Sizing up

[McfcChris94]

Hey all

Been poking in the classifieds, how can I size myself up to work out what size leathers I wear?

If it helps;
I'm 6 foot
When I wear jeans I'm 30-32 waist and 32 leg
Tops are normally a medium but jackets a large usually,

Any help appreciated

[_Iain_]

Google it mate. Various size guides for everything - some sellers on ebay list a shit tonne of measurements. Picked up my jacket for £90 posted from the seller hhhnk123 and am pretty pleased tbh! Just measured myself up against the guide they list and made a best offer.

Cant comment on their trousers till i purchase some next week though, and definately make sure you get the CE armoured ones

[Dazbo666]

Best idea would probably be to go to a bike shop and try some kit on. The right fit could potentially make a noticeable difference in the safety and comfort of your kit.
...and from experience, different maufacturers and even different styles can alter the feel of kit that claims to be the same size
____________________
1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[kiddakidda]

The only true way to get your sizing is to go to a shop and try stuff on, because as we all know different manufacturer sizes very a lot.

If your a tight @rse like me who buys a lot of new end of line stuff on fleabay then your taking a bit of a risk. You can always return or re-list if the size is not right.

Cheers

[kiddakidda]

Just realised that I pretty much repeated your comments

Sorry

[ninja_butler]

Are you buying new or used? You say you're looking in the classifieds so I'm guessing second hand. Manufacturers don't always make leathers in their own ranges to the same sizing so the only way to make 100% sure is to try them on, but that's not always possible.

If you're buying a leather jacket off of Ebay, ask the seller what size he is; jackets aren't too size-critical so you only need to know if it's small, medium or large. Trousers are more of a problem; I just bought a cheap pair on Ebay that are a good fit on my waist but the legs are so long that the knee pads hang below my knees. I should have asked the seller to take a measurement of the length.

£15 + £10 p+p for a pair of Hein Gericke's ("Panthers" I think - £139 new)... a shame they don't fit properly!
https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMDY2/$(KGrHqR,!hgE7kHYOmH)BPHHsKT2Mg~~60_12.JPG

[Ichy]

[Teflon-Mike]

Have you got the bike yet?
Have you done your CBT?

You will get a LOT of advice during CBT on choosing 'kit', and it was always frustrating for me as an Instructor, giving that 'talk' when half the class were sat there in thier Rhino or Akito 'My First Motorcycle Outfit' all you need for £200, and a LOT of it was less than ideal, and far from a 'bargain'.

Go to a shop; pick hat & gloves by 'fit'.

The rest?

A water-proof over-suit from same shop, MAY be worth while, esp this time of year, and the first bit of 'dedicated' bike gear I reccomend after Hat & Gloves.

We wear cloths for:-
a) Modesty
In my case, so that women drivers aren't any more distracted than they already are by my Adonis like physique..... or by thier small children clapping thier arms round thier face, screaming "Mummy! Dont let the Alien EAT ME!" And enviouse coppas slapping an indecent exposure order on me! (sorry, Instructor 'Humor... probably lost without my physical presence before you to 'get' the joke!)
b) To keep Warm & Dry
We dont live in the warmest or driest of climates in this country, & I find that it get rained on more often than I crash!
c) IN CASE we fall off, for 'protection'.
As said, I find I get wet, more often than I get bruised or grazed.

For CBT you will need 'sensible' footwear, preferably with ankle support. This does NOT have to be dedicated bike boots, but a pair of rig boots, walking boots, builders boots, work boots WHATEVER, 'will do'

And a Water-Proof oversuit can cover a multitude of 'improvised' riding apparel, working on the 'Layer-Principle'.

Remember; Riding attire is LAST LINE 'protection'... only ANY use to you IF you crash, and THEN its worth is limited, wont STOP you getting hurt, at best, merely reduces the amount you hurt by!

For CBT, you will be wobbling about a car-park for the most part; when you get out on the road, you will be on 20/30mph roads for most of it, with a 'biref' period on a faster, NSL road.

IF you fall off in that first lesson; it would be a freak if it was a high speed tumble, and most likely you will be at rest or beneath walking pace, and you are likely to suffer a few bruises; injuries you might sustain are likely to be LESS severe than getting the lawn mower out for the first mow of the year!

