Gear for a scooter rider [Archive]

ZK-Awesome

31st January 2008, 08:11

Hi
Now that I've got myself a scooter pretty much confirmed, I'm going to need some gear. However, I don't have a lot of $$ to spend and I don't want to look like a big ol leather biker, just an average person crusing round town on a scooter (but still protected). I want something thin and not bulky.

I like the idea of these semi-open face helmets that I've seen round the place, that will protect my face but will still give good visibility. Can someone recommend a brand/model? I'd try to buy locally from a motorcycle shop.

As for jacket and pants, like I said I want something minimalist. I'm not going to hoon round in T-shirt and shorts like half the people I know who own scooters, but at the same time I'm not going to wear something that makes me look like I'd fit on a motocross track or in a biker gang.

With that said, I like the look of something like this:
http://shop.scootling.co.nz/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=325

Apart from the price, is there anything out there like this but cheaper?

And, would I need something like this to have some degree of safety? Could I not just get a hoody and jeans or something?

Nagash

31st January 2008, 08:48

Well no one's ever gonna recommend to wear less protection so yes, a kevlar jacket and something of the sort would be useful. Just gotta think what kind of crash you're gonna get into, scooters ain't gonna boost too fast so if you fall of it'll be at 50-60, that said you can still loose alot of skin at that speed. Though a thick hoody and a good pair of jeans woild probably absorb most of that.

Thing you gotta worry about is cars crashing into you, at that point you're gonna want some armour, which is what a proper jacket would give you but they ain't too cheap. But not too expensive either,

$135 Jacket:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Helmets-clothing-footwear/Leathers-jackets/auction-137775846.htm

$120 Pants:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Helmets-clothing-footwear/Leathers-jackets/auction-138593663.htm

Ultimately, it's your body. Good to see you want some sort of protection, but as long as you have thick, tough clothing covering your *entire* body I reckon you'll be alright for 'most' of the situations you're likely to get in.

scootnz

31st January 2008, 08:50

One of those jackets plus some draggin jeans http://www.thunderbike.co.nz/shopn:spi::TBIKE_1_DRJ would still look reasonably normal around town. If safety is important than dress for the crash, not the ride. Don't forget good gloves, and footwear.

Badjelly

31st January 2008, 09:02

Hi
I like the idea of these semi-open face helmets that I've seen round the place, that will protect my face but will still give good visibility. Can someone recommend a brand/model? I'd try to buy locally from a motorcycle shop.

You mean flip-face, ie. full face with a flip-up chin bar? (If you mean something else, then I have to ask "Are you so ugly you want your face scraped off?")

I have a flip face, a KBC FEC, that was $400 at full retail. I wasn't looking for a flip-face particularly, nor a helmet that expensive, but it was about the only thing in Wellington that fit my enormous, ill-shaped head.

The flip-face thing is handy, but after a few months of owning it, I dropped the partially-open helmet about 0.5 m onto a carpeted floor. It landed on the chin bar and bent the brackets so it wouldn't close. I bent them back OK and now the helmet closes and latches nicely, so I think safety is not compromised, but I've become a bit paranoid about damaging it further and never flip it up. So what I have effectively is a full-face helmet that's a bit bulkier and heavier than it needs to be.

Mind you, the convenience of being able to flip up the bar, rather than taking the helmet off, when you walk into a dairy is huge. So the flip-face idea is attractive, but I think you're better off with full-face.

And, as I alluded to above, open face is just not an option IMO.

Weaver

31st January 2008, 09:09

Wearing thick clothing won't help an awful lot if you have an off. I low sided a scooter once at about 30kms. I was wearing, ordinary jeans, work boots (the type with the elastic on the sides), T shirt, woolen jersey and an old leather dress jacket. Plus a full face helmet.
I managed to get a boot ripped off, take the skin off both elbows and knees, scuff up my palms and scratch the visor on the helmet.

I agree entirely with what scootnz said.

pritch

31st January 2008, 09:16

I didn't want to ride a scooter in big boots and full touring suit either.

A Fox enduro jacket seemed to fit the bill, it's lighter but does have some armour.

Badjelly

31st January 2008, 09:22

Round town these days I'm wearing a reinforced cordura jacket, reinforced cordura pants, Dri-rider boots, lined gloves with knuckle guards and the above-mentioned flip-face helmet I never open.

F**k me, I'm hot! I really need to get a more sensible summer outfit. The draggin jeans sound interesting.

