what type of gear should I look at getting when I get a bike? I know boots, gloves, etc but I have no clue what type of stuff? How much will all this stuff run? how about a full leather suit?

ill let the guys over there tell you about prices, but what i wanted to mention is...dont feel pressured or restricted by one shop or its staff, chances are you will be forking out some big bucks for your gear. something that u cant go cheap on, it WILL save you.

shop around try things on.

i have a set of Alpinestar GP plus gloves...highly recommended by myself and alot of people here that own them.

get yourself a leather jacket with a back protector, or buy a spine protector later (spidi/dainese).

dot/snell approved helmet one that is snug and well conformed to your head...one that will make u look like a chipmunk...anything else may not be snug enough images/icons/wink.gif

u should perhaps go through the apparel/riding gear section and see what others have bought....

hope this helps....

ps, im a poor ass and cant afford everything or the best of what i have, but my ultimate goal is to get a set of the best gear available!

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by autocrosser:
what type of gear should I look at getting when I get a bike? I know boots, gloves, etc but I have no clue what type of stuff? How much will all this stuff run? how about a full leather suit?<hr></blockquote>

Well, it should be obvious that you'll need a good quality helmet, a FULL face helmet at that..don't skimp on it..good brands are
Arai
Shoie
HJC-AC-01 is a good one
and get the helmet that fits YOU the best, it will need to be SNUG, but shouldn't hurt..

As for boots, there are a few brands that most guys really like..Alpinestars Sidi

A full suit would be the best, be it a 2 piece, or a 1 piece suit, make sure it has good arorm, and quality stiching..some of the brands favored are..Spooner will love this.. images/icons/grin.gif
Joe Rocket..
Teknic
Alpinestars
Spidi
Fieldsheer

The amount you spend, will depend on the brands, and models you select..generally you get what ya pay for..below are some links to look at all this gear.. images/icons/grin.gif

www.kneedraggers.com (http://www.kneedraggers.com)
www.newenough.com (http://www.newenough.com)
www.fieldsheer.com (http://www.fieldsheer.com)
www.lockhartphillips.com (http://www.lockhartphillips.com)
www.helmetharbour.com (http://www.helmetharbor.com)

i know there's more, just can't think of them at the moment..others will have em though.. images/icons/grin.gif

[ 02-10-2002: Message edited by: Hammer 4 ]</p>

well this should have been posted in the Riding Gear/Apparel forum. i'll move it there for you.. images/icons/wink.gif

and if you look in that forum at other posts, you might even find exactly what you are asking for.

sorry, haven't quite got all the forums down yet images/icons/smile.gif thanks for moving it hunter.

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Hammer 4:


Well, it should be obvious that you'll need a good quality helmet, a FULL face helmet at that..don't skimp on it..good brands are
Arai
Shoie
HJC-AC-01 is a good one
and get the helmet that fits YOU the best, it will need to be SNUG, but shouldn't hurt..

As for boots, there are a few brands that most guys really like..Alpinestars Sidi

A full suit would be the best, be it a 2 piece, or a 1 piece suit, make sure it has good arorm, and quality stiching..some of the brands favored are..Spooner will love this.. images/icons/grin.gif
Joe Rocket..
Teknic
Alpinestars
Spidi
Fieldsheer


[ 02-10-2002: Message edited by: Hammer 4 ]<hr></blockquote>

Hammer, I have to disagree with this one...gear is for squids who are afraid of falling down. Any competent rider will never fall of of his bike and need any of that sissy gear stuff-just wear some cool looking sunglasses and a tank top with shorts so the ladies can get a good look at ya images/icons/grin.gif images/icons/grin.gif images/icons/grin.gif images/icons/grin.gif

Seriously, hammer made a lot of great suggestions. Kneedraggers is a great place to look at a large selection of gear. Check that place out and see what catches your eye. Post questions on specific items you like and you will get honest feedback from us. Feel free to PM me and I will help you find some great gear at a reasonable price. As Hammer noted, I am a fan of Joe Rocket, because they have great stuff at great prices. Plus they have something for every situation. Its great seeing a new rider asking about gear instead of asking about wheelies images/icons/rolleyes.gif .


-Spooner

I was reading this thread, and I was grateful I'm a squid and can ask dumb questions. So here it goes:

Am I supposed to wear a full leather suit every time I ride my bike (as in the street, for example)? I know it sounds dumb, but I really gotta ask.

You see, my bike is my only means of transportation, so I figure I'm ok as long as I'm wearing a thick leather jacket (no back protector yet), leather gloves, decent boots and (of course) a full face helmet.

I only do street riding (no track), and I'm thinking of buying one of those kevlar jackets with shoulder/elbow pads and a back protector. Would you recommend this? Or should I stick to my leather jacket?

As always, any and all advice is highly appreciated.

dammit! i wrote a bloody novel and the site played up and it disappeared...

my main points were, is your current leather jacket a biking jacket? ie, does it provide adequate padding for your back elbows? if not then i would definitely have a look at that kevlar jacket u were interested in. be sure to look for things like stitching padding durability whether or not the material will breathe etc etc

also, some people wear their full leathers everywhere, but it may not be too practical if you commute with your bike (still some do, most dont) so once again a good jacket gloves and helmet will suffice....oooh and boots!

that i feel is the bare minimum...

and one more thing, a few shops now carry pants with kevlar lining and padding so that it will reduce any road rash if u come off (touch wood) one well known brand is "Draggin' Jeans"...

wow...i hope this post comes up! dont want to type it again hehehe....

Thanx, Nolz. Yeah, my jacket is made of thick leather. I compared it to a Harley Davidson biking jacket, and this one is many times thicker (although it has no padding).

I think I'll save some cash and get the kevlar one anyway. I like it a lot.