Textile Or Leathers

[Tommon]

This is my first post here So Hello !

I will be getting a 50cc in 4-5 Months when i turn 16.

I will be using it mainly for commuting to and from school and work if i get a job at 16.

And i am wondering what the best option is clothing wise ?

Obviously i'm not going to be a chav with trackies and a £20 helmet.

I was wondering whether Textiles Would do the job or whether i really should go for leather.

I'm looking at not spending to much as im still quite short and have a fair amount of growing left in me so i dont want to use them for a few months and find i need some new ones.

So which option would you choose ? (if this makes any difference i wont be getting the moped de-restricted as i only go on 30 roads )

[Tenantry13]

Go for textiles if your just commuting. A lot cheaper too.

[Derivative]

Generally I would say that leathers are better, however in your case I would say go for the gear you think you will actually wear _every time_ you get on the bike.

If you are using the vehicle to travel only a few miles at a time, you will probably get sick of having to gear up fully, so I would recommend a good pair of kevlar jeans or textile jeans that look reasonably presentable.

Jacket you may as well go leather IMO, something like https://www.motorbikecrazy.com/acatalog/weise-retro.jpg is going to look fine with a pair of jeans.

If it helps, you can get loads of good deals on eBay. I bought a brand new Frank Thomas jacket for £50 and a slightly worn pair of trousers for £20. Helmet, gloves and boots I bought new so that I could check fit.

Army surplus boots do a good job at protecting your feet as long as you are happy with lacing them often. They also look good with jeans.

Keep in mind that leathers are not waterproof - in anything other than a mild shower they will weigh you down, so you will need an oversuit (£20ish) if you plan to go out in torrential conditions. Textiles can be waterproof.

TL;DR version: Can you see yourself walking into sixth form college or work in a full set of leathers? If not, don't bother getting them because you will end up wearing normal clothes instead.

[FantasticMrFo...]

+1 for textiles, at 30mph you wont need leathers, textiles will provide adequate protection and their more waterproof, plus you can get away with getting slightly bigger than you need and padding it out underneath with jumpers etc so you wont grow out of it as fast, That's what I do on my 125, I only use my leathers on journeys of 60+ miles and when the majority of that trip are faster roads.

they're also cheaper.

do get yourself some decent boots and gloves though, IMO warm and dry hands and feet are more important than decent crash protection, and this is coming from someone who spent time in surgery and intensive care after a crash lol.

[Tommon]

Thanks you !

The amount of chavs that have told me ' oi you only need to wear a shirt ennit ' is unreal ! ' youll look like a pussy in a leather jacket ' rather look like a pussy and still have a decent layer of skin ...

Thanks for the opinions , really appreciate it

[Derivative]

[Clanger]

Both. Or a combo.
Actually whatever suits you best. What you feel comfy in.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[Rogerborg]

Some £20 crash hats have better safety ratings than £400 ones, don't dismiss them on price.

Derivative has nailed it: gear that you don't wear will offer no protection. I'd also agree completely with his suggestions: kevlar lined jeans, leather (or cordura) jacket, army surplus boots, plus separate waterproofs. You should be able to score all or most of those used on eBay or Gumtree. Look for armoured versions, impact will be a bigger issue for you than abrasion.

Speaking of which, a couple of things to bear in mind:

1) You'll be racing neck-and-neck with pushbikes. You can die at 0mph, but excess speed isn't your problem.

2) 16 year olds on scooters have by far the highest incident of accidents, 50% more even than 17 year olds.

Sorry to pull a Tef, but the biggest danger to yourself is you, and the most significant factor in your safety isn't crash gear, it's crash avoidance.

Do you ride a pushbike? If not, start now. Get out there with the traffic and learn to negotiate your way through it by realising that cagers just don't see you, and helping them to do so by signalling your intentions, being assertive and holding your line. It's hard to do, you will piss people off, but if you habitually ride in the gutter (on a pushbike or a ped) then you're making a SMIDSY much more likely.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[J.M.]

[Teflon-Mike]

Mo-Ped... abreviation of 'motorised' - 'Pedal' (Cycle)
Ie its a push-bike with a motor!
Legally limited to 31mph, a fit kid on a bmx could go faster / cause more mahem!
What would you wear on a push-bike?

Textiles will do fine!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Andy_Pagin]

[Tommon]

Thanks

i genuinely don't think i've seen a 50cc rider with more than a helmet an their tracksuit

The amount of ' you're a chav ' looks i get when i say i'm going to be riding a moped is unbelievable.

[FantasticMrFo...]

[Kradmelder]

Ooops. Busted. I am sometimes riding like this on a hot day

Vorwarts Light Infantry Hurrah!

https://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/hvandermerwe62/IMG00353-20111211-1434.jpg


https://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/hvandermerwe62/IMG00870-20110313-1725.jpg


https://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/hvandermerwe62/IMG-20120226-00309.jpg

Who me? I forgot my jacket panst and boots honest


https://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m270/hvandermerwe62/IMG-20120226-00311.jpg
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2011 KTM 990 Dakar
2009 BMW 1200 GS

[Astandane]

Check any charity shops nearby. I got some Harley boots for £21 and a Spada textile jacket for £30. The same shop also had Frank Thomas leather gloves for £3.99 and the fit was perfect.

[nathan k]

I've also just got my moped. however the first safety thing i bought was some performance parts along with an electronic restrictor. it means i can keep up with cars which i think is a lot safer than being constantly overtaken. the electronic restrictor means that if put on a dyno it only reads 30 mph.

I thought about splashing out on a leather jacket etc but i know it will only last a year so i went with kevlar jeans with this https://www.ghostbikes.com/products/on-road-gear-motorcycle-jackets/5008-black-argon-motorcycle-jacket.html#descriptiontab

and back onto the "chav" debate i'd say get a geared bike. most look like proper motorbikes.

[janner_10]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Tommon]

cant we all just get along

https://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m34dc0U38G1r0iqzb.png

[nathan k]

[Astandane]

[nathan k]

[Andy_Pagin]

[Teflon-Mike]

[WannaBeDude]

Mike, you need another project - may i suggest a TANK, something that would be challenging and hard to rob.
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Jogging on, destination living.