Are my boots good enough?

[kremtok]

Greetings,

When I ride, both for commuting and for fun, I just wear an old pair of my work boots. I've thought of getting a pair of motorcycling-specific boots, but I'm not certain if the cost is justified. What do y'all think?

[alex.s]

cost is always justified when buying moto specific gear.

[kremtok]

Originally Posted by alex.s

cost is always justified when buying moto specific gear.

Would you kindly explain how?

[Motofool]

I prefer work boots over motorcycle boots; just a personal preference.

They have served me well as isolators from the elements and from the burning heat of my exhaust pipe during one low side crash.

For a more serious crash they will probably be insufficient protection against ankle twisting and bones braking.

Good high working boots are not cheap either, so the cost difference against cheap riding boots may not be worth sacrificing the extra protection.

Now, with motorcycling boots happens as with many things: too cheap article has cut corners, too expensive article offers excessive luxury and a tag to show off.

I suggest evaluating your type of riding, your activities and conditions after you arrive, as well as shopping around for a medium term compromise, if money is not too abundant

[mfresh]

Originally Posted by alex.s

cost is always justified when buying moto specific gear.

Pretty much this. Buy the "best" gear you can afford. I'm not saying you have to go out and buy all the new name-brand stuff, but invest in proper gear.

When I high-sided my bike into a ditch I very quickly realized the value of riding with proper gear. I walked away with virtually no injuries. The palm of my leather gloves were scraped so bad I didn't even want to think about how bad my hand would've looked had I not worn gloves.

Boots that have laces in particular could turn into a bad day if they get caught onto something while riding. I'd recommend boots with straps.

Edit

The way I see it is like this. The relatively small investment in gear pays for itself exponentially the moment you ever have to rely on them in an accident of some sort. Hospital bills aren't cheap.

[alex.s]

moto boots for example have good heat shielding so if your leg is stuck it doesn't burn as quick. they also have padding to make shifting more comfortable. they are built to have good flexibility within their range of motion, but not go outside that range of motion. ie- you can shift, but your ankle doesn't break when you go down. they also have lots of nice features like sliders in all the right places so if you drag a toe or your foot comes off, instead of catching the soft rubber of a boot and draggin your foot, it simply slides along the pavement.

another thing that is really nice about moto boots that you don't get as much with regular boots is when on the pegs, regular boots tend to bend around just a little bit and will give you numb toes. moto boots help with this a bit with their design.

[alex.s]

in other words, boots == good, moto boots == better.

[antiant]

I think the more important question is, how much do you value your life, or feet? Would you rather spend a **** load of cash on ankle reconstruction surgery, broken bones, or spend that money on protective boots, that may prevent all that? I'm just putting those questions out there, ultimately it's up for you to decide.