Best footwear? New rider + lid question

[pacman06]

Hey all.. I have bought a nice belstaff rallye tourag jacket and matching trousers which both have a shit load of knox armour.. back knees arms elbows hips.. so thats sorted.

I have done get on ride so in all I have a whole load of 1 hours and 30 minutes experience of riding haha.. I have a pair of timberland boots normal walking not safety type and wanted to see if you lot see these as ok for riding in..

I have looked at proper motorcycle boots but apart form looking like what a storm-trooper would wear in star wars.. to me they look too big and bulky for my size 10 feet to feel safe/comfortable at changing gear..

Wearing my walking boots (cover ankles, lace can be tucked secure) gear changing seemed ok but the thought of anything bigger than them seemed a no no for me IMO..

Or are there any type specific boots that are more like walking boots in bulk/size but offer more protection??

Lastly would you trust an ebay second hand lid? Talking like a shoei multi tec or bmw/schuberth c2/c3 or would I be better going for a brand new cheaper helmet.. I could go to £250 but less the better.. (my noggin is priceless so cant afford squillions haha)

I do like the look of the BMW enduro helmets but they are around 320 notes..

Any recommendations? I am preferring flip ups at the mo.. as I have to wear goggle pops.. bluetooth would be nice! I want lots of farkles and shiny things on my bike! (and the money to pay for the bike but Ill cross that bridge when I fall off it..)

Cheers for any help!

(sorry for any spelling or grammar fuck ups.. is this place as bad a piston shit heads?)

[pinkyfloyd]

[pacman06]

Yup, I understand sharps tests and seen lots of debates! lol. I know its not a legal requirement for the boots but although I am not intending to slide under an HGV at 70+ I think most would agree the protection is there just in case.

After the your comments on second hand lids (I have read it before on other sites) I think what you say is true... the insides form to your head shape after a while don't they? I was thinking good second hand lid is better than cheap new lid but you got me convinced that new is better..

Any non flips you know of that are shaped/moulded for a speccy four eyed git like me? I know some the aria's are shaped inside but I aint paying that price when as you say expensive lids on sharps test come out worse than el cheapo ones..

(I aint minted or owt and I usually dont buy into big brands are best but just want the best I can get as I only have one head and one body plus parts and no spares!)

Thankyou for the help

[pinkyfloyd]

Like I said. Get down to the local bike store. Theres bound to be something near you. J&S, Hein Gerrick etc. Even the local bike dealers should have a stock of helmets in. Find one that fits in your price range. Flip ups have their advantage but they also have their dissadvantages. They are normally much heavier than full face and noise at anything above 30 mph.
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[McFlufferson]

Second hand lid off eBay? NO! Not even a new one. Don't do it.. Buy it from a brick shop you can try on and preferably one they've pulled out of the store room. The glasses? Just try the glasses on with the helmet. It'll likely be fine. I got me a £55er and fits fine with my glasses.

As for boots, like others have said, you have to find something comfortable for you. I wear my good ol' Doc Marten saxbys with no issues. I even have to push the stand out the way every time I gear up because the stand is set wrong. But I definitely see the advantage of wearing a pair of nice tight riding boots (Borrowed me dad's for the tests), especially considering the gear change wears on the inside of my boot.
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Think that you'll stay loyal to a loving bike? So did I. Only rich men can afford to stay loyal. The poorer of us will whore ourselves out to any two wheeled monstrosity that will take us.

[darthbuttchin]

Hang on, you've just bought a full Belstaff suit and are looking at second-hand helmets?

Goo out, try some on and buy what fits you best. It may be a £50 Nitro feels better than a £300 Arai - so be it. They all comply to the same standards at the end of the day.

There's no point spending for all the best brands when you've got so little riding expereince. It might be that you do your CBT and think 'actually, this ain't for me'. Yeah, you could flog most of your stuff, but the helmet probably wouldn't be bought.

Basically, hold off on the big brands until you're sure.

db

[Radis]

Seeing as you like the flip fronts just spend around £80 on a Caberg Trip - good, if noisy, helmet (got 5* rating)

[Rowey]

Right firstly, as said, don't buy a second hand lid. Chances are it's past it's best, it'll have moulded to the shape of the previous owners head, it could have been dropped and it'll also be a bit unhygienic.

Fit is important, try lids on, don't guess your head size/shape and get one from the internet.

Also flip lids have questionable protection around the chin.

