hey guys im new to rideing and all. i need to get a jacket helmet gloves and so on. what is the best apparel to buy? what links are there?

 

You'll get a lot of people telling you to buy leather....

I don't know too much about what is the best gear to buy but, I just bought a Shark helmet - it was the only one that fit my head right. I like the HJC helmets but couldn't get the right size ordered in before my safety course. I bought Icon leather gloves because I liked the way they looked and fit. For a jacket I'm getting a Rhyno Dragon (if it fits right). So I would say, just go out take a look around, try stuff on and buy what you want to buy. But always keep in mind, protection first, then looks. Good luck!

 

My husband bought me a Gericke jacket and gloves. I am very pleased with the way they feel. I rode in some pretty low temperatures recently and felt NO WIND WHATSOVERER! I was as toasty as could be. Very comfortable gear in my opinion. I also have a Joe Rocket jacket (women's ) that is no where near as warm. I would have froze my &^(**&^ off in the same temps with the Rocket jacket. Both have removable liners, so I guess it's just the material. I personally love leather, but it's just too hot. The textile is more breathable. IMO

 

Gear selection can be a frustrating process. I have 3 different jackets that I wear different times of the year. Living in Florida, riding season is year round.

Not knowing what the weather is where you live, I will just give an overall opionion.

Warm springtime to damn hot summer riding:

A perforated leather, still hot in summer, or a perforated mesh. I have a Fieldshear Mach2 perf leather / mesh. Has armor in the right places. It has a zip out quilted liner that blocks a lot of wind out but still give you good flow. Take the liner out, and it works great in the really hot summer.
Downside to this jacket is it is heavy. Not as heavy as a full leather jacket, but close.

I also wear a jacket I got from Kawasaki. It is lightweight, has flow through ventilation and a zip out liner. Works pretty well into high 50's. Take the liner out and it vents well. Kind of hot when it gets close to 90 though.

Cold weather for South Florida ( into the low 40's):

Joe Rocket makes a jacket called the Alter Ego. It's made both in a textile version and a leather version. They both have an outer
shell that zips off and becomes a mesh summertime jacket. They have a zip out inner liner that blocks wind very well and make the jacket water proof. I have worn it with the liner in when it's been about 40 degrees.


I'm sure others will let you know what they have. There are plenty of places to look. www.joerocket.com , www.fieldsheer.com , www.hein-gericke.com , www.rideicon.com just to name a few.

Helmets and gloves:

Go to your local shop and try the helmet on. It should fit snug, but not too tight. Grab it from the back and try to lift it forward. If you can move maybe only a 1/4 inch, it is fine. Any more than that, it's too big.

Noise level is a major concern. You really should ride this earplugs, but some helmets a quieter that others. I wear an HJC CL-14. It not too noisey, but you can hear wind. I wear earplugs so it cuts alot out. Ask some of your riding buddies about the wind noise with their helmets. They can give you a good idea what to get.

Get gloves that don't fit too loose. Flow through mesh for summer and a good insulated pair for the winter. Oh yea, a Gortex nylon pair for the rain. With a good rainsuit.

There is just so much to choose from out there. Go to your local shop to see if you like something and go from there.

One word of advice. If you find anything online that you like, see if you can find it locally to try it on. The three jackets I wear regularly are different sizes. An extra large in one is actually a large in another, etc. etc. Find the style and size you like and then order it online. I've done two helmets and a jacket this way.

I hope this all helps. You can get carried away, though. I said I have three jackets I wear regularly. I have three I don't wear anymore, five or six pairs of gloves, a couple of pairs of riding pants. But hey, I only have one pair of boots.

Happy shopping and good luck.

Kevin

 

thanks for help guys. i live in maryland so i wont be ridieng to much during the winter. i have snowmobiles that i ride in canada for the winter. so thats my passion my winter sport! i have a lot of money wrapped up in that. so if i wanted to ride my bike during the winter i would just wear my gear that i ride snowmobiles w/. but i will look into everything that you guys talked about. i have some time before the bike gets here. there trying to locate the green one but cant find any.

 

I have a few Joe Rocket jackets. Just try on as many as you can before you by to see what fits.

 

check out New Enough

they always seem to have great prices on everything.

 

great write up kev..

and 636chic new enough is great too..

when ever I look for gear I alway shop around
find what you want and shop aroud.. you will always find a better price...

 

Bumping the oldest thread in every section.....I know its sad, but just wanted to see what happened...LOL

 

Check with any of our site sponsors first. If that doesn't work out, try New Enough^, SportBikeTrackGear (SBTG.com), Motorcycle Closeouts.com, or even ebay (buyer beware) if you know what you're looking for. I got a closeout Bell Star Ace of Clubs from Motorcycle Closeouts a couple months ago. Killer looks, GREAT venting and aerod, and excellent price.