Riding style - gear suggestions

[Sean Knight]

Hello all,

 

I own a 2005 BMW R1200RT

 

I am 42 years old, 6' tall, 215lbs with a 38" waist and a 32" inseam (US men's jean size, not actually measured).

 

My riding style: I travel for my job and will not hesitate to ride in rain or cold( but not both simultaneously) 200 miles one way to a job site.

 

When I am off work or on the weekends, I try to ride all day. I ride mostly during daylight hours, mostly.

 

I occasionally enjoy seeing how low I can get the bike in a turn and while i dont have chicken strips on my tires, I am by no means dragging my knees around corners.

 

Does anyone else fit this style of physique and/or riding that can offer some gear advice?

 

I'm looking at everything from socks, underwear (just found biking underwear with padding helps some on those long rides), to shoes/boots, jacket (hot vs cold weather, do I need two, one for each season), and pants (does anyone wear boot cycle specific pants? Do you ride in a full leather Dianaise (sp?) and then change when you get where you are going? Ect.

 

Thank you all, in advance, for the crowd sourcing info that I know is coming!

 

 

 

[Kathy R]

Welcome

 

 

Undergarments - LDComfort

 

In my experience, I found that the padding of bicycle pants was inappropriate for riding a motorcycle. I wouldn't wear that butt padding while riding a horse for the same reason. The padding muffles your riding skills and creates heat where you do not want it.

If my butt hurts it is time for an improved aftermarket seat.

 

I have found that socks that wick moisture are the way to go.

 

Stay away from cotton against your skin. You sweat 24/7 365 and moisture is your enemy no matter the ambient temperature.

 

I have one overjacket (Olympia AST) and then wear GERBINGS underneath as needed. Heated gear allows you to avoid a lot of bulk and permits one overjacket to handle most conditions.

 

Outer gear that is waterproof is - IMHO - the way to go. No need to stop to put something on or take something off. Some folks don't mind, but it drives me nuts to stop for gear.

 

I have worn SIDI boots for many years and highly recommend them. I currently wear SIDI Vertigo. They did their job on a 65mph get off and are good as new.

 

You might like a Stich one piece but there are lots of good options.

 

 

 

 

[kgerry]

i just bought the Olympia Ranger 3 pants and AST 2 jacket and love them... waterproof outer layer and inner thermal layer....check them out on Revzilla, etc... just bought TCX boots too and they fit and feel great.... keep in mind when shopping the euro products tend to fit small.... make sure you try them on or go up at least one size....

[Albert]

Hi Sean and welcome,

If you were to age several decades, adhere to a strict beer and french fry regimen and surgically remove a few inches of shin bone, we could be twins.

 

Seriously, what Kathy's posted is all good so I'll just add a little of my personal experience. There's a wide range of garment choices out there and Aerostich is generally held to be the gold standard. Unfortunately it's also a bit pricey for my budget so I usually have to do some bargain hunting. I've had very good luck with Tourmaster over the years and, which certainly not up to stich quality, I find them quite serviceable. I particularly like the Solution boots they offer. Really affordable and, in my experience, a great functioning boot. I also have a First Gear jacket that's quite nice as well.

 

As for comfort, I travel with a heated vest which is all I've ever really needed. Everyone experiences cold differently so you'll have to judge that for yourself. I personally have never used any of the insulated liners that come with every jacket. I'd much rather carry the heated vest and other items for layering. This has the advantage of letting you pack some items that you can use off the bike as well. I'll admit to not being ATGATT since I'll wear jeans often times. I do typically go with riding pants when on a trip however. As Kathy pointed out, having riding gear that's waterproof means you don't have to carry extra gear and stop to put it on, when you hit the bad weather.

 

I can't talk about underwear without giggling so I'll leave it at that. Good luck.

[Chris K]

Undergarments: LD Comfort shorts. Expensive but they just plain work!

 

Cold, wet weather: Smartwool sox, Gerbings liner, Darien Jacket and pants. The Darien gear is the most waterproof I have ever owned. My jacket is starting its 10th year of service. Expensive up front but not over the long run.

 

Summer: I use the Cycleport Kevlar Air Mesh jacket and pants. They are little heavy and still but their protection is great and so is the airflow. Also cool max socks help keep my feet from overheating.

 

The best thing is to find functional gear that you are comfortable in.

[tallman]

If off the shelf fits, you're inluck.

 

$pend money up front rather than buying badly and spending more.

 

Fit and function matter most in helmet/boots, then jacket/pants.

