Jump to content
IGNORED

Dress for success


duan447

Recommended Posts

Since I am old(er) now I am trying to be a safer rider . What gear is most important ?

I bought a brand new helmet on craigslist and the seller told me he rides without a helmet sometimes , but I should never ride in tennis shoes .

Besides a good helmet and training , where should my money go?

 

Link to comment

Well, at least he wanted you to ride safe.   LOL

 

I would add to the boots:  just make sure they cover the ankles and can protect your feet overall.   If you wear large-sized foot wear, just make sure they are comfortable and they should not be too bulky.   You did not say which bike, but most shift levers have some adjustment to them to allow for larger feet.  

 

If the helmet ends up being too noisy from the wind, I also recommend using some sort of ear plugs.   I use the yellow/pink foam ones which helps with my Shift Cam exhaust sound (not noise, BTW) in my Schuberth C4.  I have had a few helmets over the years and to me, they all have some sort of wind noise.  Maybe it is my sensitivity to them.   Anyhoo, the ear plugs make a difference in reducing fatigue on long rides.

 

Your title brings to mind the phrase - dress for the slide, not the ride.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
7 hours ago, szurszewski said:

Boots, gloves, jacket, pants. 
 

edit to add:

Eye protection if your helmet doesn’t have it. 

That.

You will end up with several pairs of gloves trying to find the perfect pair, so don't be alarmed, there is no perfect pair for every condition.

Good sturdy comfortable boots. (I've ridden in tennis shoes twice, can't stand it.) Water proof is a consideration.

Jacket and pants are a challenge, easier for you guys with regular builds, us "irregular" built guys have more of a challenge. Again, there is no perfect jacket, you will end up with a couple at least. Do not be surprised by the prices, they don't give things away. Jean jackets don't cut it!

Do not discount the safety factor of good eyewear, whether sunglasses or prescription. They are as much a part of safety as good boots and helmet.

Lastly, learn to recognize your riding limits, recognize when you are getting tired and say "I just need to get there", it is time to think about stopping, at least for a while, to regroup.

Rain gear, a whole 'nother challenge.

 

If you've been riding a while, look into advanced training riding classes, they really do help. Reminds me I'm about due for a refresher.

Link to comment

Full face or modular helmet, eye wear, ear plugs, jacket with ballistic padding in the elbows, shoulders and back, riding pants with hip/knee protection, gloves, air bag vest and boots. Buy boots that are designed to provide good ankle protection, any boots that just cover the ankle provide zero ankle protection. I hit a deer last October and broke my leg and dislocated my ankle. The broken leg healed in 3 months but 5.5 months later my ankle still has a ways to go before it's completely healed and I'm not walking with a noticeable limp. I was wearing motorcycle boots that just covered the ankle and while they were comfortable, fashionable and had no slip soles they don't do a thing to protect your ankle in a crash. With a good pair of boots I still believe I would have broke my leg but I don't think I would have dislocated my ankle. You don't learn to appreciate good riding gear until after a crash. 

 

Last but not least if you've never taken the motorcycle safety course you ought to do so and even if you have taken the course it's a good idea to take the course again especially if you've been off the bike for a while. I've taken the course 3 times and learned something new each time as well as enjoyed the course.

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Duan- Many would say "icky", but I like to buy used boots . Cheap and already broken in. Ive been using an old pair of Sidi boots that need a resole but fit me nice. Beautiful tall boots but a little worn. Originally about 300$, I bought them used about 3 seasons ago for 15$

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Duan447,

 

Talking to a buddy Friday that went down a week ago doing about 45 mph on pavement (and sand).  He is an excellent rider, was wearing the "cordless" airbag vest, good helmet, armor, etc, and CHEAPO GLOVES.  He broke a finger on one hand (getting it pinned today) and tore ligaments in a finger on the other hand (surgery there, too).

 

Saturday morning I went out and bought a new pair of very good, double velcro wrist straps, palm and knuckle armor, to replace my old, just OK gloves. 

 

A very good way to "break-in" leather gloves and boots, new and used, is soak them thoroughly in warm water then wear them until they are dry,  about 100 miles in nice weather should do it.  Or, just ride 100 miles in the rain immediately followed by the 100 miles in nice weather, if you can arrange that.  

 

If you can find the funds for an air bag vest, I would recommend it, cordless or corded.  Birthday coming up??

 

And remember, "Dress for the slide, not the ride." and "ATGATT".  

 

 

Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday

 

 

On 4/3/2021 at 2:51 AM, duan447 said:

I should never ride in tennis shoes

 

I've seen videos of underdressed squids crashing, and sneakers get flung off pretty quickly as they tumble across the pavement.  Not pretty.  Get motorcycle boots with good ankle support, and make sure they fit so that they don't slip off easily. Lace-up work boots can get tangled on the footpegs/shifter/brake pedal; generally not a hazard while in motion, but may lead to an embarrassing/expensive tipover when you come to a stop and can't get your feet down.

 

Gloves.  Some folks don't care for wrist-covering gauntlets, but you should at least have good wrist retention velcro straps.  I highly recommend knuckle armor as well; imagine backhanding a brick wall as hard as you can, and you can understand why.  

