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best all-around riding gear?
Greetings from new rider of Kawasaki Sherpa. So far I've had a great experience riding mostly on street but also on some mountain dirt roads. Adventure riding sounds great, but I also want to ride as basic transportation.
Here's a question with surely more than one answer: I'm about to invest in good textile gear, and I think saving on protection isn't a good idea. Given what you know about gear protection so far, if you had to buy only one set of gear to wear year round and be able to ride (almost) anywhere, anytime, what would be your best pick? Thanks, t |
hi mate. ive had a hein gericke voyager 2piece suit for 4 years now, and no complaints about the quality or waterproofing. i also like the practical bits, waterproof pockets, bib'n'brace option on the trousers, neck/mouth guard etc. zipped together with the thermal liners in its like wearing your duvet cover, fantastic on the coldest, iciest days.
the only thing i dont like about it is its billed as "all-season" but i find the jacket still too hot in the summer. ------------------ dave |
Good gear is expensive. Too bad you don't have snowmobiles there. I have a yamaha snowmobile bibs and jacket. The jacket has foam body armor and a removeable liner, hot or cold it works. The one piece of gear for cold that I personaly like is a electric vest and chaps. I use the widder brand and they work. www.wybecold.com. This is US stuff but I thought I would just give you something else to ponder. Happy trails to you.
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I don't think there is a single option that is 100% siutable for all four seasons. Location & climate etc also play a big part in your choice.
I use a Hein Gericke textile jacket with a removable Goretex liner for most of the year & a waterproof Belstaff nylon jacket with removable liner when it's raining heavily. You'll find that most experienced riders build up a collection of gear over time. Keeping old gear also provides you with an alternative to wear in the event of destroying riding gear if you crash (lol) Same with gloves, I always take a spare thicker or thinner pair to what I'm wearing in case conditions change, especially on longer trips. Steve |
Jackets - I agree with everything that's been said, I have a gorgeous warm Hein Gericke for when it's cold or when I will get wet - nice high collar etc AND a loevly Dianesse jacket for the summer - loads of armour still (not in the back though) and light on really hot days....
trousers though I ride most of the year with a pair of belstaff waterproof textiles, little foam padding in the knees (like you need it or it will do any good !?!) but nice and high waist, rear 9inch zip to connect any of my jackets to.... wear then hot days or cold days, just vary what I'm wearing underneath, shorts in the summer and work trousers through the week, jeans in the winter... never been cold OR too hot in them... but I always question what armour I could/should have.... So The Alternative I have a pair of Hood Jeans - http://www.hoodjeans.co.uk/assets/images/manbike2.gif No that's not me But they are great, know armour in the knees, Aramid lining down to the top of my boots, know hip armour for those long days out.... I raise this as I think if I was going a long way and was keeping the kit light and small - I would probably opt for this as I can carry a pair of cheap waterproof trousers for over them in the rain, I have also got a zip on the back of mine so I can connect my jackets.... cool in summer.... warm in winter.... Beets the Leather option as I can go straight out in them if I want to.... Anyway - just a thought. Tony. PS: I agree Steve P about the gloves, always got a pair of big warm ones on long days and eith my leathers or Mx Aramid/carbon gloves for the everyday use... [This message has been edited by Tony Robson (edited 11 June 2004).] |
As already stated, lots of gear to chose from. There are always trade-offs.
