Todays riding gear choices

Hey guys,

So last time I did any sport riding it was one piece leathers, worn out knee pads and the occasional low side scrape.
But all this was over 25 years ago.

I'm a different guy now and a different rider.

So what's the "in" riding gear these days? What do you sport rider types wear.?
I want to be ready to go down if it happens. but don't want the moto gp look anymore..

Is leather still the best? I'm thinking a jacket, pants , boots and gloves is all I need.?
I ordered a new helmet but just returned it, so I'll need one of those too.
Always liked the Aria helmets and my last was a Freddie Spencer replica.

Won't be doing too much long distance stuff, and mostly just here around the winding Sunshine Coast roads.

Any comments, advice or pics/links would be great.

Steve

I reckon it depends on what kind of riding you are taking about here?
Are you looking at gear to wear at the track on race day or options to get you between home and work each day?

Like you, I had an extended break from motorcycles between my first bike and my current bike but wife, house, kids, careers has a way of doing that - pairing-down what few spare moments you have each week. So when it came time to actually get on a motorcycle and Goooo! I too was wondering the same thing. Aside from it appears you have racing needs,

I used to wear only Arai helmets back then but it was because they seemed to fit my noggin best. I liked Bell and Shoei well enough and owned a couple of both over time but they left me with a headache if worn more than 30 minutes.
Today's helmets are pretty much the same thing with more stylish tech involved. Active and passive venting options, integrated sun visor and so forth. Prices range from $50 to $750 for a helmet today. I have three helmets today. All full face. Combined cost was under what a brand new Arai will cost you. Part of this is because I bought two of them at an auction for a motorcycle shop closing and got a screaming deal.

Gloves seem to have a fair bit of tech going on too. Or maybe not since you have a racer's streak in ya? I was surprised to see these gloves today with hardened shell inserts over/around the knuckles. Seems like a great idea if you're a MX'er or racer. Me? Meh. I just like to cruise around and feel the wind, occasionally leaning into the tank and watching the needle rise until it matches my heart rate :laugh:
My gloves today are pretty much identical to what I wore "back then". Leather palms with maybe a bit more style and velcro.

As for leathers. I don't have any today. Maybe it's my ... erm, cruiser body shape that is resisting being clad in full grain cow skin. Back in the day I used to wear a one piece cotton jumpsuit under and I had a couple of leather pants and jackets as the outer shell. Again, I don't think much has changed there today, save for my body. :whistle: So typically I just wear a denim jacket and jeans but that has as much to do with the Texas heat as style or safety concerns.

Look at a Textile riding suit or at least the jacket. I always ride in an Aerostich Roadcrafter one piece suit and love it. The other day I was going to Walmart a mile a way, and thought as to not look too goofy walking the store I would instead wear an old Hein Garrich or how ever it's spelled leather jacket. This top of the line garment I paid like $350 for back in the late 80s. Suffice it to say I won't ever wear leather again after only the one short memory road ride. Heavy, smells, uncomfortable. Go textile.

I have no idea what's in with riders. Most of the guys I know ride Hardleys, and they all pretty much dress the same. They say they're nonconformists, but...
I like a leather jacket when it's cool enough to wear one, jeans and boots. I have a mesh jacket with pads in the elbows, shoulders and back for when it's hot. The mesh is great in warm weather, feels like you're riding in a t-shirt.

Ride safe,
Tim

Steve look on your local Craiglist there will be ton's of riding gear.

wrenchmonkey, I for sure won't be doing any track time with this new bike, maybe another one but not this one.

And Ron I will have a really good look at the new textile jackets too, And like Tim said maybe something for when it's hot.
I remember cooking in my leathers sitting in traffic. Good thing there isn't much of that here.

For helmets, I had a Spencer replica helmet, but It might be weird looking on a Lawson rep bike.
I always liked both riders but never the Lawson helmet.

Also I see the Spencer rep is $1000 ! ...Damn times have changed. I got mine brand new for $350 years back.
I'll check out Craigslist too Dave.

ltdrider wrote: I have no idea what's in with riders. Most of the guys I know ride Hardleys, and they all pretty much dress the same. They say they're nonconformists, but...
I like a leather jacket when it's cool enough to wear one, jeans and boots. I have a mesh jacket with pads in the elbows, shoulders and back for when it's hot. The mesh is great in warm weather, feels like you're riding in a t-shirt.

Ride safe,
Tim

Pic of your mesh jacket? I wear a denim jacket but I'd like something better and my Genuine Harley Davidson leather jacket made in CHINA in 87 :lol: is way too hot and I feel like I'm wearing a cow on my back. :dry:
Steve

I would try to get to a store and check out what all they have on the racks. That way you can get a real feel and sizing perspective.
My favorite brands so far are Firstgear, Tourmaster, HJC, Shoei, Joe Rocket. I am not trying to endorse any of these in particular -- I just have personal experience with them and have been happy with what they offer.

The gear choice depends on the weather and bike I'm riding. If it's hot I wear my Fieldsheer jacket since it has the mesh in and I stay nice and cool. I wear an open face helmet for short rides around town (bugs hurt!) and a full face for longer trips usually. The leather comes out when it gets cooler or if I feel like a hooligan . I always wear boots and extra long jeans.

I shop for hours online and have watched more Revzilla product videos than I care to count. I can tell you what I use and enjoy. I have 2 Joe Rockets jackets. 1 textile, 1 leather with removable side panels. The leather onew I bought used on eBay the textile given to me by a friend. Both have significant armor to crash. I also have textile pants which are great for distance riding but for local riding I use Bilt Iron Workers Kevlar jeans. They are well built, comfortable have a zipper to attach a jacket and come with removeable armor in the knees. They have pockets for armor in the hips. Helmet I bought the Scorpion 1100 which I was lucky to find in my size as they were discontinued, my lovely wife hunted one down at a great price. It has great venting, quite, inner sunshield, removable wicking liner, fast release shields. My favorite features, and air pump that adjusts the cheek pads and an Emergency release system that allows emergency responders to remove padding to more easily remove the helmet should they need to. Boots I went with Icons, they give me protection, look good and are comfortable enough to spend the day in them. Gloves I haven't found a pair I am happy with. I like the hard knuckles with a gel palm, I have a hard time paying $100+ for gloves.

I wear a textile jacket and pants with mesh areas on them. Icon citadel brand. I like em a lot. I can put the pants right over my shorts and still stay comfortable. I never use to wear protective pants, just jeans, but then i watched a friend hit a deer at 65mph I learned a good lesson. He was in full gear and walked away with out a scratch. His beaten up and thrashed textile pants taught me that I would have been getting skin grafts on my legs if it had been me, instead of him that day.

I wear a Nolan, modular style helmet myself. He wears a Bell helmet.

Here's a pic of his Bell, post accident:

Here's a couple of places you can check out on line
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Pete