

I'm sure you go to Daytona, Sunset Strip, or just your local main street you won't see many with gear. But I agree Myrtle is the sess pool of SC for people without gear. But that can't be used as a fair survey of this state. But I'm also one of the people who believes that if someone chooses to ride without gear or helmets it is their choice. I have no problem with it except for when they are riding in the twisties, and then I think they should have gear on.

 

In Florida, you see most of the sportbikers wearing helmets, but definitely not all. But while they are doing that, you defintely see a lot of folks in shorts and tank-tops and sneakers, too. Near the coast and larger cities, you see a lot of people not wearing the gear, while in the central part of the state, you at least see more people wearing jackets and jeans, if not full leathers.

If I am scooting around town (not often, because I hate riding the bike in traffic), then I will wear a jacket and jeans in addition to gloves and helmet (and always riding boots), but when I go for any real riding, it is the two piece leathers and back protector for moderate riding, or the one piece and back protector for more "spirited" rides.

 

I was just pointing out that there was a poser convention going on when I was down there, I didnt mean to imply that the whole state was stupid. Sorry if I offended you.