Old school ride

[the Ferret]

Yesterday was another unusually hot day here in SW Ohio. Upper 80's again. Anyhow I wanted to go for a ride and just felt like going "old school" like in this pic of my wife and I taken on our KZ1000 38 years ago in 1977

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/BikePic6.jpg.html]

I rode down to the local shop to see if they had any dark smoke 5 snap flat shields for my HJC CS5 helmet. They used to be all the rage. When I started working in shops in the early 70's we sold gazillions of them, clear, light smoke, dark smoke or yellow for $1.99 each. Well their was none on display, so I asked the owner if they had any. He went back and dug around in the back of the shop and found ONE...Paulson 5 snap shield for me, luckily dark smoke like I wanted and it was now $14.50. GADS! I'll take it. Looks very old school don't you think?

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/old%20school%20002_zpsllivcosn.jpg.html]

So now I was ready.. open face helmet with 5 snap shield, T shirt, blue jeans and gym shoes. Just like I rode for probably the first 8 years I rode (in the winter I would wear a wool sweater and Army surplus green coat over the t shirt lol), I think I was 23 before I could afford a Bates leather jacket, and real motorcycle boots.

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/old%20school%20006_zpsdbrrvhby.jpg.html]

Rode about 40 miles and it felt great...free actually, liberating from the usual heavy and hot body armor I most often wear. Plenty of cool air all over, face, body, arms, hands. Nice!

[url=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/theferret111/media/old%20school%20015_zpsrnuo3zlx.jpg.html]

Except for 1 thing....I had forgotten how many bugs and how much grit hits you when you are riding. It was ouch....ouch....ouch. Little hard shell bugs and road grit getting thrown up made it felt like I was getting sand blasted on my neck, chest and arms. Wow, we used to ride like this all the time, how in the heck did we do it? Was certainly happy I was at least wearing the helmet and face shield and long pants, otherwise it would have been a miserable experience lol.

It was fun, but doubt I will ride like this much again. I will at least wear a jacket and boots, even if I'm wearing the old school lid which I didn't mind wearing a bit.

Caveat for the safety guys:
I knew the risks I was taking by riding dressed like this, personally accepted the risk, and managed to come back home safely once again. I am not endorsing any one else ride with minimum gear. It was a personal choice I made on this particular day.
I understand some wouldn't be comfortable riding like this. I was. (well except for the getting sand blasted part lol) and encourage others to ride within their own comfort limits with regards to gear.




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