I carry while riding for the same reasons I carry when doing everything else. Using the gun while on the bike is not really a consideration for me, but everytime I stop, I am exposed to the same daily concerns we all have. The issue is made more difficult because I strongly believe in ATGATT (pronounced like it looks – At Gat. I of course assumed at first that it was a reference to guys carrying their pistols)- All The Gear All The Time. Its an acronym motorcycle riders use to push the idea that you should be wearing head to toe protective gear whenever you are on a bike. I was always sort of familiar with this idea, but until I got into riding, I didn’t know just how extensive the protection could or should be. I also didn’t realize just how serious the injuries could be and I say that as a cop who has responded to multiple fatal motorcycle accidents.
All legitimate motorcycle protective gear is tested to meet various standards. I’m not going to go into that here, but what does matter is that the motorcycle pants you wear are typically kevlar or spectra lined and have knee and hip pads in them. Sometimes they include tailbone pads but that is not as common. The issue here is that the pants are stiffer and thicker than normal pants and the hip pads can interfere with some holster positions.
The riding jacket, designed to protect your torso and arms, comes in many different designs. They can be made of leather and mostly resemble a normal leather jacket. Textile versions are often made of layers of 1000D cordura or spectra, sometimes with webbing over the top in some areas, sometimes with patches of leather. They typically have elbow and shoulder pads, as well as a back protector. Some have chest protection as well. In order for the pads to do their job and protect your vulnerable joints in a crash, the pads need to be held tightly to the body. This means that the jackets should not have a lot of room under them, making both concealment and access harder than it might seem at first. The most protective clothing is going to fit much more snuggly than less protective gear will. In addition to keeping pads where they belong, you want to prevent your clothing from riding up in a slide and exposing skin underneath.
All of these factors make carrying a gun while riding a bit of a challenge. As I mentioned previously, many knowledgeable riders and gun guys opt to carry off body because of these issues. A tank bag is a common way to carry. Others carry smaller guns in a jacket pocket or in a fanny pack. In my case, I don’t want to carry off body. I also don’t always ride with a tank bag and some of my jackets do not have pockets as they are meant to be as light and ventilated as possible for hot weather riding. A fanny pack does not work for me. Carried in front, it interferes with my riding position. Carried around back, it interferes with my air bag, a more modern addition to keeping riders safe in a crash. Either way, it would have to be tight enough to the body to not go flying around, yet loose enough to be easily moved from back to front. Riding jackets can make this a tough thing to do.
My solution so far is to wear my gun AIWB, just like usual. I choose a smaller than usual gun for several reasons, in my case the wonderful HK P30SK. First of all, it shoots and handles almost as well as its bigger siblings (channeling my inner gunwriter there). B, it covers less of my body so that hopefully it injures me less if I land on it in a crash. And second, it conceals better under my tight jacket and interferes less with my hip pads. This solution works very well on every bike I have ridden for rides of up to an hour or so. Longer than that though, and the somewhat closed hip position most of my bikes require makes AIWB uncomfortable.
In addition to comfort over longer trips, AIWB poses an issue in warmer weather, when I want to open my jacket at gas stations or other stops. Occasionally I will untuck my undershirt and cover the gun that way, but it is less ideal, both for concealment as well as riding comfort.
My solution to these issues is good old behind the hip carry. As long as it doesn’t interfere with your hip pads, behind the hip carry lets me to open my jacket at stops and not expose my gun as well as allowing perfect comfort on longer rides. I prefer to always carry the same gun in the same place and strongly believe in this concept. For many years though, I had to switch between AIWB for concealment, a tac holster for work, and sometimes behind the hip for suit carry. I usually just stick to AIWB even in a suit but sometimes I did move it in years past. This experience taught me that I can switch between positions and make it work, though as I said before, it is better if you don’t need to.
One solution in cooler weather is to use a Hill People Gear kit bag. I can’t do it in warmer weather because I want as much air flow to my chest as possible, but in cooler weather, it can be a great way to go. It is also a nice way to carry other motor essentials, either replacing a tank bag or supplementing a smaller one. When using any kind of chest carry, I prefer to have chest armor in my jacket. Not all jackets have this option, so if it matters to you, it will require a little searching.
A shoulder holster would seem like a good idea at first glance, but it is one of the worst options. The gun sits over your ribs, a place with no protection typically. Landing on the gun could break ribs and cut up internal organs. So for now, I’m back to strong side IWB for longer rides, and AIWB for shorter ones.
