Gear that offers the best protection

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danarchy

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Hello everyone,

I'm looking to buy a completely new set of riding gear -- everything from boots to a helmet. I don't care about the looks I just want the best protection possible. What would you recommend?

Thanks!

danarchy
 
Armoured leather. make sure it fits. no good if the sleeves are not long enough. If it's for riding and not posing best protection is with a one piece. I've seen way too often where 2 piece have split at the track leaving the crasher rashed on the hips/back/bum/belly. Some brands are not as good as they used to be but if it doesn't fit it doesn't work...

for helmets I'm partial to shark, but again they might not make something that fits you and you will have to check out another brand.

get a back protector.
 
^^^ agree with everything above. 1 piece and leather is best, but 2 piece leather might be a little more practical/comfortable if you'll be riding around city and using for everyday use, at least then you can drop jacket when you get to where youre going.

as for helmet... make sure it fits, nice and snug. i have heard that injection molded plastic shells arent the best in a crash, people generally steer towards fiberglass/other composite lids. that being said i am partial to shoei, they have always made something that fits me.

boots, if they bend sideways they're no good. pick them up and bend them, see if they will move in any direction you wouldnt want your ankle going. as much as i dont like their shop... riders choice... daytona boots are hands down the best money can buy. but they are damn pricey.

gloves, make sure they're gauntlets. then little things, like pinky/ring finger sewn together, extra reinforcement in areas.... are all other things to look for. look at "five" brand gloves. really nice stuff. and im sure that many here would agree.
 
Thanks guys, that was a lot of good info. What about the certifications? I heard there was one that has higher standards than DOT for helmets but I can't remember it now (snell? shell? something like that). Is CE the strictest one for elbows, shoulders, knees and back armor?

And yes, this is definitely for riding and not posing. I won't be racing but I still want the best and I'm willing to pay for it.
 
Snell is different than DOT, but there are arguments over whether it is better. The racers test their helmets more, ask reciprocity which standards he looks for in a lid and you will be learning from years of product testing.

EDIT:

As Rob says below, buy what you will wear, but I strongly recommend leather over textile. Myself and a few others have been let down by textile gear (others have had positive experiences), but I haven't heard of anyone being let down by leather (unless it was really old and the stiching blew). Stupid me thinking that even if the textile wore through the armor would protect me. The armor rotated out of the way almost immediately and I had a hole in my knee for months.

Another test for the boots is lay on your side and have a friend jump on your ankle. This is like the bike falling on you in a lowside. It is hard (but not impossible) to find boots that pass this test without being very racey looking.
 
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The gear that offers the best protection is gear that you'll actually wear. It does no good, if it's hanging on the back of a door at home. Consider that, before buying.
 
danarchy said:
Thanks guys, that was a lot of good info. What about the certifications? I heard there was one that has higher standards than DOT for helmets but I can't remember it now (snell? shell? something like that). Is CE the strictest one for elbows, shoulders, knees and back armor?

And yes, this is definitely for riding and not posing. I won't be racing but I still want the best and I'm willing to pay for it.
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If you want the best in terms of protection, Id go with Daytona boots and the forcefield sub-4 backprotector.
 
Rob MacLennan said:
The gear that offers the best protection is gear that you'll actually wear. It does no good, if it's hanging on the back of a door at home. Consider that, before buying.
Click to expand...

+1.

i have a buddy with a dainese 1pc non perforated leather suit. top of the line. cost him a ton. he found it too hot in summer, so he bought a cheap vented ballistic nylon riding jacket and pants. they are junk (they not even rated for any abrasion resistance). he wears that with a "armored" vest. he wore the leathers from april to beginning of june, and again mid sept til end of season. the rest of the time he wore the other "suit".


as for helmets, the thermoplastic helmets with bend on impact. think of what happens when you bend a bucket, it bounces back into place. you don't want that to happen to your head.

aim for "multidirectional fibres". fibreglass, kevlar, and other composites.
im not personally keen on carbon, due to the dangers of the dust, and they spray (like all) a lot of dust when abraded.
 
Thanks again. One more question: I'm just getting into the sport and have yet to buy a bike. I'm still undecided if I want a sporty bike or a cruiser. Would a 1-piece suit be very uncomfortable on a cruiser? (I know it might look a bit goofy but like I said before I don't really care).
 
One piece suits are actually cut so that they fit best, when in a sportbike crouch. Two piece suits can either be for racing, or for touring (mostly the former). For example Aerostich has a new leather touring suit, that's impregnated with Goretex for weather protection.

http://www.aerostich.com/transit-two-piece-suit.html
 
Sorry to thread jack but it's in regard to helmets. What is the difference between say a $100-$150 dollar HJC Helmet and a $500+ Shoie or Aria. They are both DOT approved, is it a name thing like Nike or is there an actual safety concern with a cheaper bucket. Thanks.
 
Bradsma said:
Sorry to thread jack but it's in regard to helmets. What is the difference between say a $100-$150 dollar HJC Helmet and a $500+ Shoie or Aria. They are both DOT approved, is it a name thing like Nike or is there an actual safety concern with a cheaper bucket. Thanks.
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Use the search function. You will find the answer to your question. Besides how much they cost, there is the safety rating.
Dot, Snell etc. All said, if it fits really well, buy the one you and your wallet feel comfortable with.

I ride a Shoei RF1000 (medium) Knowing that a Shoei medium fits me perfectly I would just find the best deal online and order the newer RF1100 or Multitech.

Get out to some shops and find what fits you best.
 
Bradsma said:
Sorry to thread jack but it's in regard to helmets. What is the difference between say a $100-$150 dollar HJC Helmet and a $500+ Shoie or Aria. They are both DOT approved, is it a name thing like Nike or is there an actual safety concern with a cheaper bucket. Thanks.
Click to expand...

The expensive helmets are normally quieter, lighter, better ventilated and come with handy features like removable liners. They also (generally) come with better graphics and the cachet of the name. Safety and price are almost independent in the helmet market. Less than 10 years ago Arai got caught shipping helmets that didn't pass the SNELL standard even though they were sold as being SNELL approved helmets. Buy the helmet that fits you the best (and is the brightest to help you stay alive).
 
danarchy said:
Hello everyone,

I'm looking to buy a completely new set of riding gear -- everything from boots to a helmet. I don't care about the looks I just want the best protection possible. What would you recommend?

Thanks!

danarchy
Click to expand...

Don't blow a fortune on gear, spend some additional money on riding courses. Better road craft will always be safer than just wearing top of the line gear.
 
[1] leather gear should be perforated or it's going to be too hot to wear if you ride in the city.
[2] consider a chest protector as well. Check the motorcycle accident stats; there are a lot of serious chest injuries.
 
From what I see other people wearing, I would guess shorts or jeans.
 
Pretty much what these ppl said + bright yellow/green reflective jacket. Being seen and not getting run over is important too :P
 
6th gear offers the best protection, most crashes are in a lower gear.
 
I would not buy a 1 piece for day to day riding. To impractical, in my opinion for using the bike for commuting as well as touring. Unless your ok with walking around in superhero attire.

I personally like corduro 2000 products. Klim, Ruka, BMW all make exceptional gear with top quality armor and overall quality. They breath better then leather, very durable and look better, again my opinion.

For helmets, buy what fits your head best. If its go Dot, Snell or ECU approval, its good to go.
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