Are vests sufficient?

[2fidyswag]

I live in AZ, so temps will be around 110 during the day. I'm thinking of getting the icon stryker vest. I know this is not complete protection but do you think it's a bad idea to rely on that? I would still wear jeans and a helmet but a jacket is just so damn hot. I wouldn't be using freeways, just small trips around town.. so probably up to 45MPH.

[Joshorilla]

That depends on how much you value the use of your arms and hands.

Edit: Oh and you'll be wearing just jeans also? So arms, hands and legs.

[xSean13]

If you're not a fan of your skin...then no. Long sleeves protects you from the sun and heat, so if you're planning on going short sleeves + vest, then that's 100% dumb. With heat that high, you should look into one of the cooling vests to put under a jacket.

[beazy411]

Ever skinned your knee/elbow from falling? That's just about .5mph and it hurts. Imagine that at 45mph and getting to see the ER nurse to scrub the asphalt out of your arm. It all comes down to what risks you are willing to take. There are some tips and gear to help keep cool like vests that you soak in water then the air makes them like a swamp cooler. What ever you decide, keep the rubber side down.

[2fidyswag]

Alright well thats enough to convince me. I'll just keep geared up and if it's too hot I'll be a cager for the day. Rather safe than sorry.

[Legend]

I try not to read through accident threads but I read this one from zx6r.com.

I agree with others...if you like your skin wear some gear. Read the first part of that post, description should be enough to answer your vest question.

[beazy411]

One of the best bits of advice I've heard about gear and being to hot is if it's to hot for gear it's to hot to ride. I live in New Orleans so I know how bad summer can suck.
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[allanoue]

Originally Posted by 2fidyswag

Alright well thats enough to convince me. I'll just keep geared up and if it's too hot I'll be a cager for the day. Rather safe than sorry.

Hot nurse with a wire brush
I ride in temps from 18 to 96. $10 in gas more to commute a cage so I am very motivated to ride.
I think if the humidity was desert low I would go 97 or 98. See what you can take ATGATT

[Whiskey]

This has full armour & is all mesh

Not ideal but better than just a vest.


http://www.knox-armour.co.uk/product...uct=crossshirt

[CC Cowboy]

You better wear full race leathers no matter where you go no matter how short, or long the ride.

If you have read the hundreds of thousands of crashes posted just this year (and it isn't even riding season yet) you won't take the chance. You only get one body take care of it and it will last a lifetime.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by 2fidyswag

I live in AZ, so temps will be around 110 during the day........I would still wear jeans and a helmet but a jacket is just so damn hot.....

Have you ever wondered why people working with camels dress up from head to toes?

Replace mesh riding suits with bare skin in the following paragraph:

"Why Mesh Riding Suits Don't Work in Extreme Conditions

Human bodies exchange heat with their surroundings in four primary ways: convection, conduction, radiation, and evaporative cooling (from perspiration). When ambient temperatures are below the body's normal temperature of 98.6°F, all of these pathways can provide cooling. The higher the windspeed, the more cooling there is from convection. But when ambient temperatures rise above 98.6°F, only evaporative cooling can work. More importantly, too much wind becomes a bad thing. There is a limit to our body's perspiration rate and when the wind speed uses up all of the available perspiration, more wind increases convective HEATING. This is the opposite of "Wind Chill"."

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/ExtremeHeat.html

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

You better wear full race leathers no matter where you go no matter how short, or long the ride.

If you have read the hundreds of thousands of crashes posted just this year (and it isn't even riding season yet) you won't take the chance. You only get one body take care of it and it will last a lifetime.

I have a 1/4 mile privet driveway, so sometimes to check the mail box, but I will go up my driveway at 1/3 the speed.
With all the gear 0-60-0 love my 300

[Tigerpaw]

Looks safe enough to crash in for me

[CC Cowboy]

Tom, not for nothing but; you look like a girl!

[Tigerpaw]

Tom is Celtic for Thomasina.

[allanoue]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomasina

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Tigerpaw

Tom is Celtic for Thomasina.

Cool name either way.

[Tigerpaw]

In case anyone missed the joke...I am a DUDE!

The above picture is a stock Google image.

Stop sending me messages

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Tom, not for nothing but; you look like a girl!

Indeed !!!

........not that it is anything wrong with it...........

[Yakaru]

Originally Posted by 2fidyswag

I live in AZ, so temps will be around 110 during the day. I'm thinking of getting the icon stryker vest. I know this is not complete protection but do you think it's a bad idea to rely on that? I would still wear jeans and a helmet but a jacket is just so damn hot. I wouldn't be using freeways, just small trips around town.. so probably up to 45MPH.

If you get a jacket with good ventilation (I highly recommend something that has sleeve vents) and, if needed, a cooling vest you can ride in that kind of heat no problem.
Source: I ride in Vegas :P

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Tigerpaw

In case anyone missed the joke...I am a DUDE!

The above picture is a stock Google image.

Stop sending me messages

[tnr4]

Originally Posted by Yakaru

If you get a jacket with good ventilation (I highly recommend something that has sleeve vents) and, if needed, a cooling vest you can ride in that kind of heat no problem.
Source: I ride in Vegas :P

Yup. When I was a big ol' idiot, I rode in SC summers occasionally in jeans and a t-shirt. Yeah, I was dumb. I was SHOCKED (because I was dumb) to later learn that a well-ventilated jacket was NICER to ride in than a t-shirt. Protected me from sun and too much wind, allowed me to modulate air flow, and if you have well-placed mesh panels (although given your desert conditions, take Motofool's info seriously!), the air feels COOLER than when it hits your skin directly. Summer riding gear is magic. Combine that with a cooling vest, and your all set up to temps that are too dangerous to ride in period.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by tnr4

Yup. When I was a big ol' idiot, I rode in SC summers occasionally in jeans and a t-shirt. Yeah, I was dumb. I was SHOCKED (because I was dumb) to later learn that a well-ventilated jacket was NICER to ride in than a t-shirt. Protected me from sun and too much wind, allowed me to modulate air flow, and if you have well-placed mesh panels (although given your desert conditions, take Motofool's info seriously!), the air feels COOLER than when it hits your skin directly. Summer riding gear is magic. Combine that with a cooling vest, and your all set up to temps that are too dangerous to ride in period.

Travis is a dummy, Travis is a dummy, nah nah nah nah nah!

I have a friend (ex-racer) that likes wearing only a vest. He crashed on the Halloween ride and hurt his hip.

He always crashed on the track too.

Full leathers all the time!

[tnr4]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Travis is a dummy, Travis is a dummy, nah nah nah nah nah!

I have a friend (ex-racer) that likes wearing only a vest. He crashed on the Halloween ride and hurt his hip.

He always crashed on the track too.

Full leathers all the time!

WAS. WAS!