How do people ride without...

How in the heck do so many bikers ride without full face shields and gloves?

I can understand why they don't wear full armor or helmets that protect anything more than their image. That's a mix of vanity, stupidity, and being cheap.

But how do so many people ride without anything at all to protect their faces? I've several times now had giant bugs splat in the middle of my face shield. Like, right between the my eyes. Not little flies or anything, but big fat beetles or dragonflies or wasps or something (it's hard to tell after the fact) that hit hard enough to feel it through the helmet. I can only imagine what one of those suckers would feel like smacking into exposed, tender flesh. I had a bee get wedged in the chin vent of my helmet. If I hadn't had a full face helmet, I'd probably have swallowed something that little stinging bugger. That would not have made riding easier.

And gloves. My hands get cold. Shivering does not help hands. And same thing applies to the number of things that can, and do whack into an exposed hand. They're kind of sticking out there rather exposed.

I took a crow to the dome with a full face. I think it probably would have been lethal with no helmet. This is why they are more badass than you.

Sounds like somebody needs to HTFU.

I race motocross.

I don't wear gloves.

None of the guys I race with understand how I can race without gloves.

I don't understand how somebody could be so stupid as to isolate the most important interface they have with their race machines.

I'd rather my bare hands get roosted by a 450 on hard pack, than lose the feel I have on the grips.

When people ask, I tell them it's like wearing a condom, and I don't do that either

HTBU, Sally.

I ride with goggles, at the very least. (eye protection its the law, in Wisconsin) But most of the time, I've got a helmet on, too. Taking a critter to the melon sucks. Granted, I've got a windshield on my bike, so that softens the blow.

Fundamentally, I agree with Zomby Woof with regards to gloves. Made worse for me with the carpel tunnel. I don't feel the grips as well in gloves, so I tend to grip too hard. End result, even with lots of effort on my part, is 10 minutes or so in and I have zero feeling in my hands. Makes for great riding. I can do it, but it's not fun.

Frustrates me that all the riding courses absolutely require gloves. Which makes it both misurable and inaccurate for me. I'm hurting and I don't have good control. Which they will insist is absolutely better.

As for full face shields, I find shatterproof glasses or goggles quite sufficient. In fact I very much enjoy the breeze on my face.

In reply to Beer Baron:

I agree with you. When I found myself sliding on I-94 at 60 mph I was glad to have a full face helmet, Vanson 2 piece leather suit and good gloves. I stood up, found my motorcycle in the ditch and continued on to work. My injuries were limited to sore muscles and joints from hitting the pavement. My jacket had an abrasion on the shoulder, the helmet had an abrasion on the face shield and the gloves were abraded on the palms.

I don't understand how somebody could be so stupid as to isolate the most important interface they have with their race machines. = Squid.

Zomby Woof wrote: I don't understand how somebody could be so stupid as to isolate the most important interface they have with their race machines.

Because you do not need to feel things like textures. You don't need fine fingertip coordination. You need to be able to feel differences in pressure. At least on the street, it should only require a bit of pressure with the palms of your hands. You're pushing on bars, not threading a bolt in the back of an engine bay.

I can threshold brake a car and slip a clutch with my toes through 3mm or more of rubber and several layers of nomex. A couple layers of leather isn't a big deal.

Gloves don't seem to impede top level Moto GP racers.

I never wear gloves unless its really cold, but always a full face helmet.

One time, I had the visor cracked open just the slightest and a wasp got it. I had a jacket and it got stuck somewhere between the jacket and my neck. I stopped as fast as I could and thought everything was fine ... Until I got to work. Everyone was looking at me like I had an eye missing or something. The stupid wasp had stung me on my neck and it was red/swollen, I never felt a thing until they told me.

Zomby Woof wrote: Sounds like somebody needs to HTFU.

HTFU? On getting stung by a bee? While riding?

So are you so manly that you do not even notice bee stings? Or are you not riding hard enough for a distraction like that to present a hazard? Because my usual ride is along twisty, frequently blind roads where if I blow a turn I am liable to go over a cliff into the ocean or slam into a redwood. ( <- Smiley added to convey that this is meant to be slightly humorous ribbing rather than agro defensiveness.)

