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Meekey_Mouse
18th September 2006, 12:30
Ok, I have a bit of a dilemma (hope that's spelt correctly lol).

I'm trying to decide which sort of gear I should get. When I get a bike I would like to do some track days, a little bit of touring and riding into/out of town for errands/meeting with mates/youth group etc.. So I've been told that if I want to do track days I should get a one piece leather suit, If I want to do touring then cordura stuff is the best and if I want to do town/ errands stuff then dragon jeans with a leather jacket is better.

I have at max $1000 for gear so it's not like I can go buy all that stuff, is there some way I can still do the track days, travelling and town with out having to buy 3 different types of gear?

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!!!:rockon:

Karma
18th September 2006, 12:32
Just get a two piece zip together suit... not as good as the 1 piece, but close enough, you can then use the jacket and draggins for town stuff, and touring will be sweet with leather as well.

MSTRS
18th September 2006, 12:47
Weasel is right. Go the 2-piece leather. Versatile and practical. Don't forget good footwear (boots are best) and gloves (ensure you cover the seasons you will be riding ie get what you need for the current time of year & add to when you can afford)

Finn
18th September 2006, 12:57
I've got a one piecem leather and a codura suit. The one piece is great for piece of mind but useless for touring. No pockets and whenever you stop, you look like an idiot peeling the damn thing off.

If I did it again, I'd go 2 piece leather. Remember, there is no compromise for quality.

kiwifruit
18th September 2006, 13:02
2 piece leather, no hump.

Wasp
18th September 2006, 13:17
aaaahhhh, i faced this problem just recently myself. (except i already had helmet, gloves, and old leather bike jacket and left over leather school shoes)

I currently own:
hjc cl12 helemt - $160
spool 2 peice leathers - $900 (shops rrp was $1200)
3m gloves - bros old ones - freebie, zip, zero, nada
spool 7-link back proctector - $120
sidi vertigo (waterproof liner version) - $550

will look at upgrading the helmet and gloves soon.

I currently wear all this gear every day to work even though its a 10 minute trip, today though i left the back protector at home though. I dont own any cordura or similiar, if i was to go somewhere i would wear all my gear.

Finn
18th September 2006, 13:25
2 piece leather, no hump.

Huh? It's easier to hump with a two piece. Just unzip.

WRT
18th September 2006, 13:59
Huh? It's easier to hump with a two piece. Just unzip.

You could always go for a speed hump, its like a quick shag but with more warning signs.

buellbabe
18th September 2006, 14:04
2 piece leather... it will do for everything...
Some people would be horrified at the suggestion of wearing anything but leather... but its each to their own and if you wanna wear jeans in hot weather then go for it.
There are some good threads about Draggin Jeans on this site. Check them out.

kickingzebra
18th September 2006, 14:06
Get a quasimoto Leathers 2 piece.
Crash tested road and track, (thankyou, thankyou, no need for the applause) they do the trick, and unlike most shop leathers, you will walk away with change from your thousand bucks.

McJim
18th September 2006, 14:22
I tour on weekends/commute through the week and even pop to the supermarket in the evening for milk and bread etc.

All of this I do in 2 piece zip together leathers (as modelled in my profile pic....no not in the Avatar - that's Fat Bastard - the profile pic!)

Works for me.

I got all my kit from Motomail in Auckland though - really helpful dudes and really affordable at their Kingsland Outlet. They have a website
http://www.motomail.co.nz/
Problem is you can't wear it first coz you're not in Auckland.

Panther
18th September 2006, 14:24
so where abouts do you get a nicely cut chicks leather jacket from?
cos ive got the cordura stuff but wen im only riding a short distance to class eps wen it gets hotter id like to wear something nicer,
esp since my jacket looks like a protective sack.
Any shop names or what ver in aucks? or is it something ud hav to order on ebay?

Meekey_Mouse
18th September 2006, 14:46
Get a quasimoto Leathers 2 piece.
Crash tested road and track, (thankyou, thankyou, no need for the applause) they do the trick, and unlike most shop leathers, you will walk away with change from your thousand bucks.

