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What amount of gear is necessary for "really good" protection? Thinking about taking the MSF at the end of the summer, and if I like it and don't completely suck will probably buy a small beginner bike and gear. I'm planning on doing it the right way - lots of money on gear and a cheap bike that won't make me cry if I drop it. From what I can tell I'm going to need pants, a jacket (that hooks up to the pants with 360 degree zipper?), boots, gloves, back protector, knee armor, and of course a helmet. Anything I'm leaving off? I don't mind having boots that I can't wear around off the bike, and am planning on getting a pair of nice overpants. I'm not particularly worried about cost but won't be getting anything crazy like a custom made suit. My main goal is to minimize the chance of having to go to the hospital if/when I fall (spent 8 days in hospital before, which isn't even that long, and have made it my goal to avoid ever going again if I can). Also, how do contacts work out while riding? Does the wind dry them out completely? Even in my car my contacts get dry and hard to see out of sometimes, I would not want that to happen on a bike. Do certain helmets work better in this regard than other? I'd imagine ones with less airflow, but have no idea.
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May 1, 2008 09:10
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I'm taking the MSF class next weekend and figured I might as well get a pair of gloves that I'll use once I have a bike (but if they don't ship in time I'll have to use mechanic's gloves). My goal is to eventually be doing some freeway commuting for decent distances in southern california, so while it might be a little cold in the winter it should be pretty warm most of the time. Would something like these be good? http://www.revzilla.com/product/alpinestars-sp-2-gloves-closeout The odd thing is according to their size chart, my hands are a medium, but I usually wear XL for most gloves, and have trouble fitting into one size fits all gloves. According to the comments, those gloves run small, so I wonder if I'd need 2XL.
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Oct 2, 2012 00:25
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If the average temperatures for the next 6 months are going to be between the high 40s / low 50s and the mid 70s, would I want winter or summer gloves? I'd imagine the winter gloves are for places that have a much colder winter, but then I'm not sure how much riding people do where it snows.
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Oct 4, 2012 05:38
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I need to get a helmet/jacket/pants, is it strongly recommended to get bright colors over black? All the nice brands seem to have reflective stripes on them anyway, but I'm thinking of higher visibility at daytime.
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Jun 14, 2016 17:54
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Is this wine red helmet too dark? I'm just not feeling the yellow or bright red. Maybe a better question is wine red, or white?
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Jun 14, 2016 22:19
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builds character posted:protip: best hi-vis gear is a wheelie. Put reflective tape on your front wheel for extra vis. Already working on that, along with getting the loudest pipes possible. I'll go check out the local store and see what options they have, but I may just end up with white. *edit* I'm pretty sure I'm going to spend as much on gear as I did on my bike, but I really, really hate hospitals.
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Jun 15, 2016 02:55
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I have an Alpinestars Viper Air jacket, I bought that model in particular because it has a zipper connection for Alpinestars pants. I haven't bought a pair of pants yet, but I realized the jacket seems a little short on me (I'm 6'3"). Are most of their pants going to be extra high waisted and be able to connect with the jacket without restricting movement?
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Jul 26, 2016 19:01
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I had a friend who had his jacket ride up and lost a bunch of skin on his lower back, which is why I'm making sure to get pants that zip to my jacket. I'll get a one piece eventually, but at least my mesh isn't too bad right now when it's the mid-90s as I'm riding.
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Jul 27, 2016 00:23
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Tree Dude posted:I think I'm going to grab an rf1200 eventually. I've not heard a bad thing about it. Will have to buy a secondary visor for it which bumps the cost up but so it goes. You can get a photochromic visor that automatically transitions from clear to tinted. I haven't purchased it yet, but it's on my list of things to buy. https://www.amazon.com/Shoei-Shield-CWR-1-PHOTOCHROMIC-photochromic/dp/B017XHWKZU
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Aug 1, 2016 20:01
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I need to get a pair of pants, and I'd like to stick with A* because I already have a jacket from them and I want a zippered connection between the two. I thought the over pants would be decent, but I saw a pic somewhere of some that crashed and they didn't seem like they held up very well (maybe the crash thread here). I'm open to over pants or regular pants, it seems like the regular pants may be more protective. The A-10 pants looked like the best option, but every site is out of my size. I could try one size bigger, but I'm worried they may move around too much in a crash. The only other options I've seen (under $300) are: Oxygen air over pants AST-1 WP pants Or I could just ignore my budget and pay $400 for their missile airflow pants, but I was trying to avoid leather as I live in SoCal and have been riding when it's 90 to 100 degrees outside. Recommendations?
