Proof that "most expensive doesn't equal best"

[Bob]

RiDE magazine this month has tested 25 all-season suits. They tested abrasion, seam burst, impact, thermal, waterproof capabilities in their test lab (which is very sophisticated) and also each jacket/trouser combi was taken out and ridden on the road to see how it felt.

The best one? Spada 'Circuit' jacket and 'Podium' trousers. Cost? £99.95/£89.99 respectively. Got 51 out of 60.

There were only 6 cheaper sets on test - the most expensive was Rukka, which cost £629.99/£499.99... and only got 31 out of 60.

There is no website for Spada shown in the article, but I'd guess a Google will source something.

Just goes to show that the best kit isn't necessarily the most expensive one.

I wish they'd tested by Bering kit - I'd have been interested to see how they thought it compared (it is 100% waterproof - the pocket holding a small puddle when I forget to close it is proof of that!), warm, fits well (aside from legs being a bit long... but then I have short legs). Only complaint on my Bering clothing is the armour feels like it might move on impact...but I am not going to try it out!

[kneescraper]

That would make for some interesting reading, some times the money you pay on the "best" gear is just for the label. While we are on this topic what gear to the Kiwi Biker members wear when riding. I have a Rjays jacket with armor and it is so comfy to wear and still has good protection, also AGV helmet (go the Rossi helmet) spidi gloves that have that built in armor stuff and jeans. I don't like wearing leather and I feel I am safe wearing what I do!!!

[badlieutenant]

umm clover jacket with armour, spidi pants gloves, alpine touring boots and hjc chinlift type helmet. After wearing leather for 12 years I absolutly love this stuff. wish id done it sooner as it has changed the whole riding exsperiance for me, i.e I know longer wait for the feel of water getting thru jacket after an hour or three riding in the rain. I can still remember coming from the bay of islands on the way to wellington in pouring rain, it rained the whole way and was so bad visibility was at about 90mtrs and it wa cold enough that the only road open was national park. oh fun days

[kneescraper]

Oh I feel the same way badlieutenant, I rode my first 6months of riding a road bike with a leather jacket. Then I saw my now jacket of sale and brought it and it has also changed things for me. You just feel more free to move around and the wind dosn't get through like it did with the leather. And the armor would stop the blow to your bones if you feel off better than plan leather would! :cool2: :cool2:

[Bob]

What gear to the Kiwi Biker members wear when riding.

From the top:

Helmet: Arai RV

Jacket: Bering Portland Jacket

Trousers (talking waterproof/cold weather): Bering Corpus Trousers

Jeans (for use 8/9 months of year): Hood (lined with Kevlar - even though they call it Aramid (means they don't have to pay DuPont loads of cash for using the word Kevlar)

Gloves: Bering Duke 2

Boots: Hein Gericke Cycko

I've also got a backup helmet, which is an HJC CL-14 (more a race lid - it isn't as comfortable as the Arai). I've got another pair of gloves that come out on really hot days or if I'm playing with Laura's baby XV250 Virago, as they feel 'right' on that. I also wear my flying jacket if I'm on the cruiser - again a comfort thing (and it just looks good!

The Bering kit is fantastic for keeping off the rain - great example, I forgot to close my small change pocket... after riding in the rain, I went to get a coin to pay for the car-park and there was a small puddle in the bottom of the pocket! I've not had a drop of rain get through since I started using it - and we're talking about 12,000 miles to date.

[White trash]

While we are on this topic what gear to the Kiwi Biker members wear when riding.

Arai NRV.

Either AGV "Suzuki GSXR" branded jacket, or Tecnic 2 piece suit or Clover "Nitro" Cordura jacket for commuting.

Diadora "Race" boots and

Bellstaf "Bandit" gloves.

[clint640]

I invested in a bunch of new gear a few months back, It's had a reasonable test now, a few 1 hr+ rides in constant heavy rain & a few frosty mornings, so here's the report:

Helmet: KBC TK8 $300 - I like, although the visor could be bigger for a bit better view.
Jacket: KBC Touring $300 - I like, warm, dry, comfy, all the right features. only gripes are: External pockets aren't waterproof, cuffs are difficult to stretch over the outside of winter gloves for those really wet rides.
Pants: RJays Nomads $200 - I like, warm, dry, comfy, waterproof pockets.
Gloves: Orina Chicago $100 - Warm, dry, comfy once broken in but they keep tearing around the cuff closure stitching, the bike shop replaced the 1st pair, I think I'll just get these ones sewn up as they are good otherwise.

