Total Motorcycle Community Forums

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you do get what you pay for in most cases.
what you really need to look for is fit over price.
some 900 dollar helmets don't fit as nice as a 300 dollar one.
buy gear from a motorcycle shop whether online or in person since the gear they sell is tailored to our sport/passion
if you buy online, go try it on in person if you can so you know what fits

- helmets look for DOT rating (and snell too) and something with a removable liner so you can wash some of the sweat smell away if it gets funky in there
- gloves, look for something that goes over the sleeve of your jacket (gauntlet)
- jacket, leather is best, but textile is good enough and more comfortable for some people
- boots, get something designed for riding that has a rubber pad on the toes for shifting and has a low heel and rubber sole for traction. also proper motorcycle boots are built to protect from crushing side forces
- pants, again leather is best but textile are nice and in many cases have more pockets/features than leather

as for brands, there are sooo many to mention that it can become a debate but here are some of the bigger names:

Helmets: Arai, Shoei, HJC, KBC, Shark
Jackets/Pants/Gloves: Joe Rocket, Alpinestars, Icon, Dainese
Boots: Sidi, Alipinestars, Daytona

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Also, if you decide to purchase online, check out www.kneedraggers.com,
www.ridegear.com and www.newenough.com.

The type of armor is important as well. Anything that is "CE" rated will be good. A lot of more casual gear will have some form of armor but may not be more than some foam. It does provide SOME protection but not as much.

I recommend that you go by a motorcycle shop and look at the different brands and acutally pull the armor out and take a look at it.

I have touring jackets with OK armor but I also have jackets with dual density armor - a harder outer shell lined with foam that is good stuff.

If you're buying pants with knee and hip armor - make sure that you try them on first (ideally while sitting on a bike). Depending on the brand and style of pants as well as you body shape, some knee armor will shift around and/or be incomfortable.

Make sure that whatever helmet you buy - TRY IT ON FIRST in a store and wear it around the shop for at least five minutes. Peopel have different head shapes and you want tofind the brand that fits your head the best. Get one that is is just a little snug as it will break in and loosen a tad.

If Arai helmets fit you, then I would recommend that brand. Expensive but worth it. Yes, you can get sheaper helemets but the Arai's they sell in the store are the same ones racers wear which is not hte case for all helmet manufacturers - what does that tell you? How much is your head worth?

A good resource for finding out about gear is:
http://www.motorcyclegearreview.com/

MC gear is fairly expensive. Do you some research in local mtorcycle stores and on the Internet. It will pay off in comfort and safety.

For helmet... print out the "helmet fit guidelines" its a sticky thread at the top of Newbies.

As for gear, buy what FITS. If you go into a shop and they have your size. BUY IT THERE, for crissake. The shop owner made the investment in product to have on the rack for you to examine. Don't screw them by figuring out your size with their stuff and then buying online.

Yes, it is more expensive at a STORE, that's because they have to pay rent on the building, etc. etc. You don't have to buy your NEXT set up there, but you at least owe them the profit from what you tried on.


Folks periodically complain on this forum, and others, that their nearby MC dealer just went out of business... THAT's how it happens.

Pam

How it happens is that the business owner made poor business decisions. Including not stocking the right stuff... or charging too much... or perhaps choosing the wrong location.

I'll buy from local stores if they have it in stock the day I want it. I won't pay a premium to have them order it... especially since they usually start with the "no returns on special orders" type BS. If they don't have it right then and there, the business owner lost the sale from flawed business practices.

Frankly, I don't see the harm in poorly run businesses going under. Who cares if they are "local"?

Yeah I'll buy it at the local shop because they'll allow me to try it on and especially if the staff is helpfull. When I first started out, I went to the shop and tried on a bunch of helmets. I ended up buying it there because the dude was helpful and I wouldn't have been able to try it out without the shop. I could have been a dork and bought it online, after trying it on but the local shop provided me a service that I was grateful for.

I ended up buying all my gear there so far and it has already saved me a big headache. The pocket zipper on my jacket failed a month after owning it. The local shop allowed me to exchange the jacket with a brand new one. Good luck getting an online retailer to do that for you. They'll want you to contact the manufacturer who'll want you to send your jacket into them for repair.

Don't support your local shop and you may not have one later on...

i get a wicked deal from my local shop every time i am in there. 15-30% off on regular items and 15% off of special orders if i have to order stuff in.

they treat me well there and i don't begrudge them a profit. If they screwed me over i'd never go back, but so far they have been aces.

dieziege wrote:Frankly, I don't see the harm in poorly run businesses going under. Who cares if they are "local"?

I care. It's not such a black-and-white picture as you're painting. Businesses don't fall into two categories of 'good' and 'poor.' Some are better at some things than other things, owners make business decisions for a variety of reasons, some good, some not so good. I benefit from having two dealerships within 10 minutes of home. I throw a good portion of my business their way -- it's my little bit to help them stay there.