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Sep 2, 2016 18:22
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Has anyone used one of the photochromic visors for the RF-1200? They're the ones that automatically darken in sunlight, then clear up as it gets dark. They seem cool, but some of the amazon reviews say they stop working after 4 or so months, and they're also very pricey ($160). Alternately I can get a sweet looking gold mirrored one.
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Sep 14, 2016 17:12
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What about riding into the sunset? That's what's really killing me right now.
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Sep 14, 2016 18:39
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Thanks, I'll avoid spending the money on it right now and get a cheaper tinted lens.
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Sep 14, 2016 21:27
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I've been reading the crash test thread, so now I'm ready to get a proper pair of boots. Looks like the A* SMX-5 boots are gone (at least in my size), are the SMX-6 the new hive mind boot? Just looking for something under $300, and I don't really care about walking in them. I wouldn't mind a non-A* boot since their sizes correspond to 12.5 and 13.5, and I'm a 13 (US).
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Oct 6, 2016 01:24
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I'll try to go check them out, my feet fit fine in most shoes, but I had a hard time finding dress shoes that didn't cramp my toe. I wonder what the chances are of Cycle Gear having them in stock in 13?
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Oct 6, 2016 02:45
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Skreemer posted:Motorcycle superstore is having a end of year close out on MotoCentric riding gear and accessories (boots pants gloves jackets) How are their stands? For $15/piece, I think I'm just going to try them out.
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Oct 17, 2016 16:50
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Sweet, I just wanted one for chain and other basic maintenance in my garage. For anything more complicated than that, I have a local motorcycle shop where you can rent a bay for $15/hr or $60/day, with every tool possible.
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Oct 17, 2016 21:23
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Moto Republic They even have a tire balancing machine, but it requires you take a one time $25 class to use it. Still cheaper than paying most of the other shops in the area. I had them put two new tires on my bike, their price per tire was the same as ordering the tires online.
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Oct 17, 2016 23:15
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My A* spine protector that fits in my jacket doesn't cover my lower spine (I'm 6'3"). Problem?
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Oct 27, 2016 17:05
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Tree Dude posted:How seriously should I take the warnings about not using the pinlock visor insert that came with my Shoei on the tinted visor? Was it a tinted pinlock insert? I've been meaning to get a pinlock insert, but I hadn't heard anything about not using the clear ones on a tinted visor (not that it isn't a thing though).
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Nov 17, 2016 19:57
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I feel like the El Bajo's are 80% of the way there to being worn with a suit, and I'd convince myself it could work, but my wife would take one look and say no way.
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Nov 30, 2016 18:14
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Anyone have a rough idea of how many liters of storage I'd need in a tail bag to store a jacket, pants, boots, and gloves? 20L enough?
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Dec 5, 2016 22:49
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Textile jacket but I may upgrade to leather soon, A* KR-1i back protector, regular sized boots. The problem is I have a 2007 Daytona 675 so my options for bags and luggage are extremely limited from what I can tell. Most of the bags you'll find are for the newer models. I did find someone that makes a pair of saddle bags for the bike, but they were $550 (and I can't find them right now). I don't commute to my own office, but to other people's offices, so I can't really just bring all my poo poo inside with me (and I need to be wearing a suit). I could always run a long locking cable through my jacket and part of the bike I guess, or do a tail bag plus a tank bag. I'm not super worried about leaving gear in a bag that's not locked for most of the places I visit (parking garages in high rise buildings), but maybe that's stupid.
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Dec 5, 2016 23:48
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I think this counts as gear - I found a good way to lock my helmet to my bike. Finally a use for all those gun locks I have lying around. My bike didn't come with a helmet lock, but I like this way better because it's through the helmet instead of the d-ring.
