Hi - Viz gear

[kawakid]

Now is it me, I bought the Hi-Viz when I first purchased a bike.

However my girlfriend laughs at me, workmates also.

I take the thing off when I stop, wherever I am.

But it looks like its only me and the odd Mopeder that actualy wears the stuff.

Thus I think a poll is required.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Sparks!]

Nowt sad about making you visible to other road users that potentially want to knock you off...
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[iCraig]

Personally I think Hi-Vis gear is great stuff, I wear it at low visability times and it gave me alot of confidence when I had my accident in 2002.

And people may take the piss, but you get to take the piss out of them if they get SMIDSY'd.

[dainesefreak]

I agree with Yams. I'm not voting for either, it's horses for courses really you got to do what you feel comfortable with and careless.

Oh and you can get black and silver hi viz sticker kits if you don't fancy the luminous yellow/orange stuff. Sure that you can get black stuff that only glows with light too.

Have a look here;
https://www.respro.com/urbancommuting_motorcyclin.php

They also do the Waistcoat which doesn't look too bad either.

[Dom]

Woops, misread the poll there. Thought it said "Are you...?" serves me right for scanning.

I think they're a great idea and would never hold it against someone for wearing any. Don't wear any myself though, and I can do that because I'm a hypocrite.

[Villers]

I voted 'safety concious' but I must be honest I used to laugh at hi-vis wearers. I Say used to because I dont laugh anymore, I don't believe in them now. After reading about thw whole 'looming effect' that bikes have i doubt some drivers would spot a 20ft neon sign above you.

I work on a big site, about 5000+ people on it. On the commute I go past a lot of vis-wearers, mostly mopeds and things like that but when talking to the motorcyclists its mostly the ones who have been knocked off that now wear them.

When I say 'they dont work' dont get me wrong, in the instance of you being in someones field of vison, such as along side them or behind them it will help, but for the pulling out of junctions - from what ive read- they wont help. From some studies it looks like 'SMIDSY' might actually be true.

On the otherhand I didnt pay £350 for a one piece race suit, £250 for a lid and £170 for a pair of corsas to ruin it all with a £5.99 vest! Call me superficial if you will!


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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[bazza]

I wear a lovely orange "workman's waistcoat" when commuting. I don't ride a moped either.

Considering the amount of dopey cagers in the roads during the rush hour with anything on their minds except driving, whatever I can do to get myself noticed by the slack-jawed boneheads has got to be a bonus.

I really don't give a flying fig whether it looks "cool" or not - it's a hell of a lot "cooler" than plaster casts and bandages.
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"That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college."
'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[Phoenix]

I now wear a Hi-Vis bomber jacket over my leathers in winter. It had an instant effect on traffic, saw endless ppl nearly pull out then jam the brakes on when they caught sight of me. It's also waterproof and very warm, and as I have no waterproof bike jackets, it's ideal to put over my leather jacket when wet. Ppl may stare, I've been the only one in Hi-Vis at a few big bike meets and I don't care one bit.

[Villers]

[Will87]

I only tend to wear it when i'm out on the older bikes with worse brakes and not so much engine power. On my crappy little honda i just tend to thrash the bollocks off the thing and get around them or away from possible problems sharpish.

[stinkwheel]

I wear my high viz vest if I am riding a bike with crap lights in the dark or on the motorway at night.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[tintin]

Dayglo Derek and his best mate Top Box Tim, not for me thanks, but each to their own...
It always amazes me the number of bikes that ride with no lights on though.
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The older I get the better I was

[R4nger]

[deputy]

I personally don't wear hi-viz gear, but do ride with lights on.

It is mind boggling to me that with so much different bike clothing available that no-one has come up with some hi-viz clothing that bikers might actually LIKE/CHOOSE to wear, i.e. something that highly reflective/bright but not in horrid fluorescent colours.

[Andy C]

yea i like to wear jackets that have reflective stuff on them but dont make you look really bright, yea and with lights on all the time, unless its really really nice and give me a good feeling be able to turn them off (this is about 2% of the time on the best summer days!))quite sad really!
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[EDBANGER]

I have a pair of water proof illuminous yellow trousers that I wear whilst riding to & from work. Some people laugh at them but at the end of the day they do make me 100 x more visible during rush hour traffic so i'm wearing them. Not so much on a weekend ride out though.

[map]

As in Villers post, most times I see hi-viz is people commuting to work. IMO it's a bit of a badge, "I'm really using this bike, it's not a weekend toy".

That said I do like to wear hi-viz at night (and sometimes even when riding the bike, boom-boom ).

[mchaggis]

[biggerjohn]

In bright sun light like today’s ride in I don’t wear my Vest but as soon as it gets gloomy out it comes.

Odd thing is there is no evidence that using a high vis vest will make you less likely to be in an accident (no ones bothers to gather the info on what people are wearing when an accident occurs) but there is growing evidence that people now ignore them.

For example we all have ridden past road works where every one is in a high vis vest so have thousands of cars thousands of times so driver are starting to just blank them out as 99% or the time there not in the road and so no threat.

So the chances of some one looking right at you but still not SEEING you aren’t decreased by wearing the high Vis vest and may actually be increased.

It is a subject that really could do with some proper imperial research but for now it looks like in good light it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing but you will have a benefit in pore light.

[map]

FYI if anyone wants to source any hi-viz / reflective tape then see this site
https://www.bikeseen.com/tapes.htm

HTH
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[beeblemaster]

I always wear my hi-vis belt (shoulder and waist thingy).

I imagine that I don't look very cool, but I really don't care, all I'm bothered about is being seen.

I know from my own experience as a car driver how difficult it is sometimes to see bikers and so I'll do whatever I need to - to be seen.

Given todays driving standards and lack of policing - you cant take any risk.

[impaler]

I have a hi-vis waistcoat that I just leave on my jacket all the time. I generally leave it open in the forlorn hope that it flapping around might attract slightly more attention than if it was done up.
On a CB250 I'm never going to look "cool" anyway, so it doesn't bother me to wear it all the time Better that than having to be swept up off the road!
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Monster m600
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[Ric]

I'd love to be able to say i wear one, im sure the statistics are highly in favour

but i just can't do it!! i used to have to wear one for work and its a pain, as it was on my learner/lesson before passing


maybe when im older and more concerned about it i will

[mchaggis]

At night nobody can see you. I guess that's the point of wearing them then.. It's hardly as though your mates are all going to take the piss if they never see you at night, is it?
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Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[ZaphodBeeble]

I never ride without my headlight on. I think it helps break up your outline when you are in front of cars, oncoming traffic can distinguish you easier. My textile jacket has refelective bits on it too, but I'm thinking of getting some more to stick on as they don't really stand out that much.

As for the poll, I voted sad git, there are alternatives.
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Current bike: VTR1000F Firestorm. Previous: Firestorm (written off) - XJ600 Divvy - NSR125 - DT125 and a load of offroaders.