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From: davidk@dartvax.UUCP (David C. Kovar)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: Informal Survey on Leather
Message-ID: <3063@dartvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 12:47:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.3063
Posted: Mon May 13 12:47:35 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 16-May-85 06:41:47 EDT
References: <2130@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Lines: 59

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

	I wear a leather jacket with a fur collar, jeans, leather riding
	boots, leather gloves, and a Simpson helmet. I found leather
	pants far too hot, not to mention impractical when off of the
	cycle

> 	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?

	I've never attracted adverse attention when wearing full leathers.
	They were form fitting, straight black with no markings, and had
	a minimum of zippers et all. I also am clean shaven with short hair,
	which I am sure helps offset the image, and I rode a Sabre and
	not a Harley.

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

	USAF made my jacket, years back. It's warm, very tough, and has
	plenty of room inside it. Check out your local surplus store. 
	Mine came from my father. The full leathers were on loan and I
	do not recall who made them.

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

	I never saw such in Washington D.C. Even less of a chance in Hanover
	NH. 

> 	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.

	I stay away from them, particularly when I am on a cycle. The one
	time I ended up on a highway with a group like that, I had to
	stop at the same gas station as they were stopping at. I was
	not terribly well received, to say the least. It also seems that
	it would cut down or destroy the structural integrity of the
	helmet. Stupid. But "Think of it as evolution in action."
	Looking back, I notice that I said 'group'. Individual riders
	dressed in such a fashion are cool, for the most part. They
	wave on the highway, are polite, et all. Groups of them, though
	seem to have to prove something, and that's when I stay clear.

-- 
David C. Kovar    
	    USNET:      {linus|decvax|cornell|astrovax}!dartvax!davidk%amber
	    ARPA:	davidk%amber%dartmouth@csnet-relay
	    CSNET:	davidk%amber@dartmouth

"I felt like a punk who'd gone out for a switchblade and come back
 with a tactical nuke.

 'Shit', I thought. 'Screwed again. What good's a tactical nuke in a
  street fight?'"
			"Burning Chrome" by William Gibson