Gear Suggestions

To begin, long time follower, first time poster. The community seems to be very helpful, so I thought I'd pose my questions here.

I'll be getting my first motorcycle here soon, so I need some protective gear. In my mind, safety comes first. So I need everything; Helmet, jacket, pants, gloves, boots, and anything I may have missed.

I'll mainly be riding in the summer, so I would prefer to avoid the heavy, soak-me-in-sweat gear. Any suggestions on gear, where to buy gear, or anything related would be much appreciated.

Oh, the only motorcycle store around here is a Harley store, which I plan to use to get sizing and comfortability down, but I don't want Harley logos with my Honda motorcycle. :)

Thank you for any and all help! I look forward to becoming an avid motorcyclist!

For jackets and stuff, I would take down your measurements then scour eBay and other used equipment places for stuff that will fit you. Always buy a helmet new seems to be the mantra, that way you know if it's ever been dropped.

Welcome to the board!

Street riding primarily I assume? What are you planning on getting?

My main online gear shop is Revzilla out of Philly, NewEnough (now MotorcycleGear.com), Motorcycle Closeouts, MotoGear Outlet, etc. are all good shops too for the mass market stuff. Aerostich makes premium touring gear more suited for all-season use, but I love my AD1 pants so have to bring them up.

CN for the below: Get gear that fits comfortably. You can spend as much or as little as you want. Shop used and closeouts for deals. Get gear that fits comfortably. Your first set of stuff wont be your last if you get into it, so don't worry a lot about it. Just make sure you get gear that fits comfortably.

Helmet - Get a helmet that fits, meaning you're going to have to try a bunch on probably. You want it to be snug in the cheeks and have no pressure points anywhere around your head, but not so tight that it gives you a headache and not so loose that it will rotate around on your head. Might have to find a place that isn't a harley dealer... but some are better than others. I prefer a full-face helmet. Make sure its at least DOT certified, or SNELL M2010. All the big brands are good lids (HJC, KBC, Shark, Scorpion, Shoei, Arai, etc), so get what fits the best for the price you can afford. +1 on buying helmets new, not worth it to me to risk my head on a used helmet but there are deals out there for nearly new stuff if you look and are smart about it.

Jackets - Mesh textile will be cooler, but less protective. Full textile will likely be sweaty, but better in the rain you'll eventually get caught in unless you're planning to only ride on sunny days. Leather has the best protection, but is hot in summer. Perforated leather works nearly as well as mesh too, but usually is more expensive and is not very good in the rain. Typically you get what you pay for unless its on sale/closeout. The Harley FXRG stuff is really really good actually, and the logo's are subtle. Most of the rest of the bike-brand specific gear is mediocre for the price premium. Lower priced brands (Joe Rocket, Icon, Fieldsheer, Tourmaster, etc) are hit or miss with quality, typically their higher end jackets are very good and their cheapest are... ok. Mid priced like Rev'It and Olympia are nicer, but closer enough in price to the high end manufacturers a lot of times that if you're looking at them you might want to look at the smaller better shops (Aerostich, Motoport, some Klim and Alpinestars, some Rev'It).

Pants - Pants pants or overpants? Dedicated riding pants typically fit better on the bike, but look dorky as hell off. Some have better armor too. Overpants fit over street clothes, nice if you want to go somewhere and not walk around in moto pants all day. Same material options as above. I really really like the olympia AirGlide3 pants as a 4-season, do it all overpant. Mesh for hot days, uninsulated liner for rain, but I'm between sizes unfortunately. FirstGear HT Air's are similar but have more give in the waist to fit in between sizes. There are riding jeans too that typically have kevlar reinforcement in the seat and knees, sometimes armor (Draggin Jeans, Icon and Alpinestars makes them too among others). I like them for summer use as I can ride around and not have to deal with overpants or textile or leather when I get to where I'm going. Not as protective though.

Gloves - I prefer gauntlets. Some like wrist length. I have electric heated gloves for winter, perforated leather for summer, and meshy gloves for dirt riding.