Hey, I'm defintly thinkin about gettin my gear from Bret, it's really good quality and getting it ordered to fit is a huge bonus!! Haha and so far his gloves are the only ones that fit me... xs:rockon:

Meekey_Mouse
18th September 2006, 14:47
so where abouts do you get a nicely cut chicks leather jacket from?
cos ive got the cordura stuff but wen im only riding a short distance to class eps wen it gets hotter id like to wear something nicer,
esp since my jacket looks like a protective sack.
Any shop names or what ver in aucks? or is it something ud hav to order on ebay?

Go to www.Quasimoto.co.nz , you can get leather jackets fitted to you :)

TerminalAddict
18th September 2006, 14:52
watch that quasievil dude tho' ... he'll offer to "Measure" you .. and he'll try and tell you that its required to get a good fit :D

buellbabe
18th September 2006, 14:59
Sallo, I was just in Motomail a couple of hours ago and they had some nice stuff for chics.
Plus don't rule out AMPs, not all their gear has Harley emblazoned all over it! I have bought 2 really nice ladies jkts from AMPs in the past, they were both made here in good ol' NZ and are a really good design.

MSTRS
18th September 2006, 15:00
watch that quasievil dude tho' ... he'll offer to "Measure" you .. and he'll try and tell you that its required to get a good fit :D

Shhhh...it's his only perk...:yes:

Ixion
18th September 2006, 15:01
It;s when he want you to measure him that it's time to start worrying.

Meekey_Mouse
18th September 2006, 15:51
LOL!!! TRY and keep it clean guys... I know that is hard for you :yes:

Mr. Peanut
18th September 2006, 17:04
I got the quasimoto 2 piece as well. Good fit, very comfy :yes:

vixter
18th September 2006, 17:15
I tour on weekends/commute through the week and even pop to the supermarket in the evening for milk and bread etc.

All of this I do in 2 piece zip together leathers (as modelled in my profile pic....no not in the Avatar - that's Fat Bastard - the profile pic!)

Works for me.

I got all my kit from Motomail in Auckland though - really helpful dudes and really affordable at their Kingsland Outlet. They have a website
http://www.motomail.co.nz/
Problem is you can't wear it first coz you're not in Auckland.



hmmm most men only go to motormail as there is a bird there who as big tits!!!
dont let them distratc you into buying things you dont need!!!

Mr. Peanut
18th September 2006, 17:37
I don't think she'll have that problem :mellow: Got any pics?

vixter
18th September 2006, 17:48
I don't think she'll have that problem :mellow: Got any pics?

fair enough mr penus hard day at work and all that!!!

hXc
18th September 2006, 18:07
2 piece zip together. As good as anything and better than a 1 piece. Make sure it zips together though!

Meekey_Mouse
18th September 2006, 18:09
I don't think she'll have that problem :mellow: Got any pics?

you asking me or vixter for pics? If your askin me then I've just attatched one to the "what do you look like thread" page 20 or 21 or something

Sparky Bills
18th September 2006, 18:20
It all depends on the price you want to spend..
Alpinestars do some REALLY nice womens gear, but you looking at about $1000 just for a Jacket!

Otherwise theres Teknic, Spyke, Spidi, Spool.
You should be able to get a good 2pc Leather suit for around the $1000 mark.

But as people have already said..Leathers are the way to go!






I also heard that Motomart was a pretty good shop to get gear from:innocent: hehe

Mr. Peanut
18th September 2006, 18:23
you asking me or vixter for pics? If your askin me then I've just attatched one to the "what do you look like thread" page 20 or 21 or something

Doesn't matter, I'll take both :p

Meekey_Mouse
18th September 2006, 18:33
It all depends on the price you want to spend..
Alpinestars do some REALLY nice womens gear, but you looking at about $1000 just for a Jacket!

