dress for the slide, not the ride

phrase

When choosing clothing for riding a motorcycle, priority should be given to protective gear that helps one survive an accident.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

phrase
  1. hobbiesWhen choosing clothing for riding a motorcycle, priority should be given to protective gear that helps one survive an accident.

    There's merit to the saying, "Dress for the slide, not the ride." Even at a modest 30 miles per hour this is.

    2005, Pat Hahn, How to Ride a Motorcycle, →ISBN
    3 more examples

    Moto pants are probably the trickiest aspect of my riding getup. I don't like any gear that really shouts “I RIDE A MOTORCYCLE,” but I also want to make sure I'm protected. Dress for the slide, not the ride, right?

    2016 June 24, Morgan Gales, “UglyBros Motorpool Jeans Reviewed”, in Motorcycle Cruiser Magazine

    Riders are told to “dress for the slide, not the ride.” This means you should be completely outfitted to improve your chances of surviving a crash.

    2017 July 16, Amanda Smith, “Investigative Reporter Amanda Smith learns what it takes to get a motercycle license”, in WKBN News

    “Dress for the slide, not the ride," said Florida State University Police Officer Sheffield. “Doesn't always look cool it's not always I was just going down the street. But if you get hit by a car and your head hits the asphalt or if you just simply fall over and it wipes out from underneath you. That's where a lot of the damage comes from. A lot of the injury comes from. Its traumatic brain injury."

    2017 December 11, Taylor Knight, “Some Question How Safe Mopeds And Motorcycles Are For College Students”, in WUSF News
Cite this entry
APA

dress for the slide, not the ride. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dress%20for%20the%20slide%2C%20not%20the%20ride

MLA

“dress for the slide, not the ride.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dress%20for%20the%20slide%2C%20not%20the%20ride. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dress for the slide, not the ride,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dress%20for%20the%20slide%2C%20not%20the%20ride.

Source: dress for the slide, not the ride on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.