Do you wear a motorcycle jacket every time you ride?

Question

With the hot weather lately, I've ventured out a few times on short trips with just a polo shirt. At the MSF course, they recommended some sort of protection every time.

What's your experience?

Answer 1

Always wear a jacket and helmet. I live in Florida, and ive yet to die from the heat, beats throwing yourself at the road at 70 mph.  

Answer 2

Not every time.

I do find that as I get older I wear it more often.

It's either age, or the fact that I changed from leather to a lighter weight textile with vents that seem to work.

Probably age, I wear a helmet more often too.

Answer 3

Wear whatever you are comfortable in. If it's really hot I don't wear any shirt.

Answer 4

I wear a leather jacket every time I ride, when the temperature drops below 70 degrees.  When it's above 70 I don't wear one.  I just get too hot with it on and believe I can concentrate on my riding and the cagers better if I'm not overheated.

Answer 5

I always wear full protection, helmet included. I lost a lot of skin in the past (plus was nearly brained), and I'm never going to go through THAT again!

Answer 6

If I'm just doing some local riding on city streets I ride with just a helmet. if I know I'll be on the highway or going faster than about 50MPH, I wear a jacket.

Answer 7

I should but I don't  

Answer 8

nope i wear it only when its cold... sure it will keep your skin on... but if you pass out from the heat ..... las vegas street temps get into the 140s sometimes...is just hard to sit on bike sometimes at a light many just wear shorts and a tank top....

Answer 9

I always wear my leather jacket when I drive my motorcycle.  I'm a beginner and don't trust myself enough yet to not make a stupid mistake or someone taking me out.  

When I ride on the back of my boyfriend's bike, I don't wear my jacket though.  He's a really good driver and I trust him more than myself, hehe.

Answer 10

Yes. Every time. Even in 100 degree + heat. I have a reenforced mesh jacket with impact protection for extreeme days. Even at 90 degrees, I will wear the leather. Drink plenty of water, and open the vents. As long as you keep moving it's fine.

I allways wear riding pants as well.

Answer 11

I've been riding for years, and when it's hot, I will sometimes just wear a t-shirt. If the question was is it safer to always wear a jacket, the answer would be yes. The way I look at it, a motorcycle is more dangerous than a car to begin with. I ride to enjoy it. If you worry about every thing that could happen you would never ride. Why ride and be uncomfortable?

Answer 12

I live in Phoenix. If it's above 105 degrees or so, I usually don't wear a jacket. It's just too darn hot. I do have a mesh jacket for warmer weather and a couple of leather jackets for cooler weather.

Answer 13

Nope, too hot in the summer. I realize that a good light armored jacket will help protect you in case of an accident but being extremely hot while riding will cause me to lose focus on what I'm doing so it's a trade off.

Answer 14

I wish I could say that I did. I am trying to wear one as much as possible though. I also just purchased a mesh jacket with soft armour and it works great in the hot southern climate.  

Answer 15

I ride every day in Phoenix, AZ.  It is HOT here, but I still wear a jacket every single time out.  There is just no substitute for safety.  Full face helmet, too.  You get used to the heat pretty quickly, and it's worth not losing your skin.  

Answer 16

If it's hot, I loose the jacket.

Taking my own safety into my hands. I would tell someone else to ride without protection.

Answer 17

I wear a jacket when I think there's a chance some idiot driving an SUV, flapping on a cell phone, and drinking a starbucks could hit me.... which is every time. It gets warm around here, so I wear an alpinestars mesh ("air-flo") jacket. A lot of jacket companies (Alpinestars, Icon, Joe Rocket) make good mesh jackets that keep you safe and cool in hot weather.