So, maybe some read on here my tales of woe, but recently ran down by a drunk driver from behind. (70-80mph) while i was on my daily rider Sporty doing about 45mph. VERY happy to be alive. Im healing up but my back is still pretty hammered.
So it sounds like im going to get a materials cost settlement soon, or at least an offer. The bigger settlement is much farther down the road,. But the materials settlement will be value for my bike that was totaled (Im keeping it as i have 4 other sportys and can use the parts i can salvage) my helmet, boots, jacket (Heavy leather) and some other items.
I was looking at getting a new full face helmet anyway before this happened and been looking at armored gloves and perhaps some strap on leg Armour.
#1) I had on a 8-9 year old HJC full face and it served its purpose,, saved my noggin, but it was getting long in tooth I am really interested in feedback on another full face. My issues is i wear a XL helmet and can be an issue finding them for a fat head like me, Also, up here in Oregon,,, we get weather, and it REALLY varies, a LOT, I ride most of the year. So I REALLY had issues with steaming up. I would like to find something that has a lot of Venting that I can open or close if possible. Also,,, protection in a crash is important. so any help or opinions?
#2) I was wearing thin Nomex and fine calf skin military pilots gloves, Great for race car drivers and fighter pilots, but wasnt the best choice in a bike wreck, Luckily it wasnt an issue this time. But I HAD been looking at armored
MC riding gloves, I like the design where the pinky is sewed to the next finger to prevent breakage, also the armor pucks to protect the palm meat, and knuckles, Ive looked at some really expensive ones at the Ducati Dealership and some at Cycle gear,, theres some really inexpensive ones on Feebay,, any feedback for affordable but decent protection?
#3) I am investing in some good quality riding pants,, with pucks and armor at some point,,,,,,so any feedback there would be great,
#4) Often times however its not convenient to wear full race body armor suit,, so ive seen some people with strap on armor,, what im really interested in is the ones that protect your lower leg below the knee and the Knee and seem to have velcro strapping holding them on, Doesnt look too intrusive,, easy to remove at your destination, throw in your back pack,, ideas of sources and costs as well as comfort and protection?
Im thinking this is something a lot of people can relate too,, sorry for the long post, you ADD/ADHD crackberry users might want to scroll on by... but in this case,,the more info the better IMHO
:):):):)
Nolan makes a great helmet. They also use the pinlock system to deal with fogging, and they have a 5 year warranty. My last 3 were there helmets. http://www.nolan-usa.com/categories/helmets.html
You can try the shark rs1 or go with a slightly older model rsr2 helmets. The are ventilated very well. Meet both dot and snell. My 2 never fog up. I never understood the carbon knuckles on gloves. That said I have a set of alpine star s-mx6 gloves with Kevlar. Served purpose very well with leather and Kevlar palms and Kevlar in the knuckle. Hope this info helps
I wear a Shoei RF1000 helmet and have minimal problems with fogging up. You can also get face shields with the pin-lock system to completely remove any problems with fogging up. Shoei helmets are also on the list of helmets for more rounded heads, along with HJC.
Good armored gloves will cost ~100.00... I've been wearing these for the last ~40,000 miles and am very happy with them. http://www.performancecycle.com/olym...-kevlar-glove/
Sorry, can't help with pants.... I generally just wear heavy work type pants(ie: carhartt) If I'm going to be playing around a bit, I'll put on my full race suit.
I always wear an armored A-star textile jacket.
I always wear race boots. Not the most comfortable for walking around, but I'd rather have the protection. When commuting, I just throw some shoes in a pack.
Good luck on the recovery.....
Here's a pretty good list of knee/shin guards. I have Alpinestars Reflex knee guards, and while they're very protective, I don't wear them very often. I got a pair of Joe Rocket Alter Ego pants and find them to be sufficiently protective for street use.
http://www.revzilla.com/knee-guards
As I find myself doing more advanced riding schools and eventually track days, I'll soon be in the market for a two piece suit. Check out Spartan Leathers. The owner is active on another bike forum and is a great guy who stands behind his products. My friend tested his 2 piece Charge suit in a 130mph low side at the track this past summer, and while he litterally bent his bike in half, he walked away with an ankle that was a little sore for a few days. Last year's Charge suit is on closeout for $400. Can't beat that.
http://www.spartanleathers.com/motor...o265pq8qb9khn0
Also, dig around on the Spartan site for gloves as well. They sell a sub $100 pair that are on par with the average $150 name brand glove (with many customer crashes to prove quality) and a $200 pair made of stingray that slides well and is super tough. Check them out.