Otherwise theres Teknic, Spyke, Spidi, Spool.
You should be able to get a good 2pc Leather suit for around the $1000 mark.

But as people have already said..Leathers are the way to go!






I also heard that Motomart was a pretty good shop to get gear from:innocent: hehe

Yea, the thing is that in that $1000 I have to get gloves, boots, helmet, pants and jacket... I don't even know if that is possible!!

Mr. Peanut
18th September 2006, 18:36
Totally possible, HJC make really good helmets. I've seen them rated above SHOEI etc for fit, and they meet the same impact standards.

That wont set you back much. I'm sure quasi could do you a deal on some leathers, and boots are easy enough to find on the second hand market.

Meekey_Mouse
18th September 2006, 19:29
Totally possible, HJC make really good helmets. I've seen them rated above SHOEI etc for fit, and they meet the same impact standards.

That wont set you back much. I'm sure quasi could do you a deal on some leathers, and boots are easy enough to find on the second hand market.

Yea, I'm thinkin of getn an AGV helmet, I've found that they're XXS fits me the best out of any helmet I've tried so far and I can get one for $300. Which I think is quite cheap(not that I know alot).

Mr. Peanut
18th September 2006, 20:08
I have a spare XS helmet, nothing fancy but its sound and looks cool =D
I could leave it on a park bench somewhere? :mellow:

Colapop
18th September 2006, 21:05
You'll do well to spend your money on as good gear as you can get. Shop around (Quasimoto is good gear at a good price) I have Quasimoto 2 piece leathers, Quasi Gloves, a Shark RSFiR2 helmet (look for sales!) and at the moment 'off the shelf' boots. As and when I can afford it they'll be next (along with new chain, sprockets, screen, pack, rear suspension kit, track day bike...) I may have to sit on Santa's knee again this year!

sels1
18th September 2006, 21:21
I may have to sit on Santa's knee again this year!

Now there's a mental picture I didnt want.......:dodge:

I have the cordura 2 piece suit and Draggin jeans for summer urban use. Works fine. I figured the all weather durability of the cordura suit gave me better all round value as I only do the occasional track day and it wasnt worth getting leathers for the amount I would use them.

jrandom
18th September 2006, 22:23
Ok, I have a bit of a dilemma...

The helmet is key. Buy a good helmet that fits. If you're unlucky like me (what with you being a delicate wee girly, probably not), nothing but Shoei XLs fit. If you're lucky, other, cheaper brands fit well, too.

In the end, though, it's worth spending half of that $1,000 on a helmet, and buying the rest of the gear second-hand (although Quasi's stuff appears to be pretty good value). Shoei and Arai are The Brands (tm). Shoeis are shaped for Lurch (you rang?), Arais are shaped for Montgomery Burns. Take your pick. Based on your photo in the "Am I Hot Or Not" thread, you're probably an Arai type. Sharks and Nolans are fine, too. AGVs are shit, and anyone who tries to tell you different has never sawed one in half.

And never, ever ride without gloves. Ever. Skinned hands are pure agony, and they're almost always the first thing to touch down in a bin. It only takes 40kph on coarse chipseal to leave you with bleeding stumps.

Also, don't discount the right pair of abrasion- and impact-resistant trousers. Knees are what touches down after hands. Ruining a good pair of jeans and bleeding down your shin for the rest of the day is just... pants. Doesn't hurt as bad as hands, though.

Knee armour is worth it, mind you; too many hard impacts on kneecaps will root anybody's sporting potential for life. In fact, in any crash under 60kph, I'd go with gloves and armoured pants in preference to a jacket. If I had to choose.

Rosie
19th September 2006, 16:44
Rider gear (Miro street, attached to Trikeworks) and Darryl August in Taupo were both really helpful when I was buying my gear. Darryl August don't generally have much road gear in stock, but they were happy to order in anything I was interested in, which some bike shops are reluctant to do.

