Dress or impress
I continually see the question of what gear someone should be wearing. It’s a simple yet complex question for a multitude of reasons, values, and budgets. The short answer is, whatever works for you. Which is generally unhelpful and vague. But the answer comes down to specific evaluations that are different for almost every rider. Which is what i’m going to talk about. A little rabbit hole of my experience and the gear I have and/or wish I had.
When I first got into riding a motorcycle worthy of the road, I knew I was going to need some new gear. What I didn’t expect during this thought, was the price of the gear itself. As it turns out, there’s also gear ranging from lightweight logo jerseys to full blown 4 season jump suits. More niche, more money.
I’m no stranger to expensive gear, especially niche gear. So I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised. With plenty of motorcycle experience, but not a lot of street experience. My values were in crash and weather protection. I was living in Seattle at the time, and one thing it is not, is California. Cold, wet, sometimes beautiful, and roads that do not cater to motorcycles. I also wanted something I could wear all the time, as this was my primary mode of transportation. My truck was sold, and I was done riding the bus!
The motorcycle I purchased was a whole state away, and the plan was to fly to it and ride it home. With that in mind it made sense to invest in some gear before I take my first multi hour road trip. There was a motorcycle store a couple minutes away from where I was grabbing the bike. Fly light, and grab gear at the store. The plan was set. My budget was around 1k. However, I would try to keep it below that the best I could. It would also be nice to have gear that will last.
With versatility in mind, I grabbed what I thought was what I needed. Helmet, pants, jacket, boots, gloves. There were a couple deals I was able to take advantage of which helped me stay below my budget. All the gear was Adventure and touring style of gear. This also considering I was going to be riding and ADV motorcycle. Gear structured toward that riding posture worked best.
Without the sale items I would be heavy over my budget. Cycle gear was the store I was shopping at, which is also limited in what it carries brand wise. But also understandable as they try to cater to the multitude of rider categories.
New gear, new bike, ready to go!
Now is where we fast forward through time and over 20,000 miles later. Having ridden in extreme desert heat, and through mountains where the temp dropped below 15F. Where the vast majority of my riding has been off road and back roads. Through massive high speed highways, insane desert crosswinds, pouring rain mountain passes, sand, dust and mud. Fully immersed in sweat and cold chills. For the most part, I have used all the gear I first bought. But not without revealing it’s flaws.
Here’s my breakdown.
I wish I had more room in my jacket for layers when its cold, and I wish It wasn’t so heavy when its hot. I also removed all the sewn in D30 armor. I never use 75% of the pockets on my jacket. I have loved my pants, but they do get very warm riding in the heat. Over the boot pants sometimes snag my pegs when putting my foot down. The boots have held up great, but I want more aggressive foot/ankle protection. And water will eventually get into almost everything with enough effort.
I feel the level of riding I’m doing also doesn’t warrant a full body impact protective suit. Although if I were to race, I would want that. I still wear knee protection, but more aggressive knee protection is what I care about. Something like a knee brace.
Should I buy some new gear….?
These thoughts go through my head every time I’m about to do a big ride. Wanting to stay as light as possible with clothes and gear. Considering the diversity of weather and terrain it’s often a matter of sacrifice. Wearing lighter gear will quickly become not enough when the night gets cold. Heavier clothes become too hot in the middle of the day. These adventure style clothes do have a multitude of “ventilation” features. Which do work well for speed on the highway. Suffering will ensue during lower speed technical off road terrain though. And if you have large wind fairings, you may need to stand on the pegs to get any airflow at all.
After trying multiple different gloves. And shoveling out a decent amount of cash for “winter” gloves. I’ve came to the conclusion that my hands just get really cold no matter what. Heated grips will likely help. And motocross gloves are my go to for almost all riding. If it gets proper cold, I wear a nice pair of leather palmed technical skiing gloves. They are not rated for a slide at all. The dexterity gained from having warm hands is worth the sacrifice for me though.
And then I remind myself…
I’m not about to blow more money on another textile to “try it out”.
Gloves were the small exception. I can be cold basically everywhere else and get through it. When the hands start failing, that’s an issue i’m not willing to make compromises. If I can’t grab a lever because I can’t feel my hands, or because the glove is too restrictive, it’s a no go.
My next priority is boots. When the budget allows. Someday. Everything in-between the boots and gloves, I can work with what I got.
If you’re really undecided on what gear you should get, do a self evaluation. No one on the internet is going to be able to pick the perfect fit for you. Decide what type of riding you’ll be doing and what makes sense for you and your life. If you have access to a gear store, go try on some gear. Keep an eye out for sales, and work within your budget. Full leathers might be great for sliding down the highway, and they also might give you a heat stroke if you’re stuck in traffic.
When you get yourself situated with whatever it is you have. Just remember nothing is going to be perfect for everything. Assess your values and your intended use. What you’re most likely going to wear the MOST.
Then stop obsessing and just go ride.
