What gear and from where

[souar]

Hey I know this has probably been asked and discussed a lot before but not found anything to hand on the forum.

Just passed my CBT and looking for a bike, therefore obviously also looking for the right gear to wear. I know this is a very subjective thing and a lot of it is down to personal preference and what suits you best but I was wondering if anyone could firstly point me to the best places to look online for kit (and any stores in Hampshire, mostly around the portsmouth area) and secondly the most reputable and popular brands out there?

I'm looking to spend roughly £300 on everything (this is flexible to a degree) with around half of that going onto a helmet. This seem like a reasonable figure or am I way off?

Thanks!

[J.M.]

My helmet cost me £40. My spare one cost me less.
https://www.lidsdirect.co.uk/

As for gear... can't really go far wrong with textiles. I'm wearing 2pc textiles which zip together made by RST. They've lasted for years + an accident and still have loads of life left in them. Still respectably waterproof too.

Don't know where to buy gear online. My 2pc textiles are my Dad's... he sold his bike before I got my licence so I took the gear as it fitted me.

As for boots I bought some armoured ones by Nitro for £50 on eBay. Okay quality, not the best. Very waterproof to begin with but almost a year later they let water in and are slightly falling apart. Still wear them though.

Gloves I have buffalo ones with armoured knuckles. Birthday present from my uncle so again no clue as to price or where to buy.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[souar]

Fantastic, hadn't found these guys before but taking a good look at the moment!

Just found that there's a J&S store down the road from me, anyone got any comments on them, seem like a popular nationwide company so thought I'd go take a look.

[guile]

Ghostbikes.com and ebay are the cheapest places to pick up good stuff. Also, use google shopping if you are looking for specific models. Some decent stuff on topgearsuperstore.com too.

Buffalo is a really good budget brand IMO. The only thing I spent over £50 on was the helmet. Don't pay for the brand name.

[cimbian]

[Flatbadger]

It's important that you try the helmet for size, even if you visit a shop then order online..


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If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
You're in ISIS

[cimbian]

[illuminateTHE...]

RST TRATECH gloves, jacket, trousers GET EM

[Rogerborg]

J&S have a decent selection and reasonable prices. My local store is staffed by sensible types, I can't speak to your one.

That said, there's always loads of used bike gear on eBay, and you can save a lot (or go upmarket) if you don't mind inheriting someone else's ball armpit sweat.

Looking out the window, I'd also recommend textiles (i.e. cordura) for a first set. Not as protective as decent leathers, but more all-weather. That said, my low end "sinaqua" lined RST jacket is beginning to seep, and re-proofing hasn't sorted it. You pay more for goretex branded textiles, but it might be worth it (I wouldn't know, I'm Scotch).

The other option is leathers with separate waterproofs over the top, which is what I'd recommend for properly lashing it down weather.

Boots, well, I like my goretex lined army surplus boots. They lack ankle support, but other than that they're do-anything footwear - people meet the queen wearing them. £35 or so delivered for grade 1, hard toecap, thick, solid sole, grippy, properly waterproof.

[souar]

Cheers for all the replies, been really useful information!

Popped into J&S this morning and they seemed useful (annoyingly work call dragged me away) but spent the day looking on their website plus some overs. Plan on heading back there with one of the guys from the office who's ridden for years so I can get her opinion and knowledge as well sometime this week.

I know obviously the more you spend on a helmet the better features/comfort you're going to get but if I spend sat £30-£50, can you still pick up a reasonable helmet?

As for other gear, there seem to be an abundance of Kevlar jeans on ebay something which I'm really keen on, anyone got any experience and opinion of these?

Jacket I was going for something off of ebay, they all seem so expensive online and in store, even those on offer. We were told to only buy a jacket if both the jacket and armour are labelled with the CE mark. RST seems to keep cropping up but bit out of the price range, any good slightly more budget brands out there I could take a look at?

Thanks for all the help!

