Thanks, and some Questions | GTAMotorcycle.com

Thanks, and some Questions

M

McJ

Member
Forum Sponsor
Hey Everyone,

I am brand new to GTAM, and to motorcycling in general! I have been using these forums extensively to do some research about insurance, bikes, etc. Gave me the confidence to start the process, and I just got my M1. So first off, thanks to everyone on the forum here for that.

Now I am looking to take the motorcycle training course, at St. Lawrence College ( I currently live in Kingston Ontario, though I spend most of the year in Hamilton). For the course I need all the gear; Helmet, jacket, boots, gloves. However I havent bought myself a bike yet (Though im pretty sure its going to be a 250 ninja), So im not really sure what type/ style of gear i should be buying, since its a pretty expensive undertaking, i was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to where/what to buy in terms of gear for the course, since i cant seem to find a lot of used gear out there.

Lastly, I am totally knew at this so any and all advice is completely welcome!

Cheers
 
I would say buying gear is not something you want to rush into. If you course is coming up soon, see what you have around the house that you can get away with and borrow anything else if you can. I was considering buying gear the week before my course, and I'm glad I didn't.

You should be spending a good amount of money on all your gear, so you want to take your time. Ideally you want to make sure you get stuff that fits, is at a good price, and you won't regret soon afterward.

Can't speak to the St. Lawrence course specifically, but I did mine at Humber and it required:
- Helmet: Has to be motorcycle specific, DOT approved
- Jacket: Most places let you wear denim, but I would check first
- Gloves: Most places let you wear gardening gloves, but again check first
- Any durable boots that cover the ankle like hiking boots or work boots, steel toes not recommended as it's harder to shift
- Pants: Most places let you wear denim, as long as there are no holes/rips.

For real road riding, you'll probably want:
- Helmet (DOT Approved as a minimum)
- Jacket (with motorcycle specific protection)
- Gloves (with motorcycle specific protection)
- Pants (with motorcycle specific protection, normal jeans won't help you!)
- Boots (something more than normal shoes, motorcycle specific or just some durable boots that cover the ankle)

Not sure what there is around the Kingston area, but if you're back near the city there are a lot of options:

http://gpbikes.com/
http://www.re-gear.ca/
https://www.studiocyclegroup.com/ (these guys even rent gear for the course)
http://www.riderschoice.ca/
 
Last edited:
Most definitely, don't rush and buy stuff just for the course. There is another thread here, started a day or 2 ago that goes into detail on what is needed, I'm sure you will find it. Maybe, just get a good helmet, as its one of the items that is hard to borrow.
Once your course is done, go into one of the larger stores that has a variety of styles of gear and try stuff on and see what you like. Dependant on when you getting your bike, you can find some good deals towards the end of the season as well as the bike shows over winter.
 
+100 on keeping to the basics for your course.

You probably have everything you need ( or could borrow) for a couple of days. The only thing is the helmet - and it makes sense to pick one you will be ok with forthe first 2 years. $150 will cover that. Aside from a DOT approved helmet youwill need some decent leather gloves ( Canadian tire leather gardening gloves are usually accepted). Your shoes must be boots with no chance of ankle abrasion. They are pretty strict on that. Work boots are fine - some hikers too- bludstones will not qualify cuz they can slip off easily. You must wear protective clothing and good quality denim jeans and jacket will get you through the course. Leather options are preferred if you can afford it but until you know more about what and how you will ride - best to leave that for a time ( took me 6 months to come to a decision) :)
 
Last edited:
Hmmm Thanks. Some stuff to think about! I think I am going to try and rent gear as I dont have any suitable jackets
(... To be honest I didnt even know jean jackets existed anymore...i'm only 20, i missed the craze) And the only boots i have are steel toe, which i read somewhere on the forum arent great.

Definitely going to check out gp and royal in whitby next time i am passing through as well!
 
I have HJC CL15 helmet (size small) that has been worn twice...and will sell it for a good price if you are interested. Other than that, both GP and Royal have some helmets on sale for some excellent prices at the moment. I was in Royal a couple of days ago and they had full face helmets for $59. I don't think GP has helmets this cheap, but I saw some name brands there for about $120.
 
When it comes to buying a helmet, spend as much as your budget allows. This as you can imagine is a vital piece of equipment.
 
The fact is, some people find out while taking their M2 that riding isn't for them, or it's too difficult, or they want a different style of bike, etc.

Best bet is to find a friend of a friend who will lend you the gear. Even if you tip over you're not gonna hit your head or rip the jacket I'm sure.

If you're intent on using stuff around the house, just getting by, well you should at least invest in gloves. You can probably afford something you'll wear for a long time right off the bat without worrying about it. $60-150 will get you some pretty decent gloves. Gloves are always useful anyways if you don't end up motorcycling (extreme sports, car racing, gardening? lol)
 
Any leather jacket is more readily accepted than denim. Borrow your dad's, brother's, friend's.
Steel toes can be awkward for shifting.

When you look at serious gear, analyze the level of protection and quality, not how flashy it looks. The reason I avoid a lot of entry level Icon gear for example is because it's made out of paper pretty much but it definitely looks shiny and has a lot of angry and mean symbols on it.

Remember that leather offers best protection. It is also expensive unfortunately. Perforated better all around because it is tolerable in hot weather. However, any motorcycle jacket will do. There are generally three groups of jackets: leather, textile and mesh. Mesh give the least protection but great in high temperature. Check the jacket's armor. Some have almost none. Spine, elbows, shoulders. Check if it ventilates well.

As for helmets - do yourself a favour and don't buy the cheap thermoplastic ones. They don't react well to impact compared to composite fibre units and they are usually on the super cheap end, meaning basic padding, heavy weight and lots of noise.

Gloves - if you can afford only one pair - get gauntlet style.

Get boots instead of shoes. They cover more.

If you can't afford pants - get some shin and knee pads, they are very cheap. And trust me, they are better than nothing. I know.
Forum Sponsor
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom