Good quality affordable gear (for learners maybe?)

[Phreak]

So at the moment my bank account is dipping into the 'low' region more than often, but I still insist on having proper motorcycle gear to ride in. I have purchased three items that I would like to mention, all for very good reasons...

Firstly, I purchased an "OXFORD OX-2" helmet (Gloss Black) from Cycletreads (www.cycletreads.co.nz) on the North Shore, for $99 with an added tinted visor for $28. This helmet is proving to be serious value for money! It is very comfortable, fairly quiet (esp when worn with my Oxford half-face mask), and looks a treat! Seriously, thanks to the guys at Cycletreads for hooking me up with this one. The two vents (one on top and one on the chin) work well, the visor doesn't fog up (except at night when I'm not wearing the mask, with the visor fully down), the inner-cushioning moulds to the shape of your head very quickly to ensure a nice tight comfy fit. Really, I can't fault this helmet.

Secondly, also from Cycletreads, I have bought a pair of "DARBI" (unsure of the specific name) gauntlet-style gloves, for ALL-weather riding. Now, I know most bikers have seperate gloves for wet and dry weather, but I think these gloves work surprisingly well in both. I have ditched my old wet-weather gloves in favour of these, as they keep my hands perfectly dry (and warm) in the wet, and seem to minimize sweating on hot sunny days as well! They feature leather on the palm of the hand, for grip on your bars, and a textile (nylon...?) fabric on the back of the hands. The back of the hands is padded, with an added foam protector pad across the little finger base knuckle for added safety. The only thing they lack is more impact protectors like other bigger-name gloves, but I feel that for the price I paid, I have received good value for money. The fit is good (for my hands at least), feeling through the material is good - on the handlebars, clutch and brake levers... And the price? $40.

And thirdly, I have been browsing 'summer' jackets on TradeMe for a while now, and finally settled on one from manufacturer "Mohsin" (see www.messona.co.nz for full details) called the "Viper". Purchased for $195, it has (in my own words) a full mesh inner lining, with a mesh/nylon outer (called 'Maxtex'), CE certified protectors on the shoulders and elbows and an impact foam back protector. The arms are fully adjustable via dome buttons, and it came with a removable inner rain liner. Of course, its a summer jacket so I took the rain liner out as soon as I got it home, so as to properly test it in the elements I bought it for. But, Murpy's Law struck, and it rained within half an hour of my leaving the house on a ride, wearing the jacket without the rain liner; karma has a funny way of striking back when you least expect it! In the rain, obviously, you'd want the liner in place, which I had left at home (now lives in the boot compartment on my bike!) but in the dry, this jacket is pretty damn good! I rode with it on Sunday (thanks again to the guys that I went out with) for a total of about 3.5 hours, and it was more than comfortable the entire trip. Really, take a look at the website to see all the features of this jacket, it's not too shabby. It is well ventilated (because its mostly mesh - I wore a turtleneck underneath to keep the wind at bay), fits really well, and made me feel safe on the road. Only two areas I should point out that I felt were maybe not quite up to expectation - the neck collar was a little uncomfortable when riding without my face mask, and the waist-line is a little on the short side... But then remember it is a summer jacket (not an extra-long winter item), and I am kinda tall (just over 6 feet), and otherwise the fit is spot on... On a good note, however, the guy importing these (private importer) was most friendly, let me try on three before I found one that fit just right! I think that for a fairly inexpensive jacket for use in the dry, this cant be beaten.

Obviously, I can't testify as to the strength of any of these items in an accident (and I don't want to!) but for general riding purposes, I truly believe that in the 'value for money' category, this gear stands up to the task quite well.

Unfortunately, the camera on my phone doesn't take very good picture quality, so take a look at the websites to see more details.

[Quasievil]

Obviously, I can't testify as to the strength of any of these items in an accident (and I don't want to!) but for general riding purposes, I truly believe that in the 'value for money' category, this gear stands up to the task quite well.

