Getting Dressed

[Neepling]

Hi there,
newbie biker on a 125 here.
Riding my new bikeback from Bristol to Oxford via A roads (on an L plate) I realised something...
Helmet - check
Gloves - check
Thick leather jacket - check
Boots - check
Jean - not sure

I felt my legs were very unprotected

Now I have the bike I'm thinking clothing - what would people recommend leg wise - riding a 125cc mostly in the commute to and from work I feel leathers would make me look like I was trying to overcompensate lol - what are peoples feelings/feedback on kevlar jeans etc etc
basically without going full on leather what is a good thing to wear below the belt?

cheers

John

[Aka Matt]

When I had my lil cg 125 I wore a textile jacket and textile trousers. Looked a bit of a pleb on such a small bike with full gear on but personally I would rather that then shred my legs to pieces through my jeans. I did think about getting some armored jeans but if you have ever come off a bike with jeans on you will know just how badly your legs get shredded up underneath them and its not a pleasant experience.

[AAAthreat]

Your should definitely wear some sort of moto bike padded trousers when your out and about mate no matter what CC engine the bike is. I've only wore trackies and trainers a few time for short journeys and whenever i went around corners or got above 40 I always had that wee voice in the back of my head telling me its going to be bad if i come off here.

So in short do what i done and go to J&S or your nearest bike shop and buy some textile padded trousers.

[neil.]

I ride a 125 with full armored textile kit (shoulders, spine, elbows, knees and padding around my upper thighs). REV'IT Warp jacket and Factor trousers, which were about £100 each. They are great for me because of the thermal liners that you can take out for hot weather. So far, kept me warm when it's been freezing (remember that snow we had about a month ago?), dry when it's been raining and cool when it's been hot (open up front chest pockets and back zips under the armpits for airflow).

If anything I think the extra comfort helps you concentrate better.
____________________
CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[fourten]

On my 125:

Helmet
Ixon Vega ladies jacket (has CE shoulder and elbow protection with padded back protection and a removeable liner)
Rev'it textile trousers with CE knee protectors
Alpinestar SMX-4 boots.

Definitely go for protection! Don't care what others think. I'm saving up for leathers too! How much do you value your skin and bones?

Worth the investment now as one day I'll be moving up to a bigger bike
____________________
www.artridertraining.co.uk

[Paul86]

Get some armored textile trousers.

As I found out the other day, jeans are great for looking casual and walking round in (was going to buy some kevlar jeans) but after a small drizzle of rain they were soaked.

So get some textile legs for if you ever get caught in a shower, leather jacket gloves and boots will cope with a shower, jeans just dont, trust me lol

Never be bothered of what you think people are thinking, as long as youre feeling safe, comfortable and dry it doesnt matter.

I've got full RST gear (SRT6-7 jacket gloves and boots) because I used to pillion on my mates R6 and duke 999 a lot and I dont look a tool (in my eyes) on my 125 either, just need some damn textile trousers >.<
____________________
YZF-R125

[kitty kat]

Wear the full kit, better to be safe than sorry.
____________________
Enjoy everyday, tell those you love everyday you love them
Life is too short to fall out with people

[TGR]

Full leathers here on my 125
____________________
1991 Kawasaki ZXR400L - 1999 Suzuki GS500E - 1990 Kawasaki ZX750R H2 - 1991 Honda CBR 600 - 2015 Skyteam Monkey 125

[Mudskipper]

+1 for armoured textile pants.

I have a FT pair that are well toasty - lined, windproof and waterproof. Just pull em over your normal jeans/trousers and no dramas.
____________________
CBR125|||GSXR400|||CBR400|||CBR400|||CB250RS|||GSXR750|||CB250RS
"You're clumsy, you eat too much and you behave like a 12 year old boy. But you know what? Every once in a while, you find a thumb."

[Nova66]

I still havent taken my test too, and on a 125 was really worried about walking around padded up, all the gear and no idea, but I think it's acceptable if you are being safe, rather than walking around with unneccessary equipment. I got my boyfriend some draggin' jeans for his 21st, they are cool and just look like ordinary jeans, but have a kevlar lining.

As you might guess, they are called draggin jeans as they test them by tying a guy onto the back of a car then driving up and down a concrete runway at 30-40mph. The went 60 runs before being deemed unworthy. They won't protect from bruising completely, but they are shock absorbant and super heat resistant, could be good for work runs or out on socials.

The ones I got him were the new kind called Silverbacks, on the website about £120 but I got them off eBay for around £90 (don't tell him that). They fit a bit small so you might consider going up a size. The website tells you how to measure. Hope thats useful, sorry about the essay but funnily enough I am currently avoiding writing one for uni.
https://www.dragginjeans.net/
Be warned - the less trendy ones will make you look seriously 80s.

