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I live here in the New York metropolitan area, and while I do have an EX250 (and it is indeed very good), my bike of choice for the city is my GN125. It has a top speed of about 63 mph on a good day, and you'll usually never get anywhere near that. The GN125 is a standard motorcycle. It also weighs 232 lbs and has all the presence of a bicycle. Lightweight motorcycles are so easy to use here around the city, that they have an extra advantage over other bikes. Moving it around (for parking or whatever) is a breeze. You know how 2nd ave. and York ave. heading towards the Queensboro (now Ed Koch?) Bridge is always backed up around the afternoon? One time, I just hopped off of the bike I had at the time, an XT350 (a dual-sport, by the way, which also weighed around 250 lbs.), turned it off, and started walking it up the streets on the sidewalk. I was making way better time than if I were a car.
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May 4, 2019 03:24
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| # ? May 18, 2024 01:09 |
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Can anyone recommend some gloves that: 1) have knuckle protection 2) are relatively comfortable/warm 3) are preferably made of leather, and preferably available in brown or tan 4) aren't ludicrously expensive but aren't cheaply made?
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May 5, 2019 03:22
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Heath posted:Can anyone recommend some gloves that: Price range would help us direct you. Errbody got different definitions of expensive.
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May 7, 2019 02:15
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Ideally below 30, at most 60.
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May 7, 2019 02:49
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Try to find some on heavy clearance, which kills your ability to brand shop, or try to find some lightly used on ADVRider. Maybe post a want ad there. I got a pair of Alpinestars SP2 from a user in this forum that way. These look pretty good. Basically, your price range is the minimum new undiscounted price you'll pay to get good stitching, slidable hard bits, and a secure wrist strap. How important are your hands to your quality of life? It doesn't take much to do permanent damage. I've never paid more than that for good gauntlets, but it takes some deal shopping. There's a Cycle Gear in Lakewood and Performance Cycle in Aurora. Go try some on there, and then check reviews on Revzilla in the store. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 04:27 on May 7, 2019 |
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May 7, 2019 04:18
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A* is most likely going to be your best bet, but you're also mostly under the $$ territory of getting things that are worth crashing in (new*). I'd suggest pinching a few pennies and putting yourself in the $75-$120 range as there's plenty of good options or looking for gloves in that price range and your size used on forums or older models in the discount bin as suggested above. Everyones financial situation is different but please don't cheap out on gear. It might seem expensive but the one time you need to use it is the one time you'll regret saving $50.
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May 7, 2019 12:53
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You've made me remeber that I've had my current gloves a couple years now and they leave my wrist exposed, I can do better. Can I get a recommendation for good summer gloves, with a "semi-gauntlet" (?). I have sender hands and fingers and normally wear a medium. I need my hands and would spend more for the best protection, what are my options at, say, $100 and $200? Can they cost more?
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May 7, 2019 17:41
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Jack B Nimble posted:Can they cost more? Ha. Hha ha hah. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
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May 7, 2019 18:19
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Jack B Nimble posted:You've made me remeber that I've had my current gloves a couple years now and they leave my wrist exposed, I can do better. Can I get a recommendation for good summer gloves, with a "semi-gauntlet" (?). I have sender hands and fingers and normally wear a medium. I wear these in the summer https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/revit-cayenne-pro-gloves. I think they are a reasonable combination of protection and warm weather comfort. The adjustment strap is surprisingly effective.
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May 7, 2019 18:42
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For $100 you can get Alpinestars SP-2 gloves, or for $270 you can get what seems to be pretty popular in CA, Knox Handroid gloves. A* also has the GP line of gloves which should be around $200. I thought my A* SP-2 felt solid until I bought Handroids, now the SP-2 feel pretty light on protection in comparison. I used to wear my SP-2 gloves if I was going to a concert and leaving my gloves in my tank bag, but now I just wear the Handroids and hope for the best. I lock my helmet to the bike by resting it on top of the tank bag and running a thick chain through the area above the chinbar on the helmet and the triple tree on the bike, once it's locked it's hard to open the tank bag anyway.
