Ok, yeah...
I know I need a helmet, jacket, and gloves, as well as a nice pair of boots that'll keep my ankles from bending the wrong direction if I drop it. But I have a few questions...
How the hell am I supposed to figure out what size jacket I need? You know, besides going to a shop, trying them on, then going to newenough.com and ordering them? Leather or Mesh better? Leathers will be hot as hell, I expect, the Mesh probally lets a bit of the breeze in. Any real difference in protection here?
Also, do I need riding pants? I usually wear heavy jeans. I only lightly scraped my legs up when I took the header at 40mph on a gravel road when I was younger, and I was just wearing jeans then. Or is it recommended to get riding pants? Seems a little annoying for commute, a jacket you can fold up and put away, but not pants. You need pants. People tend to get angry when you don't wear pants. Go fig. :dunno:
Boots. Will a nice pair of hiking/work boots with steel toes work, or are real riding boots better? Sandles and tennis shoes are a no-no for sure (I like my toes!).
Full face helmet is a must, especially here in Florida. I would hate to run into a swarm of lovebugs without one. Any suggestions for comfort?
Oh yeah, gloves. I read someone had the Teknic gloves and found them to be uncomfertable. Any recommendations here, as well? Definatly need gloves, fingers are important. :thumb:
Hey Maniac. wow.. that's alot of questions... lucky for you I'm bored out of my mind and suffering from insomnia.... so here goes nothing...
QuoteHow the hell am I supposed to figure out what size jacket I need? You know, besides going to a shop, trying them on, then going to newenough.com and ordering them? Leather or Mesh better? Leathers will be hot as hell, I expect, the Mesh probally lets a bit of the breeze in. Any real difference in protection here?
Sizing charts are usually available at the manufacturers site, but you're basically gonna have to go to a shop if you wanna be certain. Leather is still king.. cow hide, 1.3mm or thicker (no fashion leather). I have a JR phoenix for when is absolutely God-awful unbearable hot, but I use my Astars TZ-1 leather whenever I can wear it without risk of a heat-stroke. If you do decide to go to the dealership and try some stuff on, be sure to sit on a bike with it on... everything on motorcycle gear is (or should be) actuated to fit properly in a riding position, not standing up.
QuoteAlso, do I need riding pants? I usually wear heavy jeans. I only lightly scraped my legs up when I took the header at 40mph on a gravel road when I was younger, and I was just wearing jeans then. Or is it recommended to get riding pants?
You can live without. I think there a few brands of kevlar reinforced jeans out there. I picked up a pair of JoeRocket Stage1 pants over the holidays, but haven't had the opportunity to use them yet, so I can't say for sure that they are gonna be worth the trouble. They are textile, and so should at lest give me a little protection in a slide.
QuoteBoots. Will a nice pair of hiking/work boots with steel toes work, or are real riding boots better?
I think a good tough (and by tough I mean medium to heavy-weight... no lightweight boots or 'wal-mart specials... I'm talking Lowa, Vasque, Montrial) hiking boots will do the trick for you. Unless, that is, you start leaning to the point where toe-sliders are in order (not likely on a GS). I'm still thinking about getting a good pair of Sidi's or Teknics later though. Laces make me nervous.
QuoteOh yeah, gloves. I read someone had the Teknic gloves and found them to be uncomfertable. Any recommendations here, as well? Definatly need gloves, fingers are important
I just received a pair of the Violator gloves yesterday, and like the Stage1 pants, I haven't gotten the chance for a road test. I don't find the knuckle protection to be that uncomfortable. Yes, making a fist is somewhat uncomfortable, but except to shake it at the occasional oblivious cager, why do you need to be able to make a fist when riding? The leather on the back of the glove is fairly thin and I expect it to stretch out a bit when breaking in... I think they will be worth 39 bucks plus shipping.
As for helmets, I have an HJC CL-12 (its called the CS-12 these days). It does the job. nothing fancy, but its comfortable and I think it would do its job in a crash... SNELL and DOT approval are a must. :thumb: The most important thing after the DOT/Snell rating is fit... you really should try on any helmet you intend to buy.
that's my two cents... anybody else?
Here we go again :roll: Just kidding! :mrgreen:
Jacket: Have you ever gotten measured for a tux or suit? Sizes should be about the same (not for me though, I have a 46 chest but need a 50 to fit my shoulders and arm length). You want the jacket to fit tightly, flapping is bad and can make the jacket ride up if you get into an accident. If you're on the huskier side, Joe Rocket supposedly makes jackets with more room. You'll probably have to send a jacket back once, but better than having something that doesn't fit right. Look at the sizing charts for the manufacturer and get out the measuring tape! The guys at New Enough are really cool about giving advice about the right size. Mesh or leather? Leather definitely has much more protection than mesh. Cow is the best thing to have between you and the road! But... if you're not going to wear the jacket because it is too hot, it's useless. Mesh lets the breeze in and it does give you a reasonable amount of protection. You can also get a perforated leather jacket. That gets a little toasty at the stop lights, but it is leather. Can always get a zip in liner for the mesh jacket for the cooler days in Florida.
Riding Pants: Adults do not bounce well. At all. Jeans and a heavy shirt still left me with stuff that isn't going to look nice for years when I took a fall. Go for something like the JR Phoenix mesh pants. Gives you padding in the knees and hips and gives an extra layer of fabric between you and the road. Put them over your Jeans or even your shorts.
Boots: Riding boots give you a lot more feel and control in the shifter that the steel toed boot gives away. But you're riding for fun. Although people are going to disagree with me about the steel toe, get a pair of those with plenty of padding around the ankle.
Helmet: Get one that you like and has both DOT and Snell certifications. Everyone has different favorites.
Gloves: My Teknic gloves are sweet, but they are a different model than the one mentioned. For Florida, get a pair with mesh or vents, but also has good protection with areas of leather.
blah blah blah... :roll:
ps bugs are easy to clean off leather. bugs get stuck in mesh
:lol:
Lots of newbie questions, I know. Perferated leather, eh? I'll definatly be looking into that. I don't plan on laying it down (But who does?), but after ripping the skin off my left arm from the wrist to just past the elbow, I'm more than happy with being a little warm but protected.
DOT and Snell approval are definatly a must! :thumb:
I didn't think about the laces part... hmm... yeah, definatly gonna have to look into some boots for the longer rides at least. Most of my riding is going to be less than three miles probally, but I do want to do some road trips on it. So boots would be good for that.
Thanks for the help guys, I'd rather learn from your expensive mistakes than my own! :mrgreen:
i have a pair of the icon jeans they are super comfortable and offer a little more protection than regular jeans but most important of all they have a ventilated crotch :thumb: mmmmm airflow
I've heard horror stories of people whereing steel toed boots while riding and losing toes when the steel gets folded over in a crash. Don't know if they're true or not, but it seems to make sense to me. Might want to stear clear of stealtoe anyway since it might not give you the best feel on the shift lever.
Quote from: mrslush50I've heard horror stories of people whereing steel toed boots while riding and losing toes when the steel gets folded over in a crash. Don't know if they're true or not, but it seems to make sense to me. Might want to stear clear of stealtoe anyway since it might not give you the best feel on the shift lever.
I've heard the same stories about steel toed boots, I've also ridden in them once. You can't feel the shift lever, and they get in the way.
People have recommended sneakers over steel capped boots to me.
I'd recommend kevlar reinforced jeans, I have a pair of Draggin Jeans and they are pretty good. I haven't crashed in them, yet ;) but I've seen a video of a guy being dragged on his arse behind a drag car at 100km/h with no injuries.
The light mesh, summer jackets are good, they let alot of air in, so they are cool to ride in. They have a bit of armour, but they probably aren't as good as the heavier textile jackets.
Leather jackets are the best protection, and aren't too hot when you're moving, as long as the zip is undone a bit.
