Equipment

[Nalj10]

Okay, I've been browsing equipment for a little while now and have a general understanding of what I'll need, but this brings me around to a new problem.

Body Armor
Gloves
Boots
Jacket
Helmet
Pants

All of this equipment.. I imagine takes up a decent amount of room.. primarily the jacket, helmet, and body armor.. as they're not as easily folded up.

My primary reason for getting a motorcycle is to get to work and back, and seeing all of this equipment makes me wonder if I have enough room at work. I have a locker at work that is roughly 8 inches wide and 8 inches tall, not very big.. not enough to hold anything more than the gloves or boots.

I've come to the understanding that companies make bags to carry stuff in, but I don't quite understand the logic behind them. Do they stay attached to your bag?.. can they hold all of the equipment?.. I can honestly say I don't know ANYTHING about the bags, but I am under the influence that its probably not a good idea to leave a grand worth of equipment on a motorcycle where someone may be able to take it. I do have a place I can store my equipment if its all bundled up like in some sort of bag, but I'm not sure if they make specific bags for this or if I have to make due and buy one of those huge backpacks.. =)

*Bike in use will be ex250*

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[storysunfolding]

I like your list, but I wouldn't worry too much about body armor, most jackets come with some built in. There's no way you'll fit your gear into that small of a locker though

[Shorts]

Body Armor
Gloves
Boots
Jacket
Helmet
Pants

You don't need body armor as already stated if its in your jacket already.

As for where to put it, well, helmet and jacket you can leave with the bike if you have a helmet lock and/or cable lock. Boots, gloves and pants you might can cram into the locker. Though depending on the boots and your job, you can get away with wearing your riding boots all day long.


* of course, the above works well for fair weather, superhot or rainy, well...things get soggy.

[Nalj10]

Work only allows all black or all white shoes, so it'll limit my choices..

I asked for the bosses permission and he's allowed me to store my equipment in his office so long as I have a bag for it, so.. more power to me.

What kind of bag can I store all of that in?

I plan on getting a mesh jacket, as I live in southern Florida and need the ventilation as to not overheat, so thats a big focus.. if you know of anything else that provides a bit more protection other than mesh jackets and still allow a good amount of air to be taken in, then by all means inform me.

As for leaving my helmet and stuff with my bike.. i do not particularly enjoy that idea even with a lock on it, at least not yet.. plus there is a rainy season here where it rains every day.. a helmet and equipment can get wet.. i just don't want to water-log it.

-Mark

[storysunfolding]

any bag that your gear will fit in. I recommend $20 duffel. Of course lockable hard luggage on the bike solves all problems at a $

[KarateChick]

Joe Rocket has a textile jacket that is waterproof and zips sections, panels off to become a mesh jacket. Check the other lines too because they probably have similar stuff designed to do that.

[blues2cruise]

The cable lock works great. You can thread the cable through the sleeves and your helmet and then lock it with your disc lock to your bike.

[Nalj10]

Some of this is Greek to me ^.^;;

I think once I continue looking stuff up it'll all sort of make sense.. or until I have to make a final decision. Earlier today I just figured it would be simpler if I did the lock on the bike like some of you were saying, then I could leave my helmet and jacket on the bike and put a cover over the bike.. it'll be in a public parking lot for 10 hours a day anyway, might as well keep it as clean and as safe as possible. As for the duffel bag, thats a pretty big idea as well.. keeping my boots and gloves in there along with pants.. sounds like a working plan to me.

Oh, and out of curiosity.. how do you clean the equipment?... like pants and such.

[BlueBomber]

I plan on getting a mesh jacket, as I live in southern Florida and need the ventilation as to not overheat, so thats a big focus.. if you know of anything else that provides a bit more protection other than mesh jackets and still allow a good amount of air to be taken in, then by all means inform me.

-Mark

I will *highly* recommend these two pieces of equipment. Try them on in store if possible first (with and without liner if possible)

http://www.newenough.com/firstgear_mesh ... t_page.htm This Jacket is awesome. I love it. I hae it in Blue myself.

These pants are too great. I love them a lot. I got them on sale as well...like 70$ off...
http://www.newenough.com/firstgear_ht_a ... s_page.htm

When I took my MSF course I had the liners out for the first day..and on the second day it was POURING, I put the liners in and I was pretty darn waterproof. If I had something over my neck and had zipped the two pieces together I wouldnt' have gotten wet at all.

the pants feel like a bit much over normal pants if the liner is in, but that feeling quickly fades after a few minutes of walking around.

if you care my gloves are: http://www.newenough.com/joe_rocket_ato ... s_page.htm
for summer and: http://www.newenough.com/joe_rocket_rev ... e_page.htm for winter.

Helmet: http://www.newenough.com/hjc_cl15_metal ... t_page.htm

Make sure if you order from NewEnough to check out their closeouts section, they ALWAYS have SOMETHING realy awesome in there. (for example my winter gloves are in there for 20$)

\/\/

[Kal]

I'm fortunate in that my office has a casual dress policy after hours so I wear my bike jeans with inserts over the top of my black bike boots.

My gloves and necktor go inside my helmet. My leather is over the back of my chair and my body armour folds flat in my locker on top of my helmet.

Job done, no worries.


I'd never leave my kit out in public away from my sight, if only because some joker will urinate on it or do something else equally unpleasant.