Why are they not wearing gloves???

[PKPK]

I rode down to Waterloo today to see a friend who hit a deer going back home from Slimey Crud a few weeks ago.  Rob is fine, but banged up and wearing a boot cast.  It was a perfect day for riding today, which means every cruiser and Gold Wing were out on the highways.  While visiting Rob, he showed me his hands, which took a beating because his deerskin gloves came off during his get-off.  I believe he bought these from Riderwarehouse but I never did like those "farmer glove" design as they look better suited for cattle roping.  Rob assures me his next pair will be motorcycle specific gloves with a tight fit, stiff gauntlet and knuckle guards.

During my ride back I made a mental note of each rider to see what they wore on their hands.  I was shocked to discover that out of the literally hundreds of bikes I saw today, probably only 20% of the riders wore gloves.  This goes beyond the cruiser crowd as I saw plenty of Wing riders, sportbikers and even a GS rider not wearing gloves.  I even saw several were geared head to toe....but no gloves!    

So I am perplexed, flummoxed, confused, chagrined, mystified from this discovery.  I mean, seriously, how often do you really look at a mans gloves?  (Shawshank Redemption).  Humor aside, there are all sorts of arguments about the most important things to protect on the body.  I happen to think the brain, the eyes and the hands are the indispensable parts that are vital to quality of life.  I have heard of people shredding their hands to the point of having reconstructive surgery just to make them point, while all motor functions are gone.  

I'm sure most here wear gloves and just about all wear quality gloves that can take a pounding and not come off in a crash.  But there are probably some that don't so I'm curious to know why.  Is it simply that gloves are uncomfortable?  Or somehow remove a level of sensitivity?  (No suggestions that it makes scratching easier are needed from Sanders types.)  

[Ray916MN]

Actually Rob's gloves came from Fleet Farm. In a private exchange earlier this year when someone else was looking for glove recommendations, he had responded that this is what he did for gloves. Surprised me, when I read it.

I think allot of people don't wear gloves, because good gloves are expensive and inexpensive gloves wear out fast or tend to be uncomfortable. I bought two pairs of gloves last year and was surprised to see allot of gloves at the $200 a pair level, close to the cost of a pair of good boots. Looked at inexpensive and moderate priced gloves and wasn't impressed at all with the level of protection they offered.

I think many riders total up all the riding gear they should have and they run out of steam. At the low end, a helmet ($200), jacket ($200), pants ($150), boots ($150) and gloves  ($50) is quite a bit of money ($750) in total. Most people tend to want to spend more on a helmet, and jacket, as these are the most obvious pieces of gear, so all of the sudden, basic gear looks like $1000. Lotta green, so going without gloves or cheeping out is understandable.

Cheap gloves/no gloves, no riding pants, and/or boots are common in my experience. I've learned over the years to buy good stuff because it works better and last longer, but looking at my riding closet and the amount of money I've spent on gear, I get why people don't buy gear. It isn't cheap.

[PKPK]

I think Rob has actually told me they were Fleet Farm more than once but I refuse to believe it.  He wears a good Darien jacket and pants with good boots.  I think I forgot because he pointed out that Riderwarehouse sold a similar deerskin glove as Fleet Farm.  While he was probably looking at cost, I know comfort and water resistance was his primary concern.

I understand your expense argument Ray but I don't think that is the overwhelming reason but I can see it being a factor.  I saw riders wearing a full leather suit not wearing gloves.  If they can fork over $500-700 for a suit, they can certainly afford medium quality gloves.  At any given time, Newenough has very quality gloves on closeout for a relatively decent price.  But as you say, there is a point of burnout when it comes to adding up the cost.  I refuse to add the cost just because it's pointless for me to inventory and itemize gear after it saved me alot of medical bills in a crash.

After thinking further about this, I wonder if some riders are mentally blocking out gloves because in a way, wearing gloves would be a constant reminder that they are actually doing something risky.  Maybe not wearing gloves puts them more at ease, like driving their car.  I do think comfort is a big factor.  I have met riders who hate the feeling of sweaty hands in a hot glove.  But I also think alot of riders just don't think about how costly, and life altering, badly damaged hands can be.

[Sanders]

I've had the HD crowd at work looking at my gear on the days I commute. Most of them were amazed at the construction of my Sidi street boots. I still have the pair from my 30 mph low side back in '01. The scuffing and gouging is impressive but even more so when you look at all the bolt on parts that took the brundt of the scraping, just as if it was designed that way. When they got to my gloves they too were shocked at the price. Even disdainful. My response was, " I want my hands protected as well as my feet, look what happened there" and point at my boot.
None of them have changed, they all sitll ride in tennies, do-rags and steel toe work boots. They never will either. Their excuse is guys like you ride hard. I just putt around and maybe put a hundred miles on her in a day if I'm lucky. What they won't admit is Stuff Happens. Rob hitting a deer is testament to that.
But I used to be like them. Ray is right, the expense factor is huge and hard to justify to the S.O. You should see the look on peoples faces when they ask how much the "clown suit" cost me and I tell them. Fleet Farm is mentioned a lot in the conversations. Most of these fellows are now moving up the corporate ladder, they're not stupid, so I don't get it. One guy is the Fire Chief, he was the most curious about the boots, and he's an EMT so I know he's seen the aftermath on the highways and he is the most hardcore about his image. One guy is in charge of training. Chaps and a "dress" leather jacket are the gear of choice here. I could go on, but the rest of the HD boys are the same. The two I've mentioned KNOW about safety gear. Heck we've worked side by side with Hydroflouric acid for years, believe me, you would not see either of them in the unit without proper gear.
Oh Geeze I got to ranting a bit...I've seen those Lee Parks gloves at Aerostich and wondered how well they'd do? A slow-mo video of a sliding crash on the track a few years back has always stuck in my head. The rider starts to tumble at the end of a long slide. Something comes loose and shoots up about 15 feet in the air....his glove. What kind of force is needed to rip that thing off your wirist and peel it from your hand and fingers?
Ride Safe

              Jeff

[Powershouse]

I worked a corner down at DCTC yesterday.  We had the "opportunity" to pick up two riders.  While I was there with the second rider he held up a hand, the heel and base of wrist of which were raw, and commented that one of the first things he planned to do was to by a pair of gloves with proper gauntlet.  The gloves that he was wearing were motorcycle specific, but didn't cover the wrist.