Leather is GREAT for abrasion resistance, sliding along tarmac at high speed for a long time..... but we tend NOT to do that very often on public roads.

They do on a Race Track, where they tend to be pushing the limits rather, and going fast, (all in the same direction!) and IF they come off, have a long, unobstructed path along the circuit, accross the crass verge and into teh gravel traps or hay-bales....

On Public Roads, we tend NOT to be traveling so fast, so often, or deliberately pushing the envelope of adhesion.... but if we DO come off.... we tend not to be ABLE to slide so far, before something hard and unyeilding impedes progress.....

Leathers are over-rated for the road.....

They are constrictive, heavy, NOT water-Proof, and COLD.

Leather wind chills, and believe me, once its got cold, it SUCKS heat out of you!

When I wear my leathers on the road, I will often wear jeans over the top, to try and stop them wind chilling!

Anyway, the 'Layer-Principle'.

Layers of sensible 'ordinary' cloths, offer 'warmth', which is most useful more often, than crash protection. BUT.

Same layers offer 'padding' that like the polystyrene in your crash hat will deform in an impact and offer some cusioning.

This CAN be 'better' than proprietry 'armour' that uses hard plastic and soft foam to do the same thing and spread impact energy, but which is designed MAINLY to be 'thin' inside a tight fitting suit....

THEN for the distance you are likely to ever slide on the public road, layers offer 'stuff' to get worn away. Its not leather, it wont 'resist' abrasion, BUT with enough 'layers' to be worn away, there's a LOT of material to be worn away before you get down to skin.

AGAIN, this CAN be 'better' than leather in some circumstances. Leather is only any good IF its between you and road. Cheap leathers are often 'thinned' to make tough hide 'supple', and that can often split or tear, or simply wear away very fast and offer little or no protection; in some cases even 'good' leather, if cheap seamed can birst at the stitching and leave flesh perilously exposed.

I have seen quite expensive 'brand name' motorcycle leather jackets, that have 'failed' in a low speed sub 30mph 'spill' wearing through or coming apart at the seams and leaving the wearer to suffer the inevitable 'gravel rash'.

I have seen a cheap quilted 'Ski-Jacket' that has saved the wearer any grazes at all, in a 50+ slide.

Back to the earlier comment; Protective gear is the LAST line of defence, and only LIMITS how hurt you may be.

And even then, only WITHIN limits....

Tumble in the car-park on CBT, leather or armour might not do ANYTHING what so ever to reduce the minimal 'hurt' you are likely to suffer.

Come off on a round-about and go under the back wheels of a 45 ton Artic.... well, I doubt that ANY helmet or armour would do much to help.

SO, for NOW, at least until you have done your CBT and had your 'first lesson' and got the benefit of the advice the instructors can offer on the topic; BUY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE

Hat
Gloves
Water-Proofs
'Sensible' footwear if needed.

After THAT, personally I would steer you towards 'textile' riding gear, rather than leathers; they are water-proof, often have some useful padding in them, and slip over ordinary street wear.

They offer a 'useful' amount of protection, for reasonable money, especially if backed up wit 'the layer principle' beneath.

They keep you warm & dry for comfort, and are less constrictive than leathers.

THEN as you progress, and AS you can afford it, you buy more dedicated bike wear, 'strategically', buying for 'quality' rather than quantity.

And TOP of that strategic 'list' is boots.

Of ALL the dedicated bike wear out there, good boots are by a long way, the most 'useful'.

I have to confess that I dont generally wear 'dedicated' bike boots on the road, I wear old fasioned 'Cow-Boy' boots more often, BUT, a good pair of water-proof touring boots are great. They are comfy; they offer protection, but also ankle mobility, 'feel' through toe & soul for brake & gear levers, and a good pair can last many many years.

For all weather commuting; I used to wear my office suit & tie under Textiles, with toruing boots. When I got to work, I would swap boots for shoes and stow hat & over-suit in the top box, and co-workers wouldn't even know I had come on a bike!

As for selecting sizes? Get OFF the PC, go to the shops.TRY IT ON.
____________________
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?'

[Teflon-Mike]

[McfcChris94]

i did read all that mike, but to clear it up,

basically dont buy anything armour wise until iv done CBT and am alone on the road?

[Teflon-Mike]

[_Iain_]

[Teflon-Mike]