I am getting my first bike.... undecided as to what it will be...HD of course...thinking sportster, but maybe not....not sure....
at any rate, I am wondering what to buy as far as jacket/helmet/pants/boots. There is alot to consider...its not something I just want to run out and buy the first thing I see. What would you recommend as far as helmet goes? full face/half etc? What about jacket and pants? any ideas are great

 

have you taken the MSF course yet? They will teach you about what proper gear to get to ride safely. Helmets are a personal choice; Full face offers the most protection, 3/4 with face shield is good also, just not as much protection as full face. Best to have over the ankle leather boots IMO. At least jeans to ride in, chaps or leather pants offer more protection and a good riding jacket, i pefer leather but many of the textile jackets with armor are popular. You will learn more in your riding class.

 

I didn't take the course... I wasn't going to since I have ridden bikes before, but the more I talk to people, the more I think I will...
I never had chaps or anything like that before, I had a riding jacket and a half helmet.... The full face seems nice, but wondered if it would get dirty quickly... I have been hit in the head by a bird before so I do think a helmet is a good idea. even though pa doesn't require one...besides, I would like to keep my brain in my head...lol... have my permit now.... going to go look at a few places and decide on the bike this weekend...

 

Try helmets on before you choose... I started with a Half helmet, bought a full face, didnt like the full face, went back to my half helmet, and now I have a 3/4 which I really like. I dont like being stuck inside the full face helmet, but the wind noise with the half helmet is annoying so a 3/4 is perfect for me.

 

Get the bike before getting the gear. Some examples of why:

My old boots would fit under the shifter/brake on my chopper but not quit on the nightster. I bought a new pair of boots that fit.

My old gloves have padding in the palms but the padding stops me from reaching the turn-signal switch on the nightster so they're out and i bought new gloves without padding.

So, make sure the gear you buy suits you, your bike, and your riding style.

3/4 helmets /w shields are the best of both worlds and have ample room for stickers

 

I think the riding gear you wear is up to you, your style, and what feels comfortable. A good helmet is a BIG plus.

However...

Three things I've found very valuable to have are:

1. Glasses/goggles that don't fog and handle rain well

2. A vest/jacket that can keep small rocks and big bugs from leaving whelts on your chest

3. Saddle bags for storage on longer trips or all day events

Those three things have made my life on a bike MUCH more enjoyable.

 

i like the full face helmet for protection for all of your face from pavement and road debris kicked up from other cars, its also nice if you want to add a headset with a radio or sumthin in it. and the visor can be closed or opened giving you varying degrees of wind in your face, its also nice on cold days, but not so much on hot ones.

Mods to the bike should be engine guards first and foremost they gave me a lot of confidence and they may not look great but they can save you a lot of money if the bike gets dropped.

and of course as others have said, the msf course will be great for you.

 

I'm an advocate of functional riding gear.

Some of the leathers at the dealer may look cool but are thin and poorly stitched. I suppose it’s better than nothing, but I like a jacket with some armor in it. As for the gloves, same deal. I don’t like the bulky Kevlar ones, but some padded gauntlets work well for me. As for the helmet, I don’t have a windshield, so I ride full faced, ¾ is good too, but personally I wouldn’t recommend any less than that. As for the legs, I tend to just ride in jeans, but a pair of chaps or over pants would be a good addition. As for the feet, I like steel toed boots. The hard toe takes the pressure off the top of my foot if I decide to hook it under the shifter or break.

 

+1 on the engine guard, its a real bike saver. I learned first hand yesterday morning. Had to lay my bike down, to avoid t-boning some jerk who crossed right in front of me. The engine guard and the highway pegs took the brunt of the punishment. Only other damage was a couple of blemishes on the slipons and a grounded off spot on the end of my front brake lever. Nothing twisted or broken or bent. Now i qualify for the broken wing patch

 

Boots, Good britches like the Diamond Gusset Defenders, Decent jacket with armor, and a helmet- I wear a fill face HJC. Decent pair of gloves and I look like a total RUB- but I feel like I'm ready for whatever comes my way.