Motorcycle Suit for Track

[Biker's]

I have look around and find that Alpinestars, Dainese, Cortech and Spidi are the few of the good options for the racing suits, but all of them are quiet expensive and i can afford them yet. Any other options out there with the same level of protection but, comparatively in Low price. Here to mention that; not interested in used one.

[adouglas]

Short answer: Not really, but you can find the occasional deal.

Not-so-short answer: To a great extent you get what you pay for, so save your pennies, suck it up and make an investment in your safety.

Long answer: If you're limiting yourself to new gear, the only way to find an affordable suit is to keep your eyes open for closeouts. They're out there, at the usual online retailers. IIRC I've seen suits as low as the 400-500 range. Popping over to Revzilla, I see a Joe Rocket suit for $450, AGV Sport for $500, and an Alpinestars for $600. I'm sure the other leading retailers have similar deals.

Avoid no-name eBay knockoffs that have great prices. They are of very poor quality. If you don't recognize the name, or if it looks fishy, walk away. For example, you can find "Dainese" stuff on ebay that's obviously not the real deal.

Most track organizations do not require a one-piece suit. If you go with jacket and pants that zip together, you may be good to go... and that means you can use your street gear, provided it's leather.

You're still looking at some money, though, because face it: Leather is not cheap. Do you know how much leather goes into a race suit? My suit weighs about 20 lbs. This stuff costs a lot for a reason.

Personally, I'd save up and make the investment in a name-brand suit, and one that fits your body, rather than making your wallet the first consideration. When I bought my suit I went to the Revzilla store. The one I thought I wanted didn't fit me that well... so I got a higher model and it was money well spent.

If I absolutely had to go for cheap, I'd look at Cycle Gear... they have two lines, Sedici and Bilt. Neither are what you'd call premium. Bilt is right at the lower limit of stuff I'd ride in (my daily ride boots are Bilt... but I wear Sidis on the track). Sedici is better but nowhere in the league of major brands. Right now there's a Cycle Gear Sedici suit on closeout for only $300. Be sure to read the reviews.

Don't forget you need a back protector too. Look for CE level 2. Plus good boots and gauntlets (not shorties).


PS: Imagine yourself blowing it at the end of the front straight and high siding at 100 mph. You fly gracefully through the air before you hit the ground and it's dirt-sky-dirt-sky-dirt-sky....

Do you want a suit that's going to hold together, or one that may well bust open at the seams? In that moment, how important will the extra few hundred seem to you? Think beyond your wallet. You're not buying a suit because they're telling you to. You're buying a suit to save your skin.

How much is your skin worth?

PPS: There are tracks in Alaska?????

[csmith12]

Welcome Johny!

[Worldtraveller]

Wait for a sale. Keep your eye on Motorcycle Superstore, Cycle Gear, Sportbike Track Gear, etc.

I wear an AVG Sport for racing. I think I paid ~$550 for it new.

[M42]

Craigslist, man. I got my alpinestars two piece for $300, used like once. It's ~$900 retail. And I'm a woman -- way harder for me to find used race stuff. My local CL is full of cheap top of the line dainese/agv/a* mens suits.

[nickjpass]

I bought my AGV suit for under 200. Its old, a little worn (not crashed in) and fits me very well (not perfect). The suit needed new armor, so I invested in some good pads. At the track i forgot I was wearing it. The only way to get a perfect fit is to have it customized. Spartan leathers is pretty affordable and the off rack prices aren't horrible.

TL;DR Buy a used suit so that if you turn out to hate wearing one/riding track you aren't out 500 plus.

Buy a used suit before you buy a low quality one I.e. sedici, bilt, zero-60, etc.

[alex.s]

last 3 suits i've used have been used daineses i bought for under $300 each. just have it cleaned before you use it.

edit: my bad memory. 1 of those three was a new kobe suit.

edit2: ****, i forgot about the used fieldsheer i had... that was after the kobe... i think someone borrowed it...

edit3: i crash too much.

[adouglas]

edit 4: Repeated head trauma causes memory loss.

[Sirref]

http://www.spartanleathers.com/motorcycle-leathers

I know it's a bit out of your range but I've seen and heard good things about these leathers and they're cheaper than a lot of the competition. A 2 piece is the way to go as you can use it more easily on the street and track and in the pits you can just take off the jacket rather than awkwardly walking around with half a suit hanging down. Protection is similar though the failure rate is less with a 1 piece (I don't know by how much)

I own a frank thomas suit and it's an exercise of "you get what you pay for" as it's not the most comfortable (the knee area is very stiff, doesn't mess with performance but you feel it) but it has held up in a crash at speed and I trust it as the best protection I own for sure. It also wasn't ridiculously expensive, though I luckily got it second hand.

[nickjpass]

I don't read the replies either @Sirref

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by nickjpass

I don't read the replies either @Sirref

I read it all, I extrapolated on spartan leathers as being a good option (one that I will likely go with down the line)

I also recommended frank thomas suits as being a very affordable option though they are uncomfortable and recommended 2pc suits if possible for the convenience and increased usability with street use as well so I had some stuff in there that wasn't really covered or covered in detail

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by M42

Craigslist, man. I got my alpinestars two piece for $300, used like once. It's ~$900 retail. And I'm a woman -- way harder for me to find used race stuff. My local CL is full of cheap top of the line dainese/agv/a* mens suits.

I admit to casually looking through the DC craigslist and considering purchasing the barely used (if ever) gear in my size from time to time

[choneofakind]

Speed and Strength Triple Crown. I think I got it for $600, it comes with a CE certified spine protector on top of the standard shoulders elbows knees hips, beat that! The stitching is high quality, the leather is high quality. It held up to my slide at the track perfectly; it's still perfect structurally, but now has rubber ground into it. I think it's the best quality suit you'll find in its price range.

[BoBO]

You can't really cut corners on a suit, but Revzilla have closeouts on nice suits from time to time. Check out Cortech Latigo or the Triple crown for $600. Bilt and Sedici makes decent gloves and boots, but I wouldn't recomend buying their suits. For a bit more money you can buy some A*'s.

[shereth]

I have a Sedici one piece that I picked up for a song and a dance from a guy who had worn it once and sold his bike. It's obviously of a lower build quality than my A* gear, but feels comparable to some of the mid-level gear I've owned in the past (Joe Rocket). I've worn it a few times and feel confident enough with it to take to the track in a few weeks (with the proper armor). Not sure how well it would hold up in a crash (and frankly I would rather not find out) but as long as it saves my skin once ... given the price I got it for I can consider it a disposable suit.

I'll probably pick up a higher quality suit down the road if I end up doing track days more often.

[csmith12]

I have seen a few of the Sedici suits down. If the suit was well taken care of, it should last at least a couple of times when you need it.

[Worldtraveller]

Originally Posted by adouglas

edit 4: Repeated head trauma causes memory loss.

Lucky for him, he doesn't remember it!

[NDspd]

If you ever get the money, go to Heroic Racing Apparel .com

I know the owner and he's the coolest and most reasonable guy in the world. His gear literally puts Alpinestars to shame in both protection and looks. His stuff is a little expensive, but it's totally worth the money.