HOT weather - your gear solution - comfort, protection, or skip the ride?

[skyryder]

I live in central Florida, so there is that, but I either ride with all the gear, or don't ride at all. I can appreciate how having the wind in you hair can be fun, but I don't have hair so there is that. The decision for me came down to the knowledge, that at speed, the gear is probably not going to make a huge difference, but I suspect at slower speeds it will make a huge difference. I'd really feel like an idiot if I could have saved a fairly serious injury just by wearing a decent jacket, pants, boots, helmet and gloves. I got a sneak preview, when I was in an advanced riding class, going at a fast walk, stupidly pulled on the front brake trying to save a screwed up maneuver and laid my bike down. My head bounced off the pavement hard enough that I had to replace the helmet, I was convinced it was worth it. I was able to finish the class with nothing more than a bruised (okay mangled) ego, and a couple of small scratches on the crash bars. The pants and boots saved my legs from road rash and probably getting a nasty ankle injury. Those small scratches remind every time I ride about the front brake.