I wore an Aerostich Darien suit for 4 years travelling RTW, logging over 100,000 miles on the trip. Picked up my second set of gear in the third year, and still wearing same set now. If I was to do it again, I'd get the same gear. My wife was wearing when she was clipped by a delivery truck in Malaysia at 70km/h -- after hi-siding, flipping over the bike, and sliding 15 meters down the road, she was able to walk away -- bumped and bruised, with nothing broken (er, on her at least). The pants have a great zipper feature that lets you slip on/off with boots on, and fit like a pair of jeans = comfy! Jacket is a bit stiff at first, but heaps of pockets and good ventilation. Gear is made with Gore-tex, but you will eventually get wet in a long/heavy rain. No worries in a half-hour spring shower situation. ------------------ Ride safe, ride far, ride often! Chris & Erin Ratay <A HREF="http://www.UltimateJourney.com " TARGET=_blank>www.UltimateJourney.com </A> [This message has been edited by ultimatejourney (edited 21 June 2004).] |
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I use a set of goretex rainpants from Cabbelas (sp) and ther are excellent to keep the lower half dray. Can be worn over jeans on cold days as well. My wife adds a set of water proof gaitors as the pants drip into her boots. |
I've found that good quality leather pants seem to be more comfortable than the textile stuff. They seem to breath better. Even though they are generally heavier than thier textile counterparts, I prefer them. I use the BMW waterproof ones (Atlantis II). They are expensive. Paired with a good textile jacket, the two cover most weather except for the really, really hot stuff.
Kurt |
Recently I invested in a BMW jacket. Before I had Hein Gericke stuff.
since I am so happy with the BMW quality my girlfriend and I decided to switch all our gear systematicly to BMW. We find it is worth the money and the patience to save up for it. The only alternative I can think of is Glover. But that one isn't cheap eather. In the States there are some other brands that I don't know but that get good feedback. Shipping them to europe makes them quite expensive. Good gear, wind & waterproof when you want it, but well ventilated if needed, and decent protection if you've lost it... it just doesn't come cheap. [This message has been edited by fireboomer (edited 01 August 2004).] |
Though not a lover of BMW bikes I'd go for their clothing everytime. Its expensive but worth it. I'm currently touring the Americas with my better half (wife not bike although its a close call) amd the BMW stuff has been great.
Chris |
Gore-Tex and Velcro - two modern inventions that didn't keep what they promised to me.
Bought a Hein Gericke Dri-Rider suit about 3 years ago. The pants leaked badly in the crotch the first time I hit rain (unfortunately after 1.5 years, out of warranty. That's the trouble with living in biker's paradise: it hardly ever rains!). The dealer replaced them on his own nickel (HG refused), but the new ones leaked exactly the same. The jacket was waterproof until now. The velco strap at the collar doesn't like being closed... It's very warm, though, so I'll keep using it in winter. On top of that I have the problem of being tall and skinny. Everything you can buy is either too short or too large for me. I have a set of tailor-made Harro leathers. 20 years old and been through Asia they are pretty ugly now, but I think I'm going to use them again on our trip to NZ. Will take plastic waterproofs for rain. Never get wet that way. One thing: whatever waterproof you buy make sure it's labelled waterproof and make a point of testing it thoroughly in a few heavy downpours. If it leaks it goes back under warranty. ------------------ Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise, Peter. |
Peter,
Concerning Hein Gericke, I am not at all suprised with your experiences. My 'Touareg' jacket didn't hold it 25000k's. The pants, also 'Touareg', have never been waterproof. And I do about 30.000 a year. I took them back to the dealer. They tolk me they would send it to HG so that they can test the jacket. But I would have to miss it several weeks. Since I only had one jacket and the dealer couldn't provide me one in place that was no option... So within a year I could start saving money for other, more decent gear. Both pieces statet to be waterproof, but they are not using Gore Tex. Haven't bought anything from HG since. Pieter. PS: exactly the same thing happened with the velcro at the collar. Very, very irritating. |
For all of your velcro repairs, find a local sailmaker or sail repair shop. These folks will have the right stuff and the heavy duty machines to go thru even leather gear. Usta be one, I know.