As far as boots are concerned, Alpinestars just released a nice $260 boot with lots of ankle support and protection. It's the SMX-6. Any model of street/track SIDI boots will be very protective. I personally really like the Vertigo and Cobra for a nice cost/feature balance. For a cheaper boot that still has proper ankle support, the Cortech Latigo is a good option for $150.
When it comes to helmets, replace them every 5-7 years. With exposure to the elements and skin oils, the eps layer will break down. Most helmet makers warranty their helmets for 5 years because that's generally the effective life span. When shopping for one, it is critical that you get the right fit. And I don't just mean size, I mean shape too. A $100 helmet that fits you properly will be more protective than a $700 helmet that doesn't fit, not to mention light years more comfortable. Do yourself a favor and find a local Arai or Shoei dealer. You don't have to spend top $ on a high end helmet, but those two companies tend to offer better training material for sales people and you'll be more likely to get properly fitted for the right helmet at a store that stocks those two. Bell, Scorpion, HJC, Shoei, Arai, and in most cases Icon are all great helmets at a wide variety of price points. Nobody here can tell you what will fit well or not, when it comes to helmets you really do have to try them on and wear them around the store for ten minutes or more.
Oh, one more thought on helmets. Go to an Arai dealer and get fitted for size and shape. If the $$$$ is there, buy one. I've never met a regretful Arai owner. If $600+ isn't in the cards (and lets be realistic, for most if us it isn't) then write down the model name of the Arai that fit and go to http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...et-shapes.htm. Find the category that contains the Arai that fit you, and you'll have a short list of helmets that are all very similar in head shape. Viola! Easy peasy. You really should still try on whatever you're going to buy though.
You won't find a more informative helmet review than webbikeworld.
Also, http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcyc...le-helmets.htm
Helmets are all about fit, so you have to try them on. See if the stores around you will price match online pricing. I believe the HJC fits similar to the Shoei helmets if I am not mistaken. Shoei helmets fit me well and are very durable. I used to ride 100% of the time for about a decade, so I have worn my helmets for a bunch of miles. If the Shoei fits you well, there are Quest & RF1100 on closeouts for a smoking price. I got my RF1100 for under $325. That is a lot of helmet for the money. It has the quick detach face shield (so you can go tinted during the day, clear at night), removable liner and comes with the anti-fog nose guard. I can't speak of fogging as I live in the desert. But Shoei is very highly rated helmets and should serve you well.
I would get a good set of riding pants & jacket rather than a strap on armor suit. Any good pants & jacket will have armor in it. A jacket & pants will also offer abrasion protection as well as impact protection. I love Vanson jackets, but they are expensive and I don't know if I would run leather in cool, rainy weather. Luckily I only get rain once every couple of months here in AZ, so leather is perfect for the fall, winter & spring. I run mesh during the summer as it gets smoking hot (it was 107 yesterday) from late May through late Sept. A good synthetic jacket would serve you well. The same goes with some over pants.
I have had many, many different helmets. Fit is 95% of the reason I'll buy one and it's the same for gear. If it's uncomfortable, or hard to put on/ take off, it will eventually sit in the closet.
Use the internet to drill down the options of material, cost, type, etc. Then GO TRY ON as many as you can locally. Then buy it THERE. The motorcycle shop you save, may be your own!
I have never been unhappy with an Arai, or a Shoei (I remember my first one..and rf-800!) For fit, de-fogging, comfort, and airflow.
Check the build date!! I've seen 3 year old "brand-new" helmets on the shelf...
I prefer the shield operation and removal on the Shoei much more than the Arai.
Replace your helmet 7 years after the build date, no matter how nice it still looks or how broke you are;)
I wear Vanson heavy leathers with armour in the knees, elbows, shoulders and hips, no back armour yet, I'm looking at a couple of different options for that. I love my leathers, they are super comfortable but not the coolest to wear on hot days, but I'd rather be a little hot than unprotected.
I wear a Bell RSD RS-1 like this http://www.motorhelmets.com/media/pr...-rsd-flash.jpg It has great ventilation and fits me very well. It is also one of the quietest helmets I've worn in that that it doesn't make a lot of noise going over and around it.
For strap-on armour check out Icon Stryker Field Armour, here is a review http://rideapart.com/2011/04/gear-ic...armor-stryker/ I am considering the Icon armour for when I can't wear my leathers, which so far isn't often so it hasn't been a priority.
I wear Icon armoured gloves. There is some difference of opinion as to whether armour in gloves is advisable or not, I like it, but heavy leather or gloves like the s mx-6 work well too.
Good luck, and best wishes for a speedy recovery
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