 

Our climate requires multiple sets of gear.

Full textile and mesh.

 

WE often carry raingear w/full h2oproof gear because it keeps you warmer and dry. An all day rain can make for some sorry conditions, but that is an individual decision.

SIDI On Roads, full waterproof.

Wool socks. Bicycle shorts work for us, but again, individual.

 

Beign Tall I'm limited in off the shelf choices.

TourMaster was one of the first to offer that, First Gear does also.

 

Conspicuity in color choice can and does reduce accident risk.

 

Gloves are often overlooked, but protection and waterproof are hard to find in one pair.

Held makes some excellent choices.

 

Armor needs to be in the right place to be effective which involves proper fit.

So my First Gear Tall overpants ;and TourMaster Tall jacket won't work for you.

 

Year to year changes can be nothing or small, if you find a product check the major resellers who might have the last model year of a production run available for a very good price.

[racer7]

Sean,

You've gotten some great advice from Kathy and others- here's a bit more

 

Gloves are critical if you ride in cold to hot. Must preserve both control feel and comfort. Most riders have several pairs for that reason and while there are some good bargain ones you gneerally get what you pay for- for example, comfort of more pricey kangaroo, Pittard, goatskin, etc is superior to cowhide as are weather resistance and drying.. My set is BMW Air for hot summer, Held Steve and BMW Pro Summer for mid temps, and BMW Winter and Gerbings electrics for temps below 35. I also have equipped all my bikes with handguards- they extned the low end temp of any glove by about 10 degrees.

 

Jacket and pants should be bike specific- padded and weather resistant. Leaher is not as practical as better fabrics. The "best" stuff is the few very high end brands made with an inherently waterproof shell so they don't need liners but such stuff is way more expensive than other gear which uses liners (though I have always preferred an external GoreTex jacket and pants in the worst weather). Most of my stuff is RevIt but I have a 1 piece Roadrunner for commuting- I prefer 2 piece for other uses.

 

Re underwear- Kathy is spot on. NO padding but must be synthetic modern fabric to wick- both shirt and pants.

The elasticity of the pants helps butt fatigue, also.

 

Re boots- need to be good motrcycle boots with ankle and in step protection. Don't kid yourself that some steel toe work boot is a good mc boot. Again, many of us have more than 1 pair for different riding conditions. Te Sidi line is great stuff but BMWs stuff isn't bad either. And there are several other good brands.

 

Helmets- Fit and light color for visibility. All of mine are white but yellow, ec are also good. Black, red or blue helmets offer no useful contribution to your being seen by cagers.

 

Socks- Wicking and non-cotton. My preference is TechSox- they are also very durable if kept out of your dryer which isn't a problem- they air dry quickly.

 

If you ar going anywhere near Philly, a stop at Revzilla is a good thing. Way more of all the good stuff than you can see at 99.5% of other places.

 

Expect to have a bunch of $ tied up in your gear. Your body is worth what it costs. One commonly used estimate is 15% of the cost of new bike...

 

 

[na1g]

Aerostich! If you are not familiar with their Roadcrafter suits (1 and 2-piece) check 'em out at aerostich.com. The 2-pc is the most versatile since you can ride with the jacket and jeans but the 1-pc is simpler, a little bit lighter and cheaper. Top quality gear, excellent protection from rain and road rash. Easy on and off.

 

pete

[DiggerJim]

Since we're neighbors and share something of the same riding style (although I don't mind rain & cold - it's the sleet & ice that makes me bag it in) here's what I'm wearing -

 

Aerostich 1-piece Roadcrafter - gets me to work in whatever nice clothes I want to wear without wrinkles, etc. Waterproof even in deluges (some people report problems with water in their crotch - never a drip for me). I've been told I look like a banana riding a bike but I like knowing that means they saw me and it made an impression which makes it more likely I'm not going to get hit.

 

Dianese TRQ Tour Gore-tex boots. Waterproof & breathable. Decent walking around boots too which some motorcycle ones aren't. Can be worn under jeans without looking "motorcycle". For work I may keep them on or swap to a pair of shoes I keep under my desk.

 

Knox Recon gloves for 3-season use. Great protection and a nice intermediate level of armor between regular gloves & the Knox fully armored Handroid.

 

Gerbing electric gloves for winter (or just cold). Thinsulate lined and electrically heated.

 

Warm-n-Safe electric liner. I keep it in my side case year round. Even in the summer I can get to where I want the warming heat of electrics. A nighttime ride in that cold rain at 50 degrees with a 70 mile wind in your face (even with the RT's shield & fairing) can be shiver inducing. Electrics fix that.