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May 7, 2019 18:44
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Those handroids look beefy as hell; if you own them do you think they breathe well, and do you put you jacket sleeve over the glove or into the gauntlet?
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May 7, 2019 19:38
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If you want something to tuck into a jacket get the shorty pod version. They breathe pretty well, but can be a bit warm when you hit above 80f in the shade. It also depends on your movement speed etc.
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May 7, 2019 20:17
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Jack B Nimble posted:You've made me remeber that I've had my current gloves a couple years now and they leave my wrist exposed, I can do better. Can I get a recommendation for good summer gloves, with a "semi-gauntlet" (?). I have sender hands and fingers and normally wear a medium. I have a pair of these and love them. https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/dainese-druid-long-d1-gloves
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May 7, 2019 20:22
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I've been wearing my A* SP2s for a few years now, and I never notice my hands getting hot in the summer. Sure, they sweat and get warm, but I've never been uncomfortable. If it's hot enough for my hands to be uncomfortable, I'm usually pretty hot everywhere else. I'm in front range Colorado. It gets hot here, but not like Phoenix/Las Vegas/Los Angeles hot. I wear mine over my leather jacket, whose sleeves are very snug, and under my mesh/textile dual sport jacket, whose sleeves are fairly roomy.
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May 7, 2019 20:25
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I only wear TIMAX
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May 7, 2019 20:52
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handroids look like rear end
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May 7, 2019 21:22
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right arm posted:handroids look like rear end Handrrhoids
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May 7, 2019 23:12
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I started with lovely $30 offroad Bilt gloves, which I lowsided in. They got torn up., but luckily I wasn't injured. I would highly discourage anyone from buying new gloves under $100. Think about it this way - like most people you probably earn a living with your hands. If you are in a minor crash that injures them you can no longer make money. Hands are worth protecting. Ideally buy some used gloves from a goon or advrider forums at 50-66% discount. FWIW I have Dainese Druid D1 Long, Handroid Mk4, and Held EVO Titan gloves. They are all fine gloves. I wouldn't trade anything for Titans though.
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May 25, 2019 07:44
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Order of importance in gear (IMO) Head Torso Hands Feet rear end Arguably hands could go to second on the list and I'd personally rather have really good gloves and an Ok jacket than the other way around.
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May 25, 2019 13:49
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Torso is below feet for me. Feet and hands have all those small bones that are easy to break.
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May 25, 2019 16:42
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What qualifies a good jacket? I have a decent leather one but I'd like to get something with some real armor in it. It's hard to distinguish which products are worth a poo poo or what a realistic price range is. Stuff varies from less than a hundred to over a thousand.
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May 25, 2019 17:44
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A good quality leather motorcycle jacket starts at maybe $350. The main things that you want are a full thickness hide, strong stitching, and CE 2 armor (hard pieces in pockets in the elbows and shoulders, optionally on the spine). Liners, vents, and other features are nice to have but not critical to safety. If you get something from one of the big names (I've mentioned a few in the OP; Alpinestars, Dainese, Revit, RS-Taichi, etc) it will be fine. I'm not as familiar with the American style gear (speed and strength, Joe rocket, etc) but in general if you buy at the 350 and up price point you should get something that's good. Textile (nylon) jackets are good down to about $200 assuming they're from a good name and have the right armor. Remember two things about buying gear: 1) if you crash in cheap gear and it rips apart and your skin gets sanded off, you will be kicking yourself for not spending the extra $200 up front 2) the only gear that matters is gear that you'll wear. If there's a jacket that fits you really well and you really like the look of it and it's $600, or there is one that's $300 but it's kind of uncomfortable and ugly, get the $600 one so that you'll actually use it
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May 25, 2019 17:57
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get a mesh jacket with ce armor, anything else is too fuckin hot
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May 25, 2019 18:14
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Razzled posted:too fuckin hot You aren't riding fast enough
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May 25, 2019 18:19
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If you want to have an actual ride whatever the weather and in comfort and safety the entry point is about $600 for the jacket and upper body layers. Cordura only is single spill jackets, reinforced elbows and shoulders are a must. Talisman and other "super fabrics" in key areas are signs of a good jacket. You want goretex pro shell or equivalent bonded to the outer layer, not as a zip in liner. Zip in liners means the outer shell and pockets are soaked with water drastically increasing temperature loss. Even with a proper bonded outer shell the wind chill and water transferred heat loss is significant. On the other hand you want enough ventilation for hot days. This means direct to body vents and even more important proper rear exhaust vents. Nice features here are good zip pulls to use with gloves on, mesh in the openings that are not against the your body (hello wasp) and straps that holds the vents open against wind pressure. Get merino t-shirts and a range of 2nd layers with different thicknesses to further increase comfort for the given temp. A good 2nd layer also works as the sweater you can wear when you get to your destination. Klim and rukka has jackets with these features. Dainese, revit and alpinestars has 1-2 in their range.