Romeo

31st January 2008, 10:33

I crashed my BMX on the road and tore my knee down to the bone, aswell as rooting my hands for atleast a month. I wasn't even going that fast!

So I'm glad you've got half a brain and have decided to wear some gear! I'd say get some QuasiMoto Sliderz (http://www.quasimoto.co.nz/products/?product_id=25), they're very good apparently. I was going to get a pair, but needed some kevlar jeans at short notice so paid the extra $50 for some Draggins. (Or you could put up a "WTB: Kevlar Jeans" on KiwiBiker)

As far as gloves and boots go, just remember that if you can pull them off, then the road can pull them off too.

Badjelly

31st January 2008, 11:34

I crashed my BMX on the road and tore my knee down to the bone, aswell as rooting my hands for atleast a month. I wasn't even going that fast!

So now you wear full motorbike gear on the BMX?

Sorry to hear it, by the way. Sounds painful!

ZK-Awesome

31st January 2008, 11:49

I do like the idea of the Kevlar jeans, maybe a WTB topic is a good plan, as I'd like to avoid shelling out $179 for them.

I like the look of these lighter jackets on the Thunderbike website, like this Ixon Diablo textile jacket (attached pic)

As for helmets, I don't want a full-face one with a chin bar, I'd much prefer to have one that is "open face" but has a large visor over my whole face (pic attached)

Dodger

31st January 2008, 12:08

Well I own a Bike and a 50cc scooter.
On the Bike I wear full gear.

On the scooter I wear my armoured jacket (cordura) and gloves.

I feel a full face helmet is a must, unless you don't like your chin.
You can pick up a cheap one for around $100 (most people say cheap helmet for a cheap head, but in reality they all need to pass the same safety standards and you shouldn't be doing 100kph on the scooter) eg. http://www.motoretail.co.nz/product.cfm?ID=6141

In the end it's all down to what makes YOU happy, and even minimal protective gear is going to be better than 90% of the scooter riders in Wellington.

ZK-Awesome

31st January 2008, 12:21

Ok, point taken about full-face helmets. I'm really only looking at cheap gear, cos I'm never really looking to go into bigger motorbikes.

I think I'll get myself sorted with the safety gear before I pay back my parents the $300 or so I'll be owing them.

Can someone comment on these pants: They're more in my price range.
http://www.motoretail.co.nz/product.cfm?ID=6564

UberRhys

31st January 2008, 12:51

I feel a full face helmet is a must, unless you don't like your chin.

So true, after being taken out by a car and face-planting the bonnet and the road with a full face helmet on I can tell you that a pudding-bowl type open face job on your noggin would be plain insanity...:wacko:

you shouldn't be doing 100kph on the scooter

Ummmm, why not? What I think you ment to say was...
you shouldn't be doing over 100kph on the scooter because then you will be breaking the speed limit

Hahaha...:laugh::innocent:

Dodger

31st January 2008, 13:19

Ummmm, why not? What I think you ment to say was...

Nope.
I was assuming that it was a 50cc scooter, that *should* be limited to around 50kph (2Kw power) being a moped.

Ok, I have managed to get my 50cc past 90kph (that's as far as the speedo goes) on a slight downhill.

ZK-Awesome

31st January 2008, 13:24

Yip thats right, 50cc SJ50. Will be freakin sweet cruising round all the roads that I couldn't be bothered going to on my push-bike

Dave Lobster

31st January 2008, 16:58

It'd be faster on your pushbike.

davereid

31st January 2008, 17:55

Dave Lobster

31st January 2008, 18:41

Full face helmets are a pain around town

In what way? My Arai isn't a pain around town. It's excellent.

A Flip helmet is a a good compromise.

It's also the easiest way to make you look like a grade A dork.

Nagash

31st January 2008, 19:56

It's also the easiest way to make you look like a grade A dork.

I think riding a scooter did that in the first place..

ZK-Awesome

31st January 2008, 21:45

FFM Flip helmet : About $160.

Full face helmets are a pain around town, but they do modestly increase facial protection. A Flip helmet is a a good compromise.

Best investments ... in order

1. Buy a car.
You are 26 to 35 times more likely to die on a bike than in a car depending on whos study you read.

2. Helmet. 1.5-2 x improvement in your odds. Snell etc NOT associated with improved survival rates. Buy a Cheap NZ Standard helmet, and use the change for...

