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Motorcycles and CCW

4K views 43 replies 37 participants last post by  Fastball 
#1 · (Edited)
How many of you carry while riding and what is your preferred carry method?

I recently started riding but rarely carry while on my bike. The main reason is my normal OWB holster at 3:30 doesn't conceal too well with my Tourmaster riding jacket.

Is anyone else concerned that if you end up taking a spill and lose consciousness that the first person who comes to you has access to your CCW with one in the pipe?

Just want to know your thoughts and opinions on this.
 
#3 ·
Orbit greetings. I dont know what type of bike you ride, but I put more miles on my Hog that I do my truck. I always carry, and the following are the best ways I have found. Getting to my gun while on my bike became very important one day when a dog decided to attack my daughter and I while stuck in traffic at a stop sign. I couldnt reach my ITP holster under my leather jacket and thus was left to burying a knife in it. So its not always a two leg threat while riding.

During the months I wear my leather coat, I typically carry my primary weapon in an ITP holster, AND a 38 snubby in a left hand ITP holster which I clip into the left inside pocket of my jacket. This allows me to easily reach in with my right hand and pull it out and use it without much effort or any unzipping.

In warmer months I carry ITP under a t-shirt and my vest and remember to tuck my t-shirt under my azz when I sit down to keep it from flapping up at speeds.

Another option on long trips is using a magnetic tank back to hold the weapon, but I am not a fan of off body carry.

I also use a weapon in a horizontal shoulder rig under a sleveless shirt worn over a t-shirt (the rig needs to match the color of the shirt) and leave a few buttons undone.

Hope you find this usefull.
 
#4 ·
I always have mine when riding. I have two weapons, the first is a Glock 30, I carry IWB about 4:30. I usually tuck my outer shirt under my belt near the pistol. This keeps my shirt from blowing up. I also carry a S&W 638 in my pocket when the G30 does not work with my dress. It is rarely a problem and disappears completely....

As to someone finding my weapon after a spill, to me that is no different than any other situation. If you wrecked a car, the same thing could happen, maybe not as easily, but it could.
 
#5 ·
Mine is as normal - OWB when on my VTX. Even if I have the leather jacket on I will have my vest on under that - which keeps cover good. I also have a small backrest and this keep clothes from flapping or blowing up much at all.

I am like most, concerned of problems if I come off but like Fed - I do not favor off body - other than maybe for a BUG. I'll take my chances and stick with my normal mode - it has worked well for a good many years.

Access is not as good as normal but the good situational aweness needed to survive on 2 wheels should hopefully allow alarm bells to ring in time to act should it be needed - albeit when stationary!!!
 
#6 ·
I ride a 2007 Suzuki Boulevard S50 - a lightweight (454lbs) 805cc cruiser, so I sit upright and easily flatfoot at stops (99% of stops only my left foot goes down).
One thing with being a novice rider is that I'm still getting used to not being able to see my pockets, jacket zipper etc as I wear a full face helmet. Everything has to be by feel and so having to fumble for a zipper - especially with winter gloves on - is something I need to practice to overcome.
I guess I don't anticipate needing my CCW while actually on the bike although your dog experience worries me a little!
I may find a good ITP holster or maybe a shoulder rig - my Glock 19 may be too big to fir in the pockets of my riding jacket.
 
#8 ·
This very topic came up on a motorcycle forum I subscribe to. Funny, it's a mixed crowd of Conservatives and Liberals there but that thread has endured; 23 pages, 330 responses and viewed 6200 times. 99% of the comments are in favor of carry.
If it ever thaws out around here and I can get back in the saddle I figure I'll pocket carry in my jacket or vest.

orbrit: Sent you the ural for the forum, it may just interest you!
 
#9 ·
Orbit, check the inside pockets of your jacket/vest (if you wear one) I have stuffed my Glock 19/Sig 229 and 38 J Frame into them in an ITP holster from Uncle Mikes (the only time I use their ITP holsters) made for use of my weak hand. I'm right handed and a r/h ITP dosent work in the left coat pocket.
 
#10 ·
I carry strong side, OWB. Using either a leather vest or leather coat.
 
#11 ·
Always Armed...

When on my Harley Electra Glide...my Kimber Ultra CDP II is either in my IWB strong side for warm weather...or when it gets really cold down here (45-55' :rofl:) I use my Fist shoulder holster under a leather jacket.

ret:comeandgetsome:
 
#13 ·
I carry my para 7.45 IWB on my strong side (my right side) because I figure if I really need to use it I will most likely not be in motion. However, I will be going OWB this season for comfort reasons.

Interesting story about the dog 'fed wif a sig', I too have had problems with dogs while riding. Once stuck in traffic and once at a gravel covered dead end road (couldn't turn around cause of the mutt). I do believe your pair is larger than mine though, killing it with your knife and all.
 