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May 25, 2019 22:37
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I prefer having separate poo poo weather and good weather jackets fwiw. I really like icon Raiden jacket for poo poo weather at a good price point.
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May 25, 2019 23:18
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Yeah and that's kinda my point. If you spend the money you don't need 2 jackets. You can starts near freezing with all vents closed and take off your 2nd layer and open up when the sun is beating down mid day. The more comfortable you are all day the more you can enjoy yourself and focus on your actual riding.
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May 25, 2019 23:42
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Joe Rocket Alter Ego 3 jacket, full mesh chassis with codura back and arms, decent protection on the elbows shoulders and back, and comes with a water proof outer shell. I've crashed in one and it held up well, no split seams or anything and only wore through to the padding on the shoulder and elbow when I impacted and slid across the ground. http://www.joerocket.com/textile-jackets/alter-ego-30
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May 26, 2019 00:00
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Supradog posted:Yeah and that's kinda my point. If you spend the money you don't need 2 jackets. You can starts near freezing with all vents closed and take off your 2nd layer and open up when the sun is beating down mid day. The more comfortable you are all day the more you can enjoy yourself and focus on your actual riding. I have a Klim Badlands and have ridden in it in 100+ F. It's decent, but I would rather not do that if I can help it.
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May 26, 2019 00:36
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I am fine in my Dainese solid leather jacket (t-shirt underneath) up to 100F as long as I'm moving. It sucks to get stuck in traffic, but you're on a motorcycle so you shouldn't be anyway. Skip the gauntlet gloves in hot weather and crack the zipper about three inches down and you'll get a nice air blast up your sleeves and out the neck. You don't need one jacket that does everything all the time. Sure, it's a benefit if you're going to go camping in the freezing mountains and descend to the boiling central valley three hours later wearing all the same gear. I do that about once a year, and I just bundle up in the morning when it's cold and then stop later at a gas station and take off a bunch of layers. No big deal.
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May 26, 2019 00:58
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Also, for really nasty weather, I've just given up and gotten a one piece rainsuit (bilt). It's cheap, is the ultimate solution for keeping you dry in a downpour, and I can just wear mesh/textile the rest of the time. Downside is you cant just zip things up when you get a quick shower. I went down in my firstgear kathmandu ONCE and welp there goes my weatherproof $300 jacket.
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May 26, 2019 03:51
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Otoh I went down in Badlands jacket and it is fine. There is a tiny literal somewhere near the stomach though :<. So may be it is not.
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May 26, 2019 06:48
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How often are you guys planning on crashing?
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May 26, 2019 07:43
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I prefer bonded waterproofing layers a la GoreTex too, but even with good venting those jackets are torture for summer riding if you live somewhere humid, especially in traffic. 4-season riding gear is a myth unless you live in central/southern California or you don't care if you're drenched in sweat when you get where you're going. I have one set of gear with a GoreTex shell for spring/fall/winter that I layer or use an electric liner under if it's really cold, and another set of summer gear that gets brought out around this time of year (Rukka made with Cordura AFT). I also have a separate rain suit but I don't bring it along unless I'm going on a road trip. If I get caught in the rain in the summer, I just deal with being wet. Doesn't happen very often and when it does it's usually a relief from the heat. Jazzzzz fucked around with this message at 08:59 on May 26, 2019 |
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May 26, 2019 08:56
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ImplicitAssembler posted:How often are you guys planning on crashing? I like to do it yearly to keep me humble.
