motorbike clothing.....

[Entertwainer]

new to motorbiking and feeling a little swamped with what to look for re: motorbike clothing...

i definately dont do leathers.

i commute, so i'm looking for something i can still wear my office clothes on underneath....(shirt and trousers)

i ride a CG125, so i'd like to look less of a div if possible.

particularly interested in jacket and trouser combo that have the removable inserts for impact protection (i have a friend who works for D3O that could potentially hook me up with some repalcement pads)

branded stuff i dont mind, so long as it has solid recommendations.
budget is probably £100 for the jacket, £60ish for trousers....
could push the £200 mark for the right combo though....

i can sort boots and gloves myself.

any recommendations/guidance appreciated

[ocatoro]

i've got this jacket in the green.... i wear it over all sorts, it has removable thermal layer, is waterproof and subtle for commuting.

alpinestars verona


i paid £60 or so in the lids direct sale, theyre mostly over £100 still but can be had cheaper, as in the link. [/url]
____________________
CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[Rogerborg]

If you're in a hurry, get down to the nearest J&S and have a rummage.

I wear RST textiles, at the middling-cheap end of the market. You'll get a reasonable set of those for your budget, although there are plenty of alternatives.

Look for removable thermal linings, vents, and both external and internal pockets. I'd suggest going long in the jacket to help keep water out.

However, if you can be patient, then you can scoop some proper bargains on eBay. Most my trousers are used, and all of them were bought in good condition for a fraction of the new price.
____________________
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

[Doovy]

I get changed into my smart trousers at work out of my leathers, and wear my shirt underneath my jacket.

Consider this, if possible, as you may be blinkered if trying to buy gear that is to specifically have your other clothes underneath.
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Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[Entertwainer]

yeah i'm open to getting changed (is what i did durin the colder months we had recently).
dont mind a trouser change to be honest. means i can leave them at work (less sh*t in my bag back and forth work).

[-Matt-]

Have a look at RST textile gear

Good quality CE approved and most of it should be within budget

[Muscle Bike Rider]

I'm the same as doovy, leave my suit at work, ride in wearing leathers, textiles or kevlar jeans depending on weather with my work shirt on. Get changed (5mins) and jobs a good un!
____________________
Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300

[Sako]

Have a good look through ebay for some second-hand branded stuff, you can get some top end gear at a fraction of the cost, gumtree too.

[J.M.]

I'm using some 8-9 year old RST textiles. Little wear here and there but still going strong.
____________________
2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Maimboy]

I've been wearing Hein Gericke Boost II jacket and trousers the past 10 months. Great quality, waterproof and £210 all in. Wear my work clothes underneath.

[Entertwainer]

Picked up a Thomas frank jacket at a car boot this morning, removable armour, removable inner and trouser zip along the bottom for just under £30. Pretty happy with it - new with tags too. Just got to find some trousers. Are the zips that come on the jackets universal? Will i have to buy matching Thomas Frank trousers?

[Clanger]

[Entertwainer]

Totally agree with what you're saying. But do the zips that join jackets to trousers only fit across same brand stuff, or can i it up?

[Slacker24seve...]

[-Matt-]

[mic]

[-Matt-]

Couldn't agree more with you there mic, why not is my attitude to it as well. I respect peoples opinions on it and each to their own if they want to ride without/less gear, but personally I don't go for the whole 'its uncomfortable/its hot/it looks stupid' explanations, all 3 of those multiplied by a factor of 10 will apply if you have off without decent protection - okay thats not to say leathers are the only option, but if i'm going to bother being safe putting this sh-t on everyday i figure i might as well do it 'right'.

I personally am glad and would vouch for leathers having crashed a few years ago in what i would of previously thought was an 'impossible situation' in my younger more naive biking days. No matter how safe you ride you can get some stupid c-nt do you over sadly, and in that situation i don't fancy taking chances

An old mate from school told me an interesting tale last year - he worked at Asda at the time with a guy on night shifts - the guy had a 100cc ped and wore full 1 piece leathers, everyone took the p-ss out of him 'understandably', until he got knocked off my a drunk driver one night and the leathers without much doubt probably saved his life.

I know what i'd go for personally

[mic]

when i had my first 125 i got textile jacket and trousers and looked like the mitchelin man. sold it all with the bike. later got another bike and bought another textile jacket and some hein geriche padded jeans which i wore for my last CBT.

Then i saw the leathers on ebay cheap and picked them up. havent worn the jeans or textile jacket since that day.

had my first 'off' in the early hours going to work when it was frosty and it just scratched the knee protector pad thing. was only a slow speed crash/slide but i wondered what my knee wouldve been like if i had just wore the soft padded jeans. for a slide im sure theyre fine but the hard knock with the inital impact on the road with the bike on top of me? i dunno. was a bit miffed at putting a scratch in the leather more than the damage to the bike but i think it couldve been a lot worse.

[-Matt-]

Same reason i ditched my textile gear for the work run [10 minutes] on the rare occasions i bike in summer, the armour just doesn't sit or feel right when compared to the leathers. Given enough speed and impact i'm fairly sure it'd just get nudged aside and leave the given limb/joint to absorb the impact which i don't fancy.

And as said with my off a few years ago, i'm pretty sure without the leathers [particularly a decent well fitting back protector in them] i would of been rather f-cked. Landed almost square on my back, and then slid 15 metres at about 40mph thanks to an apparently blind person doing an illegal u-turn. Miraculously i was wearing trainers [great combo ] with the leathers at the time and my feet managed to survive, but haven't gone out without boots since.

The medic that came said it was a change to see someone younger in gear who wasn't horribly mashed up by such an accident Think i'll take their word for it

[Entertwainer]

I see what people are saying about the fit of textile jackets. The armour doesn't hug your body and just feels flappy. Its better than my shell jacket for now though.
will keep an eye out for the leathers.

[UnspeedySam]

[BTTD]

[Entertwainer]

[Entertwainer]

[UnspeedySam]