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Good tip, thanks. But if you put needles through GoreTex & Co. ... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/frown.gif
------------------ Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise, Peter. |
concerning velcro's I keep an eye on the followin:
The collars where you simply put the velcro right away on the opposite part so it sticks wont last. The direct forces applied are, imho, to big and within time it wont hold. The solutions are the ones that you fold back through a loop. That way the forces applied to the velcro becomes much less and it will hold for a lot longer. Not too many yackets have this, but in the long term it makes the difference between a cold breeze down your chest or nicely cosey warm in winter. Pieter. |
I wouldnt trust gear from Hein Gerrike (sp?) either. I bought a gortex / leather jacket from them, wore it for less than a week before the fabric around the pockets started to fray... It had a woefully inadequate zip that started to come away from the bottom. When I took it back they would not give me a refund as I had had the damn thing for more than a month. They suggested that I had subjected it to unusual use. WTF? It was a bike jacket, I wore it on a bike... That I use everyday. They offered to replace it but I said that another version would do the same thing... In the end I bludgeoned a credit note from them and had to get a new lid!
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Interesting thread Guys..I was going to go to HG and buy some gear but having second thoughts now.
I need something that i can wear riding south in the winter, I'll be riding from Amsterdam to marbella in southern spain so i expect wet and cold but getting warmer once I clear the pyrenees.. |
i use a RJAYS (quite a popular brand in oz)microskin jacket with removable thermal lining.i use it along with draggin jeans/cargo pants. everyday commuting 180kms everyday rain sun watever.its warm in cold weather/ and bloody waterproof. i wear watercoated polyaster rain pants over the draggin jeans/ cargoes. dry as it can be in freezing rain/even hail.thinking will use the same setup for the outback trips without thermal lining. draggin pants have insertable knox armour.best buy. forgot wearing other jeans.fantastic value for money.
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Sorry to put the cat amongst the pidgeons but I have had a very good experiance with Hein Gericke gear. The leather bit around the crutch on my Tuareg suit developed a split (truth be told they were a bit small) after about four or five months of wearing them every day and I took them back to the shop. OK they had to send them away but, in less than a week they telephoned to say I had a brand new pair waiting for me at the shop. I wore the suit for daily for three years with no further problem and even washed it several times in the washing machine.
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mcdarbyfeast,
Did your gear stay waterproof all the time? That would be a revolution caus my former HG jacket didn't keep me dry in a long rainy day starting from the first one I had to ride through. The jacket I now have is still doing the job after about 50000k's. Tommo, Consider your riding gear as the outer shell. There soul function is protection in case of crashes, being seen in bad condition (reflective area's), protection against rain and wind. Thus: not against cold. It is better to have suitable underlayers that are multifunctional to keep you warm. For ex a true water and windproof jacket under witch you put a nice fleece that you can also use sitting out on a colder night. Same goes for pants, shirts,... have plenty of layers that you can play with depending on the conditions. That way you can also ride cool in summer or in hotter area's. Especially if the outer shell (your riding gear) has decent ventilation zippers and if you can take out the waterproof and windproof liner. I don't want switch back to a jacket without ventilation possibilities. |
Hi Im new to this site, but have many miles under my belt. Seems like everyone on these adventure bike sites must be trillion-aires. Good for you!!! I cant afford BMW or HG gear. If you research the features yourself, you'll probably agree that Filedsheer brand simply cannot be beat for the money. For the cost of a more expensive brand jacket, you can have a ce armored set of mesh summer jacket and pants, AND their very toasty "highland" one piece suit for winter. Check it out. www.fieldsheer.com Tres |
Tres,
Fieldsheer is okay, but you may want to look for good stuff on closeouts. I got my Gericke Eco Goretex jacket, a beauty, for $178 instead of $400. My riding buddy just got a Cycloak jacket very cheap compared to the orig. price. Check out motorcyclecloseouts.com. As for Beemers, I also thought I couldn't/shouldn't afford. This is the time, sales are slow, holidays coming, people need money. Look up e-bay or bmw websites listing bikes for sale which won't sell. Then try going for them. I just got a 2003 Dakar ready for touring for $6400, heated grips, ABS, all 4 BMW original cases, engine guard, centerstand. You can find older F650s in very good condition for much cheaper. I have an old junker of a car, but if I had a better one, I'd sell it for a bike http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif t |
I was always surprised by how red-faced, sweaty and overdressed everyone I met on the road was.