For boots, if you have the money, get some bike specific boots. They're going to offer more protection than any 'fashion' boot. If price is a concern, you can go second hand, or even hunt out some good deals from sale warehouses like George Whites.
If they're still too pricey, head to an army surplus store and get a pair of second hand army boots. They're sturdy to prevent ankle breaks, abrasion resistant and waterproof. I got a second hand, as good as new, pair for £20 and they come in handy for all sorts of manual labour and even festivals.
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ZX6R C6F.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll only bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience.

[pacman06]

I just know I want, erm NEED to get on two wheels, I have always loved bikes and cars in general, but now have the itch for a bike and lately starting to appreciate a nice bike more than cars so it will not be case of not liking it! not gonna happen! I look at cars now and think fecking ugly cage! plus I like getting down n durty with spanners and all that kinda stuff and now I have plenty of room for a workshop/bike and plenty of time to feck around..

Caberg trip are no longer in production, new one is called the Konda, which I hear is no where near as good as the trip??

Is this any good??

https://www.ghostbikes.com/products/Helmets-Flip-Up-Helmets/2112-duchinni-d619-bluetooth-flip-front-helmet.html

Cabergs seem have to have gone up in price of late I don't know if the brand has improved but they (to me) no longer seem to represent the cheaper end of the market.. a sintesi with bluetooth added is getting on for lotsa money..

I know you can get nitro's for 50 quid but I am not looking to be out couriering or biking for the need to.. a bit of commuting when it suits and a chance to get out on my own when the wife is having a "tropical moment"

Only local bike shop to me is "revolution scooters" which sells cheap chinky bikes for 500 quid more than they go on ebay.. he idea is cheap chinky tat is better than a 4 year old honda because new is better!

There is a hein garrick place a good few miles away but thats it I think? apart from the aprilia dealers over the water (in Liverpool) on the wirral.. but they want aprilia prices! Anyone know anywere in Liverpool I can go try and buy a lid? Aint spending my money in some chinky shite bike shop who tried tellin me whats best.. feckin hate numpties like that.. like going into a garage to get your motor fixed and sucks air through gritted teeth.. FUCK RIGHT OFF TWAT FEATURES..

[Radis]

If there is a Hein Gericke near enough to visit - do it. They will at least help you find the right size for your helmet.

I didn't realise the Trip had been discontinued, a friend has a Caberg Justissimo GT which is a bit more expensive than my trip was but he says it is quieter. I dont know the ratings of that particular helmet but it might be worth a look.

[Rowey]

[pacman06]

See I read that hein garrick (or however it is spelt) were thieving gits and not to touched with a shitty stick, I know I could read umpteen reviews (like I have) but its good to get advice from real people!

Do they have a bigger range in store than what is displayed on the website?

Thankyou

(sorry I should of explained myself better I meant about not needing to buy the cheapest lid to do a perticular job, meant it would be nice to have a choice to buy nice looking lid (I know safety first, which it does)

Plus if there is a locally owned shop (apart from the chinky shite shop) I would rather give them my money and get a bit of something back for being a repeat/good customer rather than give money to big feck off company whose profits leave the country and pay less tax than a bin bag.

[Rowey]

I've bought quite a few things from Hein Gericke. The Kenton lot are a pretty helpful bunch. I've never had a problem with them. They do have a larger selection of helmets in store also you can barter. There's been a few posts on here slating them, but the company serves thousands of people a day, and you're generally only going to see posts from the disgruntled ones.

I couldn't tell you of the bike shops in your area. You could google or put a post in the relevant regional section.

One last thing. Make sure you invest in some good gloves. Coming off at 30mph and putting your hands out unprotected can result in amputation. Also frozen fingers in the winter aren't fun.
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ZX6R C6F.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll only bring you down to their level, and beat you with experience.

[chris-red]

Have you actually tried any boots on, other than my MX boots my other boots would be fine for changing gear far better than a pair of tims.

Trust me after you have used them a week they will be fine. Failing that buy a set of Magnums, mine are ok on the bike.

https://www.milletsports.co.uk/footwear/magnum/magnum-originals-classic-cen-adult-shoes/

Flip up lids are a lot more heavy and noisy than normal lids do you really need a flip up?
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[pacman06]

I guess (limited experience) I thought a flip up would be a better option for glasses and for the likes of petrol stations (wont be going to tesco hawthorne road though lol ) to save taking it on and off, and for when having a smoke? The only full face lids that have ticked me fancy are the dual sport ones, they have a nice big field of view and (yes its sad I know) they imo look nice.. BMW and spada ones in perticular.

Had not thought about gloves really, obviously I enjoy using both my hands (no right hand jokes needed!)

Have googled but Liverpool seems very thin on the ground of bike apparrel shops..

thanks again.

[McFlufferson]