Ego (is a) Dirty Word ...

[TooFastTim]

I've been trying to encourage racers to wear period (or period style) riding gear for 20 years. To my eyes nothing looks poxier than someone riding a nice period Metisse wearing the latest multi coloured Fox riding gear and 21st century helmet graphics adorning his noggin. It's just as easy to get appropriate period style gear as it is to get period parts for your bike yet the majority of vintage racers don't get it.

You mean like this:



Rider is Jay Lael who apparently has an unhealthy obsession with Roger D.

Mark, while I agree in principle, modern riding gear is far superior to leathers and open face helmets, it's lighter, beathes better and offers better protection. We're also older, don't bounce as well and many of us are on a tight budget and can't really afford to have two sets of "clobber" (or three in the case of some of the trials/enduro/VMX guys).

*edit* dear god some of the contemporary gear is LOUD!

[VMX247]

In my opinion the modern pants are crap-they have so many seams with different colored material that they blow out at the first chance.
They need to work with the knee braces company's and the light weight material tears when going through the scrub.
Two pairs a season here on boy child-and he looks after his gear.
Metro Racing is the go   

[oldfart]

Yeah right Mark.... lets bring back open face helmets and do away with bar pads, while your at it. Safety is my first prioity.
Nothing cool about being layed up in hospital in my eyes.

[firko]

Yeah right Mark.... lets bring back open face helmets and do away with bar pads, while your at it. Safety is my first prioity.Nothing cool about being layed up in hospital in my eyes.
Posted on: Today at 12:20:51 PM Po

You totally misunderstood what I meant Stuart. I didn't mention anything about open face helmets or bar pads. What Imean't is that there is plenty of period looking gear that's freely available all over the internet. Metro make pants and jerseys to suit just about every bike and there's a heap of different businesses producing replica jerseys that fit into whatever era you're racing in.

I don't advocate using an open face helmet but if you wish there are a number of modern spec helmets that fit into the period vibe. Want a full face helmet? Most of the major manufacturers make plain silver, white or black helmets or if your helmet is suitable you can paint it a plain colour as I'm doing with my garishly painted M2R helmet. I have all of the Jazzy Fox gear for riding the modern but I had no problem finding a whole bunch of period jerseys on eBay, all different for whichever bike I'm riding. I found a quality pair of Finnish made all black nylon pants for less than 100 bucks and also have a pair of Metro Maico pants for when I'm living the Maico experience.

There's no need to go out there looking like a bloody Christmas tree as Roger and Jay have shown above. Both riders have armour under their jerseys yet still look period cool.

[TT]

I think it's pretty obvious that a lot of us ride old dirt bikes for different reasons. I personally like to place a bit of emphasis on the 'vintage' part, try and relive days gone by, and would like to see it a little more interesting for spectators, rather than seeing events that appear like any other modern dirt bike event except the bikes are a little older.
For example, GMC and I wandered around the transport museum at Harrow a few weeks ago and I got as much fun out of looking at the old oil bottles, tools, signs and even radios as I did from the cars and bikes. All that stuff really helped set the scene and gave the place a really good vibe.
Maybe I'm wrong and the only one that cares, but I like to believe that period gear and accessories add a bit of credability and interest to the sport and may even help generate more interest from the general public. 

But I do understand that others race only to win without much real interest in the historical aspects and others just because you can get into the sport quite cheaply.

Maybe I'm in dreamland again, but that's just my personal opinion. 

[All Things 414]

Ride days. Yeah. Wear all the period gear you like and it does look good.
Racing. Nah. There just isn't the protection available to you that you get from good modern riding gear. I know of quite a few guys with badly tweaked knees (to the point that they couldn't work for for quite a few weeks/months) who wouldn't wear knee braces (not knee protectors) because they couldn't be bothered puttin' them on or outlaying the money for them. The old "I don't ride really hard anyway" doesn't cut it either as you'll do a knee as easy as putting your foot out going around a corner (a style I'm pretty sure most of us use).

And in this day and age racing without a neck brace is just ludicrous! And open face helmets (apart from lookin ridiculous with a brace on) just don't work properly with a brace.

Safety shouldn't be something put at risk by peer-group preasures. I think at any MA sanctioned event, braces should be a mandatory requirment.

You'll probably wish it were so when they're running a fund-raiser on oZvmx for you.........

[VMX247]

padded berm wear    

[TT]

Now, that's a cool shot, Al! 

414, as much as I'd like to, I can't disagree with most of what you've said. 
My plans and budget for getting back to racing has included knee and neck braces. And when racing, I will be wearing a full face helmet.
So I do agree with the safety aspect. I just think that we can use all the modern gear without looking like we were near a crayon factory when it exploded. 

But I'll still use a period tow car and play the best in 70's music. That might be considered poor taste by some, though........... 

[Canam370]

Wasp, they were from Flat Rabbit clothing I think.

[firko]

. There just isn't the protection available to you that you get from good modern riding gear.

I agree too Ross but my point is that you can have modern gear that looks period and still wear the safety gear. I wear knee braces on both knees and they fit under my retro black nylons, ditto my Dainese armour fitting under my retro style jersey. I'm a big old boy but the stuff still fits fine. My problem is about the jazzy aesthetics of the modern gear looking out of place, not the quality of its manufacture or perceived lack of safety.

It's not about riding in sweaty old leathers, a ratty old Bell Magnum with the foam all deteriorated  and a rugby jersey with no crash protection, it's about finding and using gear that appears to fit the retro theme without sacrificing safety.

[NR555]

I think a lot of the modern gear has toned down in the last few years.  The stuff from the mid-90s was ridiculous hot pinks & fluros.  Fox still caters for that market (as it has come back into fashion somewhat), but its not all they offer. 

You can get nice, clean looking gear from a few of the main manufacturers.  Fox & Troy Lee have some really cool retro-styled gear at the moment.

[TooFastTim]

[JohnnyO]

I wear period 1980 nylons with a replica vintage jersey and a David Bailey replica modern full face helmet with a leatt neck brace and CTi knee braces and in a photo it looks vintage early 80's, is as safe as you could get and it's easy to do.

[firko]

See what I mean about it looking all wrong? Apologies to Kathleen, she's a real sweetie but her gear just doesn't fit her TS250 pre 70 class racer.
             
Or, what can be achieved using retro looking gear. This Husky Pro has all of the safety gear on under his retro clobber and a plain but safe helmet.
           

[LWC82PE]

latest Answer retro gear