I've had some serious road rash from sliding down the pavement, so yeah I wear my gloves now.

Zomby Woof wrote: None of the guys I race with understand how I can race without gloves. I don't understand how somebody could be so stupid as to isolate the most important interface they have with their race machines.

You use your hands as tires? That's impressive! Otherwise, no, that's not the most important interface. Beer Baron already refuted things pretty well, but I'd add:

I doubt the race guys are in awe of your manliness for riding without gloves. Probably they're scratching their heads wondering why someone would consciously step down their abilities. I can do track days on all-seasons, but I'm not more hard-core for it. In fact, as long as better options exist, it's to my own detriment to ignore those improved options (high-performance tires, gloves, whatever).

Now, if the problem is the gloves are a source of irritation or clumsiness for you, might I suggest getting a pair that fit? They make them in all shapes and sizes

I can't imagine saying that riding without gloves helps you control the vehicle that much better. Kind of like how I've never heard anyone say that riding without shoes helps them modulate the clutch pedal on their car better.

I think a lot of this comes back to finding gear that is really comfortable and fits well. In my experience, it isn't very easy to do, and most of the time isn't cheap to pull off.

I'm another AGATT guy. Granted, I've ridden with sneakers and no gloves...I felt....naked...

Also, from a low speed drop that ripped mostly through my gloves, I can't imagine that being my bare hands.

I'm willing to entertain the idea that some fine-grained info comes through the grips. Same reason I don't like cars that only give feedback by the weight of the steering and muffles the "noise" from the steering system and tires. I feel like the way the tires are interfacing with the ground is in that noise.

That said, I don't ride a bicycle or motorcycle without gloves. For starters, my hands get sweaty and I can't grip well. But beyond that, there's no way I'm subjecting my hands to an 'off' without protection.

Calling folks who wear gloves soft and/or stupid is just... Nevermind.

pres589 wrote: Kind of like how I've never heard anyone say that riding without shoes helps them modulate the clutch pedal on their car better.

Ever try it? The difference is quite pronounced.

I doubt the race guys are in awe of your manliness for riding without gloves.

You're wrong. They are, but that's not why I do it.

There is a serious loss of control with gloves on. At the end of a 40-60 minute moto, you don't have the strength and dexterity you did when you started. The feeling, and your ability to control the bike is not that same, and I will not subject myself to that level of danger.

Been there.

Done that.

Never again.

Zomby Woof wrote: You're wrong. They are, but that's not why I do it. There is a serious loss of control with gloves on. At the end of a 40-60 minute moto, you don't have the strength and dexterity you did when you started. The feeling, and your ability to control the bike is not that same, and I will not subject myself to that level of danger. Been there. Done that. Never again.

While I'd love to be part of the internet's first debate, we're just going to have to agree to disagree. I've got a Subaru to finish wheel bearings on, and an E30 to prep for Hyperfest, and I'd rather be in the garage.

Zomby Woof wrote: There is a serious loss of control with gloves on. At the end of a 40-60 minute moto, you don't have the strength and dexterity you did when you started. The feeling, and your ability to control the bike is not that same, and I will not subject myself to that level of danger.

I get the opposite result. I find the extra shock padding andsweat wicking lessens fatigue and gives bettet grip.

Two words....Personal choice. I don't know when and if I'll have an "incident", so I'm a believer in AGATT, but because some one else chooses not to, doesn't make them "challenged". They're just willing to live with more risk than I'm comfortable doing.

I know. I guess he missed the point of my post.

While it may make no make sense to BB why somebody would/wouldn't do something, we all have our reasons, and to us, they are legit.

Zomby Woof wrote: While it may make no make sense to BB why somebody would/wouldn't do something, we all have our reasons, and to us, they are legit.

You're more gentle and generous than I am with that mind set. I see them them flaunting their perceived superiority, and enjoying their flaunting. They are right, therefore you are wrong.

Quite bluntly, I find the ATGATT people to generally be loud obnoxious bigots.

I find the glove thing much less weird than no face protection. I figure I average 4 hours of riding between getting smacked in the face by some extra large bug.

In reply to foxtrapper:

I prefer to call them elitists

Meh, I wear ATGATT. If you don't, then good for you. I'm just not comfortable riding without my armor, and that's my opinion.