LF Bike Protection Leather

RWBRWB
edited July 2008 in The Pub
I'm taking the MSF course ATM before I go get my class M license and soon I'll be buying a bike, haven't decided on the bike but I do want to go ahead and get the protective gear for now as I ain't going to ride a bike without it. I've fallen from my mountain bike on some rough terrain and it ain't fun, falling from a bike on the highway is not something I plan on doing with only a helmit and gloves on.

The Harley Davidson place I am taking this course at has some nice leather, but I am sure it's got a premium price also and I've heard you can buy this stuff online for cheaper so I am looking for a leather jacket, ventilated, with removable inner liner, double lined leather around elbows and such, and pockets for added extra padding and of course more visible than plain black. HD has this one I really liked for $330. It's super confortable. Not sure if I can find a better price than that as my regular leather jacket costed me $500, but it's way thinner.

I am also looking for a full helmit. So, if any of you know a good online site I can find these at, I can go somewhere to find the size I need(already tried on various items and got a good idea of what sizes I need) and buy it online.

If you are wondering what bike I have my eye on, so far it's the Vulcan 500 LD. But I have yet to test ride one which is a must of course before I buy.

Comments

  • MrBillMrBill Missouri
    edited July 2008
    How about this site from an ad at the bottom of this thread?

    Oh, and please don't buy a HD jacket if you're not planning to buy/ride a HD. ;)
  • RWBRWB
    edited July 2008
    Well I prefer a place that others can recommend based on experience with this kind of money is all.
  • BuddyJBuddyJ Dept. of Propaganda OKC
    edited July 2008
    And in a related note, is leather still the best material for general day-to-day protective wear while riding? Are there other materials that offer lighter weight and superior abrasion resistance?

    I missed buying a '72 Honda CB450 this past weekend by this much ==> <==.
  • JBJB Carlsbad, CA
    edited July 2008
    I just finished the MSF course and picked up my license, so I'm also shopping for gear. So far I like http://www.cyclegear.com/. As an added bonus the store I went to offered a 15% discount on your first purchase after completion of the MSF course.

    Buddy J: As far as jackets go I'm looking at some of the breathable synthetic jackets with the built in armor (http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=&L2=&L3=&L4=&item=FTL_FTW284-BZ-SM_G&tier2=47). It should be cooler for CA while providing plenty of protection.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska
    edited July 2008
    RWB, you may want to consider other than leather. BTW, I've got over 100,000 miles experience on motorcycles and have had several leather suits. Leather is great for the appearance factor and also for the practical - abrasion protection. Leather is awful though, for hot weather riding. If you purchase a full leather suit and find that it's too suffocating for summer riding, you've defeated the purpose of purpose of buying it in the first place.

    Consider some of the synthetic material riding suits. The materials and craftsmanship available today are superb. You can also get such suits that are nearly rain-proof and very well ventilated, but that can be closed up for cold weather riding.

    You are smart for wanting serious riding gear. Asphalt can rip huge chunks of skin and flesh off, even at relatively low speeds. It's a matter of what you think your butt is worth! I still have my butt thanks to leathers.

    update: Good on you for taking the MSF. I took the MSF Experienced Rider Course years ago. It probably saved my life, the skills and safety awareness I developed from it.
  • RWBRWB
    edited July 2008
    Thanks Leo, I figured leather would be fine as I have worn leather in summer(honestly don't remember wtf I was doing, but I did it) and I recalled how surprised I was at how well it insulated me from the heat I figured from then on that leather kept your temp stable vs warming because of experiences with leather in winter such as putting a leather jacket on in the cold vs inside a warm house before going into the cold. It seemed to stay cold for longer periods of time as if it kept me cool vs warm or something very very strange like that. I know it sounds crazy, but I also know I ain't the only person to notice this.

    Anyways, I'll go for something more suited for south Texas heat for now which I think is the cheaper route as well anyways. I think the nylon type stuff is more visible to boot, and seems over all more padded. But ain't sure if it's better than leather or not for safety.

    On another note on my way home from finishing the course Sunday I almost didn't make it home. Had I come off the beltway ramp at the usual speed I do in my truck(which isn't fast, I actually don't speed) I'd have been creamed by the ass running the red light at some insane speed that prevented me from even determining what kind of car or what color it was I mean that thing was just a blur in front of me. Ever since I accidentally ran a red light when I was 18 I've taken these intersections seriously because I know how they can sometimes be just accidents and not some A-hole, but there was no watching for this jerk. It amazes me at how irresponsible some people are.

    And just to reiterate, this guy or girl didn't run a yellow light or anything, the light was green for me for some time and cars had been stopped in two of the 3 lanes as I was coming through, so just.... wow. I've seen similar things before but not like this. And it would be just a perfect fit to pass a driving course and die that very day in an accident.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska
    edited July 2008
    Visit some motorcycle forums and learn what materials offer the best abrasion material. Leather used to be the best, but synthetics have been catching up quickly. I haven't kept up with it. Consider also a suit that can take spine protectors. No, I'm not talking the near body army that motorcross racers wear - there are some very pliable, fairly comfortable materials out now.
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