I can be cheap when it comes to big purchases for myself. But after owning a $150 scorpion for a few months I paid the $330 for the Shoei RF-1000. You do get what you pay for. Not sure of Icon... but it seems a less expensive brand, thus... not as finished in quality as Shoei perhaps.

Quote from: ledfingers on March 14, 2007, 01:28:47 AM
Jughead, did you already get the helmet? I'm curious to know how you like it while riding. I got an icon alliance (in blue) and i'm not too thrilled with it. The chinstrap is far more comfortable that my old one, i'll give it that, but i've already had lots of trouble with my facesheild. the right side clip will undo itself and that side of the facesheild will pop out when i pull it down. and it is suuuuper noisey, even compared to my old shoei (and when i say old, i MEAN old, it was a '95).  theres quite a few more qualms i have with it but i'd like to know what your thoughts are on it.

I should Get it Friday. Right now I can even get my ike out off my Shop because of all of the $h!t thats piled up but I tell you what I'll Get my Uncle to take be down the oad a few Times at 70MPH standing on the back of his truck.

i couldn't give a crap what i look like as long as i feel safe. 

Here's my gear so far:
HJC CL-12 black helmet,
Tourmaster Draft black mesh jacket w/lining if i need it
Tourmaster Transition black all-weather jacket w/lining if needed 
Moto gloves (can't remember the brand), black with extra padding on palms and knuckles.

i also wear high-top boots when i ride, but they aren't armored.  i'll probably grab a pair this summer.

oh, and a balaclava if it's cold out.

i just got a pair of Set-ups and i love them. went for a 2.5hr ride last night, already got some mild scratches on the toe sliders. It feels really solid having fully armored riding boots. I've always rode in doc. martins or leather converse, but the $140 (inc. shipping) was money well spent. I'm really happy with them.

absofreakinloutely.  im all monochrome.  black, white, or anything in between as long as its grayscale. 

As a new rider I'm still trying to gather all the gear, I gotta say I'm guilty of the whole matching thing myself.  Overall mostly black - black boots, gloves, silver/black hjc cl14. 

Funny thng is, before I started riding I bought what Is basically a replica harley jacket from wilsons letather - black no collar with the orange chest stripe and light brown trim on each side of the stripe.  I'm still riding with it while I try to find a real jacket with some real armor.  I gotta say I get some funny looks when the kid with the harley jacket hops on the gs500. 

This might be a good thread to ask in too - if anyone knows of any jackets that have armor, mandarin collar, relatively fashionable without tons of rubber, etc glued on them let me know. I want to find a good jacket that will protect but let me wear it into classes etc without screaming I RIDE A BIKE tooo obnoxiously.  Not that I'm ashamed, I just dont feel a need to attract TOO much attention.

Quote from: mjn12 on March 14, 2007, 11:06:30 PM
This might be a good thread to ask in too - if anyone knows of any jackets that have armor, mandarin collar, relatively fashionable without tons of rubber, etc glued on them let me know. I want to find a good jacket that will protect but let me wear it into classes etc without screaming I RIDE A BIKE tooo obnoxiously.  Not that I'm ashamed, I just dont feel a need to attract TOO much attention.

Pretty much any leather sportbike jacket will meet your criteria.

Examples:
AlpineStars TZ-1, MX-1, SMX Air-Flo, 7-2, Dyno, and Alloy jackets.
Teknic Chicane, Lightning, Prowler, and Violator jackets.

Cortech GX-Air is a leather/mesh combo that has all that.

TourMaster Transitions is also a good choice.

Quote from: NiceGuysFinishLast on March 15, 2007, 04:56:54 AM
Cortech GX-Air is a leather/mesh combo that has all that.

+1.
I own a yellow one for one year. It has 3 layers -- mesh (with all the armor and leather inserts on your elbows, shoulders and back), windbraker and warmer. Very versatile. Top notch quality. Comfy to ride till about 37F/5C degrees (anything colder you'd better put on a sweater underneath). Though no real heavy rain experience. Cost is about $170 http://www.newenough.com/protective_apparel/mesh_jackets_and_pants/cortech_by_tour_master/gx_air_mesh_motorcycle_jacket.html. Worth every dime IMO. And I always do TONS of research before buyinng anything.

Oh, and I resently washed it at home in the washing machine (using cold gentle cycle). Saved me about $48 on dry cleaning. Came out as good as new. Good stuff. Me likey!

FWIW, the TourMaster DraftJacket is essentially the same as the Cortech (same company), but slightly less expensive.  $90 for the jacket and $46 for the water/wind liner.  Sort of skinny in the arms, but it's a good piece of equipment.  Mary from MotoGearOutlet.com is great to work with.

http://www.motogearoutlet.com/jacket.htm

Arai Corsair McCoy it's white / blue / redish orange

Joe Rocket Phonix 2.0 jacket blue / black

First Gear Mesh Overpants 2.0 black

A* SP-1's black

Bike blue / white

I like to match if  I didn't I would dress like a golfer wearing bright oange and green plaid pants.  With a solid brown jacket.

I always try to match my flip flops to my tank top while riding.

J/K.  thanks for the pointers on the jackets.  I gotta say not ANY leather jacket meets those criteria - lots of them have all kinda of weiird rubber, etc glued to them. I'll check out the ones you guys suggested

Quote from: mjn12 on March 15, 2007, 11:27:00 AM
I always try to match my flip flops to my tank top while riding.

J/K.  thanks for the pointers on the jackets.  I gotta say not ANY leather jacket meets those criteria - lots of them have all kinda of weiird rubber, etc glued to them. I'll check out the ones you guys suggested

I said pretty much any. Not all. And usually the "rubber", as you put it, is stitched to the leather; this means that you can undo the stitching and remove the stuff that you don't like.

I think most of what you're thinking is "weird rubber" is more along the lines of different colored leather that is part of the jacket.

I have a Tecknic Violator jacket, and boy does that thing stand out as a motorcycle jacket. And even though it's perfed it's still really hot in LA traffic.

I'm on the verge of picking up a First Gear Tach LT Leather/Textile jacket:
http://www.newenough.com/protective_apparel/leather_jackets_and_pants/first_gear/tach_lt_leather_textile_motorcycle_jacket.html

Looks like it's got decent protection (real armor, leather on shoulders and sleeves), textile is supposed to be cooler than a full leather jacket right?, and it looks like it could pass for a normal jacket (no giant logos anywhere)

If it had real armor and not just foam I'd jump on the Power Trip Powershift jacket:
http://www.power-trip.com/products.cfm?products_id=225
But I can't find enough information about it to even know if it's replaceable armor, and not sewn in.

As to other gear, I've got a
white Caberg Justissimo helmet,
gray Alpinestars smx2 air gloves (do not recommend),
a blue/white Tecknic Violator jacket
knee/shin pads that I wear underneath jeans
and a good pair of combat boots.

So while I do kind of match my blue/white 2006 bike it wasn't really on purpose

-James

i get all my gear from newenough.com. great prices, great gear. my firstgear fuel jacket is non-obtrusive, cortec with leather abrasion areas, all the armor. i love it.

I should buy this bike to go with all my yellow gear:

Quote from: RVertigo on March 15, 2007, 01:53:51 PM
I should buy this bike to go with all my yellow gear:

Just get your freakin' Thruxton ferchristssake!

Yeah...  I don't think I can ride the Thrux...  The SV650S friggen KILLED my back...   

Plus, that little 650 cruiser is only 2k.   


I wonder if THESE come in yellow:  http://www.piaggiousa.com/

Quote from: mjn12 on March 15, 2007, 11:27:00 AM
I always try to match my flip flops to my tank top while riding.

You big sook riding with thongs (flip flops) on, if you were any sort of man you'd be riding with bare feet.