[Kal]

I had gear pretty much like yours when I ditched my CeeGee at 40mph.

My upper body gear and boots mostly kept my legs off the deck but the split second that my knee touched down cost me roadrash.

I now have a pair of the heingericke eans which are great, but very heavy. Good winter wear though.

I also have a pair of draggin jeans Combats which are lightweight and good for the summer.
____________________
Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[adama]

Full RST leathers on my xt125
____________________
Vlogging - www.youtube.com/caprio85

CBT Passed - 24/04/08 - Theory Passed 18/07/08 - Practical Passed 2/04/09

[lofty]

I would say get some textile trousers, although I don't tend to wear as much protection on my legs as I should! I tend to wear jeans and ski trousers/thick waterproof trousers/ or horse riding chaps made of some damn tough stuff,
I don't like just riding in jeans, falling off never sounds fun, and it's not in jeans believe me, I fell off the back of a ts250 going less than 10mph... and it hurt like hell, and grazed my legs up when I binned my 50cc monkey bike in the snow!

[Dappa D]

hey john....

how was the ride back to Oxford mate??

on the subject of bike gear....

me...lid, gloves, jacket with armour, boots and normal jeans...and lightweight over trousers with armour in on there way....

Dappa
____________________
Current: Suzuki SV650s Curvy (X reg)
Previous : Suzuki GSF400 "Mini Bandit!" (J reg) :- Honda CLR "Cityfly" 125 (w reg)
www.myspace.com/mcdappad

[cheesyleps]

Felt the same way about looking like an idiot when I first started riding my 125. That soon changed when I had a 35mph off on a country road and tore the crap out of my arms. Went straight out and bought some decent textile kit the very next day (luckily the off happened on pay day).

Nothing like a bit of pain to make you care more about safety than looking good. Plus they'll get used on my GPZ when/if I pass my full test on thursday.

Chicks may dig scars, but road rash is never pretty.
____________________
"Son, some day you will make a girl very happy, for a short period of time. Then she'll leave you and be with new men who are ten times better than you could ever hope to be. These men are called Sailors."

[Stegsie]

Textile jacket & trousers with Kevlar / protestion on knees, back, arms shoulders etc - even on my 125.

Not worth taking a risk, mate.

[SilverFoxBike...]

Hi Neepling,

Go for the full gear chum. All the advice given here is good, however there is nothing more convincing than the slideshow the paramedics put on at BikeSafe which shows riders with skin literally peeled off down to the bone.

He went on to say that jeans are a fashion item and are not designed for going a bike (with the exception of the kevlar jeans of course)...he's right...and I own a set of dragging jeans!

In the meantime, enjoy your bike.

[gusto]

I have a 125 and I got Weise AirSpin trousers -- armour in the hips and knees and waterproof too -- and they don't look as crappy as they do in that pic, btw. I wear them to work and then pull them off when I get there.

Who cares if it looks like you're overcompensating? It's your skin!

[Neepling]

Thanks for all the advice guys - I'm stuck between draggin jeans or textiles.
Oh Dan the ride back was great fun, nipping along the A roads - nice bike!!

Don't worry I'll treat it well

[faddius]

Some textiles would be good, you could wear them over jeans.

Leathers, you may admittedly look like your overdressed for a 125.

Personally, I know its stupid, but I prefer to wear jeans, but I still wear leathers for long, fast trips. Its just that I find wearing full leathers is very restrictive, and personally id prefer to feel free and unrestricted so I can focus fully on riding and react faster.

Its a case of sacrificing protection in the event of a crash to be able to react faster to avoid the crash in the first place.
____________________
Children in the back of cars cause accidents : Accidents in the back of cars cause children
Riding since OCT '05 - Sym Jet 50cc, Honda Varadero 125cc, Suzuki GS500, Honda VFR750, SV650s current & in posession of Aprilia RS125, Honda NS125R

[NexusDragon]

I bought a pair of Bering all season trousers when I got myself kitted out for my Cbt. They are winter trousers with removable thermal linings and complete with knee armour. You can also get trousers that can be zipped onto your jacket, so you dont have your t-shirt or whatever hanging out the back of your trousers!

Windproof and waterproof, my trousers were actually the most expensive item that I've bought at the moment, even for textiles. I like the freedom of wearing jeans around town or down to the shops but obviously for longer trips sufficient protection should be worn before your legs start to freeze.
____________________
DAS Passed 19th April 08. 07' YBR125 > Yamaha FZ6 S2 '08 > 1998 YZF600R ThunderCat

[Moonie]