Noob question.

Whats the latest bike fashion clothing


 What bike gear do you recommend. From Helmets to Boots and all in between. What about a fashion show 

Squig

Fashion??
You obviously haven't seen those fine, manly figures belonging to the Irish Eccentrics.

Helmet. I prefer either a flip front or one with a removable chin piece such as the Nolan N44 that I generally use. Either way I like a deep visor with a Pinlock insert for the cooler, wet weather.

Jacket. I bought a fabric one this summer with two removable liners that means that you can 'tune' it for a wide range of temperatures. It also has zip vents on the forearms, chest and back. These open up mesh vents which allow a flow of air on a warm day. Really useful if your bike has a full, touring fairing. Gortex is the best but expensive.

Trousers. Still prefer leather. They're comfortable, warm and still provide the best protection. If you take a tumble, your legs and hips take the brunt of it. When racers and professional riders start using man made trousers, I will be ready to take another look. Leather has a resistance to tarmac about 10 times higher than man made. Armour is good and in most trousers now.
Lot cheaper to buy than some of the big brand, man made trousers.

Gloves. Get good ones. Mine are Gortex with knuckle protectors. Leather on its own isn't enough. I've got the skin graft to prove it!

Boots. I bought a pair in Belfast this summer for £70. They're waterproof and comfortable. Job done!

There has been a lot of discussion about being a dayglo Derek and going for the fluorescent colour schemes.
I think it's a personal choice but would be wary of relying too much on other people noticing you rather than riding defensively.
Speaking as a driving instructor, trust no one!

i go for safety,  kevlar jeans and jacket has reinforcing in the wear points - elbows and spine,  i think it is grey. boots and gloves are same safety first , helmet is quiet and comfortable with good vision

Suggested categories: 

A: Functional
B: Fashionable (swanning about factor)


Claim one or the other.  :joker: No futzing.

Alpinestars SP1 
Saw them on the rack, ogled the kevlar, the 'badass' look. Had to have 'em. 

Total, complete overkill. Fashion. 


Dainese R Twin
Found at a garage sale. Guy bought it online, wore it once and admitted he was too fat round the middle for it. 
Sold it to me for $35.00

Completely satisfying; superbly designed and built. Functional.

Helmet is a Shoei XR1100 with pinlock visor (I tried a Shuberth flip front but it just didn't feel right); definately the quietest, most comfortable and best-fitting helmet I've ever had. Jacket and trews are both high-end Hein Gericke with full armour and boots are Daytona Road Star GTX. Gloves are Hein Gericke lobster claws which are warmer than 'normal' gloves because you have two fingers packed together (less surface area to lose heat from). All Goretex, all waterproof (well, as long as they get their six-monthly TekWash they're waterproof!).

Definately not fashion, Kyle10!!!

Dai wrote:Helmet is a Shoei XR1100 with pinlock visor (I tried a Shuberth flip front but it just didn't feel right); definately the quietest, most comfortable and best-fitting helmet I've ever had. Jacket and trews are both high-end Hein Gericke with full armour and boots are Daytona Road Star GTX. Gloves are Hein Gericke lobster claws which are warmer than 'normal' gloves because you have two fingers packed together (less surface area to lose heat from). All Goretex, all waterproof (well, as long as they get their six-monthly TekWash they're waterproof!).

Definately not fashion, Kyle10!!!

I have to admit that I have Hein Gerick motorcycle clothes, and as we say here in Canada, you get your bang for your buck.
I consider them good quality clothes (even if they are made in China) with adequate protection. I enjoy my 3/4 length jacket for the fall and early spring. It covers my butt and keep me warm.
For my summer equipment, I have a Rukka jacket, but the cost can be too high for the majority of riders.
For the helmet, I am still wearing my flip Shubert, but will soon replace it with something like a Shoe.

Boots: I have few pairs of boots, but my best for summer riding are the TCX. They are like a pair of slippers with a good protection. (They are waterproof  ). 


I don't trust the north American standard, and always buy motorcycle clothes and helmet with European certification (CE).

CF

Thanks for all the info so far. I like the style of an upmarket fabric jacket with removable lining. Gloves look like leather Gortex and knuckle protection
What are peoples thoughts on Kevlar jeans i.e make, comfort kevlar woven into denim or kevlar patches?
Squig

But Eugene, you live in Ireland and you are buying a BMW, not a Harley.
You will be cold for most of the year!
The good ones aren't cheap either.

