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Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:09 pm
by deejake
Excuse me ninja,
I'm simply asking questions. I don't know about you, but i dont have a thousand bucks to shell out on gear. I barely have that to buy a bike. So if you're goign to be that impatient, don't offer advice in the first place.
Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:50 pm
by Kal
Hey Bob relax. I was in the same boat that you are in now.
First I got my helmet and Leather at a Bike show in 2000. The lid cost me £15 and was an end of line. The Leather cost me £20 as it was a second, however in six years its not let me down and I still can't figure out what it was doing there.
The next item was a lightweight pair of riding gloves for summer useage. They came from a store and set me back £35. The fiollowing summer I was at a Bike show and picked up a set of body armour to go under my leather. That racked up a £40 bill and I also purchased another remainered helmet as my first one was getting long in the tooth. So that was another £20. It was here I got my hands on a £15 pair of motorcycle boots - after six months the souls fell off.
So another show and I picked up an all year pair of boots for £10. Which is just as well because between them and my body armour my legs were more or less kept off the floor when I put the bike down 4 weeks later.
I escaped that with minor roadrash to my knee and the a broken wrist all the gear in the world wouldn't have prevented. Incidently I was wearing Jeans and they tore like paper.
Eraly this year saw me pick up an pair of motorcycle jeans with armoured inserts and a pair of winter weight gloves. Both were invaluble when the back end slid out cornering and I lowsided the bike. Spotting a theme?
Anyway while I was taking lessons to get my full licence my riding school was selling the Nitro lids for half price so I got one because it was about the rihgt time to.
I now have a more or less full set of gear, but its taken me six years on a budget and some creative shopping.
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:00 am
by Ian522
Jeans offer little to no protection. Unless they are a pair of those kelvar lined ones like Draggin Jeans. But they cost almost as much as decent riding pants anyway.
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:16 am
by Lion_Lady
Social Distortion wrote:
Ever buy anything from
www.metricbikes-superstore.com?
Some of the lowest prices i have seen, but sometimes, its too good to be true.....
Yes.
I bought a Joe Rocket Cleo jacket for my daughter before we rode to GA last summer. I got the wrong size the first time and had to exchange it. No problems at all.
At the time they were one of the only places that had the jacket.
Pam
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:23 am
by Lion_Lady
bobchicken91 wrote:Excuse me ninja,
I'm simply asking questions. I don't know about you, but i dont have a thousand bucks to shell out on gear. I barely have that to buy a bike. So if you're going to be that impatient, don't offer advice in the first place.
Then you ought to spend a bit more time saving up...
It is smart to budget anywhere from $500 to $1200 for protective gear and shop around.
Buy the helmet first, because it is likely to be the single most expensive item on the list... you may be able to find one that fits well for $100, but you may end up spending +$300 to get the right fit for your noggin. Go into a shop and TRY ON - use the Helmet Fit Guidelines. If you find a helmet that fits, BUY IT THERE (Just this first helmet, after that you're probably okay buying online).
The likelihood of going down (even a 'null-speed tipover) is much greater as you're learning, so waiting to buy gear isn't the smartest path.
Folks rarely seem to do this, but if you must, then buy PANTS before you get a jacket... your legs will take the worst beating in a go-down (think about it).
P
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:25 pm
by Kal
I'm afraid this is where I disagree with you Pam.
I think it's the difference between commuting and leisure riding again. I couldn't afford to get a car but could a bike. Gear wise I bought things in more or less the importance that they are to me.
I'd rather lose flesh of off my legs than of of my back or front - if only because my back/front has a greater surface area and also if my legs recovereing then I can at least sit in a chair comforably. If my back/front has been done then no position is going to be comfortable.
The reason I got good gloves before boots is similar - I'd rather lose a foot than a hand. I couldn't see myself getting it together the way Shorts has if I lost a hand, foot no problem but hand is a whole other ball of wax.
However I do agree with you that a good fitting, approved, helmet is a priority and that other gear should be obtained with all available alacrity, funds allowing.
Ian522 wrote:Jeans offer little to no protection. Unless they are a pair of those kelvar lined ones like Draggin Jeans. But they cost almost as much as decent riding pants anyway.
I have a pair of dragging jeans combats with knee armour and a pair of heavy weight Hein Gericke Jeans with armour inserts at the knees and hips. You are right they do cost almost as much as Leather Gear, however I am comfortable wearing them round my office and I'm not sure how comfortable I would be being leather clad 24/7 (no matter how much Jules would like that)
Also I feel I blend in more when I am off the Bike wearing Combats or jeans than I do if I were wearing Leathers.