what helmet and what jacket?...new to riding
#1
05-15-2008, 10:32 AM
#2
05-15-2008, 11:51 AM
RE: what helmet and what jacket?...new to riding
Hi
It all depends on your budget. Top of the range jackets from the likes of Alpinestars,spyke,dainese are really good. There are midrange items such as RST, Frank Thomas and loads of others. The best way to tell in all honesty is go by price, they are all 1.2-1.4 mm thick leather just about and all should have ce approved protection. All the big manufacturers have a entry level, midrange and race spec gear and the price goes in line with that. If you are a smaller guy you will have more choice than me as I am 240lbs 6ft 1 inch and a lot of manufacturers especially the european ones dont do a huge amount of stuff in my size such as Dainese, they make stuff for 2 stone wringing wet little Italians. But the gear is very good. Try it on......... dont buy on line unless you have tried it on in a shop and then get your size and then maybe buy online for a better deal, all the manufacturers of leathers seem to have different fits i.e. short in the arm and long in the **** or visa versa so dont go by your normal size of clothing you will be sitting in a strange position on your bike for a start so make sure if you can that when you try on stuff sit on a bike as well on a stand with your feet on the pegs you would be surprised the difference that position makes to a good fit. If you want to look cool get darker stuff as it doesnt show the dirt too much if you want to be more visible then go for lighter colours but remember you have to keep the stuff clean or it starts to look real ****ty and covered in flies after a while. In florida you will want good ventilation in your gear but I would think teh local dealers outlets will already have selected their range with that in mind. A detachable inner liner is good if you ride in the cooler times of the year too.
On the helmet side again price generally dictates from Arai at the top IMO to a million others all th eway through the price range. Do not but a second hand helmet, you wont know its history, it may look perfect but you dont know if it has been been bounced, dropped or anything else. You only have one brain so protect it with as many dollars as you can afford. Make sure it fits really well it will slacken off in a few weeks so go tighter rather than loose when trying on a new one. I would not wear open face personally go for a full face. My mate would be dead now or at least have lost his face in an accident last year if he was wearing an open face lid. The jaw / chin area was all that saved him from eating up 50yds of tarmac.
I hope that is of help. I am sure you will have lots of other advice from others here and friends with bikes,if you are new to it all take it easy there are no medals for being in hospital or worse because you were stupid and tried to follow someone else who could be even more stupid. Ride your own road and pick your own line the guy in front may have it wrong. Enjoy.
Good luck
Gazza
It all depends on your budget. Top of the range jackets from the likes of Alpinestars,spyke,dainese are really good. There are midrange items such as RST, Frank Thomas and loads of others. The best way to tell in all honesty is go by price, they are all 1.2-1.4 mm thick leather just about and all should have ce approved protection. All the big manufacturers have a entry level, midrange and race spec gear and the price goes in line with that. If you are a smaller guy you will have more choice than me as I am 240lbs 6ft 1 inch and a lot of manufacturers especially the european ones dont do a huge amount of stuff in my size such as Dainese, they make stuff for 2 stone wringing wet little Italians. But the gear is very good. Try it on......... dont buy on line unless you have tried it on in a shop and then get your size and then maybe buy online for a better deal, all the manufacturers of leathers seem to have different fits i.e. short in the arm and long in the **** or visa versa so dont go by your normal size of clothing you will be sitting in a strange position on your bike for a start so make sure if you can that when you try on stuff sit on a bike as well on a stand with your feet on the pegs you would be surprised the difference that position makes to a good fit. If you want to look cool get darker stuff as it doesnt show the dirt too much if you want to be more visible then go for lighter colours but remember you have to keep the stuff clean or it starts to look real ****ty and covered in flies after a while. In florida you will want good ventilation in your gear but I would think teh local dealers outlets will already have selected their range with that in mind. A detachable inner liner is good if you ride in the cooler times of the year too.
On the helmet side again price generally dictates from Arai at the top IMO to a million others all th eway through the price range. Do not but a second hand helmet, you wont know its history, it may look perfect but you dont know if it has been been bounced, dropped or anything else. You only have one brain so protect it with as many dollars as you can afford. Make sure it fits really well it will slacken off in a few weeks so go tighter rather than loose when trying on a new one. I would not wear open face personally go for a full face. My mate would be dead now or at least have lost his face in an accident last year if he was wearing an open face lid. The jaw / chin area was all that saved him from eating up 50yds of tarmac.
I hope that is of help. I am sure you will have lots of other advice from others here and friends with bikes,if you are new to it all take it easy there are no medals for being in hospital or worse because you were stupid and tried to follow someone else who could be even more stupid. Ride your own road and pick your own line the guy in front may have it wrong. Enjoy.
Good luck
Gazza
#3
05-15-2008, 12:55 PM
#4
05-15-2008, 12:57 PM
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