Best riding outfit

[Guest]

I have an Aerostitch two piece suit. It's definitely a chick turnoff but it's dry and warm. I can get a lot of warm clothes on inside it. I have the full armor which actually looks like it might do some good.

On the other side of the coin RobBase's Vanson leathers attracted lots more admiring looks from the nubile restaurant hostess but he couldn't get much in the way of warm stuff on inside it.

Either one looks like it will save your skin in a involuntary getoff.

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

For cold weather I have an old Tourmaster suit that is everything-proof. I wore it on a 6,500 mile ride to Alaska (1,000 miles of unpaved roads), as well as while my old bike had a leaky head gasket, so it looks like crap. It is bulky anyway. But it keeps me warm as toast at any speed for any distance, down to freezing, where you really need to get off the road anyway. In constant heavy rain it will begin to leak just a little through the crotch after about 100 miles. Other than that it is the definitive suit of armor.

It is no fashion statement. If I walk into a resturaunt with it on, people look at me like I'm from outer space. It's not for abrasion protection either, although it would work for that. It is strictly for doing big road miles, any time of year.

 

[OB_Wizzard]

I like my vanson leathers. I live in Mass. so last year I took a trip to the Vanson factory. I had a vanson gray and black jacket so I wanted to try leather pants. I found out that the pants are warm when it is cold and as warm as black jeans when it is hot. They fit great and are much more protection in a slide. I also have a pair of Alpen Star boots that feel and look good. This is what works for me. Anything works when you are on a BUSA. WIZZARD

 

[Guest]

These are all great suggestions, but I need to know what is the best suit for Arizona summers. My Hayabusa is my primary transportation and the summer is coming quickly. What is the best protective suit for 115'.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

918

 

[OB_hallazz]

I wear tecnic leathers --good leathers for a great price--but nothing beats kevlar suits -- wash in your wash machine --no drycleaner bill for these and these suits hardly show scuff marks fter a 160 mph slide--

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

Cough cough! Your best suit for summer daytime riding in AZ is Levis, a white T-shirt, full-face helmet with vents, wrist-length gloves, and lots of spf 35 sun block for your arms, face, and neck. Bring a bottle of water or Powerade with you too. That's the best riding weather there is. Get down and get some windburn!!! Just don't fall off.

[This message has been edited by Mr Bear (edited 23 March 2000).]

 

[201mph]

There are several types of jeans that have Kevlar in the knees and seats. The Draggin' jeans that I have are about eighty bucks which is very inexpensive compared to real leathers. They wouldn't have the same level of protection as true racing suits but they are a hell of a lot safer than just wearing Levis', (not to mention shorts or something) and they feel like a regular set of bluejeans comfort wise.

 

[OB_Utah Rider]

While riding at triple digit speeds the other day, I contemplated on the protective quality of my riding outfit. I came to the conclusion that my shorts weren't going to stop a bad case of road rash if my body came into contact with the pavement at high speeds. This leads into my question. What's the best riding outfit available? I want to know which suit is best for comfort, protection, hot weather, and convenience. Thanks for your opinion.

 

[OB_jcchen]

Two hot weather alternatives for consideration:

Expensive: Perforated leathers. Vanson and First Gear (by Hein Gericke) both have jacket/pants combos that are made of fully perforated leather. Vanson line is the SRXV jacket and pants. FG is the perforated S-Pilot jacket and perforated Flightline pants.

Inexpensive: Brosh-tex Kevlar windbreaker with optional armor (see http://www.brosh.com/street.htm) and kevlar jeans (either Brosh-tex or Draggin').

 

[OB_CanuckBusa]

Not alot advice to give for the heat. I have the opposite problem: 115 below zero.

I wear Technic 'ballistic' nylon. (The only way you can make nylon 'ballistic' is the ride on a Busa, or perhaps a thermonuclear warhead.) Waterproof and relatively warm on cold days. Actually not bad on hot days as long as you don't stop. I need to add a couple of zips in the back, to allow air to flow through on really hot days. Should be an easy mod.

Whatever you do, don't ride in regular jeans and a t-shirt. One of the guys at work who got a skin graft on his butt can attest to that.

I have my doubts about how the nylon would hold up during a high speed skid. But I think its alot better than jeans.

 

[OB_insinu8]

I'd recommend Dainese two piece with hard armor inserts. They work well in rain and with the revomable liner, are fairly warm in cold and coolish when hot.

 

[OB_KawAbuser]

Big Ed's Santa Suite has you all beat for STYLE!

 

[OB_VegasDude]

I use the aerostitch one piece suit. We in vegas have similar temps.........I ride all year long with the suit...........If you read about the aerostitch it will show that they have very effective vents and pockets to put ice in and effectivly cool you......................

 

[Guest]

My Aero has pit zip vents and an across the back zippered vent for heat. I unzip these and the wrists. Leave the chest zipper down half way to get cool. Under extreme conditions, 90+, I fill the front pockets with ice chips.

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

Canuc, I would say don't ride below 0 degrees C. Have you heard of glare ice? Not fun in a car, let alone on a bike. If it is snowing and +1 or +2 degrees C, wet cold snow, I'll keep going. But when the temp. gets to negative degrees centigrade, I park it. It hurts more to crash when it's cold.

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

Also Canuc, if it is really hot, like summer days in Ariz., if you wear leathers you are going to be pretty miserable. The difference between 28 degrees C and 48 degrees C is big at high speed. You are a bit sweaty at 28...you are in agony if you are over-dressed at 45+. Like I said, if you dress light just don't fall off. If you do you'll be sorry, that's for sure.