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May 26, 2019 15:05
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ImplicitAssembler posted:How often are you guys planning on crashing? I plan on having a crash every time I get on the bike, that's why I wear my gear. I ride a lot, practice my skills and take/re-take a riding class every 3 - 4 years to keep my skills up so I have the skill sets to actually avoid and not get into crashes. Plan for the worst, train to make the best outcome you can. (I also have a tailpack on the bike at all times with a few extra tools beyond the one that comes on the bike, 2 clip type master links, a 2 person first aid kit and a tire repair kit with CO2.) Skreemer fucked around with this message at 15:14 on May 26, 2019 |
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May 26, 2019 15:10
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HI Y'all, still didnt get my motorcycle license. Driving teacher got sick which meant my last driving class was cancelled and so were my driving and handling tests. Then I went to Japan for two weeks and came back and now my classes and tests are scheduled for end of june  I'm Pretty bummed since its been crazy nice weather here and I was hoping to be driving with my dad when I got back here.Anyhow, Im back looking at bikes, saw a Ninja 250 for 3000 euros in a reasonable condition, but since im a fatty fat fat Im still somewhat suspicious. I still like how Kawasaki ER-5 looks, but I dont know anyone who has ridden one, so if you have any experiences, I would appreciate them. Other thing, I fell in love with the Vstrom in Japan, I found a 2008 600cc Vstrom with 42 000km for 5000 euros, is this a bad first bike? I also bought some touring mapples in Japan, and trying to sell the idea to go bike riding in Japan to my dad, who has done multiple 3000km trips in Europe 
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Jun 1, 2019 10:23
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Patrocclesiastes posted:HI Y'all, still didnt get my motorcycle license. Driving teacher got sick which meant my last driving class was cancelled and so were my driving and handling tests. Then I went to Japan for two weeks and came back and now my classes and tests are scheduled for end of june The ninja 250 is the go to bike because it is very widely available and will teach you how to ride better than other bikes because having a lower power bike increases your margin for error and teaches you how to do commonly necessary things like turn left and also right instead of just hang on and try not to loop it. It is a common misconception that you need to be able to go fast to avoid danger so need something that you can twist the wrist and immediately hit plaid. If you buy a ninja 250 it will feel very fast at first. It is not. Then it will begin to feel very slow. It is not. This will be because you have become accustomed to its acceleration. And because you are not yet a good rider and do not appreciate its handling characteristics. Almost everyone should buy a 250 and ride on it for two years and then maybe switch. Nobody does this. Because their goal is not to be the best rider but to have fun and they are bad at assessing their own level of ability. All that said, motorcycles should make you happy and a v strom is fine for your first bike.
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Jun 1, 2019 13:24
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I did a Ninja 250 basically daily for about 2 years as my first bike. Was worth it and probably contributed to my accident free riding ever since. Dumb ol me got a 1000cc as the second bike. Then a 1250. I am dumb though and will eventually do the sensible thing and get rid of it in favour of a lighter, smaller middleweight with ABS. But because I can't stop being dumb it will probably be an Aprilia Shiver.
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Jun 1, 2019 13:34
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250 is absolutely good and great. I started on an ex500 - a bit more power, slightly lower revs, fatter - and feel that it was a good choice to learn on. Even though i have  literbike now, I still ride the ninja regularly too. with the fz1 i have to be extremely throttle-careful, whereas on the ninja i can dig in a little bit. very forgiving. Also if i drop it or if somebody door whacks it in a parking lot, I don't give a poo poo. it's an old ninja. I'm selling it to a buddy this year, but i will probably turn right back around buy something 250-300 cc to toss around town and squeeze in tight parking spots.
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Jun 1, 2019 15:12
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