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Dec 6, 2016 21:16
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Deeters posted:I almost asked if you were worried it would scratch your paint It actually isn't really in a spot that will scratch, and I try to avoid making the bike worse, despite the PO's road rash. A new tank is $750, so for now it's just added character.
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Dec 6, 2016 22:56
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An accidental downshift could be a lot of fun, depending on the bike and what gear you're in.
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Dec 13, 2016 20:47
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Should my RF-1200 have come with the pinlock insert? I bought it a while ago but didn't read the manual until today, and I noticed it talks about it coming with a pinlock insert. I may have just misplaced it when I got it, but i don't think it did. I always have my gold tinted visor on anyway, but I need to find some solution for fogging.
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Jan 10, 2017 05:24
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I did buy from Cycle Gear, good guess! It was long enough ago though that I'm probably screwed. I'll check my closet again, maybe it fell out somewhere. The fact that I can't breathe through my nose really helps gently caress up my visor, even with the breath guard installed (which also makes it slightly uncomfortable on my nose). I haven't heard great things about coatings, so I guess I'll have to spend the money on a pinlock lens. I've just been riding with the visor up when it fogs, but freeways speeds in the rain kind of sucked with it open.
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Jan 10, 2017 21:14
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I've been squiding it for too long and just wearing dickies and doc martins on the bike. I'd like to get some proper protection, but I'm torn as to what to get. I have an A* jacket, so I'm leaning towards A* pants so I can zip my jacket and pants together. I remember seeing someone in the A* textile overpants crash in them on here a long time ago and they didn't seem to hold up well at all, so I"m leaning towards A* leather pants. At that point, I may as well get one of the A* SMX pairs of boots, although there are apparently 4 million different versions of it. The only issue is if I'm going somewhere to hang out versus a ride in the canyons, I'll look like I just came in from the Isle of Man TT. Option 2 would be some kind of kevlar jeans and a boot more like this. I'm not super convinced of the protection of jeans and boots like that, so if I'm only going to buy one set of boots and pants right now I'm tempted to go all out and get leather pants and real boots, then just look boy racer at lunch with friends. Ideally I'd have the more casual clothes for shorter, closer rides, and the more extreme protection for longer / faster rides, but I don't want to drop that much cash right now. Do most people on here just end up with tons of different gear?
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Jan 16, 2017 23:44
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alr posted:My dude this is unironically one of my fav things about motorcycling Well I bought the A* SMX plus vented boots, so I guess Isle of Man TT look it is. Figured I may as well go all out now, and have less protective gear later. Now I have the fun of finding A* leather pants that fit right, apparently they're meant for Italian men who skip leg day. Not that I'm great about leg day, but I think I'll have to get ones loose in the waist from what I can see on the comments. I guess if it zips to your jacket it doesn't matter as much (until you take your jacket off and walk around).
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Jan 17, 2017 19:48
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Lynza posted:Most modern gear comes with a zipper that can zip to anything Holy poo poo, that's a game changer for me. I figured the zippers wouldn't match up or some poo poo, I dunno.
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Jan 18, 2017 01:16
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Got my A* SMX plus vented boots, here's a quick review. They fit surprisingly well, I got a size 48 which is officially 12.5 in US sizes, but I wear a 13 and they're great. A tight fit at first, but I wore them for hours tonight and they definitely break in quick. They have nice amenities like the zipper has velcro which sticks it in place, along with the lace tightener. The pretty much look like ski boots, and feel more like snowboard boots, but i wanted foot protection and I feel like it provides a fair amount of that. I can fit most of the boot under a pair of dickies, so they don't look that bad, but once my leather pants come and I have to tuck them in, they will look slightly ridiculous. The vents are actually very effective, they're almost too effective in the mid-50s in LA at speeds above 40mph. I think my fashion high tops keep my feet way warmer, but not protected at all. The biggest surprise is how much they gently caress up my muscle memory when I'm riding. I may be one of the few sport bike riders who's a big rear brake fan, but on my first trip out they really hosed up my rear brake feel. I stalled at a stop sign trying to go uphill because apparently I used too much rear brake compared to my clutch / throttle usage, and I must have dragged the rear brake enough to stall the engine. I was able to compensate with more throttle after that, but I didn't realize how much of my riding skills were based on very minor variations in clutch / throttle feel. It's probably one of those things like trying to ride without gloves now, it just fucks me up, but my first 20 mins on the bike today felt like I was learning all over again.
