safety gear

newbieking · 08-12-2008, 01:30 AM

Hello all,

What safety gear do you recommend? I would want "the best" and, if anything, I will probably go overboard on the safety gear. I already bought the boots (for the MSF class) so now I need the helmet. I think the $300 price point would get me a comfortable and safe full-face helmet. I would want to get upper body and lower body protection. What do you all recommend? Would you recommend leather jacket and pants? Or even chest and back protectors with the leathers? What do the racers use?

Any information would be helpful.

Thanks.

Hogrider · 08-12-2008, 05:58 AM

When it comes to safety gear you can go absolutlely nuts in terms of price and quite frankly go nowhere. The likes of the $90 FF ZR1 helmet has proven to be as safe in a crash as the $500 ARAI. Dollar for dollar I have found the HJC helmet line to be a great bang for the buck and they are both DOT and Snell approved. When it comes to jackets you can go with leather which will cost more but then again you can be very safe in a textile or mesh jacket with approved armor and this, to me, boils down to preference. I have all three and use them for different seasons. The Moto GP folks use a one piece leather suit which runs roughly $1,500 but remember, it has to protect them at 180mph. I prefer gauntlet leather gloves with palm pads and knuckle guards. As far as pants go many prefer over pants with armor.

Hogrider · 08-12-2008, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorcycleinfo

When buying a helmet, I also recommend only buying one that is Snell approved for best safety. Look for the Snell sticker inside of it. If you are really new to riding, I think a full-face helmet is the way to go, but make sure you are comfortable no matter what you pick. They also sell full-face helmets that hinge so you an flip-up the entire front. I'm getting one of those next. Get yourself some comfortable riding boots that are actually meant for motorcycle riding with features like extra material on the top left foot for the shift lever, and soles that won't get caught up on your foot pegs in case you need to put your feet down quickly at a stop.

Either DOT or Snell approval will be safe and there is no substantiation to suggest one approval is any better than the other. I do however have a problem with flip up helmets and this is relative to the upper hinge points which have come into question under severe crashes where the hinge could cause injury to the riders temple area of the brain. For this reason alone I won't even look at one.

Schneiderman · 08-12-2008, 10:37 AM

Yeah, I don't like the flip-up helmets because I have heard numerous reports of the front coming off in a crash.

I also don't believe that the SNELL standards are realistic, but with SNELL you do know for a fact that the line of helmets has been tested to do hold up to high standards.

I use HJC helmets because IMO they are the best bang for the buck. I got a CL-SP, a very good helmet, for $100.

Checking them out at the dealership, I've been very disappointed in some high-priced jackets, particularly from Icon. Some of them cost $300+ but the leather is thin, the fit is uncomfortable, the armor doesn't seem right, etc... I have 3 Power Trip jackets that I got for under $100 each, with thick, comfortable leather, a perfect fit for me, and I had to buy armor for them but that gave me the opportunity to buy the armor I want. I also have a Teknic jacket that I got for under $100 which is also well made, and you can see my review of it on this site in the Reviews and Opinions section under Jackets ("Teknic Lightning review with pics"). IMO the Teknic Lightning is very highly protective for the price.

I use Icon Merc gauntlets which I got for $80 and they are very high quality and very protective. In the future I think I will try a glove with a steel knuckle protector instead of carbon fiber, but I'm sure that these gloves will save my hands in a crash on the highway.

My favorite riding pants are the Cortech Caliber, which have proven to be very versatile and useful from subzero temperatures to 90 degrees, as well as completely waterproof. They are not super protective but they do have pads and knee armor. I also have a set of Icon Field Armor for the legs which I use with other sets of riding pants instead of knee armor. They're a cost effective way to save your legs without buying a bunch of sets of super armored pants.

08-12-2008, 01:30 AM	#1
newbieking Verified Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 24	safety gear Hello all, What safety gear do you recommend? I would want "the best" and, if anything, I will probably go overboard on the safety gear. I already bought the boots (for the MSF class) so now I need the helmet. I think the $300 price point would get me a comfortable and safe full-face helmet. I would want to get upper body and lower body protection. What do you all recommend? Would you recommend leather jacket and pants? Or even chest and back protectors with the leathers? What do the racers use? Any information would be helpful. Thanks.

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08-12-2008, 05:58 AM	#2
Hogrider Banned Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: the Wildcat State Posts: 919	When it comes to safety gear you can go absolutlely nuts in terms of price and quite frankly go nowhere. The likes of the $90 FF ZR1 helmet has proven to be as safe in a crash as the $500 ARAI. Dollar for dollar I have found the HJC helmet line to be a great bang for the buck and they are both DOT and Snell approved. When it comes to jackets you can go with leather which will cost more but then again you can be very safe in a textile or mesh jacket with approved armor and this, to me, boils down to preference. I have all three and use them for different seasons. The Moto GP folks use a one piece leather suit which runs roughly $1,500 but remember, it has to protect them at 180mph. I prefer gauntlet leather gloves with palm pads and knuckle guards. As far as pants go many prefer over pants with armor.

08-12-2008, 10:37 AM	#4
Schneiderman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 3,160	Yeah, I don't like the flip-up helmets because I have heard numerous reports of the front coming off in a crash. I also don't believe that the SNELL standards are realistic, but with SNELL you do know for a fact that the line of helmets has been tested to do hold up to high standards. I use HJC helmets because IMO they are the best bang for the buck. I got a CL-SP, a very good helmet, for $100. Checking them out at the dealership, I've been very disappointed in some high-priced jackets, particularly from Icon. Some of them cost $300+ but the leather is thin, the fit is uncomfortable, the armor doesn't seem right, etc... I have 3 Power Trip jackets that I got for under $100 each, with thick, comfortable leather, a perfect fit for me, and I had to buy armor for them but that gave me the opportunity to buy the armor I want. I also have a Teknic jacket that I got for under $100 which is also well made, and you can see my review of it on this site in the Reviews and Opinions section under Jackets ("Teknic Lightning review with pics"). IMO the Teknic Lightning is very highly protective for the price. I use Icon Merc gauntlets which I got for $80 and they are very high quality and very protective. In the future I think I will try a glove with a steel knuckle protector instead of carbon fiber, but I'm sure that these gloves will save my hands in a crash on the highway. My favorite riding pants are the Cortech Caliber, which have proven to be very versatile and useful from subzero temperatures to 90 degrees, as well as completely waterproof. They are not super protective but they do have pads and knee armor. I also have a set of Icon Field Armor for the legs which I use with other sets of riding pants instead of knee armor. They're a cost effective way to save your legs without buying a bunch of sets of super armored pants.