Equipment or Commitment?

Choosing a helmet for someone is no small task. When I first started riding back in the 80's, equipment was easy gas, wallet, jeans, jacket (blue jean or thin leather, if cold enough), and an open face skid-lid. Now that I'm older and wiser I choose an armored jacket, over the ankle boots, and a full face helmet. Pretty well geared up.

I'm covered, but it is amazing, how much more time you will spend contemplating gear when it is someone you care about on the pillion. Full face helmet is a must! Armored Jacket? Absolutely! Then we'll need pants with armored shins and knees. Oh! I know...A Bubble Wrap suit. That's it! I'll encase my pillion in a large Bubble Wrap cocoon! She'll be protected in case of a spill, but will probably die of heat-stroke.

Maybe this isn't the route to go.

So I got a little carried away. It's easy to do with the amount of gear that is available today. "S" returned from a trip to her home town with her sister's leather Harley jacket and boots (thanks Chris). The next day we went shopping at Cycle Gear. Now Cycle Gear closes around 8:00pm and we arrived at about 7:00pm and proceeded to try on every helmet in the place. I explained to "S" the importance of a comfortable properly fitted helmet. Their was another couple shopping so we ducked into the glove section to find some gloves. She ended up with a kid's size 7.

I kept prairie dogging the sales person helping the couple to see if we were still good to go. Peek over the racks still working with the couple? Yes! we're good...sneak peak...yep still good. However, the staff at Cycle Gear were super helpful and they let us shop and we ended up purchasing a Metallic Silver full face helmet by Seven Zero Seven. (Photo from Cycle Gear Website)

So she's set and I'm comfortable that she'll feel safe and comfortable. However, we still need to get her a mesh jacket, summer will be on us and triple digit heat is going to suck in that fringed leather jacket.

Just remember All the Gear All the Time (ATGATT) it's not a fashion show it is a commitment to being safe.

(RANT) So this kind of gives me a case of the Red A$$. Often I'll see a guy and a girl on the newest whizz-bang 2000 zipping by, she's in a mini-skirt and he's in flip flops and shorts, sometimes with a helmet and sometimes not. I know the argument goes- gear is a personal choice but I think that is only part of the reason. Why would you allow your passenger to be at risk? Often they're not thinking about the same things you are and don't have enough info to make a valid decision. So educate them then let them make the choice. Personally, I would make them wear gear because I wouldn't like to think that I permanently scarred someone because I didn't look out for their safety. Get your passenger the right gear!(RANT OVER)