My 2nd hand Diadora boots are letting my socks get a bit damp, so a replacement is in order there.

For summer there is always the trusty old battlescarred Jet Leathers jacket, These are great - basic but top quality leather & workmanship, I just had it relined, rezipped & patched by the manufacturers for a very reasonable price.

Cheers
Clint

[sAsLEX]

for those who are after toothpaste tubes technic have a sale of older model 1 and 2 piece suits at the mo

[Devil]

Hrm, for meeee:

Helmet: HJC CL-14
Jacket: Spool COrdura thingy.
Pants: Motoline Saxon
Boots: Gay-Ernie (Gaerne :P)
Gloves: Summer: Darbi, Winter: Random brand thick bastards.

[riffer]

And for me:

Helmet: Nitro Racing NV-500 Helmet (Black)
Jacket: Dririder Cordura Touring Pants
Jacket: Spool Cordura Jacket (soft armour) or Mototech Cordura Jacket (harder armour) I'd like leathers but at 5 foot 10 and 95kgs I doubt I'd find them in the right shape
Boots: Old Sidi Riding boots with toe sliders gone
Gloves: No-name Leather/Hipora winter gloves with kevlar stitching, etc.

[riffer]

For summer there is always the trusty old battlescarred Jet Leathers jacket, These are great - basic but top quality leather & workmanship...

I still have mine from when I was 17. No way I can fit it now, but its in perfect condition. I'd need to lose at least 20kgs to fit it, but yeah, a great 50's style no collar jacket.

[Blakamin]

Helmet = FFM TourPro. $180
Jacket = RJays Voyager $130
Pants = Rjays Voyager $100
Gloves = KBC $58

RJays stuff nice and warm AND waterproof
Gloves not so waterproof and on extremely cold wet, days they suck

[jrandom]

Helmet = FFM TourPro. $180
Jacket = RJays Voyager $130
Pants = Rjays Voyager $100
Gloves = KBC $58

Filtering past full Spidi race suits on GSXR1000s in stopped traffic = priceless.

[vifferman]

Boots: Gay-Ernie (Gaerne :P)

Hadn't heard them called that. Nearly bought some meself.
Helmet: AGV X-Vent
Jacket: Teknic Hurricane with external padded kevlar on elbows, forearms and shoulders, built-in back protector (with internal pocket for proper spine protector) and hard armour in shoulders, elbows/forearms. Leather over lower arms and shoulders (covering previous 'indiscretions').
Pants: Some Pakistani leather things, with Knox armour in knees. Wear Motoline waterproof pants over the top when it's wet.
Boots: StylMartin Strada. Still have a pair of KiwiSport (Korean) boots that I wore for 7 years, and apart from the left sole wearing through, are still pretty good!
Glubs: SpidiPro1, Orina Denver when it's wet (quite warm and waterproof, but shocking quality - several seams came apart on the back and are now hotmelt glued!), plus several pairs of spares (AGV, Darbi, and some other brand).

Like kneescraper and badlieutenant, I used to wear a leather jacket, did so for years. I remember seeing some guy on the Northern Motorway riding past wearing (coincidentally) a Teknic Hurricane jacket, and seeing the built-in back protector. I was amazed that the jacket wasn't flapping in the wind. That got me thinking - about how my leather jacket was always too hot/cold/uncomfortable/damp and didn't offer much impact protection. Before that, I always sneered at textile stuff, thinking it was inadequate. So I had a look at textile jackets, and bought one. I wore the leather one only a couple of times after that, then realised it just didn't measure up, and sold it.

[Blakamin]

Filtering past full Spidi race suits on GSXR1000s in stopped traffic = priceless.

Will get a pair of boots when the $$ happen (at the mo I wear my blundstones = extremely cold feet coz of the steel toes)

and some s/h leathers so i can go bucket racing