Boots - Should go at least over the ankle. Clips, velcro, and zippers are better than laces as laces can and do get caught on pegs causing embarassment or potentially eaten by drivelines. If boots have laces, make sure there's a way to secure them or the laces are covered. Soles should be sturdy and stiff to prevent your foot from getting crushed in a crash, ankles should have some sort of armor protection even if its just a plastic plate or an extra layer of leather. Leather is the most common and generally the best imo. I had at one time 4 pairs of boots that I rotated between depending on the weather and the ride, so its a really personal choice here. Tourmaster Solutions WP are great all-weather all-season street boots, Thor 50/50's are nice short summer boots. My current favorites are Alpinestars Scout Drystar boots, more or less a lightweight motocross/ATV boot. Buy what fits and feels good, looks are secondary because most moto boots are ugly lol.

Just my thoughts... only been riding for 2.5 years, but 2 of those have been bike only...

There is a lot of information to take in all at once, but I really like all the help supplied!

To begin, I plan on getting a 1970 Honda CB350. I wouldn't mind having my gear match my bike a little :P

To narrow things down, I plan on riding mainly in the summer (maybe brave it a couple times in the winter) and I plan on getting caught in the rain. Gear wise, I would like as safe as I can get without going swimming inside my gear.

So for the jacket, full-textile or perforated leather.

For the gloves, gauntlets are what I want, I imagine perforated leather.

For the pants, I've always wanted a pair of rockstar leather pants, and saw this as the opportunity to buy a pair, but I guess they wouldn't be too protective of the knees with them being tight and all? I would prefer riding pants rather than something that goes over.

For the boots, I have a pair of Carolina work boots, but they're laced, so I'm okay with buying a new pair.

Helmet, the safest I can get, although I prefer the helmets without the chin piece (open face?), but I read on here the chin is the most common place to land on a head first crash?

Thank you again, very, very much!

To add real quick, you mentioned a helmet being dropped. Is that like, involved in a crash? Or dropped from your hand? Does dropping it from your hand really mean you have to replace it?

Yes, dropped from any type of height is enough to damage the interior shock absoprtion system enough to deem it no longer as safe. Helmets work by the shell spreading impact to some type of dense foam which then deteriorates under the load, absorbing some of the energy. Once it does this, it no longer has the same protection properties as the foam is already deteriorated.

Youngguns wrote: So for the jacket, full-textile or perforated leather.

If you're going for textile, make sure it's got enough vents. I prefer the textile jacket + leather trousers combo but it doesn't help if you stew in your own sweat in either.

Youngguns wrote: For the gloves, gauntlets are what I want, I imagine perforated leather.

If anything you'd only want perforation on the back of the glove.

Youngguns wrote: For the pants, I've always wanted a pair of rockstar leather pants, and saw this as the opportunity to buy a pair, but I guess they wouldn't be too protective of the knees with them being tight and all? I would prefer riding pants rather than something that goes over.

Get something with decent knee and hip armour. It'll make you look like you've got very arthritic knees but helps if/when you kiss the asphalt.

Youngguns wrote: For the boots, I have a pair of Carolina work boots, but they're laced, so I'm okay with buying a new pair.

Buy proper motorcycle boots, preferably without laces. I really love my Daytona boots (made by Held in Germany) but I don't know if they are available in the US.

Youngguns wrote: Helmet, the safest I can get, although I prefer the helmets without the chin piece (open face?), but I read on here the chin is the most common place to land on a head first crash?

Well, your nose and your chin aren't really designed to withstand the abrasion from the road surface. Plus, headbutting insects at 60mph isn't that funny either, especially if it's something big.

Youngguns wrote: To add real quick, you mentioned a helmet being dropped. Is that like, involved in a crash? Or dropped from your hand? Does dropping it from your hand really mean you have to replace it?

Depends on the surface it drops onto, but it can weaken the helmet. That said, it's worse if something's stuffed into the helmet when it hits the floor as that also compresses the styrofoam layer inside.

A very lengthy but very in depth article on head trauma and helmet safety ratings: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_helmet_review/index.html

One of the most telling quotes I have read is below:

article said: In fact, the vast majority of crashed helmets examined in the Hurt Report showed that they had absorbed about the same impact you'd receive if you simply tipped over while standing, like a bowling pin, and hit your head on the pavement. Ninety-plus percent of the head impacts surveyed, in fact, were equal to or less than the force involved in a 7-foot drop. And 99 percent of the impacts were at or below the energy of a 10-foot drop.

