joining bikers...

[Maengelito]

Gear can be had cheap, I bought my first helmet for $90. Don't think bling, think bargain bin.

I'm gonna disagree here. And I know that I dont ride so I probably dont have much room to talk but I think a nice balance of comfort, protection and visibility are paramount wether its for $90 or $900. I could get a pail from Lowes and it would probably be worth of a DOT certification. Just get what's comfortable without compromising protection or visibility no matter what the cost is. It is your head after all...

Assumption #4 Every other person on the road is trying to kill you.

I usually subscribe to this rule no matter if you're on a bike, in a car, riding a horse, etc.