Wearing a Kilt while riding a motorcycle, What do I do?

[skruse]

Working in London, UK, from time to time, I would observe 25+ motorcycles pull up in the business district. All with black helmets & visors. They would all back into park, together. Each person then removed their helmet - revealing these were all professional women. Each would reach around back, obtain a professional skirt & dress shoes. They put the skirts on over their black leather pants. Once in place, the black leather pants were removed and shoes exchanged. They each picked up a brief case, stepped onto the sidewalk, and walked promptly to their offices. The process was repeated at the end of the day. I worked with many of these women and I gave them all the more respect for 1) using efficient transportation, 2) appropriate conduct under cloudy, rainy and congested conditions, 3) dressing for success in a competitive and vigorous business climate. The women clearly modeled professional demeanor. Even if they returned to their motorcycles after a post-business meal, they were equipped to drive home safely.

Certainly we can take a cue from these women and not wear a kilt while riding a motorcycle (or bicycle).

[Cavebear58]

Working in London, UK, from time to time, I would observe 25+ motorcycles pull up in the business district. All with black helmets & visors...

Wow! Sounds VERY exciting! :shocked: Let me know and I'll pop round there and take a few photos for the site (which I'll upload once they let me out of jail)!

You are sure they weren't filming for Strictly Come Dancing?!

All the best
Graham.

[Tony Miles]

chaps - mine hang lower than this at the waste

[AScot-Chewy]

Hey, my names Chewy, I'm a member of the Angry Scotsmen RC. I've been told I might be of some help here.

All you need is 2 safety pins and a good magnet (mine is a 16lbs from ACE). Sit on the bike with the back of the kilt under you. Place one leg on peg. Rap kilt around leg tight and pin together. Put leg on ground making sure kilt doesn't rip and repeat with other leg. The magnet is placed on the front of the kilt securing it to the gas tank. Nut huggers can be worn too(bugs suck). Not sure if this works with crotch rockets, don't think so though.
If safety i sure number one concern, it should be noted that this is no more dangerous than shorts (which are dangerous), and that steel toed boots have been know to rap themselves around toes to the point where the toes have to be removed. This, of course, is only in the event of a crash and other instances where road-rash can occur.

P.S. they're called SAFETY pins for a reason.

[Zardoz]

At least bad advice and perpetuation of myths is not just limited to Highland dress on our forum.

As a lifelong motorcyclist, I find more potential harm in this thread than the recent controversial firearms thread issue.

[csbdr]

YIKES!! just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should (shorts and flip-flops included) I don't quite understand this desire to take this type of risk. Yeah, I know....riding has inherent risks you have to take, but what you choose to wear seems unwise to skimp on (and you can probably predict I favor helmets too, but thats for another forum!)

Hey, my names Chewy, I'm a member of the Angry Scotsmen RC. I've been told I might be of some help here.

All you need is 2 safety pins and a good magnet (mine is a 16lbs from ACE). Sit on the bike with the back of the kilt under you. Place one leg on peg. Rap kilt around leg tight and pin together. Put leg on ground making sure kilt doesn't rip and repeat with other leg. The magnet is placed on the front of the kilt securing it to the gas tank. Nut huggers can be worn too(bugs suck). Not sure if this works with crotch rockets, don't think so though.
If safety i sure number one concern, it should be noted that this is no more dangerous than shorts (which are dangerous), and that steel toed boots have been know to rap themselves around toes to the point where the toes have to be removed. This, of course, is only in the event of a crash and other instances where road-rash can occur.

P.S. they're called SAFETY pins for a reason.

[scratchy]

I'm not sure if/how it could happen, but should an acrylic or other synthetic material brush up against the hot pipes, couldnt that be a fire hazard? Or would the material have to be in contact for a few seconds or so?

[AScot-Chewy]

scratchy - the answer is that on most bikes your kilt will not touch your pipes.


BUT for everyone else the topic is not why should you not..... but how. So my last post is the best answer the Angry Scotsmen RC has. If you would like to argue more on why is a bad idea just remember, at 30 mph jeans will hold up for 1/10sec. OS caps why not a kilt

[CDNSushi]

Hey, my names Chewy, I'm a member of the Angry Scotsmen RC. I've been told I might be of some help here.

All you need is 2 safety pins and a good magnet (mine is a 16lbs from ACE). Sit on the bike with the back of the kilt under you. Place one leg on peg. Rap kilt around leg tight and pin together. Put leg on ground making sure kilt doesn't rip and repeat with other leg. The magnet is placed on the front of the kilt securing it to the gas tank. Nut huggers can be worn too(bugs suck). Not sure if this works with crotch rockets, don't think so though.
If safety i sure number one concern, it should be noted that this is no more dangerous than shorts (which are dangerous), and that steel toed boots have been know to rap themselves around toes to the point where the toes have to be removed. This, of course, is only in the event of a crash and other instances where road-rash can occur.

P.S. they're called SAFETY pins for a reason.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for posting (what I think) is the first REAL how-to guide for riding a motorcycle kilted. Yes, this advice is NOT for everyone -- it is only for those who are okay with taking this risk. But it's about time that this question finally got answered in a decent way, rather than be admonished by everyone not to do it -- which, while fair, does nothing to answer the question at hand.



Welcome to XMTS, btw.

Jim

[Panache]

...Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for posting (what I think) is the first REAL how-to guide for riding a motorcycle kilted. Yes, this advice is NOT for everyone -- it is only for those who are okay with taking this risk. But it's about time that this question finally got answered in a decent way, rather than be admonished by everyone not to do it -- which, while fair, does nothing to answer the question at hand.

Jim,

I have been reading this thread but had nothing to add to it since my 61' Vespa hasn't been ridden in almost 10 years (so little time so many projects )

But I think I can give you a good XMTS analogy to why our experienced motorcyclists are so strong in their opinions about this subject.

Often someone will post to the Celtic Musicians forum with a question for our resident pipers. That questions being

"Hi I'm interested in learning the bagpipes. What pipes should I buy?"

Without fail our experienced pipers state that the would-be piper should not buy a set of pipes but instead find a good teacher and then purchase a practice chanter with that teacher's input.

I think that for what it is worth the answer A. C. gave on how to wear a kilt on your motorcycle is probably the best answer out there. However I have a lot of respect for all those that offered their experience thinking about the safety aspects of riding and were trying to help keep another rider safe.

Cheers

Jamie :ootd: