I'm embracing the somewhat nihilistic nature of riding motorcycles. I always wear long pants, usually jeans. Always over-the-ankle footwear, usually my kevlar armored riding boots. I always wear gloves, but my gloves don't have armor; they're just semi-thick leather riding gloves. I always wear a helmet, sometimes it's a full-face helmet, most of the time it's a 3/4 helmet with full face shield. Depending on the temperature and distance I'm riding, I might wear a t-shirt or like 5 layers of t-shirt, thermal, flannel, heavy military wax jacket.
I've been riding motorcycles for about a year. I'm a newb. But, I've been riding/racing/training on bicycles for over a decade. I've hit the ground wearing a helmet, spandex shorts and a thin cotton jersey at over 20 mph, so I know how horrible it is to hit the ground... and how potentially more horrible it will be when I hit the ground or other moving objects at 30, 40, 65+ mph. I ride my motorcycle like I'm riding a bicycle; I assume no one can see me, everyone is going to pull out in front of me, cut me off, merge into my lane without looking, rear end me, stop short, etc... so I do a lot of watching and anticipating, which I know won't always work, but it's already saved my ass a few times in my short time as a motorcyclist.
Can anyone make recommendations on affordable lightweight armored gear? I'd love to be more safe, but I work in an office, so I can't wear jeans all the time or show up all sweaty all the time either... plus I'm poor, so gear has to be affordable.