European overlanders seem to go to their local shop to buy an all-weather jacket without realising that "all-weather" in temperate Europe is very different from the conditions that they will face going overland. The most common weather on most overland routes is hot, or very hot. Sometimes very very hot. Europeans, especially from the north of the continent where we see the sun so rarely and associate it with holidays and fun, don't appreciate just how unhappy the heat can make you. It is a big physical strain all day in plastic, in direct sun, wearing a hat. Your body struggles to keep you at the right temperature. Overheating makes you unhappy. Bikers from the southern US have a far better appreciation of this in my experience. The other part of the problem is that no one makes clothes for overlanding, or anticipates our specific needs. The closest we have is the desert racer gear. The HG desert stuff looks great, and is pretty tough, but boy you're going to sweat. The desert racers wear it cos they have to; they are going silly speeds taking huge risks so need to absolutely maximise protection. Also, they like to suffer. It is part of the fun. You're in a different position. A lot of time is spent at low speeds, where the wind-cooling factor is low. And you want to enjoy yourself. Conclusion: you need the coolest jacket you can find with adequate armour. Why has no one has mentioned layering? This is the key to travel clothing. My vented mesh summer jacket did for all occasions. (I sent the excellently made, very expensive, and completely unsuitable aerostich back home somewhere in Pakistan). An all-in-one waterproof suit in addition to your light jacket,(cheap and packs small) will prepare you for rain and give protection against the wind. When it gets cold, you just put on as many clothes as possible. So carry a micro-fleece with you. Thermal underwear is vital. I carred glove liners: again, small and cheap. You then are prepared for all conditions. There are compromises involved here of course. But it is just too impractical to carry two sets of riding clothes on the road. There isn't the room. Simon Kennedy (now in Nantes plotting an India trip with side car...) |
Good point about the heat, Simon. All it takes is one trip to SE Asia any time of year, Florida in the summer or another tropical region to realize this. Hot, steamy weather mandates lightweight, well ventilated gear or you will be miserable.
That being said, there is no reason a person can't use two sets of riding gear on an extended trip. You could use one set of gear for one segment, send it home and have your other set shipped to you. This wouldn't be practical on a short trip, but if you are travelling for an extended period of time, taking your time to see the sights, and you swap your gear every few months, it would be no big deal on a year or longer journey. I just bought a BMW Savanna 2 jacket, which cost big $$$, but its very well made and seems to be well suited for spring, summer and fall weather and maybe winter with an electric vest. I am a bit concerned how it will do in the steamy heat of SE Asia, but if its too hot, I will ship it home and have my mesh jacket sent out. I also use the BMW Summer Pants in a khaki color, and when combined with a waterproof shell and thermals underneath, will cover just about any temperature. These pants are also great for walking around off the bike, they feel less bulky and more like regular pants...but with armor. The BMW gear is definately good stuff, and I have no problem using it, even though I am riding a Honda! -Dave |
I'm pretty happy with my Aerostich Darien jacket and pants. I bought 'em used off ebay since I couldn't afford a new set.
I've ridden in very heavy rain and got a bit damp, but not soaked. And through the heat and humidity of Northern Australia (45c/113f). With the armpit and back zippers open it wasn't bad as long as I was moving. But when I stopped the first thing was remove the jacket! They're roomy enough to layer up. I'll find out how well they take the cold when I get to New Zealand in Feb. --Dave ------------------ Trying to ride (and work) my way round the world on a 1965 Ducati 250cc. Australia, New Zealand and Japan are first. http://nokilli.com/rtw/ |
Hood jeans....
We went up to the factory near Norwich (UK) at the weekend - superb service - we spent about an hour discussing the pros and cons of the various types of armour available, the materials they used, what we needed in terms of size etc. Result? A custom fitted pair of jeans with new Knox armour in the knees (for me) and tailored fixing points for Hiprotec armour for my mate. They put on extra pockets, altered the hem width so it'll fit over boots, measured the inside leg length properly, and suggested which fabric would be best for south america. Excellent service - recommended! |
Can U post their web site or at least address and phone, please?
