[Str8Psyko]

Questions to all the long time riders for safety,

1. Do you use full riding gear or leathers for your daily commutes? (Jacket and Pants)
2. Do you use riding boots or tennis shoes?


This being my first bike this year the only riding gear I own currently is a Helmet and Leather gloves. While I waited for my helmet to arrive I did like wearing just sunglasses to work on those beautiful summer days. Now I wear my helmet all the time but still need a jacket maybe pants and boots.

P.S. I guess I should also say I haven't bought a jacket yet because I am trying like Hell to find good one with a USMC theme and not look like a Harley Rider.

 

[jkv357]

I ride like this over 90% of the time -

I will do short trips in jeans, but I always wear helmet/jacket/gloves/boots anytime I ride. I'd like to find a decent pair of riding jeans with some abrasion protection, and I have a new set of boots (below, but waterproof version) on order.

Check out Riders Discount (a vendor here) for some great deals on gear.


Jay

 

[Str8Psyko]

Looks like some nice gear,
I had to ask if there are many people who stick to the full riding apparel for safety all the time because growing up riding dirt bikes in rougher terrain on farms I mainly wore jeans maybe a jacket tennis shoes. Over this past season I wore jeans most of the time to work changed once I was there. Sort of a pain. . . Not having the gear I do take a risk of some serious road rash if I ever had to lay a bike down.

 

[Aufitt]

2 pce Leathers that zip together, one pce is just too impractical for road use, with Dianese back protector/ armour underneath.
Gaerne boots.

 

[Empty Sea]

Questions to all the long time riders for safety,

1. Do you use full riding gear or leathers for your daily commutes? (Jacket and Pants)
2. Do you use riding boots or tennis shoes?

P.S. I guess I should also say I haven't bought a jacket yet because I am trying like Hell to find good one with a USMC theme and not look like a Harley Rider.

Str8, as you know, I'm new, too. I suppose that because of my insurance background, I'm trying to make my rides as safe as possible. To that end, I will be purchasing a riding jacket (probably textile/mesh rather than leather), pants (which, like Aufitt said, zip to the jacket), riding boots/shoes that have ankle protection, and gloves and a full-face helmet. I might have opted for leather, but it's expensive and I think I'd look like 2 pounds of sausage in a 1 pound casing.

I'm going to do some gear shopping at the Bike Show Feb. 10,11,12 (Rosemont, IL) I don't know where in IL you are, but it might be worth the trip.

Good luck and let us know what you decide upon. Semper Fi (My mom was a Marine in WWII)

 

[feliz]

Depends what I'm riding and where I'm going!

 

[jkv357]

As far as brands of gear, I've found Cortech to be very good. The red jacket I'm using now is a Fieldsheer, which isn't made as well as a black Cortech jacket I have. Strangely, the Fieldsheer pants seem better quality.

I used to wear 2-piece Dainese leathers when I was riding true sport bikes, but now prefer a 3/4 length jacket with large pockets, a removable liner, and adjustable ventilation. When wearing a 2-piece suit without the pants I personally found the short length of the jacket to be annoying.


Jay

 

[Wynne G Oldman]

Textile suit for me. Leather offers the best level of protection if you fall off, but it's just not practical in the UK climate, where you can set off in the sunshine, and be in a torrential shower 10 minutes later. I commute all year round, so textile is the best option for me.

 

[Hoanghai96]

for me its the more technical the better. i ride with arai rx-q helm, a* gp pro two piece suit + gp pro gloves and tcx boots

 

[tom]

Tourmaster Jett 2 textile jacket
Tourmaster textile Overpants
Tourmaster Polar-Text gloves
And I got a pair of Icon leather gloves for the warm days.

 

[spdklls]

textiles for me too..I started out on the cbr last summer always wearing full gear anytime i rode mostly because it was the first time for me back on a motorcycle in 15 years..as the summer wore on I got to just a helmet.... but after almost getting ran over from behind one time while wearing no gear but my helmet, I pretty much started wearing at least helmet,gloves, my textile riding jacket 100% of the time...my downfall is I find ankle high shoes (kinda like hiking shoes) and shorts are just way to comfortable when im out riding and the temp is on the 80's-90's...

 

[CBRad]

Usually jeans and a leather jacket. When it's colder, I layer more over it. I'll be looking for a nice textile jacket this summer.

 

[Michael]

Sturdy sandals, shorts, T-shirt and well fitting shortie helmet do it for me.

What some of you wear would set me two months pay.

 

[Empty Sea]

Sturdy sandals, shorts, T-shirt and well fitting shortie helmet do it for me.

What some of you wear would set me two months pay.

I think you should buy the safest gear you can afford, so some people will have to make do with what they have. That said, if you can't afford shoes or long pants, perhaps you should sell the bike and buy some.

 

[Aufitt]

Sturdy sandals, shorts, T-shirt and well fitting shortie helmet do it for me.

What some of you wear would set me two months pay.

Offset that against a couple yrs off work with skin grafts compound fractures (and worse etc) for just a minor 50-60mph lowside and I'm a couple hundred thousand down.

Leather and full armour is the only option... tried jeans etc, and ya may as well grind ya bits into a grinding wheel.

 

[Empty Sea]

^agree with everything Aufitt said except the word "only". I have done a fair amount of research and have concluded that, if I were racing or spending a lot of time riding at over 75 mph, I would wear leather. However, good textiles (with armor, of course) offer just about the same protection at speeds lower than that. The main advantage of leather is that it withstands abrasion better, but "better" means that it takes longer to rip apart. You are unlikely to slide long enough to rip apart GOOD (key word) textile gear if you're travelling at less than track speeds. Textile is generally more comfortable, but that's a matter of taste, and is easier to make waterproof. I have come to the conclusion that, for me (maybe not for you), the best textile gear with the best armor I can afford will be fine.

I might change "only" to "better" in the post above. Buy the gear that provides the highest safety level you can afford and that you wil actually wear every time you ride.

 

[Wynne G Oldman]

I think in some countries, it's simply too hot to wear leathers. I also think some people need to wear leathers more than others, because some people seem to fall off a lot more than others.

 

[Str8Psyko]

Thanks for the information all. I was asking mainly because I would say 95% of the riders I see around town wear Jeans a decent riding jacket gloves and a helmet. I never seem to see a rider with armored pants, I would guess because it's a pain to find a place to take on and off. Where a Jacket is quick and easy. Guess it's my decision if the road rash on my legs was worth the convenience of not wearing full gear.

I'll take Option 1 - Full Gear come this Spring I like my legs just the way they are.

Option 2 - Sun Glasses, sandals, shorts and a t-shirt sure was fun the first few weeks on owning her.

 

[etiainen]

Overpants take about 30 seconds to take on and off. I can do it in probably 10 now, it's easy and worth it. They just zip, it's simple, and they have abrasion protection and armour.

 

[jkv357]

From my experience, leathers are "multiple-use" and textiles are "single-use".

I have leathers I've crash-tested on the track numerous times, and with some simple repairs are usable again. I haven't "tested" my textile gear, but from what I've seen it will be pretty much junk after a get-off at anything more than very low speeds.

If armored pants aren't versatile enough, look around for some riding jeans with reinforced knees. After sliding for 6" in regular jeans you might as well have been wearing shorts.


Jay