I will say that It is is blistering when you have on all the gear but I always say, better safe than sorry. I wear a helmet, gloves, leather jacket and jeans. My next investment are going to be riding boots. Also I like the post about the perforated leather. I am a big fan of the leather and this would be perfect for me to invest in. If I would chose any material I would want to slide in it would be leather. Thanks for making this post this just gave me a lot of good Ideas being a new rider also. My friend would not wear a helmet till I forcefully told him evertime i saw him that he needed to get one. The last time I saw him he said he had some money put away to go and get one. I said, you better go and get it then and I don't want excuses. Later that day I was hanging out with another friend who was at Iron Pony the same time my other friend was and saw him buying helmet. I was releived. I love my friends and I dont' want them to go anywhere from shear stupidity. One of my other friends put himself in a hospital. He said he was going to go down the road and come right back. On his way back he hit the curb and tossed himself. luckly he just had road rash everywhere. Oh yeah, he also has a titanium plate in his face. So you are probably wandering what he was wearing. He was on a cruiser not a rokect but was wearing no helmet, sandles, and shorts, and white t-shirt. I just hungout with him and I showed up with my bike and all my gear and he said he wanted to get another bike and do it right this time.