You will find most stuff on Trademe to be of debatable quality, the descriptions alone that these sellers use to promote the products are highly questionable and are more about deception that fact.
you would have been better to spend a bit more on something reputable.
the old story applies pay little get junk......wether this applies to your Jacket will depend on the outcome after a crash in it.....................that is what they are built for.

[Love my Bonnie]

I understand that you want to save money, But isnt your head & brain worth more than $99?

I used to wrok for a motorcycle accessorie importer and could never understand why people dont realise this.
You definatly get what youpay for

Save up and buy the best you can

[Phreak]

Not everyone can afford a $600 helmet, $500 jacket and $300 pair of gloves, you know. I know that you get what you pay for when it comes to big name brands, like 'Shark', 'Spidi', and the rest, but for the average working learner rider (as posted in the thread title) this kind of gear is the stuff of dreams and fantasies. So, how about cutting me a little slack, huh? The Oxford helmet has the nessecary EC 2205 Safety Standard regulation protection, which I trust. And the Mohsin jacket carries the CE certified GP protectors, double stitching, and stress resistant fibre material - just the same as other big-name jackets have.

Just because lesser known brands are cheaper, doesn't mean they wont stand up to the task when needed, I'm sure. Otherwise top retailers like Cycletreads wouldn't supply them.

[Quasievil]

And the Mohsin jacket carries the CE certified GP protectors, double stitching, and stress resistant fibre material - just the same as other big-name jackets have.

Just because lesser known brands are cheaper, doesn't mean they wont stand up to the task when needed, I'm sure. Otherwise top retailers like Cycletreads wouldn't supply them.

I think bigger brands have a little more than that frankly mate, double stitching is about as basic as you would want in a motorcycle garment.
Cheap means just that, you shouldnt expect anything to be of top quality if you pay little for it, same applies to any product on the market in any industry, its a fact of life that you get what you pay for.
There is also a great deal of crap sold in bike shops across a wide range of price groups.

But good on you, and youre right that not everyone can afford better products (in anything) and it is a credit to you that you are going out and getting the best you can for the money you have, no one here will bag you for that, so dont take it that way.

[Love my Bonnie]

Im sorry if you thought I was "bagging you"
I know cycletreads very well, they wouldnt sell you anything dangerous.
you are right, Oxford products (cheap & chinese) helmets & gear meet the basic safety standard ( one of the brands I used to work with)

But dont you think your head is worth more than $99??

[yachtie10]

Good on you for posting what you have found and for making an effort to get some Ok gear on a budget
the old saying you get what you pay for is a marketing saying and is not always true
sometimes you are paying for their sponsorships and marketing and a huge markup by distributors who add very little value

Quasi you often say you can do great gear for a bargain price, does that mean its crap because its cheaper than other high end gear?

Personally you should buy the best gear you can afford that is suitable for the purpose
you dont need a motogp helmet that Rossi would wear to ride a scooter and in fact it may not be the best for the purpose

The fit of your helmet is most important (assuming it has passed the required standards), not how much the NZ distributor marks up the product

be wary of buying gear off individuals on trademe who dont come under the Consumer Guarantees ACT as you might find cheap is also nasty with no way of getting your money back

Have fun out there

[pritch]

you dont need a motogp helmet that Rossi would wear to ride a scooter and in fact it may not be the best for the purpose

Too true. I've never worn my AGV Rossi rep helmet on the moped. It'd look bloody ridiculous, the helmet cost twice as much as the moped.
Besides, it doesn't fit under the seat.

Then again I spent the middle part of yesterday in downtown Hamiltron wearing leather jeans, a Spidi jacket, and the AGV, while riding a Kawasaki 250 dirtbike loaner.

Might've looked silly, but it beat walking...

The OP done good. He's bought gear, and that's better than some I see. If he stays with bikes he can get better gear as funds permit...

[Quasievil]

Quasi you often say you can do great gear for a bargain price, does that mean its crap because its cheaper than other high end gear?

