The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

I will admit I am guilty of occasionally riding around town with jeans on instead of my proper riding pants. Yes you feel bugs, raindrops, and debris hitting your legs. Yes I know that even in the slow speeds I ride at, if I go down, my knees/ass don't stand a chance against asphalt. No I do not recommend it.

I currently am rocking a pair of Sidi Vertigo's. Nice boots if anything a bit pricey ($300, still cheaper then ankle surgery). I lok for good ankle protection as well as a bit of shin protection. I also am a fan of boots that have that little plastic bit where the shifter meets so it doesn't wear through.
 
1) For me, riding pants are worth it.

Riding pants (not jeans) mainly protect from abrasion and impact. Technology has improved in these recent years that some textile pants have equal or even better protection than leather.

Riding jeans usually protect against impact with knee armor but denim usually lacks abrasion protection.

Full leather pants sometimes have knee and shin armor.

Also, good riding pants are high-waisted (so coupled with a good jacket, there will be no gap on your lower back).

From personal experience, you feel a LOT more of the road when you're in regular jeans. Raindrops, rocks, bugs start to hurt when they hit you when you're going 40+mph. But then again, I'm a fucking wimp so....

2) What DanRoM. Riding boots should have ankle protection/armor, which usually means full length boots or at least 3/4 length.

From what I understand riding jeans/pants (think cargo pants not legit riding pants) have kevlar inserts for protection, this is what I'm wondering about.
All my boots are pretty high but they only have toe protection.
 
From what I understand riding jeans/pants (think cargo pants not legit riding pants) have kevlar inserts for protection, this is what I'm wondering about.
All my boots are pretty high but they only have toe protection.

That just offers some abrasion resistance, not impact. You really need both.

And yeah, modern riding boots provide a lot more protection than work boots. Work boots were equivalent back in the 70s, but it hasn't been the 1970s for a very long time...
 
That just offers some abrasion resistance, not impact. You really need both.

And yeah, modern riding boots provide a lot more protection than work boots. Work boots were equivalent back in the 70s, but it hasn't been the 1970s for a very long time...

That's pretty much what I thought on the pants. Got it on the boots, thanks!
 
That's pretty much what I thought on the pants. Got it on the boots, thanks!

Some 'riding jeans' also offer knee and hip pads/armor like regular riding pants or overpants. Many of us wear easy-on/off overpants when we're riding to work or a client, though, as you can wear what you want under them while still being fully protected on the road.

Riding boots can be had in easy-on/off forms as well - the Sidi Vertigos that are popular among members here are side zip and take just seconds to don or doff.
 
Ayup - boots are quite easy to slide on and off. The point with finding good gear is getting the stuff that's comfortable and something you *will* wear. Full track pants are great for protection but a bitch to take on and off (it's a two man job for mine). +1 to Spectre's suggestion of overpants - when I get some mo' mojo, I need to get myself a set. :)

Or you can also just invest in a one piece or two piece touring/over suit. Blind has a couple of which I'm insanely jealous - he wears whatever he wants underneath and then he just slips out of them when we get to a destination. :grr:
 
Some 'riding jeans' also offer knee and hip pads/armor like regular riding pants or overpants. Many of us wear easy-on/off overpants when we're riding to work or a client, though, as you can wear what you want under them while still being fully protected on the road.

Riding boots can be had in easy-on/off forms as well - the Sidi Vertigos that are popular among members here are side zip and take just seconds to don or doff.
Yep I was thinking of overpants for when I inevitably take it to work and such, I been wearing lace up boots most of my adult life I can put em on and off in 10 seconds so thats not a big deal for me ;)

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Ayup - boots are quite easy to slide on and off. The point with finding good gear is getting the stuff that's comfortable and something you *will* wear. Full track pants are great for protection but a bitch to take on and off (it's a two man job for mine). +1 to Spectre's suggestion of overpants - when I get some mo' mojo, I need to get myself a set. :)

Or you can also just invest in a one piece or two piece touring/over suit. Blind has a couple of which I'm insanely jealous - he wears whatever he wants underneath and then he just slips out of them when we get to a destination. :grr:

Thanks, I'm not sure if I will do one piece seems like it would be bulky to store.

