First ride of the year. I made it 4 miles out to get gas and 4 miles back. It's cold. Bike runs pretty good and the suspension feels like it's working so far. The reason I'm so cold is I have this problem with my Tour Master jacket. Every spring it shrinks just a little. 2 years ago I wasn't able to get the liner in it anymore. Last year I had to open the adjustments up all the way and stretch it by wearing it. And I'll be damned if the thing didn't shrink again this winter! Now I know what a bratwurst feels like. I have to exhale then close the zipper. When you got it on you like spandex, it really doesn't do much against the cold. It shrunk too much and now I think I need a new jacket. I got 10 years out of it. I think I got my money's worth out of it. Too bad it shrinks so bad every spring. I think I'll have to drown my sorrows in a pile of corn chips and wash it down with a few beers.

I can't wait for the world outside to thaw and melt so I can get some level of activity again. Anyone else have this problem with their riding gear shrinking?

 

LOL!...well, I always get my riding apparel to fit over body armor. Then when you get too fat to wear the body armor under the jacket, you at least get some more wear out of the jacket.

FD, is this "shrinkage" anything like the shrinkage mentioned in that Seinfeld episode?

 

10 years and it just started to shrink???
Wow, i hope it takes me that long!!!!

 

MMMM...corn chips and beer! Muscle building food...that's why your clothes don't fit!

 

I counted. There are 23 motorcycle jackets in the closet, not counting rain gear or a one piece Roadcrafter. Everything from size large to size 4XL. I usually start with the 4XL with liner and get down to the 2XL with liner by the end of the year. Then the damn jackets all shrink again by spring.

Picking up the KLX250SF tomorrow and I'm glad the 4XL with liner fits. I can also zip and snap the overpants. That part amazes me. I haven't been able to do that the last few years.

 

I seem to have the opposite problem with my decrepit 12 year old Shoei RF-R street helmet. It used to fit snug but lately it wiggles around a bit when I wear it, maybe my head is shrinking.

 

Lol.

I have the opposite problem when it comes to jackets myself. Most of my riding gear i purchased when i lived in VT and now that i'm back in MO and 30+ pounds lighter, everything is baggy and i'm finding that the adjustments don't have enough adjust.

Can't say that i miss being cooped up indoors six months out of the year with nothing else to do but sit on the couch eating food and drinking beer though ...

 

It was about 34 degrees when I rode today so that did cause that kind of shrinkage.

 

I've got skinny stuff and fat stuff, it seems like this spring I'll be wearing the large stuff for awhile. It's been 40-50 degrees here in Indiana the last few days and maybe a few more so I have got some seat time in but the trails are slop, 2-3 inches with a frozen bottom. Very tough going.

 

I'd say you were overdue for a new helmet. Snug, almost tight, fit gives better protection.