Need gear recommendations!

[rmorse]

So, picked up my bike but I still have another three weeks until my BRC. In the downtime, I'm looking for gear!

So far, I only have a helmet (Scorpion EXO-700). I still need pants, jacket, boots, gloves, and possible back protector. Any suggestions on some good gear to grab?

I will be riding the bike everyday into work. I'm picking up some kevlar riding jeans, for my fridays at work (I can wear jeans then). The rest of the week, I'm wearing button down shirts/polos with dress pants. So, I would need some pants that I can easily slip on over dress pants, or some pants that look like nice-ish khakis.

I have about $750 left to spend on gear, but I can adjust as necessary. I definitely don't want to skimp on the gear.




Oh, and I am a very experienced dirt bike rider, if that makes a difference in what gear to get. I expect, given how I ride dirt, that I will be pushing my limits and the bikes limits (within reason and legally, of course). I have already had my bad crash and so I understand the importance behind quality gear. ATGATT!

[Jiggles]

Held phantom gloves
Scorpion leather jacket
TCX S-race boots
You can find these at sportbiketrackgear.com
And these pants
http://www.motoport.com/index.php?op...d=13&Itemid=15

[250rr]

I just bought Scorpion Deuce pants. Love them. They have a water resistant liner for colder/wetter days. I really like the SAS-TEC armor that comes with them. I believe floyd has a thread on here rating that armor quite high.

Very reasonably priced @ $175 to $185 or so.

[Renner]

Loving my Tour Master Solutions boots at $107 shipped

[RyderRider15]

Did a quick list for you

Icon Contra Jacket

Icon Hooligan 2 Mesh Overpants

Icon Pursuit Perforated Gloves

Alpinestars S-MX 5 Vented Boots

Icon Stryker CE Back Protector

Total: $734.95

[xSean13]

Just bought some inexpensive Bilt boots from cyclegear, $75. As a commuter, they'll do just fine for me. Air flow is great, need tall socks though to prevent rubbing & maybe a sole insert if you do a lot of walking in them (I used my warm-weather under armor soccer socks & they make them even cooler)

Bought Sedici Torino gloves from cyclegear as well, $50. They're leather/mesh gauntlets, nice air flow & should be warm enough for colder weather too.

[nautica]

For a jacket you could look into the Speed & Strength gear. I have the Seven Sins textile and it's a nice jacket, even has knox armor in the shoulders and elbow/forearm. Standard foam back protector but I have the Knox Contour back protector so I didn't care.
As for pants, fieldsheer has some nice pants that could be used as an overpant if you size up. I got the Mercury 2.0 and didn't size up so they're a little tight as an overpant but doable, or just run the Mercury pants like a regular pair of pants.
And for gloves I'd recommend perforated gauntlets for a little more protection.
Also, I'll agree with ryder on the smx-5 boots, I love mine.

[gfloyd2002]

I've wasted a ton of money searching for top-line performance on a budget - most of the time inexpensive gear doesn't hold up well and you'd be better off financially going straight for high quality, high price stuff that will last. Be cautious of store brands of gear retailers, be cautious of eBay no-name Chinese crap, be cautious of mass market brands with stuff that seems good value (Joe Rocket, Icon, River Road, Speed and Strength, A*s entry level stuff, etc). There are people here who will defend those brands, and they do provide protection at an entry level price point so I don't knock them (except maybe for Icon for which I reserve a particular hatred) - I'm just saying that they tend not to wear well, while usually providing lesser protection than some other options, making them not a great value IMHO. Most important thing is to wear gear of some sort, so if you like those brands, go for it. But for my money, I'd spend elsewhere.

Quality for Value

That said, there is great value to be had out there - and there is nothing quite as satisfying as finding a great product at a great price. You've definitely done that with the Scorpion Helmet. In that vein, here is the some great gear that has worked out well for me and I got at a good price:

Value jacket/pants: Teiz Motorsports one peice suits. Very good quality gear at a great price. Has the features of suits twice as expensive. I own both the Lombard (bought used for $200) and the Mojave (bought new for $300) suits and have not been disappointed. Customer service at Teiz is unbeatable, too. Best thing with the one-piece is that I can jump out of it when I get to work/the mall/a scenic spot and my clothing underneath is perfect for my activity. And, I'm always wearing ATGATT without the temptation to go without leg protection. (I've had entry level Joe Rocket and Speed and Strength jackets and pants that were not worth what I paid for them.)

Value gloves: Aerostich competition elkskin roper gloves. High quality construction. For $60, you'll get good feel and outstanding abrasion resistance, but the real value here is that they will last for years. Only gloves I've found that compare in quality several times the price. And I've got a drawer full of sub $50 gloves that are - down to the last pair - crap. Included are Speed and Strength, Scorpion, Joe Rocket, Alpinestars.)