I've got cordura gear, since I'm just starting out I didn't want to spend huge amounts on gear, and wanted something fairly versatile, it's waterproof, and you can wear it for a track day (although if you are planning on going hard and perhaps falling off, then leather would be a more sensible choice). The trousers get a bit hot for nipping around town in summer, so I think I might get some kevlar jeans in the coming months.

MikeyG
19th September 2006, 18:25
I know it's hard if you are on a limited budget but buy for fit rather than low price. I went for cheap stuff and am finding that the armour moves around and gets uncomfortable and the pants dig into my beer gut.

Meekey_Mouse
19th September 2006, 18:40
I know it's hard if you are on a limited budget but buy for fit rather than low price. I went for cheap stuff and am finding that the armour moves around and gets uncomfortable and the pants dig into my beer gut.

Thanks Rosie and MikeyG :rockon:

Rashika
19th September 2006, 18:42
Buy the best helmet you can afford, best fitting gloves and boots you can afford, then everything else after that. You can always beg/borrow gear for the maybe once or twice a year trackday. At least thats what happens down here a lot ;)
I lived with a $100 jacket from a leather sale for about 10 years, and patchwork leather trousers I made for myself till I spend some money on some bib overalls.... but the helmet was the best i could buy. Leather gloves can be got pretty cheaply, and good fitting boots are important as well.
Dont spend money on 2 piece leathers till you know you REALLY want them...your head is much more important to protect. And until you have been riding for awhile (and you have yet to get a bike yet?) then you wont know what will be right for your situation.
I bought my first 2 piece leathers a week ago...after 15 years of riding, and only cos I am racing regularly now and need more protection. Bought my first cordura/waterproof jacket last winter as well. Take your time to get stuff that suits you.
Trademe is pretty good, check it out for gear.
And good luck ;)

KLOWN
19th September 2006, 18:43
I wrote a big long spiel but my computer crashed and lost it all and i can't be bothered re writing it cause i've started drinking and smoking and you just loose all motivation, so the short version is.... I had cordura were good, protected me very well in my crash but were ruined after one spill and it looked like I was wearing a red and black sack. Leathers look good will handle more than one spill but not so waterproof, but can be treated to help that. Any helmet for sale at a store has passed nz safty standards or they couldn't sell them. Buy from quasi, good prices and good products. I was wearing his boots when I came off and they were great. My two peice leathers from quasi arrived today and gloves. They look and feel awesome and as other people have said they have been crash tested and passed with flying colours. you may need to up your budget to $1200 to get helmet, boots, gloves, pants and jacket but since I have had a crash on the open road after a car hit me good gear is worth its weight in gold!!!!
my helmet was only $200 but it did a good job, heres what it looked like after

Coyote
19th September 2006, 18:47
Totally possible, HJC make really good helmets. I've seen them rated above SHOEI etc for fit, and they meet the same impact standards.

My CS-10 (Their basicest model) has survived 3 hard knocks

And I can still type legibly so it did work :D

klingon
19th September 2006, 22:42
Come to Auckland for a day and ask MackTheKnife to take you shopping! :D That man is a super-shopper bargain hunter, he knows his gear, and he's honest about telling you what suits you and what doesn't!

Here's what I have so far....
HJC helmet (Motomail Ponsonby) $150
gloves (Motomail Outlet store in Kingsland) $60
Dririder cordura jacket (Motomail Outlet) $150*
Dririder cordura pants (Cycletreads) $120

*Actually my jacket cost much less than this but I don't want to build up your expectations. It's an outlet store so sometimes you get lucky and they have it in your size, sometimes not.

I don't have decent boots yet, but so far I've spent less than $500, so I'd have plenty of change left out of $1000 to get some boots.

The irony for me is that I'm still saving up for a bike. I decided to prioritise and get all the safety gear first ;)

Mr. Peanut
19th September 2006, 23:04
Don't knock the HJC. They are very well made ^_^
Best value for money/protection available.

MikeyG
20th September 2006, 19:52
Also if you want to do a trackday or two check what the local track allows. Some will allow cordura but others insist on leather.