Only if its on special or on a clearout...........consider the specifications, there is the answer.......... specification is what people should make their decisions on, not on low price advantage

[ckai]

Not everyone can afford a $600 helmet, $500 jacket and $300 pair of gloves, you know. I know that you get what you pay for when it comes to big name brands, like 'Shark', 'Spidi', and the rest, but for the average working learner rider (as posted in the thread title) this kind of gear is the stuff of dreams and fantasies. So, how about cutting me a little slack, huh? The Oxford helmet has the nessecary EC 2205 Safety Standard regulation protection, which I trust. And the Mohsin jacket carries the CE certified GP protectors, double stitching, and stress resistant fibre material - just the same as other big-name jackets have.

Just because lesser known brands are cheaper, doesn't mean they wont stand up to the task when needed, I'm sure. Otherwise top retailers like Cycletreads wouldn't supply them.

You are doing well mate. You're sorting yourself out with as much kit for your coin. Just don't stretch it too thin The most important think I learnt about gloves is knuckle protection. Make sure that goes right to the sides. It ain't there for looks. I had good gloves and my hand would have been A LOT worse if the "armour" didn't go right to the outside.

But good on ya, although...

But dont you think your head is worth more than $99??

...I totally see the point. To be fair, it is to do with personal tastes in how much you think the noggin is worth. Personally $200 is the minimum I would spend on a lid, even if it's on sale or a deal. My first helmet was $200 reduced from $450 and now I have a $900 helmet. Yes I paid $300 for a brand but it makes my face look pretty and it's soooo comfy.

But, it's all your choice. Listen to advice, ask questions and make decisions. Your body at the end of the day so who gives a shit what others say.

[OutForADuck]

YOu do get what you pay for.. but you also get alot for a little if you shop around and are careful about what you get. Phreak.... I think you get the general message is be very careful where you put your dollars and take care of your personal protection, after all its YOUR person that you could discount.

Now on that front, Berbi gloves have been around fora long time and I know that these days we all need carbon fibre impact points and range of movement limiters and Kangaroo skin inners so we can feel the grips.... but they offer very good protection for the price and most tourers would be happy wearing them.

Now the jackets you talk of I know very little about but reading their specs you just need to realise they will last one fall and I wouldn't want to be chasing mad ass GSXR streetfighters through the twisties with them.... as speed increases so does the inevitable friction and impact damage from a fall. But they are ALOT better than a denim jacket or worse still some ex-army cotton affair.

As for the helmet.. Oxford helmets (I blieve) are sold in the UK under the brand BOX. Most BOX helmets have a ShARP rating of 4 which is pretty good... some however have a rating of 2 which is NOT. I would make sure if I was you how you model lined up against the models in the SHARP database because I would hate to think you were riding around in a helmet that only rated 2!! Sharp Website

So good on ya for making your dollars go a little further... Think about the limitations of the gear you have bought and the wonder it is to have hands a body and of course a head that works; keep using it and ride appropriately.

Have fun dude!!!!

[Scotty595]

Good on you for trying to get all the gear on a budget. If you only have a limited budget, would you rather get a set of gear (Gloves, Jacket, Helmet) - Or just a fancy helmet? I know I would rather the full kit.

I started out on a budget and managed to get all my gear including gloves helmet pants jacket boots for about $800 - helmet by far the biggest cost ($300). Although i did find later on that I wanted to upgrade pretty quickly - so now i ride round in gear worth pretty much the same as my bike - Wish I had a better bike, but hey I feel/am safe and thats what counts i guess.

[Phreak]

Okay, so fair enough, point made. Yes, I will be upgrading when I can afford to! I think that Scotty's statement is a good one - I'd rather be fully set up rather than just have an expensive helmet, with shoddy jacket and gloves... I know that price usually equals quality, I was just trying to point out that, in my opinion, there are alternatives for those out there with tight budgets.

I have discovered (thanks OutForADuck) that the "Oxford OX-2" is indeed the same as the "Box BX2", which has a SHARP rating of 4 stars.

Thanks everyone for you points of view, they have definitely been taken on board.

Ride safe!