First of all, I'd like to say hello to all the members on this site. My name is Regan, I just joined today. I'll be buying my first bike this month, a Honda CBR 600RR. I know that's a lot of bike for a beginner, but it doesn't matter what bike you learn on, but how you learn on it and what you learn. As long as I stay mature, safe and aware I'm sure I'll be able to ride this motorcycle. I will be taking the MSF course.

I plan on buying safety gear, I have about $1500.00CAD put away just for gear alone. My parents don't want to see me getting hurt, so I put away a lot of money for safety gear.

My question for you fellow members is, what kind of gear should I be looking into? So far I'm positive I'll be buying the Honda Joe Rocket Leather jacket with CE certified protective armor and an ICON helmet. I plan on purchasing a pair of riding boots, a backpack, gloves and possibly riding pants.

What would you guys recommend I purchase to stay safe as possible with the budget I have? If I ever fall I want to make sure I'm prepared for it. I'd prefer not to buy leather riding pants, but I'd consider mesh or textile. All advice is recommended.

I hope I can have a few replies, your fellow member; Regan

 

if not leather go for the textile. Its still really durable and it actually breaths well if you want it too. Sounds like you have a good amount of money for gear and that is a good thing. Gear is the most important part because it can litterally save your a$s, make sure at the very least you get very good, helment, jacket and gloves. I recommend newenough.com good website with lots of good products at great prices.

 

Are there any brands I should avoid, or should I just avoid cheaper products?

 

Welcome to the board!

Gear that you just gotta have:

Helmet, jacket, boots, gloves and pants. Name brand stuff can get expensive ... there are alternatives that are easier on the wallet. Most items have reviews on the net if you look. Leather is the best. But anything is better than bare skin.

The main thing to remember is the gear won't do you any good in the closet. When you crash you want something substantial between you and the asphalt. And know that even the best gear won't save you from being foolish. Ride within your limits and practice everything they teach you in the MSF until it's second nature.

Good luck and make sure you post up pics of the new ride when you get it

 

Is canadasmotorcycle.ca a decent site to order from? I'm Canadian so I'd prefer ordering from a Canadian site. It looks pretty good.

 

Sounds like you have gear mostly squared away, at least idea wise. I'd look into adding under armor and a back protector.

Icon makes armored shorts that sell for about $60 us. It'll add impact protection to the hips and tailbone I believe (not 100% on the tail armor). If you don't get pants look into those at least.

 

Welcome aboard Regan. You've obviously given it much thought & are approaching motorcycling in the right way. If they MSF course in your area has their own motorcycles, I'd recommend using theirs for the course. That way, if you dump it, its not your new bike. ;-)

As for gear, I'd recommend visiting a few shops & trying on what you can. Sizing can be very different from brand to brand. Just try things on & see how you like them. You've got a very good budget to work w/. So, that shouldn't be a problem. A word about quality gear... Quality gear tends to fit better & last longer. Just keep that in mind. Yes, quality costs more but tends to perform better. Most important is having gear though, which you seem to be on top of.

Happy riding. :-)

 

I was looking at Alpinestars under armor, it's a couple hundred dollars for full upper body protection. Would it actually be worth buying for street use? It looks more like track gear.

 

That's gonna be your call. I honestly do not expect to exceed the protective capabilities of my jacket, helmet, boots and gloves (yes I'm bad and wear regular jeans). That doesn't mean that Toyota whose accelerator just stuck won't exceed them

Some guys here ride in full track suits constantly. Definitely overkill for the street but they're also the ones least likely to regret their choice in gear. Some, like me, go more casual in their choice. Though my jacket is prolly track level and cost more than some suits (Dainese New Delmar Perforated Leather Jacket). I, however, realized I've sacrificed some protection so I can still walk into most restaurants and get a table. So I also sacrifice some of my bike's performance capabilities, keeping the speed and turns sane.

It's gonna be up to you to find your personal balance between protection, comfort, style and price.

 

"Ride in full track suits constantly"...that's funny. I can just see somebody wearing full leathers to/fro commuting to work, or to run a quick errand across town, ...funny stuff.

However, I'm one of those guys that on wknd twisty rides, usually wear one piece leathers. I go to the mountains & canyons where twisties require full protection if your're riding a spirited ride. 2pc leathers often suffice for this as well. Getting a table in a restaurant has never been a problem. ;-)

There are times where I'll tell my wife we're going for a "jean's-ride". This means that we'll be riding like sport-touring...ie, just riding a nice leisurely pace w/ no particular place to be at no particular time. For these type rides, we wear; helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, & jeans. I think a lot of riders fall into some semblance of this category...unless you're a serious twisty rider or high-mileage touring guy.

There's a saying that, "you can never have too much gear." Where you draw the line is up to you. For daily riding gear, I'd recommend a good quality helmet (lighter = more expensive but worth it on long rides), a CE-armored jacket, good quality riding gloves, & good riding boots. Its up to you if you want to wear more than jeans for daily riding. There are options, like riding-jeans that have built in protection, textile overpants & aerostitch-type coveralls.

There's another saying... "You dress for the crash, not for the ride." There's a lot of truth in that. Basically, hope for the best - but prepare for the worst.