I bought THIS helmet a few months ago, and I really like it. The sizes run REALLY small, but they are a decent quality helmet at a good price, and it is Snell M2010 rated, the cheapest one with that rating IIRC.

Is there a difference between DOT and Snell ratings? Same thing? Is one better than the other?

When this was last brought up
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/teach-me-about-helmet-ratings-please/29127/page1/

some of the links
http://www.smf.org/articles/dot.html
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_helmet_review/index.html
(that's the controversial one)

BoxheadTim wrote: ... Plus, headbutting insects at 60mph isn't that funny either, especially if it's something big.

This. I recall a few instances on a 55-mph road down by the river where some large, hard-shelled flying insect whacked my visor, and I was very glad it was there to protect my face.

You've got time to shop. Motorcycle gear.com has great closeouts. For actual gear:

I just got some decent pants from them. They look like regular cargo pants but have hidden zippers that turns them into shorts once you get to where you're going. They have kevlar reinforcements in the knees and keester, and are water resistant.

Helmets: Do your own research. Do you have a $15 head? Is a $300 helmet really that much better? Full face? Open face? You have to make the choice as to what you can afford and how much compromise you can live with.

Are you riding naked, a small or large fairing, or a windshield? If you're planning on rain, I'd recommend a windshield at a minimum.As noted earlier, a big bug or a stone in face at 60mph is painful. Also, I would want a trunk of sorts to carry my stuff and keep things dry. At the least,a sissybar and backpack, big enough to keep a rainsuit and extra gear, sweatshirt or jacket in.

Don't forget about full coverage shoes/boots and good gloves. You want as much protection as possible but keep comfort in mind. Sneakers and sandals have no place on a bike.Anytime.

minimac wrote: Don't forget about full coverage shoes/boots and good gloves. You want as much protection as possible but keep comfort in mind. Sneakers and sandals have no place on a bike.Anytime.

Word.

I do have plenty of time to shop, so I have plenty of time to learn before I buy.

What do you mean by, "Is a $300 really that much better?"

Are helmets (or any pieces of gear for that matter) directly related to price? (As price goes up, so does quality) Or is it just a big scatter?

Because I (as long as everyone else) would prefer to pay less, but I'm not going to sacrifice my safety for it.

Go Snell or British Motorcycle Safety Institute, don't skimp on a helmet. Alot of the cost difference is weight.

Everything else aside I would get a helmet fitted from a local shop. Each helmet manufacturer fits differently and sizing isn't universal.

Helmet quality, even at the above safety standards, can be iffy. I purchased a Suomy Gunwind (Same helmet Troy Bayliss used for his World Championship,) for $130 (previous years closeout) when I had my Cagiva. Great helmet but regular price was right at $300. The same time I had a Fulmer Snell approved helmet. I had purchased it for $100 about 4 months before.

WOW what a difference. Both meet competing standards but the Suomy was soooo much lighter (the Gunwind was the lightest helmet available at the time), breathed more (with less exterior vents) and caused less lift on my head at speed. You will appreciate that feature above 80 mph. I wore the Fulmer for winter riding due to lack of airflow and warmth, I used the Suomy the rest of the time.

Find the most comfortable helmet you can with snell or BMSI standard. You won't regret the price you paid. Especially if you are going to get alot of seat time.

BoxheadTim wrote:

minimac wrote: Don't forget about full coverage shoes/boots and good gloves. You want as much protection as possible but keep comfort in mind. Sneakers and sandals have no place on a bike.Anytime.

Word.

Double Word

Thank you Flight, that was very useful I'll be acquiring my helmet from the local Harley shop then, unless I can discover other shops around. Point being, it will be local, comfortable, and Snell/BMSI approved.

I have a heavy helmet, and now I can flex neck muscles I didn't know existed. It's Snell and DOT approved. I have a bright red helmet as it is, but my next one will be highlighter orange for safety.

So, the UPS man just dropped off a new pair of boots. After wearing out a pair of Tourmasters Response SC, I bought a pair of last year's TCX X-Five touring boots. The Response SC were high-tops, and these go up to mid-shin. I started bringing an extra pair of shoes to work, so hopefully this pair will last longer than the last. If you wear a 41 or 42, you can still get a pair from New Enough / Motorcycle Gear, which is a great price for what they are.