------------------ Salut from Southern France, the bikers' paradise, Peter. |
I agree with what Steve Pickford says-there isn´t anything that will cover you well for 4 seasons (at least in most of the world). In Spain I find that the Savanna (BMW branded but made by Schoffel) clothing gives me three seasons. Mesh would be cooler in a 40º summer, but Ive tested falling off with the Savanna and I got up unscathed and without gravel rash rash or burning.
However in winter its not enough. I have a Dainese Atlas jacket and HG trousers for that. Gloves HG cloven hoof winter mitts are great and the rest of the year I use Dainese gloves or Aerostitch Roper (which are very good). But handlebar muffs are the thing to get if cold. I have heated grips on my bike, but they don have any effect at al in the middle of winter. Additionally remember that ther outer layer does the protection thing, but your warmth is going to come from multiple layers closer to your ckin. Same rules apply as for mountain sports. I did the Elefantentreffen in Bavaria this January and riding up from Barcelona its was -6 to -12 the whole way, but it was quite bearable with several thin thermal layers under the jacket. Same with gloves, two thermal layers and one pair of winter gloves worked fine. My feet froze though! bob |
I bought some neoprene socks in a mountain climbing shop in Quito Ecuador. Basically same material as a wet suit. My feet have barely been cold since
------------------ Richb http://www.postmaster.co.uk/~richardbeaumont/60684/ |
hello,
During my trip, i was travelling with this : jacket BMW Touren, pants BMW Streetguard, boots BMW Kalahari (now called Savanna, really confortable but not as prootective compared to real cross/enduro boots), summer gloves BMW Rallye, winter gloves BMW Comfort : EXCELLENT. After more than 2 years on the road, 70 000 kms, they are as new : very strong, very protective, no problem with cold weather or rain (goretex). With hot weather, they became very hot, so in Bangkok, I had to buy Enduro style clothes. With cold weather, under those bike clothes, I was using Patagonia underwear and fleece and Ullfrotté underwear (really excellent for very cold weather). All this is a bit expensive, especially BMW clothes but everything has a price : think about it, it will be your clothes for the trip, and they last long :-) happy travels http://vincent.danna.free.fr/ |
Here's what I would take:
- First Gear mesh jacket and pants - Waterproof Goretex-lined jacket and pants (to fit over the First Gear) - Polypro underwear - Polypro sweater Combine as needed. The First Gear will protect you in a get-off. It's ventilated and all the air runs right through them. Good for very hot climates. The Gore Tex layers and polypro will keep the heat in when needed. ------------------ Kevin http://www.nohorizons.net |
hi there
i can reccomend neoprene socks as well, i use them when i go fishing in winter, sitting for hours in the cold winter, and nice toasty warm feet, and if your boots leak no problem there made of neoprene therefore waterproof. london bubble |
Anyone have any experience with "Rev It" clothing out of Holland?
Pants or jackets? Thanks |
I have to agree with kberetta, if you can only buy one set of gear the cheapest most versatile option; buy a summer protective oversuit turaeg type gear lots of vents and armour,nice and light and comfortable.( not waterproof type as they always leak anyway - unless your spending a fortune), waterproof this with a replacable very lightweight nylon two piece oversuit( if you can afford it try to get a breathable and vented option, so that covers wet riding and hot day riding and protection.(also if its hot and wet you can open all the vents and slip on oversuit its the coolest option i have ever found) add to this silk t shirt and long johns, wool jumper, 100% wool socks (get wool/fox fur socks from scandanavia these are the warmest ever) and that will cover cold weather.Believe me natural fibres outperform man made stuff every time.( i do manual work outside all year on northern uk hills in all weather - i have tried everything to keep warm in the freezing, wet and wind up here. synthetics make you sweat then you get cold.) if you really want to splash out get a electric heated vest (About £100). I have years of riding in all weather, for winter I use a rucca suit(to hot in summer) I also mix and match leather with goretex. but tend more and more to use a gericke tuareg suit cost about £140 all together the type without any waterproof liner and carry a two piece oversuit from march to october in northern uk or when touring abroad. Remember most gortex products absorb water on the outside and become heavy and take ages to dry, the so called waterproof liners usually give up after a year so then the clothing is worse than useless and they tend to be heavy and hot for summer. Also claims of breathability are somewhat misleading as you sweat to death in them in hot weather especially in town or traffic.
