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ATGATT: Which brands most likely comply and why?

I was living in Houston in the early 80's. Horrible freeway traffic. So I bought a Vespa, the all-steel 2-stroke kind. It was the most fun I have had on 2 wheels. Put on my open face helmet, jump on the bike with my Khakis and button down shirt, and ride to work on back streets at 35mph. On the weekends my wife would jump on the back and we would ride to our neighborhood restaurant, living our Houston version of La Dolce Vita. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
 
I do envy the pirates in a way. They can walk up to their bike wearing jeans and a t-shirt, throw a leg over (easy on their bikes), adjust their shades and off they go. We wear some sort of $500 riding pants, put on a $500 jacket, a $400 air vest, ear plugs and a $700 helmet with a $250 radio, climb aboard, hook-up the vest, turn on the PackTalks, put on gloves and finally take off. It’s exhausting.

To me this routine of putting on gear psychologically prepares me for the ride. I'm getting ready to do something and this helps me get into the ride "mood" by doing this. It's kind of a mental warm up before riding and reminds me it is a serious activity with potentially serious consequences. Just jumping on a bike and riding off doesn't do this.
 
To me this routine of putting on gear psychologically prepares me for the ride. I'm getting ready to do something and this helps me get into the ride "mood" by doing this. It's kind of a mental warm up before riding and reminds me it is a serious activity with potentially serious consequences. Just jumping on a bike and riding off doesn't do this.

Well said and same here.
 
Ones IQ is directionally proportional to common sense, the higher the IQ, the less common sense they have [ as a general rule ].


I would argue that comment too. I see a lot of intelligent people with no common sense and a lot of not so intelligent people that have a lot of common sense.

Like others have said, it is a choice, and what is normally worn by that brand of rider. I still ride with a large group of Harley riders and the far majority of them wear protective gear. Helmets, protective jackets, gloves, proper boots, not many wearing protective pants, but few doing the pirate. It is simply a choice, rebels against being told what to wear, or wearing because it is the norm.

I do find it insulting to say that it is IQ or common sense. Apparently people making those comments have not ridden with many Harley riders to see who they really are and making assumptions from the few bad eggs they have seen.

Also you have a manufacturer that promotes the "bad ass" image. Rough tough Harley riders and ATGATT really don't mix.
 
To the average person, who has never ridden a motorcycle and has no desire to do so, this never ending debate among riders about who wears what is similar to a debate among the ladies of a brothel about who is the most virtuous.
 
To me this routine of putting on gear psychologically prepares me for the ride. I'm getting ready to do something and this helps me get into the ride "mood" by doing this. It's kind of a mental warm up before riding and reminds me it is a serious activity with potentially serious consequences. Just jumping on a bike and riding off doesn't do this.

I agree with this if going for a "ride." But I wonder about the degree to which this applies if all I want to do is run to the store - as in using my bike for transportation instead of for pleasure.

As it happens, where I normally live it is a minimum 50 mile ride to the store and back which is a trip. But any casual observer at a national Rally would conclude that running to the store does not cause lots of people to gear up much.
 
I agree with this if going for a "ride." But I wonder about the degree to which this applies if all I want to do is run to the store - as in using my bike for transportation instead of for pleasure.

As it happens, where I normally live it is a minimum 50 mile ride to the store and back which is a trip. But any casual observer at a national Rally would conclude that running to the store does not cause lots of people to gear up much.

It is because of all the protective gear that when I need to go to a local store, I take the car. :laugh
 
Exactly.

I know the original poster is trying to find some scientific evidence between brand / style of riding to wearing full gear but I haven't seen any published data that really breaks this down. BMW Touring Riders are probably the most covered of the lot but I also feel as the ATGATT cult has rubbed people the wrong way when I'm at BMW-Centric events. At the end of the day, these are licensed motorcycle riders who can or cannot choose to comply with the law when privately operating their private property. What I mean is is someone wants to do the bare minimum and just put on a helmet, that's their prerogative. There are ATGATT riders who choose to smoke cigarettes or not follow doctor's orders on sodium intake and there are a LOT of ATGATT BMW Touring riders with radar detectors because they want to go 10-15 over the speed limit and not get a ticket.

Speed kills just as much as opting for work boots over riding boots. Ultimately, motorcycling is dangerous and each individual needs to assess their risk comfort when throwing a leg over.

I wear my full gear over 99% of my miles. I don't wear it the last day of riding of the year when I'm riding my bike across the street to top it off with ethanol free gas. I don't wear my knee-high boots and just do work boots when I'm running over to my friend's house to pick up a tool I need for a project that's a mile away. These are individual risk decisions I take.

I'm a new rider (2016) and the amount of people Wes Fleming interviews on his podcasts that started riding at a young age all admit they didn't wear any protective gear or very little when they were younger. Most of them wear full gear now as do most of us.