Value boots: Tourmaster Solution boots. Can't beat the deal at $100 for these. I wear them for my daily commute in addition to my weekend rides. A couple years on them, and they are going strong. Also very versitile. You can walk around in them, they fit under jeans or slacks, they hold up to abuse. I've got about $800 into several pairs of riding boots sitting in my closet and these are the ones I always wear.

Ear protection: Moldex Purafit. Don't forget to protect your hearing, too. I learned this too late in my riding career and have some hearing damage. (Lots of research shows long term exposure to sounds at riding levels will harm your hearing over time.) These are disposable plugs that won't impact your ability to hear cars/emergency vehicles/etc., but drop decibels below the range where long term exposure is a problem. Also makes riding more relaxing. For a box of 200 sets of plugs, which lasts me about a little less than a year, only $25. My recent appointment with an audiologist to discuss my hearing loss was about $500, and it didn't get my hearing back.

So, there you go. High quality, head to toe gear that will last you for years for $500-600.

Top Quality Gear

If price is no object, then finding great gear is easier. I'll only comment on stuff I own or have worn.

Pants/Jacket: Rev'It gear is very well made, with great features and top-of-the-line protection. I own REV'IT Turbine hot weather gear and it is bullet proof. Impeccable build quality. You are looking at $600-$700 for the combo. If you want to go top of the line one-piece for commuting or weekend riding, then the Aerostich Roadcrafter is for you. Legendary quality. $900. Favorite piece of gear I've ever bought.

Gloves: Two options here that I've personally worn. My dream gloves are Helimot. Got to wear a pair recently (borrowed) and was in heaven. $200. Other that I've loved is Held gloves. I own a pair of Held Airstream summer gloves - bullet proof, high quality, $160. People swear by the Held Steves, which I've not worn, for $130. (I've been bitten by purchases of mid-range Alpinestars gloves - they fell apart pretty quickly, though their high end race stuff is probably good.)

Boots: My next pair of boots will be Daytonas. Same friend who lent me his spare Helimot gloves had loner Daytonas for our ride. They were freaking amazingly comfortable with top-of-the-line protection. There are many other high quality boots out there from brands like Sidi and Dianese, but I've not worn them.

Buy Used?

One final piece of advice - think about buying used. The flea market section of ADVRider offers great quality stuff at bargain prices. You may be able to get world class quality for value prices. My Aerostich Roadcrafter (yes, I own three one piece suits - I ride every day and needed something for rain. And if you think that is bad, you should see my glove collection ) I found there for $400 and it hadn't been worn for more than a few dozen miles. Helimot (best quality gloves and boots around, imho) also has a "garage sale" area where you can often find great used boots or gloves for bargain prices. There is a pair of Daytona Trans Open Tour boots over there right now for under $200 that are calling to me . . .

[rmorse]

THANK YOU ALL, so much! I'm combing through the crazy amount of good info from you guys. This is great, and will definitely help me!!!!

[rmorse]

Gfloyd2002, those boots you threw down....Do they have ankle protection as well?

[rmorse]

Originally Posted by gfloyd2002

That said, there is great value to be had out there - and there is nothing quite as satisfying as finding a great product at a great price. You've definitely done that with the Scorpion Helmet. In that vein, here is the some great gear that has worked out well for me and I got at a good price:

More than you know, man. My helmet was last years model. I ended up getting the helmet, another visor, and a spare liner for about $140 AFTER tax.

[gfloyd2002]

Originally Posted by rmorse

Gfloyd2002, those boots you threw down....Do they have ankle protection as well?

Sort of. Assuming you are talking the Solutions - Thick leather, ankle disc/slider insert, good steel protection in toe and heel, a low height shin guard. They would offer good abrasion resistance all over, good protection from crushing on the foot, lower shin protection and some torsion protection from the leather and general sturdiness of the boot. However, there is not a side steel or plastic insert like in race boots that protects against high energy torsion.

If you are looking for a track day boot, these are not the right ones for you. The lack of a bar up the side of the boot is a tradeoff for walkability off the bike and comfort on long trips, adding general versatility. While they have many good safety features, there is a definate safety tradeoff in ankle torsion.

[capriccio]

Those SMX5 boots are $150 on ironpony.com. Just saying I love mine.

[Jiggles]

@Alex can we get a page that has links to all of floyds nuggets of wisdom? Sort of like the DIY directory

[gfloyd2002]

You can find most of my nuggets here. Some of the rest is here.