Hi John,
I've been looking at something from the RST range, jacket and pants, As a side issue I was just wondering if kevlar jeans were comfortable. But you're right, It's Ireland I live in not Arizona    
Squig

Didn't Hein Gericke go belly up?

draggin kevlar jeans are very comfortable ,  although hot and heavy and expensive.  300 austrayan monies. kevlar is interwoven and has internal knee bum and hip patches,  called draggin because the sales pitch was a video of a guy being dragged behind a bike with a rope , bum to road without skin loss or burn . i hope never to recreate this scenario but feel much safer in them

G'day Squig , my gear is similar to what others have posted , head to toe : Helmet is a BMW System 5 , I've just replaced all of the internal padding , it's just like new again , I too prefer dark tint visors , Jackets : BMW Streetguard 3 for winter / wet weather , Alpine Star leather jacket for dry weather , > hot weather : Draggin cotton jacket kevlar lined , I can put armour in it if I want too , Pants : Hornee brand kevlar jeans for most riding , cold or wet : Tiger Angel Goretex / Kevlar Textile , they have armour , feet : Alpine Star SMX boots , Gloves : got probably 6-7 pairs , cold / wet BMW Pro Winters , Textile/Leather/Goretex , intermediates : BMW All Round glove , Textile/Leather/Goretex , Summer : Spidi Carbotechs , full kangaroo leather ( tougher than cow ) , and lastly a pair of Alpine Star full leather

Phew !

JR

Like the set up on that rear end!

Looks like she needs a good feed. Prefer built for comfort rather than speed. 

There's still a Hein Gericke shop in Belfast. Don't know what the setup is but they have a good range, for N Ireland anyway.

I've seen the advertisement that she was filming, nice Duke, very poorly done, but for the life of me can't rem,ember the product. Think it was shampoo, I don't have the need for that these days.

JR_K100RS I'm exhausted just reading that. 

The reason I asked this question in the first place is that we don't have a good bike shop where I live. So I visited two others shops in a 35 mile radius (the only two!). They had nothing in stock in my size (4XL) All I can do is look at gear thats to small and say to the store I like that get in a bigger size but I want to be sure I'm getting good/quality gear.So I'm patiently waiting for gear that fits me to come into stock. Meanwhile if I can get some feedback from you guys it will give me a better idea what to ask for. Hope that makes sense
Squig

Comberjohn wrote:There's still a Hein Gericke shop in Belfast. Don't know what the setup is but they have a good range, for N Ireland anyway.

Funny story behind that. When HG Germany went bankrupt the company was bought by a Chinese concern. The decision was made to hive off all the UK shops to a company whose name is quite obviously instantly forgettable. Someone saw the 'Ireland' in 'Northern Ireland', didn't do their research and promptly assigned the shop into the European basket, which is why we have the only HG shop in the UK.

It does make sense Squig , as with all specific technical wear you get what you pay for , get the best you can afford , last line of defense !

sounds like you are a big lad , have you considered custom made ? , some companies have quite good online set ups , giving clear direction on how to measure yourself

just a thought

Good luck with it

JR

Squig,

If you are not baffled by the choice already....

I got my gear online from these guys (via their ebay shop) - no affiliation with them, just a satisfied customer:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Bike-Wear-Direct/Motorcycle-Gloves-/_i.html?_fsub=2&_sc=1&_sid=90400881&_sop=12&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

I ride (commute and tour) all year round so wanted something that was good for all weathers - ice, snow, rain and scorching sunshine. Don't figure they fit the "fashion" category (unless there is a category for Michelin man-esqueness) - but sure are functional and have taken a reasonable pounding since I got them in June 2012. I tend to wear teeshirt and jogging pants as the base layer and haven't felt the cold yet.

• Trousers: Textile Armoured waterproof police style black (£44.99) - have a removable liner which I remove as soon as the temperatures claw their way above 5 deg C (i.e. removed late March through to December). Main attractions for me were the 2 big pockets on the front - I like somewhere to stash things like documents, compact camera, wallet and phones. Armoured pads integrated in the lining. My only regret - I went for the size bigger in line with their recommendation and wish I'd just gone for my normal size. It is costing me a fortune in beer trying to fill out to fit them now. Only weakness was the fly zip which I broke and I replaced with stud fasteners.
  

• Jacket: Textile Hi-Viz & Black waterproof armoured motorcycle jacket (£54.99) - again, has removable liner as above. Armoured pads on shoulders, elbows and spine. Hi viz/yellow has faded over time - too much riding in glorious sunny conditions I guess.
  

• Gloves: Black & Hi Viz leather and kevlar carbon motorcycle gloves (£20.69) - fit like a glove, which is handy. Armoured knuckles are reassuring and would be handy in a punch up (not tried that of late). I would feel the extremes of cold through these, but heated grips solve that issue quite nicely.
  

• Boots: I got mine from a local bike shop, a bog standard Frank Thomas pair of leather bike boots (£40) - nothing special but functional.
  

I went for hi viz to give me a little more visibility (and wear a hi viz/reflective surcoat too), but echo exactly what Comberjohn says. From painful experience, I know first hand just how unobservant our tin box road users can be. That said, save a few scuffs in the outer material on the right leg and right shoulder, they stood up pretty well to me being dumped on the tarmac by said tin box driver (broke my collar bone and a few choice bruises where I smashed my way through the bike screen and caught the handlebar end in my abdomen - but reckon the gear prevented any serious injuries or road rash).

