Following up on the upright buyers guide, I bought one. A K1200 LT.
Previous bike (Vulcan Nomad) was primarily used for puddle jumps, but did some cross-country touring, and my clothing was typical for the style - TourMaster jacket or leather vest, Durango boots, armored jeans. They function fine, but they were just never a good do-all riding getup. I also look like a Redneck in a Bentley when I mix and match.
The tourmaster was also great in the summer without the lining on the Nomad, but the excellent wind protection on the BMW means that it's HOT.
Needs: Armored pants that can be worn when off the bike, like if I take a lady to a nice dinner, I don't want to have to change before I go in. Super-airy jacket with armor for hot days. Probably gloves for colder riding. Brands? Styles? Places to buy?
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
Craigslist/FB marketplace. Start there. Cycle Gear is a good brick & mortar store to physically touch things and try them on. I've found good deals on Revzilla. They also do YouTubes reviews. Those are very helpful and well done .
You didn't specify a budget, so I'm not sure if this is what you'd be looking for. Either way, I made a video earlier in the year about my experience with my Klim jackets, and I think the Induction or Induction Pro would be a good choice. I really do like my Induction Pro, it's providing rather decent airflow even with the airbag vest underneath.
That said, if you happen to wear size large, I think I still have my older textile jacket that has a lot of mesh panels, armour and multiple liners to turn it into a three season jacket. Let me know if you're interested and I'll try to find it. That you can have for free as I'm trying to downsize the amount of motorcycle gear I own.
In reply to BoxheadTim :
Unlikely I'd fit a large. I'm 6' (plus a little) and 235 lbs. Current jacket is an XL. I suppose I could try on a few larges at a brick and mortar and see, but it might be apples/oranges.
Thanks for the offer, and I might take you up on it. My shortcoming right now is what to even look for in features, or what is offered.
In reply to Appleseed :
OMG... I just learned that I have a Cycle Gear 5 miles from me. Never knew.
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
I suspect that the jacket might be a bit too tight - I'm 5'11" and usually 185-195, and at the top range the jacket seems to have shrunk a bit. You're still welcome to check it out if you want to.
I believe you can get Chinos with some armour these days - I'm more familiar with the jeans type that's been available for quite a while now. Like most textile motorcycling gear, protection varies.
An option I tended to use even for client visits was to wear a some thin, office compatible chinos under well vented or even mesh trousers so you're essentially wearing the reasonably nice clothing under the protective gear.
IIRC Cycle Gear stocks Rev'it and my experience with their textile gear was reasonably positive. I was wearing their mesh type pants during the deer induced flying lesson and both the pants and my legs fared well.
In reply to BoxheadTim :
I didn't specify budget, you're right. I think at this point, airbags are out of the budget. I just need to have armor in the right spots and not boil. Your video was very helpful. I'll take a look at a Klim Induction Pro.
docwyte
UltimaDork
7/5/24 2:16 p.m.
I'm a fan of Klim gear, well made, works well. All that being said, I've got a closet full of gear, what I pick depends on the weather and where I'm riding. When I do a multi day, off/on road ride or a single day off road trip, it's my Klim Badlands stuff. Goretex keeps me dry, has plenty of vents so I don't get too hot as long as I'm moving and it's incredibly protective.
For riding around town I like my Klim Switchback pants, they look like a normal set of pants but have armor etc. It's really easy to pull the knee pads out of them and then work into a restaurant. Really warm weather riding I've got a Klim Induction, which flows a TON of air. Slightly cooler, but still warm weather I have a Klim Marrakesh, which is the best looking off the bike jacket I own. I usually wear Sidi Adv boots around town, I can walk in them ok, but they're definitely clunky in comparison to regular shoes. However they give way more protection than any regular shoe or boot. Off road I wear Sidi Crossfire's, which aren't nearly that hard to walk in as most people say, although maybe I'm just used to walking in ski boots, so that's my comparison...
I've got a set of Draggin Jeans and they're ok, but honestly I doubt they give any more protection than a regular set of jeans. If I go down in them, I'm not going to be happy.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to BoxheadTim :
I didn't specify budget, you're right. I think at this point, airbags are out of the budget. I just need to have armor in the right spots and not boil. Your video was very helpful. I'll take a look at a Klim Induction Pro.