 

Earplugs are underrated.  I never ride without them.  Howard Leight Max 33 are the best I've seen, and I keep a box of them in the garage (for riding and for mowing the lawn) and another box in the basement (for use with power tools).   The only bike I've ridden where earplugs weren't necessary was a Goldwing; the windscreen was absolutely enormous, and it was luxuriously quiet (albeit warm) behind it.  If you finish a ride without earplugs and find that your ears are ringing or people around you seem like they're speaking more quietly than usual (see "temporary threshold shift"), then you should be wearing earplugs. 

 

Riding pants with abrasion protection in the knees and seat.  These might be overpants, or just jeans with reinforcement in those areas.

 

Impact armor for hips and knees. 

 

A good riding jacket with abrasion protection at the elbows/shoulders, and impact armor at the elbows/shoulders/spine.  Ideally the tail of the jacket should zip to your pants to keep it from riding up in a crash.

 

 

Link to comment

HA!  He rides with no helmet, but sneakers aren't good enough!  Way to keep your priorities straight.

 

I will admit to riding in flip flops a few times when I lived in Hawaii (very short trips).  But hell no, I won't ride without a helmet.

Link to comment
3 hours ago, elkroeger said:

HA!  He rides with no helmet, but sneakers aren't good enough!  Way to keep your priorities straight.

 

I will admit to riding in flip flops a few times when I lived in Hawaii (very short trips).  But hell no, I won't ride without a helmet.

 

I will have to admit to doing all of that in my wild and impetuous youth.  I'm glad I was able to live through it and see this and future riding days. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment

You depends on you, your safety is your safety. I wear by feel of the ride. Sometimes its head to toe sometimes its shorts and sneakers, long or short ride, its a gut feel.   Most of my summer 50 mile one way commute in heavier traffic is helmet, jacket and gloves-rain prediction will cause pants to be added. 
 

anyway, bike gear is ‘spensive. I buy used for nearly everything ‘cept my helmet. Boots-used, gloves-used, jackets,pants, aerostich-yep, used.   Certainly can afford new, but why?.......enjoy!

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Rougar- 2nd that. There are great deals on used (often barely used) gear. But I also only buy new helmets. I think people get a bike, do the right thing and buy the gear, but they get busy with life and don't ride as much add as they expected. Their 300$ jacket hangs in the closet for 5 years. You buy it barely used for $50. Dave

Link to comment

The helmet i got is convertible , it is new and still had the stickers on it . I understand that helmets have a limited lifespan .

Also a used Tourmaster Intake 3 season jacket w/padding .

Mid height over the ankles lace up non m/c boots , and joe rocket rapid summer gloves ( not real protective but better than nothing ?)

Plan to buy kevlar jeans w/ pads , I already bought 2 pair online but sent them back b/c of sizing .

I got in-helmet speakers to listen to music so I don't wear earplugs .

My 02 R1150R windshield was directing the wind into my face so I removed it so I can hear the speakers better .

I shoot guns on a regular basis and understand the need for hearing protection .

I don't want to spend an hour getting dressed , or spend more on gear than on the bike , so I am trying to balance .

I've not taken a riding coarse but maybe .

 Thanks all for the replies .

 

 

 

Link to comment

By shopping on CL, you obviously aren't afraid of used gear and I second that.  Better to have a second hand piece of premium gear than an el cheapo new piece in my opinion.

 

Lots of great used stuff on the forums especially.  Check the site in my signature if you're looking for anything specific. 

Link to comment

I got a couple freebee padded jackets with my bike. One mesh, which is fantastic. Before that all I had was a leather jacket. Heavy, but zero padding. I feel much more secure in the padded jackets. Now, maybe my elbows and shoulders wont get completely wrecked if I go down. At first I thought it was more confidence, but no, I just feel a bit safer. I got a free pair of padded pants as well but I haven't tried those out yet.

Link to comment
szurszewski
On 4/17/2021 at 10:49 PM, duan447 said:

got in-helmet speakers to listen to music so I don't wear earplugs .


If you get the right earplugs they will not only allow you to still hear the music, but actually hear it better/at lower volume. What you’re trying to block out is all the constant background noise from wind and engine/exhaust. 

Link to comment

The recommendations above are all good, so I’ll just add that you don’t need to buy the most expensive stuff to be reasonably protected. Our marketplace—and others like those on the BMWMOA site or ADVRider—often feature good deals. Many here are fans of high-visibility jackets or helmets, and my feeling is that it is important, as well.

Link to comment
Rob Nowell
On 4/3/2021 at 3:58 AM, wbw6cos said:

Well, at least he wanted you to ride safe.   LOL

 

I would add to the boots:  just make sure they cover the ankles and can protect your feet overall.   If you wear large-sized foot wear, just make sure they are comfortable and they should not be too bulky.   You did not say which bike, but most shift levers have some adjustment to them to allow for larger feet.  

 

If the helmet ends up being too noisy from the wind, I also recommend using some sort of ear plugs.   I use the yellow/pink foam ones which helps with my Shift Cam exhaust sound (not noise, BTW) in my Schuberth C4.  I have had a few helmets over the years and to me, they all have some sort of wind noise.  Maybe it is my sensitivity to them.   Anyhoo, the ear plugs make a difference in reducing fatigue on long rides.

 

Your title brings to mind the phrase - dress for the slide, not the ride.

All boots are not created equal!  The first pair of "motorcycle boots" I purchased had very little armor inside.  What's the sense there?  My new ones have toe AND ankle protection.

Link to comment

Flip flops, sleeveless T-shirt, nice shorts.

Oh wait, that's for those grizzled old GoldWing riders!

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...