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Der Stig has an Olympia Stealth oversuit that he seems to like quite a lot. I have a Teknic Sprint two piece set I use for less temperate days and I like that as well. :D
You should throw those into gear recommendation thread if you haven't already, once I'm ready I'll be trawling it quite a bit ;)
 
Yup, I love my suit. No complaints other than it's not quite as ventilated as my Tourmaster/Bilt pants.
 
Good news! Kiki finally bought me that Ducati Multistrada I've been wanting!

 
Good news! Kiki finally bought me that Ducati Multistrada I've been wanting!

I went from a serious case of jealousy to :lol:

EDIT: You know what, it's starting to feel like BMW is spying on me and purposefully trying to make it so I don't buy them. It began with news the Modern Line which I like in their cars would be discontinued, now I'm reading the 2014 Motorrad updates and they got rid of both paint colors on both bikes that I like.
 
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Blind_Io, that?s a start! :p
 
Yeah, then right back to jealousy.

That's a really neat model.

We found it at the Ducati Island Store at MotoGP at Laguna Seca; I was looking for a Monster 696 to buy Kiki but they didn't have any - I guess she will just have to be happy with her 1:1 version.
 
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Yep I was thinking of overpants for when I inevitably take it to work and such, I been wearing lace up boots most of my adult life I can put em on and off in 10 seconds so thats not a big deal for me ;)

Lace-ups are usually not terribly protective. Keep in mind that most of the stuff that will be hitting the boot will be hitting the front of your calf, unlike with work boots, and you will want that surface to be unbroken so things like hot oil, stones, sharp pointy things and if you ride in all weather water and snow do not get in your boot. Also, the laces on the front are a weak spot in an accident and they tend to get caught on parts of the bike when you really would prefer they don't.

Most modern boots are using size zip, side velcro, or strap-type fastening systems.

Check out this review of the Sidi Vertigo boots a lot of us like: http://www.webbikeworld.com/sidi-boots/
Note the large armor panels on the upper part of the boot that face front. That is the most common strike zone while you're riding and you really do want to have something like that there or at least a continuous unbroken padded surface. My set of them has those panels all scratched up from stuff bouncing off them - and of course crashing them.

You should throw those into gear recommendation thread if you haven't already, once I'm ready I'll be trawling it quite a bit ;)

I'll copyquote all of the germane posts to this point into the gear thread.

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Now water it properly, and in about three years...

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Lace-ups are usually not terribly protective. Keep in mind that most of the stuff that will be hitting the boot will be hitting the front of your calf, unlike with work boots, and you will want that surface to be unbroken so things like hot oil, stones, sharp pointy things and if you ride in all weather water and snow do not get in your boot. Also, the laces on the front are a weak spot in an accident and they tend to get caught on parts of the bike when you really would prefer they don't.

Most modern boots are using size zip, side velcro, or strap-type fastening systems.

Check out this review of the Sidi Vertigo boots a lot of us like: http://www.webbikeworld.com/sidi-boots/
Note the large armor panels on the upper part of the boot that face front. That is the most common strike zone while you're riding and you really do want to have something like that there or at least a continuous unbroken padded surface. My set of them has those panels all scratched up from stuff bouncing off them - and of course crashing them.



I'll copyquote all of the germane posts to this point into the gear thread.
Thanks :) You have been +repped for helpfulness :)
 
Those boots are very protective, but you look like a idiot on any motorcycle that is not a supersport and not wearing a matching leather suit. And walking more than 100 yards looks like a pain in the ass.
 
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Those boots are very protective, but you look like a idiot on any motorcycle that is not a supersport and not wearing a matching leather suit. And walking more than 100 yards looks like a pain in the ass.

Except you actually don't in reality, and I've worn them all day on job sites and not found them uncomfortable.
 
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