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From: laut@glory.DEC
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Informal Survey on Leather
Message-ID: <2130@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 12-May-85 15:12:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: decwrl.2130
Posted: Sun May 12 15:12:15 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 14-May-85 07:45:07 EDT
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Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 64

In a recent posting, George Tatge writes:

>There is absolutely nothing available in the consumer world that
>will give you a nickles worth of slide protection other than leather.
>I'm sure you have, what are to you, sufficient reasons for your
>leather boycott but it may be inconsistent with your motorcycle
>habit. 
>
>If you insist on not buying leather and still riding, I would suggest
>the heaviest Levi jacket you can find.


	This article brought a few questions to mind, which I thought
might make for an interesting public discussion, to compare reactions
from various sections of the country (and perhaps from outside the
U.S.).  All responses are welcomed: 

	A)  When you ride, do you wear full leathers, or only a leather 
jacket, or no leather at all?

	B)  If you wear full leathers and stop at a store to purchase 
something, do people treat you like a "Big Bad Biker"?  Do your leathers 
intimidate non-bikers?  Have you ever been asked to leave a store or 
restaurant because your leathers were found offensive?

	C)  Finally, in your opinion, who makes the best leather "armor" 
for bikers?  I'm looking for protection and not appearance.


	I am over in the Metro Detroit area, which is basically the
southeastern corner of Michigan.  I have noticed from time to time that
various bikers have "customized" their helmets with bull horns or
antlers. In fact, there was/is a Detroit bike club which had, as its
emblem or signet, a pair of horns attached to the helmet.  When this
club would ride down the road, all its members would wear full black
leathers (literally from the neck down to the toes - no exposed skin at
all), a full-face black helmet with a black visor, and a pair of large
horns on the helmet.  Almost every animal was represented, from bulls to
antelopes to rams to deer, even a longhorn steer.  One rider had horns
so long he almost had to duck when going under bridges :-).  Needless to
say, when this entourage hit the streets, they would stop traffic in
both directions as far as the eye could see, even on the freeways.  I
occasionally have the privilege of being able to see these helmets up
close, and some of them are really works of art.  They look like one-piece
fiberglass constructions with not a seam in sight.  My question here is
two-fold: 

	A)  Do some of the bikers where you live customize their helmets 
with attachments?  Or is this phenomenon limited to Detroit?

	B)  What are your reactions to people who do this?  I know this 
question is probably pretty obvious, but I thought I would ask anyway.

	What are your comments?  Please post to "net.cycle" instead of 
personally to me.  Thanks!


  ---   Bill Laut
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DISCLAIMER:  My statements are my own, and do not reflect the attitudes 
	     of Digital Equipment Corp.  etc., etc., etc., ....