When I ride my scout I wear a yellow Shoei and a yellow flowresunt vest. I know the Harley riders give me some strange looks. I have decided to not really give a dam. I saw two riders going down the interstate one day right before dark and they had on all black and their bikes were black and could barely see them. They were between two tractor and trailers. What do you all think? I have not be in a wreck and sure don't want to be. I say a pray before I get on the bike. It has worked so far!
I Think The Harley Riders Laugh At Me
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I’m all for it (to include prayer). I wear a silver Arai full face and a retro-reflective vest every time I ride, regardless of the bike (to include Harley’s on demo rides). ”See and be seen” is a fundamental lane placement strategy and it’s the responsibility of the rider to be seen, which in turn reduces the likelihood of being hit. How often do drivers say “I didn’t even see him”?
I think there are many Harley riders that have no issue with bright colored clothing though, and I‘ve seen a few wearing the orange Harley safety vest as well. The strange looks could be some didn’t recognize what bike you were riding until you got close, and some might have had the thought “them Indians are pretty nice.”
You keep riding safe, brother, and rock your safety gear. Conspicuity on a motorcycle is a good thing.
I think there are many Harley riders that have no issue with bright colored clothing though, and I‘ve seen a few wearing the orange Harley safety vest as well. The strange looks could be some didn’t recognize what bike you were riding until you got close, and some might have had the thought “them Indians are pretty nice.”
You keep riding safe, brother, and rock your safety gear. Conspicuity on a motorcycle is a good thing.
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I’ve been riding Harleys majority of my life. I don’t get the Black thing Especially in the summer shits to damn hot ! Wear what works for you so your a bit smarter then them lol it happens. Hell I’ve never owned a shirt that said Harley less it was given to me. And I still wouldn’t wear it. Smart on your part especially at night
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I wore a tank top shorts and sneakers for 250 miles yesterday. im sure most people would scoff at that lol. not bragging or saying its a good idea but march to your own beat. be comfy/ safe/ the stereo type. whatever makes u happy. most bmw guys dress super safe w colors.... its a good idea.
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I ride a black H-D Road Glide Special. I wear a Shoei full face that has neon green highlights and a Klim jacket and pants. Those to have bright green highlights. Dress for the slide if that’s how you feel safe to be out there. I sure do. Don’t worry about us Harley riders. Some of us try and be safe too when we ride.
My take is, if in order for me to value your opinion, I have to actually care about who you are as a person, and in most (not all) cases of the Harley riders I've met, I couldn't give two shits about their existence. Anyone who talks shit about how you dress or what you ride isn't a biker, they're a cheerleader. I've met more Harley riders than any other biker that scoffs at wearing a helmet or protective gear, that's not a biker, that's a member of a pom pom squad too worried about what other people are wearing instead of going on with their lives. You know the last time I witnessed that? The cheerleader squad in high school. I never witnessed it again until years later when I started riding. I feel embarrassed for anyone who's supposed to be a living adult, that cares how someone else dresses.
You wanna wear high vis? Do it. You wanna wear a bright yellow helmet? Do it. You want to ride in shorts, flip flops with a fedora? Well....I hope you don't dump the bike but have fun, do it. No one else's safety is my business so if you wanna go full out, what's that have to do with me? Or any other rider out there. You do you.
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Wear what works for you. I've got a lighweight very faded pale green canvas bike jacket with armour for around town in summer. It means I don't roast under summer sun sitting in traffic.
Out on the road I'm on a DH in blue jeans and black leather jacket so I know I'm not so easy to see if the weather turns bad. I was buying a new wet weather jacket a while ago to wear over my leather one and I went for the bright neon yellow. The much younger sales guy said they also have it in black. I said with a grin that I'm now old enough to not worry being seen in public in neon yellow. He laughed and said, 'I've got a few years before I get to that.'
I also wear a white full face helmet and but most of my mates have black everything. I'm happy to stay at the back so they know they haven't lost anyone along the way. Visibility is appreciated sometimes.
Out on the road I'm on a DH in blue jeans and black leather jacket so I know I'm not so easy to see if the weather turns bad. I was buying a new wet weather jacket a while ago to wear over my leather one and I went for the bright neon yellow. The much younger sales guy said they also have it in black. I said with a grin that I'm now old enough to not worry being seen in public in neon yellow. He laughed and said, 'I've got a few years before I get to that.'
I also wear a white full face helmet and but most of my mates have black everything. I'm happy to stay at the back so they know they haven't lost anyone along the way. Visibility is appreciated sometimes.
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I am new to this site. But I want to say I have owned and rode American made bikes and Foreign made bikes for over 40 years. As have so many of my family and friends. Many of them still own several different models both metric and American made. Some wear one piece leather outfits and others wear jeans and t- shirts. We are all friends and many of them are highly skilled riders. In fact all my life I have owned and rode what I wanted and wore the gear I wanted to and could care less what anyone thinks. Here is a great experience I once had. Many years ago when I was in the military I owned a Yamaha and rode it all over Texas. One weekend Some of us went to a lake for a long weekend of camping and riding in the Texas hill country. Guess what? That weekend was also the annual pow-wow for a motorcycle group that rode only HD’s and to this day has chapters all Over this country. They treated us with respect and dignity at all times. In those days I wore a full face helmet and what ever else I wanted to wear. IMO F%#k anyone who has anything to say about what you ride or wear.
I don't wear hi vis but I do wear bright colours and whites
I have a thing with cars that are the same colour as the bloody road
I was driving along the other day coming up to T junction I swear I look left and right and I stared at the road, just about to pull out and is a grey car in front of me the same colour as the road, why do they make them!!
so if I had trouble seeing him think how they have trouble seeing a black cloak guy on a black bike on a black road at dusk, it's like trying to find the black cat in a coal cellar
I have a thing with cars that are the same colour as the bloody road
I was driving along the other day coming up to T junction I swear I look left and right and I stared at the road, just about to pull out and is a grey car in front of me the same colour as the road, why do they make them!!
so if I had trouble seeing him think how they have trouble seeing a black cloak guy on a black bike on a black road at dusk, it's like trying to find the black cat in a coal cellar
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And you care what Harley riders think about you why......?
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Visibility on a motorcycle is a good thing!
I always pray for a safe ride as well! =)
Us??"I Think The Harley Riders Laugh At Me"
I admit, I'm chuckling.... why single out Harley riders? Anyone else get a giggle out'a yer garb?
Heh heh 😁
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It’s kinda bikist to suggest only HD riders would be laughing at you.
Wear what you like, but the reality is; high vis or not, if people are not looking or paying attention, they will not see you. I drove fire trucks for years, those big red things with blue lights and sirens, yet people still pulled out on me as they were simply not looking. There is also the risk compensation factor, some seem to think by wearing high vis they are absolving themselves of responsibility and therefore ride less defensively; "I'm in high vis everyone will see me so I can switch off" reality being rider was not riding defensively as relied on the high vis for protection.
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Personally, it has been my observation that the Suzuki riders are the ones who laugh at Indian owners. If you were able to see inside their full-face helmets, the sneer of disgust they have for our wanna-be supposed high-performance machines is one of absolute disdain. You won't catch Suzuki riders initiating a wave and you won't catch Suzuki riders looking lovingly at your "American made tin Indians". No sir.
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You just understand the saying, Live to Ride, Ride too live... you are being SAFE......
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