I guess maybe my larger point here is I'd like to see BMW owners represent our culture well by donning full gear and leading by example but not harass or disparage anyone who doesn't. My wife and I were at a rally last week. She was holding her bike on the back of our trailer while I unloaded mine. A couple were spotting us to make sure it all went well. When she jumped onto the ground the woman said "I hope you don't wear those flip flops when you're riding"

It was a kind and caring thing to say from the stranger helping us out and looking for my wife's (who is 30 years old) safety but it's really none of her business what kind of shoes my wife chooses to wear while riding. She has never ridden her motorcycle without full ATGATT head to toe..nothing cheap all top-tier stuff and is now being scolded for standing next to her bike at a rally in flip flops. That kind of stuff turns off riders who are just starting out when many of today's BMW riders started off as kids riding around without any gear at all.

If my wife and I decide to go to a rally and just wear helmets and jeans, well. I'm afraid to do that because I'll have to spend all day being lectured about my IQ level. I choose to wear gear because it's the right thing to do but I do feel some days if I choose not too, I'll be ran out of our community. I'd really like us all to agree that we ride and take our own risks...others do the same.

Exactly. Good post.
 
So what is it about the average BMW owner vs. the average H-D (and clones) owner which makes one group more safety concerned than the other?

If you are a marketing professional, you are trained to look at this from the perspective of the person who purchases the product, and try to understand their motivations when making those choices.

While I don’t have any qualitative data from marketing research, my observations over 50 years in the motorcyclist community tell me that your observation is correct…. the average “H-D (and clones) owner” has different motivations for their product and riding gear choices than does the BMW owner.

It’s pretty clear that one class of owner appreciates the attention that the act of riding draws to themselves. Their loud pipes aren’t for saving lives, they’re for saying to the world “hey, look at me… hey, look at me!” as they rev their engine at stop lights. The same motivation is in play as the rider dons $2000 worth of branded leather apparel while leaving the most fragile part of their anatomy completely exposed. That’s because it’s hard for others to recognize you if you’re wearing a helmet, or… others will think you look like a complete dork wearing a helmet.

Considering the other class of owner, it’s pretty clear they wish to communicate an air of sophistication and refinement about themselves, as symbolized by their product choices. Their high-tech machines emit far less sound, their clothing is dashingly stylish (or, god forbid, makes them look like a human highlighter) and their extremely bright array of aftermarket driving lights say “eff-you, I don’t care if these lights blind other motorists, it’s all about me and my personal safety.”

Can you tell which is which? I know you can! :ha

:p
 
If you are a marketing professional, you are trained to look at this from the perspective of the person who purchases the product, and try to understand their motivations when making those choices.

If marketing professionals are really on track and have the pulse of consumers, based on insurance, roof gutter, and replacement window ads, I am very concerned……….and disappointed :scratch

OM
 
Considering the other class of owner, it’s pretty clear they wish to communicate an air of sophistication and refinement about themselves, as symbolized by their product choices.
:p

I just want to be safe and comfortable :)
Not sure there's any gear out there to make me look sophisticated :)
 
If marketing professionals are really on track and have the pulse of consumers, based on insurance, roof gutter, and replacement window ads, I am very concerned……….and disappointed :scratch

You have no idea how many people buy things out of fear (whether perceived or real). Fear is a powerful motivator! :nod

Plus, there are an incredible number of studies that show that humor sells… and, obviously, stupid humor!

I just want to be safe and comfortable :)
Not sure there's any gear out there to make me look sophisticated :)

I’ll bet you wear Aerostich, right? Well, you look like your mother dressed you!!!! :ha











I wear Aerostich!
 
Big difference between managing a personal risk profile based on what you are doing on the bike and when/where you are doing it, and "fashion".

Fashion can kill, and bother others, but its obviously fun for many and "belonging to and being accepted by a group of others" is hard wired in our brain and even necessary for good mental health in the long term. Many are willing to increase their level of personal physical risk to satisfy that need. Add self esteem maintenance and economic needs to the picture and we should never be surprised what individuals and groups of individuals are capable of thinking and doing :)
 
I just want to be safe and comfortable :)
Not sure there's any gear out there to make me look sophisticated :)

Honestly this was / is me, whether on my Suzuki, Honda, Harley, or Beemer.

Well, once I learned that a field jacket and jeans weren't "gear", and that alcohol and riding don't mix.

Fortunately, I was 18 years old, almost.

Took two weeks to get all the cactus spines out of my skin.

Lesson learned. :blush
 
I would argue that comment too. I see a lot of intelligent people with no common sense and a lot of not so intelligent people that have a lot of common sense.

Like others have said, it is a choice, and what is normally worn by that brand of rider. I still ride with a large group of Harley riders and the far majority of them wear protective gear. Helmets, protective jackets, gloves, proper boots, not many wearing protective pants, but few doing the pirate. It is simply a choice, rebels against being told what to wear, or wearing because it is the norm.

I do find it insulting to say that it is IQ or common sense. Apparently people making those comments have not ridden with many Harley riders to see who they really are and making assumptions from the few bad eggs they have seen.

Also you have a manufacturer that promotes the "bad ass" image. Rough tough Harley riders and ATGATT really don't mix.

I didn't say it was one or the other, only that it's directly proportional. And it is, in not just this subject. :D
 
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