 

Motoport Kevlar Mesh jacket for summer riding. The 'stich can be hot in the 80+ weather although it does have some decent venting. The Motoport is an excellent summer jacket though. Not really waterproof but on the RT except in many hour deluges, it works fine. Fully armored.

 

Olympia Mesh Overpants - worn with the Motoport jacket. Also fully armored. Can wear shorts underneath so at the destination I'm in t-shirt & shorts (and I carry a pair of very flat shoes in my side case so I can take the boots off if I'm not amongst the wardrobe tolerant motorcycle types).

 

My 'stich & Motoport are in yellow/hi-viz. The Olympias are light gray. I'm big on being seen (we can talk about lighting changes to the RT some other time LOL).

 

[Devil Duc]

If you have the dough, the Aerostich Transit has been very decent kit for me. Rode today in northeast Wisconsin in 35 deg F through rain with it for a total of an hour and stayed toasty and absolutely completely 100% dry. Rest of the gear was: Schuberth C3, alpine star gortex boots, and some farm store lined deer skin gloves, over jeans and a long john top with a fleece pull over. The transit does get a bit hot when you temps reach around 90 degrees in the summer, but what doesn't? I usually dump the pants over 70 degrees and go with some armored type jeans. I have to warn you that the sticker shock is severe with the Transit but the wife made me do it It is worth it to me to have the peace of mind with it too. And I am sure to use every chance I get as well to help justify the price. Can't compare to anything else since it is my first real riding gear though. Good luck!

[elkroeger]

I tend toward the "go anywhere, do anything" mentality when selecting gear. But I don't have a closet full of it.

 

My "go to" commuting gear looks like this: Aerostich 2 pc Roadcrafter, 2 pair of Held gloves (winter and summer), Gerbing's jacket, Aerostich Sidi boots, Shoei neotec helmet. That's the basic setup. Also, I commonly use a neck gaiter, Boot gloves (bootglove.com), flanel lined jeans and a thin wool sweater under the gerbings. On longer rides, particularly in the summer, I move away from cotton (it's okay for the commute) and go for a synthetic drawers, Schoeller fabric pants, and a bead rider. Oh, and an evaporative cooling vest (that I get to use once a year around here).

 

I think that's a fairly short list for everything: year round commuting in Seattle, and week long trips (give or take) in the summer.

[eddd]

You been getting some good, but kind of pricey suggestions. for a less expensive option you might look into the Olympia line. I have the AST jacket and I'm very pleased. Olympia also carries pants.

[kgerry]

i looked at the the lines at the time and chose the Olympia... waterproof, armoured, vented... did it all for me at a very reasonable price... love the AST 2 in Hi Viz...

 

when buying boots my only real criteria was Gore Tex.... i tried the Sidi but they fit very slim and a bit small... went with the TCX and love them.. they breath and i can wear them all day long off the bike as well....

 

for gloves i bought the Firstgear Kilimajaro Air for summer and the Triumph Explorer for winter (very well armoured and fleece lined, toasty warm)

 

for socks i bought 4 different pairs from 4 different companies but the ones i seem to like the most are the Klim....

 

for helmets i short listed it to the Schuberth C3 or the Shoei Neotec and i bought the Neotec Borealis... love the hi viz graphic and the fit was a bit better than the C3....

 

you'll just have to do your own research and net trolling for gear... i love Revzilla for the indepth reviews on all the gear... it really helps to choose what is right for you...whether or not you end up buying the said gear from them or not....

[Bologna]

Darien jacket and pants bought in '02 and still working great. Roadcrafter is on my wish list...

LDComfort is a must.

Smartwool socks in different weights.

Combat lite boots.

Several Shoei helmets

Held gloves.

Ipod w/good earbuds

Aerostich Kanetsu electrics when it gets cold.

BMW Airshell w/airflow pants when it gets REAL warm out.

 

[beemerFROG]

+1 for Olympia gear. I have the Nomad jacket and Xmoto pants and love it so much, I just wrote up a review of it on my site here http://motofrog.net/20-product-reviews/16-olympia-riding-suit-review

 

I also just got a pair of Sedici heated gloves... less than half the price of Gerbings and they work fantastic! I added to it a pair of Sedici heated boot insoles and the last couple of weekends I've been doing hundreds of mile in Chicago cold (snow) without a worry. Toasty without the bulk.

Hhhmmmm, I should review those as well.