[TheSmiler]

Best thing for gear is going the shop and trying it on, as long as you know your sizes its easier to use ebay to get cheaper clothes.

For me I got second hand gear £20 and then upgraded, now wear Shop;
Jacket Akito £100,
Rayven Alpha Gloves £10,

Lids Direct
Box BX2R Helmet £30,

EBAY;
Boots £20
Leather Akito Trousers £25

My original Second hand gear;
Unknown branded lid, Weise Gloves, Weise Textile Jacket = £20
Thick Cargo Jeans £5
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[cimbian]

[baggylastard]

[Rogerborg]

[Llama-Farmer]

£50 helmet that fits is better than a £500 one that doesn't.

£300 doesn't sound unreasonable for a beginners budget. I spent £1k of my income tax rebate on gear, and for that I got 2 helmets, 2-pc textiles, 2-pc leathers, boots, 2 pairs of gloves and a few extras like base layers, visor cleaning kit (cloth and mini spray bottle) etc.

I went for the RST kit, decent price but still good quality, the ones I went for have a built-in back protector as well as the usual elbow/knee/hip protectors.

Look for bargains on ebay too (but never buy a 2nd hand helmet, dunno what's happened to it). My mate got a pair of alpinestars boots for £27 and some spare jacket & trousers for his pillions for another £30.

[ukdiceman]

[covent.gardens]

+1 eBay

My best eBay buy was a pair of 38" waist Kevlar Jeans with knee/hip armour for £15.50- in as new condition.
I view them every bit as good as my Draggin's that I paid £110 for new.

Then I bought a used Draggin' Kevlar denim jacket for £21 on eBay, very good buy as they don't come up often and are a rip off new.

Akito motorcycle boots £12, decent winter gloves £6, summer gloves £5, Dainese leather jacket which I love £50, matching (zips together) Dainese leather trousers NEW £55, used 'spare' Akito leather trousers £19, spare Akito leather jacket £20, two brilliant textile jackets £15 each...

You can fill a wardrobe with all-year-round decent second hand gear for £225 and keep £75 back for a perfectly decent new helmet. If you buy new then I don't think £300 will be enough tbh.

I've setup an eBay search to see what motorcycle stuff's going for under £20 within 10 or 25 miles of my house, and I like to go pick it up to save on the postage, good excuse for a ride out!

[Spudly]

My helmet is a Box BX1, full face, meets all the requirements, £40 from a shop.

Light on features, but it does the job for a starter.

Interestingly, I went into Custom Lids in Newcastle, they are selling the Caborg I want for £40 less than I can find it online.
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The Old Apprentice

[Matt B]

[souar]

I seem to be getting the general consensus that look about online and in store for the kit you're interested in/want, then trawl through the many many pages of ebayness till you find it cheap. Sounds good to me

I've found a few helmets on lidsdirect and ukdiceman you're right the discount code 'nov12' is working so anyone looking its worth it. So far looking at this Box FZ-1 which has a sun visor built in which I like the idea of especially during this time of year and since I'll be riding when the sun is low in the sky. Also found this HJC IS-16 which seems slightly nicer with the same benifits

Some denim kevlar jeans on ebay for about £40 seems reasonable. As for gloves and jacket just going to do some searching about for best deals nearby to me. Rogerborg I like the idea of those goretex army boots, my brother is ex-military so we might have some lying about, never thought about using them thanks!

[Rogerborg]

Helmets are a polystyrene bowl with some sort of plastic (solid or fibre re-enforced) over it. They all do much the same job, and cost has no relationship to impact safety.

Indeed, cheaper helmets tend to use fewer different shell sizes and just put more polystyrene in them, so while you'll end up looking like a Lego man, you're getting more of the stuff that actually helps you in a crash.

Pick a budget, find the one that fits you best within that budget. Extras like a flip down sun visor are nice, but not necessary. A Pinlock ready visor is a plus though - a Pinlock is a removable anti-fog insert that is held in place by a couple of tiny posts, like double glazing for your visor. It really does work.
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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

[centerstand]