'cos you can always use another 2c:
I'm a big fan of my Rjays jacket - breathable fabric, reflector-patches and a removable liner for when it gets hot. Draggins are tops, but jeans SHOULD do you for most situations. Gloves o'leather are also a must. IMHO you really should go and try stuff on before you buy it. Case in point: my head is too big for the XXL HJC helmet, but fit perfectly into the XL Shoei TX-1. Also, different jackets FEEL different. My Rjays is perfect for me, but may not feel right on you. Try before you buy!
R.
Helmet: a cheap white DOT+SNELL approved is fine for starting. And cooler in summer, and more visible. Spend the $$ on a fancy helmet later, when you'll know what you want a helmet to feel like.
Jacket and pants: I recommend a 3/4 jacket (TM Cortech II, Fieldsheer) with CE armor in shoulders, back and elbows. If you live somewhere hot and wet, get a JR mesh jacket and the waterproof liner instead... you can always wear clothing over/under it if it's a little colder. Leather is good for a second jacket, but soaks-up water in a rainstorm. If this will be your only jacket, leather may be inconvenient. But by all means, make your second jacket leather. Pants should have CE armor in the knees and thighs.
You can often find bargains on JR jackets and pants, but I don't like the armor. What JR really does well is hot-weather gear. Other companies make better rain and cold-weather gear.
Gloves: leather, with a gauntlet and a wrist cinch. I'm not a big fan of textile gloves, unless there is some kevlar armor on the backs of the hands, the knuckles and the heel of the palm. If you've got a pair of leather workgloves that you can cinch at the wrist, wear those until you've paid-off your new gear... they're good enough for now :) .
Boots: similar to above. I like leather boots, with a gore-tex or sympatex liner/bootie to keep your feet dry in the rain, cups over the toes and heel, and armor over the shin and both sides of the ankles. Check-out the $85 Teknik Defenders at NewEnough.com. I like Oxtars or Sidi, but they're pricey. If you've already got a pair of steel-toed workboots, wear those until you've paid-off your new gear.
Here's a sample cost:
HJC CS12 helmet, $100
http://www.helmetharbor.com/estore/products.cfm?SeriesID=HJC%20CS-12%20Helmet
Hein-Gericke 3/4 jacket with CE armor, $169
http://www.newenough.com/gericke_eco_goretex_jacket_page.htm
TourMaster Cortech pants (sorry, armor not CE), $169
http://www.newenough.com/tour_master_gx_pants_page.htm
Alpinestars gloves with padded knuckles, kevlar palm: $44
http://www.newenough.com/alpinestars_sp3_gloves_page.htm
Teknik Defender waterproof boots, ankle and shin armor, $85
http://www.newenough.com/teknic_defender_waterproof_boots_page.htm
Total cost, about $600 including s/h.
If you are in a hot, wet climate, substitute mesh for the pants and jacket. If on a budget, you could look at a Joe Rocket bargain, like this $217 deal for the pair, which would save about $120:
http://www.newenough.com/package_deal_revolution_ballistic_page.htm
With the JR gear, you could replace the dual-density armor with GP armor for about $50 later, or Aerostich TF2 armor for about $60. If you've got some leather boots and gloves already, you can get started for about $350, then think about the rest later.
Quote from: ravenDraggins are tops, but jeans SHOULD do you for most situations.
I disagree. Dress for the crash. Jeans are useless in anything over 20 mph for abrasion (sliding down the road) or for impact/armor (when you hit the curb after sliding). Get overpants like the tourmaster ones listed above. I have a pair of those and they're easy to get on/off. Much better than jeans. You can wear your jeans underneath for fashion.
Quote from: rema1000If this will be your only jacket, leather may be inconvenient.
Again I disagree. Don't let convenience determine what/when you wear your gear. Dress for the crash. I recommend leather highly but wear something more than mesh!
Statistically, you're more likely to have a debilitating injury to your ankle than your upper body. To be safer, you should get good boots and riding pants.
Read this page for more info:
http://www.ixion.org.uk/Leather2.html
That said, I ride often with jeans only :roll:
Where's a good place to get body armor? Is CE better to get than GP stuff?