New rider, Gear Advice Please!

i have some gear, currently have a pair of Rev It gloves, dainese summer jacket, and a crappy old school bell lid
 
The best advice I can offer with helmets is to stop looking on-line and get your rump over to GP Bikes or any other store with a decent selection. Try EVERYTHING on, and get help getting the sizing right and know what fits your noggin'. Then buy from the store, or go on-line for a better deal.
 
Thats what i plan on doing, just wondering what would be the best bang for my buck brand wise and what not
 
And does anyone know of a good shop to get work on, i need breaks,rotors and a few other little things done...but im on the fence with a few places
 
Both great lids, really can't go wrong with the rf1100 if it fits you right. The RS1 is more comparable in fit and features to the RF1100, than the star.

Dave still competition cycle has great deals on bell, search for his post in vendors, may be down a page or two by now.
 
Congrats on the purchase!

Helmet - Shoei
The rest - Dainese
 
I have the rf1100. I love it. That said, go try everything on and find what fits you the best. Then buy. :thumbup:
 
Get something that fits properly. I tried a bunch of different makes before I bought my RF1100. Had it for 3 years now with no complaints.
 
Both my helmet and my passenger helmet are both Shoei RF-1100. I love Shoei. I've never had a Bell but one bonus is they have transitional visors for Bell although there is an e-tint insert you can get for Shoei. I was wearing a Shoei when I was t-boned and it saved my life so I'm a big fan.
 
sykobish said:
I was wearing a Shoei when I was t-boned and it saved my life so I'm a big fan.
Click to expand...

You should consider writing a letter to Shoei Corporate Office. These kind of loyalty often gets rewarded in one way or the other.
 
I have Bell Star matte black.
Love it. Insides are washable/remove/replaceable.
Matte finish gets marked up with fingerprints and bug guts, but can be cleaned up pretty easily.
Air flow is great...lots of vents. It is fairly light weight.
Shield changes are very fast and easily- AND you can get the transitions one for this helmet if you want...(expensive--I was lucky enough to get mine from a GTAM member for a great price)
Loud as **** with the vents open at highway speed- but all helmets are. Earplugs fix that easily.
 
Helmet depends a lot on your head shape. Most helmets are built for pumpkin or near pumpkin heads ( round to round ish). I'm not so lucky, and have an oval head, so after buying 2, and trying on many, I needed to go with an arai profile. Couldn't find anything else that didn't put pressure on my forehead. Profile has been replaced by Signet Q, so you should be able to find a closeout in your price range if your melon fits it.
 
knucklesound said:
I have Bell Star matte black.
Love it. Insides are washable/remove/replaceable.
Matte finish gets marked up with fingerprints and bug guts, but can be cleaned up pretty easily.
Air flow is great...lots of vents. It is fairly light weight.
Shield changes are very fast and easily- AND you can get the transitions one for this helmet if you want...(expensive--I was lucky enough to get mine from a GTAM member for a great price)
Loud as **** with the vents open at highway speed- but all helmets are. Earplugs fix that easily.
Click to expand...

^^ I Got my bell rs-1 50%; off from bikerleathers, and even if it wasn't 50% off it's extremely good value, and the transition shield is fantastic
 
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Don't ignore the rest of the gear. Start with this and enter your own height and inseam against a CBR600 RR.
http://cycle-ergo.com/

That's an idea of how you'll be spending your time in the saddle.
Try on some riding pants and take a seat in the shop. Slap on whatever else they'll allow you try on at the same time.
The most noticeable issues I experienced:
Over pants bunching up under the knees cutting off circulation and irritating in under an hour of real use. So for long rides I would ditch the jeans and wear fleece under the over pants (very comfy in cooler weather) or go with lighter weight mesh pants and layer under that accordingly.
Decide if you prefer pants that allow removal without removing your boots first. Just a consideration depending on your own needs.
Boots' velcro working loose up at the calves when flexing the ankles in a riding position or walking up stairs.
Jacket riding up the small of the back when leaned over, leaving the small of the back cold on long night rides. Of course matching pant/jacket zippers help here. Internal wide waist belts are a bonus to mitigate drafts around the kidneys.
Do you want collar fasteners that don't secure when not in use and beat on your shiny new helmet?
Lots of details to check out. Enjoy the shopping and good luck.
Gloves either too tight and cutting off circulation or too loose to pick up loose change or operate controls.
 
Helmets are the one place you should NEVER cheap out on.
I'm not saying its only good if it's expensive. I'm saying make sure it's certified by some body out there (DOT, EC, Snell, etc...), and don't be afraid to spend a couple more $ to get the right lid for your head.

MAKE SURE IT FITS RIGHT! I had a Shark RSR (awesome helmet) but it didn't fit my head quite right. So after a few headaches, my best friends young lad got a pretty good lid to take to the safety course.

There are a lot of good helmets out there. Go to a dealership (GP Bikes has a great selection) & try them on. Try on a bunch. Leave them on for 10-15 min. It's worth the time.
 
Remember when you're trying them on that the helmets will supposedly break in around 10% so the fit when new you're looking for as I understand it is snug like a hand holding on top of your head that doesn't shift around. It should not be painful but it should hold on, no easy sliding forward or back or side motions. As it breaks in it will become looser. I have a Bell Custom 500 bought in April and just got a second one for pillion, same size, and the new one tried on last night is significantly snugger compared to the one that's been worn for at least 30 hours.

Also, different models and manufacturers will fit differently, even different models from the same manufacturer. Think shoes or pants for example, size labelling can be all over the place so don't get hung up on the word labels, try them on.
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