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I've got a wax cotton Belstaff Trailmaster which is a bit long in the tooth but still quite water resistant. Its breathable and comfy and looks better the older it gets. Its a bit like a sauna inside in really hot weather but great at other times. When it really starts chucking it down I put my Goretex climbing jacket on over the top. Works great.
Matt |
My experience is different from adventue950 and davidmc.
Both my wife and I bought the BMW Kalahari suts with the Gore-Tex liners in January of 1997 and used them for 3 years 9 months, (61,000 miles)and never had any problems with the liners. In October of 2000 we bought the BMW Savanna I suits but we kept the liners from the Kalahari suits to ues in the savanna I suits. We have used the Savanna I suits for almost 5 years (95,000 miles). For the liners that is 8 years 9 months (156,000 miles) and we have never had them leak. The Kalahari shell did hold some water but not a lot. The Savanna I, if you shook it out a little hardly held any. "Breathability" If you get hot take the liners out. adventure 950 said - "Remember most gortex products absorb water on the outside and become heavy and take ages to dry, the so called waterproof liners usually give up after a year so then the clothing is worse than useless and they tend to be heavy and hot for summer. Also claims of breathability are somewhat misleading as you sweat to death in them in hot weather especially in town or traffic." ____________________________________________ Water and other substances flow down hill. The pants liners go over the tops of your boots. The elastic cuffs on the jacket liner goes over the gauntlet on your gloves. davidmc said - "The concept of the fragile gore-tex liner being inside is a good one, as it is protected by the rugged outer layer, but wet gloves are tough to prevent with this design. You may have a similar problem with an inner waterproof layer in the pants and water running into your boots, unless you can somehow lap the inner gore-tex layer OVER your boots." --------------------------------------------- After this summer's heat we are going to get new suits, with more vents. I am getting The BMW Rally II and Jean is getting the Santiago with new liners. John |
bit more feedback, I think john ferris is probably 100% right in his breakdown of the bmw suit he uses.However what is the climate like over there and what are the costs of the BMW suit. Hugely expensive for a new rider. Obviously we have pretty contrary weather in the uk, not a summer season it rains a lot it can be hot,hot wet, cold and misty whatever all within a few hours of each other. if you have to take out an inner suit on a hot dry spell this means undressing, if it then rains do you undress again to put the waterproof liner back in the suit or if you leave it in is it cool enough on hot days?. I suppose you have to mix and match to your own choices but for me the waterproof outer suit wins every time - If your ever camping while travelling try having a wet outer goretex type suit in your tent it will never dry out and everything else gets soaked. a lightweight oversuit can be shaken virtually dry and stuffed in a bag. It all comes down to personal experience and preference and what you do with your motorbiking, what your climate is like etc etc.
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Hey guys,
i have normaly leather clothing but for witertime as well as for my trip to south america I had a Spidi Netstep jacked. The good thing about it is, that one is able to part the insulation from the jacket as well as one is able to part the gore tex (or similar) membrane seperatly from the jacket. Therefor you will never have too hot or too cold. It is also good to fit differnet sizes. And it has reflectors to be seen also during night. It also rested a motorbike crash with a bit more than 100km/h in Bolivia with nearly no damage. Think about that. Anyway, I was very satisfied with it. Have a nice ride Burnout1 |
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