#15 ·
before I sold my bike, I carried the same way while riding as while walking. The gun was a bit less accessible under the jacket, but I could still get to it. I considered investing in a leather holster that I could sew inside my jacket for a high cross-draw, but never followed through on that. When I buy another bike, I'll probably look into it again.
 
#17 ·
The gun was a bit less accessible under the jacket, but I could still get to it.
My point exactly. You'll never worry about it being accessible under your vest or jacket until you are in that situation where you have your hands full of handle bars, and the threat is at your feet. I will never again straddle my scooter without a weapon within easy reach of either hand without having to unzip or pull up leather that by its own design dosent pull up very well.

If you choose to ok, but when you or your passenger is being mauled, you'll immediatly remember this thread and this post.

Only thing I HATE is having a new bike and a bumm arm that keeps me from buring up some miles.

Back to my easy chair which is my prison for a few more months.
 
#16 ·
Probably not much of a problem with concealed carry, but anyone carrying openly on a bike might want to clean and lube their weapon regularly, even if you don't shoot it. At least one motorcycle officer found that his Beretta wouldn't function reliably because the airflow had dried out all the lube and gotten all sorts of dust and grit in there (see the August 21st entry).
 
#20 ·
I don't carry while riding a motocycle but I do on my horse. I use OWB during the fall and winter and IWB for spring and summer.

I need to get a cowboy gun to go with my horses. :image035:
 
#21 ·
I would have to go with tank or saddle bags as well.
Finding a gun on me while I was laying on the side of the road would be the least of my worries.
I nearly broke a rib when I went down with a cell phone in my jacket pocket.
I would not want to see what kind of damage a pistol could do to the body.

I now carry absolutely nothing hard in my gear that I wear.

(For people who don't wear gear this probably doesn't apply)
 
#23 ·
I ride often. Carry OWB strong side. When it's not cold I can access pretty easy - when it's cold and I'm bundled up it'd be somewhat harder to get to it - couldn't do it in a timely manner. I'd like to carry a shotgun like Arnold did in Terminator 1.
 
#24 ·
My scooter is my primary means of transportation, I wear my Kimber Ultra CDP in a Glaco USA IWB at 4 oclock and I don't worry about it showing at all.

As far as worrying about laying the bike down and someone finding the gun if I am unconscious, no I don't worry about that at all. If I am unconscious I just hope who ever finds me can get me to a hospital.
 
#25 ·
Bob you'll have to stand in line behind most of my MC and co-workers.

Timmy I hope it wasnt you who fell and ended up unconsious at ROT year before last. Lost some of my party time transporting his piece to the hospital for him. I'll be there again this June.

As for worrying about gas/cluch ect, all I can attest is I immediatly hit my kill switch, planted feet and took action while removing my daughter from behind me to beside me. I just ask that if you ride, do a "what if" next time your at a stop sign (or pretend it while in your garage) to get it into your mind. People I'm not to worried about until I dismount but vicious dog on the other hand, are an issue that I never realized could be that big an issue till it became one.
 
#26 ·
I carry IWB like normal while on my bike. None of my jackets extend below my waist so there's no time lost for me drawing. Much like a t-shirt/sweat shirt already is.

On really hot days when I don't wear a jacket, I don't worry about my shirt flapping up and showing it off. Thankfully we have open carry here and I try to enjoy my rides instead of worrying about everyone seeing my gun.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I've been carrying on my motorcycles as long as I can remember.

Preferred method is a high rise pancake OWB, and I do utilize one with a thumb snap while riding. I also use a shoulder holster rig from time to time. Both methods are concealed easily enough with either a denim or leather vest, or a jacket.

As far as someone finding my gun on me in the event I go down, I can relate from personal experience that would be the last of my worries. In April of 2003, I hit a deer while riding my Ultra in the central Texas hill country. Just about the entire right side of my body was broken (all the ribs on the right side with three broken front and rear, right shoulder, right collarbone, sternum, right ankle, right foot, and the right leg was broken in 20 places with my right foot turned around and under my leg) and the pain was extreme. Like I mentioned earlier, the gun was the last thing on my mind.

Since then, I have obtained a Kel-Tec P3AT and a S&W liteweight 38 snubby as BUG's. One or the other is usually in a very easy to reach place, the snubby in an outside, snapped pocket, or the Kel-Tec in the windshield bag. I strongly agree with the dog situations discussed above, as I have had a few experiences like that myself. With Murphy's Law being what it is, it always seems that the biggest, bad azz dog who leaves someone's yard and starts coming after me usually does so just as I have to stop for a stop sign or light..... thus the reason for the 'handier' guns.
 
#28 · (Edited)
I been riding since 1982 and carry the same way on a bike as I do off a bike, pistol in holster attached to a belt. I am more concerned 'bout getting creamed driving my cage or buttonholed walking around this town than I 'bout taking a spill and losing consciousness on my bike.

(Been lucky with dogs, I have learned to kick 'em a good distance.)
 
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