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Jan 27, 2017 07:47
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Finally got a pair of A* missile airflow pants (in the mail, through revzilla), but I can't zip up my boot with the pants inside the book (A* SMX plus). Otherwise the boots fit fine, so I don't think a larger size is a good idea. Thoughts?
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Jan 30, 2017 20:00
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Supradog posted:What where you wearing underneath your pants? How thick socks? Nothing under the pants (except boxers), and my socks are just regular athletic socks. I ordered a size Tall since I'm 6'3", but I'm wondering now if I got the regular if it'd get enough material out of the boot to let it close. The knee armor felt a little low on my leg to me anyway, but I was just trying the pants on sitting in a chair, not on the bike. Since I'm not going to bother wearing leather pants without my boots, I don't think it matters if the pants go all the way down my leg.
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Jan 31, 2017 21:40
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-Inu- posted:Compare and contrast the way your pants fit to this: Thanks for this post, it was super helpful! It actually answered a lot of questions I had, like the pants feeling dumpy/saggy in the rear end. I tried harder and realized I can get my boots to zip over my pants, so I'm keeping the A* pants. They're not the most comfortable thing to wear, but they do feel thick.
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Feb 13, 2017 22:24
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My A* smx plus are actually pretty comfortable, and they're small enough I can fit dickies over them so only the bottom part of the boot is sticking out. It still looks like you're wearing ski boots, but it's not as obvious as when I have leather pants tucked in.
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Feb 23, 2017 17:18
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Just to jump on the A* SMX+ bandwagon, I have big rear end feet (size 13 and too wide for a lot of dress shoes), and the boots are really comfortable. I've come home after riding and started doing poo poo around the house in them, then remembered hours later I need to change into shoes. It feels a bit like a ski boot when you're walking around, but a comfortable ski boot. But I'd just go to a store and try on lots of boots. *edit* Maybe other people have an easier time adjusting, but I'd recommend wearing them around town a lot before you go to the track. They messed up my muscle memory and made me hit the rear brake a lot harder than I meant to, so I stalled a couple of times on hills adjusting to them. Now they feel normal and normal shoes feel weird, but there was an break in period.
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Mar 13, 2017 21:49
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Is there a pair of reusable ear plugs that is the CA standard recommendation? For shooting I have a huge box of 3M foam plugs (and I know the proper insertion method), but I'd like to get a reusable pair. I don't mind paying for a custom pair if that's better, I already have tinnitus so cost isn't a huge issue if the quality is that much higher.
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Mar 22, 2017 06:32
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The main issue with the disposable foam ones is I do a lot of rides that are 10 miles or less on the freeway, so I don't bother with the disposable because I'm lazy to sit there and roll them up (which takes all of 10 secs). I was thinking reusable ones I could pop in would make it more likely I'd wear them all the time, although I might just lose them. I'm on the stock exhaust but it's not like my bike is quiet, especially over 8k rpm, but the wind noise is my main concern. I was wrong about my foam plugs, I'm using howard leight max ones. Those Hearos look like they may be easier to insert, I may try a box of those. I think I'll pick up Pokie's pair, but have a dr make the impression rather than DIY at home. The instructions sounded a bit sketchy. mentalcontempt posted:Our MSF instructor recommended the ones linked below, but I'm just using cheap foam plugs from Wal-Mart. I saw those and was wondering about them. A fair amount cheaper than Pokie's, but if they end up hurting or being uncomfortable you're out for the cost of a huge box of disposable plugs.
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Mar 22, 2017 17:01
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| # ¿ May 7, 2024 01:29 |
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Do the sticky mounts with 3M tape for the Countour cameras hold up to high speed riding?
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May 24, 2017 18:50
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