Yes, pretty much all the airbag systems are pretty pricey still. One thing to keep in mind is if you are planning to later use one of the under-jacket airbag systems, you need to size the jacket to have enough space for the airbag to expand. That is less of an issue with the systems that you wear as a vest over your normal gear.
I can't remember if I mentioned it in the video, but my one gripe with the Induction Pro jacket is that it really only has two usable pockets. Fortunately most of my bikes have bags of one kind or other fitted so there is still some place to stick one's phone and wallet, but it's a little annoying.
Another vote for Rev'it gear here. Reasonably priced and seems well designed and manufactured.
Cycle Gear and J&P are part of the Revzilla conglomerate organization. Just an FYI. All have been good to work with when I've needed something.
Id recommend looking at motorcycle gear.com too.
I like motorcycle gear dot com for certain things, but I think I want a brick and mortar to try sizes and fits.
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
Agreed. I have a collection of helmets because I didn't follow this advice.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:
In reply to Appleseed :
OMG... I just learned that I have a Cycle Gear 5 miles from me. Never knew.
That's a win right there. One piece of advice, They will have a greater variety of store brands in store (sedici, bilt, etc) than other retail brands by design, however, if you see a piece of gear on cyclegear.com or revzilla.com that you like, you can order it to deliver to your local cycle gear store so you can try it on before you buy it. My closest cycle gear is 1.5 hours ride for me through some great twisty roads so sometimes I make that part of a ride.
In reply to gunner (Forum Supporter) :
I like that a lot. I am a bargain whore, so I'm one of those guys that listens to a speaker at BestBuy and then finds it 20% cheaper on Amazon, but when it comes to things like this, I love the personal touch and I'll gladly pay a small premium for it.
If you haven't found it yet. Leatherup.com is worth a look.
In reply to lotusseven7 (Forum Supporter) :
That is a steal, man. I would jump at it, but it looks very similar in construction/warmth to my current Tourmaster. I'll be through your neck of the woods on Aug 12th-ish. If it's still for sale I might stop in and try it on.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:
...I also look like a Redneck in a Bentley when I mix and match...
Wait just a darn minute...
An Aerostitch suit can be worn over your nice clothes. Take it off and stuff it in your saddlebag when going on a date. They're well ventilated so you can remain comfortable in warm weather. Or, if you prefer they also sell riding pants in denim and khaki, the khakis look reasonably dressy. They also have a ton of other good motorcycle related clothing and accessories. https://www.aerostich.com
If you want a leather jacket Langlitz Leathers is the best, they're designed to last a lifetime. I had one that was custom tailored for me and I loved it, until some cretins broke in my house and stole it. However, at some point the cool celebrity crowd discovered them and today it takes a healthy bank account to afford one. https://www.langlitz.com
In reply to stuart in mn :
It's not the pants that look good, it's that I would make them look good. :)
I do like the idea of armor without a full suit
For all of you who recommended Cycle Gear.... you were SPOT ON. I waited for their Labor day sale and I was more or less followed by two employees who answered every question with a ton of experience. Got a new helmet, jacket, and comms. I'm happy as a pig in E36 M3.
ddavidv
UltimaDork
9/1/24 7:16 a.m.
Can't believe it wasn't me recommending CG, but I do not appear in this thread. I've been buying my helmets there because they are the only ones I've found that fit me correctly. I've also bought their gloves in several varieties. My local CG is a small one that doesn't do tire changes or anything. The boot inventory is pretty limited, but they do good on jackets, pants, gloves and helmets. I have yet to have an issue with the quality, which is something I can't say about some of the 'name brand' stuff I've purchased over the years.
I'm super happy with the stuff I got, although I've only had it two days and about 75 miles. I have played some tunes through the Cardo intercom, but haven't downloaded the app or ridden with anyone who also has a comm in their helmet. I got a Sedici Sistema 2 modular helmet and it fits like a dang glove, and it's the quietest modular I've ever worn... probably helped by the aero of the K1200LT.
The riding shirt I picked up is mostly mesh, and it flows great. I had a Tourmaster, but the Bimmer is so good at directing air around the cockpit that it began being too hot if the weather was above about 80. Now I have a mesh shirt, a waterproof tourmaster for when it's chilly or rainy, and a zip in liner for colder stuff.
I do want to round it out with some cold/wet weather pants. For now I'm using my hiking boots and they're surprisingly well-suited to the task, so no rush on shoes.