[allonm]

I sometime joke that the gear on me and on my motorcycles is worth more than the bike I ride.

I am still amazed at people riding with 10k+ bike that are skimming on gear.

[taman]

Even though my gloves have "full" protection, I have to admit I don't always tighten the wrist straps. This post reminded me to not just wear the gear but wear it properly.

Don

[mikey]

i just got a pair of the new knox android gloves, other then being a little snug right now i love em. they have a sweet little tightening knob, all you have to do is pull the knob and it releases. kinda of like a set of bindings.  sidi boots, super expensive and i had a really tough time spending the money.  yet i can replace just about every single piece on this boot as they wear and they have really good support and protection.  lids, well yeah ppl usually buy whats popular or what has a cool design, i think most helmets are good to go for protection as long as they are the right fit for your melon.  shit, what were we talking about in this thread again.... brain fart.

[PKPK]

I saw it again this morning on my commute.  Older gent on a brand new BMW, fully geared with branded ($$$) Beemer suit and way expensive boots.  Checked his hands.....yup, nada, naked.  Cost could not possibly be an argument for this guy.  Still not getting it....guess I never will.

[Tumbler]

It amazes me too that people don't wear gloves.  I'll have to pay more attention to this.

I know what Ray & others are saying about the lack of quality glove options out there.  Sure there are a lot of choices but many of them are cheaply made & don't last very long like others also said.

I have a pair of Vanson Talon gloves I bought 10+ years ago & just this season they wore thru the palm on both and the thumb on the left hand.  I got them custom made with my choice of color for like $110 back in 2000 but the same glove today is going to cost me over $200.

Given how long the last pair lasted I have no problem spending the higher price since I know they will last & are very good quality.

[PKPK]

I know what Ray & others are saying about the lack of quality glove options out there.  Sure there are a lot of choices but many of them are cheaply made & don't last very long like others also said.[/b][/color]

Here is the deal though, I don't think a casual rider, who wears the basic jeans and boot over the ankle, declines wearing gloves simply because their are not alot of quality options.  It never crossed my mind when I was a less than concerned about protective gear 20 years ago.  I bought cheap gloves that bled color when I sweat and were falling apart at the end of the season.  Not once did I entertain the thought of skipping the gloves because they fell apart after a season.  I simply bought another cheap pair.  By definition, these guys are cheap and not looking for quality gloves anyway.  I wonder if it's just simple ignorance about what could happen to the hands in a crash (or the thought of crashing just doesn't occur to them.)  In a crash 10 years ago, I belly slid down the road at high speed with one hand caught under my belly.  The Joe Rocket gloves were severly scuffed and I hate to think of how shredded the hand would have been had I not been wearing gloves.

But I'm going to remain baffled about guys that are obviously safety conscious and have already spent a fair amount of coin on their bike and gear.  Earlier I wondered if it was a comfort issue but now I also am going to add another theory, that they think they can *feel* the bike (feedback) or control the bike better without gloves. 

[mikey]

i dont always wear all my gear. i do always have my gloves and lid on, and since i got my new boots i always strap them on.  i got enough walking issues as it is.  boots are another good investment. had i been wearing a decent pair instead of my dr. martins, my ankle probably wouldnt have been destroyed as badly as it was. 

[PKPK]

+1

I've seen pictures of badly mangled feet of riders wearing only tennis shoes and had their foot caught under the bike in a lowside.  I've also witnessed an ankle that was pretty blistered when the rider got the ankle caught under the hot tailpipe.

[bkra13]

Doesn't even have to be a get-off where the gloves can save your hands.  Had a dump truck in front of me a while ago, about 45mph, on 212.  "something" bounced off of the truck, hit the ground once, banged into my fairing and then my middle and ring finger, conveniently placed on my brake lever for maximum impact and squishability.  Whacked them hard, made me yank my hand off the bar and flap vigorously for a while while extending my vocabulary at the same time.  Got to work about a half hour later, pulled the gloves off and had 2 black fingernails and blood running from my fingers.  The rock (concrete, whatever) hit my fairing hard enough to put a 3 inch gash right through it.  Don't really want to know how much damage it COULD have dont to my lifestyle-via-computer-career supporting fingers had the gloves not been there to deflect/absorb the impact...   

Hot or not, the gloves go on.  Makes you wonder if maybe they've never tried on gloves that fit well?  Proper fit in gloves is the same as with helmets - every pair seems to fit differently, and lousy fit feels, well, lousy, just like a bad lid.  I've got one pair of "shorty" gloves that I used to like because they're cooler (temp-wise), but on a trip to Colorado they started to load up with sweat and eventually rolled up in the palm enough that I switched to my heavier, thicker Helds.  The Helds, for whatever reason, kept my hands dry, did NOT roll up in the palm, and were way more comfortable over long stsretches.  Haven't worn the shorties since.

 

[mikey]

this is what happens when you dont have good boots.  those that have met me can see that i dont walk right and deal with constant pain.