Well it's that time again, Summer is.....well should be
around the corner.
But with the current weather here in HKG your guess is
better than mine! The humidity is a killer at present, and the roads slick and
flooded in some parts so please watch for road conditions and avoid the
furniture!
Of late I’m getting a lot of concerns with Leathers, remember
this article is only my opinion! You’re the one’s on the bikes so do as you
need, and depending on your riding style, years of practice etc…don’t heed my
advice!
Now as you, well most know, I'm all for safety,
regardless if you're on a 125cc, 600 or 1199! Naturally the higher powered babies need more
attention and care, but that aside, questions on leathers and knee areas,
in-short; for those that have been riding for years this will or may not apply,
for the new guns, I can say from experience that a One-Piece track is much more
comfortable than the basic 2 split, preferably a perforated suit for more
airflow in this climate! For some reason
and I agree the 2-piece suits just never did it for me, the pants where always
and I agree somewhat uncomfortable, if it wasn't the knee areas being too
stiff, the crotch was dropping off too much or too high pending the weather!,
it’s not a fit issue, in so far as a “Cut” try a different brand, we’re all
built differently and can’t expect manufacturers to fine tune all areas,
(having said this Dainese will custom make suits and pants for you! Budget
warranted!), the issue with split suits is the pants don’t have much give, you
can’t add much protection to them, and movement is limited, try extending….it’s
tough, unlike a one piece, which seems to adjust a lot easier.
Now this isn't all just a fit / cut issue rather the
riding conditions here as well, you're forever on the start / stop / N /
Clutching and revving it’s a bit of a nightmare if you have an air-cooled 1100!
, which can be dangerous if you're uncomfortable in these pants!, Yes, yes
leathers will save your skin but no means your bones!, try the Dainese website
and load up on protectors, followed by a layer of SKIN (tight Yoga pants if you
must, sure you have a pair, if not ask your Mrs!), then gortex or track jeans
with Kevlar, this will give more breathing room, the problem with split
leathers, especially in HKG (haven't found this to be a problem in Germany or
Canada) is the SWEAT!
The humidity is a killer!, once the pants are on you're
off to the races and sweating like a pig! which = stick! if your knees aren't
in the right position and they start sticking, you're likely to pinch it!,
you'll have problems with shifting, less with rear braking, but all the same,
your balance will be affected which isn’t what you need! I would suggest you
steer clear of the leather pants for a while until the weather warrants use,
unlike a 1 piece, you have little room to adjust and stretch, there is also
much less breathing room in a split formation, maybe I'm just too use to the
track suits, but on the roads here I go with the jean setup (C-Protection,
thighs, knees and shines, remember this covers sides, front, but in the event
you need to ditch backwards keep your knees up and use as much of the back-protector
as you can and slide!, some people have disputed my “Rear Ditch Method” but
most whom have commented and refuted it, haven’t been on the Hong Kong roads,
needless to say haven’t experienced the joy of a double decker bus heading
towards them at 70K and leaning in your lane! The lanes here are tight, tight……….TIGHT!
so you need to adjust your riding to them, as the buses won’t to you! That’s a head
on and little will be left of you regardless of the protection! Oh, and watch
the roundabouts here, no one seems to get them!
Now, top protection is a lesser problem, I’ve seen too
many accidents with riders in t-shirts, plain jeans and sport shoes, even saw a
guy with flip-flops on a 1100!, brass-balls? Nope afraid not, this is just
plain stupid! Leather top, back and
thorax protection, it's ample unless you're reckless, jackets will not cause
half as many issues for you, on these roads, you need comfort below, remember
you’re not on a track, and you’re very unlikely to even kick her into 4th
for long, your legs are down a lot, even if you clutch and rev, sticking in
leather pants may warrant injury or an embarrassing fall when behind a car/bus
or moving off from a red.
Hit Dainese in Hong Kong and get Tom to sort you out with
some proper protection, jeans or Gortex for a more breathable ride in this
weather, full suits are fine, but again you need to get use to them, the heat
can be unforgiving, great for losing weight! So stay hydrated and safe riding!