3. Gloves. No effect on survival. But hands are useful, and hard to patch.

4. Jacket. Keeps rain off. Minimises road rash, which is seldom fatal, but hurts like hell.

5. Pants. As for jacket.

6. Motorcycle Boots.
Not really much better than a pair of second hand work boots, so don't spend much. Just wear a pair of old steel caps until Mum says what do you want for Xmas.

26-35 times more likely? Really? Does anyone have figures on the actual amount of people who died on 2-wheelers in a year in NZ? What about just scooters?

Can someone explain to me the purpose of a flip-up helmet? Is it so you can eat and drink or something? Then why not just take it off!

Got some big ole leather motorbike gloves from Dad, haven't been used in 10 years.

As for jacket and pants, I don't think I'll go any further than getting a pair of Draggin Jeans and a Draggin Jacket, it's a scooter after all.

Boots - probably not.

As for being faster to go crusing on my pushbike - doubt it, but anyway, scooters are much less tiring :)

UberRhys

31st January 2008, 22:25

It's also the easiest way to make you look like a grade A dork.

I think riding a scooter did that in the first place..

No your getting confused, that would be riding a Honda... :whistle:

Flatcap

1st February 2008, 07:51

It's also the easiest way to make you look like a grade A dork.

Only if you ride around with the face flipped up, which is contrary to the manufacturers operating instructions.

Badjelly

1st February 2008, 08:46

Can someone explain to me the purpose of a flip-up helmet? Is it so you can eat and drink or something? Then why not just take it off!

You can walk up to people, flip up the face thingy, and say "Do you know how fast you were going back there?"

Seriously, I find the helmet the most awkward piece of bike gear to carry around, because it's big and round and you don't want to drop it or scratch the visor. So the simplest thing is to put it on your head(*). But if you walk into a dairy or a bank with a full-face on, you're liable to generate a reaction you didn't intend. Also, a flipped-up flip-face helmet is cooler than a full-face with an open visor. So basically, you can stroll around the shops looking like a dork, but in relative comfort.

(*)However if you have a scooter with somewhere to stow your helmet, perhaps all this doesn't matter as much. The helmet storage on my bike is awkward and insecure so I never use it.

Flatcap

1st February 2008, 09:01

Can someone explain to me the purpose of a flip-up helmet? Is it so you can eat and drink or something? Then why not just take it off!

For me one of the best things about a flip face is that it doesn't rip your ears off when you put it on and remove it with the face flipped up.

Once the face is pulled down it is a good snug fit.

Plus when you have a bad snotty cold, you can flip the face up before sneezing

Romeo

1st February 2008, 12:32

So now you wear full motorbike gear on the BMX?

I think you'll find I was trying to point out that hitting the tarmac at even the slowest speeds can cause some pretty nasty injuries. And no, I don't ride the BMX anymore, it's up for sale if anyone's keen!

Visit Ride2Die (http://ride2die.com) if you want to see some horrific pictures of people who have crashed their motorbikes when they weren't wearing the proper gear :]. That'll put the fear of God into you!

Badjelly

1st February 2008, 12:38

I think you'll find I was trying to point out that hitting the tarmac at even the slowest speeds can cause some pretty nasty injuries.

Yes. I was just leading to the point (in an idle, nothing-better-to-do-right-now way) that people who ride bicycles, BMXs, whatever on the road don't wear all the protective gear necessary to avoid these nasty injuries because it just wouldn't be practical. And doubtless I could draw a conclusion from that, but the tropical heat in Wellington has sapped my energy.

Have a nice day.

Badjelly

1st February 2008, 12:40

Visit Ride2Die (http://ride2die.com) if you want to see some horrific pictures of people who have crashed their motorbikes when they weren't wearing the proper gear :]. That'll put the fear of God into you!

Not right now, thanks.

I imagine you could come up with some horrific pictures of people who have crashed their motorbikes when they *were* wearing the proper gear.

Dodger

1st February 2008, 14:55

Can someone explain to me the purpose of a flip-up helmet? Is it so you can eat and drink or something? Then why not just take it off!

Main use I find with mine is going into the store to pay for petrol, and having a quick chat to people on the side of the road etc.

I have a Nolan N102 N-Com, which retail for around $600 in the stores, but cost me NZ$330 delivered from http://stores.ebay.com/iMotorcycle-Store I've got my cellphone attached to it via the basic speakers and mic kit, and is great for receiving calls when I'm out and about.

Downside to the Nolan (and most flip helmets) is the wind noise, but that is only at speeds above 70kph and not a problem when wearing earplugs like I do.