In order: helmet, gloves, leather jacket (even in summer... let's see how long I can bear it), jeans, knee pads, leather boots.
The knee pads are a recent (and cheap at $4) acquisition. I wear them under my jeans so I don't look like a total nerd. The following inspires me to wear them: since my bike is stock, my knees are sticking in front ready to be broken by the first car that hits me. Even an airborne rock could ruin my day at 60 mph. Also, a biker buddy recently hurt his knees when a dog caused him to fall off the bike.
Yeah you have to ride smartly, and that comes from your brain but the gear is a *smart* way to insure yourself in case something goes wrong and you end up on the ground. Some people say "Oh well, you'll get hurt no matter what so it doesn't matter what you wear" but based on my buddy's example, he would have saved his knees if he had been wearing protection. Also, by commuting on the bike every day the odds of an accident kinda go against me.
Proud owner of stock '76 CB750.
Locked
I like to point to the lane I want to merge into.
