Riding gear

[Lion_Lady]

Okay, so HOW FAST was the rider going, Mintbread?

Judging by the damage, the rider must have slid a loooonnnng way.

I slid about 100 feet in my textile gear part of that distance with 400+ lb bike on my right leg. The result was a nickel size hole thru ONE layer of the textile fabric.

P

[Koss]

That mesh looks alot different from the mesh I have on my jacket.

To answer the OP question, my jacket has clasps and straps to adjust for baggy areas. Above and below the elbow, waist... zipper at the back to attach to your riding pants, etc. Even if it didn't its really thick and it never flaps.

[sv-wolf]

Always make sure that gloves have a wrist strap, otherwise they can come off if you have a spill. Wrist straps across the front of the wrist (palm side) are safer than those across the back as they are less likely to suffer abrasion and tearing in a fall.

Gloves with as few seams as possible are the safetst. Most gloves are designed for style in mind not safety and therefore are made up of lots of strips of leather all sewn together.

The same is true for other bike gear. It is worth checking out that jacket seams are triple stitched with a thread made out of kevlar or some similar abrasion-proof material.

[Mintbread]

Okay, so HOW FAST was the rider going, Mintbread?

That is completely irrelevant.

The gear simply did not do its job because manufacturers and riders are more concerned about how nice and cool it feels during the ride as opposed to how much protection it provides during a crash.

Sweat is more easily replaced than skin.

[Kal]

Hey everyone, first post here. So I just passed the msf course a couple weeks ago and got my license last week and now I'm in the process of buying the gear first before I buy the bike. So I read around in the forum and I got some good websites to buy gear and a lot of info for helmets but how about any recommendations for the other gear. I'm completely new to the motorcycle community and I have no idea which brands are preferred over others. And how about the fit... is it supposed to be really tight? i went shopping at a local store and was told the fit should be pretty tight so I dont get road rash in case i do fall. The thing is, it just feels so weird having something so tight, its not cutting off my circulation or anything but it definitely feels weird to move especially with the jacket leather so thick. I tried on an Alpinestars leather jacket if that matters. I live in California so the weather gets pretty hot during the summer so any help would be much appreciated.

My original kit set me back less than a ton, so say $150-200

Lots of it was end of line etc etc from Motorcycle shows. Some care needs to be taken but otherwise I do think it is one of the best ways too buy gear.

My Leather I bought several sizes too big so during the winter, like now, I can get a couple of jumpers as well as a t-shirt and my bodyarmour under it.

[DustyJacket]

I started with the Alter Ego. It was a good 3-season setup, but that zipper across the butt really hurts on those 600-mile days, so now I only use it on HOT days.

I use an Aerostich suit on most commuting to work days, other than very hot days, and leather when doing BACA rides. (Image is a big part of BACA's effectiveness.)

Yesterday I was on a BACA ride and took a turn a little too wide, too fast, and hit nasty sharp gravel and went down. My chaps are scratched up, my jacket lost about half its thickness of leather in one forearm, and my leather gloves and boots got a little chewed up. (It was that very sharp crushed skin-eating gravel) My helmet didn't even get scratched.

Other than some bruised ribs where I fell with my arm between me and the ground, I am OK. No road rash. No breaks.

I REALLY am impressed with leather's abrasion protection - but I don't live in an area that is mostly hot. I am going to look at the Super Ego from Joe Rocket which is the leather version of the Alter Ego.

[intotherain]

Check my page here:
www.CaliforniaBikeNights.com/learn

There is a list of different makes of gear and even links to websites where you can buy the gear. That should provide you with a good start (check "Step#4" and "Step #7").

Gear SHOULD be tight. But if you say things are cutting off your circulation, uh, no, not THAT tight. That's bad.

Thats a great site man! That website added significantly to my knowledge of motorcycles!!

Thanks

Whoa cool! you guys have rides around Saratoga! That is where I will be moving soon! Lets ride!

[Banano]

thanks for all the help guys. I decided on getting the alpinestars acr air flo jacket and pants. I figure since im still gonna be going easy for the first couple months and not going high speed or anything, a mesh jacket and pants will be good enough. Ill probably upgrade to leather once i get better though.

Thanks again and hopefully ill see you guys on the road!

when i get my bike that is...