Waterproof wise - not 100%, but probably need re-proofing as I have washed them a couple of times. Nevertheless, I have only had very minor damp patches when riding through monsoon like down pours, so reckon they do their job.

On hot days, I tend to ride with the jacket unzipped for extra cooling.

Not the coolest, trendiest looking gear on the market - but works for me and my needs. If I wanted figure hugging colour coordinated leathers, I'd have got a crotch rocket to match and worked on the figure to hug. If I wanted to look mean and menacing, I'd have gone for the kevlar jeans, tee shirt and bandana and bought myself a harley and worked on the facial hair accessories. Either way, I reckon that I would be doing a tiny fraction of the riding I do on my trusty K!

PaulLipscomb Thanks for the detailed reply. Thats exactly what I was looking for. I've been in touch with them and they answered all questions I asked.
Squig

squig60 wrote:PaulLipscomb Thanks for the detailed reply. Thats exactly what I was looking for. I've been in touch with them and they answered all questions I asked.
Squig

Good news - as you'll have seen from their web site, they have a pretty wide range from entry level to more extreme (with prices to match) or everything from boots up to helmets. Looking at their prices today... the gear I bought is now about 10% cheaper than it was in 2012. 

They deliver pretty quick too.

Don't care much about the fashion really - good protectors are more important for me. Most of the stuff I get on-line anyway so location is not an issue.

Helmet - I go by the SHARP testing scheme (and certainly the price range too) so another Caberg Duke was the obvious choice among touring flip-ups. Has anti-scratch and pinlock too. The old one was Duchinni D409, not bad either (4*) but steams up easily.

Boots: Richa, no prob.

Jackets and trousers I have both leathers and cordura - cordura is (much) easier to dry once soaked, leather gives better protection.

Gloves - from Lidl, made of leather / textile, have protectors.

I got an email from Hein Gericke this week to say they have a 40% sale on all Hein Gericke branded Gortex products. Well worth a look as they have a shop in Belfast.

Luck O' the Irish. I love HG stuff.  :pale:

I tend to buy something good quality then wear it 'til it's past its use by date. Riding through OZ this trip I noticed how faded and threadbare they've all become, but still they're functioning well, though not fashion show examples, however. I reckon you pay a bit more in the beginning and you get the extended life from it. I do care for them, washing with Nikwax Techwash and TX-Direct to retain the waterproofing, for example.

My Shoei X11 and HJC AC12 carbon helmets are eleven and seven years old respectively. My BMW Comfort Shell jacket (best I've ever had) is from '08, my BMW Summer trousers with zip-off leg lowers are the originals from '04, Marsee waterproof trousers I bought in '01, my SIDI On-Road boots have no sole left (but plenty of soul) and are from '02 and yet still fully waterproof. The gloves I wear, of three pairs, are a ten year-old pair of Pro Summer Gore-Tex waterproofs, a Cortech leather/mesh for heat and some Marsee leather perfs, also for heat.  For warmth I have a Gerbings heated jacket liner and a newer Powerlet far-infrared carbon fabric heated jacket liner with remote control so there's not a maze of wires dangling from my hip as I'm plugged in to the bike's power with one, single 12V hose.

I recently found a clean, used but discontinued by BMW, Comfort Shell jacket on eBay for $275 (original price was in the US$700 range) and will wear that through another upcoming Seattle Winter (I don't own a car) and picked up a used pair of Pro Summer gloves, one size too large, but perfect for silk liners when the temps dip to freezing, for $25, and another pair of almost-new, old school SIDI On-Road boots for $80. Deals are out there if you know your needs and have a budget. Oh, and the Arai Corsair helmet my former boss handed me two years ago, when I returned to work in the States, is still my helmet of choice for touring and commuting due to its many vents and visibility due to its bright colour scheme.

Cheap bastard, effective gear though old, keep your eyes open for a deal, and I couldn't care less what it looks like as long as it works, though there is a black/grey theme so it fits whichever bike I'm riding, if that means anything at all. If it fails or doesn't live up to its name then into the deepest recesses of the closet for someone else to use later on or for sale down the track.

So I'm not the only one who collects masses of gear and also expects it to last for at least ten years! TWB - you've made me feel a whole lot better! I was afraid to admit that apart from what I listed earlier, I have an HJC 120 (??) as back-up helmet, a HG Master V lined jacket and a pair of Master V unlined summer trousers, two pairs of waterproof Bulson boots and two more pairs of lobster claw gloves. When HG went bust and started selling at (relatively) silly prices I went and raided both the Newry and Belfast stores because I was afraid that I wouldn't find the quality or longevity in any other manufacturer.

Both jackets each cost more than LFB did!! The day I worked out the cost of what I was wearing frightened the h£ll out of me. It's all now insured in the event of an accident.

Oh - and they make for a good substitute for a microlight flying suit too!!!